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Correlation between Soils and Sagebrush‐Dominated Plant Communities of Northeastern Nevada
Author(s) -
Jensen M. E.,
Simonson G. H.,
Dosskey M.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
soil science society of america journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1435-0661
pISSN - 0361-5995
DOI - 10.2136/sssaj1990.03615995005400030049x
Subject(s) - subsoil , plant community , saturation (graph theory) , environmental science , rangeland , soil water , soil horizon , soil ph , soil science , hydrology (agriculture) , agronomy , ecology , geology , biology , mathematics , species richness , agroforestry , geotechnical engineering , combinatorics
Relationships between sagebrush‐dominated plant communities and soil‐site variables were examined on 372 relatively undisturbed rangeland sites of the Humboldt National Forest in northeastern Nevada, USA. Site and soil‐physical variables that best discriminated between the 15 community types studied included mollic epipedon thickness, elevation, subsoil clay content, total soil depth, subsoil thickness, total water holding capacity, A‐horizon thickness, A‐horizon rock content, rooting depth, and subsoil rock content. Discriminant analysis indicated that 68% of the rangeland sites sampled could be correctly assigned to their appropriate community type based on site and soil‐physical variables. The percentage of sites correctly classified ranged from 25% within the Artemisia tridentata Nutt. ssp. tridentata/Festuca idahoensis Elmer community type to 100% in the Ar. longifolia Nutt./ F. idahoensis type. Soil‐chemical variables effective in discriminating between community types included both surface (N, P, divalent/monovalent cation ratio, Ca, pH, base saturation, and organic‐matter content) and subsoil (divalent/monovalent cation ratio, Ca, base saturation, and pH) variables. Based on soil‐chemical criteria, only 32% of the study sites were correctly assigned to their appropriate community type. Results of this study suggest caution when inferring the soil properties of a site from plant community composition.