Park Grass Hay Experiment, Long Term Soil Organic Matter Study
Entry ID:
IACR.ParkGrass
|
Summary
This experiment began in 1856 at a cool temperate grassland site that
was probably grazed for several centuries before the experiment
started. A uniformity trial was carried out for several years before
the experiment started. The soil at the site is silty clay loam
overlying chalk.
The land use: Grass cut twice, 1st cut made into hay. ... Treatments: Main
treatments include no N, NH4-N, NH3-N, FYM (+fishmeal) every 4 yrs since
1905. Also P,K,Na,Mg,Si trts. Most plots now split and limed to keep pH
at 7,6&5+unlimed. Recent splits no longer receive NaNO3 or
(NH4)2SO4 after 130 yrs or FYM+fishmeal after 90 yrs.
MEASUREMENTS MADE DURING THE EXPERIMENT
a) Vegetation measurements made and frequency
Yield: Twice yearly
Total above-ground dry matter: Twice yearly since 1960 (excludes
"stubble")
Total dry matter offtake: 1856-1959
Nitrogen content of offtake: 4 yr periods bulked together, about
every 20 years
P, K, Ca, Mg, Na. Frequency as for N. Also some trace elements,
heavy metals and atmospheric pollutants.
b) Soil sampling
Details of soil sampling method: 1870-1913 samples taken with a
6"x6"x9" (15.2x15.2x22.9cm) open ended metal box; 1, 2 or 3 holes per
plot. In 1876 surface soils taken with a 12x12x9 inch box - 3 holes
per plot; subsoils taken with a 6x6x9 inch box - 3 holes per plot.
Later samples (1923->) taken with a semicylindrical auger (12-16
cores per plot [or subplot]) bulked together. Outer edges of plots
(1m) not sampled. Not all plots were sampled on each occasion. Soil
is separated into layers.
Details of measuring depths and soil layers: 1870: 0-23, 23-46,
46-69 cm. All plots - 1876: 0-23, 23-46, 46-69, 69-92, 92-115, 115-138
cm. 1878: 0-23, 23-46, 46-69 cm. 1904/6: 0-23, 23-46, 46-69, 69-92,
92-115, 115-139 cm. All plots - 1913: 0-3.8, 3.8-7.6, 7.6-10.2,
10.2-12.7, 12.7-15.2, 15.2-17.8, 17.8-20.3, 20.3-22.9 cm. All plots -
1923/4: 0-23, 23-46 cm. 1932: 0-20 cm - none archived. All plots -
1956/7: 0-15, 15-23, 23-30, 30-38, 38-46, 46-51 cm. All plots - 1959:
0-7.6, 7.6-15.2, 15.2-22.9, 22.9-30.5, 30.5-38.1, 38.1-45.7 cm. 1966,
67, 70, 71: 0-23 cm. All plots - 1974, 75, 76, 77: 0-23 cm. 1979: 0-23
cm. All plots - 1984,91: 0-23+some 0-7.6, 7.6-15.2, 15.2-22.9,
22.9-46, 46-69 cm. Some plots - 1995: 0-23 cm.
c) Soil measurements made and frequency
Total carbon: Selected plots, depths and years.
Method of measuring total carbon: Some early samples by Chromate
method then Walkley-Black (with correction factor), combustion or
Tinsley. Most recent (1984&91) and some older samples analysed by
Tinsley.
Biomass carbon: Very limited
Method of measuring biomass carbon: Chloroform fumigation -
incubation method (Jenkinson & Powlson, 1976). For results see Patra
et al (1990).
Carbon dioxide evolution: Very limited
Total nitrogen: Selected plots, depths and years
Method of measuring total nitrogen: Kjeldahl
Total mineral nitrogen: Selected plots, depths and years
Biomass nitrogen: Very limited
Method of measuring biomass nitrogen: Chloroform fumigation -
incubation (Jenkinson & Powlson, 1976). For results see Patra et al,
(1990).
Nitrate nitrogen: Selected treatments
Method of measuring nitrate nitrogen: As soil mineral N
Ammonium nitrogen: Selected treatments
Method of measuring ammonium nitrogen: As soil mineral N
Soil bulk density or weight: 20-50 years
Method of measuring soil bulk density or weight: Using 6x6x9 inch
(15.2x15.2x22.9 cm) open ended metal box or semicylindrical augers of
known volume.
Other nutrients: Bicarbonate soluble P (Olsen) and other
extractants. Exchangeable K, Ca, Mg, Na (Metson) Ammonium acetate and
other extractants. Total P (by fusion). pH
Atmospheric inputs: Current estimates for N deposition to
Rothamsted soils are 40-50 kg N/ha. See Goulding & Poulton (1992)
Chemistry in Britain. Dec 1992. Goulding (1990) S.O.M. 6.2 p61-63.
See also Jenkinson et al (1994).
Other measurements: pH. Heavy metals on selected treatments (in
crop & soil).
d) Details of the meteorological station
Nearest meteorological station to the site: Rothamsted which is .8 km
from the site at coordinates 0deg 21min W, 51deg49min N
Meteorological data is available from both a manual and an automatic
station.
e) Meteorological data available and frequency
Rainfall: Continuous - read daily
Air temperature: Continuous
Soil temperature: Read daily at 10 cm depth
Wind speed: Continuous
Net Radiation: Continuous
Sun hours: Continuous
Relative humidity: Calculated
Potential evapotranspiration: Calculated measured/calculated by
Evaporation from open pans. Potential Soil Moisture Deficit calculated
using Penman Equation.
f) Isotope measurements available and frequency
Carbon 13 measurements in vegetation:Very limited
Carbon 14 measurements in vegetation: Very limited
Nitrogen 15 measurements in vegetation: 1980&81 & residual years
83,86,91.
Total soil carbon 13 measurements: Very limited
Total soil carbon 14 measurements: Very limited
Total soil nitrogen 15 measurements: 1981 & residual years 83,86&91
Details of isotope measurements: C-13 & C-14 work Jenkinson (1969);
RES Report (1968) pt.1, 73. N-15 work not yet published. N-15
applied in 1980&81; uptake by grass measured in 1st & residual years.
N-15 remaining in soil also measured.
g) Archived samples available
Archived soil samples: See 'sampling depth' (93. above) dating from
1870
Archived crop samples: 2 cuts annually dating from 1856
Archived inorganic fertilizer samples: Occasionally dating from 1960s
Archived organic fertilizer samples: Every 2 years dating from 1960s
Other archived samples available: Some botanical separations of the
grasses, legumes and herbs have been made at various times. Some, but
not all of these separated samples have been archived.
DATA AVAILABLE IN ELECTRONIC FORMAT
Yield data available in electronic format from 1856
Data available in electronic format for rainfall from 1853
Data available in electronic format for air temperature from 1878
Data available in electronic format for soil temperature from 1931
Data available in electronic format for wind speed from 1946
Data available in electronic format for net radiation from 1931
Data available in electronic format for sun hours from 1890
Data available in electronic format for relative humidity from 1925
This information was compiled for the GCTE-SOMNET Database, Pete
Smith, Pete Falloon, David Powlson, and Jo Smith. Soil Science
Department, IACR-Rothamsted, UK.
Geographic Coverage
Spatial coordinates
| N: 51.82 |
|
S: 51.81 |
|
E: -0.34 |
|
W: -0.36 |
|
Min Depth: SURFACE
Max Depth: 139CM
|
Data Set Citation
Temporal Coverage
Location Keywords
Science Keywords
ISO Topic Category
Project
Quality
a) Details of the plots
Width of smallest plot is 19.3 m
Length of smallest plot is 25.2 m
Width of largest plot is 11.3 m
Length of largest plot is 6.6 m
Slope: 0 . Shape: Uniform
Details of homogeneity of the plots: Plot boundaries are very sharp,
extending no more than 0.5m into the plot. Transects taken across some
plots show pH to ... be fairly uniform and soluble P and other nutrients
showing greater variability (not published) with coefficients of
variation of about 10-15%. Herbage is less uniform on more acid plots,
but currently a great amount of work is being done on species composition etc.
b) Details of replication, randomization and controls
There are no replicates in the experiment. Although there are
two control plots, none of the other treatments are replicated, unless
one
considers some of the lower pH subplots as replicates.
There are control plots described as follows:
There are two control plots (three if you count one which has been
unmanured since 1864 after 8 years FYM). Thes plots have been split in
1903 and again in 1965 for a chalk treatment but one level of chalk
is Nil. (Thurston et al, 1976). N.B. The whole experiment was chalked
in the 1880s.
All yields data have been rigorously checked by referring back to
original notebooks etc., prior to entry onto database.
Access Constraints
none
Use Constraints
Link to the following location to view data use policy of SOMNET members:
http://www.rothamsted.bbsrc.ac.uk/aen/somnet/index.htm
Ancillary Keywords
Data Set Progress
Data Center
Personnel
PAUL
R.
POULTON
Role:
TECHNICAL CONTACT
Phone:
+44 (0)1582 763133
Fax:
+44 (0)1582 760981
Contact Address:
IACR-Rothamsted
AL5 2JQ.
City:
Harpenden
Province or State:
Hertfordshire
Country:
UNITED KINGDOM
TYLER
B.
STEVENS
Role:
DIF AUTHOR
Phone:
(301) 614-6898
Fax:
301-614-5268
Email:
Tyler.B.Stevens at nasa.gov
Contact Address:
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Global Change Master Directory
City:
Greenbelt
Province or State:
MD
Postal Code:
20771
Country:
USA
|
Related URL
Link:
View Related Information
Description:
This url links to the GCTE-SOMNET home page where additional project
information and methodology can be obtained. This site is currently
in a datasharing phase of the network where actual data will become
available shortly, at different levels of accessibility. Please
follow this link for more information.
|
Publications/References
Jenkinson, D.S., Potts, J.M., Perry, J.N., Barnett, V., Coleman, K. &
Johnston, A.E. (1994) Trends in herbage yields over the last century on
the
Rothamsted Park Grass Long-Term Continuous Hay Experiment. J. Agric.
Sci. 122: 365-374.
Poulton, P.R. (1995) The Park Grass Experiment 1856-1995. In: Evaluation
of soil organic matter models using ... existing, long-term datasets. (eds:
D.S. Powlson, P. Smith & J.U. Smith), NATO ASI Series I, Vol. 38,
Springer-Verlag, Heidelberg: 377-384.
Richardson, H.L. (1938) The nitrogen cycle in grassland soils: with
especial reference to the Rothamsted Park Grass Experiment. J. Agric.
Sci. 28:
73-121.
Rothamsted Experimental Station (1968) Details of the classical and
long-term experiments up to 1967. Lawes Agricultural Trust, Harpenden,
U.K., 128pp.
Rothamsted Experimental Station (1977) Details of the classical and
long-term experiments 1968-1973. Lawes Agricultural Trust, Harpenden,
U.K., 77pp.
Thurston, J.M., Williams, E.D. & Johnston, A.E. (1976) Modern
developments in an experiment on permanent grassland started in 1856:
Effects
of fertilisers and lime on botanical composition and crop and soil
analysis. Ann. Agron. 27: 1043-1082.
Warren, R.G. & Johnston, A.E. (1964) The Park Grass Experiment.
Rothamsted Experimental Station Report for 1963, part 2: 240262.
Creation and Review Dates
Last DIF Revision Date:
2006-05-11
|
|
Links
