Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies

Long-Term Monitoring of the Forest Ecosystem at IES

Gary M. Lovett
Clive G. Jones
Institute of Ecosystem Studies

We monitor key aspects of forest nutrient cycling at our research site in Millbrook, New York. The table below shows variables measured and the length of the measurement period. Click on the link to access each data set. If you wish to use these data sets, please email Gary Lovett with a brief explanation of how you intend to use them.

Julie Hart collecting soil solution using a suction lysimeter.

Data set	Start date	Method
Gypsy moth egg mass density metadata .pdf data .xls	1980	direct counts on sample plots

Nutrient Cycling
Wet deposition	1984	wet-only collectors
Dry deposition	1988	filter packs + deposition velocity model
Throughfall metadata .pdf data .xls	1993 (through 1999)	funnel/bottle collectors
B horizon soil solution metadata .pdf data .xls	1993	constant tension lysimeters
Potential N mineralization metadata .pdf data .xls	1994	laboratory incubation
Foliar N concentration metadata .pdf data .xls	1994	C-N analyzer

Trends in Nitrogen and Sulfur Deposition.

We have observed a decline in total (wet + dry) atmospheric deposition of both nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) since we began measurements in 1988 (Kelly et al 2002). There have been corresponding declines in fluxes of N and S in throughfall and of S in soil leachate (see graphs below). The fact that S leaching is substantially higher than S deposition suggests that mineral weathering contributes S to this ecosystem. There is minimal leaching of N, suggesting almost complete retention of N under current deposition conditions.

Kelly, V.R., G.M. Lovett, K.C. Weathers and G.E Likens. 2002. Trends in atmospheric concentration and deposition compared to regional and local pollutant emissions at a rural site in southeastern New York, USA. Atmospheric Environment 36:1569-1575.

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