Common-garden experiments (sometimes called transplant experiments) can help scientist understand the effect of a common environment on a given factor. Several years ago I recall reading a study where a common garden experiment was established with soils from several different locations. The soil from each location was placed in relatively large, replicated field plots and then a single plant variety was grown across all plots. I can't seem to find this paper and would appreciate published examples where this approach has been used. Thanks!
I've seen ecologists do the reverse,.e. plant into different environments, to test plant adaptation
That could only be possible when soil taxonomic units representing different soil types are delineated using a combination of georeferencing and GIS in a given field.
In the Rodale Farming Systems Trial lysimeters were installed to assessment on farming system practices on soil water dynamics. The lysimeter was an intact core soil lysimeter that conserved the soil and its profile. By using such a core lysimeter of different soil types the soil types could be compared at a common location. Check out Jeff Moyer lysimeter the Rodale Institute and Farming System Trial you should be able to get the method for making the intact soil core lysimeter. In the area of the Rodale Institute there were two common soil types which varied significantly in their yield and productivity. These were Comly and Dunlap loams which varied in profile depth if I remember correctly. There are 12 families of soils and among them should represent significant differences in plant adaptation and productivity and quality.
Thanks Paul, Anoop and Paul for your input above.
Here are two articles that describe an interesting study from over 100 years ago that moved large amounts of soil between several states in the U.S. to study the effects of climate and soil on wheat. It's called the Soil Exchange study
Lipman C.B., D.D. Waynick. 1916. A detailed study of effects of climate on important properties of soils. Soil Science 1:5-48.
Shaw G.W., E.H. Walters. 1911. A progress report upon soil and climatic factors influencing the composition of wheat. University of California Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin 216:549-574.
It COULD BE BY TAKING SAMPLES FROM DIFFERENT HORIZON OF THE SOIL TYPES AND THEN MEASURING THE CARBON CONTENT OF THE SOIL TYPES IN THE SOIL CHEMISTRY LABORATORIES. It also could be by GIS and Remote sensing of the soil types of the different agroecological types of a given area to measure the soil type of the area.
While targeting a small area like a garden , application of remote sensing , might not be so useful. If we are planning to see , how different soil types ( If at all , there is any discernable variation in soil types within that garden ) response in relation to crop performance or alternatively any other soil property , you wish to quantify the variation existing in the garden , you wish to study... ...
I don't have any papers off hand but it has been done to assess ecotypes in western US trees ( I forget the species, sorry). I would say the soils need to be distinct so that results are interpretable. Also, this is a split-block design.
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