Soil Properties and Nutrient Availability in Tarweed Communities of Central Washington

Abstract

Comparison of soil nutrient levels and certain soil physical properties between tarweed communities and adjacent stable, productive needlegrass communities indicated a lower nutrient capital of N, S, and exchangeable Mn and poorer physical condition in the tarweed communities. Pot studies with mountain brome and orchard grass revealed low availability of N, S, and P in soils from tarweed communities and suggest a need to amend native soil nutrients with these elements.