Abstract:

A greenhouse experiment was run for 2 years (May 2016 - June 2018) with a three-way factorial design. The treatments are soil history (previously oiled or unoiled), plant (presence or absence) and oiling (oil added or not added). The dataset includes bacterial amplicon sequencing data; links to raw data at National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) for geochip microarray analyses; measurements of plant morphology, plant inflorescences, plant biomass, carbon and nitrogen content of plant tissue, heavy metals content of plant tissue; pH and conductivity data for each mesocosm and treatment group; polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) content data for plant and soil tissue; and greenhouse environmental data. Plant morphology, microbial community (soil, root and leaf), and PAH content were collected every 6 months. After the original submission of data to GRIIDC, additional PAH samples were analyzed. The original file is contained in the folder titled “GOMRI_R5x2860000002_data Version_1_Published_2020-05-08”. The additional data is combined with the first dataset in the folder titled “GOMRI_R5x2860000002_Version_2_Updated_2022-05-14”. In the file labeled “GOMRI_R5x2860000002_supplementary_oil_data”, the unit of measurement of PAH (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) is ppm.

Suggested Citation:

Formel, Stephen. 2020. Greenhouse experiment conducted on Spartina alterniflora and soil collected from Barataria Bay, May 2016 to June 2018. Distributed by: Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative Information and Data Cooperative (GRIIDC), Harte Research Institute, Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. doi:10.7266/n7-rzxc-4x96

Purpose:

The data supports an experiment that tests hypotheses about the interaction of Spartina alterniflora, its microbiome and weathered oil from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

Data Parameters and Units:

Endophyte response variables: Abundance, diversity & spp. composition in roots & leaves & soil using culture-independent sequencing for taxonomy; high throughput sequencing for functional genomic analyses, geochip microarray analysis of leaf and root communities (unit = sequence). Plant response variables: PAH content of roots (unit = ug/g). Above- & below ground biomass: stem density, leaf density, stem height and stem diameter; inflorescence density and seed set (unit = grams or count). Total C and total N of roots and leaves (unit = percent). Soil response variables: PAH content. Note: Please refer to the metadata worksheets included within the data file for the detail description of data, data worksheets, and variables.

Methods:

Physical measurements of plant morphology. Next-gen sequencing of microbial communities. GC-MS analysis of select PAHs in soil and plant tissues. Porewater chemistry measured with Oakton multimeter. Heavy Metal content of plant tissues as analyzed by ICP. Carbon-Nitrogen content as analyzed by ICP. Greenhouse environmental data measured with iButtons and National Weather Service data.

Individual Files: