Some of the most fascinating advances in our understanding of ecosystems are likely to occur at the interface between ecology and biogeochemistry. Recent discoveries, such as the regulation of species diversity in Arctic tundra by soil nitrogen composition, indicate the ecological importance of soil nutrient biogeochemistry. There is currently limited information for tropical forests, but given their remarkable diversity and the complex interactions that exist at all trophic levels, it seems certain that similar interactions occur.
STRI scientist Dr. Benjamin L. Turner and the STRI Soil Lab described soil profiles along the Haast sand dune sequence, at eleven dunes ranging in age from 181 years to 6500 years. The Haast chronosequence consists of a series of Holocene sand dunes formed following periodic earthquake disturbance. Located on the west coast of the South Island of New Zealand, the sequence is an important example of podzol development in lowland temperate rain forest in the region.
