Physiological responses of two contrasting desert plant species to precipitation variability are differentially regulated by soil moisture and nitrogen dynamics.
Patrick LD, Ogle K, Bell CW, Zak J, Tissue D. 2009. Physiological responses of two contrasting desert plant species to precipitation variability are differentially regulated by soil moisture and nitrogen dynamics.. Global Change Biology. 15(5):1214-1229
Alterations in global and regional precipitation patterns are expected to affect plant and ecosystem productivity, especially in water-limited ecosystems. This study examined the effects of natural and supplemental (25% increase) seasonal precipitation on a sotol grassland ecosystem in Big Bend National Park in the Chihuahuan Desert. Physiological responses - leaf photosynthesis at saturating light (Asat), stomatal conductance (gs), and leaf nitrogen [N] - of two species differing in their life form and physiological strategies (Dasylirion leiophyllum, aC3 shrub; Bouteloua curtipendula, a C4 grass) were measured over 3 years 2004-2006.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Patrick, Lisa; Ogle, Kiona; Bell, Colin; Zak, John; Tissue, David
- Units
- BIBE
- Keywords
- Air Quality, Atmospheric Sciences, Bouteloua curtipendula, Chihuahuan Desert, Climate Change, Dasylirion leiophyllum, hierarchical Bayesian modeling, Management, Photosynethesis, Physical Sciences, Plant Communities, Plant Studies, Precipitation manipulation, Soil Science, Watershed Management
- Subjects
- Ecological Framework: Air and Climate | Weather and Climate | Weather and Climate , Ecological Framework: Geology and Soils | Soil Quality | Soil Function and Dynamics , Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Desert Communities