Dissertation Research: Grassland Response to Precipitation Manipulation

Colorado State University, Fort Collins CO

Investigators

Abstract

DDIG: Grassland Response to Precipitation Manipulation Across the Great Plains region of North America, water availability is a primary determinant of plant productivity. However, the importance of water availability to plant production varies across the different plant communities that span this region. In the semi-arid western region, the shortgrass steppe community is primarily water limited, but in the sub-humid eastern tallgrass prairie, water, nitrogen, and light co-limit plant production. Current climate change scenarios predict decreased summer precipitation, increased summer temperatures, and increased variability in both the amounts and timing of rainfall for this region. This project will explore the capability of the short-, mixed, and tallgrass prairies to respond to changes in precipitation amounts. Specifically, the investigators will measure how varying precipitation affects carbon and nitrogen cycling within these communities.