Precipitation Pulse Effects in Arid and Semi-arid Ecosystems -- Workshop (Tucson, Arizona)

University Of Arizona, Tucson AZ

Investigators

Abstract

It has recently been observed that the majority of precipitation in water-limited ecosystems comes in large, sporadic storm events and that these pulse events, rather than annual mean precipitation, may be the more significant manner by which to characterize precipitation. This workshop will examine the effects of pulse events in precipitation in arid and semi-arid environments at multiple biological scales. The timing, length and intensity of rainfall events is naturally variable in these ecosystems and is thought to govern the life history strategies of its inhabitants, population dynamics, community change, resilience to invasion, soil nutrient dynamics and ecosystem nutrient fluxes. As a consequence of global warming, precipitation patterns are expected to change in arid and semi-arid ecosystems worldwide. The purpose of this workshop is to convene a diverse group of international researchers in order to facilitate interregional and interdisciplinary exchange, data synthesis, theory development and training. The workshop will produce a review article targeted for a broadly read ecological journal along with website resources for researchers, educators and professionals.