RIG: Consequences of Drought-Induced Vegetation Change for Water Cycling in Desert Chaparral

University Of California-Riverside, Riverside CA

Investigators

Abstract

The goal of this project is to determine which plant species in southern California are most susceptible to mortality by drought and how their potential disappearance could affect how much water is ultimately available for use by humans. The evaporation of water from plants to the atmosphere is an important part of the natural water cycle. However, evaporation is dependent on weather and can be affected by extreme weather events, such as drought, floods, or heat waves. This project is aimed at understanding how possible changes in vegetation caused by climate change could affect the amount of plant water evaporated from desert chaparral ecosystems of southern California. To understand the relationship between plants and water, a combination of physiological measurements of water in plants and mathematical modeling to predict how much water plants evaporate over long periods of time will be used. This will provide information on how plants affect water-related processes, and which plant species are likely to be affected by extreme droughts. The project also creates opportunities for students, attempts to stimulate interest in unique local ecosystems, and will engage students in the societal importance of water. Southern Californians are well-aware of water-related services such as freshwater supply, flood protection, and recreation. Thus, the project is designed to generate considerable interest among local students and produce future scientists and leaders of natural resource management out of an ethnically and culturally diverse student body.