Offered Papers Theme B: Grassland and the Environment
Description
Climatic variability is an inherent feature of grassland biomes, with large fluctuations in temperatures combined with precipitation regimes characterised by floods and severe drought occurring on both an interannual and seasonal scale. Global climate models and emerging data indicate that extremes in precipitation regimes are increasing worldwide coupled with increases in temperature. Thus, variability in spatial and temporal patterns of water availability in grasslands, as directly influenced by altered precipitation patterns and indirectly by increased temperatures, will likely increase in the future. The objectives of our experiments were to experimentally manipulate rainfall amount and temporal patterns (amount and timing of individual rainfall events) to assess soil, plant, community and ecosystem responses to this projected climate change.
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Long-Term Responses of a Mesic Grassland to Manipulation of Rainfall Quantity and Pattern
Climatic variability is an inherent feature of grassland biomes, with large fluctuations in temperatures combined with precipitation regimes characterised by floods and severe drought occurring on both an interannual and seasonal scale. Global climate models and emerging data indicate that extremes in precipitation regimes are increasing worldwide coupled with increases in temperature. Thus, variability in spatial and temporal patterns of water availability in grasslands, as directly influenced by altered precipitation patterns and indirectly by increased temperatures, will likely increase in the future. The objectives of our experiments were to experimentally manipulate rainfall amount and temporal patterns (amount and timing of individual rainfall events) to assess soil, plant, community and ecosystem responses to this projected climate change.
