Sierra Nevada Aquatic Research Laboratory

05 Jul, 11 AM - 14 Jul, 02 AM

Responses to precipitation likely differ for dominant plant species in the deserts of the suthwestern US because of differences in seasonal patterns of rain and snowfall. The goal of this project is to compare responsivity of photosynthesis, water potential, nitrogen dynamics, and construction costs of Artemisia tridentata and Purshia tridentata, in response to ambient and elevated levels of precipitation. Shrubs will be watered (25% above summer ambient) on Inyo NF land to the west and outside the SNARL boundary. Responses of plant water potential, N and C conten, and photosynthetic gas exchange will be measured one week after watering on watered and control (non-watered) plots. Measurements will be conducted over a 24 h period, and compared to responses from previous years of summer rainfall manipulations. Results will also be compared to dominant shrub species from Big Bend National Park (Chihuahuan Desert), the Nevada Test Site (Mojave Desert), and near Tucson (Sonoran Desert) to compare physiological responsivity to precipitation for these sites with different precipitation regimes.

Visit #9953 @Sierra Nevada Aquatic Research Laboratory

Approved

Under Project # 6708 | Research

Photosynthetic responsivity to precipitation in the Great Basin, Chihuahuan, Mojave, and Sonoran Deserts.

faculty - University of California, Santa Cruz

Reservation Members(s)

Michael Loik Jul 5 - 14, 2006 (10 days)
Michael Loik Jul 5 - 14, 2006 (10 days)

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Dorm 2 Jul 5 - 14, 2006