Processes of community development and responses of ecosystems to climate change. Progress report, September 28, 1988--September 27, 1989
Our studies focus on attempting to understand the role of decomposer-primary producer linkages in successional dynamics. We are testing a series of hypotheses that relate changes in plant species composition during succession to changes in activity and structure of the soil microfloral and faunal community, dynamics of soil organic matter, and availability of soil nutrients. As these successional patterns are identified, they are being applied to understanding specific processes and mechanics involved in ecosystem development during recovery from moderate and severe disturbances. These findings are then being used in conjunction with simulation models to assess potential effects of climate change on ecosystems. Our research involves field studies in northwestern Colorado and southeastern Washington, laboratory studies, and simulation modeling. Ongoing projects include studies of response patterns of primary producer and soil microbial communities to nutrient additions (N, P, and sucrose), the function of mycorrhizal fungi in plant community development, and the dynamics of litter decomposition under semiarid conditions. New studies are being implemented to investigate the significance of nutrient transfers from VAM fungi to plants and plant-root exudate interactions, and to relate this to understanding their roles in succession.
- Research Organization:
- Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO (United States). Dept. of Range Science
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- FG02-87ER60612
- OSTI ID:
- 10117752
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/ER/60612-2; ON: DE92007020
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: 26 May 1989
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Coupling of primary producers, detritus, decomposer organisms and nitrogen availability during secondary succession: Progress report for period September 28, 1987-September 27, 1988
Processes of community development and responses of ecosystems to climate change
Related Subjects
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
CLIMATIC CHANGE
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
ECOLOGICAL SUCCESSION
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
PLANTS
NUTRIENTS
WASTES
DECOMPOSITION
ECOSYSTEMS
COLORADO
WASHINGTON
SOIL CHEMISTRY
NITROGEN
FERTILIZATION
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
SOILS
SITE CHARACTERIZATION
SPECIES DIVERSITY
PROGRESS REPORT
540210
550200
550700
BASIC STUDIES
BIOCHEMISTRY
MICROBIOLOGY