Processes of community development and responses of ecosystems to climate change
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; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- FG02-87ER60612
- OSTI ID:
- 5756677
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/ER/60612-2; ON: DE92007020
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Processes of community development and responses of ecosystems to climate change
Coupling of primary producers, detritus, decomposer organisms and nitrogen availability during secondary succession: Progress report for period September 28, 1987-September 27, 1988
Related Subjects
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
CLIMATIC CHANGE
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
ECOLOGICAL SUCCESSION
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
PLANTS
NUTRIENTS
WASTES
DECOMPOSITION
COLORADO
ECOSYSTEMS
FERTILIZATION
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NITROGEN
PROGRESS REPORT
SITE CHARACTERIZATION
SOIL CHEMISTRY
SOILS
SPECIES DIVERSITY
WASHINGTON
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
DOCUMENT TYPES
ELEMENTS
FEDERAL REGION VIII
FEDERAL REGION X
NONMETALS
NORTH AMERICA
SIMULATION
USA
540210* - Environment
Terrestrial- Basic Studies- (1990-)
550200 - Biochemistry
550700 - Microbiology