Processes of community development and responses of ecosystems to climate change
Plant community development is a dynamic process that results from the responses of those organisms present at the site to a constantly fluctuating environment created by the interaction of variations in climatic, edaphic, and biotic factors imposed on the physio-geographic matrix of the site. Too often, this process of community development is studied only in relation to primary producers. Our studies are based on the premise that plant community development is closely linked to the coupling of decomposers with primary producers through direct and indirect mutualistic interactions. Therefore, plant community development is a process that can be explained only by understanding the simultaneous and closely interdependent development of primary producer and decomposer subsystem. To increase our understanding of these development relationships, our studies are investigating changes in composition, structure, and activity of soil microflora and fauna; quantity, quality, and decomposition rate of litter; and nutrient availability levels in the soil, and relating these changes to plant community development patterns within a semiarid shrubland ecosystem. 34 refs., 2 figs., 7 tabs.
- Research Organization:
- Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO (USA). Dept. of Range Science
- Sponsoring Organization:
- DOE/ER
- DOE Contract Number:
- FG02-87ER60612
- OSTI ID:
- 7106742
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/ER/60612-3; ON: DE90008640
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Processes of community development and responses of ecosystems to climate change. Progress report, September 28, 1988--September 27, 1989
Ecological behavior and effects of radionuclides in southeastern ecosystems. Progress report: a three year review, June 1975--June 1976
Related Subjects
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
CLIMATES
VARIATIONS
COMMUNITIES
BENCH-SCALE EXPERIMENTS
FIELD TESTS
ECOSYSTEMS
INVESTIGATIONS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NUTRIENTS
AVAILABILITY
WASTES
DECOMPOSITION
COLORADO
GRASS
MYCORRHIZAS
PLANTS
PROGRESS REPORT
ROOTS
SITE CHARACTERIZATION
SOILS
SPECIES DIVERSITY
USA
ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DOCUMENT TYPES
FEDERAL REGION VIII
LILIOPSIDA
MAGNOLIOPHYTA
NORTH AMERICA
TESTING
540210* - Environment
Terrestrial- Basic Studies- (1990-)
550700 - Microbiology