Comparative community responses to elevated atmospheric CO{sub 2} in microcosms and intact grassland
- Stanford Univ., CA (United States)
Ecosystem responses to elevated CO{sub 2} involve components that are difficult to resolve in spatially varying, intact systems. Depending on their functional similarity to the field, experimental microcosms may provide more uniform, accessible analogues. At Stanford University`s Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve, research on grassland responses to elevated CO{sub 2} combines field studies and microcosm experiments on annual communities established from seed. Parallel measurements from year 3 of CO{sub 2} treatments in the field and year 2 in the microcosms (after self-seeding) provide a test of their functional similarity. In both, nutrient-poor serpentine soils supported high plant density (>10,000 m{sup -2}), diverse phenology, and low aboveground production (100-200 g m{sup -2}). Elevated CO{sub 2} (720 ppm) favored late-flowering, taprooted annuals in both and had little or no effect on early annuals. Exotic species that were rare in field plots were lost from microcosms by year 2. Annual grasses contributed more to production in microcosms than in the field.
- OSTI ID:
- 95764
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9507129-; ISSN 0012-9623; TRN: 95:004728-0029
- Journal Information:
- Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America, Vol. 76, Issue 2; Conference: 80. anniversary of the transdisciplinary nature of ecology, Snowbird, UT (United States), 30 Jul - 3 Aug 1995; Other Information: PBD: Jun 1995
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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