Repository logo
 

Grassland responses to seasonal shifts in water availability

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorHajek, Olivia Louise, author
dc.contributor.authorKnapp, Alan K., advisor
dc.contributor.authorvon Fischer, Joseph, committee member
dc.contributor.authorCusack, Daniela, committee member
dc.contributor.authorSchumacher, Russ, committee member
dc.date.accessioned2023-06-01T23:56:07Z
dc.date.available2023-06-01T23:56:07Z
dc.date.issued2023
dc.description.abstractClimate change is altering seasonal dynamics across a wide range of ecosystems with consequences that include shifts in phenology, timing of nutrient availability, and changes in plant community composition. Current research has primarily focused on temperature as the key driver for these shifts because of the strong directional trend with climate warming, however, alterations in the availability of water across seasons is an unappreciated aspect of climate change that can significantly influence ecosystem functioning. While changes in the seasonal availability of water are expected to be globally pervasive, grasslands may be particularly vulnerable because these ecosystems are often water-limited and have species with distinct seasons of growth. Therefore, my dissertation examined how seasonal patterns of water availability may shift with climate change in the grasslands of the US Great Plains and the ecological consequences of these shifts. I first explored several mechanisms by which climate change is altering the seasonal water balance, using the Great Plains as a case study. Building on that, I then designed two field experiments in semi-arid grasslands that altered seasonal patterns of water availability to understand how these shifts affected ecosystem function and structure (primarily C3 vs C4 grasses). Overall, the results from both field experiments suggest that shifts in the seasonality of water availability with climate change will alter carbon cycling dynamics, shift seasonal patterns of canopy albedo, and differentially impact C3 vs. C4 species in the semi-arid grasslands of the US Great Plains. Thus, my research confirms the importance of this aspect of climate change and provides evidence that seasonal shifts in water availability can alter ecosystem processes and drive compositional changes. Since grasslands provide many economically and ecologically valuable services, understanding how climate change will impact these systems is critical for land managers and policymakers to make informed decisions.
dc.format.mediumborn digital
dc.format.mediumdoctoral dissertations
dc.identifierHajek_colostate_0053A_17726.pdf
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10217/236696
dc.languageEnglish
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisherColorado State University. Libraries
dc.relation.ispartof2020-
dc.rightsCopyright and other restrictions may apply. User is responsible for compliance with all applicable laws. For information about copyright law, please see https://libguides.colostate.edu/copyright.
dc.titleGrassland responses to seasonal shifts in water availability
dc.typeText
dcterms.rights.dplaThis Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights (https://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/). You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
thesis.degree.disciplineEcology
thesis.degree.grantorColorado State University
thesis.degree.levelDoctoral
thesis.degree.nameDoctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Files

Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
Hajek_colostate_0053A_17726.pdf
Size:
6.96 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Download

Collections

2020-
Theses and Dissertations