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- Biological Sciences (3)
- College of Natual Science and Mathematics (2)
- College of Natural Science and Mathematics (2)
- Riparian (2)
- Anthropogenic disturbance (1)
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- Biological control (1)
- Conifer (1)
- Drought (1)
- Elevational gradient analysis (1)
- Functional trait (1)
- Functional traits (1)
- Intraspecific variation (1)
- Invasive species (1)
- Plant communities (1)
- Plant community ecology (1)
- SLA (1)
- Saltcedar (1)
- Spatial analysis (1)
- Specific leaf area (1)
- Subalpine (1)
- Tamarisk (1)
- Tamarix spp (1)
- Temporal change (1)
- Urban-rural (1)
Articles 1 - 5 of 5
Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Environmental Gradients Impact Key Leaf Traits In Riparian Trees, Amanda Malone
Environmental Gradients Impact Key Leaf Traits In Riparian Trees, Amanda Malone
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Specific leaf area (SLA) reflects a plant’s carbon investment per area and relates to generalized leaf economics spectrum growth strategies (LES). To fill gaps of knowledge about intraspecific SLA variation and why it is often inconsistent with the LES, we studied the response of two riparian tree species along the urban-rural gradient in Northeastern Colorado: an invasive, nitrogen-fixer with broad tolerances and a nitrogen-limited and shade-intolerant native. Despite these differences, the two species responded similarly, apart from the response to the urban-rural gradient, in which lower nitrogen in rural areas was associated with a more conservative strategy in the native …
Understanding Patterns And Functional Impacts Of An Invasive Tree And Its Biological Control In A Riparian System, Annie L. Henry
Understanding Patterns And Functional Impacts Of An Invasive Tree And Its Biological Control In A Riparian System, Annie L. Henry
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Invasive species have become an inextricable part of the landscape, particularly in riparian plant communities, and removal is often a key component of restoration programs. Biological control (biocontrol) is a method of removal that is often both efficient and effective. However, the impact of biocontrol on target species and indirect effects from invasive species removal can be hard to predict. While monitoring the impact of invasive species removal usually involves some species-based assessment such as changes in diversity, historically dominant species or native species, these strategies do not typically provide insight into the mechanisms underlying plant community response to removal. …
Subalpine Forest Tree Seedling Response To Drought, Alex Goke
Subalpine Forest Tree Seedling Response To Drought, Alex Goke
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Knowledge of tree species’ ability to tolerate drought is necessary to anticipate future forest dynamics with climate change, especially at the seedling stage given their role in shaping forest structure. We used precipitation reduction shelters to mimic drought for subalpine conifer seedlings (A. lasiocarpa and P. engelmannii) in the Rocky Mountains and compared survivorship and morphological and physiological responses to assess relative degrees of drought tolerance. We detected no significant investment in morphological tolerance traits (e.g. root biomass, leaf:stem area ratio) but substantial reductions in net photosynthesis. While shading partially ameliorated drought effects when precipitation reduction was moderate, …
Long-Term Changes In Four Plant Communities Along An Elevational Gradient In The Front Range Of Colorado, Gregory J. Sproull
Long-Term Changes In Four Plant Communities Along An Elevational Gradient In The Front Range Of Colorado, Gregory J. Sproull
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
We surveyed four plant communities along an elevational gradient in the Front Range of the Colorado Rocky Mountains for long-term overstory and understory changes. Our results were compared to those found in 1981 and 1996. We evaluated changes in succession, elevational species migration and range expansion, community diversity, and composition. We related temporal floristic shifts to prior literature on disturbance history at each site. Over time, all communities changed significantly, though in different manners. This analysis shows that plant communities are changing in dynamic and idiosyncratic ways that correspond to individualistic distribution shifts. Moreover, we exhibit the necessity of comprehensively …
Vegetation Response After Invasive Tamarix Spp. Removal In The Riparian Zone And Semi-Arid Rangeland Ecosystems, Hisham Nagi El Waer
Vegetation Response After Invasive Tamarix Spp. Removal In The Riparian Zone And Semi-Arid Rangeland Ecosystems, Hisham Nagi El Waer
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Removal of Tamarix spp. (a.k.a. tamarisk, saltcedar, Athel) invasion is often involved in restoration of Western, riparian habitat; however monitoring of vegetation after removal is often neglected and thus opportunity for adaptive management lost. To address this need, I have conducted three and half years of monitoring vegetation response after invasive Tamarix removal in twenty-five sites on the East and Western Colorado, starting fall 2009. I am also comparing six different methodologies: Point intercept, line transect, nearest neighbor, meter-square quadrats, nested Whittaker plots, and densitometer with the objective of developing monitoring protocols that can be used by …