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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Structuring Life After Death: Plant Leachates Promote Co2 Uptake By Regulating Microbial Biofilm Interactions In A Northern Peatland Ecosystem, Allison R. Rober, Allyson J. Lankford, Evan Kane, Merritt R. Turetsky, Kevin H. Wyatt
Structuring Life After Death: Plant Leachates Promote Co2 Uptake By Regulating Microbial Biofilm Interactions In A Northern Peatland Ecosystem, Allison R. Rober, Allyson J. Lankford, Evan Kane, Merritt R. Turetsky, Kevin H. Wyatt
Michigan Tech Publications
Shifts in plant functional groups associated with climate change have the potential to influence peatland carbon storage by altering the amount and composition of organic matter available to aquatic microbial biofilms. The goal of this study was to evaluate the potential for plant subsidies to regulate ecosystem carbon flux (CO2) by governing the relative proportion of primary producers (microalgae) and heterotrophic decomposers (heterotrophic bacteria) during aquatic biofilm development in an Alaskan fen. We evaluated biofilm composition and CO2 flux inside mesocosms with and without nutrients (both nitrogen and phosphorus), organic carbon (glucose), and leachates from common peatland plants (moss, sedge, …
Disturbances In North American Boreal Forest And Arctic Tundra: Impacts, Interactions, And Responses, Adrianna C. Foster, Jonathan A. Wang, Gerald V. Frost, Scott J. Davidson, Elizabeth Hoy, Kevin W. Turner, Oliver Sonnentag, Howard Epstein, Logan T. Berner, Amanda H. Armstrong, Mary Kang, Brendan M. Rogers, Elizabeth Campbell, Kimberley R. Miner, Kathleen M. Orndahl, Laura Bourgeau-Chavez, David A. Lutz, Nancy H. F. French, Dong Chen, Jinyang Du, Tatiana A. Shestakova, Jacquelyn K. Shuman, Ken Tape, Anna Maria Virkkala, Christopher Potter, Scott Goetz
Disturbances In North American Boreal Forest And Arctic Tundra: Impacts, Interactions, And Responses, Adrianna C. Foster, Jonathan A. Wang, Gerald V. Frost, Scott J. Davidson, Elizabeth Hoy, Kevin W. Turner, Oliver Sonnentag, Howard Epstein, Logan T. Berner, Amanda H. Armstrong, Mary Kang, Brendan M. Rogers, Elizabeth Campbell, Kimberley R. Miner, Kathleen M. Orndahl, Laura Bourgeau-Chavez, David A. Lutz, Nancy H. F. French, Dong Chen, Jinyang Du, Tatiana A. Shestakova, Jacquelyn K. Shuman, Ken Tape, Anna Maria Virkkala, Christopher Potter, Scott Goetz
Michigan Tech Publications
Ecosystems in the North American Arctic-Boreal Zone (ABZ) experience a diverse set of disturbances associated with wildfire, permafrost dynamics, geomorphic processes, insect outbreaks and pathogens, extreme weather events, and human activity. Climate warming in the ABZ is occurring at over twice the rate of the global average, and as a result the extent, frequency, and severity of these disturbances are increasing rapidly. Disturbances in the ABZ span a wide gradient of spatiotemporal scales and have varying impacts on ecosystem properties and function. However, many ABZ disturbances are relatively understudied and have different sensitivities to climate and trajectories of recovery, resulting …
Fresh Air For The Mire-Breathing Hypothesis: Sphagnum Moss And Peat Structure Regulate The Response Of Co2 Exchange To Altered Hydrology In A Northern Peatland Ecosystem, Ally O’Neill, Colin Tucker, Evan S. Kane
Fresh Air For The Mire-Breathing Hypothesis: Sphagnum Moss And Peat Structure Regulate The Response Of Co2 Exchange To Altered Hydrology In A Northern Peatland Ecosystem, Ally O’Neill, Colin Tucker, Evan S. Kane
Michigan Tech Publications
Sphagnum-dominated peatlands store more carbon than all of Earth’s forests, playing a large role in the balance of carbon dioxide. However, these carbon sinks face an uncertain future as the changing climate is likely to cause water stress, potentially reducing Sphagnum productivity and transitioning peatlands to carbon sources. A mesocosm experiment was performed on thirty-two peat cores collected from two peatland landforms: elevated mounds (hummocks) and lower, flat areas of the peatland (hollows). Both rainfall treatments and water tables were manipulated, and CO2 fluxes were measured. Other studies have observed peat subsiding and tracking the water table downward when experiencing …
European Mushroom Assemblages Are Phylogenetically Structured By Temperature, Claus Bässler, Jacob Heilmann-Clausen, Carrie Andrew, Lynne Boddy, Ulf Büntgen, Jeffrey Diez, Et. Al.
European Mushroom Assemblages Are Phylogenetically Structured By Temperature, Claus Bässler, Jacob Heilmann-Clausen, Carrie Andrew, Lynne Boddy, Ulf Büntgen, Jeffrey Diez, Et. Al.
Michigan Tech Publications
Recent global warming affects species compositions at an unprecedented rate. To predict climate-induced changes in species assemblages, a better understanding of the link between species occurrence and climate is needed. Macrofungal fruit body assemblages are correlated with the thermal environment at the European scale. However, it is still unknown whether macrofungal communities are also phylogenetically structured by thermal environments. Thermal environments are characterized by annual temperature means but also by intra-annual temperature variability (hereafter termed temperature seasonality), which are both considered in this study. Here, we used distribution data of 2882 species based on fruit body records across Europe to …
Joint Impacts Of Future Climate Conditions And Invasive Species On Black Ash Forested Wetlands, Joseph Shannon, Randall Kolka, Matthew Van Grinsven, Fengjing Liu
Joint Impacts Of Future Climate Conditions And Invasive Species On Black Ash Forested Wetlands, Joseph Shannon, Randall Kolka, Matthew Van Grinsven, Fengjing Liu
Michigan Tech Publications
Wetlands around the globe are being impacted by changing temperature and precipitation patterns. Simultaneously black ash forested wetlands are expected to lose much of their overstory canopy due to the invasive Emerald Ash Borer (EAB). Field experiments and modeling efforts have provided information on species tolerance of post-EAB conditions and future climate adapted species. No studies have yet examined the interaction of the loss of ash and future climate scenarios on wetland hydrologic conditions. We developed daily wetland hydrology models for three vegetation conditions: black ash forest, alternate non-ash forest, and non-forested. Model simulations were evaluated under current climate conditions …
Understory Plant Communities Show Resistance To Drought, Hurricanes, And Experimental Warming In A Wet Tropical Forest, Aura M. Alonso-Rodríguez, Tana E. Wood, Jamarys Torres-Díaz, Molly A. Cavaleri, Sasha C. Reed, Benedicte Bachelot
Understory Plant Communities Show Resistance To Drought, Hurricanes, And Experimental Warming In A Wet Tropical Forest, Aura M. Alonso-Rodríguez, Tana E. Wood, Jamarys Torres-Díaz, Molly A. Cavaleri, Sasha C. Reed, Benedicte Bachelot
Michigan Tech Publications
Global climate change has led to rising temperatures and to more frequent and intense climatic events, such as storms and droughts. Changes in climate and disturbance regimes can have non-additive effects on plant communities and result in complicated legacies we have yet to understand. This is especially true for tropical forests, which play a significant role in regulating global climate. We used understory vegetation data from the Tropical Responses to Altered Climate Experiment (TRACE) in Puerto Rico to evaluate how plant communities responded to climate warming and disturbance. The TRACE understory vegetation was exposed to a severe drought (2015), 2 …
Characterization Of Site-Specific Vegetation Activity In Alaskan Wet And Dry Tundra As Related To Climate And Soil State, Michael Gregory Brown, Kyle C. Mcdonald, Reiner Zimmermann, Nicholas Steiner, Stephanie Devries, Laura Bourgeau-Chavez
Characterization Of Site-Specific Vegetation Activity In Alaskan Wet And Dry Tundra As Related To Climate And Soil State, Michael Gregory Brown, Kyle C. Mcdonald, Reiner Zimmermann, Nicholas Steiner, Stephanie Devries, Laura Bourgeau-Chavez
Michigan Tech Publications
We present discrete (2-h resolution) multi-year (2008–2017) in situ measurements of seasonal vegetation growth and soil biophysical properties from two sites on Alaska's North Slope, USA, representing dry and wet sedge tundra. We examine measurements of vertical active soil layer temperature and soil moisture profiles (freeze/thaw status), woody shrub vegetation physiological activity, and meteorological site data to assess interrelationships within (and between) these two study sites. Vegetation phenophases (cold de-hardening start, physiological function start, stem growth start, stem growth end, physiological function end, cold hardening completion) were found to have greater interannual day of year (DOY) occurrence variability at the …
Montane Temperate-Boreal Forests Retain The Leaf Economic Spectrum Despite Intraspecific Variability, Matthew J. Hecking, Jenna M. Zukswert, John E. Drake, Martin Dovciak, Julia I. Burton
Montane Temperate-Boreal Forests Retain The Leaf Economic Spectrum Despite Intraspecific Variability, Matthew J. Hecking, Jenna M. Zukswert, John E. Drake, Martin Dovciak, Julia I. Burton
Michigan Tech Publications
Trait-based analyses provide powerful tools for developing a generalizable, physiologically grounded understanding of how forest communities are responding to ongoing environmental changes. Key challenges lie in (1) selecting traits that best characterize the ecological performance of species in the community and (2) determining the degree and importance of intraspecific variability in those traits. Recent studies suggest that globally evident trait correlations (trait dimensions), such as the leaf economic spectrum, may be weak or absent at local scales. Moreover, trait-based analyses that utilize a mean value to represent a species may be misleading. Mean trait values are particularly problematic if species …
Vulnerability Of Street Trees In Upper Midwest Cities To Climate Change, Leslie A. Brandt, Gary R. Johnson, Eric A. North, Jack Faje, Annamarie Rutledge
Vulnerability Of Street Trees In Upper Midwest Cities To Climate Change, Leslie A. Brandt, Gary R. Johnson, Eric A. North, Jack Faje, Annamarie Rutledge
Michigan Tech Publications
Urban trees play an important role in helping cities adapt to climate change, but also are vulnerable to changes in climate themselves. We developed an approach for assessing vulnerability of urban tree species and cultivars commonly planted in cities in the United States Upper Midwest to current and projected climate change through the end of the 21st century. One hundred seventy-eight tree species were evaluated for their adaptive capacity to a suite of current and future-projected climate and urban stressors using a weighted scoring system based on an extensive literature review. These scores were then evaluated and adjusted by leading …
The Changing Face Of Winter: Lessons And Questions From The Laurentian Great Lakes, Ted Ozersky, Andrew J. Bramburger, Ashley K. Elgin, Henry A. Vanderploeg, Jia Wang, Jay A. Austin, Guy Meadows, Et. Al.
The Changing Face Of Winter: Lessons And Questions From The Laurentian Great Lakes, Ted Ozersky, Andrew J. Bramburger, Ashley K. Elgin, Henry A. Vanderploeg, Jia Wang, Jay A. Austin, Guy Meadows, Et. Al.
Michigan Tech Publications
Among its many impacts, climate warming is leading to increasing winter air temperatures, decreasing ice cover extent, and changing winter precipitation patterns over the Laurentian Great Lakes and their watershed. Understanding and predicting the consequences of these changes is impeded by a shortage of winter-period studies on most aspects of Great Lake limnology. In this review, we summarize what is known about the Great Lakes during their 3–6 months of winter and identify key open questions about the physics, chemistry, and biology of the Laurentian Great Lakes and other large, seasonally frozen lakes. Existing studies show that winter conditions have …
Beyond Planning Tools: Experiential Learning In Climate Adaptation Planning And Practices, Kristen M. Schmitt, Todd A. Ontl, Stephen D. Handler, Maria K. Janowiak, Leslie A. Brandt, Patricia Butler-Leopold, P. Danielle Shannon, Courtney L. Peterson, Christopher W. Swanston
Beyond Planning Tools: Experiential Learning In Climate Adaptation Planning And Practices, Kristen M. Schmitt, Todd A. Ontl, Stephen D. Handler, Maria K. Janowiak, Leslie A. Brandt, Patricia Butler-Leopold, P. Danielle Shannon, Courtney L. Peterson, Christopher W. Swanston
Michigan Tech Publications
In the past decade, several dedicated tools have been developed to help natural resources professionals integrate climate science into their planning and implementation; however, it is unclear how often these tools lead to on-the-ground climate adaptation. Here, we describe a training approach that we developed to help managers effectively plan to execute intentional, climate-informed actions. This training approach was developed through the Climate Change Response Framework (CCRF) and uses active and focused work time and peer-to-peer interaction to overcome observed barriers to using adaptation planning tools. We evaluate the effectiveness of this approach by examining participant evaluations and outlining the …
Consequences Of Increased Variation In Peatland Hydrology For Carbon Storage: Legacy Effects Of Drought And Flood In A Boreal Fen Ecosystem, Evan Kane, Catherine M. Dieleman, Danielle L. Rupp, Kevin H. Wyatt
Consequences Of Increased Variation In Peatland Hydrology For Carbon Storage: Legacy Effects Of Drought And Flood In A Boreal Fen Ecosystem, Evan Kane, Catherine M. Dieleman, Danielle L. Rupp, Kevin H. Wyatt
Michigan Tech Publications
Globally important carbon (C) stores in boreal peatlands are vulnerable to altered hydrology through changes in precipitation and runoff patterns, groundwater inputs, and a changing cryosphere. These changes can affect the extent of boreal wetlands and their ability to sequester and transform C and other nutrients. Variation in precipitation patterns has also been increasing, with greater occurrences of both flooding and drought periods. Recent work has pointed to the increasing role of algal production in regulating C cycling during flooded periods in fen peatlands, but exactly how this affects the C sink-strength of these ecosystems is poorly understood. We evaluated …
Tropical Understory Herbaceous Community Responds More Strongly To Hurricane Disturbance Than To Experimental Warming, Deborah K. Kennard, David Matlaga, Joanne Sharpe, Clay King, Aura M. Alonso-Rodríguez, Sasha C. Reed, Molly A. Cavaleri, Tana E. Wood
Tropical Understory Herbaceous Community Responds More Strongly To Hurricane Disturbance Than To Experimental Warming, Deborah K. Kennard, David Matlaga, Joanne Sharpe, Clay King, Aura M. Alonso-Rodríguez, Sasha C. Reed, Molly A. Cavaleri, Tana E. Wood
Michigan Tech Publications
Ecology and Evolution published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. The effects of climate change on tropical forests may have global consequences due to the forests’ high biodiversity and major role in the global carbon cycle. In this study, we document the effects of experimental warming on the abundance and composition of a tropical forest floor herbaceous plant community in the Luquillo Experimental Forest, Puerto Rico. This study was conducted within Tropical Responses to Altered Climate Experiment (TRACE) plots, which use infrared heaters under free-air, open-field conditions, to warm understory vegetation and soils + 4°C above nearby control plots. Hurricanes …
Climate Change Adaptation Strategies And Approaches For Outdoor Recreation, Daniel O'Toole, Leslie A. Brandt, Maria K. Janowiak, Danielle Shannon, Patricia Leopold, Stephen D. Handler, Et Al.
Climate Change Adaptation Strategies And Approaches For Outdoor Recreation, Daniel O'Toole, Leslie A. Brandt, Maria K. Janowiak, Danielle Shannon, Patricia Leopold, Stephen D. Handler, Et Al.
Michigan Tech Publications
Climate change will alter opportunities and demand for outdoor recreation through altered winter weather conditions and season length, climate-driven changes in user preferences, and damage to recreational infrastructure, among other factors. To ensure that outdoor recreation remains sustainable in the face of these challenges, natural resource managers may need to adapt their recreation management. One of the major challenges of adapting recreation to climate change is translating broad concepts into specific, tangible actions. Using a combination of in-depth interviews of recreational managers and a review of peer-reviewed literature and government reports, we developed a synthesis of impacts, strategies, and approaches, …
Compositional Response Of Amazon Forests To Climate Change, Adriane Esquivel-Muelbert, Timothy R. Baker, Kyle G. Dexter, Simon L. Lewis, Roel J.W. Brienen, Ted R. Feldpausch, Jhon Del Aguila-Pasquel, Et. Al.
Compositional Response Of Amazon Forests To Climate Change, Adriane Esquivel-Muelbert, Timothy R. Baker, Kyle G. Dexter, Simon L. Lewis, Roel J.W. Brienen, Ted R. Feldpausch, Jhon Del Aguila-Pasquel, Et. Al.
Michigan Tech Publications
Most of the planet's diversity is concentrated in the tropics, which includes many regions undergoing rapid climate change. Yet, while climate-induced biodiversity changes are widely documented elsewhere, few studies have addressed this issue for lowland tropical ecosystems. Here we investigate whether the floristic and functional composition of intact lowland Amazonian forests have been changing by evaluating records from 106 long-term inventory plots spanning 30 years. We analyse three traits that have been hypothesized to respond to different environmental drivers (increase in moisture stress and atmospheric CO 2 concentrations): maximum tree size, biogeographic water-deficit affiliation and wood density. Tree communities have …
Infrared Heater System For Warming Tropical Forest Understory Plants And Soils, Bruce Kimball, Auro M. Alonso-Rodriguez, Molly A. Cavaleri, Sasha Reed, Grizelle Gonzalez, Tana E. Wood
Infrared Heater System For Warming Tropical Forest Understory Plants And Soils, Bruce Kimball, Auro M. Alonso-Rodriguez, Molly A. Cavaleri, Sasha Reed, Grizelle Gonzalez, Tana E. Wood
Michigan Tech Publications
The response of tropical forests to global warming is one of the largest uncertainties in predicting the future carbon balance of Earth. To determine the likely effects of elevated temperatures on tropical forest understory plants and soils, as well as other ecosystems, an infrared (IR) heater system was developed to provide in situ warming for the Tropical Responses to Altered Climate Experiment (TRACE) in the Luquillo Experimental Forest in Puerto Rico. Three replicate heated 4‐m‐diameter plots were warmed to maintain a 4°C increase in understory vegetation compared to three unheated control plots, as sensed by IR thermometers. The equipment was …
Temperate And Tropical Forest Canopies Are Already Functioning Beyond Their Thermal Thresholds For Photosynthesis, Alida C. Mau, Sasha C. Reed, Tana E. Wood, Molly A. Cavaleri
Temperate And Tropical Forest Canopies Are Already Functioning Beyond Their Thermal Thresholds For Photosynthesis, Alida C. Mau, Sasha C. Reed, Tana E. Wood, Molly A. Cavaleri
Michigan Tech Publications
Tropical tree species have evolved under very narrow temperature ranges compared to temperate forest species. Studies suggest that tropical trees may be more vulnerable to continued warming compared to temperate species, as tropical trees have shown declines in growth and photosynthesis at elevated temperatures. However, regional and global vegetation models lack the data needed to accurately represent such physiological responses to increased temperatures, especially for tropical forests. To address this need, we compared instantaneous photosynthetic temperature responses of mature canopy foliage, leaf temperatures, and air temperatures across vertical canopy gradients in three forest types: tropical wet, tropical moist, and temperate …