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Grassland vegetation changes and nocturnal global warming

Alward1, Detling, Milchunas

  • 1R. D. Alward, Graduate Degree Program in Ecology and Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA. J. K. Detling, Department of Biology and Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory, Colorado State Un.

Science (New York, N.Y.)
|January 8, 1999
PubMed
Summary

Global minimum temperatures are rising faster than maximum temperatures, impacting ecosystems. Increased spring minimum temperatures reduce native grass production and favor invasive forbs in the shortgrass steppe.

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Area of Science:

  • Ecology
  • Climate Change Biology
  • Plant Ecology

Background:

  • Global minimum temperatures (TMIN) are rising faster than maximum temperatures.
  • The ecological consequences of warming TMIN are under-explored.
  • Shortgrass steppe ecosystems may be sensitive to TMIN increases.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the ecological impacts of rising TMIN on shortgrass steppe vegetation.
  • To identify correlations between TMIN and key vegetation variables.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized long-term data sets from a shortgrass steppe ecosystem.
  • Analyzed correlations between minimum temperature trends and vegetation metrics.

Main Results:

  • Increased spring TMIN correlated with reduced net primary production of the dominant C4 grass, Bouteloua gracilis.

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  • Increased spring TMIN correlated with greater abundance and production of C3 forbs (both exotic and native).

    • Conclusions:

    • Warming TMIN negatively affects dominant native grasses like B. gracilis.
    • Shifts in vegetation composition may increase ecosystem vulnerability to exotic species, drought, and grazing.