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ARS Home » Plains Area » El Reno, Oklahoma » Oklahoma and Central Plains Agricultural Research Center » Livestock, Forage and Pasture Management Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #366410
Research Project: Integrated Agroecosystem Research to Enhance Forage and Food Production in the Southern Great Plains

Location: Livestock, Forage and Pasture Management Research Unit

Title: Responses of ecosystem-atmosphere exchange to precipitation pulses in adjacent native and introduced prairie pastures

Author
item FLYNN, COLTON - Redlands Community College
item MA, SHENGFANG - Non ARS Employee
item Wagle, Pradeep
item ZHOU, YUTING - Oklahoma State University
item Gowda, Prasanna
item Starks, Patrick
item BAJGAIN, RAJEN - University Of Oklahoma
item XIAO, XIANGMING - University Of Oklahoma
item BASARA, JEFFREY - University Of Oklahoma
item STEINER, JEAN - Kansas State University

Submitted to: American Geophysical Union
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/2/2019
Publication Date: 12/11/2019
Citation: Flynn, C.K., Ma, S., Wagle, P., Zhou, Y., Gowda, P.H., Starks, P.J., Bajgain, R., Xiao, X., Basara, J.B., Steiner, J.L. 2019. Responses of ecosystem-atmosphere exchange to precipitation pulses in adjacent native and introduced prairie pastures [abstract]. American Geophysical Union. Available at: https://agu.confex.com/agu/fm19/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/523351.

Interpretive Summary: Abstract only

Technical Abstract: Traditionally, annual precipitation is considered as the dominant factor affecting grassland ecosystems. However, the seasonal distribution of precipitation is also a key factor in controlling inter-annual variability of productivity, especially in semi-arid and arid grasslands. Large variabilities exist in sub-seasonal and seasonal precipitation, featured by precipitation pulses of varying magnitudes, within the Great Plains (GP) of the United States. Grassland ecosystem-atmosphere exchange responds differently to precipitation pulses depending on the soil types, current soil moisture, and subsequent weather conditions. Furthermore, native and introduced prairies might have different sensitivities to precipitation pulses because of varying species composition and water use strategies. This study utilizes two paired native and introduced prairie pastures located less than one kilometer apart, to compare responses of ecosystem-atmosphere exchange to precipitation pulses. Using a five year dataset, the response of native and introduced prairie pastures to the same precipitation pulses will be compared. Also, the interaction of annual climatic conditions and precipitation pulses on ecosystem-atmosphere exchange is examined. The methods employ eddy covariance technology to examine the sensitivities of carbon (net ecosystem carbon exchange, NEE), energy (sensible heat, H), and water fluxes (evapotranspiration, ET) to precipitation pulses in native and introduced prairie pastures over a five year study period with highly variable climatic conditions. The results from this study can help improve the understanding of the importance of grassland types on responses to precipitation pulses to better inform ecosystem modeling.