Semiarid grasslands and extreme precipitation events: Do experimental results scale to the landscape?

Authors: POST, ALISON - Colorado State University; DAVIS, KRISTIN - Colorado State University; LAROE, JILLIAN - Colorado State University; Hoover, David; KNAPP, ALAN - Colorado State University

Submitted to: Ecology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/24/2021
Publication Date: 6/15/2021
Citation: Post, A.K., Davis, K.P., LaRoe, J., Hoover, D.L., Knapp, A.K. 2021. Semiarid grasslands and extreme precipitation events: Do experimental results scale to the landscape? Ecology. Article e03437. https://doi.org//10.1002/ecy.3437.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.3437

Interpretive Summary: More extreme rain events or 'deluges' are expected with climate change. To date little is know about how deluges impact plant growth dynamics in semi-arid rangelands. While recent small-scale experiments show that these ecosystems are highly responsive to deluges, there has been little research investigating how natural events impact semi-arid rangelands at the landscape scale. In this study, we used long-term rainfall data, and satellite-derived plant growth measurements, to assess how variation in deluge amount affects plant growth during the summer over a ~30 year period. We found that the sensitivity to deluges was highest mid-summer, and plant growth increased with deluge size. Furthermore, we saw no evidence that grazing management influenced the plant response to deluges, despite large differences in plant communities. These results provide important insights into how deluges impact plant dynamics.

Technical Abstract: More extreme rain events or 'deluges' are expected with climate change. To date little is know about how deluges impact plant growth dynamics in semi-arid rangelands. While recent small-scale experiments show that these ecosystems are highly responsive to deluges, there has been little research investigating how natural events impact semi-arid rangelands at the landscape scale. In this study, we used long-term rainfall data, and satellite-derived plant growth measurements, to assess how variation in deluge amount affects plant growth during the summer over a ~30 year period. We found that the sensitivity to deluges was highest mid-summer, and plant growth increased with deluge size. Furthermore, we saw no evidence that grazing management influenced the plant response to deluges, despite large differences in plant communities. These results provide important insights into how deluges impact plant dynamics.