Plant Water Potentials and Plant Physiology at the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico (1989-1992)

Authors

Charles Wisdom

Date

2-2-2011

Abstract

Physiological status of plants is monitored in conjunction with the sampling schedule outlined in Sevilleta Plant Demography. Several perennial life forms, including tree (Juniperus and Pinus), shrub (Larrea) and grass (Oryzopsis and Sporobolus), are being monitored at 1-3 of four sites which differ in elevation and topography as well as edaphic and annual precipitation characteristics. For the 1990 field season we are adding a spring annual, Lesquerella to our sampling efforts at these same sites. Currently, water status (xylem potentials, bars) is monitored twice a year, in spring (after the 'dry' season) and fall (after the 'wet' season). Three replicate measurements are made on each of 10-20 individuals per species per site. Three measurements are made at pre-dawn and midday to determine the diurnal range of values for each plant. For the 1990 field season, we will also be measuring peak photosynthetic rates for selected individuals by gas exchange measurements and porometry. Together with demographic data, this data set permits assessment of the physiological bases of plant growth and reproduction in response to short- and long-term changes in abiotic and biotic aspects of the environment.

Handle

http://hdl.handle.net/1928/29856

Other Identifier

SEV7

Knowledge Network for Biocomplexity (KNB) Identifier

knb-lter-sev.7.183180

Document Type

Dataset

Comments

This dataset was originally published on the Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) Network Data Portal, https://portal.lternet.edu, and potentially via other repositories or portals as described. The Digital Object Identifier (DOI) of the source data package is doi:10.6073/pasta/8098bba14324c8e7ba6e7dc30518e332, and may be accessed at http://dx.doi.org/10.6073/pasta/8098bba14324c8e7ba6e7dc30518e332. Metadata and files included in this record mirror as closely as possible the source data and documentation, with the provenance metadata and quality report generated by the LTER portal reproduced here as '*-provenance.xml' and *-report.html' files, respectively.

Rights

Data Policies: This dataset is released to the public and may be freely downloaded. Please keep the designated Contact person informed of any plans to use the dataset. Consultation or collaboration with the original investigators is strongly encouraged. Publications and data products that make use of the dataset must include proper acknowledgement of the Sevilleta LTER. Datasets must be cited as in the example provided. A copy of any publications using these data must be supplied to the Sevilleta LTER Information Manager. By downloading any data you implicitly acknowledge the LTER Data Policy (http://www.lternet.edu/data/netpolicy.html).

Source

http://dx.doi.org/10.6073/pasta/8098bba14324c8e7ba6e7dc30518e332

Temporal coverage

1989-05-08 - 1992-10-07

Spatial coverage

The Black Butte Mixed Grass site is located just inside the gate and to the south of Black Butte. This site is grassland, characterized by Oryzopsis hymenoides, Sporobolus giganteus, Sporobolus flexuosus, Bouteloua eriopoda, and occasional shrubs, including Gutierrezia sarothrae and Yucca glauca. Forbs include Senecio douglasii, Baileyi multiradiata, and Sphaeralcea spp. This site contains the fertilizer study plots, which are located less than one mile from the Black Butte gate on the east side of the road to Five Points.Five Points is the area which encompasses the Five Points Black Grama and Five Points Creosote Core study sites and falls along the transition between Chihuahuan Desert Scrub and Desert Grassland habitats. Both sites are subject to intensive research activity, including NPP measurement, phenology observation, pollinator diversity studies, and ground dwelling arthropod and rodent population assessments. There are drought rain-out shelters in both the Black Grama and Creosote sites, as well as the mixed-ecotone, with co-located ET Towers.This site encompasses the upper reaches of Goat Draw and is dominated by pinon-juniper vegetation. Two pinon branch demography study sites were located here, each with 49 labeled trees, in a small canyon which drains the Los Pinos Mountains to the east. Vegetation is characterized as a pinon/juniper woodland with occasional occurrences of Quercus turbinella, Yucca spp. and Opuntia spp. Portions of the bird community assessment and plant phenology studies were also located within Goat Draw.The Rio Salado is an ephemeral tributary of the Rio Grande on the west side of the Sevilleta NWR, flowing west by northwest to east by southeast. Rio Salado Grassland & Rio Salado Larrea are two study sites established in 1989. These sites were established as counterparts to sites at Five Points. Between 1989 and 1998, vegetation, litter decomposition, and ground dwelling arthropod and rodent populations were studied at both sites. Core studies at these sites were largely terminated in 1998, although rodent populations are still monitored at the Rio Salado Larrea site as the Small Mammal Exclosure Study's Larrea plots are co-located there. Rio Salado Grassland is the location of Met Station 44. The Rio Salado study sites are accessed by taking the San Acacia exit, going west and then taking the frontage road back north to the Sevilleta NWR gate. After entering the refuge turn left after 0.2 mi and take this road 1.4 mi to a "T" in the road at the power lines. An earthen berm stops road travel here and the met station is located about 300 m west on the blocked road.

DOI

doi:10.6073/pasta/8098bba14324c8e7ba6e7dc30518e332

Permanent URL

http://dx.doi.org/10.6073/pasta/8098bba14324c8e7ba6e7dc30518e332

Recommended Citation

Wisdom, Charles (2011-02-02): Plant Water Potentials and Plant Physiology at the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico (1989-1992). Long Term Ecological Research Network. http://dx.doi.org/10.6073/pasta/8098bba14324c8e7ba6e7dc30518e332