Event Title
Growth and Reproductive Effort of the Sedge Genus Carex in Response to Climate Change in Northern Alaska
Presentation Type
Poster/Portfolio
Presenter Major(s)
Biology
Mentor Information
Robert Hollister
Department
Biology
Location
Henry Hall Atrium 93
Start Date
10-4-2013 1:00 PM
End Date
10-4-2013 2:00 PM
Keywords
Environment
Abstract
The Arctic is changing due to climate change. In order to forecast changes in arctic vegetation, warming experiments were established in Alaska at Barrow in 1994 and Atqasuk in 1996. At both locations the study site consists of 24 control plots and 24 experimental plots. The experimental plots are passively warmed 1-3 degrees Celsius using open top chambers. This study used data collected in the summer of 2012 to analyze the response of the dominant sedge Carex to long-term warming at the two wet sites. The measurements made were changes in cover, inflorescence height, and number of inflorescences. We found in response to warming that Carex increased in cover and produced larger inflorescences at both sites. These results are consistent with other warming studies conducted across tundra landscapes and suggest that Carex will continue to increase growth and reproductive effort and become more dominant with climate change.
Growth and Reproductive Effort of the Sedge Genus Carex in Response to Climate Change in Northern Alaska
Henry Hall Atrium 93
The Arctic is changing due to climate change. In order to forecast changes in arctic vegetation, warming experiments were established in Alaska at Barrow in 1994 and Atqasuk in 1996. At both locations the study site consists of 24 control plots and 24 experimental plots. The experimental plots are passively warmed 1-3 degrees Celsius using open top chambers. This study used data collected in the summer of 2012 to analyze the response of the dominant sedge Carex to long-term warming at the two wet sites. The measurements made were changes in cover, inflorescence height, and number of inflorescences. We found in response to warming that Carex increased in cover and produced larger inflorescences at both sites. These results are consistent with other warming studies conducted across tundra landscapes and suggest that Carex will continue to increase growth and reproductive effort and become more dominant with climate change.