The sensitivity of carbon exchanges in Great Plains grasslands to precipitation variability. Issue 2 (2nd February 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Petrie, M. D.; Brunsell, N. A.; Vargas, R.; Collins, S. L.; Flanagan, L. B.; Hanan, N. P.; Litvak, M. E.; Suyker, A. E.
• Is Part Of: Journal of geophysical research. Volume 121:Issue 2(2016:Feb.)
• Page Start: 280
• Page End: 294
• Publication Date: 2016-02-02
• Subjects: grasslands -- Great Plains -- carbon cycling -- precipitation variability; Geobiology -- Periodicals; Biogeochemistry -- Periodicals; Biotic communities -- Periodicals; Geophysics -- Periodicals; 577.14
• DOI: 10.1002/2015JG003205
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2169-8953

Abstract

Abstract: In the Great Plains, grassland carbon dynamics differ across broad gradients of precipitation and temperature, yet finer‐scale variation in these variables may also affect grassland processes. Despite the importance of grasslands, there is little information on how fine‐scale relationships compare between them regionally. We compared grassland C exchanges, energy partitioning and precipitation variability in eight sites in the eastern and western Great Plains using eddy covariance and meteorological data. During our study, both eastern and western grasslands varied between an average net carbon sink and a net source. Eastern grasslands had a moderate vapor pressure deficit (VPD = 0.95 kPa) and high growing season gross primary productivity (GPP = 1010 ± 218 g C m −2 yr −1 ). Western grasslands had a growing season with higher VPD (1.43 kPa) and lower GPP (360 ± 127 g C m −2 yr −1 ). Western grasslands were sensitive to precipitation at daily timescales, whereas eastern grasslands were sensitive at monthly and seasonal timescales. Our results support the expectation that C exchanges in these grasslands differ as a result of varying precipitation regimes. Because eastern grasslands are less influenced by short‐term variability in rainfall than western grasslands, the effects of precipitation change are likely to be more predictable in eastern grasslands because the timescales of variability that must be resolved are relatively longer. We postulate increasing regional heterogeneity in grassland C exchanges in the Great Plains in coming decades. Key Points: Carbon exchanges in eastern and western Great Plains grasslands differ Eastern and western grasslands differ in the timescales over which they respond to P C exchanges are likely to become more heterogeneous as a result of P change