@article{Precipitation:3460,
      recid = {3460},
      author = {Bastien, Salvador},
      title = {Effect of Pulse Precipitation Variability on Black Grama  (Bouteloua Eriopoda) Demography and Fitness},
      pages = {26},
      year = {2016},
      abstract = {Black Grama (Bouteloua eriopoda) is a long-lived keystone  primary producer across much of semi-arid southwestern  North America. Though the ecology of this grass is  relatively well studied, the potential effects of climate  change on the species and ecosystem are more poorly  understood. We examined size distribution and seed  production of B. eriopoda following nine years of ongoing  monsoon rainfall manipulation treatments. This Long Term  Ecological Research (LTER) experiment is designed to  imitate monsoon pulse precipitation patterns predicted by  climate change models at Sevilleta National Wildlife  Refuge, NM. Demographic measurements were collected in  mid-June before the monsoon growing season began. Spikelets  were collected once B. eriopoda florets went to seed in mid  to late September. We found significantly higher mean  tussock volume and height in plots with added precipitation  compared to ambient control plots. Greater height was  correlated with higher spikelet mass and average number of  spikelets per inflorescence in long pulse treatment plots.  This indicates an increase in reproductive fitness  accompanying increased survival with less frequent, more  intense rainfall. These findings shed light on how semiarid  ecosystems may respond to shifting precipitation pulses in  the Southwest with regards to a changing climate.},
      url = {http://digitalcc.coloradocollege.edu/record/3460},
}