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Browsing Undergraduate Journals by Author "Avis, Ben"

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    The Impacts of Increased Heat and Precipitation on Plant Phenology and Demography in Pacific Northwest Prairies
    (University of Oregon, 2019) Avis, Ben; Ludden, Allie; Mackin, Hunter; Martinez, Andreas; Petitt, Sean; Porter, Elizabeth; Rasmussen, Emma; Steele, Miles
    This study seeks to understand the implications that projected climate change will have on the phenology of seven prairie grass and forb species, such as disruptions in species interactions and native biodiversity loss. Data were collected at Willow Creek, an upland prairie in the city of Eugene. To assess the possible effects of climate change on plant survival rate and vigor, the experiment was designed to manipulate temperature and precipitation with four treatments (control, drought, heat, heat plus precipitation), and to measure the phenological and reproductive variables of the planted focal species. Experimental parameters were consistent with average predictions for changes in temperature and precipitation for the area. Phenological, demographic, and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) data were collected over an eight-week period. This study found warming treatments advance phenology for the forb species Plectritis congesta and Sidalcea malviflora. In addition, the grass species Festuca roemeri was found to have higher spikelet abundance in drought and control treatments, but no significant change to phenology. These results indicate that as temperatures rise with climate change, plant phenologies may shift, potentially reducing the reproductive fitness of certain plants.