Root distributions predict shrub–steppe responses to  precipitation intensity

Kulmatiski, Andrew; Holdrege, Martin C.; Chirvasă, Cristina; Beard, Karen H.

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-131-2024

Articles | Volume 21, issue 1

https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-131-2024

© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Special issue:

Ecosystem experiments as a window to future carbon, water,...

https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-131-2024

© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 21, issue 1

Research article

|

08 Jan 2024

Research article |

| 08 Jan 2024

Root distributions predict shrub–steppe responses to precipitation intensity

Andrew Kulmatiski, Martin C. Holdrege, Cristina Chirvasă, and Karen H. Beard

Supplement

https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-131-2024-supplement

Data sets

Data From: Root Distributions Predict Shrub-Steppe Responses to Precipitation Intensity Andrew Kulmatiski and Karen H. Beard https://doi.org/10.26078/ad1d-7c7f

Model code and software

Data From: Root Distributions Predict Shrub-Steppe Responses to Precipitation Intensity Andrew Kulmatiski and Karen H. Beard https://doi.org/10.26078/ad1d-7c7f

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Short summary

Warmer air and larger precipitation events are changing the way water moves through the soil and into plants. Here we show that detailed descriptions of root distributions can predict plant growth responses to changing precipitation patterns. Shrubs and forbs increased growth, while grasses showed no response to increased precipitation intensity, and these responses were predicted by plant rooting distributions.