Ecological experiments with model ecosystems SS 2014 Project suggestions

1. Ecological experiments with model ecosystems SS 2014Project suggestions

2. 1: How does diversity buffer against invasion and how is lupine affected by drought? • Lupinuspolyphyllusis an legumeexoticinvaderwith an increasingdistribution (e.g. in theRhoenemountains) andthe potential tocreatenovelecosystems • Question:HowisL. polyphyllusaffectedbythediversityofsurroundinggrasslandandbydrought? • Model system: Mesocosmsof different diversitylevels, subjectedtodrought Start/ methods: June, ecophysiologicalmeasurements (canopytemperature, NDVI, stomatalconductance) Responsible: julia.walter@uni-bayreuth.de

3. 2:Does intraspecific diversity provide the same functionality as interspecific diversity? • Within-species variability in the response to extreme weather events can be as strong as variability across species and adaptation to climatic conditions, i.e. a superior performance of the local provenance in comparison to other provenances, has been repeatedly reported • Question: Doesgrasslandconsistingof different speciesrespondsimilartodroughtcomparedtograsslandconsistingof different ecotypes/provenances? - Model system: Mesocosmsof different intra- and interspecificdiversitylevels, subjectedtodrought Start/ methods: June, ecophysiologicalmeasurements (canopytemperature, NDVI, stomatalconductance) Responsible: julia.walter@uni-bayreuth.de

4. 3:Senecio jacobaea- an increasing problem for agriculture and health? • S. jacobeaeisperceivedas an increasingproblem, asitisgettingabundant in somemeadowsandalreadycauseddeathofcattleanditsalcaloidswerealreadyfound in honey. The generalquestionis:HowisS. jacobaeaaffectedbyprecipitationchangesandmanagementpractice? • Model system: pottedindividualsofS.j. and commongrasslandspecies will besujected to different climatetreatmentsand managementpractise Start: April, still quite open to design/ focus/ methods! Responsible: julia.walter@uni-bayreuth.de david.harter@ uni-bayreuth.de

5. 4:How did grassland react to the extremely warm winter 2013/2014? • An earlierstartofthegrowingseason 2014 isalreadyvisible after thevery mild winter. Wehavelongtermfield-dataofgrasslandalreadysubjectedtowinterwarmingbefore. • Howdoesgrasslandreacttothe „real“ warm winter 2013/2014 in comparisontounwarmedandexperimentallywarmedwinterconditions in previousyears? • Model system: Seminaturalgrasslandwithinthe EVENT II experiment • Start/ methods: May/ June, biomass/ cover assessment Responsible: Nobel Arfin Khan david.harter@ uni-bayreuth.de

6. 5:How does grassland react one year after an extreme drought across a pan-European gradient? • Within 9 European countries, typicalgrassland was subjectedto an extreme drought in 2013/2014. Biomassandcoverdata will beassessed in 2014 (in additionto 2013) • Isthere a gradientofresilience/resistanceacross all sites? Are therelong-term consequencesofdrought? • Model system: Seminaturalgrassland • Start/ methods: May/ June, biomass/ coverassessment, dataanalyses Responsible: julia.walter@uni-bayreuth.de

7. 6:How do grasses from different ecotypes respond to increased freeze-thaw cycles? • Regional differences in the occurances of soil FTCs are thought to strongly affect plant survival and growth. Winter warming is changing the frequency and magnitude of the occuring FTC across Europe. • Question: Local adaptation to local occurence of FTCs is to be evaluated using grass ecotypes from across Europe • Model system: pottedgrassecotypes • Start/ methods: April, biomass/ coverassessment, otherparametersofinterest Responsible: Andrey Malyshe, amalyshe@alumni.uwo.ca