Location: Livestock and Range Research Laboratory
Project Number: 3030-21500-001-011-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Apr 1, 2026
End Date: Apr 1, 2027
Objective:
Assess and compare how above- and belowground vegetation phenology is shaped by key disturbances in grasslands: fire and drought. To guide this work, I ask two central research questions: (1) To what extent is there temporal coupling between root and shoot production in a semi-arid grassland? (2) How is above- and belowground phenology shaped by disturbance, namely fire and drought? To address these questions, I will pursue the following research objectives: (1) quantify the degree of temporal coupling between root and leaf production, (2) compare phenological patterns under different disturbance regimes, and (3) assess the underlining mechanisms influencing such ecosystem processes.
Approach:
This study will be conducted in a semi-arid grassland at Fort Keogh during summers of 2026-2027. Above- and belowground phenology will be measured under four disturbance treatments: control, drought, fire, and a combination of drought and fire. Each treatment will include ten replicate plots per year. Each plot will have a permanent soil tube as part of the EnRoot minirhizotron system to enable imaging of fine root production. It consists of a soil tube and imaging module. Root images will be captured every 1-2 weeks, then processed and analyzed to estimate herbaceous root production. Concurrently, near-surface images of aboveground production will be taken along with soil temperature and moisture data. Additionally, phenological data will be further contextualized with soil nutrient data as disturbances will presumably alter soil properties and potentially explain some variability in phenology.