Complex responses of spring vegetation growth to climate in a moisture-limited alpine meadow

• DOI: 10.1038/srep23356
• Publication Date: 2016-03-17T10:51:09Z
• Authors: Hasbagan Ganjurjav; Qingzhu Gao; Mark W. Schwartz; Wenquan Zhu; Yan Liang; Yue Li; Yunfan Wan; Xujuan Cao; Matthew A. Willia...; Wangzha Jiangcun; Hongbao Guo; Erda Lin
• Keywords: Growing season

Abstract Since 2000, the phenology has advanced in some years and at locations on Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, whereas it been delayed others. To understand variations spring vegetation growth response to climate, we conducted both regional experimental studies central Plateau. We used normalized difference index identify correlations between climate phenological greening, found that greening correlated negatively with winter-spring time precipitation, but not temperature. open top chambers induce warming an alpine meadow ecosystem from 2012 2014. Our results showed early growing season, plant (represented by net CO 2 exchange, NEE) was lower warmed plots than control plots. Late-season increased relative under conditions. These data suggest of is complex non-intuitive this system. are consistent hypothesis moisture limitation increases as temperature increases. The effects increasing temperatures will have important ramifications for grazers