Grassland warming experiment field sampling (Poaceae)

Knowledge graph centered on Grassland warming experiment field sampling (Poaceae) with 35 nodes and 117 connections. Top connected: Ligusticum porteri, Rushes, climate change effects on species interactions, Festuca, Festuca thurberi.

Method synopsis

Collection of leaf and root tissues from dominant grass species in established warming experiments during growing season. Samples collected separately by tissue type and combined by species within plots.

Synthesized from method descriptions across 1 paper using this protocol.

Procedure from a recent peer-reviewed implementation

Steps below were extracted from the most recent peer-reviewed implementation of this protocol in the corpus — Warming disrupts plant–fungal endophyte symbiosis more severely in leaves than roots (2025), Global Change Biology. Implementations in other papers (listed below) may differ.

1. Establish warming experimental plots
   Three warming experiments established with different designs: RMBL used electric heaters (22 W m²) suspended 1.5 m above 10m x 3m plots installed in 1991; Kessler used infrared heaters on 2m x 2m plots (100 W m², 1.5 m aboveground) since 1999; Spindletop used aboveground infrared heaters on 3 m diameter plots from 2009-2013 and continuously since 2015. All experiments included control and warmed treatments.
   Quantities: RMBL: n=5 plots, 10m x 3m each; Kessler: n=5 plots, 2m x 2m each; Spindletop: n=5 plots, 3m diameter eachDuration: RMBL: 25 years (1991-2016); Kessler: 17 years (1999-2016); Spindletop: 2 years (2015-2016)Conditions: RMBL: ambient temperature 4.0°C warmed by 2.1°C; Kessler: ambient temperature 16°C warmed by 1.2°C; Spindletop: ambient temperature 12°C warmed by 3.0°C
   Equipment: electric heaters, infrared heaters, soil temperature and moisture loggers
2. Collect plant tissue samples
   Leaves and roots were collected separately during growing season in 2016 for 3-6 individuals per plot from each of the dominant grass species. Samples were combined by plant tissue type for each species. Species sampled included Achnatherum lettermanii, Festuca thurberi, and Poa pratensis at RMBL; Schizachyrium scoparium, Sorghastrum nutans, and Sporobolus compositus at Kessler; Elymus canadensis and Lolium arundinaceum at Spindletop.
   Quantities: 3-6 individuals per plot, 8 total plant species across 3 sites, separate leaf and root samples for each speciesDuration: Single collection in 2016: RMBL in August, Kessler in July, Spindletop in OctoberConditions: During growing season at each site

Typical Equipment

• electric heaters
• infrared heaters
• collection containers
• freezer storage

Output Measurements

• plant tissue samples by species and tissue type

Papers Using This Protocol (1)

Species Studied With This Protocol