Snow melt manipulation experiment (Aphididae)

Knowledge graph centered on Snow melt manipulation experiment (Aphididae) with 69 nodes and 169 connections. Top connected: Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, Gothic, Scarlet Gilia, Beetles, Crested Butte.

Method synopsis

Experimental advancement of snow melt timing using shade cloth application to test effects on host plant phenology and aphid-plant interactions. Combined with temperature manipulation using open-top warming chambers.

Synthesized from method descriptions across 3 papers 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 — Host plant phenology shapes aphid abundance and interactions with ants (2023), Oikos. The protocol was originally introduced by Early snowmelt reduces aphid abundance <i>Aphis asclepiadis</i> by creating water stressed host plants <i>Ligusticum porteri</i> and altering interactions with ants (2020), Arthropod-Plant Interactions. Implementations in other papers (listed below) may differ.

1. Create experimental snow melt manipulation
   On 12 October 2018, marked eight 16 m² plots containing at least 10 flowering L. porteri in subalpine meadow near RMBL with PVC poles at 2839 m elevation. Randomly assigned plots to ambient or early snow melt treatment. Applied shade cloth (EasyShade 50% Black Bulk Shade Cloth UV Resistant) to early treatment plots, removed on 16 May 2019.
   Quantities: 8 plots of 16 m² each, minimum 10 L. porteri plants per plot, elevation 2839 mDuration: Shade cloth applied 12 October 2018, removed 16 May 2019Conditions: Subalpine meadow location
   Equipment: PVC poles, EasyShade 50% Black Bulk Shade Cloth UV Resistant, marking materials
2. Track experimental host plant phenology
   Tracked phenological responses of host plants to snow melt treatment from June through July. Scored flowering phenology for all host plants with flowering stalks using 0-8 scale. Determined mean flowering phenology scores for comparison between ambient and accelerated treatments.
   Quantities: All flowering plants in 8 experimental plots monitoredDuration: June through July 2019Conditions: Post snow-melt growing season
   Equipment: Phenology scoring sheets

Typical Equipment

• PVC poles
• EasyShade 50% Black Bulk Shade Cloth UV Resistant
• open-top warming chambers

Output Measurements

• snow melt date
• host plant flowering phenology
• aphid colony performance

Papers Using This Protocol (3)

Species Studied With This Protocol

Places Where Used