Hauling field gear up Gothic Mountain…
Climate in subalpine meadows of the Rocky growing season drought conditions. Manipulating Mountains can be characterized by an early (fore- the strength of the foresummer drought by watering summer) drought that occurs after snowmelt (May) revealed that the timing of growing season pre- and lasts until the start of the summer monsoon cipitation is more important than the total amount season (July). Climate change models predict an for determining cumulative NEP. The strength of the increase in the length and severity of this dry period foresummer drought did not significantly impact due to earlier snowmelt dates, rising air tem- ecosystem respiration rates, but plants that experi- peratures, and shifts in the start and/or intensity of enced a strong foresummer drought exhibited more the North American monsoon. However, it is un- water stress, and lower instantaneous rates of NEP, known how changes in the severity of this early even during the rainy season. Our results highlight season dry period will affect ecosystem carbon ex- the central role of the foresummer drought in de- change. To address the importance of early season termining rates of carbon exchange throughout the drought, we combined a watering manipulation growing season, and the potential for an increas- with 11 years of ecosystem carbon exchange data ingly negative balance of carbon in subalpine across an elevational gradient at the Rocky Moun- meadows under future climate change. tain Biological Laboratory in Gothic, Colorado. Long-term trends reveal that earlier snowmelt dates Key words: climate change; sualpine; NEP; fore- lead to a decrease in net ecosystem productivity summer drought; elevation gradient; watering (NEP), in part because of the positive effect on early manipulation.
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