Collaborative Research: Manipulation of N and Water Availability, Belowground Production of Plant Secondary Metabolites, and Ecosystem Processes

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A collaborative research effort between the University of Washington and University of New Mexico is initiated with this 1- year research award. The research will combine two ongoing studies on the same site and provide a unique opportunity to develop research leading to an extensive analysis above- and belowground for a forest ecosystem. The current studies are hypotheses concerning the effects of manipulating resource availability (water and/or nitrogen) on several aspects of carbon allocation between primary production and secondary metabolites for above- and belowground tissues. The preliminary research in this 1-year proposal will allow the design of experiments to test how manipulating resource availability should cause shifts in: above- and belowground biomass, turnover of fine roots, seasonal patterns of fine root production nutrient resorption from senescing tissues, quality and quantity of secondary metabolites in foliage and roots, and mycorrhizal biomass and turnover. These changes should affect ecosystem processes of herbivory, decomposition, and net ecosystems production. The collaborating investigators have excellent individual records and are known to perform well in a collaborative context. Facilities are excellent as is the field research site.