Dissertation Improvement Grant: Woody plant water stress tolerance and predicting global warming effects on Mediterranean-type climate region biodiversity

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The five species-rich Mediterranean-type climate regions (MTCR) of the world are particularly threatened by global climate change, yet little is known about how the woody plant species in these areas will respond to predicted climate warming and drying. While plants in some regions, such as California, have been well studied, species in other regions, such as South Africa, remain poorly understood. Plant water transport safety (capacity of stems to continue water transmission under severe water stress) of 17 woody plant species from the MTCR of South Africa will be measured. These data will be compared to data already collected on species from this and other MTCR. Combined, these data will be used to estimate species environmental tolerance and to predict the species and communities likely to be affected by global climate change. Plant water transport safety has not been measured for any of the shrub species of the Mediterranean-type climate region (MTCR) of South Africa. If plants from this region are similar in their drought response to species from other MTCR then data measured in more thoroughly studied regions may be applied to those that have been less studied. Such data could be used to minimize climate change impact on biodiversity in these regions. Additionally, international collaboration will increase the knowledge base available to develop mitigation strategies for the preservation of global biodiversity.