Long-Term Ecological Research Program - Shortgrass Steppe

北美的半干旱大平原是一片广阔的地区， 并且对于自然资源生产具有特别重要的意义。 中原实验靶场（Central Plains Experimental Range，CPER） 位于大平原中部，代表着 长期的生态问题， 地区 这项长期研究的组织概念是， 短草草原是生态系统的主要控制者 结构和功能是气候、地貌和土地利用 管理 这些控件中的每一个都具有重要的空间和 在一系列尺度上的时间异质性，并发挥其 在特定的层次组合上的影响力。 是 假设现场最重要的控制 CPER水平是土壤质地和土地利用。 土壤质地是 对土壤水分的有效性有重大影响，因此 植被结构、净初级生产力和分解。 土地利用通过控制生态系统的平衡状态， 生产潜力和土壤有机质储量。 这 项目继续目前的工作，并启动新的研究，以进一步 研究土壤质地和土地利用对短草的影响 生态系统结构与功能 研究、模拟和区域分析。

The semiarid Great Plains of North America is an extensive area, and has particular importance for natural resource production. The Central Plains Experimental Range (CPER) has an excellent location in the central Great Plains to represent the important long-term ecological issues of consequence for much of the region. The organizing concept for this long-term study of the shortgrass steppe is that the major controls over ecosystem structure and function are climate, geomorphology, and landuse management. Each of these controls has important spatial and temporal heterogeneity across a range of scales, and exerts its influence at a particular combination of levels. It is hypothesized and that the most important controls at the site level of the CPER are soil texture and landuse. Soil texture is a major influence over soil water availability, and thus vegetation structure, net primary production, and decomposition. Landuse sets the equilibrium state of ecosystems by controlling potential production and soil organic matter reserves. This project continue current work and initiate new studies to further examine the influence of soil texture and landuse over shortgrass ecosystem structure and function using field experimental research, simulation, and regional analysis.