Fall Semester 2008

NRES 725:  Plant Physiological Ecology  (3 credits)

Note: Unless otherwise noted or previously copyrighted, all materials for this course except guest lectures are © Copyright by Robert S. Nowak, 2008.

Course Syllabus

Date          Handouts                                                            

Aug 26      Reading list for water balance section

Aug 28       Handouts #1 & #2

Sep 02       Handouts #3 - #6

Sep 04       Handouts #7 - #10

Sep 09       Handouts #11 - #15

Sep 11       Handouts #16 - #20

Sep 16       Guest speaker: Dr. Beth Leger

Sep 18       No class meeting

Sep 23       Guest speaker: Dr. Ashley Sparrow

Everyone should read the following 3 papers for discussion:

Reich, P. B., D. S. Ellsworth, M. B. Walters, J. M. Vose, C. Gresham, J. C. Volin, and W. D. Bowman. 1999. Generality of leaf trait relationships: A test across six biomes. Ecology. 80: 1955-1969.

Westoby, M., D. Warton, and P. B. Reich. 2000. The time value of leaf area. American Naturalist 155: 649-656.

Niklas, K. J., T. Owens, P. B. Reich, and E. D. Cobb. 2005. Nitrogen/phosphorus leaf stoichiometry and the scaling of plant growth. Ecology Letters 8: 636-642.

Sep 25        No class meeting

Sep 30        Guest speaker: Dr. Peter Weisberg

The first paper by McNaughton is optional background reading.  Everyone should read the other 2 papers, but Peter will select individual students to lead the discussion about the second and third papers on the list:

McNaughton SJ (1983) Compensatory plant growth as a response to herbivory. Oikos 40:329-336.

Alstad KP, Welker JM, Williams SA, Trlica MJ (1999) Carbon and water relations of Salix monticola in response to winter browsing and changes in surface water hydrology: an isotopic study using δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O.Oecologia 120:375-385.

Hester AJ, Millard P, Baillie GJ, Wendler R (2004) How does timing of browse affect above- and below-ground growth of Betula pendula, Pinus sylvestris and Sorbus aucuparia? Oikos 105:536-550.

Oct 02        Guest speaker: Dr. Keirith Snyder

Everyone should read the following 4 papers for discussion:

Ehleringer JR, Rundel PW (1989) Chapter 1. Stable isotopes: history, units, and instrumentation. Pages 1-15 In Rundel PW, Ehleringer JR, Nagy KA (eds) Stable Isotopes in Ecological Research, Springer-Verlag, NY.

Ehleringer JR, Dawson TE (1992) Water uptake by plants: perspectives from stable isotope composition: commissioned review. Plant Cell Environ 15:1073-1082.

Snyder KA, Williams DG (2000) Water sources used by riparian trees varies among stream types on the San Pedro River, Arizona. Agric For Meteor 105:227-240.

Dawson TE, Mambelli S, Plamboeck AH, Templer PH, Tu KP (2002) Stable isotopes in plant ecology. Ann Rev Ecol Syst 33:507-559.

Oct 7 & 9     Handouts #16 to #20

Oct 14         Handouts #21 to #26

Oct 21         Handouts #27 to #31

Oct 23         Handouts #32 to #37

Oct 28         Handouts #38 to #40

Oct 30         Handouts #41 to #42

Nov 4 & 6     Handouts #43 to #49

Nov 13         Handouts #50 to #53

Nov 18         Handouts #54 to #58

Nov 20         Handouts #59 to #65

DISCUSSION SESSIONS:

NOTE: Papers are available through UNR's on-line journal subscriptions unless otherwise noted.

Dec 4

Sarah

Booth MS, Caldwell MM, Stark JM (2003) Overlapping resource use in three Great Basin species: implications for community invasibility and vegetation dynamics. J Ecol 91:36-48.

Booth MS, Stark JM, Caldwell MM (2003) Inorganic N turnover and availability in annual-  and perennial-dominated soils in a northern Utah shrub-steppe ecosystem. Biogeochem 66:311-330.

Courtney

Pollard A and Baker A. 1997. Deterrence of herbivory by zinc hyperaccumulation in Thlaspi caerulescens (Brassicaceae).  New Phytologist 135:655–658.

Saison C, Schwartz C and Morel J.  2004  Hyperaccumulation of Metals by Thlaspi caerulescens as Affected by Root Development and Cd-Zn/Ca-Mg Interactions.  International Journal of Phytoremediation 6(1):49-61.

NOTE: Dec 9 class meeting has been changed to: Dec 8 @ 10 AM (but in regular room KRC 103A)

Wade

Gray AN, Spies TA (1997) Microsite controls on tree seedling establishment in conifer forest canopy gaps. Ecology 78:2458-2473.

Gray AN, Zald HS, Kern RA, North M (2005) Stand conditions associated with tree regeneration in Sierran mixed-conifer forests. For Sci 51:198-210.

Yuanchao

Fostad O, Pedersen PA (1999). Container-grown tree seedling responses to sodium chloride applications in different substrates. Environmental Pollution, 109: 203-210.

Bryson GM, Barker AV (2002). Sodium accumulation in soils and plants along Massachusetts roadsides. Communications in soil science and plant analysis, 33: 67-78.

Dec 11: Special meeting time 1:30-3:30 PM (but in regular room KRC 103A)

Blake

Hudgeons JL, et al. (2007) Defoliation by introduced Diorhabda elongata leaf beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) reduces carbohydrate reserves and regrowth of Tamarix (Tamaricaceae). Biol Control 43:213-221.

Palacio S, Hester AJ, Maestro M, Millard P (2008) Browsed Betula pubescens trees are not carbon-limited. Func Ecol 22:808-815.

Stephanie

Rooke, T., K. Danell, R. Bergstrom, C. Skarpe, and J. Hjalten. 2004. Defensive traits of savanna trees - the role of shoot exposure to browsers. Oikos. 107: 161-171.

H. Xiang and J. Chen. 2004. Interspecific variation of plant traits associated with resistance to herbivory among four species of Ficus (Moraceae). Annals of Botany. 94: 377-384.

Lora

Caldwell, M., J. Manwaring, et al. (1996). "Species interactions at the level of fine roots in the field: influence of soil nutrient heterogeneity and plant size." Oecologia 106(4): 440-447.

Larigauderie, A. and J. Richards (1994). "Root proliferation characteristics of seven perennial arid-land grasses in nutrient-enriched microsites." Oecologia 99(1): 102-111.