PARENT SESSION
Thursday, August 10, 5:00-6:30 pm
Poster Session 23 - Arid and semi-arid ecosystems: deserts, grasslands, shrublands, and savannas
Exhibit Hall, Ballroom Level, Cook Convention Center
Soil feedback mechanisms in prairie restoration.
Bing, Christopher1, Sollenberger, David2, Egerton-Warburton, Louise*,2, 3, 1 University of California, Santa Barbara, CA2 Chicago Botanic Garden, Glencoe, IL3 Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
ABSTRACT- In any community, feedback systems often define the abundance and composition of its inhabitants: positive feedbacks can lead to increased abundances of a species whereas negative feedbacks may limit their abundance. We investigated feedback mechanisms among arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), soil fungal pathogens, and Andropogon gerardii (big bluestem) during prairie restoration because these mechanisms could alter plant community succession. Field surveys and greenhouse growth experiments demonstrated that interactions among AMF, pathogenic fungi, and target plants could lead to positive or negative feedback mechanisms. The nature of these mechanisms was heavily dependent on biotic and abiotic factors including soil fertility, and the abundance and diversity of both AMF and soil pathogens. By understanding the causes and effects of such feedback mechanisms, it may be possible to apply this knowledge to managing the restoration of prairie communities.
Key words: Grasslands, Feedbacks, Andropogon gerardii