The ratio of CO efflux to influx (ARQ, apparent respiratory quotient) in tree stems is expected to be 1.0 for carbohydrates, the main substrate supporting stem respiration. In previous studies of stem fluxes, ARQ values below 1.0 were observed and hypothesized to indicate retention of respired carbon within the stem. Here, we […]
Data-model integration plays a critical role in assessing and improving our capacity to predict ecosystem dynamics. Similarly, the ability to attach quantitative statements of uncertainty around model forecasts is crucial for model assessment and interpretation and for setting field research priorities. Bayesian methods provide a rigorous data assimilation framework for […]
The Ecoss and McAllister collaboration on Community, Culture and the Environment is honored to welcome poet Layli Long Soldier to NAU February 21, 2019 for a public reading. Long Soldier is the author of Whereas, a finalist for the National Book Award in 2017. She was awarded a National Artist Fellowship […]
Accurate estimates of microbial carbon use efficiency (CUE) are required to predict how global change will impact microbially-mediated ecosystem functions such as organic matter decomposition. Multiple approaches are currently used to quantify CUE but the extent to which estimates reflect methodological variability is unknown. This limits our ability to apply […]
The interaction between terrestrial carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycles has been incorporated into more and more land surface models. However, the scheme of C–N coupling differs greatly among models, and how these diverse representations of C–N interactions will affect C-cycle modeling remains unclear. In this study, we explored how […]
Extracellular enzymes catalyze rate-limiting steps in soil organic matter decomposition, and their activities (EEAs) play a key role in determining soil respiration (SR). Both EEAs and SR are highly sensitive to temperature, but their responses to climate warming remain poorly understood. Here, we present a meta-analysis on the response of […]
Former Ecoss Postdoctoral researcher Natasja van Gestel, now at Texas Tech University, and Bruce Hungate and Paul Dijkstra from ECOSS are using deglaciated area in Antarctica to investigate plants and microbial responses to warming. Two graduate students will be integral to the success of the study: Kelly McMillen (Texas Tech […]
Ecoss students, postdocs, and faculty are presenting their exciting work at the Fall Meeting of the American Geophysical Union in Washington, DC, December 10-14 2018. We have put together a guide of where to find Ecoss at AGU. Download the PDF here.
On November 1, Ecoss gathered at Root Public House in Flagstaff to discuss the recent report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) on warming and what it means for the research center’s work. The report, built on over 6000 scientific references, was a warning bell for scientists and policymakers when […]
Global change is shifting the seasonality of vegetation in ecosystems around the globe. High-frequency digital camera imagery, and vegetation indices derived from that imagery, is facilitating better tracking of phenological responses to environmental variation. This method, commonly referred to as the “phenocam” approach, is well-suited to several specific applications, including: […]