Cedar Creek LTER, sponsored by University of California, Berkeley
Title: Mutualisms alter biodiversity-ecosystem function relationships under global change
Website: http://kimberlylapierre.weebly.com/research.html
Description: Ecological theory predicts that niche and relative fitness differences among plant species underlie variation in the biodiversity-ecosystem function relationship. However, the underlying mechanisms are rarely experimentally quantified, and causal connections between plant variation and the biodiversity-productivity relationship remain elusive. Plants in the legume family are infected by beneficial soil bacteria called rhizobia, which fix atmospheric nitrogen (N) in exchange for carbon (C) from their plant hosts. This access to atmospheric N can differentiate legumes from non-legumes in their niches and relative fitnesses. Global change drivers resulting in increased atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) and soil N will likely alter the legume-rhizobia mutualism, thus impacting biodiversity-ecosystem function relationships. We are experimentally examining the mutualistic processes that differentiate four legume species from each other and from non-legumes to understand how these differences cause variation in patterns of primary productivity within the BioCON experiment at Cedar Creek LTER.
With guidance and support from the project mentors, you will participate in experimental design, growing plants within the BioCON experimental framework, maintaining the experiments, and collecting and analyzing data. Over the course of the summer, you will also develop your own independent project related to the theme of mutualism and the biodiversity-ecosystem function relationship.
Location: East Bethel, MN
Start and End dates: 5/16/2016-8/5/2016
Fellowship positions available: 1
Are the dates flexible? Yes
Eligibility and Requirements: Prior research experience required.
Summer Stipend: $500/week x 12 weeks = $6000 total
Other services provided: Housing is provided. Air fare/ mileage is provided. Ground transportation on site is provided if needed. Research materials or equipment are provided. There are other weekly educational opportunities on-site for students e.g. seminars. We have career development / awareness activities in place.
