microenvironmental change as a mechanism to study global change

@cjlortie

micronet

landscapes inspire

global change at large scales

macro-climate to micro-environmental impacts

the microverse

a plant’s eye view

foundation species

two-phase contrasts: shrub-open micro-environments

direct & indirect effects

regional gradient contrasting elevation & aridity

The hypothesis tested is that shrubs directly and indirectly buffer local changes in the microenvironment thereby functioning as refuges for other species within arid and semi-arid regions subject to dramatic

global change drivers.

plants & animals respond to shrubs in arid ecosystems

macro-climate big data scrape

macro-differences = regional gradient

test system within California, San Joaquin Desert

genuine desert

foundation species respond to macro-climate

however, foundation species modify micro-environmental conditions

two-phase micro contrasts important to animals

two-phase micro contrasts important to other plant species

species-specific responses to desert micro-environments

implications

amplitude of change

biomagnification

scale

loss of interactions can precede loss of species

https://cjlortie.github.io/Cuyama-micronet/

www.ecoblender.org