RMBL Research Plan: 2010 Amanda Koltz Effects of climate-induced vegetation changes on alpine food web dynamics

Research Project Number:	2010-589
Research Project Title:	Effects of climate-induced vegetation changes on alpine food web dynamics
Investigator:	Amanda Koltz
Abstract::	Alpine ecosystems are currently some of the fastest changing places on Earth. Both observational studies and warming experiments have shown significant shifts in plant community composition as a product of global climate change, including changes to the balance of grasses and forbs and an increase in shrubbiness. Given the broad range of plant functional groups in alpine habitats, such changes in species composition and dominance could have a large impact on the structure and functioning of these ecosystems. For example, plants play a crucial role in mediating trophic interactions, so vegetation shifts could have cascading effects on the entire food web. A better understanding of the feedbacks between the plant community and the rest of the biological community on ecosystem functioning is of utmost importance for our overall understanding of the consequences of global climate change. I am interested in studying how alpine invertebrate systems are responding to these climate-induced changes in vegetation. In particular, I am curious about the mechanisms behind the response of the food web (changes in top-down or bottom-up processes) and about feedback to the plant community that may be occurring. The preliminary data collected during this exploratory study will lay the groundwork for my entire PhD dissertation research through the characterization of an appropriate set of focal species and the identification of potential long-term study plots over a comprehensive range of habitat conditions.
Affiliated Institution(s)::	Duke University
Collaborator(s)::	I will be collaborating with my adviser, Dr. Justin Wright (Assistant professor, Duke University). He does not currently work at the RMBL.
Year submitted::	2010
Study Period::	1 year beginning in 2010
Status/Notes::	login as a Research Committee member Current Status = Under review.
Approval/Conditions of Approval::	The "Approval/Conditions of Approval" memo is not available.
Funding Duration(s)::	N/A
Funding Source(s)::	N/A
Funding Amount(s)::	N/A
Principal organism(s)::	I have not yet determined the principal organisms of my research, but I will be trying to choose an invertebrate predator (probably a generalist spider species) and an invertebrate consumer (possibly a generalist grasshopper species) in order to reconstruct simple tri-trophic food webs in areas with varying plant communities.
Classification::	Level = community Theme = Research Subject = Climate change
Info on any prior research sites::	N/A
Prior conditions of research::	((N/A
Mapped locations of Amanda Koltz :	Click here to search in the research site database
Project Description:	Project description details for this Research Plan are withheld from public view by Lab policy. Please contact director at rmbl.org for more information on this policy.
Why RMBL is appropriate for this research::
References used for this research plan::	Klanderund, K. and Totland, Ų. 2005. Ecology 86 (8): 2047-2054. Klein, J. et al. 2007. Ecological Applications 17: 541–557. McGeoch M. 1998. Biol. Rev. 73, 181–201. Ohgushi, T. 2005. Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics, 36, 81–105. Oksanen et al. 1981. American Naturalist 118:240–261. Sanz-Elorza M. et al. 2003. Annals of Botany 92: 273–280. Sebastia` M-T. 2007. Journal of Ecology 44: 158–167. Werner, E. & S. Peacor. 2003. Ecology 84:1083–1100. Wookey, P. et al. 2009. Global Change Biology 15, 1153–1172.
Publications of Amanda Koltz ::	Click here
Metadata of Amanda Koltz :	Click here
CV (if any): :	CVs are withheld from public view by Lab policy.
Extra Information / Notes::	There are is no extra information for this plan supplied by the author.

Details of this Research Plan