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Patrick Royer

Thesis Title 

 (Temporary Title) Solar Radiation and Potential Influences on the Water Budget as a Function of Increasing Canopy Cover in the Southwest Pinyon-Juniper Ecosystem

Thesis Summary

The aim of my research is to characterize solar radiation and potential influences on the water budget as a function of increasing canopy cover in the southwest Pinyon-Juniper ecosystem.  We will substantiate the correlation between light attenuation and the heterogeneous near ground woody environment by examining temporal and spatial trends in soil moisture, soil temperature and evapotranspiration as they are related to solar input. We will compare the results of our intact, control Pinyon-Juniper study plot to areas in Pinyon-Juniper that have undergone architectural modifications due to anthropomorphic or natural events such as thinning, restoration,  fire, or mortality.

Why my research is important

Arid and semi-arid biomes occupy approximately 50% of the terrestrial globe and are water-limited, and highly sensitive to change.  Pinyon-Jupiper is dominate throughout the southwest and is dynamic in its distribution due to variability in cover and patterns of aggregation.  Changes in cover have considerable impacts on the “critical zone”, the heterogeneous, near-surface environment, due to shading. 

Pinyon-Juniper architecture has changed significantly due to Pinyon die off in 2003.  Pinyon die-off is due to a complex interaction and feed back processes among increased  temperatures, drought and bark beetle infestation.  As it is difficult to model a die off experiment by isolating a single component in the field, we will not concentrate on the cause of die off, but instead on the impacts of die off; specifically how changes in stand structure have affected shading.   

An ecohydrological approach, one that considers how hydrological processes influence biological communities and how feedback affect the water cycle, will provide us with the most efficient interdisciplinary framework to identify trends  in the Pinyon-Juniper ecosystem.  We hope that are studies will have broad implications for woody ecosystems in arid and semi-arid regions in general

Funding

Funding comes from the  US Department of Agriculture Ecohydrology Fellowship

Awards 

USDA MS Ecohydrology Fellowship

2007-2009

Graduate College Fellowship 

2007

Tuition and Registration Fellowship

2007

Leopold Conservation Scholarship 

2006

Outstanding Graduating Senior, School of Natural Resources

2006

Conservation Biology Research Recipient

2004

Advisors

David D.Breshears

Committee 

David D.Breshears

Starting date
6/15/2007
Contact details

Patrick Royer
Masters Candidate
Terrestrial Ecology Laboratory
School of Natural Resources
University of Arizona
Tucson, Arizona, USA

pdroyer@email.arizona.edu

Ph:520-626-7131

Terrestrial Ecology Lab

228 Biological Science Building East

University of Arizona, 1311 E 4th Street, Tucson, AZ 85721

Ph: 520-621-7259

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