Univ: New Mexico State University

Advis: Sam Fernald

PhD work title: Soil moisture content relative to precipitation under native and exotic lovegrass species

Summary:

The long-term data of soil moisture can be used as an indicator of ecosystem function following exotic Lehmann’s lovegrass invasion in semiarid grasslands of southeastern Arizona. Our study seeks to determine whether: 1) the success of Lehmann lovegrass in colonizing new areas is related to the timing, volume, or infiltration of rainfall; and 2) the soil moisture varies between native and exotic lovegrass species. We expect that our findings will illustrate a better understanding of the dynamics of the biological invasion of Lehmann’s lovegrass.