Separating Drought Effects from Roof Artifacts on Ecosystem Processes in a Grassland Drought Experiment

摘要: Given the predictions of increased drought probabilities under various climate change scenarios, there have been numerous experimental field studies simulating using transparent roofs in different ecosystems and regions. Such may, however, unknown side effects, called artifacts, on measured variables potentially confounding results. A roofed control allows quantification potential which is lacking most experiments. 2: We conducted a experiment grasslands to study artifacts resulting effects relative three response (aboveground biomass, litter decomposition plant metabolite profiles). established treatments, (1) exclude rainfall, (2) an unroofed treatment receiving natural rainfall (3) control, nested but with rain water reapplied according ambient conditions. 3: Roofs had slight impact air (+0.14uC during night) soil temperatures (20.45uC warm days, +0.25uC cold nights), while photosynthetically active radiation was decreased significantly (216%). Aboveground community biomass reduced (241%), no significant difference between i.e., were measurable roof artifact effects. 4: Compared both (226%) (218%), suggesting roofs. Moreover, aboveground profiles model species Medicago x varia from comparable magnitude as 5: Our results stress need for treatments when studying because can cause