@mastersthesis {KNZ001394,
	title = {Controls on bud activation and tiller initiation in tallgrass prairie: The effect of light and nitrogen},
	volume = {MS Thesis},
	year = {2010},
	pages = {1 -52},
	school = {Oklahoma State University},
	type = {M.S. Thesis},
	address = {Stillwater, OK},
	abstract = {<p>Chapter 1: Perennial grass populations in tallgrass prairie ecosystems are maintained primarily through vegetative outgrowth from their belowground bud banks. Resources in these ecosystems that have been found to limit plant productivity include nitrogen and light. I tested the Tomlinson and O\&$\#$39;Connor (2004) theory, on the interactions of two environmental cues, nitrogen and light quantity, and the roles they have on bud outgrowth and tiller initiation in six perennial grass species in two functional groups (C 3 and C 4 photosynthetic pathways). I hypothesized that (1) an interaction between nitrogen and light availability regulated bud activation and tiller emergence in the two functional groups (C 3 <sub>species and C 4<sub> species), (2) nitrogen would have the largest effect on the activation of buds, and (3) responses to the two environmental cues would differ between the two functional groups. Environmental growth chambers were used to conduct all studies, plants received one of three NH 4 NO 3 amendments or water (control), and were placed in a light treatment chamber or a dark (control) chamber. Strong interactions between nitrogen and light influenced bud outgrowth in the C c species, but not in the C 4 species. When I assessed the impacts of nitrogen as a key cue in tiller initiation in all six species, C 3 species responded favorably to N, while C 4 species did not. These results indicate that another abiotic environmental cue may be influencing the C 4 species. The results of this study suggest that environmental cues such as these that impact belowground bud bank dynamics in the tallgrass prairie have to potential to significantly impact grassland dynamics in response to current and future global changes. Chapter 2: Three species of C 3 grasses and three species of C 4 grasses were studied to test a proposed theory (Tomlinson and O\&$\#$39;Connor 2004), to determine the role that light spectral quality (R:FR) and light quantity have on belowground bud outgrowth. I hypothesized that (1) R:FR will be an important cue in the regulation of bud bank dynamics, (2) reductions in light quantity due to litter accumulation will significantly reduce bud outgrowth, and (3) the response to the two factors will not be consistent across the two functional groups. Environmental growth chambers were used to conduct all study treatments. Plants were placed in chambers under one of three light treatments: light, reduced R:FR, or a full dark (control). To assess the effects of light availability under natural conditions, litter was used to reduce light availability in the C 4 species. Light spectral quality and quantity elicited species-specific responses in both of the functional groups. A suppression in bud outgrowth in response to R:FR reductions were observed in four of the six species. Alterations to light quantity due to litter accumulation did not reduce bud outgrowth, but a reduction in R:FR did, suggesting that light spectral quality is a more important regulator of bud dormancy and outgrowth than light intensity. Surprisingly, the response to light spectral quality and quantity were consistent across both functional groups. As we continue to seek answers to enhance rangeland quality, assessing how environmental cues are interacting may be a stronger predictor of how rangelands will respond to current and future global changes, than assessing the cues individually.</sub></sub></p>},
	keywords = {LTER-KNZ},
	url = {http://hdl.handle.net/11244/9577},
	author = {Williamson, M.M.}
}
