Interacting Influences of Global Change Factors on Leaf Stomatal Response in Prairie Grasses

Abstract

Plants play an important role in the carbon cycle, fixing atmospheric carbon dioxide into organic compounds. Pores in plant leaves called stomata are the gateway between the atmospheric and biological portions of the carbon cycle as they modulate gas exchange (carbon dioxide and water). The purpose of this study was to examine leaf stomatal responses when multiple environmental factors were manipulated, as part of a large scale ecosystem study, in an attempt to better predict the effects of changing global factors on plant function and the implications for carbon and water cycles.