01397nas a2200145 4500008004100000245006000041210005900101300001100160490000700171520092300178653002201101100002101123700002001144856008701164 1990 eng d00aResponse of Andropogon gerardii to simulated acid rain0 aResponse of Andropogon gerardii to simulated acid rain a85 -900 v933 a
In this study the authors examined the effects that moderate exposure to acidic precipation had on growth and physiological responses in Andropogon gerardii, the dominant grass in tallgrass prairie. Naturally occurring monocultures of A. gerardii were treated with simulated acid rain (pH 4.0 or 3.0) or precipitation with a pH similar to natural rainfall (pH 5.0) throughout a growth season. No visual effects of the acid rain treatments were observed and there were no statistically significant effects on net photosynthetic CO2 uptake, stomatal conductance to water vapor, or tiller mass in A. gerardii. However, tiller density was significantly reduced as treatment pH decreased. These data suggest that a moderate increase in the number of rainfall events with low pH will have little discernible short-term impact on tallgrass prairie dominated by A. gerardii, but longer-term effects need to be evaluated
10atallgrass prairie1 aFahnestock, J.T.1 aKnapp, Alan, K. uhttp://lter.konza.ksu.edu/content/response-andropogon-gerardii-simulated-acid-rain