Biomedical subjects

Ronald J Ryel

Publications and source records attributed to Ronald J Ryel.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2003

How much variance is explained by ecologists? Additional perspectives.

A recent meta-analysis of meta-analyses by Møller and Jennions suggested that ecologists using statistical models are explaining between 2.5% and 5.42% of the variability in ecological studies. Although we agree that there is considerable variability in ecological systems that is not explained, we disagree with the approach and general conclusions of Møller and Jennions. As an alternate perspective, we explored the question: "How much ecological variation in relationships is not explained?" We did this by examining published studies in five different journals representative of the numerous sub-disciplines of ecology. We quantified the proportion of variance not explained in statistical models as the residual or random error compared to the total variation in the data set. Our results indicate that statistical models explain roughly half of the variation in variables of interest, vastly different from the 2.5%-5.42% reported by Møller and Jennions. This difference resulted largely from a different level of analysis: we considered the original study to be the appropriate level for quantifying variability while Møller and Jennions combined studies at different temporal and spatial scales and attempted to find universal single-factor relationships between ecological variables across study organisms or locations. Therefore, we believe that Møller and Jennions actually measured the universality of single factor effects across multiple ecological systems, not the amount of variability in ecological studies explained by ecologists. This study, combined with Møller and Jennions', illustrates importance of applying statistical models appropriately to assess ecological relationships.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

Root responses and nitrogen acquisition by Artemisia tridentata and Agropyron desertorum following small summer rainfall events.

Resources in the Great Basin of western North America often occur in pulses, and plant species must rapidly respond to temporary increases in water and nutrients during the growing season. A field study was conducted to evaluate below ground responses of Artemisia tridentata and Agropyron desertorum, common Great Basin shrub and grass species, respectively, to simulated 5-mm (typical summer rain) and 15-mm (large summer rain) summer rainfall events. The simulated rainfall was labeled with K(15)NO(3) so that timing of plant nitrogen uptake could be monitored. In addition, soil NH(4)(+) and NO(3)(-) concentrations and physiological uptake capacities for NO(3)(-) and NH(4)(+) were determined before and after the rainfall events. Root growth in the top 15 cm of soil was monitored using a minirhizotron system. Surprisingly, there was no difference in the amount of labeled N acquired in response to the two rainfall amounts by either species during the 7-day sample period. However, there were differences between species in the timing of labeled N uptake. The N label was detected in above ground tissue of Agropyron within 1 h of the simulated rainfall events, but not until 24 h after the rainfall in Artemisia. For both Agropyron and Artemisia, root uptake capacity was similarly affected by the 5-mm and 15-mm rainfall. There was, however, a greater increase in uptake capacity for NH(4)(+) than for NO(3)(-), and the 15-mm event resulted in a longer response. No root growth occurred in either species in response to either rainfall event during this 8-day period. The results of this study indicate that these species are capable of utilizing nitrogen pulses following even small summer rainfall events during the most stressful period of the summer and further emphasize the importance of small precipitation events in arid systems.

Absorption↗

PubMed2002

Carbon acquisition and water use in a Northern Utah Juniperus osteosperma (Utah juniper) population.

Water use and carbon acquisition were examined in a northern Utah population of Juniperus osteosperma (Torr.) Little. Leaf-level carbon assimilation, which was greatest in the spring and autumn, was limited by soil water availability. Gas exchange, plant water potential and tissue hydrogen stable isotopic ratio (deltaD) data suggested that plants responded rapidly to summer rain events. Based on a leaf area index of 1.4, leaf-level water use and carbon acquisition scaled to canopy-level means of 0.59 mm day(-1) and 0.13 mol m(-2) ground surface day(-1), respectively. Patterns of soil water potential indicated that J. osteosperma dries the soil from the surface downward to a depth of about 1 m. Hydraulic redistribution is a significant process in soil water dynamics. Eddy covariance data indicated a mean evapotranspiration rate of 0.85 mm day(-1) from March to October 2001, during which period the juniper population at the eddy flux site was a net source of CO2 (3.9 mol m(-2) ground area). We discuss these results in relation to the rapid range expansion of juniper species during the past century.

Carbon↗