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Ecophysiology of arid land plants

Picture
Hal Mooney and Olle Björkman introduced me to desert ecology in 1973. At the time they were examining photosynthetic characteristics of Death Valley plants using the "mobile laboratory". I chose to work on the energy budget aspects of leaf hairs in Encelia farinosa for my thesis. In a compartive approach, I selected Encelia californica, a coastal glabrous species. Following graduation, I continued to focus on desert ecophysiological research for the next two decades. I came back to study Encelia now that I am at the end of my career.

Publications listed in chronological order; PDF indicates that a copy of the publication is available in the Publications menu

11. Ehleringer, J., O. Björkman, and H. A. Mooney. 1976. Leaf pubescence: effects on absorptance and photosynthesis in a desert shrub. Science 192:376-377 PDF

14. 
 Mooney, H. A., J. Ehleringer, and J. A. Berry. 1976. High photosynthetic capacity of a winter annual in Death Valley. Science 194:322-324. PDF

16.
  Ehleringer, J., and O. Björkman. 1977. Quantum yields for CO2 uptake in C3 and C4 plants: dependence on temperature, carbon dioxide, and oxygen concentration. Plant Physiology 59:86-90. PDF

17. 
  Mooney, H. A., J. Ehleringer, and O. Björkman. 1977. The energy balance of leaves of the evergreen desert shrub Atriplex hymenelytra. Oecologia 29:301-310. PDF

21. Ehleringer, J., and O. Björkman. 1978. Pubescence and leaf spectral characteristics in a desert shrub, Encelia farinosa. Oecologia 36:151-162. PDF

22. 
 Ehleringer, J., and H. A. Mooney. 1978. Leaf hairs: effects on physiological activity and adaptive value to a desert shrub. Oecologia 37:183-200. PDF

23.  Ehleringer, J., and O. Björkman. 1978. A comparison of photosynthetic characteristics of Encelia species possessing glabrous and pubescent leaves. Plant Physiology 62:185-190. PDF

26. Ehleringer, J., H. A. Mooney, and J. A. Berry. 1979. Photosynthesis and microclimate of a desert winter annual. Ecology 60:280-286. PDF

27.
  Ehleringer, J. 1979. Photosynthesis and photorespiration: biochemistry, physiology, and ecological implications. Hortscience 14:217-222. PDF

29. 
  Ehleringer, J. 1980. Leaf morphology and reflectance in relation to water and temperature stress, pp. 295-308. In N. Turner and P. Kramer (eds.), Adaptations of Plants to Water and High Temperature Stress. Wiley-Interscience, New York. PDF

30. 
 Mooney, H. A., S. L. Gulmon, P. Rundel, and J. Ehleringer. 1980. Further observations on the water relations of Prosopis tamarugo of the northern Atacama Desert. Oecologia 44:177-180. PDF

31.  Forseth, I., and J. Ehleringer. 1980. Solar tracking response to drought in a desert annual. Oecologia 44:159-163. PDF

32.
  Ehleringer, J., H. A. Mooney, S. L. Gulmon, and P. Rundel. 1980. Orientation and its consequences of Copiapoa (Cactaceae) in the Atacama Desert. Oecologia 46:63-67. PDF

35.
 Ehleringer, J., and C. S. Cook. 1980. Measurements of photosynthesis in the field: utility of the CO2 depletion technique. Plant, Cell and Environment 3:479-482. PDF

36.  Ehleringer, J., and I. Forseth. 1980. Solar tracking by plants. Science 210:1094-1098. PDF

37. 
 Ehleringer, J., H. A. Mooney, S. L. Gulmon, and P. W. Rundel. 1981. Parallel evolution of leaf pubescence in Encelia in coastal deserts of North and South America. Oecologia 49:38-41. PDF

38. Ehleringer, J. 1981. Leaf absorptances of Mojave and Sonoran Desert plants. Oecologia 49:366-370. PDF

40. Forseth, I., and J. Ehleringer. 1982. Ecophysiology of two solar tracking desert winter annuals. I. Photosynthetic acclimation to growth temperature. Australian Journal of Plant Physiology 9:321-332. PDF

41. Forseth, I. N., and J. Ehleringer. 1982. Ecophysiology of two solar tracking desert winter annuals. II. Leaf movements, water relations and microclimate. Oecologia 54:41-49. PDF

45. 
 Mooney, H. A., J. Berry, O. Björkman, and J. Ehleringer. 1982. Comparative photosynthetic characteristics of coastal and desert plants of California. Bulletin of the Society of Botany Mexico 42:19-33. PDF

46.  Ehleringer, J. 1983. Ecophysiology of Amaranthus palmeri, a Sonoran Desert summer annual. Oecologia 57:107-112. PDF

47. 
 Ehleringer, J. 1983. Characterization of a glabrate Encelia farinosa mutant: morphology, ecophysiology, and field observations. Oecologia 57:303-310. PDF

48. 
 Forseth, I. N., and J. Ehleringer. 1983. Ecophysiology of two solar tracking desert winter annuals. III. Gas exchange responses to light, CO2 , and VPD in relation to long term drought. Oecologia 57:340-351. PDF

49.  Werk, K. S., and J. Ehleringer. 1983. Photosynthesis by flowers of two shrubs Encelia farinosa and Encelia californica. Oecologia 57:311-315. PDF

50.  Forseth, I. N., and J. Ehleringer. 1983. Ecophysiology of two solar tracking desert winter annuals. IV. Effects of leaf orientation on calculated daily carbon gain and water use efficiency. Oecologia 58:10-18. PDF

52.
  Ehleringer, J., and H. A. Mooney. 1983. Photosynthesis and productivity of desert and Mediterranean climate plants. Encyclopedia of Plant Physiology (New Series) Vol. 12D:205-231, Springer-Verlag, New York. PDF

53. 
 Werk, K. S., J. Ehleringer, I. N. Forseth, and C. S. Cook. 1983. Photosynthetic characteristics of Sonoran Desert winter annuals. Oecologia 59:101-105. PDF

55.  Ehleringer, J., and R. W. Pearcy. 1983. Variation in quantum yields for CO2 uptake in C3 and C4 plants. Plant Physiology 73:555-559. PDF

56.
 Ehleringer, J. 1984. Ecology and ecophysiology of leaf pubescence in North American desert plants, p. 113-132. In E. Rodriguez, P. Healey, and I. Mehta (eds.), Biology and Chemistry of Plant Trichomes. Plenum Press, New York. PDF

58.  Comstock, J., and J. Ehleringer. 1984. Photosynthetic responses to slowly decreasing leaf water potentials in Encelia frutescens. Oecologia 61:241-248. PDF

61.   Ehleringer, J., and C. S. Cook. 1984. Photosynthesis in Encelia farinosa Gray in response to decreasing leaf water potential. Plant Physiology 75:688-693. PDF

62.  Ehleringer, J. 1984. Intraspecific competitive effects on water relations, growth, and reproduction in Encelia farinosa. Oecologia 63:153-158. PDF

63. 
 Forseth, I. N., J. Ehleringer, K. S. Werk, and C. S. Cook. 1984. Field water relations of Sonoran Desert annuals. Ecology 65:1436-1444. PDF

75.  Werk, K. S., J. R. Ehleringer, and P. C. Harley. 1986. Formation of false stems in Cymopterus longipes: an uplifting example of growth form change. Oecologia 69:466-470. PDF

85. Ehleringer, J. R., J. P. Comstock, and T. A. Cooper. 1987. Leaf-twig carbon isotope ratio differences in photosynthetic-twig desert shrubs. Oecologia 71:318-320. PDF

93.
 Ehleringer, J. R. 1988. Carbon isotope ratios and physiological processes in aridland plants, p. 41-54. In P. W. Rundel, J. R. Ehleringer, and K.A. Nagy (eds.), Stable Isotopes in Ecological Research. Ecological Studies Series. Springer-Verlag, New York. PDF

97.  Comstock, J. P., and J. R. Ehleringer. 1988. Contrasting photosynthetic behavior in leaves and twigs of Hymenoclea salsola, a green-twigged, warm desert shrub. American Journal of Botany 75:1360-1370. PDF

99. 
 Ehleringer, J. R. 1988. Comparative ecophysiology of Encelia farinosa and Encelia frutescens. I. Energy balance considerations. Oecologia 76:553-561. PDF

117.
 Nilsen, E.T., M.R. Sharifi, P.W. Rundel, I.N. Forseth, and J.R. Ehleringer. 1990. Water relations of stem succulent trees in north-central Baja California. Oecologia 82:299-303. PDF

118.
 Comstock, J.P., and J.R. Ehleringer. 1990. The effect of variations in leaf size among species on twig morphology and twig photosynthetic behavior. Functional Ecology 4:209-221. PDF

119.  Ehleringer, J.R., and C.S. Cook. 1990. Characteristics of Encelia species differing in leaf reflectance and transpiration rate under common garden conditions. Oecologia 82:484-489. PDF

136.  Donovan, L.A., and J.R. Ehleringer. 1991. Ecophysiological differences among pre-reproductive and reproductive classes of several woody species. Oecologia 86:594-597. PDF

142.  Ehleringer, J.R., S.L. Phillips, W.F.S. Schuster, and D.R. Sandquist. 1991. Differential utilization of summer rains by desert plants: implications for competition and climate change. Oecologia 88:430-434. PDF

145. Ehleringer, J.R., and T.A. Cooper. 1992. On the role of orientation in reducing photoinhibitory damage in photosynthetic-twig desert shrubs. Plant Cell Environment 15:301-306. PDF

146. 
 Ehleringer, J.R., S.L. Phillips, and J.P. Comstock. 1992. Seasonal variation in the carbon isotopic composition of desert plants. Functional Ecology 6:396-404. PDF

147. Donovan, L.A., and J.R. Ehleringer. 1992. Contrasting water-use patterns among size and life-history classes of a semi-arid shrub. Functional Ecology 6:482-488. PDF

149.
 Flanagan, L.B., J.R. Ehleringer, and J.D. Marshall. 1992. Differential uptake of summer precipitation and groundwater among co-occurring trees and shrubs in the southwestern United States. Plant Cell Environment 15:831-836. PDF

151.  Comstock, J.P., and J.R. Ehleringer. 1992. Correlating genetic variation in carbon isotopic composition with complex climatic gradients. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science 89:7747-7751. PDF

155.
 Comstock, J.P., and J.R. Ehleringer. 1992. Plant adaptation in the Great Basin and Colorado Plateau. Great Basin Naturalist 52:195-215. PDF

181. 
Donovan, L.A., and J.R. Ehleringer. 1994. Water stress and use of summer precipitation in a Great Basin shrub community. Functional Ecology 8:289-297. PDF

186. 
Evans, R.D., and J.R. Ehleringer. 1994. Water and nitrogen dynamics in an arid woodland. Oecologia 99:233-242 PDF

192. Sandquist, D.R., and J.R. Ehleringer. 1995. Carbon isotope discrimination in the C4 shrub Atriplex confertifolia (Torr. & Frem.) Wats. along a salinity gradient. Great Basin Naturalist 55:135-141. PDF

198. 
Lin, G., S.L. Phillips, and J.R. Ehleringer. 1996. Monsoonal precipitation responses of shrubs in a cold desert community on the Colorado Plateau. Oecologia 106:8-17. PDF

218. Sandquist, D.R., and J.R. Ehleringer. 1997. Intraspecific variation of leaf pubescence and drought response in Encelia farinosa. Genetic differentiation associated with contrasting desert environments. New Phytologist 135:635-644. PDF

220. Flanagan, L.B., C.S. Cook, and J.R. Ehleringer. 1997. Unusually low carbon isotope ratios in plants from hanging gardens in southern Utah. Oecologia 111:481-489. PDF

227.
 Sandquist, D.R., and J.R. Ehleringer. 1998. Intraspecific variation of drought adaptation in brittlebush: leaf pubescence and timing of leaf loss vary with rainfall. Oecologia 113:162-169. PDF

244. Ehleringer, J.R., S. Schwinning, and R.L. Gebauer. 1999. Water use in arid land ecosystems, pages 347-365. In M. C. Press (ed.), Advances in Plant Physiological Ecology, Blackwell Science, Oxford.  PDF

251. Gebauer, R.L.E., and J.R. Ehleringer. 2000. Water and nitrogen uptake patterns following moisture pulses in a cold desert community. Ecology 81:1415-1424. PDF

258. 
Williams, D.G., and J.R. Ehleringer. 2000. Intra- and interspecific variation for summer precipitation use in pinyon-juniper woodlands. Ecological Monographs 70:517-537. PDF

284. Gebauer, R.L.E., S. Schwinning, and J.R. Ehleringer. 2002. Interspecific competition and resource pulse utilization in a cold desert community. Ecology 83:2602-2616.  PDF

292. 
Sandquist, D.R., and J.R. Ehleringer. 2003. Carbon isotope discrimination differences within and between contrasting populations of Encelia farinosa raised under common-environment conditions. Oecologia 134:463-470.  PDF

331. 
Schwinning, S., B.I. Starr, and J.R. Ehleringer. 2005. Summer and winter drought in a cold desert ecosystem (Colorado Plateau). I. Effects on soil water and plant water uptake. Journal of Arid Environments 60:547-566. PDF

332.
 Schwinning, S., B.I. Starr, and J.R. Ehleringer. 2005. Summer and winter drought in a cold desert ecosystem (Colorado Plateau). II: Effects on plant carbon assimilation and growth. Journal of Arid Environments 61:61-78. PDF

517. 
Driscoll, A.W., N.Q. Bitter, D.R. Sandquist, and J.R. Ehleringer. 2020. Multi-decadal records of intrinsic water-use efficiency in the desert shrub Encelia farinosa reveal strong responses to climate change. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 117:18161-18168. https://Doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2008345117 . PDF

520. 
Driscoll, A.W., N.Q. Bitter, and J.R. Ehleringer. 2021. Interactions among intrinsic water-use efficiency and climate influence growth and flowering in a common desert shrub. Oecologia https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-020-04825-3. PDF

523. 
Driscoll, A.W., S.A. Kannenberg, and J.R. Ehleringer. 2021. Long-term nitrogen isotope dynamics in Encelia farinosa reflect plant demographics and climate. New Phytologist 232:1226- 1237. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.17668. PDF

525. 
Kannenberg, S.A., A.W. Driscoll, P. Szejner, W.R.L. Anderegg, and J.R. Ehleringer. 2021. Rapid increases in shrubland and forest water-use efficiency during an ongoing megadrought. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 118(52):e 2118052118 http://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2118052118 PDF

528. 
Ehleringer, J.R., and A.W. Driscoll. 2022. Intrinsic water-use efficiency influences establishment in Encelia farinosa. Oecologia 199:563-578. http://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-022-05217-5. PDF


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