Plant functional type

Haxeltine, A., Prentice, I. C. 1996. B10ME3 an equilibrium terrestrial biosphere model based on ecophysiological constraints, resource availability, and eompetition among plant functional types. Global Biogeochem. Cyelesl0 693-709. 

In the following we will present ecological process data, to demonstrate the variability or constancy of processes which may or may not correlate with vegetation, plant functional types or species. 

FIGURE 10 The relationships between evapotranspiration and net primary production as they emerge from the Century model, applied globally. The near-linear realtionship between evaporation and NPP, very similar to those observed In semi-arid lands, is an emergent property. The differences in slope between biomes are largely due to differences in the C N ratio of different plant functional types. Indicating that ecosystem composition has direct effects on biogeochemistry (Scholes et al., 1999). 

Chapin, F. S., BretHarte, M. S., Hobbies, S. E. Zhong, H.L. (1996). Plant functional types as predictors of transient responses of arctic vegetation to global change. Jonniiil ofVcgeuition Science. 7, 347-358. 

Using Floras as the primary source of data to establish functional similarity between groups of species, i.e. the identification of plant functional types or functional groups. 

Woodward, F. I. (eds) (1997). Plant functional types their relevance to ecosystem properties and global change. International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme Book Series 1. Cambridge Cambridge University Press. 

Valerio, P. D. and Sosinski, E. E. (2003). An Improved method for searching plant functional types by numerical analysis. Journal of Vegetation Science, 14 323-333. 

The maximum explosion pressure is a function of and is directly proportioiuil to die initial pressure. Blast waves are pressure waves of finite amplitude tliat are generated in air by a rapid release in energy and an instantaneous rise in pressure. The most conunon plant explosion types eiicomitered in iiidustiy are chemical, nuclear, expanding vapors, and pressurized gas. 

However, relatively few studies have included growing plants in their experimental systems. In order to mechanistically understand the effects of pine roots on microbial N transformations rates under conditions of N limitation, l-year-old pine seedlings were transplanted into Plexiglas microcosms (121) and grown for 10-12 months. Seedlings were labeled continuously for 5 days with ambient CO concentration (350 iL L ) with a specific activity of 15.8 MBq g C. Then, soils at 0-2 mm (operationally defined as rhizosphere soil) and >5 mm from surface of pine roots (bulk soil) of different morphology and functional type (coarse woody roots of >2 mm diameter fine roots of <2 mm diameter ... 

In some situations where one or more of the latex properties are measured either directly or indirectly through their correlation with surrogate variables and where extreme nonlinearities such as the periodic generation of polymer particles does not occur, one can use much simpler modehng and control techniques. Linear transfer function-type models can he identified directly from the plant reactor data. Conventional control devices such as PID controllers or PID controllers with dead-time compensation can then be designed. If process data is also used to identify... 

Perez-Harguindeguy N., Diaz S., Cornelissen J. H. C., Vendramini F., Cabido M., and Castellanos A. (2000) Chemistry and toughness predict leaf litter decomposition rates over a wide spectrum of functional types and taxa in central Argentina. Plant Soil 218, 21-30. 

Extraction procedures for plant uptake studies have existed for many years. These species are defined by their function, e.g. plant-available forms. The species defined in this way, however, are unlikely to be distinct chemical forms but may include a range of chemical entities that share the same function, e.g. are all available to plants. This type of functionality, using selective chemical extractants, has been widely employed in soil and agricultural laboratories to diagnose or predict toxicity deficiencies in crops and in animals eating such crops. Table 5.7 illustrates the diversity of this type of selective extraction. It is noted that the methods, evolved over many years on an empirical basis, are both element-specific and crop-specific. 

Pectin, a structural, cell-wall polysaccharide of all higher plants, like most other polysaccharides, is both polymolecular and polydisperse, i.e., it is heterogeneous with respect to both chemical structure and molecular weight (jl). From molecule to molecule, in any sample of pectin, both the number and percentage of individual monomeric unit types will vary, and the average composition and distribution of molecular weights can vary with the source, the conditions used for isolation, and any subsequent treatments. Because both parameters determine physical properties, various functional types of pectin can be produced by controlling the source, isolation procedure, and subsequent treatment(s)... 

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