This $249,810 federal Project Grant award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Geosciences Program (CFDA 47.050) will support research at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) to investigate how drought, heat waves, and soil properties impact water and carbon cycling dynamics in forested dryland agricultural ecosystems. The project will implement continuous monitoring of tree growth, soil-plant water status, and canopy temperature at two experimental pecan orchards in the Chihuahuan Desert region. The research aims to develop a mechanistic understanding of how soil morphology and management practices modulate the effects of environmental stressors on plant photosynthesis, growth, and carbon storage. The results will inform strategies to mitigate climate change impacts on these agroecosystems, which play an important role as natural climate solutions. UTEP plans to collaborate with a local museum to create interactive learning experiences for the public on these climate change-related topics.
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