PLANT-WATER INTERACTIONS PRINCETON ECOHYDROLOGY LAB

Discovery Day July 19, 2014

WHAT IS “ECOHYDROLOGY”?

WHAT IS “ECOHYDROLOGY”?

How the landscape and water cycle interact.

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HOW DOES DROUGHT AFFECT LOCAL PLANTS?

ACACIA MELLIFERA

blackthorn wait-a-while-tree

DID YOU KNOW?• “Mellifera” means “honey-

bearing” in Greek.

• Livestock, as well as elephants, eland, and kuru all graze mellifera.

• A. mellifera leaves are 22.4% protein…one kilo of ground beef is only 14% protein!

• Acacia gums are an important food industry additive, especially for chewing gum.

Annual rainfall monitoring

Jan Mar June Sept Dec Mar June0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

Rai

nfal

l (m

m)

2013 2014

Annual rainfall monitoring

Jan Mar June Sept Dec Mar June0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

Rai

nfal

l (m

m)

2013 2014

low rainfall… what happens to A. mellifera?

Growth & size of A. mellifera

More info: Princeton Ecohydrology Lab http://caylor.princeton.edu

Thanks for listening! Asante kwa kuja!