PROCEEDINGS: Index of Abstracts

PHYSIOLOGICAL AND GENOTYPIC RESPONSES OF CENTRAL HARDWOOD SPECIES TO ALLELOCHEMICALS, OTHER STRESSES, AND THEIR INTERACTIONS

J. W. Van Sambeek-1, John E. Preece-1, Nadia E. Navarrete-2, and George Rink-3

1-Research Plant Physiologist and Research Geneticist, respectively, USDA Forest Service, North Central Forest Experiment Station, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL 62901-4630. 2-Professor, Dept. of Plant and Soil Science, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL 62901-4415. 3-Researcher, Universidad de El Salvador, San Salvador, El Salvador.

In response to increasing carbon dioxide levels, most general circulation models (GCMs) predict increasing temperatures and decreasing precipitation for the central hardwood region of the United States. Plants in this region will need to adapt to these changes as well as to other stress agents if they are to germinate, grow, and reproduce. For the last five years, our research program under the global change initiative has been designed to increase our understanding of the physiological and genetic mechanisms used by plants to respond and adapt to multiple stresses in forest ecosystems. To achieve this objective, we have conducted a series of field, greenhouse, and laboratory studies aimed at understanding how plants respond to allelochemicals, drought, and competition.