Ecophysiology of Sunfleck Utilization by Understory Plants

林下植物利用太阳斑的生态生理学

• 批准号: 8817820
• 负责人: Robert Pearcy
• 金额: $ 17.81万
• 依托单位: University of California-Davis
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 1989
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1989-01-15 至 1992-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=8817820&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Ecophysiology; Sunfleck; Utilization; Understory; Plants

This research will examine how sunflecks in forest understories affect the growth, reproduction and ecological performance of plants. The availability of light for photosynthesis limits plant growth in the understory and much of the light that is received comes in the form of brief periods of direct sunlight (sunflecks) that penetrate holes in the overstory canopy. Sunflecks and the larger sun "patches" created by tree or branch falls are ecologically important but little studied. These are highly variable both spatially and temporally because of differences in overstory canopy structure. Research in this proposal will examine how light of different frequencies and durations. influences growth performance. How plants acclimate to fluctuating light and the constraints to efficient utilization of this light will also be investigated. The research will be carried out primarily on a tropical forest understory herb, Alocasia macrorrhiza. Understory herbs are an important but poorly understood component of tropical forests. This work has several implications for forest management and agriculture. Regeneration of forests occurs through establishment of seedings in the understory or in gaps. An understanding of the environmental and physiological controls on the growth and ecology of these plants is therefore important for understanding how to manage and maintain these forests.

本研究将探讨森林林下的日斑如何影响植物的生长、繁殖和生态性能。光合作用所能获得的光限制了植物在林下的生长，而大部分被吸收的光都是通过穿透林下树冠洞的短时间直射阳光（太阳斑）的形式。太阳斑和由树木或树枝掉落形成的更大的太阳“斑块”具有重要的生态意义，但很少被研究。由于冠层结构的差异，这些在空间和时间上都是高度可变的。这项提案的研究将检查不同频率和持续时间的光如何。影响生长性能。植物如何适应波动的光以及有效利用这种光的限制也将被研究。这项研究将主要在热带森林林下草本植物——大根Alocasia macrorhiza上进行。林下草本植物是热带森林中一个重要但鲜为人知的组成部分。这项工作对森林管理和农业有若干影响。森林的更新是通过在林下或林隙中播种来实现的。因此，了解这些植物生长和生态的环境和生理控制对于了解如何管理和维护这些森林非常重要。