PYI: Plant Ecophysiology of Temperate and Tropical Forest Systems

Peter B. Reich博士的研究重点是基础和应用植物生态生理学。他致力于量化植物对环境因素和胁迫因子的生理反应，最终目的是了解进化适应、自然生态模式和应用环境问题。他对自然系统的特殊兴趣在于比较温带和热带森林中的常绿和落叶物种。这是通过进行综合研究来完成的，这些研究测量了各种时间和空间等级水平上的关键因素。目前的工作旨在评估单个树叶和整个森林冠层在瞬时（以秒计）和长期（以季节和年计）时间间隔内的净碳增益。总体方法包括对光合作用过程中养分、水和光利用的研究。关于空气污染生态生理学，Reich博士过去的努力取得了重要的成果，这些成果为影响空气污染（包括臭氧和酸雨）管制和控制的政策决定提供了基础。这些结果是数学模型的结果，能够现实地预测植物对大气中环境气体水平的生理反应。未来的工作还将包括研究各种其他生物压力（如虫害和疾病）对植物和森林资源的影响。总统青年研究员奖将允许威斯康星大学麦迪逊分校的Reich博士扩大他的研究视野，并继续沿着他在职业生涯中已经建立的道路前进。

Dr. Peter B. Reich's research focuses on basic and applied plant ecophysiology. His efforts have been devoted to quantifying plant physiological response to environmental factors and stress agents, with an ultimate goal of understanding evolutionary adaptations, natural ecological patterns, and applied environmental problems. His specific interests in natural systems lie in comparing evergreen and deciduous species in both temperate and tropical forests. This is done by performing integrated studies that measure key factors on a variety of temporal and spatial hierarchical levels. Current work is directed toward assessing net carbon gain of individual leaves and entire forest canopies over instantaneous (measured in seconds) and long- term (over seasons and years) time intervals. The overall approach incorporates investigations of nutrient, water, and light utilization in the photosynthetic process. With regard to air pollution ecophysiology, Dr. Reich's past efforts have yielded results that constitute crucial information which provided the basis for policy decisions affecting air pollution (including ozone and acid rain) regulation and control. These results were the outcome of mathematical models capable of realistically predicting plant physiological responses to ambient gaseous levels in the atmosphere. Future work will also include study of the effects of various other biotic stresses (such as insect pests and disease) on plant and forest resources. The Presidential Young Investigator award will permit Dr. Reich, at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, to expand his research horizons and continue along paths he has already established in his career.