IAI Workshop: To Implement a Research and Training Network for Plant-Soil Interactions in the Semi-Arid Tropics

拟建立的网络涉及半干旱热带生态系统及其衍生农业系统的生物地球化学循环。它的目的是利用加拿大、巴西和委内瑞拉三个研究机构之间的现有联系建立一个研究、培训和教育研究中心，并将这些联系扩大到巴西境内以及玻利维亚和墨西哥。第一阶段的建议是举办一个讲习班，将网络现在和未来的参与者聚集在一起，收集关于生物地球化学循环和植被相互作用的现有知识（和差距）；统一研究和培训方法，并准备第二阶段提案。讲习班将是一个短期课程，内容是重要营养元素的生物地球化学循环中的土壤-植被相互作用，以及半干旱地区植物生产的营养和气候限制。所提供的材料将以适合参与者及其机构的培训和教育材料的形式进行整理。这将作为能力建设活动的一个例子，该活动将伴随IAI第二阶段提案的研究。此外，将制定共同的研究方法，并将计划进行研究人员和教师的交流，建立由第二阶段支持的网络。长期目标是为第二阶段提出的网络扩展，形成IAI研究联盟。拟建立的网络涉及半干旱热带生态系统和衍生农业系统的生物地球化学循环。第一阶段的建议是举办一个讲习班，将网络现在和未来的参与者聚集在一起，收集关于生物地球化学循环和植被相互作用的现有知识（和差距）；统一研究和培训方法，并准备第二阶段提案。第二阶段建议的目标是建立一个研究网络，目的是促进陆地生态系统的研究，其中具有很强的实际成分，可以作为规划和指导与农业和流域管理有关的可持续土地利用的工具。此外，方案方案希望建立一个培训和教育网络，提高有关机构的研究和教学能力，并为对南美半干旱大片地区的无害环境管理具有重要意义的调查提供一个重点。这项提议涉及来自加拿大、巴西和委内瑞拉三个研究机构的研究人员，它计划扩大其在巴西境内以及与玻利维亚和墨西哥的联系。拟议的合作将在提供重要的生态系统理解方面发挥作用。此外，还将审查关于树木和土壤肥力相互作用的研究结果，目的是建立一个肥力-生物学相互作用的数据库，并与使用农林业的本地物种有关。上述国家是美洲科学研究所的会员国，这是一项促进美洲各科学机构就全球变化问题进行合作研究的倡议。美国国家科学基金会是美国政府指定的机构，负责履行美国在IAI中的职责。＊＊＊

9530225 Tiessen The network to be established concerns biogeochemical cycles in semi-arid tropical ecosystems and derived agricultural systems. It aims at the establishment of a research center for researah, training and education from existing links between three research institutions in Canada, Brazil and Venezuela, and an expansion of these links within Brazil and to Bolivia and Mexico. The phase I proposal is for a workshop to bring together present and future participants of the network, assemble present knowledge (and gaps) on the interactions of biogeochemical cycles and vegetation; unify research and training approaches, and prepare a Phase II proposal. The workshop will be a short course on soil-vegetation interactions in the biogeochemical cycling of important nutrient elements, and on the nutrient and climatic limitations to plant production in the semiarid regions. The material presented is to be collated in a form suitable for training and education material for participants and their institutions. This will serve as an example of the capacity building activities which will accompany the research of the IAI Phase II Proposal. In addition, common research approaches will be formulated, and there will be planning for an exchange of researchers and teachers establish the network to be supported by Phase II. The longer term goal is for this network proposed for Phase II to be extended to form an IAI Research Consortium. The network to be established concerns biogeochemical cycles in semi-arid tropical ecosystems and derived agricultural systems. The phase I proposal is for a workshop to bring together present and future participants of the network, assemble present knowledge (and gaps) on the interactions of biogeochemical cycles and vegetation; unify research and training approaches, and prepare a Phase II proposal. The goal of the Phase II proposal is the establishment of a research network, with the aim of facilitating terrestrial ecosystems research with a strong prac tical component, that may serve as a tool for planning and guidance for sustainable land use related to agriculture and watershed management. In addition, the PIs hope to create a network for training and education, improve the research and teaching capacities of the institutions involved, and provide a focus for investigations with importance to the envionmentally sound management of large areas of the South American semi-arids. This proposal involves researchers from three research institutions in Canada, Brazil and Venezuela, and it plans an expansion of its links within Brazil and to Bolivia and Mexico. The proposed collaboration will play a role in the provision of vital ecosystem understanding. In addition, findings on the interaction of trees and soil fertility will be examined with the aim to establish a data base on fertility-biology interactions, with relevance for the use of indigenous species of agroforestry. The above mentioned countries are Member States of the IAI, an initiative to stimulate cooperative research on global change issues among the scientific institutions of the Americas. The National Science Foundation is the designated U.S. Government Agency to carry out the U.S. responsibilities within the IAI. ***