U.S.-Hungary Grassland Comparisons: Biodiversity, Disturbance, and Landscape Mosaics

美国-匈牙利草原比较：生物多样性、干扰和景观马赛克

• 批准号: 0004526
• 负责人: Debra Peters
• 金额: $ 14.92万
• 依托单位: New Mexico State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2001
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2001-09-01 至 2005-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0004526&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: U.S.; Hungary; Grassland; Comparisons; Biodiversity

This U.S.-Hungary ecological research project involves Debra Peters of New Mexico State University, James Gosz of the University of New Mexico, and partner Edit Kovacs-Lang from the Institute of Ecology and Botany of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. Their goal is to study the influence of disturbance and climate on the biodiversity of arid and semiarid grasslands. Multiple grassland sites in both countries will be examined that have varying species, composition, climate gradients, land use history, and soils. Experimental manipulations, field studies, and simulation models will be used to evaluate effects of small-scale disturbances and climate on plant biodiversity, species composition, and dominance through time.Specifically, the US-Hungary team intends to test their hypothesis that small-scale disturbances and climate interact to generate and maintain biodiversity at multiple spatial scales with disproportionate effects compared to the total amount of area disturbed. Their research plan features three components: 1) evaluation of the effects of small, animal-created disturbances on patterns in species dominance and biodiversity at patch and landscape scale; 2) identification of the key recruitment processes limiting recovery of vegetation following disturbance; and 3) prediction of long-term responses of vegetation to small disturbances in the presence of climatic fluctuations and directional changes in climate. Results should improve our basic ability to predict changes in grassland structure using model simulations. If successful, the generalizations developed may be applicable to dry grasslands located in other parts of the world. Understanding such grassland structures and functions may help us manage these large and potentially fragile systems in the face of global climate change. This ecological research project fulfills the program objective of advancing scientific knowledge by enabling experts in the United States and Central Europe to combine complementary talents and share research resources in areas of strong mutual interest and competence.

这个美国-匈牙利生态研究项目涉及新墨西哥州州立大学的Debra Peters，新墨西哥州大学的James Gosz，以及匈牙利科学院生态与植物研究所的合作伙伴Edit Kovacs-Lang。 他们的目标是研究干扰和气候对干旱和半干旱草原生物多样性的影响。两国的多个草原站点将被检查，这些站点具有不同的物种、组成、气候梯度、土地利用历史和土壤。 实验操作、实地研究和模拟模型将用于评估小尺度干扰和气候对植物生物多样性、物种组成和优势度的影响。具体而言，美国和匈牙利团队打算检验他们的假设，即小尺度干扰和气候相互作用，在多个空间尺度上产生和维持生物多样性，与干扰面积的总量相比，其影响不成比例。他们的研究计划包括三个组成部分：1）评估小的动物造成的干扰对斑块和景观尺度上物种优势和生物多样性模式的影响; 2）确定干扰后限制植被恢复的关键补充过程; 3）预测在气候波动和气候方向变化的情况下植被对小干扰的长期反应。 结果应该提高我们的基本能力，预测草地结构的变化，利用模型模拟。 如果成功的话，所得出的一般性结论可能适用于世界其他地区的干旱草原。 了解这些草原的结构和功能，可以帮助我们在全球气候变化的情况下管理这些庞大而潜在的脆弱系统。该生态研究项目通过使美国和中欧的专家能够联合收割机互补人才并在共同感兴趣和能力强的领域共享研究资源，实现了推进科学知识的计划目标。