Remote Sensing, Biogeography, and Conservation of Tropical Dry Forests in Pacific Biodiversity Hotspots

太平洋的热带干燥森林目前可能是世界上最濒危的森林类型，可能是测试与极端支离破碎的系统相关的许多遥感、生物地理和保护理论的理想选择。该研究项目侧重于热带干燥森林所在的五个地区(菲律宾、密克罗尼西亚、新喀里多尼亚、斐济和夏威夷)木本植物(乔木、灌木、藤本植物)的生物多样性。这项研究的主要目标是：1)测试遥感方法在不同空间尺度上预测林分和斑块物种丰富度格局的有效性；2)对植物区系组成、自然历史特征和森林结构进行生物地理比较；3)确定太平洋生物多样性热点地区热带干燥森林剩余碎片中木本植物的保护状况。关于木本植物的实地数据将使用Gentry样带方法在林分水平上收集，并在斑块水平上进行系统搜索，在每个地区最大和最高质量的热带干燥森林剩余斑块中的47个野外地点进行搜索。使用高级星载热发射和反射辐射计(ASTER)图像的遥感将被用于计算与木本植物物种丰富度有关的景观指标和光谱指数。该研究项目将测试预测物种丰富度模式的理论，并测试一些关于生物地理模式、功能、自然历史特征和森林结构的假设。特别是，这项研究考察了木本植物物种丰富度、功能自然历史特征和结构在局部(林分水平、斑块水平)、区域(每个区域、太平洋地区的景观水平)和全球(世界各地的热带干燥森林)空间尺度上的格局和过程。可以在其他研究不足的热带干燥森林地区采用与太平洋热带干燥森林物种丰富度有关的遥感方法，以便对植物物种丰富程度的模式进行一级近似。目前还没有关于这些太平洋区域地点的物种丰富度、区系组成或森林结构的比较数据。因此，研究将极大地增强有效保护热带森林所需的知识基础和基础设施。这项研究将促进国际科学家对热带干燥森林地区长期研究计划的合作研究，并为菲律宾、密克罗尼西亚、新喀里多尼亚、斐济和夏威夷的自然资源管理者提供数据和最终产品，这些数据和最终产品可用于就少数热带干燥森林残片的管理做出决策。

Tropical dry forests in the Pacific may currently be the world's most endangered forest type and could be ideal for testing a number of remote sensing, biogeographic, and conservation theories associated with extremely fragmented systems. This research project focuses on the biodiversity of woody plants (trees, shrubs, lianas) in five regions that contain tropical dry forest (Philippines, Micronesia, New Caledonia, Fiji, and Hawaii). The primary objectives of this research are to; 1) test the utility of remote sensing methods for predicting patterns of stand and patch species richness over different spatial scales; 2) undertake biogeographic comparisons of floristic composition, natural history characteristics, and forest structure and; 3) determine the conservation status of woody plants in remaining fragments of tropical dry forest in Biodiversity Hotspots of the Pacific. Field data on woody plants will be collected at the stand level using Gentry's transect method and at the patch level using systematic searches at 47 field sites in the largest and highest quality remaining patches of tropical dry forest in each region. Remote sensing using Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) imagery will be used to calculate landscape metrics and spectral indices hypothesized to be associated with woody plant species richness. The research project will test theories for predicting patterns of species richness and test a number of hypotheses concerning biogeographic patterns of functional natural history characteristics and forest structure. In particular, this research examines patterns and processes of woody plant species richness, functional natural history characteristics, and structure at local (stand level, patch level), regional (landscape level in each region, the Pacific region), and global (tropical dry forests around the world) spatial scales. Remote sensing methods associated with species richness in tropical dry forest of the Pacific can be undertaken in other under-researched tropical dry forests regions in order to make a first-order approximation for patterns of plant species richness. There is currently no comparative data on species richness, floristic composition, or forest structure for these Pacific region locations. Therefore, research will greatly enhance the knowledge base and infrastructure necessary for the effective conservation of tropical forests. The research will foster collaborative research among international scientists for long-term research programs in tropical dry forest regions and provide natural resources managers in the Philippines, Micronesia, New Caledonia, Fiji, and Hawaii with data and end-products that can be used to make decisions concerning the management of the few remaining fragments of tropical dry forest.