Interactions Between Water, Energy and Carbon Dynamics as Predictors of Canopy to Ecosystem Scale Vegetation Pattern and Function in a Changing Environment

该项目试图采用生态水文方法，识别三个相关但不同的元素，这些元素塑造了植被形态和水、能量和碳循环耦合功能之间的动态相互作用。这些要素是：在给定的环境条件下，植被以最优的方式发挥功能（最优性）；植被在压力下调整其策略，以最大限度地吸收二氧化碳（CO2）（适应环境）；这些变化导致水、植被和能量交换之间的非线性反馈，可能导致特定的制度或模式被表达（复杂性）。本研究的主要目标是：1)定义和检验各种生态系统的最优性、适应性和复杂性假设。2)建立基于最优性、适应性和复杂性原则的动态预测模型，用于表征从冠层到生态系统尺度的水、能、植被特征。3)在人为干扰和气候干扰情景下，探索不同时空尺度下的水、能、碳循环关系。该项目的最终成果将是一个新的陆地表面模型系统，该系统可以纳入动态和不断演变的植被模式和行为，然后可以将其纳入新一代的全球或区域气候模型。更广泛的影响包括学生和博士后培训，少数民族本科生参与暑期学校的研究培训。

This project seeks to adopt an eco-hydrologic approach that gives recognition to three related but distinct elements that shape the dynamic interactions between vegetation form and functioning with the coupled water, energy and carbon cycles. These elements are that vegetation functions in an optimum way under given environmental conditions (optimality), the vegetation modifies its strategy under stress for maximizing carbon dioxide (CO2)-assimilation (acclimatization), and that such changes lead to nonlinear feedbacks between water, vegetation and energy exchanges that may lead to specific regimes or patterns being expressed (complexity).The main objectives of this research are: 1) Define and test the hypotheses on optimality, acclimatization, and complexity for a variety of ecosystems. 2) Develop a dynamic predictive model that is based on the principles of optimality, acclimatization, and complexity for characterizing the water, energy, and vegetation characteristics from the canopy to the ecosystem scale. 3) Explore the relationship between water, energy, and carbon cycles at various spatial and temporal scales under the scenarios of human and climate induced disturbance. The ultimate product of the project will be a new land surface model system that can incorporate dynamic and evolving vegetation patterns and behavior, which can then be incorporated in a new generation of global or regional climate models. Broader impact includes student and post-doc training, summer school involvement of undergraduate minority students in research training.