Researcher Starter Grant: Use of Urban Ecology to Explain Changes in Forest Dynamics Under Global Environmental Change Conditions: Development of a Forest Ecology Lab

目前的模式预测显示，由于未来100年全球气候的扰动，北美的森林组成发生了根本性的变化。这些预测是基于我们目前对全球气候变化将如何改变某些基本生态系统参数（如温度、土壤湿度）的理解，以及在这些变化的情况下，树木个体的反应如何可能在树木的补充、生长和死亡中表现出来。先前的研究表明，与类似的农村森林相比，城市化导致了更新、生长和死亡模式的种间差异，数学模型预测，城市条件下的森林将形成不同于现有森林或森林理论预测的森林的不同组成和总体生物量损失。该提案要求支持一名新教员开展一项研究项目，理清北美森林与全球气候变化相关的迫在眉睫的变化之间的关系。正在制定的长期研究计划利用研究技术的组合来培养本科生研究人员，以提高学生对现代社会中遇到的环境问题的认识和应用。该提案要求拨款在恩迪科特学院建立一个森林研究实验室，其中将包括设备、用品和资金，以支持恩迪科特学院的本科生研究和肯塔基州路易斯维尔的实地工作。

Current model predictions show radically altered forest compositions in North America occurring in response to global climate perturbations over the next 100 years. These predictions are predicated on our current understanding of how global climate changes will alter certain fundamental ecosystem parameters (e.g. temperature, soil moisture) and how individual tree responses are likely to manifest themselves in tree recruitment, growth, and mortality given those changes. Prior studies show that urbanization causes interspecific differences in regeneration, growth, and mortality patterns compared with similar rural forests and mathematical models predict that forests under urban conditions will develop distinct compositions and overall biomass loss unlike those of forests currently existing or predicted by forest theory. This proposal requests support for a new faculty member to develop a research program that will untangle the relationship between North American forests and impending changes associated with global climate change. The long-term research plan being developed utilizes a combination of research techniques to train undergraduate student researchers to advance student appreciation and application of environmental issues encountered in modern society. The proposal requests funding to build a forest research laboratory at Endicott College, which will include funding for equipment, supplies, and funds to support undergraduate research at Endicott College and field work in Louisville, Kentucky.