LTREB, Collaborative Research: The Next Decade in Continuing Long-term Demographic Research on Florida Scrub Plants

该项目继续对佛罗里达灌木丛中植物的种群生物学进行长期研究，这是一个濒危的栖息地，支持着世界上其他地方找不到的许多物种。过去的研究包括20年来关于47,000种植物的位置、大小、生长和存活的数据，以及对植物、种子和灌木丛栖息地的大量实验。这项研究的目标是扩大数据收集，包括在更大的景观上收集更多物种的数据，并回答基本生态学和应用保护方面的问题。具体主题包括各种火灾管理策略对灭绝风险的影响，种群如何对植被结构和天气的变化做出反应，以及生态恢复中引入的种群如何提供对基本生物学的洞察。许多环境问题只能从长期数据和数据共享的角度来解决，这两个问题都是本研究的成果。例如，有关植物种群对天气的直接和间接影响的长期数据可用于评估气候变化对这些濒危生态系统的影响。这项研究还将为从高中到研究生的学生(包括代表性不足群体的成员)提供获得不同科学方法和研究的机会。此外，这项研究具有直接的实际应用，将通过与各种保护专业人员的持续互动来鼓励这些应用。

This project continues a long-term study of the population biology of plants in Florida scrub, an endangered habitat supporting many species found nowhere else in the world. The past research includes 20 years of data on the locations, sizes, growth, and survival of 47,000 plants, coupled with numerous experiments on plants, seeds, and the scrub habitat. The goals of this research are to expand data collection, including data on many more species collected over larger landscapes, and to answer questions in basic ecology and applied conservation. Specific topics include the effects of various fire management strategies on risks of extinction, how populations respond to variation in the vegetation structure and weather, and how introduced populations in ecological restorations can provide insight into basic biology. Many environmental issues can only be addressed with the perspective of long-term data and with data-sharing, both outcomes of this research. For example, long-term data on plant population responses to the direct and indirect effects of weather can be useful in assessing the effects of climate change on these endangered ecosystems. This research will also provide access to students (including members of under-represented groups) from, high school to graduate school, to diverse scientific methods and studies. Moreover, this research has immediate practical applications that will be encouraged through continuing interactions with a diversity of conservation professionals.