Using ecological theory to restore invaded Mediterranean-climate ecosystems

利用生态理论恢复被入侵的地中海气候生态系统

• 批准号: 1132994
• 负责人: Jennifer Funk
• 金额: $ 1.32万
• 依托单位: Chapman University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2011
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2011-10-01 至 2013-09-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1132994&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Using; ecological; theory; restore; invaded

Invasive species represent one of the most serious threats to vegetation community composition and ecosystem function worldwide. However, science-driven techniques needed to restore these invaded communities are lacking. One specific hypothesis is that community resistance to invasion can be strengthened by selecting native species that are similar to invasive species in resource use, thus increasing competition. This is based on the theory of limiting similarity, which posits that there is a finite limit to the similarity between the resource-use of co-existing species. The first step in elucidating the utility of limiting similarity approach to restoration is quantifying differences in resource use between native and invasive species across a variety of invaded systems. Through this project, functional trait data will be collected from native and invasive plant species in two vegetation communities in Spain. The data will be combined with existing data from three other mediterranean-climate ecosystems (MCEs) to test how one ecological theory ? limiting similarity ? can be used to restore invaded vegetation communities. Results from the present Catalyzing research will be incorporated into a subsequent proposal that will use these trait data to select native species that are functionally similar to invaders and to monitor community composition in these restored systems over time. Results from this research will contribute to an understanding of conservation issues in MCEs, which are highly diverse and increasingly threatened by human activity. The work will directly contribute to the practice of restoration by exploring how easy-to-measure plant traits can be used to select native plants that will increase invasion resistance of restored communities. In addition, this project will promote a new collaboration between an early career, female U.S. scientist at an undergraduate institution and an internationally renowned plant ecologist in Spain. An undergraduate student will participate in the activities in Spain, benefitting from close faculty-student mentoring and the opportunity to engage in international research at the early stage of an academic career.

入侵物种是全球植被群落组成和生态系统功能面临的最严重威胁之一。然而，恢复这些被入侵的群落所需的科学驱动的技术是缺乏的。一个具体的假设是，通过选择与入侵物种在资源利用上相似的本地物种，从而增加竞争，可以增强群落对入侵的抵抗力。这是基于限制相似性理论，该理论认为共存物种之间的资源利用相似性存在有限限制。阐明限制相似性方法在恢复中的效用的第一步是量化各种入侵系统中本地物种和入侵物种之间资源利用的差异。本项目将收集西班牙两个植被群落的本土和入侵植物的功能性状数据。这些数据将与其他三个地中海气候生态系统（MCEs）的现有数据相结合，以测试一个生态理论如何？限制相似性？可用于恢复被入侵的植被群落。目前catalyst研究的结果将被纳入后续的提案中，该提案将使用这些性状数据来选择功能与入侵者相似的本地物种，并随着时间的推移监测这些恢复系统中的群落组成。本文的研究结果将有助于我们更好地理解这些物种的保护问题，这些物种具有高度的多样性，并日益受到人类活动的威胁。这项工作将通过探索如何使用易于测量的植物性状来选择本地植物来增加恢复群落的入侵抗性，从而直接为恢复实践做出贡献。此外，该项目还将促进一位美国本科院校的早期职业女性科学家与西班牙一位国际知名的植物生态学家之间的新合作。本科生将参加在西班牙的活动，受益于密切的师生指导，并有机会在学术生涯的早期阶段从事国际研究。