Collaborative Research: Diversity, Dominance & Disturbance in Species-Rich Pine Savanna Groundcover

合作研究：多样性、主导性

• 批准号: 1144084
• 负责人: Kyle Harms
• 金额: $ 33万
• 依托单位: Louisiana State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2012
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2012-02-15 至 2016-01-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1144084&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Diversity; Dominance; &amp

This project will test two likely mechanisms for the maintenance of biological diversity in natural habitats, the creation of fine-scale variation in the environment by dominant plant species and by natural disturbance by fire. Some of the most diverse plant communities in North America are found in the fire-prone longleaf pine forest of the southeastern United States. Although the forest canopy generally has only a few species of plants, and the plants beneath are often dominated by one or two species of large, long-lived bunchgrasses, a high number of smaller plant species can be found scattered between the grasses. Researchers will experimentally alter interactions between bunchgrasses, interactions between bunchgrasses and smaller plants, and environmental conditions such as fire intensity to show how dominant plant species influence the diversity and dynamics of high-diversity plant communities in environments prone to disturbance. Longleaf pine ecosystems historically covered most of the Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plains, but human activities such as fire suppression have reduced the area of the forests by more than 98%. This project will inform efforts to manage and restore these ecosystems. In particular, a workshop will bring together land managers, conservation professionals, and ecologists to synthesize relevant information about these ecosystems, identify important gaps in our understanding of these floristic treasures, and translate the results into recommendations for conservation, management, and restoration. In addition, the project will train undergraduate and graduate students in science and provide educational outreach activities for K-12 students and educators.

该项目将测试维持自然栖息地生物多样性的两种可能机制，即优势植物物种和火灾自然干扰在环境中产生的细微变化。北美一些最多样化的植物群落是在美国东南部容易发生火灾的长叶松林中发现的。虽然森林冠层通常只有少数几种植物，而冠层下的植物通常以一种或两种大型、长寿的束草为主，但在这些草之间可以发现大量较小的植物物种。研究人员将通过实验改变束草之间的相互作用、束草与较小植物之间的相互作用以及火灾强度等环境条件，以揭示优势植物物种如何影响易受干扰环境中高多样性植物群落的多样性和动态。长叶松生态系统历史上覆盖了大西洋和墨西哥湾沿岸平原的大部分地区，但人类活动（如灭火）使森林面积减少了98%以上。该项目将为管理和恢复这些生态系统提供信息。特别地，一个研讨会将把土地管理者、保护专家和生态学家聚集在一起，综合有关这些生态系统的相关信息，确定我们对这些植物资源的理解中的重要差距，并将结果转化为保护、管理和恢复的建议。此外，该项目将对本科生和研究生进行科学培训，并为K-12学生和教育工作者提供教育推广活动。