DISSERTATION RESEARCH: The Effect of Plant Dispersal on Ecosystem Function

论文研究：植物扩散对生态系统功能的影响

• 批准号: 1601508
• 负责人: Jason Fridley
• 金额: $ 1.64万
• 依托单位: Syracuse University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2016
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2016-05-01 至 2018-04-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1601508&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: DISSERTATION; RESEARCH; Effect; Plant; Dispersal

Plant communities are the main source of energy for the rest of life. Habitat loss and fragmentation -- the conversion of large areas into isolated smaller areas -- threaten the diversity of plant communities and ecosystem functions (essential services provided by plants). Thus, it important that we understand how to maintain plant communities and how they help ecosystems function. This project explores how seed dispersal in fragmented habitats helps sustain plant diversity and promote ecosystem functions such as nutrient cycles and decomposition rates. Investigators will examine whether habitat fragmentation has an unusually large impact on the abundance of plant species that are poor seed dispersers and, if so, how loss of these species may result in loss of ecosystem function. Scientists working on this project will engage with the public through talks, a workshop, and internship opportunities. Results will help inform the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers and their mission of conservation. Investigators will study impacts of habitat fragmentation on plant communities and ecosystem functions, using a set of islands in Lake Strom Thurmond, South Carolina. Plant communities, plant chemical and physical attributes, and soil properties will be measured on 20 islands of different levels of spatial isolation (near shore versus far from shore) and historic disturbance. Specifically, investigators will quantify the abundance and diversity of plant species, leaf properties of those species, soil nitrogen availability, and microbial decomposition rates. These data will be used to test the hypothesis that spatial isolation and disturbance affect ecosystem function by altering plant species composition. Statistical models will test 1) whether ecosystem carbon and nutrient fluxes are a function of spatial isolation, disturbance history, and leaf properties; and 2) whether dispersal limitation caused by island spatial isolation can drive functional composition.

植物群落是其他生命的主要能量来源。栖息地的丧失和破碎化——大片地区变成孤立的小区域——威胁着植物群落的多样性和生态系统功能（植物提供的基本服务）。因此，了解如何维持植物群落以及它们如何帮助生态系统发挥作用是很重要的。本项目探讨种子在破碎生境中的传播如何帮助维持植物多样性和促进生态系统功能，如养分循环和分解速率。研究人员将研究栖息地破碎化是否对种子传播能力差的植物物种的丰度产生了异常大的影响，如果是这样，这些物种的消失将如何导致生态系统功能的丧失。参与该项目的科学家将通过讲座、研讨会和实习机会与公众接触。结果将有助于告知美国陆军工程兵团及其保护任务。调查人员将利用南卡罗来纳州斯特罗姆瑟蒙德湖的一组岛屿，研究栖息地破碎化对植物群落和生态系统功能的影响。植物群落、植物化学和物理属性以及土壤属性将在20个不同程度的空间隔离（近岸与远岸）和历史干扰的岛屿上进行测量。具体来说，研究人员将量化植物物种的丰度和多样性、这些物种的叶片特性、土壤氮有效性和微生物分解率。这些数据将用于验证空间隔离和干扰通过改变植物物种组成来影响生态系统功能的假设。统计模型将检验1)生态系统碳和养分通量是否与空间隔离、扰动历史和叶片特性有关；2)岛屿空间隔离造成的扩散限制是否能驱动功能构成。