EAPSI: Does Leaf Function Evolve in the Invaded Range? A study of East Asian Forest Invaders in Japan and North America

东亚入侵植物在北美森林中的数量越来越多，对森林功能和生物多样性产生了负面影响。东亚和北美植物获取能量的方式的差异可以解释东亚物种的入侵。该项目将研究入侵物种在其原生（东亚）和入侵范围（北美）中驱动能量捕获的叶片性状的差异。日本仙台青山植物园的东亚枫、樱桃和金银花幼苗将被用作焦点个体。一项重复研究将在纽约州锡拉丘兹完成，使用来自北美人群的个体。该项目是与日本仙台东北大学的生态生理学家Kouki Hikosaka博士合作完成的。这项研究的结果将使土地管理者能够更有效地减少入侵物种的负面影响，这是每年投入大量资源和劳动力的一项努力。原产于东亚的外来植物在北美东部森林中越来越多。本项目的目标是了解耐荫入侵木本物种（以枫、樱桃和金银花为代表）在不同光照水平下最大化碳吸收的叶片生理策略。生理比较将涉及入侵和非入侵物种，以及非本地物种在其本地和入侵范围内的种群水平变化。该项目还将量化能够调整叶片生理以适应光环境变化的潜在成本（即在缝隙形成后从深阴影到高光）。在物种和种群水平上理解生理策略的成本和收益，将扩大我们对入侵者用来战胜本地物种的机制的理解。这个项目是与日本东北大学著名的叶功能专家Kouki Hikosaka博士合作完成的。该奖项隶属于东亚和太平洋暑期研究所项目，由美国国家科学基金会和日本科学促进会共同资助，支持一名美国研究生进行暑期研究。

Invasive plant species from East Asia are becoming increasingly abundant in North American forests, and often have negative impacts on forest function and biodiversity. Differences in how East Asian and North American plants acquire energy may explain the invasiveness of East Asian species. This project will examine differences in leaf traits driving energy capture in invasive species in their native (East Asia) and invasive ranges (North America). Seedlings of East Asian maple, cherry, and honeysuckle species growing in Aobayama Botanical Garden in Sendai, Japan will be used as focal individuals. A replicate study will be completed in Syracuse, NY using individuals sourced from North American populations. This project is a collaboration with Dr. Kouki Hikosaka, an accomplished ecophysiologist at Tohoku University in Sendai, Japan. The results of this study will allow land managers to more efficiently minimize negative impacts of invasive species, an endeavor in which large amounts of resources and labor are invested annually.Plant invaders native to East Asia are increasingly abundant in Eastern North American (ENA) forests. The goal of this project is to understand leaf-level physiological strategies used by shade tolerant, invasive woody species (representatives from maple, cherry, and honeysuckle species to maximize carbon assimilation at different light levels. Physiological comparisons will involve invasive and non-invasive species, as well as population-level variation in non-native species across their native and invasive ranges. This project will also quantify potential costs of being able to adjust leaf physiology to changes in light environments (i.e. from deep shade to high light after gap formation). Understanding the costs and benefits of physiological strategies at both the species and population levels will broaden our understanding of the mechanisms invaders use to outcompete native species. This project is a collaborative effort with Dr. Kouki Hikosaka at Tohoku University, a prominent leaf function expert.This award under the East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes program supports summer research by a U.S. graduate student and is jointly funded by NSF and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.