EAPSI: Does Branch Photosynthesis Mitigate Water Loss in Tropical Trees During Drought?

该奖项支持研究干旱和非干旱条件下四种热带树种的分支光合作用如何变化。热带雨林是地球上最具生产力和多样性的生物群落之一。 然而，气候变化预计将增加热带雨林干旱的频率和严重程度。 植物要想在干旱中生存下来，就必须继续进行光合作用，同时尽量减少水分流失。 这项研究旨在了解热带树木如何利用分支光合作用来减少水分流失和在干旱中生存。 虽然以前的研究已经测量了分支光合作用，但很少努力了解或模拟干旱下的分支光合作用。 这项研究将在澳大利亚昆士兰州的Daintree雨林天文台进行，由世界分支光合作用专家Lucas Cernusak教授指导。光合作用的大部分二氧化碳是通过气孔获得的，气孔是叶子上的小孔;然而，这种二氧化碳的增加是以水分损失为代价的。 热带雨林的干旱严重程度和频率预计将随着气候变化而增加，这反过来将导致光合作用减少和植物死亡率增加。 植物可以在通过分支光合作用进行光合作用的同时将水分损失降到最低，分支光合作用可以减少呼吸的CO2。 研究人员将在詹姆斯库克大学凯恩斯校区运营的丹特里雨林天文台进行实地考察。 与世界分支光合作用专家Cernusak教授的合作将是该项目的一个重要组成部分。 这项研究将增加热带树木如何应对和适应干旱胁迫的知识。 此外，本研究将提供分支光合作用的数学模型，可应用于其他树种。 东亚和太平洋夏季研究所计划下的这个奖项支持美国研究生的夏季研究，由NSF和澳大利亚科学院共同资助。

This award supports research on how branch photosynthesis varies in four tropical tree species under drought and non-drought conditions. Tropical rainforests are some of the most productive and diverse biomes on Earth. However, climate change is expected to increase the frequency and severity of droughts in tropical rainforests. For plants to survive a drought they must continue to photosynthesize while minimizing water loss. This study aims to understand how tropical trees utilize branch photosynthesis to minimize water loss and survive droughts. While previous research has measured branch photosynthesis, little effort has gone into understanding or modeling branch photosynthesis under drought. The research will be conducted at the Daintree Rainforest Observatory in Queensland, Australia, under the direction of Professor Lucas Cernusak, a world expert in branch photosynthesis.Most CO2 for photosynthesis is obtained through stomata, small pores in the leaves; however, this CO2 gain comes at the expense of water loss. Drought severity and frequency in tropical rainforests is expected to increase with climate change, which in turn will lead to a decrease in photosynthesis and an increase in plant mortality. Plants can minimize water loss while still photosynthesizing through branch photosynthesis, which recycles respired CO2. The researcher will conduct field work at the Daintree Rainforest Observatory operated by James Cook University Cairns Campus. Collaboration with Professor Cernusak, a world expert in branch photosynthesis, will be an essential component of the project. This research will increase the knowledge of how tropical trees respond and adapt to drought stress. Additionally, this research will provide mathematical models of branch photosynthesis that can be applied to other tree species. 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 Australian Academy of Science.