Gap Response In Forest Insects – From Communities To Cellular Processes (GapResIn)

林冠密度严重影响林分内的小气候条件。这决定了小型变温动物的当地栖息地条件。在中欧，适应开放冠层条件的森林物种目前比适应封闭冠层条件的森林物种面临更大的风险，这反映了上个世纪森林蓄积量的增加。如今，自然干扰和商业伐木既影响了冠层密度，从而影响了物种的栖息地，也影响了封闭冠层和林隙之间的局部气候差异，这种差异大于目前观测到的全球变暖造成的温度升高。因此，更好地了解物种对森林小气候响应背后的机制对森林和保护管理至关重要。在宏观生态学中，物种对气候梯度的反应有着悠久的传统，最终形成了生态地理规则，预测物种内部和物种之间对温度下降、湿度下降或一般严酷环境的反应。在控制资源可得性的条件下，研究腐木甲虫、夜蛾和真虫3种昆虫类群对小气候变化的响应。为此，我们首先利用机载激光对来自5个地区（Biodiversity Exploratories +2个以上）的巨大群落数据集进行高分辨率的冠层密度信息研究。我们将重点关注体型、翅膀形态和颜色，这三个特征在宏观生态学研究中都是相关的。其次，我们将使用Exploratories中的新森林实验来验证我们在第1步中的预测。第三，研究物种内性状变异对林冠开度的响应。第四，我们将在封闭林冠和林隙条件下对笼中昆虫进行转录组测序。在这里，我们的目标是识别与小气候响应相关的转录特征。我们的分析旨在阐明林隙和封闭斑块中昆虫种类组成差异的识别机制。

Canopy density heavily affects microclimate conditions within a forest stand. This determines local habitat conditions for ectotherms operating on small scales. In Central Europe forest species adapted to open canopy conditions currently more at risk than those adapted to closed canopies, which mirrors the increase in growing stock during the last century. Nowadays natural disturbances and commercial logging affect both the canopy density and thereby the habitat of species and the difference in local climates between closed canopies and gaps is larger than the current observed increase of temperature by global warming. Hence, a better understanding on the mechanisms behind species response to microclimates in forests is critical for forest and conservation management. In macro-ecology the response of species to climate gradients has a long tradition, ending up with ecogeographical rules, predicting within and between species response to decreasing temperatures, humidity or in general harshness. Here we aim to study the response of three insect taxa, saproxylic beetles, nocturnal macro-moths and true bugs to variation in microclimate, controlled for resource availability. To do so we first will investigate a huge community data set from 5 regions (Biodiversity Exploratories +2 more) with high resolution canopy density information by airborne laser. We will focus on the traits body size, wing morphology and color, all three confirmed as relevant in macro-ecological studies. Second, we will use the new forest experiment in the Exploratories to validate our predictions from step 1. Third, we will investigate the within species response by trait variation to the experimental opening of canopy. Fourth, we will perform transcriptome sequencing of four selected species by exposing caged insects to closed canopy and gap conditions in the forest experiment. Here we aim at identifying transcriptional signatures related to microclimate response. Our analyses aim at illuminating mechanisms underlying the identification of insect species composition differences in gaps and closed forest patches.