Towards and Indian observatory of tropical forest response to climate change

热带地区正在变暖，极端高温事件的频率，往往伴随着干旱，在大多数热带森林生物群落中正在增加。目前还不清楚气温升高对热带森林的影响。这个关键问题是目前IOF提案的重点，基于亚马逊地区NERC研究的三个综合分支，我们领导并建议在印度进行试点。该方法首先包括在亚马逊湿润森林南部边界的森林站点进行有针对性的实时观测计划，作为由Gloor和菲利普斯共同领导的NERC BIO-RED联盟的一部分。对森林性能的实时观测在很大程度上依赖于俯瞰树冠的摄像机，这些摄像机测量树冠温度、生产力性能和压力的测量以及物候。为了表征气候强迫，我们连续测量气候和土壤湿度。为了了解观察到的模式树的性能响应极端热，我们分别测量该网站的优势树种树水力学，以及生产力的特点。其次，作为另一个正在进行的NERC赠款（TREMOR，由DG领导）的一部分，我们正在测量分布在亚马逊河流域的10个地点的主要树木的树木水力特性。这些特性在广泛的领域的知识，使我们能够概括与原位监测方法测量的机械结果。最后，在正在进行的和过去的赠款中，OP在亚马逊，非洲和婆罗洲开发了一个热带森林地块监测网络（现在约有1000个1公顷的地块），能够跟踪森林生物量，生产力和组成的长期变化。我们在此建议与印度领先的科学家合作，在这一关键地区应用这些方法。在印度热带的大部分地区，热浪近年来大大增加，最高气温高达50摄氏度。模型预测表明，高达45%的印度森林可能面临向非森林植被状态转移的风险，但只有非常有限的数据来评估这些预测。印度既没有像我们在亚马逊站点那样的全面观测系统，也没有相对较少的永久性地块，而那些确实存在的地块大多没有纳入国际森林监测网络。为了应对这些挑战，我们与印度森林生态学、生态生理学和气候学领域的主要专家建立了新的联系。我们新的印度合作者与国家和国际森林保护工作密切相关，并领导着大多数可用的森林地块。该提案的科学重点是西高止山脉广泛的，生物多样性和潜在的气候敏感性万年青森林，这是该团队的利益在地理上一致的地方。我们建议共同安装一个树冠俯瞰连续森林热量和干旱反应监测网站，在亚马逊河流域南部，靠近现有的地块在西高止山脉。我们一起计划一个网站级的优势物种和本地集成的地块和冠层观测监测性状运动。我们还建议协调协议的地块普查，并包括印度地块数据在泛热带森林普查数据库，以支持更大规模的地理分析和综合。和睦团契还将致力于支持相互交流技能，重点分三个步骤。第一个在西高止山脉，是一个专门为学生和青年科学家提供实地技能和规程教育的讲习班。其次，我们计划安排印度同事对利兹进行几次访问，以支持联合分析和项目后规划。最后一次研讨会将在这位印度科学家的一个家乡机构举行，将有更广泛的参与，讨论结果的影响，并采取实际步骤，确保这些活动成为长期努力。

The tropics are warming and the frequency of extreme heat events, often accompanied by drought, is increasing across most of the tropical forest biome. It is currently unclear what the effects of increasing heat on tropical forests will be. This key question is the focus of the current IOF proposal, based on three integrated strands of NERC research in Amazonia, which we lead and propose to pilot in India. The approach consists firstly of a targeted real-time observation program at a forest site at the Southern border of the Amazon humid forests, as part of the NERC BIO-RED consortium, co-led by Gloor and Phillips. Real-time observations of forest performance rely heavily on cameras overlooking the canopies, which measure canopy temperatures, measures of productivity performance and stress, and phenology. To characterize the climate forcing, we measure continuously climate and soil humidity. In order to understand observed patterns of tree performance responses to heat extremes, we measure separately traits of the site's dominant tree species related to tree hydraulics, as well as productivity. Secondly, as part of another ongoing NERC grant (TREMOR, led by DG) we are measuring tree hydraulic properties of dominant trees at 10 sites distributed across the Amazon. Knowledge of these characteristics across wide areas permits us to generalize mechanistic results measured with the in-situ monitoring approach. Finally, in both ongoing and past grants OP has developed a tropical forest plot-monitoring network in Amazonia, Africa, and Borneo (~1000 1-ha plots now), capable of tracking longer-term shifts in forest biomass, productivity, and composition. We propose here to work with leading Indian scientists to apply these approaches in this critical region. In large parts of tropical India heat waves have increased considerably in recent years with peak temperatures reaching up to 50C. Model projections suggest that up to 45% of Indian forests may be at risk of shifting to non-forest vegetation states, yet there are only very limited data to evaluate these projections. India lacks both a comprehensive observational system as at our Amazon site, and has relatively few permanent plots, and those that do exist are mostly not integrated into international forest monitoring networks. To address these challenges we have formed new connections with key experts in India covering the areas of forest ecology, eco-physiology, and climatology. Between them our new Indian collaborators are strongly linked to national and international forest conservation efforts, and lead most available forest plots. The scientific focus of this proposal, the extensive, biodiverse and potentially climate-sensitive evergreen forests in Western Ghats, is where the team's interests coincide geographically. We propose to jointly install a canopy-overlooking continuous forest heat and drought-response monitoring site, as in S Amazonia, close to existing plots in the Western Ghats. Together we plan a site-level traits campaign of dominant species and local integration of plot- and canopy-observation monitoring. We further propose to harmonize protocols of plot censuses and to include Indian plot data in the pan-tropical forest census database to support larger scale geographical analyses and syntheses. I-FOR will also aim to support mutual exchange of skills, focused in three steps. The first, in the Western Ghats, is a workshop dedicated to student and young scientist education in field skills and protocols. Secondly, we plan several visits of Indian colleagues to Leeds to support joint analyses and post-project planning. The final workshop, to be hold at one of the Indian scientist's home institution, will include wider participation to discuss implications of the results and to take practical steps toward ensuring these activities become long-term efforts.