Functional traits as a template to develop a restoration silvics of neotropical trees

为了应对在热带地区开垦荒地和退化土地的挑战，一门新生的用本土树木重新造林的科学正在兴起。然而，大多数热带树木的生物学仍然鲜为人知，这限制了它们在重新造林和植树造林项目中的部署。为了解决这一知识不足的问题，我将对巴拿马共和国PRORENA项目中种植的本地和外来树种进行系统的营林分析。物种的森林状况将从(A)它们在一系列环境条件下的生存、生长和形态，以及(B)它们对当地生态系统过程的影响来描述。在这些参数的基础上，将开发出具有独特生长、存活和生态特征的物种分组，为长期的人工林试验提供基础。这些试验将包括物种混合和单一培养，这些物种被选中是因为它们具有实现区域特定恢复目标的潜力。这些目标包括(1)实现对入侵草本植物Sacharum Spintaneum的控制，(2)恢复严重侵蚀土地的肥力和土壤结构，(3)调节巴拿马运河流域的水文状况和径流。此外，我的项目将是首次根据新热带树木对修复地点的生态影响对其进行分类的系统尝试。物种对一系列环境条件的反应及其对土壤和当地水文的影响的综合，以及使用恢复功能组来设计特定用途的种植园，都是对热带林业的独特贡献。我的项目将有助于发展加拿大与中美洲的研究和教育联系，并发展加拿大在热带林业方面的研究能力。该项目产生的知识的最终用户包括学术研究人员、巴拿马政府机构(例如巴拿马运河管理局)、小农户和修复从业者。为加拿大和巴拿马学生提供高级培训机会是我项目的固有组成部分。

A nascent science of reforestation with native trees is emerging in response to the challenge of reclaiming abandoned and degraded lands in the tropics. The biology of most tropical trees remains poorly known, however, which constrains their deployment in reforestation and afforestation projects. To address this knowledge deficit, I will develop systematic silvicultural analyses for native and exotic tree species that are being grown in the PRORENA project, Republic of Panama. Species' silvics will be be described relative to (a) their survival, growth and morphology under a range of environmental conditions, and (b) their effects on local ecosystem processes. Based on these parameters, groupings of species with distinctive growth, survival, and ecological characteristics will be developed to provide the basis for long term plantation trials. These trials will consist of species mixtures and monocultures that have been selected for their potential to fulfill regionally specific restoration goals. These goals include (1) achieving control of the invasive grass Sacharum spontaneum, (2) restoring fertility and soil structure to severely eroded land, and (3) modulation of hydrological regimes and runoff in the Panama Canal Watershed.     My project will be the first systematic attempt to categorize neotropical trees according to their ecological effects on restoration sites. The synthesis of species responses to a range of environmental conditions, their effects on soils and local hydrology, and the use of restoration functional groups to design plantations for specific purposes represent unique contributions to tropical forestry.  My project will contribute to developing Canadian research and educational links with Central America, and to the development of Canadian research capacity in tropical forestry. End users of the knowledge generated by this project include academic researchers, Panamanian government agencies (e.g. the Panama Canal Authority), small farmers, and restoration practitioners. Advanced training opportunities for Canadian and Panamanian students are an inherent part of my program.