Dissertation Research: Spatial and Temporal Variation in the Physiology of a Riparian Tree

埃文斯9801287，单个植物的生理在多个空间和时间尺度上受到气候和天气的影响。分布广泛的物种如何对其整个范围内的气候变化和多个时间尺度上的时间变化做出反应尚不清楚。由于缺乏这方面的知识，农学家无法了解作物如何对不同的生长条件作出反应，资源管理者无法做出正确的利用和保护决策，研究人员也无法了解生态系统最终如何应对气候变化。PIS研究的重点是评估与弗里蒙特棉杨范围内的年际天气差异、季节气候变化和空间气候趋势相关的生理变化。该物种是美国干旱的西部与山谷河流平行的森林的主要组成部分。PI选择这种物种是因为它是美国西部大部分低地地区唯一的树种。PI正在使用各种方法，包括直接测量瞬时生理参数，如水分状况和光合作用，以及长期的综合测量，如碳同位素分析。PIS目前的数据表明，我们研究的物种的气候和生理之间存在密切的对应关系。

EVANS 9801287 The physiology of individual plants is influenced by climate and weather on multiple spatial and temporal scales. How widely distributed species respond to variation in climate throughout their range and to temporal variation over multiple time scales is not well understood. Lack of knowledge on this subject prevents agriculturists from understanding how crops respond to different growing conditions, resource managers from making correct use and conservation decisions and researchers from learning how ecosystems ultimately respond to climate change. The PIs research focuses on assessing physiological changes associated with interannual differences in weather, seasonal climatic shifts and spatial climatic trends throughout the range of Fremont cottonwood. This species is the primary component of forests which parallel valley rivers throughout the arid western U.S. The PIs chose this species because of its importance as the only tree species throughout much of the lowland western U.S. The PIs are employing a variety of methods including direct measurement of instantaneous physiological parameters such as water status and photosynthesis as well as long term, integrated measurements such as carbon isotope analysis. The PIs current data suggests a close correspondence between climate and physiology for our study species.