LTREB: Mangrove Forest Structure and Gap Dynamics: Experimental Studies of the Roles of Competition and Herbivory

LTREB：红树林结构和林隙生态学：竞争和草食作用的实验研究拟议的研究继续长期监测的模式和机制的间隙更新的红树林在巴拿马的加勒比海沿岸的森林结构和稳定性的影响。 野外工作包括在各种永久样地和沿着潮汐梯度的样带以及自然光隙中对植被进行取样。 将监测土壤理化特性和光环境，以评估植被变化是否与非生物特性变化有关。 本研究包括一些现场实验，测试已提出的假设，以解释红树林地带性，包括生理专业化，包括生态位竞争，潮汐分选和优势捕食假说。 此外，草食动物排除实验将评估的影响，昆虫食叶和蛀干昆虫的生长，生存和分布的物种沿着潮汐梯度，以及介导的作用，草食动物种间竞争。 在一般情况下，这些研究将推进我们的理解的干扰与竞争和草食动物在构建自然生态系统的相互作用，从而有助于我们的能力，预测这些濒危湿地的各种人为改变的生态后果。

LTREB: MANGROVE FOREST STRUCTURE AND GAP DYNAMICS: EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES OF THE ROLES OF COMPETITION AND HERBIVORYThe proposed research continues long-term monitoring of the patterns and mechanisms of gap regeneration in mangrove forests on the Caribbean coast of Panama, and their effects on forest structure and stability. Fieldwork includes sampling vegetation in a variety of permanent plots and transects along a tidal gradient as well as in natural light gaps. Soil physicochemical characteristics and the light environment will be monitored to evaluate if changes in vegetation are associated with changes in abiotic characteristics. This study includes a number of field experiments that test hypotheses that have been proposed to explain mangrove zonation, including the Physiological Specialization, Included Niche Competition, Tidal Sorting and Dominance-Predation hypotheses. In addition, an herbivore exclusion experiment will assess the impact of insect folivores and stem-borers on the growth, survival, and distribution of species along the tidal gradient, as well as the mediating effect of herbivory on interspecific competition. In general, these studies will advance our understanding of the interactions of disturbance with competition and herbivory in structuring natural ecosystems, and thereby contribute to our ability to predict the ecological consequences of various human-caused alterations of these endangered wetlands.