Collaborative Research: Linking Leaf and Root Traits to Ecosystem Structure and Function in a Common Garden Study of 14 Temperate Tree Species

自然生态系统是动态的，而不是静态的。例如，植物本身会改变土壤和生态系统的特性。因此，不同植物物种的特性影响着重要的生态系统功能，如土壤肥力、土壤发育和植物生产力，从而在一定程度上控制着生态系统功能。然而，由于很难将气候或土壤的影响与植被的影响分开，人们对这些控制的具体情况知之甚少。为了探索植物如何影响它们自己的环境，我们将利用一个独特的普通花园实验，在波兰有14种温带树种的32年的单一种植林分。这是世界上唯一一个这样的实验。拟开展的研究将通过对地上和地下组织生理、结构和生产力、凋落物分解和土壤化学与发育等方面的研究，比较和对比叶片和细根性状及其对生态系统的影响。

Natural ecosystems are dynamic, not static. For instance, plants themselves alter properties of soils and ecosystems. Thus, the characteristics of different plant species influence important ecosystem functions such as soil fertility, soil development and plant productivity, and thus in part control ecosystem functioning. The specifics of these controls, however, are very poorly understood due to difficulties in separating effects of climate or soils from those of vegetation. To explore the way in which plants can influence their own environment, we will utilize a unique common-garden experiment of 32-year old monoculture stands with 14 temperate tree species in Poland. This is the only such experiment in the world. The proposed research will compare and contrast leaf and fine root traits and their effects on ecosystem by examining: above- and belowground tissue physiology, structure and productivity, litter decomposition and soil chemistry and development.