Combining Theories For Plant Architecture, Allometry, and Traits to Develop the Next Generation of Scaling Theory

这一提议将发展一种植物生物学的综合和预测理论，将植物细胞和水力维管系统的生理过程与整个森林和生物圈的生理过程联系起来。这项研究利用理论、实验室和田间技术，将植物生理学家、生态学家和理论生物学家聚集在一起，推动现有理论的发展，以开发统一和定量的尺度方法。这项工作最终将向生物学家展示需要测量植物的哪些属性，以及如何将这些测量结果结合在一起，以预测植物的生长、水分运输和碳通量。这些预测将至关重要地告诉我们，我们国家如何预测和应对由人类活动引起的全球变暖和物种灭绝危机。这项研究的结果将为发展功能植物生物学和生态系统科学之间的联系的预测理论提供必要的工具。例如，拟议的工作可能会导致更准确的陆地碳预算计算，更早的遗传选择计划，与不同管理目标相对应的适当物种选择，以及森林、行作物和果园的修剪或间距处方。结果还将告知生态系统和生态过程如何受到个别植物变化的影响。参与该项目的研究生和博士后研究人员将接受培训，将新的理论发展与经验测试相结合，以促进对生物过程的更深入理解。

This proposal will develop a synthetic and predictive theory for plant biology that links physiological processes from the level of plant cells and hydraulic vascular systems to that of whole forests and the biosphere. Using theoretical, laboratory, and field based techniques, the research brings together plant physiologists, ecologists and theoretical biologists to advance existing theory in order to develop a unified and quantitative scaling approach. The work will ultimately show biologists which attributes to plants to measure and how to put these measurements together in order to predict plant growth, water transport, and carbon flux. These predictions will crucially inform how our nation can anticipate and respond to anthropogenically caused global warming and extinction crises. Results from this research will provide a necessary tool in the development of a predictive theory for connections between functional plant bioogy and ecosystem science. For example, the proposed work will likely lead to more accurate calculations of terrestrial carbon budgets, earlier genetic selection programs, appropriate species choices that correspond to different management goals, and prescriptions for pruning or spacing in forests, row crops, and orchards. Results will also inform how ecosystem and ecological processes are affected by changes in individual plants. Graduate students and postdoctoral researchers involved in the project will be trained to integrate new theoretical developments with empirical tests to advance a deeper understanding of biological processes.