NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology FY 2012

确定气候变化对高海拔热带湿润地区碳动态的影响最近的科学证据表明，全球气温正在升高。气温升高的影响预计在极地地区更为显著，然而，热带地区也可能特别容易受到变暖的影响，这是由于热带物种对狭窄范围的气候条件的专门化，加上变暖的速度很快。然而，对热带生态系统中变暖的潜在影响的调查非常有限。湿润的普纳地——位于南美洲安第斯山脉高海拔地区的草原——拥有高度地方性的脆弱生态系统；由于火灾、放牧和气候变化，普纳地区也面临着巨大的压力。人类，如当地的克丘亚人，依靠普纳生态系统维持生计。为了更好地了解高海拔热带生态系统对气候变化的潜在响应，将进行热水文操纵实验，以确定气候变化对热带安第斯山脉高海拔潮湿puna生态系统的潜在影响。在奖学金任期内，该奖学金获得者将集中精力发展和加强定量技能、统计分析和模型开发。该研究员将致力于建立实验，并培训和指导秘鲁当地技术人员以及来自美国的本科生和研究生。此外，提议的赞助机构仙童热带植物园（FTBG）代表了一个独特的推广机会，通过将研究转化为可用于K-12学生和公众环境教育的活动和计划。

Determining the effect of climate change on the carbon dynamics of the high elevation tropical humid punaRecent scientific evidence shows that global temperatures are increasing. The effects of increased temperatures are expected to be more dramatic in polar regions, however, the tropics may also be especially susceptible to warming as a result of the specialization of tropical species to a narrow range of climatic conditions coupled with rapid rates of warming. Nevertheless, investigation of the potential effects of warming in tropical ecosystems has been extremely limited. Humid puna lands - grasslands located at high elevations in the Andes Mountains of South America - harbor fragile ecosystems with a high level of endemism; puna areas also are under high pressure as a result of fire, grazing, and climate change. Human populations, such as native Quechua, depend on puna ecosystems for subsistence. To better understand potential responses of high elevation tropical ecosystems to climate change, a thermal and hydrological manipulation experiment will be conducted to determine the potential effects of climate change on the high elevation humid puna ecosystem of the tropical Andes. During the tenure of the fellowship, the Fellow will focus effort on the development and strengthening of quantitative skills, statistical analysis and model development. The Fellow will work on establishing experiments, and training and mentoring local Peruvian technicians and undergraduate and graduate students from the USA. Additionally, the proposed sponsoring institution, The Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden (FTBG), represents a unique outreach opportunity by translating research into activities and programs that can be used for environmental education of K-12 students and the general public.