Collaborative Research: Consistencies and contingencies of functional responses to environmental changes in tropical forests

热带森林是数百种树种的港湾，在碳固存和储存方面发挥着关键作用。然而，这些系统对环境条件的变化也非常敏感。表征树种对环境变量的反应的多样性将有助于理解森林可能如何对未来的条件做出反应。树木的反应主要是由它们的生理特性决定的，而生理特性又取决于一系列共同实现特定功能的特征。这个项目考察了树木多种性状的综合效应，以了解各种环境条件下全株水平的功能。有了这些知识，就有可能建立现实的模型来评估森林组成和结构因环境变化而可能发生的变化。通过收集关于植物功能的详细野外数据，结合先进的建模方法，这项研究提供了对物种对环境条件变化的反应的机械性理解。该项目还支持对研究生和博士后进行尖端建模和实地技术方面的跨学科研究培训，并通过出版实地指南促进与公众的接触。该项目对新热带森林中数百种树种的树木功能进行了综合和定量的描述。叶、茎和根的功能特征数据与分布在广泛环境梯度上的物种的树木生长信息相结合，以解决一系列假说，这些假说侧重于将树木表现与物种对当前和未来环境变异性的反应联系起来。该项目的结果将：(1)有助于对特征如何调节物种对环境的反应的普遍机械理解；(2)为高度濒危但在很大程度上未知且有价值的热带生态系统提供信息；以及(3)预测未来气候情景下的物种分布。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Tropical forests harbor hundreds of tree species and play a critical role in carbon sequestration and storage. Yet, these systems are also highly sensitive to changes in environmental conditions. Characterizing the diversity of tree species responses to environmental variables will help understand how forests are likely to respond to future conditions. Tree responses are mainly determined by their physiology, which in turn depends on a combination of traits that work together to achieve particular functions. This project examines the integrated effect of multiple traits in trees to understand whole-plant level functionality under a variety of environmental conditions. With this knowledge, it is possible to build realistic models to assess potential changes in forest composition and structure in response to environmental changes. Through the collection of detailed field data on plant functioning, combined with advanced modeling approaches, this study provides a mechanistic understanding of species responses to changing environmental conditions. The project also supports interdisciplinary research training for graduate students and post-docs in cutting edge modeling and field-based techniques, as well as promoting engagement with the public through the publication of field guides. This project uses an integrated and quantitative characterization of tree functionality over hundreds of tree species in neotropical forests. Functional trait data on leaves, stems, and roots are coupled with tree growth information for species distributed across broad environmental gradients to address a series of hypotheses focused on linking tree performance to species responses to current and future environmental variability. The results from this project will: (1) contribute to a generalized mechanistic understanding of how traits modulate species responses to environment; (2) provide information for a highly endangered, but largely unknown and valuable ecosystem in the tropics; and (3) provide predictions of species distributions under future climatic scenarios.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.