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

热带森林拥有数百种树种，在碳封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。描述树种对环境变量反应的多样性将有助于了解森林如何可能对未来的条件作出反应。树木的反应主要取决于它们的生理机能，而生理机能又依赖于共同作用以实现特定功能的性状组合。该项目考察了树木中多种性状的综合效应，以了解在各种环境条件下整个植物水平的功能。有了这些知识，就有可能建立切合实际的模型，以评估森林组成和结构因环境变化而可能发生的变化。通过收集植物功能的详细野外数据，结合先进的建模方法，本研究提供了物种对变化的环境条件反应的机制理解。该项目还支持研究生和博士后在前沿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公众参与。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定量表征。我们将叶、茎和根的功能性状数据与分布在广泛环境梯度上的物种的生长信息相结合，以解决一系列关于将树木性能与物种对当前和未来环境变化的反应联系起来的假设。该项目的研究结果将：(1)有助于对性状如何调节物种对环境的反应有一个广义的机制理解；(2)为热带地区一种高度濒危、但在很大程度上未知且有价值的生态系统提供信息；(3)对未来气候情景下的物种分布进行预测。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识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.