I-Corps: Monitoring trees for water stress via a smart sensing system

I-Corps项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力是开发一种传感系统，该系统可以在大小尺度上提供对树木健康和森林功能的宝贵和持续的见解。这种设备的市场将从个人到工业规模的农民，他们希望直接定制自动灌溉系统，以满足树木(例如，所有品种的坚果、鳄梨、咖啡、水果等)的需求。经历压力或需要特定的水分条件来刺激开花或结果。其他用户可能包括寻求管理森林地区以评估野火点燃和蔓延潜力的政府和非政府组织，以及为寻求了解森林对气候和干扰的反应的研究人员提供科学仪器的公司。I-Corps项目的基础是开发一种智能传感系统，用于检测树木中的水分胁迫，以响应当地的小气候。树木遭受不同强度和时间尺度的水分胁迫，这往往与土壤水分状况脱钩。拟议的智能传感系统将标准的气象观测与树内水流和含量的新测量相结合。该系统以树木水分传感器为特色，能够持续监测树木木质部组织不同层内的水分。先前的野外研究表明，对于某些物种来说，在干旱时期，不再活跃地运输水分的木质部组织可能仍然是一个储水池。对树木水分储存的观察显示，它们有能力实时定位活植物内水分胁迫的开始。此外，该传感系统收集的数据可以与遥感观测相结合，将预测从单一的树木或果园扩展到整个地区，以开发对野火点火潜力的预测。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the development of a sensing system that may provide invaluable and continuous insights into tree health and forest function at both large and small scales. The market for this device will range from individual to industrial scale farmers wishing to tailor automated irrigation systems directly to address when trees (e.g., all varieties of tree nuts, avocado, coffee, fruits, etc.) experience stress or require specific moisture conditions to stimulate flowering or fruiting. Other users may include governments and non-government organizations (NGOs) seeking to manage forested regions to assess the potential for wildfire ignition and spread, as well as scientific instrumentation companies who supply researchers seeking to understand forest responses to climate and disturbances. This I-Corps project is based on the development of a smart-sensing system for the detection of water stress in trees in response to local microclimates. Trees experience water stress at different intensities and time scales that may often be decoupled from soil moisture status. The proposed smart sensing system combines standard meteorological observations with novel measurements of within-tree water flow and content. This system features a tree-water content sensor capable of continuously monitoring water within different layers of a tree’s xylem tissues. Prior field research has shown that xylem tissues that are no longer actively transporting water may still serve as a water reservoir during times of drought for some species. Observations of tree water storage have shown promise in their ability to pinpoint the onset of water stress within a living plant in real time. In addition, data collected by this sensing system may be combined with remote sensing observations to extend predictions from single trees or orchards to entire regions to develop predictions for wildfire ignition potential.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.