Functional traits as a template to develop a restoration silvics of neotropical trees

为了应对开垦热带地区被遗弃和退化土地的挑战，正在出现一种利用本土树木重新造林的新兴科学。然而，对大多数热带树木的生物学仍然知之甚少，这限制了它们在重新造林和植树造林项目中的应用。为了解决这一知识赤字，我将开发本地和外来树种，正在种植的PRORENA项目，巴拿马共和国的系统造林分析。物种的森林将被描述相对于（a）他们的生存，生长和形态在一系列的环境条件下，（B）他们对当地生态系统过程的影响。根据这些参数，具有独特的生长，生存和生态特征的物种分组将被开发，为长期种植园试验提供基础。这些试验将包括物种混合物和单一栽培物，这些物种混合物和单一栽培物是根据其潜力选择的，以实现区域特定的恢复目标。这些目标包括：（1）实现对入侵草Sacharum spontaneum的控制，（2）恢复严重侵蚀土地的肥力和土壤结构，以及（3）调节巴拿马运河流域的水文状况和径流。

A nascent science of reforestation with native trees is emerging in response to the challenge of reclaiming abandoned and degraded lands in the tropics. The biology of most tropical trees remains poorly known, however, which constrains their deployment in reforestation and afforestation projects. To address this knowledge deficit, I will develop systematic silvicultural analyses for native and exotic tree species that are being grown in the PRORENA project, Republic of Panama. Species' silvics will be be described relative to (a) their survival, growth and morphology under a range of environmental conditions, and (b) their effects on local ecosystem processes. Based on these parameters, groupings of species with distinctive growth, survival, and ecological characteristics will be developed to provide the basis for long term plantation trials. These trials will consist of species mixtures and monocultures that have been selected for their potential to fulfill regionally specific restoration goals. These goals include (1) achieving control of the invasive grass Sacharum spontaneum, (2) restoring fertility and soil structure to severely eroded land, and (3) modulation of hydrological regimes and runoff in the Panama Canal Watershed.