Understanding and mapping the boreal rain forest: effects of biotic and abiotic factors on arboreal lichen distribution across multiple landscape extents

景观生态学可以被描述为研究“从飞机窗口看到的东西”——即土地形态、土地覆盖和土地利用。景观生态学家研究空间生态模式和过程是如何联系在一起的。通常，景观生态学家使用来自相当大区域的数据来开发模型，以预测和了解物种分布和栖息地需求。拟议中的研究使用了来自科学“大图景”分支（景观生态学）的工具和技术，并将其应用于一个小而神秘的生物群体：地衣。地衣是空气质量和森林健康的重要指标。然而，由于它们很小，很难找到，科学家们对它们在大范围内的分布几乎没有数据。人们也很少了解是什么环境因素影响了它们为什么位于某些树木和某些林分上，而在其他林分上却没有。我将从大的空间尺度（纽芬兰岛）到小的“景观”尺度（单个树木）来研究地衣的分布。这项研究将对纽芬兰岛（因其丰富的地衣多样性而被称为“北方雨林”）的地衣多样性进行实地调查。与我的HQP一起，我们将在三个不同的空间尺度上清点地衣多样性。“超大规模”项目将观察地衣在岛上的分布，以了解它们对温度和地形的敏感程度。在这里，我们将使用卫星和GIS数据，通过将地衣测绘数据与地衣调查数据进行比较，来研究影响地衣分布的因素。“中尺度”将研究地衣多样性在不同类型的森林斑块之间的差异，以了解地衣如何更喜欢某些类型的树木而不是其他树木。“微型尺度”将观察每棵树上的地衣模式，看看它们是否对高度、树干直径或树皮类型的变化敏感。在这里，我们将使用树干照片（类似于小得多的卫星图像或航空照片）来观察地衣分布的微观模式，并将这些模式与树木高度、湿度和温度的细微差异联系起来。我们还将设置仪器来收集有关温度和湿度的精细信息，以了解它们如何影响地衣的发生。在所有尺度上，我们将开发模型，帮助我们更好地了解哪些森林和小气候类型对地衣很重要，并帮助我们预测在我们无法采样的地区，重要的地衣栖息地在哪里。我们可以利用研究结果来监测地衣的丰度，从而获得空气质量变化的早期迹象。地衣多样性的变化还可以表明森林健康因气候变化或资源开发等其他人类干扰而发生的变化。

Landscape ecology can be described as studying “what you see from an airplane window” – namely land forms, land cover, and land use. Landscape ecologists examine how spatial ecological patterns and processes are linked. Very often, landscape ecologists use data from across a fairly large region to develop models to predict and understand species distributions and habitat requirements. The proposed research uses tools and techniques from this “big picture” branch of science (landscape ecology) and applies it to a small and cryptic group of organisms: lichens. Lichens are important indicators of air quality and forest health. However, because they are small and difficult to find, scientists have very little data on their distribution across large areas. There is also very little understanding about what environmental factors affect why they are located on certain trees and in certain forest stands, but not in others. I will look at lichen distribution from big spatial scales (the island of Newfoundland) to smaller “landscapes” scales (individual trees). This research will carry out field work to sample lichen diversity on across the island of Newfoundland (which has been dubbed “the boreal rainforest” because of its high lichen diversity). Together with my HQP, we will inventory lichen diversity at three different spatial scales. The “mega-scale” will look at lichen distribution across the island to see how they are sensitive to temperature and terrain. Here we will use satellite and GIS data to look at factors influencing where lichens are found in general by comparing the mapped data to lichen survey data. The “meso-scale” will look at how lichen diversity is different between different kinds of forest patches to see how lichens might prefer certain types of trees over others. The “micro-scale will look at lichen patterns on individual trees to see if they are sensitive to changes in height, trunk diameter, or bark type. Here we will use photographs of tree trunks (akin to satellite images or air photos at a much smaller scale) to look at micro-scale patterns in lichen distribution and relate these to fine-scale differences in tree height, humidity and temperature. We will also set up instruments to collect fine-scale information about temperature and humidity to see how these affect lichen occurrence. Across all scales we will develop models that will help us to better understand what forest and micro-climate types are important for lichens, and will help us to predict where important lichen habitats occur in areas where we cannot sample. We can use the research results to monitor lichen abundance and thus get early indications of changes in air quality. Changes in lichen diversity can also indicate changes in forest health in response to climate change or other human disturbances, such as resource development.