Plant-mycorrhizal fungal interaction networks: understanding their role in the resilience and adaptation of forests to climate change

加强多产和抗干扰的森林的再生，将是加拿大努力减缓和适应气候变化的一项重要战略。 复原力强的森林的特点是地上和地下物种多样性、健康的生物和非生物相互作用以及连通性，从而使它们能够抵御损害并从干扰中迅速恢复。然而，生态学理论认为，地上竞争是推动资源吸收、物种共存、生产力和其他森林生态过程的主要机制，这阻碍了开发新的应用程序，以提高再生森林的复原力和适应能力。缺乏的是如何促进互利主义者，特别是菌根真菌和地下网络，他们之间形成的树木，影响树木的行为和森林生态系统的后果的理解。这项研究的基本前提是，森林的复原力和适应能力植根于物种之间地上和地下积极和消极相互作用的平衡。在这一框架内，我将侧重于森林生态系统中这些相互作用的㈠成果、㈡机制和㈢驱动因素。 在未来五年，我将实现四个短期目标： 1.测试森林对气候变化的反应是否依赖于由菌根网络、根和根冠关系介导的树木之间的竞争性和促进性相互作用; 2.确定气候、树木相关性和树木压力是否影响菌根网络对树木行为和森林结构的影响; 3.调查地上和地下遗产如何影响森林对气候压力和干扰的多种相互作用和复原力; 4.将对森林结构和功能的芽、根和真菌相互作用的理解与森林生态系统表现为复杂适应系统的理论相结合。 为了实现这些目标，我将在科学和专业技能方面培训和指导HQP的MSc，PhD和PDF级别，建立在我良好的记录基础上。 该研究将包括在田间和温室中的实验操作;跨环境梯度的自然实验;植物和真菌生态生理学;分子工具;统计和结构方程建模;以及概念和理论的发展。 这一提议检验了基本的生态理论，但它对加拿大和世界范围内的森林管理具有广泛的实际意义。 这是证明了我正在进行的研究物种的相互作用，在今天的森林采伐和再造林的做法和政策在加拿大西部，以及在公共和私营森林部门的许多演讲邀请的广泛应用。该总干事将不直接涵盖应用程序，但将在未来五年内通过持续合作解决这些问题。

Enhancing regeneration of forests that are productive and resilient to perturbations will be a crucial strategy in Canada's efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change. Resilient forests are characterized by above and belowground species diversity, healthy biotic and abiotic interactions, and connectivity, thus enabling them to resist damage and recover quickly from disturbance. However, ecological theory that aboveground competition is the dominant mechanism driving resource uptake, species coexistence, productivity and other forest ecological processes, is hindering the development of novel applications for increasing the resilience and adaptive capacity of regenerating forests. Lacking is an understanding of how facilitation by mutualists, in particular mycorrhizal fungi and the belowground networks they form among trees, influences tree behaviour and consequences for forest ecosystems. The underlying premise of this research is that resilience and adaptive capacity of forests is rooted in the balance of positive and negative above- and belowground interactions among species. Within this framework, I will focus on (i) outcomes, (ii) mechanisms and (iii) drivers of these interactions in forest ecosystems. Over the next five years, I will meet four short-term objectives: 1. Test whether forest responses to climate change are dependent upon competitive and facilitative interactions among trees mediated by mycorrhizal networks, roots, and root-shoot relations; 2. Determine whether climate, tree relatedness and tree stress influence mycorrhizal network effects on tree behavior and forest structure; 3. Investigate how above and belowground legacies affect the plurality of interactions and resilience of forests to climate stress and disturbance; 4. Integrate understanding of shoot, root and fungal interaction effects on forest structure and function with theory that forest ecosystems behave as complex adaptive systems. To meet these objectives, I will train and mentor HQP at the MSc, PhD and PDF levels in science and professional skills, building on my strong track record. The research will include experimental manipulations in the field and greenhouse; natural experiments across environmental gradients; plant and fungal ecophysiology; molecular tools; statistical and structural equation modeling; and development of concepts and theory. This proposal tests basic ecological theory, but it has broad practical implications for management of forests in Canada and world-wide. This is evidenced by wide applications of my ongoing research on species interactions in today's forest harvesting and reforestation practices and policies in western Canada, as well as numerous speaking invitations in the public and private forest sectors. This DG will not cover applications directly, but these will be addressed through ongoing collaborations over the next five years.