RoL:FELS:RAISE: Design principles of evolved transportation networks in leaf veins

RoL:FELS:RAISE：叶脉进化运输网络的设计原理

• 批准号: 1840209
• 负责人: Benjamin Blonder
• 金额: $ 99.78万
• 依托单位: Arizona State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2019
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2019-01-01 至 2020-04-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1840209&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: RoL; FELS; RAISE; Design; principles

Many biological systems contain spatial networks that transport resources. Examples include the branches of trees and the circulatory systems of animals. These networks vary widely in their form. Some only branch, while others form loops. Some have multiple levels of hierarchy, while others do not. This variation may reflect evolved solutions for solving diverse environmental and structural challenges. This project will study key network functions in plants, including transport efficiency, resistance to damage, and mechanical strength. There is little theory linking network form to these functions, or for predicting tradeoffs among these functions. Moreover, very few networks have been fully characterized for structure or function due to the difficulty of collecting the data and describing network architecture. Better understanding the rules underlying network architecture will provide insights into the evolution of diverse organismal forms. The principles identified in this research could one day guide the engineering of artificial networks such as solar cells or synthetic organs that could benefit society. The project will also support career development undergraduate researchers via a comprehensive mentoring program aimed at inclusion of underrepresented minority students.This project will use leaf venation networks are a model empirical system. Leaves are central to plant performance via their roles in carbon gain and water loss, processes mediated by resource transport through their venation networks. These networks have high diversity of form and function and are tractable to phenotyping and functional characterization. This project will 1) quantify network architecture in a phylogenetically broad set of 500 species from temperate forests, desert, and lowland/montane tropical forests, 2) determine how network architecture and functions/costs are linked, 3) develop and test theories for these functions/costs of networks based on multi-scale network statistics, and 4) identify macro-evolutionary drivers of network architecture. Network functionality will be measured in the field with ecophysiology methods. Machine learning methods will be used to extract network architecture from images. The project also will support interdisciplinary training for one postdoctoral researcher and two graduate students, who will gain international fieldwork and collaboration experience.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.

许多生物系统都包含传输资源的空间网络。例子包括树木的分支和动物的循环系统。这些网络的形式差异很大。有些只有分支，而另一些则形成循环。有些具有多个层次结构，而另一些则没有。这种差异可能反映了解决各种环境和结构挑战的进化解决方案。该项目将研究植物中的关键网络功能，包括运输效率，抗损害和机械强度。几乎没有理论将网络形式与这些功能联系起来，或者用于预测这些功能之间的权衡。此外，由于很难收集数据和描述网络体系结构，因此很少有网络对结构或功能进行了充分的表征。 更好地理解网络架构的基础规则将为各种生物形式的演变提供见解。这项研究中确定的原则可能有一天可以指导人工网络的工程，例如太阳能电池或可以使社会受益的合成器官。该项目还将通过旨在包括代表性不足的少数民族学生的全面指导计划来支持职业发展本科研究人员。本项目将使用叶子域网络是一个模型的经验系统。叶子是植物性能通过其在碳收益和水分流失中的作用，通过其通过其Venation网络传输介导的过程。这些网络具有形式和功能的高度多样性，并且可以涉及表型和功能表征。该项目将1）量化从温带森林，沙漠和低地/山地热带森林的系统发育范围内的500种，2）确定网络体系结构和功能/成本如何联系，3）开发和测试基于多刻度网络统计的网络的这些功能/成本的理论，以及4）确定网络麦克罗 - 宏观的架构架构的网络，从而确定网络体系结构和功能/成本。网络功能将通过生态生理方法在现场测量。机器学习方法将用于从图像中提取网络体系结构。该项目还将为一名博士后研究员和两名研究生提供跨学科培训，他们将获得国际现场工作和协作经验。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并被认为是值得通过基金会的知识分子评估来支持的，并具有更广泛的影响。