BRC-BIO: Investigating ecophysiological strategies and drought tolerance of temperate lianas

BRC-BIO：研究温带藤本植物的生态生理策略和耐旱性

• 批准号: 2233415
• 负责人: Dianne Pater
• 金额: $ 46.47万
• 依托单位: Vassar College
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2023-06-01 至 2026-05-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2233415&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: BRC; BIO; Investigating; ecophysiological; strategies

The concept of global change encompasses not only the direct alteration of the Earth’s climate and atmosphere, but also other human-driven mechanisms which alter the biosphere. Land transformation, overexploitation of natural populations, and exotic species invasions are driving global changes that impact biodiversity and quality of life. Woody vines, known as lianas, are structural parasites that use the structure of nearby trees to gain access to the sunlit canopy and can cause damage or death to the underlying trees. Understanding how these plants access resources such as light and water can inform strategies to control their spread. This project will compare physiological processes, such as photosynthesis and hydraulics, of invasive and native woody vines to characterize traits that contribute to their successful establishment in forested areas. This research will enhance the research skills of undergraduate students via its integration into a plant physiology class and independent research projects at Vassar College, a primarily undergraduate institution. Students involved in the project will do scientific communication outreach to local schools, allowing the students to improve communication skills and improving access to science and its applications at the K-12 level. Research sites will include identified urban forests of Poughkeepsie, NY to inform restoration and conservation plans in large city and town parks. This project will include presentations to local community groups, as well as city parks and planning departments, to encourage community involvement with invasive species control.Global ecosystems are under pressure from many factors including climate change, habitat loss and fragmentation, and biological invasion. As non-native plant species compete with native species for resources, understanding their physiology can improve predictions of competition and environmental responses to inform conservation decisions. Introduced temperate lianas, such as Ampelopsis brevipedunculata (porcelain berry) and Celastrus orbiculatus (Asiatic bittersweet), have been identified as invasive species of concern in the eastern United States. Since they require proximity to trees in order to access the canopy, lianas often germinate in the lower light intensities of the forest understory and must respond quickly to available light to maximize growth. Understory light occurs in patches of intermittent duration and varied size, so maintaining photosynthetic assimilation rates and water use efficiency during these sunflecks is essential for success. The objectives of this proposal are three-fold: 1) to compare photosynthetic and morphological characteristics of competing native and non-native lianas under varied light conditions, 2) quantify the growth traits, biomass allocation, anatomy, and hydraulics of the study species, and 3) investigate light acquisition and hydraulic strategies of these plants under water deficit to simulate climate change scenarios. Complementary measurements of photosynthetic assimilation, alongside rapid chlorophyll fluorescence and stomatal conductance measurements, will allow the researchers to characterize several traits, including maximum rates of electron transport and carbon assimilation, conductance of CO2 through the stomata and into the leaf, and non-photochemical quenching. Studies of the plants’ anatomy and hydraulics will improve understanding of the different species’ responses to variable environmental conditions.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.

全球变化的概念不仅包括地球气候和大气的直接改变，还包括改变生物圈的其他人类驱动机制。土地改造、自然种群的过度开发和外来物种入侵正在推动影响生物多样性和生态系统的全球变化。木质藤本植物，即藤本植物，是一种结构性寄生虫，它们利用附近树木的结构来获取阳光照射的树冠，并可能对下面的树木造成损害或死亡。该项目将比较入侵木本藤本植物和本地木本藤本植物的光合作用和水力学等生理过程，以表征有助于其在森林地区成功定居的特征。通过将其纳入瓦萨学院（主要是本科院校）的植物生理学课程和独立研究项目，参与该项目的学生将与当地学校进行科学交流外展，使学生能够提高沟通技巧并增加接触科学及其知识的机会。应用程序在K-12 级别的研究地点将包括纽约州波基普西市已确定的城市森林，为大型城市和城镇公园的恢复和保护计划提供信息。该项目将包括向当地社区团体以及城市公园和规划部门进行演示，以鼓励。社区参与入侵物种控制。全球生态系统面临着许多因素的压力，包括气候变化、栖息地丧失和破碎以及生物入侵。由于非本地植物物种与本地物种争夺资源，了解它们的生理机能可以改善对竞争和入侵的预测。环境应对措施以提供信息引入的温带藤本植物，如短柄葡萄藤（瓷浆果）和南蛇藤（亚洲苦乐参半），已被确定为美国东部值得关注的入侵物种，因为它们需要靠近树木才能进入树冠。藤本植物通常在森林林下光照强度较低的情况下发芽，并且必须对可用光做出快速反应，以最大限度地促进林下光照的生长。间歇性的持续时间和不同的大小，因此在这些阳光斑期间保持光合同化率和水分利用效率对于成功至关重要。该提案的目标有三个：1）比较竞争的本地和非本地藤本植物的光合和形态特征。不同的光照条件，2) 量化研究物种的生长性状、生物量分配、解剖学和水力学，3) 研究这些植物在缺水条件下的光获取和水力策略，以模拟气候变化光合同化的补充测量，以及快速叶绿素荧光和气孔电导测量，将使研究人员能够表征几个特征，包括电子传输和碳同化的最大速率、通过气孔进入叶子的二氧化碳电导以及非-电导。光化学猝灭。对植物解剖学和水力学的研究将增进对不同物种对可变环境条件的反应的理解。该奖项反映了 NSF 的法定使命，并被认为是值得的。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来提供支持。