NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology FY 2017: Testing the role of isoprene in tropical forest responses to climate change: a study linking biological collections to field data

Taylor Tyeen C, Tucson AZ

Investigators

Abstract

This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology for FY 2017, Research Using Biological Collections. The fellowship supports research and training of the fellow that will utilize biological collections in innovative ways. Trees of the world's forests not only respond to the climate in which they grow, but also regulate climate through the exchange of energy, water, carbon dioxide, and reactive trace-gases. The extreme diversity and remoteness of tropical forests make research on their vulnerability to climate change particularly challenging because the work often requires sophisticated instrumentation that is not well suited to fieldwork. This award will support studies using custom-designed instrumentation to measure trace gases on botanical garden specimens to understand leaf physiology and the production of isoprene gas. Isoprene helps leaves tolerate heat and drought, both of which are expected to increase in tropical forests with climate change. Field datasets showing tree responses to recent climate warming (elevation range shifts), and droughts will also be analyzed. As part of the effort, groups of 10th grade students will be mentored in biological research methods to promote broadening participation. The research aims of the planned study will address whether isoprene production impacts organismal resilience to climate change. The use of a custom gas analyzer in garden setting makes creative use of the collected specimens to inform field biology. Analyzing the taxonomic distribution of isoprene production in tropical species is expected to enhance our understanding of forest dynamics and resiliency. Using the integrated measures of isoprene production capacity, climate data, and species range distributions, the Fellow will build a predictive framework to model the impact of climate changes on tropical forests. Results from these studies will be published in peer-reviewed journals and shared at scientific meetings.