MSA: Resolving structural diversity controls on ecosystem function along a volume gradient across NEON domains

University Of Texas At El Paso, El Paso TX

Investigators

Abstract

Biological diversity is commonly thought of and measured in terms of the number of different types of organisms that are present. Using this perspective, studies have established that biological diversity is an important factor determining ecosystem characteristics such as stability and function, and the many ways that different ecosystems sustain all life on Earth, including humans. This study will examine biological diversity from a very different perspective - by spatial structure. The project will examine the three-dimensional patterns by which different types of plants are arranged and layered in relationship to one another within and between different ecosystems such as grasslands, shrublands, and forests. This structural diversity impacts how plants obtain resources which, in turn, controls the health and functioning of ecosystems. Structural diversity may be limited by the maximum volume of vegetation, so forests may have higher structural diversity and functioning than shrublands and grasslands. Research will use remote sensing data from the National Ecological Observatory Network's (NEON's) Airborne Observatory Platform to test how structural diversity varies within and between these ecosystem types. This will be complimented by new, finer-scale data collected using lower-flying drones. The analyses will be used to develop a new theoretical basis for using remote sensing to measure structural diversity across ecosystems. The understanding generated by this project could lead to a new method for monitoring and managing ecosystems at local to regional scales. The project will also work toward increasing the retention of underrepresented groups in STEM by bridging a gap in data science education for ecologists. New macrosystems biology-focused curriculum and research experiences will train students at the USA’s largest Hispanic American-Serving Institution. The goal of this project is to uncover the degree to which structural diversity influences ecosystem function and biodiversity similarly along a plant volume gradient at macrosystem scales, and whether there are unique structural attributes of ecosystem types that govern the mechanisms linking structural diversity and function. Specific objectives are to: (1) test if the same relationships occur between structural diversity with function and biodiversity along a plant volume gradient across spatial scales, and (2) test the relative importance of environmental factors mediating the spatial patterns of structural diversity-function and -biodiversity relationships. The project will harness the power created by NEON data and integrate it with a new LiDAR drone data product across a sub-continental scale. This combined approach is especially needed for measuring structural diversity in grasslands and shrublands. The project will also train diverse undergraduate and graduate students and will support the development of two early-career scientists. 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.