treeMAAP · Towards comprehensive maps of tree structure and function: linking tree architecture, anatomy and physiology
Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2021-04-14 → 2023-04-13
- EU contribution
- €184,708
- Participants
- 1
- Scheme
- MSCA-IF
Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.
Results in brief
Towards comprehensive maps of tree structure and function: linking tree architecture, anatomy and physiology
There is a vast diversity of tree form and function – some of this diversity, like tree architecture, can be seen with a bare eye but other diversity, like wood anatomical structure, requires microscopes. The different levels of organizations should be coordinated based on the same principle building engineers apply to buildings: specific building materials are required for specific structure, for example, steel reinforced concrete allows to build tall buildings. TreeMAAP – tree Mapping Anatomy and Architecture Project – investigated how wood anatomical properties, whole shoot and whole tree properties are all coordinated (analogous to coordination between building materials and whole building properties). The core objective of treeMAAP was to assess how anatomy, stem and leaf properties, and tree architecture are coordinated or trade off with each other to achieve given functional outcome (focusing on water transport). The study encompassed 18 highly diverse angiosperm tree species growing in the wet tropical forest of French Guiana. Coordination between anatomy, whole-organ and whole-tree properties determines water and carbon fluxes and storage in trees and, ultimately, whole forests. So better understanding of this coordination is crucial for understanding of forest functions and forest response to current and future climate. Forests are fundamental to the survival of human societies, because we rely on forests to regulate climate and greenhouse gasses (e.g., the Amazon), because forests provide cultural value and improve human wellbeing, they host vast diversity of flora and fauna yet to be described and its benefits to humans yet to be explored.
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
There is a striking diversity of tree architectural and anatomical forms worldwide. The functional meaning of several conspicuous architectural and anatomical spectra, and their costs and benefits remain obscure. For example, it is unknown why some tree stems are composed of large portions of living cells while others are mainly built of dead cells. Moreover, we do not understand how architecture and anatomy are coordinated. Better comprehension of these two types of structural variation is critical because they both govern tree resource acquisition, distribution and usage, as well as mechanical stability. These processes, in turn, affect tree competitive ability and reproductive success. Ultimately, tree structural strategies shape forest structure and function, and its response to current and future climate. Our present understanding of tree architecture hinge on theory and models due to a lack of architecture data, but recent advances in terrestrial laser scanning methods allow quick and precise measurements of tree architecture. Seizing this technological opportunity, treeMAAP will quantify architectural, anatomical and physiological traits to assess how they govern three major functions: water transport, mechanical stability and respiration. 15 diverse tropical tree species will be studied. TreeMAAP main objectives are: 1) to determine how anatomy and architecture coordinate to achieve a given functional outcome, and 2) to examine how water transport efficiency, mechanical stability and respiration rates trade-off at the local, organ and whole-tree level. By integrating architecture, anatomy and physiology, treeMAAP will provide entirely new perspective on tree structural diversity and its functional implications. The new knowledge will advance functional wood anatomy, functional ecology, physiology and vegetation modelling and will likely stimulate fresh and innovative research directions.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- INSTITUT DE RECHERCHE POUR LE DEVELOPPEMENT · MarseilleCoordinatorFrance
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union