This project seeks to adopt an eco-hydrologic approach that gives recognition to three related but distinct elements that shape the dynamic interactions between vegetation form and functioning with the coupled water, energy and carbon cycles. These elements are that vegetation functions in an optimum way under given environmental conditions (optimality), the vegetation modifies its strategy under stress for maximizing carbon dioxide (CO2)-assimilation (acclimatization), and that such changes lead to nonlinear feedbacks between water, vegetation and energy exchanges that may lead to specific regimes or patterns being expressed (complexity).
The main objectives of this research are: 1) Define and test the hypotheses on optimality, acclimatization, and complexity for a variety of ecosystems. 2) Develop a dynamic predictive model that is based on the principles of optimality, acclimatization, and complexity for characterizing the water, energy, and vegetation characteristics from the canopy to the ecosystem scale. 3) Explore the relationship between water, energy, and carbon cycles at various spatial and temporal scales under the scenarios of human and climate induced disturbance. The ultimate product of the project will be a new land surface model system that can incorporate dynamic and evolving vegetation patterns and behavior, which can then be incorporated in a new generation of global or regional climate models. Broader impact includes student and post-doc training, summer school involvement of undergraduate minority students in research training.
