Study sheds new light on how plants function

A team of researchers from the University of Montreal has achieved a significant breakthrough in plant ecology by developing innovative statistical models that have shed new light on how plants function, according to a news release. 

"To understand how plants respond to and influence their environments, ecologists often use a series of standardized measurements called functional traits," the news release said. "For example, a plant’s capacity to do photosynthesis is influenced by traits like leaf nitrogen concentration."

However, measuring those plant traits can take a long time, limiting the amount of information ecologists can gain, the university said.

Now researchers have developed statistical models that can rapidly estimate the traits in a broad range of landscapes, the news release said.

"Reflectance spectra – measurements of light’s reflectance across hundreds of wavelengths, well beyond what the human eye can see – can be used to estimate traits quickly and non-destructively, either leaf by leaf or remotely over entire landscapes using sophisticated cameras mounted on aircraft or satellites," the news release said. 

New satellite missions such as EnMAP and PRISMA, are helping with the research, the university said.

"We’re now able to measure the spectral reflectance of vegetation for vast areas of the globe from space,” said senior author Etienne Laliberté, a University of Montreal professor.  “Our study shows how it’ll be possible to translate these spectral data into ecologically relevant information about how plants function.”

The researchers emphasized the time-saving benefits and potential of reflectance spectroscopy in facilitating a deeper understanding of plant-environment interactions.

"We hope reflectance spectroscopy can alleviate this burden and allow ecologists to understand the interactions between plants and their environment in greater depth,"  said Dr. Shan Kothari, a postdoctoral researcher involved in the study.

Laliberté further highlighted the relevance of their research in the context of biodiversity loss.

The study was funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada through a Discovery Frontiers grant, the Canada Graduate Scholarships program, the Canada Foundation for Innovation, and the Fonds de recherche du Québec – Nature et Technologies. The research team's achievements pave the way for further advancements in ecological research and the conservation of plant diversity, according to the news release.