Project description
Role of silicon in plant resource allocation
The 'fast-slow' plant economics spectrum theory describes a universal spectrum of plant economics comprising key plant properties. Although major nutrients have been included in the spectrum, silicon (Si) concentration in plant tissues has long been ignored. The EU-funded SiliConomic project will apply functional trait-based approaches to increase understanding of the role of Si in terrestrial ecosystems and determine its position in the plant economics spectrum. The research fellow will measure key characteristics of plant eco-physiological/defence strategies in Mediterranean shrubland/rangeland ecosystems along a natural soil fertility gradient spanning two million years of ecosystem development, and a long-term fertilisation/grazing experiment. A plant growth experiment under controlled conditions will also be conducted to develop a mechanistic understanding of underlying processes.
Objective
Over the past three decades, plant ecologists have become increasingly interested in studying functional traits to better understand how terrestrial plants allocate their resources. This led to a prominent ecological theory: the ‘fast-slow’ plant economics spectrum, which describes a universal spectrum of plant economics comprising key plant properties. The spectrum runs from fast-growing species with traits associated to rapid resource acquisition to slow-growing species having traits involved in conservation of resources and investing more resources in anti-herbivore defenses. Although major nutrients have been included in the spectrum, the concentration of silicon (Si) in plant tissues has long been ignored, a significant omission given that vascular plants contain Si in widely variable concentrations, in some cases far exceeding those of macronutrients. Most previous ecological studies have considered Si as an anti-herbivore defense and structural component, which can substitute for carbon-based defense compounds, rather than integral to other aspects of plant eco-physiological strategies. The aim of SiliConomic is to leverage functional trait-based approaches to build an eco-physiological understanding of the role of Si in terrestrial ecosystems and determine its position in the plant economics spectrum. To do so, key characteristics of plant eco-physiological/defense strategies will be measured in Mediterranean shrubland/rangeland ecosystems along a unique long-term natural soil fertility gradient spanning two million years of ecosystem development, and a long-term fertilization/grazing experiment. A plant growth experiment under controlled conditions will be conducted to develop a mechanistic understanding of underlying processes. The project represents the first attempt to integrate Si in the plant economics spectrum, is based on exceptional environmental gradients and collaboration with world-leading researchers, and is of global interest in plant ecology.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2020
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
75794 Paris
France
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.