NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology FY 2019: Plant conservation physiology

This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology for FY 2019, Research Using Biological Collections. The fellowship supports research and training of the fellow that will utilize biological collections in innovative ways. This research will focus on cycads, an unusual group of seed plants that originated around 270 million years ago. Today, cycads are among the most threatened plants on Earth, with approximately 65% of species at risk of extinction. Cycads have many distinctive biological features that can offer significant insights into the evolution of plant function. However, almost nothing is known about their ecology and physiology, making this project critical to understanding the evolution of seed plant function, a story that is as critically endangered as the species themselves. Indeed, lawmakers and conservationists are desperate for tools to save these enigmatic plants from extinction. Thus, this project will provide new insights into one of the earliest examples of land plant seed biology by addressing major gaps in basic aspects of cycad biology, while simultaneously producing transformative data and tools, including those critical to address the urgent threats to cycad survival in South Africa.<br/><br/>This project will address the two greatest human-imposed threats to South African cycad survival, 1) illegal poaching, which is the most significant immediate threat to survival, and 2) a changing climate, which is the greatest threat to long-term survival. The project addresses these threats by using recently developed protocols in forensic isotope ecology, evolutionary physiology, and species distribution modelling. The largest herbarium collection of cycads in Africa at the National Herbarium in South Africa, and one of the most extensive living research collections of cycads in the world, maintained at the Montgomery Botanical Center in Miami, FL will be leveraged for extensive data collections. As part of this this research, the fellow will develop key professional proficiencies including 1) mentorship skills by leading an inclusive group of undergraduates in research, and 2) teaching skills by working with the Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching, and Learning (University of Wisconsin-Madison) to develop, implement, and publish effective learning strategies.<br/><br/>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.