
NSF Org: |
DEB Division Of Environmental Biology |
Recipient: |
|
Initial Amendment Date: | January 25, 2021 |
Latest Amendment Date: | January 12, 2022 |
Award Number: | 2045035 |
Award Instrument: | Continuing Grant |
Program Manager: |
Maureen Kearney
DEB Division Of Environmental Biology BIO Directorate for Biological Sciences |
Start Date: | February 15, 2021 |
End Date: | May 31, 2022 (Estimated) |
Total Intended Award Amount: | $1,465,369.00 |
Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $719,242.00 |
Funds Obligated to Date: |
FY 2022 = $0.00 |
History of Investigator: |
|
Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
801 UNIVERSITY BLVD TUSCALOOSA AL US 35401 (205)348-5152 |
Sponsor Congressional District: |
|
Primary Place of Performance: |
801 University Blvd. Tuscaloosa AL US 35478-0104 |
Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
|
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
|
Parent UEI: |
|
NSF Program(s): | Systematics & Biodiversity Sci |
Primary Program Source: |
01002223DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT 01002324DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT 01002425DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT 01002526DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT |
Program Reference Code(s): |
|
Program Element Code(s): |
|
Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.074 |
ABSTRACT
Many terrestrial tardigrade (aka waterbear or moss piglet) species live in the thin, temporary films of water surrounding moss plants with which they share the remarkable ability to survive near complete desiccation. Furthermore, in their desiccated states, tardigrades can withstand the temperature extremes and ionizing radiation typically found in Space. This project investigates how both tardigrades and the mosses they inhabit are able to tolerate periodic desiccation and aims to understand how traits important in desiccation tolerance have evolved in both groups. This CAREER project offers exceptional opportunities for student engagement in research and aims to train diverse, budding scientists in integrative and collaborative biodiversity research to increase retention of students from groups typically underrepresented in STEM disciplines. The project also aims to increase K-12 and community participation in science. Understanding the diversity of mechanisms that organisms such as tardigrades and mosses have evolved to deal with drying, from the molecular level through to ecological interactions with other organisms, has practical implications for understanding and managing desiccation resistance in crops and other organisms.
In-depth molecular studies reveal tremendous genetic variation underlying desiccation resistance in different tardigrade lineages but the phenotypic and ecological interactions generating desiccation-resistance traits have received scant attention. The central research question of this proposal asks how interaction and coevolution with moss hosts drive functional desiccation-resistant trait evolution in terrestrial tardigrades. The project integrates within-species genomic, biochemical, cytological, and morphometric analysis of the joint tardigrade / moss desiccation response with across-species phylogenetic comparative analysis to discover how tardigrade functional desiccation resistance traits evolve in the context of their moss habitats.
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.
PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH
Note:
When clicking on a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) number, you will be taken to an external
site maintained by the publisher. Some full text articles may not yet be available without a
charge during the embargo (administrative interval).
Some links on this page may take you to non-federal websites. Their policies may differ from
this site.
Please report errors in award information by writing to: awardsearch@nsf.gov.