Award Abstract # 2349652
REU Site: Summer Program in Chihuahuan Desert Biodiversity

NSF Org: DBI
Division of Biological Infrastructure
Recipient: THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO
Initial Amendment Date: March 28, 2024
Latest Amendment Date: March 28, 2024
Award Number: 2349652
Award Instrument: Standard Grant
Program Manager: Amanda Simcox
asimcox@nsf.gov
 (703)292-8165
DBI
 Division of Biological Infrastructure
BIO
 Directorate for Biological Sciences
Start Date: April 1, 2024
End Date: March 31, 2027 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount: $396,148.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date: $396,148.00
Funds Obligated to Date: FY 2024 = $396,148.00
History of Investigator:
  • Brett Seymoure (Principal Investigator)
    bmseymoure@utep.edu
  • Michael Moody (Co-Principal Investigator)
Recipient Sponsored Research Office: University of Texas at El Paso
500 W UNIVERSITY AVE
EL PASO
TX  US  79968-8900
(915)747-5680
Sponsor Congressional District: 16
Primary Place of Performance: University of Texas at El Paso
500 W UNIVERSITY AVE
EL PASO
TX  US  79968-0001
Primary Place of Performance
Congressional District:
16
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): C1DEGMMKC7W7
Parent UEI: C1DEGMMKC7W7
NSF Program(s): RSCH EXPER FOR UNDERGRAD SITES
Primary Program Source: 01002425DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
Program Reference Code(s): 9250
Program Element Code(s): 113900
Award Agency Code: 4900
Fund Agency Code: 4900
Assistance Listing Number(s): 47.074

ABSTRACT

This REU Site award to the University of Texas at El Paso, located in El Paso, TX, will support the training of 9 students for 10 weeks during the summers of 2024- 2026. It is anticipated that a total of 27 students, primarily from schools with limited research opportunities or from under-represented groups, will be trained in the program. This REU covers critical research topics in the field of ecology and evolution that influence biodiversity in the Chihuahuan Desert. Students will learn how biodiversity research is conducted, and all will present the results of their work at symposia. Assessment of this program will be done through an online tool. Students should apply to the REU site using NSF ETAP (Education and Training Application).

The Chihuahuan Desert is recognized as one of the most biologically diverse arid environments in the world and is facing extreme effects of global change. Understanding the history of Chihuahuan Desert biodiversity, how it functions, and the changes it faces, are important for determining how biodiversity patterns in the Chihuahuan Desert will develop into the future. Research projects will examine critical issues impacting biodiversity including ecosystem and community ecology, evolutionary patterns and organismal behavior. Participants will conduct a short experiment as a cohort at the beginning of the program and then will examine one aspect of Chihuahuan Desert biodiversity for their independent projects with their chosen mentor. The intention is to provide the participants with an understanding of the multiple facets involved in structuring biodiversity in the Chihuahuan Desert. Many of the research projects are field-based including the Indio Mountains Research Station and the USDA-ARS Jornada Experimental Range. All participants will visit both field sites to learn about the importance of long term datasets. Overall, students will learn how research investigating fundamental questions concerning desert biodiversity is designed, conducted, and disseminated. More information about the Chihuahuan Desert Biodiversity REU program is available by contacting the director (Dr. Seymoure).

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

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Sanchez, Braulio A and Da_Cunha, Oceane and Savage, Jackson W and Horne, L Miles and Saenz-Arreola, Sol and Pollard, Kajaya and Neria, Oliver and Duffendack, Spencer and Terrazas, Simon and Diaz, Javier M and Deitsch, John and Seymoure, Brett M "The Dangers of Growing Old: Adult Moths Face Higher Predation Pressures than Caterpillars in Hyles lineata" Insects , v.16 , 2025 https://doi.org/10.3390/insects16040347 Citation Details
Seymoure, Brett and Sanchez, Braulio and Pollard, Kajaya and Horne, Miles and Field, Elizabeth and Portz, Ashlee and Savage, Jackson and Smith, Colby and Duffendack, Spencer and Cotty, Elise and Neria, Oliver and Moore, Alexander and Saenz_Arreola, Sol an "Predation of the white-lined sphinx moth (Hyles lineata) is dependent upon time of day but not human disturbance" Ecological Entomology , 2025 Citation Details

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