Award Abstract # 8811906
Ecological/Climatic Gradients on the Sevilleta

NSF Org: DEB
Division Of Environmental Biology
Recipient: UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO
Initial Amendment Date: October 6, 1988
Latest Amendment Date: August 25, 1994
Award Number: 8811906
Award Instrument: Continuing Grant
Program Manager:
DEB
 Division Of Environmental Biology
BIO
 Directorate for Biological Sciences
Start Date: October 15, 1988
End Date: March 31, 1996 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount: $2,546,868.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date: $3,025,322.00
Funds Obligated to Date: FY 1989 = $504,913.00
FY 1990 = $458,117.00

FY 1991 = $481,773.00

FY 1992 = $474,955.00

FY 1993 = $627,110.00

FY 1994 = $478,454.00
History of Investigator:
  • Bruce Milne (Principal Investigator)
    bmilne@sevilleta.unm.edu
  • Manuel Molles (Co-Principal Investigator)
  • James Brown (Co-Principal Investigator)
Recipient Sponsored Research Office: University of New Mexico
1 UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO
ALBUQUERQUE
NM  US  87131-0001
(505)277-4186
Sponsor Congressional District: 01
Primary Place of Performance: University of New Mexico
1 UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO
ALBUQUERQUE
NM  US  87131-0001
Primary Place of Performance
Congressional District:
01
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): F6XLTRUQJEN4
Parent UEI:
NSF Program(s): LONG-TERM ECOLOGICAL RES (LTER,
LONG-TERM PROJCTS IN ENVIR BIO,
LONG TERM ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH,
LONG-TERM RSCH IN ENVIR BIO,
AMERICAS PROGRAM,
CROSS-DIRECTORATE PROGRAMS,
SPECIAL PROGRAMS-RESERVE
Primary Program Source:  
app-0193 

app-0194 
Program Reference Code(s): 1124, 1129, 1228, 9145, 9169, 9178, 9251, 9261, ENVI, SMET
Program Element Code(s): 112600, 112900, 119500, 119600, 597700, 912000, 914500
Award Agency Code: 4900
Fund Agency Code: 4900
Assistance Listing Number(s): 47.074

ABSTRACT

The Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico is a 100,000 ha transitional area including Great Basin, Great Plains, Chihuahuan Desert and Mogollon conifer woodland biomes. Steep climatological, elevational, and edaphic gradients within the site regulate biotic responses which, in turn, are mediated by threshold effects of resource availability. Consequently, the Sevilleta is ideal for studies of biotic responses to climatic fluctuation. This project will support research aimed at achieving predictability of ecological change in time and space by using experimentation and advanced technology (e.g., remote sensing, geographical information systems, LIDAR, FTIR). Results will enhance ecological knowledge about; 1) complex processes contribution to spatial patterning at the 1-30,000 m scales, 2) biotic responses differing among neighboring ecosystem types, 3) how climatological events originating in the Pacific Ocean modify local semiarid systems, and 4) the modifying role of animals in population and ecosystem responses to fluctuating abiotic conditions. Emphasis is on change in heterogeneous systems and the attendant considerations of nonlinearity, threshold effects, time lags, and the strongly scale-dependent aspects of regulatory factors. In terms of its fundamental worth and meaning the results from the project should be important additions to the body of ecological knowledge and theory as well as to the better management of natural resources and the resolution of global- scale ecological concerns, for example climate change. A major strength of the project is the scientific group's aggressive attitude toward identifying, testing, adapting, and utilizing newly available technologies in an ecological research context. This approach should not only provide a productive base within the project but also foster on impetus across the entire national network of Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) projects. The research team is excellent, drawing from three academic institutions, and enjoys the cooperation of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (DOI) who are the stewards for the Sevilleta site. Institutional facilities are quite good with major additions and improvements planned. In all, the conditions for productive pursuit of this research are highly conducive. The Ecosystem Studies Program recommends strongly that six years of funding be committed to this worthwhile addition to the LTER network of projects.

Please report errors in award information by writing to: awardsearch@nsf.gov.

Print this page

Back to Top of page