Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biological Informatics for FY 2002

Olander Lydia P, Stanford CA

Investigators

Abstract

This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biological Informatics for FY2002. The fellowship supports research and training at the postdoctoral level at the intersection of biology and the informational, computational, mathematical, and statistical sciences. The goal of the fellowship is to provide training to a young scientist in preparation for a career in biological informatics in which research and education will be integrated. There is an increasing need for training in biological informatics at all occupational levels, and it is expected that Fellows trained through these fellowships will play important roles in training the future workforce. The research and training plan for this fellowship is entitled "Predicting the effects of land use change on nutrient limitation to ecosystem productivity and carbon storage in the humid tropics." Where land-use alters nutrient dynamics, nutrient impoverishment may alter recovery rates, maximum recoverable productivity, carbon storage, and water and energy fluxes. Current biogeochemical models have insufficient representation of phosphorus and other rock-derived nutrients often critical in tropical systems, and are unable to deal with rapid shifts typical of land-use change. This study develops mechanistic nutrient models at various spatial/temporal scales incorporating improvements into general biogeochemical models (Century/Terraflux) and testing predictions under various land-use scenarios.