NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology FY 2020

Naranjo, Andre Alexander, Gainesville FL

Investigators

Abstract

This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology for FY 2020, Research Using Biological Collections. The fellowship supports research and training of the Fellow that will utilize biological collections in innovative ways. Understanding biodiversity is critical for the proper conservation of an ecosystem that is experiencing extreme stress from global change during the modern age. Few other ecosystems are at such high risk of disappearing, especially due to logging and agricultural activities, as the Chaine de la Selle/Sierra de Bahoruco mountain range in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. This proposal will use novel approaches of examining genetic and trait diversity from herbarium specimens to better understand this region. The ultimate goals of this project are to (i) emphasize the dire need to protect the remaining natural areas from further damage and (ii) highlight suitable methods for understanding the evolutionary biology of critically endangered ecosystems. Identifying patterns across the vastly different ecosystems in this endemism hotspot will highlight important areas and plants requiring conservation efforts for future preservation, allowing conservationists to tailor protocols specific to remaining habitats to ensure the well-being of what remains of the mountain ranges’ ecosystems, leading to collaborations with conservation organizations and policy makers. The Fellow will also mentor students from groups underrepresented in STEM disciplines in scientific investigation as well as creating educational opportunities for K-12 students through summer workshops. This research will provide insights into factors that formed and maintained habitats with high levels of endemicity, in addition to understanding the role microclimates have on species functional traits across communities. A well-resolved phylogeny will allow us to elucidate the evolutionary history of the vascular plants in this region and determine whether paleo-endemism or neo-endemism led to the current pattern of species richness, in addition to discovering endemism hotspots within the mountain range. Herbarium specimens will be crucial to understanding historical phylogenetic and functional trait diversity across the mountain range. The Fellow will collaborate with the UF Biodiversity Institute and the RISE Precollege Summer Educational Program to organize summer workshops to educate middle and high school students about the anthropogenic impact on our tropical forests. Training goals for the Fellow include learning methods in biological informatics, ecological modeling, and educational outreach including both undergraduate and pre-collegiate teaching. 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.