Two MAPS Researchers Receive an NSF DEB RAPIDS Award

     At the beginning of March, Dr. Amy Burgin (KU) and Dr. Lydia Zeglin (KSU) were awarded an NSF Ecosystems DEB RAPID Award of $200,000 to study how water inputs from a decommissioned fertilizer plant affect riverine water quality. The funding is for one year.
     NSF defines RAPID funding opportunities as awards for projects that possess a severe urgency to be addressed and/or are in need of quick response research.  Specifically, this NSF funding mechanism is dedicated to awarding research projects that have limited availability of, or access to data, facilities or specialized equipment as it relates to natural or anthropogenic disasters and unanticipated events.  Burgin and Zeglin's collaborative project is titled RAPID: Are biogeochemical responses linked to the microbial composition of a defined nutrient and microbial input to a large river?  This project seeks to develop a better understanding of "how large rivers transport and transform nutrients in the face of altered nutrient inputs and microbial loads" which is a key element missing in the understanding of lotic nutrient cycling.         
     Since nitrification and denitrification rates are limited by environmental factors, this research will also provide insight on biological versus geochemical controls over processes that support total removal of N from aquatic ecosystems.  For ecosystem science in general, this project has the potential to improve the mechanistic understanding of future changes in ecosystem function and structure. The ultimate goal is to understand if water microbial community composition help to predict water quality in large rivers.

Both Zeglin and Burgin are part of the Kansas NSF EPSCoR OIA #1656006 Track 1 Award: Microbiomes of Aquatic, Plant and Soil Systems across Kansas (MAPS) research team.

MAPS Investigator presents at Big Botany Symposium

 

    Dr. Jim Bever, Distinguished Foundation Professor in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Senior Scientist with the Kansas Biological Survey at the University of Kansas and co-pi on the Microbiomes of Aquatic, Plant and Soil Systems Across Kansas Kansas NSF EPSCoR RII Track-1 OIA-1656006 Award, was part of a panel that presented at the Big Botany Symposium held March 28, 2018. The all-day symposium was held in conjunction with the Big Botany: Conversations with the Plant World exhibition opening at the Spencer Museum of Art on the University of Kansas campus. The symposium provided an interdisciplinary space for scientists, artists, and other researchers to share their work on plant studies with each other and the community at large.  Dr. Bever discussed "Plant Agency and the Maintenance of Mutualism" and described how “the agency of plants impact their story” by managing microbes and how they work together to help maintain diverse plant communities with high productivity.  

To view Dr. Bever’s talk on YouTube go to the Big Botany Symposium’s video posted at: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h18cLwD2218 

His specific talk begins at the 6:18:50 mark.

Education and outreach funding is provided by the Kansas NSF EPSCoR RII Track-1 Award OIA-1656006 titled: "Microbiomes of Aquatic, Plant, and Soil Systems across Kansas."  The grant's educational objectives are designed to enhance STEM education in Kansas by supporting activities that will lead to an expanded STEM workforce or prepare a new generation for STEM careers in the areas of aquatic, plant and soil microbiome environments and ecological systems.

DOE EPSCoR Funding Opportunity

DOE EPSCoR has released their National Lab partnerships solicitation.

Awards are up to 250,000 per year for up to 3 years. 

Cost sharing is not required.

For more information go to:  https://science.energy.gov/~/media/grants/pdf/foas/2018/SC_FOA_0001897.pdf

Letters of Intent are due April 25, 2018

Applications are due May 16, 2018

General inquiries about this FOA should be directed to the Technical/Scientific Program Contact:

     Dr. Tim Fitzsimmons

     301-903-9830

     Tim.fitzsimmons@science.doe.gov