Project Grant 2220927

The National Science Foundation Division of Integrative Organismal Systems awarded a $1,070,538 Project Grant to the University of Georgia Research Foundation, Inc. to conduct research under the Biological Sciences federal grant program (CFDA 47.074) from January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2026.

The award will support research to improve predictions of species extinction risk under climate change by integrating data on the evolutionary and migratory potential of the partridge pea plant (Chamaecrista fasciculata). Researchers will study genetic differences and gene flow among plant populations to evaluate their ability to evolve in response to climate change. They will expose plant families from across the species' range to current and simulated future climates in common gardens. Researchers will also forecast range-wide population dynamics under climate change using models incorporating genetic variance, trait expression, sequence variation, and gene flow. Collaboration with conservation organizations will translate findings into tools to assess risks for other at-risk grassland species.