The National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded a $633,443 Project Grant under the Biological Sciences (CFDA 47.074) program to the University of Florida to conduct research on the predictability of wading bird dynamics in the Everglades. The grant will leverage long-term monitoring data to examine how scale impacts ecological forecasting, with the goal of improving forecasts to guide Everglades restoration efforts. Specifically, the research will:
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Quantify how predictability, drivers, and uncertainty vary across spatial scales by comparing models for the entire Everglades, ecohydrological regions, and individual colonies.
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Leverage cross-scale drivers and interactions to improve ecological forecasts by fitting and comparing cross-scale models to single-scale models.
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Evaluate the transferability of annual-scale models to seasonal forecasting.
The project will also make the resulting data and forecasts publicly available and develop educational resources and training opportunities in ecological forecasting for students. This research aims to advance the scientific understanding of how scale impacts ecological forecasting, with applications for managing natural resources and protected areas.
Generated 4/16/24, 12:21 PM