Project Grant 2409467

This National Science Foundation (NSF) Project Grant award under the Biological Sciences program (CFDA 47.074) provides $771,664 to the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Inc. to fund a collaborative research project examining how abiotic stress impacts the assembly of microbial communities in forest ecosystems. The project will characterize the functional and taxonomic diversity of soil microbial communities across the vertical gradient of a Panamanian tropical rainforest. It will also assess microbial communities dispersing through air, water, and detritus, and conduct reciprocal transplant and laboratory experiments to evaluate the roles of competition, tolerance, and abiotic factors in community assembly. This research will develop a model system to systematically test principles of community assembly under stress, while also producing educational materials and supporting early-career scientists. The project period runs from August 1, 2024 to July 31, 2027.