This National Science Foundation (NSF) Biological Sciences program (CFDA 47.074) Project Grant award of $240,000 will fund a postdoctoral fellowship to characterize the diversity of viruses infecting wild sunflower plants in the western grasslands of North America. The research will investigate the spatiotemporal patterns and mechanisms governing virus diversity, and the consequences of diverse virus infections for sunflower survival and fitness, especially under drought conditions. The objectives are to generate novel understanding of the eco-evolutionary dynamics between plants and viruses, and to improve epidemiological predictions of plant-virus interactions in changing environments. The findings will have conservation value for assisting virus-mediated adaptation to climate change in native plant populations, as well as applied value for improving disease forecasting in agricultural contexts. The award period is September 1, 2024 to August 31, 2027.