This National Science Foundation (NSF) Biological Sciences program grant award of $228,975 to the University of Florida, awarded on June 1, 2025, will fund a collaborative research project titled "STAR: Resilience of a Foundational Mutualism Following the Removal of a Global Top 100 Invader." The project will test how savanna ecosystems in central Kenya respond to the removal of an invasive ant species that has displaced native ants, which normally defend acacia trees against browsing mammals like elephants. The research aims to determine whether the foundational ant-acacia mutualism can be restored after the removal of the invasive ant, and whether resilience is influenced by time since invasion or rainfall. The project will use large-scale invasive ant removal, photosynthesis assays, and demographic modeling to quantify the restoration of feedback loops involving ant activity, elephant browsing, and tree photosynthesis. The findings will inform conservation and restoration efforts related to invasive species management in savanna ecosystems across East Africa.
Mod # | Description | Reason For Modification | Federal Obligation (Click to sort descending) | Date (Click to sort ascending) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Not listed | $229.0k | 5/22/25 |