This $1,025,547 Project Grant awarded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) under the Biological Sciences program (CFDA 47.074) supports research at William Marsh Rice University on the role of aboveground and belowground plant traits in driving invasive plant species dynamics. The project aims to identify plant traits that promote invasiveness under varying environmental conditions and examine how these traits influence soil communities and ecosystem processes. Through a combination of field experiments and modeling, the research will advance understanding of plant-soil interactions in invasion ecology and generate actionable knowledge to manage invasive plant species, which pose significant ecological and economic challenges. This project also includes efforts to develop a skilled scientific workforce by providing research opportunities for high school, undergraduate, and graduate students, as well as community outreach initiatives. The award period runs from March 1, 2025, to February 28, 2030.
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