This $420,286 federal Project Grant award from the National Science Foundation's Biological Sciences (CFDA 47.074) program supports a collaborative research project to investigate how the availability of marine nutrients may have fueled the expansion and ecological roles of eukaryotes (organisms with nuclei) during the Tonian period (1000-720 million years ago). The project integrates paleontological, geochemical, sedimentological, and stratigraphic data from early Tonian strata in North China and late Tonian strata in the Grand Canyon to reconstruct nutrient availability, eukaryote biodiversity, and marine geochemical cycles. This research aims to illuminate the complex feedbacks among nutrient availability, functional biodiversity, and biodiversity dynamics during a major transition in Earth's history. The project, which runs from July 2025 to June 2030, is led by Utah State University and involves seven principal investigators, one postdoctoral fellow, five graduate students, and two undergraduate students from five U.S. universities. It offers opportunities for STEM workforce training and public outreach activities engaging national parks.
Mod # | Description | Reason For Modification | Federal Obligation (Click to sort descending) | Date (Click to sort ascending) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Not listed | $420.3k | 7/7/25 |