Federal Project Grant Award Summary

Utah State University received a $399,995 Project Grant award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Division of Environmental Biology under the Biological Sciences program (CFDA 47.074), effective September 1, 2026, through August 31, 2028. This research project investigates the functional consequences of community-environment disequilibria—the mismatch between ecological communities and their changing environments. The research addresses a critical gap in ecological understanding by examining how ecosystems function when plant-pollinator relationships and other community components fail to keep pace with environmental change. The primary deliverables include scientific findings and analyses examining three key ecosystem functions and services: primary productivity, invasion resistance, and pollination services.

The project leverages existing datasets to test whether community-environment disequilibrium negatively impacts ecosystem functions, with particular focus on how novel ecosystems—composed of species combinations never previously seen together—will respond to future environmental conditions. Research outcomes are intended to provide natural resource managers with evidence-based guidance for planning and adaptation strategies in an era of increasing community-environment mismatches. This research contributes to workforce development in the biological sciences while generating foundational knowledge on ecosystem resilience and the delivery of critical ecosystem services such as crop pollination and carbon fixation.