Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The University of Delaware received a $667,552 Project Grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Division of Environmental Biology under the Biological Sciences program (CFDA 47.074), effective August 1, 2026, through July 31, 2029. This collaborative research initiative, titled "The ADAPT Project: Tree Seedling Adaptation, Physiological Drivers, and Trophic Interactions Across a Latitudinal Gradient," delivers scientific research and data products assessing tree seedling survival, growth, and seasonal characteristics across environmental gradients in northeastern U.S. forests. The project involves the cultivation and monitoring of over 6,000 oak seedlings (white oak and chestnut oak species) planted across a 430-kilometer transect spanning from Massachusetts to Tennessee in four coastal Northeast regions, with acorns sourced from six distinct geographic locations to evaluate adaptation potential under current and future forest management practices.

The grant supports research outputs that will determine whether early seedling survival, growth, and phenological characteristics respond to differing environmental conditions or remain consistent with original provenance characteristics. Deliverables include collaborative knowledge transfer with practitioners through partnerships with the Urban Silviculture Network and White Oak Genetics and Tree Improvement Program, public education and outreach initiatives, and training of postdoctoral, graduate, and undergraduate researchers in artificial intelligence and biotechnology applications. The research addresses fundamental questions regarding tree species vulnerability to environmental niche shifts and the feasibility of genetic adaptation or cross-environmental transplantation strategies for sustaining U.S. forest ecosystems under changing conditions.