Collaborative Research: Track 1, IRES sites: International Research Experience for Students in Freshwater Ecosystems at the Epicenter of Neotropical Biodiversity, Guiana Shield

合作研究：轨道 1，IRES 站点：圭亚那地盾新热带生物多样性中心淡水生态系统学生的国际研究经验

• 批准号: 2153453
• 负责人: Kirk Winemiller
• 金额: $ 12.09万
• 依托单位: Texas A&M AgriLife Research
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2022-09-01 至 2025-08-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2153453&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Track; IRES; sites

This International Research Experiences for Students (IRES) project provides a unique opportunity for US undergraduate students to learn multidisciplinary approaches in freshwater ecology and biodiversity research in a tropical region facing serious and immediate environmental challenges. The project will immerse two cohorts of undergraduate students from Stephen F. Austin State University and Texas A&M University in research on Neotropical biodiversity, instruction in ecological principles and methods, and application of research findings to address human impacts on ecosystem services in Guyana, a biodiverse and developing country in South America. Through both field and laboratory research, students will collaborate with US and Guyanese scientists to fill significant knowledge gaps regarding tropical freshwater biodiversity and environmental conditions within streams, rivers and floodplain habitats in the Essequibo River Basin. The project builds upon ongoing research collaborations between US PIs and researchers at University of Guyana. In addition to developing students’ technical skills and advancing scientific knowledge, these collaborations will foster professional relationships and contribute to a new generation of internationally engaged scientists. The Guiana Shield ecoregion in north-eastern South America (extending across countries of Guyana, Brazil, Suriname, French Guiana and Venezuela) is known for exceptional aquatic and terrestrial biodiversity, including high levels of species endemism. Even so, this region remains poorly explored, and early indications are that hundreds of species remain undescribed. Most surveys have been conducted regions with relatively easy access, which severely limits understanding of ecology and biogeography as well as the ability to set conservation priorities. In Guyana, gold mining, logging, agriculture expansion, and petroleum extraction are increasing with impacts to freshwater ecosystems and biota. Gold mining is a particularly serious concern because it contaminates rivers and streams with mercury, which enters food webs and ultimately affects human health, especially in rural communities that depend heavily on inland fisheries. During each of two years, six students will participate in a 5-week summer fieldtrip in Guyana. Students will employ methods for collection of environmental data, survey of aquatic biota (e.g., fishes, amphibians, aquatic macroinvertebrates and plants), taxonomy, and ecology within the Mazaruni and Rupununi rivers and associated tributaries and wetlands. Students will participate in collaborative projects with local mentors and students from University of Guyana as well as the US PIs. Field and lab activities will teach students about collaborative international research and allow them to understand how their contributions can influence conservation of freshwater biodiversity and management in support of important ecosystem services provided by aquatic ecosystems in the tropics. This project is funded by the Office of International Science and Engineering (OISE).This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

这项针对学生（IRES）项目的国际研究经验为我们的本科生提供了一个独特的机会，可以在热带地区学习淡水生态学和生物多样性研究的多学科方法，面临严重和直接的环境挑战。该项目将使来自斯蒂芬·奥斯汀州立大学和德克萨斯A＆M大学的两名本科生介绍新热带生物多样性研究，生态原理和方法的指导以及研究结果的应用来解决人类对圭亚那的生态系统服务的影响，并应用研究结果，该研究结果对圭亚那的生态学服务和美国南部的发展中国家的影响。通过现场和实验室研究，学生将与美国和圭亚那科学家合作，以填补有关埃斯Equibo河流域中溪流，河流和洪泛区栖息地中热带淡水生物多样性和环境状况的重大知识差距。该项目建立在美国PIS与圭亚那大学研究人员之间正在进行的研究合作的基础上。除了发展学生的技术技能并促进科学知识外，这些合作还将促进专业关系，并为新一代国际参与的科学家做出贡献。南美东北部（遍布圭亚那，巴西，苏里南，法属圭亚那和委内瑞拉的国家）以非凡的水生和陆地生物多样性（包括高水平的物种种族主义）而闻名。即便如此，该地区仍然受到探索很差，并且早期的迹象表明，数百种物种仍然没有描述。大多数调查是进行了相对容易进入的地区进行的，这严重限制了对生态和生物地理学的理解以及设定保护优先级的能力。在圭亚那，随着对淡水生态系统和生物群的影响，黄金开采，伐木，农业扩张和石油提取正在增加。黄金开采是一个特别严重的关注点，因为它与水星污染了河流和溪流，该河流进入食物网并最终影响人类健康，尤其是在依赖内陆渔业的农村社区中。在两年中的每一年中，六名学生将参加圭亚那的为期5周的夏季野外田径。学生将采用方法来收集环境数据，水生生物群调查（例如鱼类，两栖动物，水生大型无脊椎动物和植物），Mazaruni和Rupununi河流中的分类学和生态学，以及相关的部落和湿地。学生将与圭亚那大学以及美国PIS的当地导师和学生一起参加合作项目。现场和实验室活动将向学生传授国际协作研究，并允许他们了解他们的贡献如何影响淡水生物多样性和管理的保护，以支持热带水上生态系统提供的重要生态系统服务。该项目由国际科学与工程办公室（OISE）资助。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并通过使用基金会的知识分子优点和更广泛的影响评估标准来评估，被认为是珍贵的支持。