Successional Dynamics and Spatial Patterning in Ecosystems  at the Prairie-Forest Border
{'Code': '08010209', 'Directorate': {'Abbreviation': 'BIO', 'LongName': 'Direct For Biological Sciences'}, 'Division': {'Abbreviation': 'DEB', 'LongName': 'Division Of Environmental Biology'}}
{'SignBlockName': None, 'PO_EMAI': None, 'PO_PHON': None}
This project represents the renewal of the Cedar Creek Natural                  History Area Long-Term Ecological Research project.  Long-term                  observation and experimentation will be used to examine the                     controls of successional dynamics and spatial patterning in                     ecosystems at the prairie-forest boundary.  The investigators                   will build on the detailed data record already accumulated in a                 series of permanent observational and experimental studies in old               field and will expand the project into a range of non-                          successional habitats.  Studies will focus on hypotheses                        concerning the direct, indirect, and feedback effects of various                species and ecosystem elements on each other, and how they                      control both successional dynamics and spatial patterning in                    non-successional ecosystems.  The main processes to be studied                  are (1) controls of carbon and nitrogen dynamics in soils: (2)                  controls of primary production and plant species composition; (3)               controls of herbivore dynamics and abundances; and (4) the                      impacts of disturbances such as fire, gopher mounds and climatic                change.  The 6-year-running data sets already collected on                      physical factors, soils plants, and herbivores have allowed the                 investigators to address some major questions, but it will become               increasingly unique and powerful with each additional year of                   observational and experimental data.  The generality of on-site                 research will be tested by performing a series of comparisons and               syntheses across the LTER network.                                                                                                                              Institutional support for the research is solid.  Collaborative                 arrangements with two young scientists from Idaho State                         University should continue to be productive.  The project team is               a good one.                                                                                                                                                     In addition to providing fundamental insight on the processes                   that are generative to ecological succession the project should                 also produce significant implications for agricultural management               since agriculture must interact with the natural ecological                     matrix in which it is embedded.
[{'FirstName': 'Eville', 'LastName': 'Gorham', 'PI_MID_INIT': None, 'PI_SUFX_NAME': None, 'PI_FULL_NAME': 'Eville Gorham', 'EmailAddress': None, 'NSF_ID': '000380433', 'StartDate': '01/01/1989', 'EndDate': None, 'RoleCode': 'Co-Principal Investigator'}, {'FirstName': 'David', 'LastName': 'Grigal', 'PI_MID_INIT': 'F', 'PI_SUFX_NAME': None, 'PI_FULL_NAME': 'David F Grigal', 'EmailAddress': 'dave.grigal@soils.umn.edu', 'NSF_ID': '000384361', 'StartDate': '01/01/1989', 'EndDate': None, 'RoleCode': 'Co-Principal Investigator'}, {'FirstName': 'David', 'LastName': 'Tilman', 'PI_MID_INIT': None, 'PI_SUFX_NAME': None, 'PI_FULL_NAME': 'David Tilman', 'EmailAddress': 'tilman@lter.umn.edu', 'NSF_ID': '000326591', 'StartDate': '12/16/1993', 'EndDate': None, 'RoleCode': 'Principal Investigator'}]
{'Name': 'University of Minnesota-Twin Cities', 'CityName': 'MINNEAPOLIS', 'ZipCode': '554552009', 'PhoneNumber': '6126245599', 'StreetAddress': '200 OAK ST SE', 'StreetAddress2': None, 'CountryName': 'United States', 'StateName': 'Minnesota', 'StateCode': 'MN', 'CONGRESSDISTRICT': '05', 'CONGRESS_DISTRICT_ORG': 'MN05', 'ORG_UEI_NUM': 'KABJZBBJ4B54', 'ORG_LGL_BUS_NAME': 'REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA', 'ORG_PRNT_UEI_NUM': None}
{'Name': 'University of Minnesota-Twin Cities', 'CityName': 'MINNEAPOLIS', 'StateCode': 'MN', 'ZipCode': '554552009', 'StreetAddress': '200 OAK ST SE', 'CountryCode': 'US', 'CountryName': 'United States', 'StateName': 'Minnesota', 'CountryFlag': '1', 'CONGRESSDISTRICT': '05', 'CONGRESS_DISTRICT_PERF': 'MN05'}
[{'Code': '1108', 'Text': 'INSTRUMENTAT & INSTRUMENT DEVP'}, {'Code': '1126', 'Text': 'LONG-TERM ECOLOGICAL RES (LTER'}, {'Code': '1129', 'Text': 'LONG-TERM PROJCTS IN ENVIR BIO'}, {'Code': '1195', 'Text': 'LONG TERM ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH'}, {'Code': '1196', 'Text': 'LONG-TERM RSCH IN ENVIR BIO'}, {'Code': '9120', 'Text': 'CROSS-DIRECTORATE PROGRAMS'}]
{'url': 'https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/download?DownloadFileName=1988&All=true', 'xml': '8811884.xml'}