Responses of Microtine Rodent Populations to Vegetation in  Northern Alaska
{'Code': '08010208', 'Directorate': {'Abbreviation': 'BIO', 'LongName': 'Direct For Biological Sciences'}, 'Division': {'Abbreviation': 'DEB', 'LongName': 'Division Of Environmental Biology'}}
{'SignBlockName': 'Althea Ball', 'PO_EMAI': 'aball@nsf.gov', 'PO_PHON': '7032920000'}
Dr. George Batzli of the University of Illinois, Urbana.Champaign               and several other ecologists have suggested that the local                      patterns of distribution and abundance of microtine rodents                     (lemmings and voles) in arctic tundras are largely determined by                characteristics of the vegetation because plants provide both                   food and cover for these animals.  The research described here is               designed to test this and related hypotheses and to examine more                closely some mechanisms (availability and quality of food,                      protection from predators and interactions with competitors) that               might explain the patterns observed for two species of voles.                   Experimental manipulations, which are being conducted on 18 sites               in the arctic tundra of Northern Alaska, include the provision of               supplemental food, the removal of shrub cover and the removal of                closely related species that may compete for these resources.                   Population density and demography are monitored throughout the                  summer using live.trapping techniques.  In addition, the relative               abundance of microtine species will be predicted with multiple                  regression equations that are based upon data on trapping success               and vegetational composition.  The validity of these equations                  can be tested by comparing predicted abundance of each microtine                species to that actually observed on sites where the vegetation                 has been disturbed by man.  These approaches should produce a                   rigorous evaluation of the effects of vegetation on the                         distribution and abundance of these widespread and important                    herbivores and inform us of how revegetation of disturbed areas                 may best be designed to encourage repopulation by small rodents.                Also it is expected that this work will expand our understanding                of tundra food chains.                                                                                                                                          The institution and individuals conducting the research are world               renowned for this kind of work.  The Program recommends funding.
{'FirstName': 'George', 'LastName': 'Batzli', 'PI_MID_INIT': 'O', 'PI_SUFX_NAME': None, 'PI_FULL_NAME': 'George O Batzli', 'EmailAddress': 'g-batzli@life.uiuc.edu', 'NSF_ID': '000381115', 'StartDate': '07/01/1987', 'EndDate': None, 'RoleCode': 'Principal Investigator'}
{'Name': 'University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign', 'CityName': 'URBANA', 'ZipCode': '618013620', 'PhoneNumber': '2173332187', 'StreetAddress': '506 S WRIGHT ST', 'StreetAddress2': None, 'CountryName': 'United States', 'StateName': 'Illinois', 'StateCode': 'IL', 'CONGRESSDISTRICT': '13', 'CONGRESS_DISTRICT_ORG': 'IL13', 'ORG_UEI_NUM': 'Y8CWNJRCNN91', 'ORG_LGL_BUS_NAME': 'UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS', 'ORG_PRNT_UEI_NUM': None}
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{'Code': '1128', 'Text': 'Population & Community Ecology'}
{'url': 'https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/download?DownloadFileName=1986&All=true', 'xml': '8620397.xml'}