Biological Sciences Thematic Area
Synopsis
The NSF BIO Living Systems thematic area supports fundamental research on how diverse organisms--extant and extinct--and their interactions evolve. This thematic area also supports investigations of how organisms contribute to the structure, function, variation, and dynamics of natural and managed systems.
Research projects may address topics such as, but not limited to, the following:
Evolution of genes, genomes, and genetic architecture.
Evolution of processes that govern development, morphology, behavior, physiology, speciation, and others.
Biodiversity discovery and systematics.
Species interactions.
Population and quantitative mechanisms.
Morphological, behavioral, or physiological patterns and processes within or between species.
Ecological consequences of biotic interactions, including roles of microorganisms and their interactions with other organisms.
Processes governing population-level features and feedbacks with environmental conditions.
Community characteristics, such as assembly, structure, resilience, and turnover;
Ecosystem dynamics and trajectories.
Trait-based or mechanistic pathways through which organisms mediate interactions, ecology, disease, or environmental responses.
Studies are welcome that develop new theory, analytical methods and tools, conceptual frameworks, and experimental or modeling approaches applied to existing data where appropriate.