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Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER)

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22-543

Important Information for Proposers

Any proposal submitted in response to this funding opportunity should be submitted in accordance with the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) that is in effect for the relevant due date to which the proposal is being submitted. The NSF PAPPG is regularly revised and it is the responsibility of the proposer to ensure that the proposal meets the requirements specified in this solicitation and the applicable version of the PAPPG. Submitting a proposal prior to a specified deadline does not negate this requirement.

Renewal

Supports renewal awards for active Long-term Ecological Research sites.

Synopsis

To address ecological questions that cannot be resolved with short-term observations or experiments, NSF established the Long-Term Ecological Research Program (LTER) in 1980. Two components differentiate LTER research from projects supported by other NSF programs: 1) the research is located at specific sites chosen to represent major ecosystem types or natural biomes, and 2) it emphasizes the study of ecological phenomena over long periods of time based on data collected in five core areas. Long-term studies are critical to achieve an integrated understanding of how components of ecosystems interact as well as to test ecological theory. Ongoing research at LTER sites is expected to contribute to the development and testing of fundamental ecological theories and significantly advance understanding of the long-term dynamics of populations, communities and ecosystems. It often integrates multiple disciplines and, through cross-site interactions may examine patterns or processes over broad spatial scales. Recognizing that the value of long-term data extends beyond use at any individual site, NSF requires that data collected by all LTER sites be made publicly accessible.

NSF currently supports 28 LTER sites.  The program is on-going and proposals are periodically invited when a need is identified to balance the LTER portfolio or when funding opportunities arise to support new LTERs.  These opportunities are announced through separate solicitations. This solicitation governs submission of renewal proposals for active LTER site awards.

Program contacts

Hana Busse
hbusse@nsf.gov (703) 292-7596
Roberto Delgado
robdelga@nsf.gov (703) 292-2397 OD
Rebecca Gast
rgast@nsf.gov (703) 292-2356 GEO/OPP
Doug Levey
dlevey@nsf.gov (703) 292-5196 BIO/DEB
Kendra Mclauchlan
kmclauch@nsf.gov (703) 292-2217 BIO/DEB
Francisco (Paco) B. Moore
fbmoore@nsf.gov (703) 292-5376 BIO/DEB
Cynthia L. Suchman
csuchman@nsf.gov (703) 292-2092 GEO/OCE
Daniel Thornhill
dthornhi@nsf.gov (703) 292-8143 GEO/OCE
John E. Yellen
jyellen@nsf.gov (703) 292-8759 SBE/BCS

Awards made through this program

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Map of recent awards made through this program