Population and Community Ecology

The Population and Community Ecology Cluster supports research that advances the conceptual or theoretical understanding of population ecology, species interactions and community dynamics in terrestrial, wetland and freshwater habitats.  We encourage projects that integrate theoretical, modeling, and empirical approaches, or that promote synthesis across spatial and temporal scales.  The cluster seeks to fund projects that are transformative -- that is, those that will change the conceptual bases of population and community ecology and have broad implications for future research.  Proposals that develop research questions within the context of existing theory, consider alternate mechanisms, and design critical tests to distinguish among mechanisms are particularly encouraged, together with those that use contemporary approaches to develop new paradigms.  Inter- and multi-disciplinary proposals that cross traditional programmatic boundaries are welcomed in the Population and Community Ecology Cluster; such proposals may be co-reviewed with other programs in DEB, in other Divisions in the Biology Directorate, or in other Directorates.  Studies that focus on the ecology of marine organisms should be directed to the Biological Oceanography Program in the Division of Ocean Sciences.  Research focused on human disease or health is not supported.  The Population and Community Ecology Cluster funds projects within the Population and Community Ecology Program as well as LTREB, OPUS, and CAREER.  Other relevant funding opportunities are listed below as well as on DEB Home (see link on left). 

Population and Community Ecology Program:  This program supports fundamental studies in the broadly defined areas of population and community ecology.  Topics include the population dynamics of individual species, demography, and fundamental ecological interactions affecting populations, communities, and their environments.   Themes include, but are not limited to: population regulation; food-web structure and trophic dynamics; competition, predation, mutualism and parasitism; mechanisms of coexistence and the maintenance of species diversity; community assembly; paleoecology; landscape ecology; conservation and restoration biology; behavioral ecology; and macroecology.  The Program particularly encourages studies that can be applied to a wide range of habitats and taxa across multiple spatial and temporal scales.