FSML; Classroom and Laboratory Improvements for Archbold Biological Station

FSML；

• 批准号: 0084141
• 负责人: Hilary Swain
• 金额: $ 12.58万
• 依托单位: Archbold Expeditions, Inc.
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2000
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2000-10-01 至 2001-09-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0084141&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: FSML; Classroom; Laboratory; Improvements; Archbold

Archbold Biological Station (Archbold), established in 1941, is a not-for-profit independent research institution dedicated to long-term ecological research. Staff, visiting investigators, and students conduct research primarily focused on the organisms and environments of the Lake Wales Ridge and adjacent central Florida. Areas of research strength are population ecology and conservation biology, emphasizing ecological changes over local and regional scales, and demographic shifts in ecologically sensitive species. Although Archbold is not an affiliated university field station and has no formal college-level teaching program, it is heavily used for education. In the last five years education programs have involved research training for 40 graduates and 44 undergraduates, extensive use by visiting college classes (over 1000 instructional use days) and an active K-12 education program (7,421 K-12 visits). Current facilities for teaching and for visiting investigators are limited. This award will allow Archbold to renovate three existing rooms (a poorly equipped teaching classroom, a storage area, and a display/storage area) into four custom facilities: (a) 650 ft2 multi-user classroom with dissecting scopes, modern audio-visual capabilities and integrated computer networking; (b) a 140 ft 2 purpose built storage area for K-12 displays and equipment; and a 475 ft 2 area including (c) a new Wet Lab area; and (d) a Multi-Purpose Laboratory with extensive general use equipment - including a drying oven, balances, and a compound and dissecting microscope linked to camera/computer output and classroom display via remote monitor. These classroom and laboratory improvements will significantly enhance Archbold's research and education infrastructure and increase opportunities for college classes, K-12, continuing education, as well as visiting investigators and students. The new facilities will (1) increase the efficiency of space expanding the numbers and range of classes and visiting investigators that can be accommodated simultaneously; (2) enhance student understanding of the ecosystem and improve the teaching environment, for example allowing classes to view and manipulate specimens and conduct computer-aided taxonomic identification; (3) capitalize on Archbold's existing high-end computer network to promote greater use of Intranet, Internet, and www technologies directly in the classroom and provide classroom AV equipment for modern multi-media presentations; (4) better accommodate studies of freshwater ecology in a new Wet Lab area; (5) improve safety by providing a centralized Safety/First Aid area; and (6) reduce the use of the current Chemistry Lab, with associated risk, to those who need full facilities. These renovations will also provide a more conducive research environment for visiting investigators and graduate students who currently rely on space and equipment in resident investigator labs. Two complementary items, a growth chamber and germinator, will expand the capabilities of the Plant lab and its collaborators and allow them to study: abiotic factors controlling reproduction/seed ecology of plants; microbiotic ecosystems including fungi and algae endemic to the native soils and crusts; and to incubate algae from Lake Annie and seasonal wetlands. This award will also increase Archbold's abilities to link its research programs with regional education, conservation and land management activities.

阿赫博尔德生物站（阿赫博尔德）成立于1941年，是一个非营利的独立研究机构，致力于长期的生态研究。工作人员，访问调查员和学生进行研究主要集中在威尔士湖岭和邻近的佛罗里达中部的生物和环境。研究领域的优势是人口生态学和保护生物学，强调在当地和区域尺度上的生态变化，以及生态敏感物种的人口变化。虽然阿赫博尔德不是一个附属的大学实地考察站，也没有正式的大学水平的教学计划，但它被大量用于教育。在过去的五年中，教育计划涉及40名研究生和44名本科生的研究培训，通过访问大学课程（超过1000个教学使用日）和积极的K-12教育计划（7，421 K-12访问）的广泛使用。目前的教学设施和访问调查人员的设施有限。这一奖项将使阿赫博尔德翻新现有的三个房间（一个设备简陋的教学教室、一个存储区和一个展示/存储区）分成四个定制设施：（a）650平方英尺的多用户教室，配备解剖镜、现代视听能力和集成计算机网络;（B）140平方英尺的专用存储区，用于K-12显示器和设备;及一个475平方呎的面积，包括（c）一个新的湿实验室区;及（d）一个多功能实验室，配备大量一般用途的许褚，包括一个干燥炉、天平、一个复合显微镜及解剖显微镜，并通过远程显示器连接摄像机/计算机输出和教室显示器。这些教室和实验室的改善将大大加强阿赫博尔德的研究和教育基础设施，并增加大学课程，K-12，继续教育，以及访问调查员和学生的机会。新设施将（1）提高空间效率，扩大可同时容纳的班级和访问调查员的数量和范围;（2）提高学生对生态系统的了解，改善教学环境，例如允许班级查看和操作标本，并进行计算机辅助分类鉴定;（3）利用阿赫博尔德现有的高端计算机网络，直接在教室中推广更多地使用内联网、互联网和www技术，并提供教室视听设备，以进行现代化的多媒体演示;（4）在新的湿实验室区域更好地适应淡水生态研究;（5）通过提供中央安全/急救区来改善安全;以及（6）减少使用现有的化学实验室，以及需要完整设施的人的相关风险。这些翻修还将为目前依赖驻地调查员实验室空间和设备的访问调查员和研究生提供更有利的研究环境。 两个补充项目，一个生长室和发芽器，将扩大植物实验室及其合作者的能力，并允许他们研究：控制植物繁殖/种子生态的非生物因素;微生物生态系统，包括原生土壤和结壳特有的真菌和藻类;并培养安妮湖和季节性湿地的藻类。该奖项还将提高阿赫博尔德将其研究项目与区域教育、保护和土地管理活动联系起来的能力。