FSML: Promoting Biological Research on the Colorado Plateau with the Merriam-Powell Research Station

该奖项为梅里亚姆-鲍威尔研究站提供资金，用于在百年森林建造新的住房单元，这是亚利桑那州在科罗拉多高原上留出的19,114公顷土地，用于研究、教育和推广。住房和相关基础设施的建设是最近成立的梅里亚姆-鲍威尔研究站（MPRS）的设施开发项目的一部分，该项目是北亚利桑那大学、亚利桑那州立大学、亚利桑那大学和内华达大学拉斯维加斯分校的合作项目。MPRS支持以3000米海拔梯度为中心的大大峡谷-旧金山峰生态系统的研究，该研究首先由C. Hart Merriam在发展他的生命区概念时提出。百年森林是西南生态梯度网络的主要站点，纬度/气候梯度从亚利桑那州的图森延伸到内华达州的拉斯维加斯。森林包括老黄松、小松林和高海拔草原。现有的研究基础设施包括具有气象站的海拔梯度样地、5年试验火灾历史梯度、20年区域黄松普通花园和50公顷黄松老生长恢复样地。虽然该地区已被广泛用于实地研究，但百年森林缺乏住房和实验室设施。最终，MPRS预计将拥有25个访问科学家/学生宿舍单元，此外还有包括干湿实验室、教室和办公室在内的建筑，以及一个温室综合体。住宅单元的设计类似于传统的纳瓦霍霍根（Navajo Hogan），将为来访的科学家和大学班级提供低成本的现场住宿，从而促进大大峡谷-旧金山山峰生态系统研究的跨学科和跨部门合作。

This award provides funds to the Merriam-Powell Research Station for construction of new housing units at the Centennial Forest, 19,114 hectares of land set aside by the State of Arizona for research, educational, and outreach on the Colorado Plateau. The construction of the housing and related infrastructure is part of a facilities development project for the recently established Merriam-Powell Research Station (MPRS), a collaboration of Northern Arizona University, Arizona State University, The University of Arizona, and The University of Nevada-Las Vegas. The MPRS supports research in the Greater Grand Canyon-San Francisco Peaks Ecosystem centered along the 3,000 m elevation gradient first characterized by C. Hart Merriam in developing his Life Zone Concept. The Centennial Forest is a primary site within the Southwest Ecological Gradient Network, a latitude/climate gradient extending from Tucson, Arizona to Las Vegas, Nevada. The Forest includes old growth ponderosa pine, pinyon-juniper woodland, and high elevation grasslands. Existing research infrastructure includes elevational gradient plots with weather stations, a 5-year experimental fire history gradient, 20-year regional ponderosa pine common gardens, and replicated 50 ha ponderosa pine old growth restoration plots. Although the region has been used extensively for field research, the Centennial Forest lacks housing and laboratory facilities. Eventually MPRS expects to have 25 visiting scientist/student housing units, in addition to buildings that include wet and dry labs, classrooms and offices, and a greenhouse complex. The housing units are designed to resemble the traditional Navajo Hogan, and will provide low-cost on-site accommodations for visiting scientists and university classes, and thus promote interdisciplinary and interagency collaborations for study of the Greater Grand Canyon-San Francisco Peaks Ecosystem.