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，该森林是亚利桑那州为科罗拉多高原的研究、教育和推广留出的19，114公顷土地。住房和相关基础设施的建设是最近建立的梅里亚姆-鲍威尔研究站（MPRS）的设施开发项目的一部分，该研究站是北方亚利桑那大学、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支持对以沿着3,000米海拔梯度为中心的大科罗拉多-弗朗西斯科峰生态系统的研究，该生态系统首先由C.哈特梅里亚姆在发展他的生活区概念。 百年森林是西南生态梯度网络中的一个主要地点，该网络是从亚利桑那州图森市延伸到内华达州拉斯维加斯的纬度/气候梯度。森林包括古老的生长黄松，pinyon-juniper林地和高海拔草原。现有的研究基础设施包括海拔梯度地块与气象站，5年的实验火灾历史梯度，20年的区域黄松共同花园，并复制50公顷黄松老增长恢复地块。 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预计将有25个访问科学家/学生住房单位，除了建筑物，包括湿和干实验室，教室和办公室，以及温室综合体。这些住房单元的设计类似于传统的纳瓦霍霍根，将为来访的科学家和大学班级提供低成本的现场住宿，从而促进跨学科和机构间的合作，以研究大峡谷-旧金山-弗朗西斯科山峰生态系统。

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.