Postdoctoral Fellowship: PRFB: Genetic elucidation of a multilayer ecological lemur network in Madagascar: Ecosystem properties, dynamics, and conservation priorities

This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology for FY 2025. The fellowship supports research and training of the fellow that will contribute to biology in innovative ways. This project explores how plants, animals, and people interact and shape their habitats.

The fellow will use genetic and statistical tools to study relationships between species in a complex forest. Understanding these connections helps predict how habitat changes affect plants, animals, and people. The study’s methods will help anticipate changes that impact health and the economy.

For example, the fellow will create tools and insights that may help manage new diseases linked to habitat changes. The fellow will also receive advanced genetics, statistics, and data collection training. This training builds skills that strengthen U.S. leadership in biological research and policy.

By encouraging global teamwork, this project creates strong research partnerships that boost economic growth. The project will give decision-makers important information through outreach, hands-on projects, and science-based policy. These insights will help leaders manage natural resources, grow economies, and improve public health.

This research applies ecological network analysis to examine species interactions and their role in maintaining ecosystem stability. The fellow will integrate genetic species identification with ecological multilayer network (EMN) modeling to construct a high-resolution representation of ecological communities. This approach enhances biology assessments by incorporating factors such as competition, resource use, and habitat overlap.

The study will leverage previously collected field data and non-invasive genetic samples to refine species classifications and improve network accuracy. The research will test hypotheses about how species assemble into communities and how ecological processes shape their coexistence through time. Additionally, by integrating habitat data and human impact assessments, the project will evaluate how these variables influence ecosystem resilience.

The fellow will gain interdisciplinary training in molecular ecology, ecological modeling, and biological sciences applications—skills essential for pursuing a research-focused career in ecology and ecosystem management. Hands-on experience in field research coordination, environmental policy, and international collaboration will further prepare the fellow to lead an independent research program.

Beyond scientific contributions, this project will directly support management efforts by making research data openly accessible, collaborating with global scientists, and working with public and private organizations to apply findings toward developing sustainable and food secure ecosystems.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.