Research Infrastructure: An Integrated Laboratory Facility to Improve Research Capacity at Archbold Biological Station

Archbold Biological Station, established in 1941, is a not-for-profit biological field station in south-central Florida dedicated to long-term ecological research, education, and conservation. Archbold owns and manages a 2,102-ha globally significant scrub preserve and adjacent 1,476-ha restoration site, as well as Buck Island Ranch, a 4,168 ha terrestrial and freshwater working cattle ranch ecosystem.

The Principal Investigators will develop an integrated Laboratory Facility to provide new laboratory capacity and equipment to better allow Archbold’s scientists and visiting researchers to study the links between external and internal drivers of change and four key areas of biological responses: biodiversity, population ecology, ecosystem functioning, and agroecology. The improvements will facilitate broader, deeper collaborations with visiting researchers whose work requires enhanced laboratory facilities, increase scientific networks involvement, as well as serve diverse stakeholders, broaden student training and enhance education programs.

Archbold Biological Station’s (https://www.archbold-station.org/index.cfm) laboratory capacity will be increased for: (1) field sample processing, (2) analytical capabilities, and (3) molecular research. The centerpiece of the Facility will be a new Core Laboratory (93 m2) constructed in renovated building space. The proposed integrated Facility will also include equipment upgrades to improve capabilities, efficiently utilize existing laboratory space, and serve the growing research needs of Archbold’s scientists and visiting researchers.

These improvements will promote cross-disciplinary, laboratory-based work to complement our long-term population studies (e.g., Florida scrub jays (Aphelocoma coerulescens; 54 yr), gopher tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus; 55 yr) and 17 plant species (20-42 yr)) via new capabilities to increase and enhance wide-ranging laboratory functions (e.g., soil and water nutrient analyses, DNA analyses, immunological tests). Ultimately, these improvements will enhance basic research and ecological theory in biodiversity, population ecology and genetics, ecosystem functioning, and agroecology, and advance 22 specific research foci at Archbold.

Facility-related research will be disseminated via Archbold’s extensive communication outlets and directly integrated into Education programming.

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.