DURHAM, N.H. The Large Pelagics Research Center at the University of New Hampshire -- dedicated to the study of large, open-ocean migratory species like bluefin tuna, billfish, and leatherback turtles -- has awarded one million dollars to large pelagics research in its inaugural competitive grants program. Awarded annually, the grants go to American researchers and their international collaborators for technology and modeling development in support of large pelagics research.

The center received 43 pre-proposals with approximately $4 million in requests. Full proposals were solicited from 22 researchers. After a stringent and lengthy peer-review process (involving 90 external reviews) ten proposals were selected for funding.

"The diversity and the inter-disciplinary nature of the chosen projects are essential to the study of highly migratory species," said Molly Lutcavage, director of the Large Pelagics Research Center and research associate professor at UNH. Awards went to the following projects:

• Technological development of a high resolution, rapid survey capability to identify spawning habitat of large pelagic fishes ($176,210) Robert Cowen, Ph.D., Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami

• Reconstructing diet histories and migration pathways of bluefin tuna from compound-specific stable isotope analyses of scales and bone ($94,832) Simon Thorrold, Ph.D. and Leah A. Houghton, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

• Leatherback turtle foraging habitats in the north Atlantic: Implications for fisheries interactions ($90,330) Amanda Southwood, Ph.D., University of North Carolina at Wilmington and David Kirby, Ph.D., The Secretariat of the Pacific Community, New Caledonia

• Habitat utilization, movement patterns, and post-release survivorship of porbeagle sharks (Lamna nasus) captured on longline in the North Atlantic ($126,516) Greg Skomal, Ph.D., Mas
  '"/>

Contact: Beth Potier
beth.potier@unh.edu
603-862-1566
University of New Hampshire
11-May-2006


Page: 1 2
Related biology news :

1. US Department of Defense awards $1.6 million for implantable biochip research
2. Nottingham biosciences million pound injection
3. $9 million EPSCoR grant to foster integrated research
4. 20 Kentucky firms share $1.9 million from state to match federal SBIR-STTR awards
5. $125 million bioenergy initiative powered by Midwest ag industry, MSU research
6. UC Davis is partner in new $125 million federal bioenergy research center
7. Energy department selects 3 Bioenergy Research Centers for $375 million in federal funding
8. The BBVA Foundation commits 2.4 million euros to research in Ecology and Conservation Biology
9. New $1.16 million study investigates how dietary iron is used by cells
10. 5.9 million award gives UK aging research a new lease on life
11. NIH awards nearly $21 million to fund cutting-edge research equipment