Population and Evolutionary Processes | Apply Online

FAQs: NSF Population and Evolutionary Processes (PD 04-1127)

What is the NSF Population and Evolutionary Processes opportunity (PD 04-1127)?

It is a discretionary research grant program in NSF Biological Sciences (CFDA 47.074) that supports studies explaining why populations and species vary, how variation is maintained or changes over time, and how microevolutionary processes can scale to macroevolutionary patterns.

What is the program trying to understand at a high level?

The core focus is population-level properties and evolutionary mechanisms that shape diversity within populations, among populations, and among species, including how small-scale evolutionary processes can produce larger-scale patterns in trait evolution and diversification.

What kinds of research approaches does the program allow?

The scope explicitly includes both empirical and theoretical work. It welcomes a wide range of methodological approaches, including analytical modeling, stochastic frameworks, and statistical inference.

What scientific topics are emphasized by this program?

Highlighted themes include microevolution and adaptation, geographic differentiation, natural hybridization, speciation, and broader processes that generate macroevolutionary patterns in trait evolution.

What is the main unit of analysis NSF expects for a good fit?

The program is best aligned with studies that are organism- or lineage-focused and use populations as the main unit for understanding evolutionary change and diversification.

Does the program support population demography research?

Yes. A major track is population demography, especially age-structured and stage-structured populations and how populations change through time, including development or application of demographic models and estimation of vital rates and population trajectories.

What methods are called out for demographic work?

The description specifically notes analytical, stochastic, and statistical approaches to estimate vital rates, forecast population trajectories, and test hypotheses about population regulation and change.

Does the program support evolutionary ecology studies?

Yes. It emphasizes evolutionary ecology of single species, including life history and life cycle phenomena in terrestrial, freshwater, and wetland organisms.

Are natural selection and sexual selection within scope?

Yes. The opportunity explicitly includes studies of natural selection and sexual selection within its evolutionary ecology emphasis.

Are speciation and reproductive isolation topics supported?

Yes. The program highlights research on the causes and consequences of reproductive isolation, natural hybridization, and speciation.

Is phylogeography an appropriate topic area?

Yes. Phylogeography is specifically mentioned as part of the evolutionary ecology of single species and lineage-focused evolution.

Does the program support evolutionary genetics work?

Yes. Evolutionary genetics is a significant emphasis area, including population genetics and quantitative genetics, and research linking microevolutionary mechanisms to macroevolutionary outcomes.

Is epigenetics allowed under this program?

Yes, when epigenetics (and development) is used to explain the evolution of complex phenotypes and the focus remains on evolutionary processes.

Does the program include molecular population biology and sequence evolution?

Yes. It supports research on sources and consequences of variation and evolutionary change at biochemical and sequence levels, including RNA and DNA sequence evolution and mobile genetic elements.

Does the program support evolutionary genomics and genetic architecture topics?

Yes. The description includes interest in how gene properties (gene number, genomic arrangement, and patterns of interaction) shape evolutionary processes, and it explicitly notes the evolution of genetic architecture and evolutionary genomics.

What kinds of projects are not a good fit for this program?

Projects centered on interactions among species (such as community-level dynamics, interspecific competition, or multi-species ecological networks) are expected to be directed to NSF's Ecological Biology Cluster instead.

If my proposal focuses on community or multi-species interactions, where should it go?

The announcement indicates proposals primarily about interactions among species should be directed to NSF's Ecological Biology Cluster.

If my proposal is mainly about physiology, morphology, behavior, or development, is this the right program?

The description says proposals that primarily analyze organism-centered physiology, morphology, behavior, or development should be routed to programs in the Division of Integrative Organismal Biology (IOB), rather than this Population and Evolutionary Processes cluster.

What if my study is about the population ecology of marine organisms?

The notice indicates studies focused on the population ecology of marine organisms are expected to go to the Biological Oceanography Program in the Division of Ocean Sciences.

Does NSF encourage interdisciplinary proposals for this opportunity?

Yes. The program encourages inter- and multidisciplinary projects that cross traditional boundaries and notes a history of co-reviewing such proposals with other NSF programs.

Can proposals be co-reviewed with other NSF programs?

Yes. The description explicitly notes co-reviewing with other NSF programs, which can be important for projects spanning genetics, evolution, demography, and related fields.

What proposal guidance applies to submissions?

Unsolicited proposals are expected to follow the NSF Grant Proposal Guide (GPG).

Are there specific NSF award mechanisms connected to this program?

Yes. The opportunity notes awards may be supported through the core program as well as related NSF mechanisms such as CAREER, OPUS, and LTREB, depending on career stage and the temporal scale of the research.

Who is eligible to apply?

The eligibility category is described as unrestricted (open to any type of entity), subject to any clarifications in the full text.

Is this opportunity still active?

No. The announcement indicates the opportunity has been archived and replaced, with an archive date of May 27, 2009.

What were the original proposal target dates listed in the archived announcement?

The archived notice lists January 9, 2007 and July 9, 2007 as the original target dates for full proposals.

Even though it is archived, what does the description still help clarify?

It still provides clear guidance on scientific fit: proposals should be centered on population and evolutionary processes, while work primarily focused on interspecific interactions, organism-centered integrative biology topics, or marine population ecology is expected to be directed to other NSF clusters or programs as described.