Sedimentary Geology and Paleobiology | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): NSF Sedimentary Geology and Paleobiology (Funding Opportunity Number 09-560)

1) What is the purpose of the NSF Sedimentary Geology and Paleobiology program (09-560)?

This NSF opportunity supports research that uses sedimentary rocks and the fossil record to understand how Earth and life have changed over deep geologic time. The program funds studies that reconstruct past life, ecosystems, environments, and biogeographic patterns using evidence from fossil plants, animals, and microbes, as well as studies focused on the sedimentary portion of Earths crust (the sedimentary "carapace") and what it reveals about ancient processes and resources.

2) What kinds of scientific questions does this program emphasize?

Based on the description provided, the program emphasizes questions about what happened in Earth history, when it happened, how quickly it unfolded (timing and rates), and why patterns differ across regions. It encourages work that connects fossil evidence and sedimentary rock records to interpret changes in life, environments, climate dynamics, and geological processes through deep time.

3) What topics are specifically highlighted as priorities?

The opportunity highlights several major themes:

• Reconstructing past life, ecosystems, environments, and biogeographic patterns using fossils (plants, animals, microbes).
• Understanding the sedimentary "carapace" (layered sedimentary records) as an archive of ancient geological processes and as a record related to the formation and distribution of organic and inorganic resources in sedimentary sequences.
• Improving how scientists interpret timing and rates from rock and fossil records, including geochronology and related dating approaches.
• Sedimentology broadly, including how sediments are produced, transported, deposited, and preserved as stratigraphic archives.
• Deep-time climate research focused on pre-Holocene climate systems, including complexity of climate dynamics and how they are recorded in sedimentary and paleontological proxies.

4) Does the program support fossil-focused research?

Yes. The description explicitly notes support for research that reconstructs past life and ecosystems using the fossil record, including evidence from fossil plants, animals, and microbes.

5) Does the program support sedimentary geology and stratigraphy work even if it is not centered on fossils?

The program description places major emphasis on the sedimentary record (layered rocks and stratigraphic archives) and how it preserves evidence of ancient geological processes, resources, and environmental change. While it also highlights paleobiology, the scope described includes sedimentology and stratigraphic interpretation broadly.

6) What does the opportunity mean by improving "timing and rates" from the rock and fossil record?

The listing describes a major focus on methods that help interpret when events occurred and how fast processes happened in the past. Examples given include geochronology and other approaches used to date strata and fossils, constrain the sequence of events, and quantify rates of sediment accumulation, erosion, biological turnover, and environmental shifts.

7) Is geochronology an eligible or encouraged component of proposals?

Yes. Geochronology is specifically mentioned as part of the emphasis on extracting timing and rates from the rock and fossil record, including dating strata and fossils and constraining sequences of events.

8) What is meant by "sedimentology in the broad sense" in this program?

As described, it includes research on how physical and chemical sediments are produced, moved, and deposited, and how those processes create stratigraphic archives that can be interpreted to understand past conditions and processes.

9) Does this program include paleoclimate or climate-system research?

Yes. A central theme identified is deep-time climate, specifically pre-Holocene climate systems. The emphasis is on understanding the complexity of ancient climate dynamics and how those dynamics are recorded in sedimentary and paleontological proxies.

10) What time period does "deep-time climate" refer to in this listing?

The description explicitly calls out pre-Holocene climate systems, indicating a focus on climates prior to the Holocene epoch.

11) Are integrative or collaborative projects favored?

Yes. NSF highlights that the program especially encourages integrative and collaborative projects, including those linking multiple subdisciplines and those operating at national or international scales.

12) What does NSF mean by "integrative" proposals in this context?

The listing suggests competitive proposals will likely connect multiple areas into a unified research strategy, rather than treating them as separate lines of work. Examples of areas named include geochronology, paleoclimatology, paleogeography, paleoenvironments, and paleoecology, potentially combined to explain what happened, when it happened, how fast it happened, and why regional patterns differ.

13) Is it acceptable for projects to involve national or international collaborations?

Yes. The opportunity explicitly notes encouragement for projects that may operate at national or international scales.

14) What is the funding mechanism for this opportunity?

The listing describes it as a discretionary grant program within NSF's science and technology research and development portfolio (CFDA 47.050, Geosciences).

15) How many awards were anticipated and what was the estimated total funding level?

The provided information states NSF anticipated about 40 awards with an estimated total funding level of $6,000,000.

16) What is the expected award size range?

Individual awards were expected to range from $30,000 up to a ceiling of $500,000.

17) Is there a cost sharing or matching requirement?

Yes. The opportunity notes a cost sharing or matching requirement.

18) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, meaning it is open to any type of entity as allowed by NSF policy and any specific clarifications in the formal solicitation.

19) What is the Funding Opportunity Number and related NSF publication reference?

The program is titled Sedimentary Geology and Paleobiology, Funding Opportunity Number 09-560. The full announcement is referenced as NSF Publication 09-560.

20) When was the opportunity posted?

The source record indicates the opportunity was posted on May 11, 2009.

21) What were the proposal deadlines listed for this opportunity?

The record indicates full proposal deadlines were originally set for August 7, 2009 and January 16, 2010, and then continued on a recurring schedule of January 16 annually and July 16 annually.

22) What is the closing date shown in the provided listing?

The current closing date in the provided listing is July 16, 2012.

23) Where can applicants get help with Grants.gov access or linking issues related to this opportunity?

NSF provides a Grants.gov support contact for access or linking issues: grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov.

24) What types of evidence or records does the program expect researchers to use?

The description emphasizes using sedimentary rocks, layered stratigraphic records, and the fossil record, including fossils of plants, animals, and microbes, as well as sedimentary and paleontological proxies for interpreting deep-time climate and environmental change.

25) Does the program mention resource-related sedimentary research?

Yes. It highlights that sedimentary sequences contain important organic and inorganic resources and emphasizes understanding how the layered rock record preserves clues related to the formation and distribution of these resources.