Sponsored Research
Lisa Wiedemer is the Grants Manager for University College and Great Valley. She is available to assist you with the development and submission of a research, programming or equipment proposal to an external funding agency, including both public (government) and private (foundations).
Overview from Office of Sponsored Programs
Sponsored Research Highlights
Cassandra Miller-Butterworth
Associate Professor of Biology
Penn State Beaver
https://beaver.psu.edu/
Clarification of the range and taxonomic status of the American Water Shrew in Pennsylvania
Western Pennsylvania Conservancy
We will preserve West Virginia water shrew heart, liver, and kidney tissues in ethyl alcohol for genetic analysis, and prepare the study skins and skulls for deposition into the Pennsylvania State Museum. Genetic and morphometric analyses will be performed from the specimens collected during field surveys, as well as an existing bank of material housed at the Pennsylvania State Museum. The genetic analysis will examine four nuclear and mitochondrial DNA markers used by Hope et al. (Multilocus phylogeography and systematic revision of North American water shrews [genus: Sorex]; J. Mammalogy 95(4):722-738, 2014), and the morphometric analyses will compare museum specimens to the original subspecies descriptions.
Sarah Nilson
Assistant Professor of Biology Penn State Beaver
Penn State Beaver
https://beaver.psu.edu/
Ramps (Allium tricoccum) and American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) ‘vulnerability’ in Pennsylvania
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania: Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
Co-PI: Eric Burkhart, Plant Science Program Director, Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center
Ramps (Allium tricoccum) and American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) are two of the most popular native non-timber forest products (NTFPs) in Pennsylvania. The former is harvested from forestlands as a culinary item, while the latter is removed for medicinal export markets. Despite widespread exploitation, there are gaps in our present understanding of both species in Pennsylvania. These knowledge gaps create basic challenges for scientifically informed management approaches that seek to conserve species in the wild, while facilitating sustainable commercial trade and cultivation on private lands in the state. We propose to address knowledge gaps through a two-year interdisciplinary collaborative project that seeks to inform management and conservation of ramps within the Commonwealth and addresses the question: should ramps be listed as a ‘vulnerable plant’ in Pennsylvania? This project will include a Commonwealth-wide survey of ramp species, distribution and abundance according to the latest taxonomic information, modeling of ramp species habitat predilections and collection of market data on the harvest and trade of ramps within the Commonwealth. Additionally, we will perform studies to examine genetic variation within and between ramp populations and/or species and the possible effects of harvesting pressure on genetic variation. Furthermore, phytochemical analyses of ramps collected across the harvest season will be performed to assess variability in nutrition/constituent levels in relation to harvest practices and ramp species. Finally, demographic data will be collected to develop ecological matrix models to predict how harvesting intensity affects ramp population growth. Regarding American ginseng, which is currently PA ‘vulnerable’ listed, we propose to continue annual mail surveys of industry intended to help discern the extent to which individuals are planting ginseng on private lands in the state for sale in “wild” trade markets. This effort was begun in 2012 and has been funded by WRCP for seven years (as of 2018). If funded, we will continue this effort for two more years of surveying.