A new $20 million grant will help three of the state’s top universities study how trout and sagebrush are adapting to changing environmental conditions.
The money comes from the National Science Foundation and its Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research. Another $4 million in matching funds comes from Idaho’s Higher Education Research Council.
The University of Idaho, Boise State University, and Idaho State Universities will join with federal, state, and regional tribal governments to study redband trout and sagebrush. They’ll look for stressors on the species that may be happening in a changing environment. Then they’ll take that information and create resource management policies based on the research.
The scientists will focus on how genetic characteristics help or hinder plants and animals in the Gem State. They chose trout and sagebrush because those species are indicators of how healthy rivers are and show how rangeland ecosystems are thriving.
The schools will hire at least six new faculty members to work on the study. Over the years, Idaho has received eight similar big grants from the National Science Foundation.
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