Long and Medium Term Research: Historical Biogeography of Spatangoid Echinoids. This award recommendation is made under the Program for Long and Medium-Term Research at Foreign Centers of Excellence. The program is designed to enable young U.S. scientists and engineers to conduct long-term research abroad at research institutions of proven excellence. Awards provide opportunities for the conduct of joint research and the use of unique or complementary facilities, expertise and experimental conditions in foreign countries. The award will support a ten month research visit by Dr. Joseph A. Ghiold of Louisiana State University at Baton Rouge, with Dr. Kenneth J. McNamara, Curator, Department of Paleontology, Western Australia Museum, Perth, Australia. The researchers will analyze the interplay of current ecological and historical factors which jointly shape the biogeographic subdivision of these marine benthic organisms. This goal will be achieved by: (1) accumulation of data pertaining to the paleobiogeographic distribution and stratigraphic range of fossil spatangoid species; (2) comparison of spatangoid paleobiogeographic patterns with those of modern spatangoids; (3) subsequent analysis of these patterns in terms of area phenograms supplemented with independent paleontologic and geologic data; (4) comparison of these results to those previously determined for clypeasteroid echinoids and various shelf benthos. Results from this study will help assess the importance of historical biogeography in explaining current patterns of the biosphere and the potential of the fossil record as a source of biogeographic information. This project may shed some light on the historical routes of evolution and on the dynamics of evolutionary processes that shaped the world biotas. The award recommendation provides funds to cover, as appropriate, international travel, local travel abroad, stipend, dependents' allowance, if applicable, and a flat administrative allowance of $250.00 for the U.S. home institution.
