*** 9504867 Goulden This is a three-year cooperative research project proposed by Drs. Clyde Goulden, Jon Gelhaus, and Gary Rosenberg, the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia and Dr. Ravchig Samya, the National University of Mongolia and the Khan Altai Foundation. This proposal is to support the travel of the P.I. and three scientists from the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Science, and the training of one junior Mongolian scientist in the U.S. for research related to this study. This project is to begin a long-term cooperative program to study the biodiversity of national parks in Hovsgol Nuur, Northern Mongolia. The goals of this study are to establish a biological data base for Mongolian national parks and through educational opportunities for Mongolian and U.S. graduate students, to encourage young scientists to study systematic biology and ecology in the national park system in Mongolia. This is an important study of an ancient system with relatively low anthorpogenic impacts and essentially no information on the biology of the system. This is an unique environment for understanding the natural processes of speciation without significant human intervention. In addition to scientific benefits, the potential gains from human resource development are likely to be significant, since once the site is established, it can be used as a living laboratory to train the junior scientists from the U.S., to encourage the Mongolian scientists to study systematic biology and ecology, and to help Mongolian scientists organize the ecological information needed to protect this system. ***
