Dr. Allan Muth is Director of the P. L. Boyd Deep Canyon Research Center. The Center is part of the University of California Natural Reserve System, and is administered by the University of California at Riverside. The Center is adjacent to the San Bernadino National Forest and encompasses habitats ranging from desert canyon floor below sealevel to Upper Sonoran life zones. Dr. Muth proposes construction of a residence for visiting scientists, drilling a water well for the Station, renovation of an existing building into several labs, and acquisition of basic lab equipment for the renovated labs. The proposed construction and renovation will increase the research productivity of the Center, and will facilitate more in- depth studies of desert ecology and physiological adaptations to heat and water stress. Research on these topics is especially important for management and conservation of the fragile desert environment, and for a better understanding of the effects of global climate change.
