The new LTER competition, with a February 2 proposal deadline, is an exciting prospect. NSF announced (publication no. NSF 87-41) its special interest in receiving proposals representing “tropical forest ecosystems” and “land margin ecosystems.” Both of these emphases are expected to generate quite a bit of traffic in proposals. Also in support of the competition announcement, NSF’s Division of Polar Programs (DPP) indicated in its periodic “Dear Colleague” letter an interest in receiving LTER proposals having to do with the Antarctic. We would evaluate such proposals utilizing the regular LTER review process, then defer to DPP for subsequent final action. As in the past, the identification of specific ecosystems of interest should not be interpreted to exclude proposals representing other types of ecosystems. I would reasonably expect proposals dealing with “other types" to outnumber proposals dealing with those of “special interest.”
For information contact Dr. J.T. Callahan, Division of Biotic Systems and Resources, National Science Foundation, 1800 G Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20550 or telephone (202) 357-9596.