THE MISSION OF THIS PROJECT IS TO CONTRIBUTE A FIRST STEP TOWARDS ADDRESSING THE CONSERVATION NEEDS OF THE…

Assistance award details

Assistance award identifier

ASST_NON_F23AC02553_014

FAIN

F23AC02553

Recipient

UNIVERSITY OF PUERTO RICO

Awarding agency

Department of the Interior

Funding agency

Department of the Interior

Assistance listing (CFDA)

15.657

Total obligated

$167,206

Period

Oct 1, 2023 – Sep 30, 2025

Fiscal year

2023

Place of performance state

PR

Source file

FY2023_All_Assistance_Full_20261006.zip

Description

THE MISSION OF THIS PROJECT IS TO CONTRIBUTE A FIRST STEP TOWARDS ADDRESSING THE CONSERVATION NEEDS OF THE NATIVE ILEX SPECIES IN PUERTO RICO, INCLUDING TWO FEDERALLY-LISTED SPECIES (ILEX SINTENISII, AND ILEX COOKII). THE GOALS OF THE PROJECT ARE: TO CARRY OUT SAMPLING OF LEAF TISSUE OF PLANT SPECIES IN THE GENUS ILEX TO MAKE IT AVAILABLE FOR A FUTURE, SEPARATE PROJECT TO RESOLVE KNOWN BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION CONFLICTS SPECIES BOUNDARIES BY MOLECULAR APPROACHES. THE COLLECTION OF LEAF TISSUE SAMPLES WILL ALSO MAKE POSSIBLE A FUTURE, SEPARATE ANALYSIS TO DESIGN CONSERVATION AND RECOVERY ACTIONS FOR THE FEDERALLY-LISTED PLANTS ILEX SINTENISII AND ILEX COOKII, AIMING TO PRESERVE THE GENETIC DIVERSITY AND SECURE THE LONG-TERM VIABILITY OF THESE SPECIES. A SECOND GOAL OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT IS GATHERING DATA ON THE FLOWERING AND FRUITING OF THE PLANT ILEX SINTENISII THROUGHOUT PERIODIC FIELD EVALUATIONS TOGETHER WITH HERBARIUM SPECIMEN STUDY TO ASSESS ITS REPRODUCTIVE SEASONALITY. THE ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED IN THE PROPOSED PROJECT ARE 1. SAMPLING OF LEAF TISSUE OF EIGHT DIFFERENT PLANT SPECIES IN THE GENUS ILEX THROUGHOUT PUERTO RICO. 2. SAMPLING AND ASSESSMENT OF HERBARIUM SPECIMENS IN PUERTO RICO AND ABROAD (DOMINICAN REPUBLIC AND THE UNITED STATES). FIELDWORK IN PUERTO RICO TO GATHER DATA ON THE FLOWERING AND FRUITING OF THE PLANT ILEX SINTENISII. THE DELIVERABLES AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES ARE 1. A COLLECTION OF LEAF SAMPLES, VOUCHER SPECIMENS AND MORPHOLOGICAL DATA OF ILEX SPECIES FROM PUERTO RICO. 2. A COLLECTION OF LEAF SAMPLES AND MORPHOLOGICAL DATA FROM SPECIMENS HOUSED IN HERBARIA IN PUERTO RICO, THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, AND THE UNITED STATES. 3. FIELD OBSERVATIONS ON FLOWERING AND FRUITING OF ILEX SINTENISII. INTENDED BENEFICIARIES: LEAF SAMPLE MATERIAL WILL PROPEL FUTURE MOLECULAR ANALYSES TO TEST WHETHER ILEX SINTENISII IS OR IS NOT A VALID SPECIES. THUS, THE FISH WILDLIFE SERVICE WILL DIRECTLY BENEFIT FROM THE PROJECT. IT WILL HELP THE AGENCY TO MAXIMIZE