The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded Dr. Elena Litchman with a 2011 Dimensions of Biodiversity grant. Dr. Litchman, who is currently on sabbatical in Denmark, was awarded the grant for her project, "Lake Baikal responses to global change: The role of genetic, functional and taxonomic diversity in the plankton." This study will look at the planktonic food web in Lake Baikal to predicthow  native vs. non-native plankton in this ecosystem will respond to environmental change.

For more information about this project, please see the press release from Michigan State University at http://news.msu.edu/story/10024.