The Biodiversity Exploration Fund was created in 2023 to power new discoveries by supporting scientists and collection managers at the University of Michigan’s Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EEB) museums. These awards fund fieldwork, collections-based research, and a deeper understanding of biodiversity—ranging from ancient fungi to disease-carrying mosquitoes to tropical trees. Since BEF’s inception, the museums have awarded over $40,000 in funds to members of EEB for this important work.

The Herbarium and UMMZ are pleased to request proposals for our upcoming award cycle. All applications are due October 15, 2025. 

Here’s a glimpse of a few recent recipients and the exciting work they’re leading:

Cryptomycina pteridis, a little-known yet widely distributed fungus that causes striking black markings on the underside of bracken ferns, image courtesy of Alison Harrington.

 

2023 - Rediscovering a Rare Fungus

Alison Harrington, Collection Manager of Fungi, Lichens, and Bryophytes in the Herbarium, received support to collect, sequence, and classify Cryptomycina pteridis, a little-known yet widely distributed fungus that causes striking black markings on the underside of bracken ferns. This work helps make our understanding of the Fungal tree of life a little bit more complete by updating an older concept of how fungal groups are related to each other using modern molecular tools, and contributes to a more complete record of the fungal biodiversity in Michigan.

Tim James and Oliver Keller in the field, courtesy of Keller.

 

2024 - Tracking Mosquito-Borne Pathogens

Professor and Curator of Fungi Tim James and Research Collection Specialist Oliver Keller launched a collaborative effort to collect mosquito larvae and adults, and identify pathogens they may carry. This work tests critical hypotheses in disease ecology to understand emerging mosquito-borne threats, combining field sampling with cutting-edge lab analysis.

Raquel Pizzardo and Diana Marcela Medellin Zabala in the field in Ecuador, photo courtesy of Medellin Zabala.

 

Untangling Coevolution in the Tropics

Professor and Curator Chris Dick, along with Associate Professor María Umaña and Ph.D. students Raquel Pizzardo and Diana Medellín-Zabala, will investigate how widespread tree species evolve across different tropical regions. In particular, their work will partly test the “geographic mosaic” of coevolution—a concept that explains why species interactions can vary so much across space and time. They will initiate their work in the Amacayacu field site in the Colombian Amazon.

Thais Vasconcelos in the field, courtesy of Vasconcelos.

 

2025 - Building a Tree of Life for Neotropical Myrtles

Herbarium Director and Assistant Professor Thais Vasconcelos and Ph.D. student Paulo Henrique Gaem will reconstruct the evolutionary history of neotropical myrtles, a key group of tropical plants with ecological and cultural importance. Their project aims to create a detailed phylogeny to guide future conservation and research.

In the field with northern red oak (Quercus rubra), courtesy of Stephen Smith.

 

Together, these projects reflect the mission of the Biodiversity Exploration Fund: to support bold, curiosity-driven science that deepens our understanding of life on Earth—and helps preserve it for generations to come.