Cooperative Agreement for CESU-affiliated Partner with North Atlantic Coast CESU | G21AS00515

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this award?

The Funding Opportunity Number is G21AS00515.

Which federal agency is offering this opportunity?

This opportunity is offered by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

Is this funding a standard grant or a cooperative agreement?

It is a cooperative agreement, not a standard grant. That means the project is expected to involve active collaboration with USGS and partners, rather than a hands-off funding relationship.

What program or network is this opportunity administered through?

This cooperative agreement is offered through the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) network, and it is specifically limited to partners in the North Atlantic Coast CESU.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is narrowly defined: applicants must be participating partners of the North Atlantic Coast CESU Program.

What is the CFDA number and program area for this opportunity?

The opportunity is associated with CFDA 15.808 and supports science and technology research and development.

What type of applicant is the project looking for?

The opportunity is intended for an institution or organization with strong expertise in wildlife and conservation biology.

What is the maximum award amount?

The maximum award amount listed is up to $300,000.

When did the application window close for the original posting?

The application window for the original posting closed on June 14, 2021.

What is the primary research focus of the project?

The project focuses on understanding how multiple, interacting environmental changes are affecting anurans (frogs and toads), with the Wood Frog (Lithobates sylvaticus) highlighted as an example focal species.

Where is the main study area?

The main study area is Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve in Alaska, described as a forested, high-latitude landscape where disturbance is common and often intense.

Does the scope extend beyond the main study area?

Yes. While the work centers on Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve, the scope also extends to other boreal environments where combinations of stressors can reshape habitats and influence wildlife populations.

What environmental changes or stressors are being studied?

The research is intended to clarify how climate change, wildfire disturbance, degrading permafrost, and shifting landcover are altering anuran habitats and influencing anuran distribution and population performance.

What does USGS mean by linking disturbance patterns to biological outcomes?

A key emphasis is connecting landscape disturbance patterns to measurable biological responses. USGS is particularly interested in how the spatial and temporal patterns of wildfire (where fires occur and how often), wildfire severity (how intensely an area burns and resulting soil/vegetation changes), and permafrost change (thawing and related hydrologic and ground-surface shifts) relate to anuran occupancy and population dynamics.

What kinds of biological metrics are expected to be measured?

Based on the description, the project anticipates surveys and/or monitoring that can estimate where frogs are present (and absent) and track measures such as abundance and production over time, linked to disturbance and habitat changes.

What kinds of landscape or environmental data are expected to be paired with field observations?

The biological data are expected to be paired with landscape-level information on fire history, burn severity, permafrost condition, and landcover change.

What is meant by anuran occupancy in this opportunity?

In the context provided, occupancy refers to estimating where anurans are present and where they are absent across sites, in relation to disturbances and environmental change.

Why is wildfire a major emphasis in this project?

Wildfire is emphasized because the project aims to understand how where and how often fires occur, and how severely landscapes burn, are connected to changes in habitat and ultimately to anuran distribution and population performance.

Why is permafrost change included in the research questions?

Permafrost change is included because thawing permafrost can drive hydrologic and ground-surface shifts that alter habitats, including conditions relevant to breeding sites and broader landscape suitability for anurans.

What role does climate change play in the project scope?

Climate change is part of the disturbance complex being studied and is described as interacting with wildfire, permafrost degradation, and landcover shifts to alter anuran habitats and population performance.

What are examples of abiotic stressors mentioned in the opportunity?

Examples of abiotic stressors listed include temperature shifts, drying or flooding of breeding sites, altered hydroperiods, and habitat conversion following fires or permafrost thaw.

What are examples of biotic stressors mentioned in the opportunity?

Examples of biotic stressors listed include changes related to predators, competitors, disease dynamics, and food-web effects that can follow disturbance.

What is the intended outcome of the research?

The intended outcome is actionable information that helps conserve anuran populations and the habitats they depend on in Alaska and across boreal systems facing similar disturbance combinations.

How is the work expected to be used by managers?

The opportunity emphasizes producing results that can directly inform management, reflecting an applied research goal tied to conservation planning for amphibians in rapidly changing northern landscapes.

What kind of collaboration is expected under this cooperative agreement?

The funded expert or team is expected to work as part of a multidisciplinary group that includes researchers and federal land managers, consistent with the cooperative agreement model.

What is a CESU and why does it matter for eligibility?

CESUs are partnerships designed to streamline and strengthen cooperation among federal agencies, universities, tribes, NGOs, and other partners by supporting research, technical assistance, and education tied to priority management and conservation needs. For this opportunity, eligibility is limited to participating partners of the North Atlantic Coast CESU.

What species is mentioned as an example focal species?

The Wood Frog (Lithobates sylvaticus) is highlighted as an example focal species.

What kinds of habitats or landscapes are emphasized?

The description emphasizes a forested, high-latitude landscape where disturbance is common and often intense, along with other boreal environments subject to interacting stressors.