Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Rocky Mountain CESU | G18AS00106

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is this funding opportunity?

This is the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU), Rocky Mountain CESU grant opportunity, a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) funding opportunity focused on aquatic invasive species (AIS) and climate change in the northwestern United States.

What is the Funding Opportunity Number?

The Funding Opportunity Number is G18AS00106.

Which agency is offering this grant?

The opportunity was issued by the Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

Which USGS center is leading the effort?

The work is led by the Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center (NOROCK).

What problem is the project trying to solve?

The project is aimed at understanding how climate change is shaping the spread, establishment, persistence, and expansion of aquatic invasive species across the northwestern United States, and converting that understanding into usable guidance for resource managers.

Is the goal to create a new monitoring program?

No. The central aim is not to launch a brand-new monitoring campaign. The emphasis is on synthesizing and analyzing what is already known and already measured, then using that combined knowledge to produce practical, forward-looking guidance.

What are the major phases or components of the work described?

The description points to (1) synthesizing existing research and prior synthesis products, (2) narrowing the focus to a short list of priority invasive species (roughly three to five), (3) identifying key climate-related drivers that influence invasion success, (4) conducting data-driven analyses using long-term monitoring datasets paired with high-resolution climate data, and (5) translating results into an invasion-risk prediction framework and decision support tool with a focus on impacts to native salmonids.

How many invasive species are expected to be prioritized?

The project is expected to narrow the field to a short list of about three to five invasive species that represent the most serious risks to native species in the region.

What does the opportunity say about "climate-related drivers"?

The project is expected to identify the key climate-related drivers that affect whether priority invasive species can establish, persist, and spread, including the climate variables and patterns most likely to accelerate invasions or open new habitat as conditions warm or hydrology shifts.

What types of data are expected to be used?

The project emphasizes analysis that combines extensive, multi-decade species monitoring datasets with high-resolution climate data.

What is meant by analyzing invasion dynamics across space and time?

The intent is to understand where invasions have expanded or contracted, when shifts occurred, and which environmental conditions are associated with those changes, using long-term biological observations paired with climatic information.

What environmental or climate-linked conditions are mentioned as examples?

Examples mentioned include temperature regimes, flow patterns, seasonal extremes, and other climate-linked variables.

Is the work intended to support predictive modeling?

Yes. A key intent is to quantify relationships between climate/environmental drivers and invasion dynamics so the results can be used in predictive modeling rather than relying on general statements about climate change and invasions.

What deliverable is implied by the description?

A major implied deliverable is an invasion-risk prediction framework tied specifically to impacts on native salmonids.

How does the opportunity connect invasive species risk to native salmonids?

The project plans to use models that incorporate habitat suitability under future climate change scenarios to estimate where invasive species pressure may increase and where native salmonid habitats may become more vulnerable.

What is the end goal for resource managers and agencies?

The end goal is a robust decision support tool that helps agencies and partners anticipate emerging invasion hotspots, prioritize surveillance and prevention, and design targeted mitigation actions before invasive species become firmly established or widespread.

What type of funding mechanism is used?

The opportunity is described as a discretionary funding opportunity using a cooperative agreement mechanism.

How many awards were anticipated?

The posting anticipated a single award.

What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?

The award ceiling listed is $56,880.

What activity category is this opportunity associated with?

It falls under the "Science and Technology and other Research and Development" activity category.

What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?

The associated CFDA number is 15.808.

What are the key dates shown in the posting?

The posting shows a creation date of July 31, 2018, and an original closing date of August 14, 2018.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is listed as "Others," with additional details referenced in the full opportunity's eligibility text. The description also notes this is typical of CESU opportunities, which often involve specific partner networks and collaboration expectations.

Does the opportunity specify a geographic focus?

Yes. The effort is focused on the northwestern United States.

What is the project scope in plain terms?

It is a tightly scoped applied research and synthesis effort: identify the invasive species most likely to threaten native ecosystems under changing climate conditions, determine the climatic and environmental drivers behind their spread using long-term datasets, and translate those findings into predictive tools to support prevention and management planning that protects native salmonids.