Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Southern Appalachian Mountains CESU | G17AS00101

Opportunity Information: Apply for G17AS00101

The Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU), Southern Appalachian Mountains CESU grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number G17AS00101) is a discretionary Department of the Interior award administered by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), specifically through the Wetland and Aquatic Research Center (WARC). It is structured as a cooperative agreement, meaning the intent is not simply to fund an outside project, but to support a closely coordinated partnership where USGS scientists and the selected CESU partner work together on shared research objectives. The opportunity falls under the Science and Technology and other Research and Development category (CFDA 15.808) and was designed to make a single award, with an award ceiling of $701,148 and an expected number of awards of 1.

The central purpose of the project is to study the causes and consequences of phenological change in salamanders, focusing on shifts in the timing of key life history events. In practical terms, the work targets events such as breeding, larval development, and metamorphosis, and how the timing of those events varies from year to year or site to site in response to weather and climate conditions. WARC is seeking to use this research to strengthen models that simulate and predict how future climate scenarios could affect salamander populations. By improving these predictive tools, the project aims to give managers a clearer sense of how changes in rainfall patterns, temperature, and other climate drivers could translate into real biological outcomes, such as altered recruitment or reduced survival.

The grant is tied directly to recovery-relevant science for two federally listed flatwoods salamanders: Ambystoma cingulatum and Ambystoma bishopi. USGS-WARC scientists have been monitoring A. cingulatum at St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, where their existing work has already shown that critical life history timing can vary substantially, and that these differences are linked to weather patterns. This matters because flatwoods salamanders depend on seasonal wetland conditions, and small shifts in the onset or duration of wet periods can cascade into major effects on reproductive success and juvenile survival. The opportunity is essentially about moving from observed patterns at one intensively studied location toward a broader, more general understanding that can hold up across geography and time.

A key element is the explicit interest in spatial and temporal variation in phenological patterns, especially by comparing conditions and responses across different populations. The opportunity notes that the largest remaining population of A. bishopi occurs at Eglin Air Force Base, roughly 250 km west of St. Marks NWR. That geographic separation provides a natural setup for testing whether salamanders at different sites respond similarly to climate and weather cues, or whether local habitat conditions and regional climate patterns produce different phenological outcomes. Collaborating with CESU partner scientists is intended to expand the scope beyond what WARC can capture alone, bringing in additional expertise, analyses, and potentially complementary field and modeling approaches that help explain and quantify variation among sites and years.

The expected end result is improved forecasting of salamander population viability under future conditions, with projections that reflect a wider and more realistic range of possible phenological responses. Rather than assuming a single timing pattern for breeding or metamorphosis, the collaboration is meant to help incorporate uncertainty and variability into population models. That, in turn, supports better-informed conservation and recovery planning for these endangered species, because management decisions (such as habitat restoration, hydrologic management, or timing of protective actions) depend heavily on knowing when animals are likely to breed, develop, and transition between life stages under shifting climate regimes.

Eligibility is limited to CESU partners (listed broadly as "Others" with clarification in the full eligibility text), reinforcing that this is a partnership-driven opportunity within the CESU network. The notice was created June 22, 2017, and originally closed July 7, 2017, indicating it was a time-bound competition aimed at quickly initiating collaborative work that directly supports ongoing USGS research and federally listed species recovery efforts.

• The Department of the Interior, Geological Survey in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Southern Appalachian Mountains CESU" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.808.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jun 22, 2017.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 07, 2017. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $701,148.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

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