Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Californian CESU | G18AS00104

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1) What is the main purpose of this funding opportunity?

The opportunity is meant to support a focused research project that improves scientific understanding of waterbird ecology along the Pacific Flyway, with particular emphasis on how major environmental drivers are reshaping habitats and waterbird populations over time.

2) Which agency is offering this opportunity?

This funding opportunity comes from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), specifically the Western Ecological Research Center, under the U.S. Department of the Interior.

3) What program or network is this opportunity associated with?

The opportunity is offered through the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) network and is tied to the Californian CESU.

4) What is the project title, and what does it imply about the work?

The project title is "Waterbird Ecology in the Pacific Flyway: Understanding Implications of Restoration, Climate and Land Use Change." It implies the work should connect ecological research to real-world management questions by examining how restoration efforts and environmental change affect waterbirds and their habitats.

5) What kinds of environmental drivers are emphasized in the notice?

The notice emphasizes major drivers such as wetland restoration, climate-related shifts (including drought patterns, temperature changes, sea level rise, and altered hydrology), and land use change (including agriculture, urban growth, and water management decisions).

6) What types of waterbird responses might the research examine?

Based on the description, the research could examine impacts on waterbird distribution, abundance, behavior, habitat selection, and overall ecological needs as conditions change across the Pacific Flyway.

7) How does the Pacific Flyway context shape the research focus?

Because the Pacific Flyway spans a major migratory corridor, the emphasis is commonly on how conditions at key stopover, wintering, and breeding sites influence survival and migration success, and how coordinated habitat management could reduce risks to waterbird populations.

8) What is the award mechanism, and how is it different from a standard grant?

The award mechanism is a cooperative agreement rather than a standard grant. This typically means USGS expects substantial involvement in the project beyond providing funds, such as participating in study design discussions, coordinating access to data or field sites, helping align methods with agency priorities, or collaborating on interpretation and delivery of results.

9) What is the activity category for this opportunity?

The activity category is listed as "Science and Technology and other Research and Development," indicating the primary outputs are expected to be research and related products.

10) What kinds of deliverables or outputs are expected?

The description indicates outputs may include analyses, datasets, decision-support tools, management recommendations, and possibly peer-reviewed publications or technical reports that directly inform conservation and restoration planning.

11) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is limited to a member of the CESU Program. The notice describes eligibility as "Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification)," and in effect this is a targeted opportunity intended for the CESU partner network rather than open competition across all institutions.

12) Is this opportunity open to all institutions?

No. Based on the notice description, it is targeted to the CESU partner network (specifically tied to the Californian CESU) rather than open competition across all institutions.

13) What is the opportunity number?

The opportunity number is G18AS00104.

14) What is the CFDA number associated with this funding?

The CFDA number is 15.808, which corresponds to USGS research and data activities.

15) When was the opportunity created, and what was the closing date listed?

The opportunity was created on July 31, 2018, and the original application closing date was August 14, 2018.

16) How much funding is available under this opportunity?

The funding ceiling listed is $18,083.

17) How many awards was USGS expecting to make?

USGS anticipated making one award.

18) What does the relatively small budget suggest about the likely scope of work?

The budget level suggests a small, discrete scope of work, such as a pilot study, a focused analysis of existing monitoring data, a targeted field effort in a limited area or season, or a synthesis that supports planning and prioritization for restoration and habitat management.

19) How is restoration expected to fit into the research themes?

The notice indicates the research should help clarify the implications of restoration for waterbirds, meaning the study may evaluate how wetland restoration projects influence habitat availability, quality, use by birds, and outcomes relevant to conservation and management decisions.

20) How are climate and land use change expected to fit into the research themes?

The description highlights climate and land use change as accelerating sources of uncertainty for conservation outcomes. Research is expected to improve understanding of how shifts like drought, temperature changes, sea level rise, altered hydrology, and land conversion or management decisions affect waterbird habitats and populations over time.

21) Why is this described as applied research rather than purely academic research?

The solicitation frames the work around management questions and decision-making needs, with outputs that may directly inform conservation, restoration planning, and coordinated habitat management across key sites in the Pacific Flyway.

22) What role might USGS play during the project under a cooperative agreement?

USGS may be involved in discussions of study design, coordinating access to data or field sites, aligning methods with agency priorities, and collaborating on interpretation and delivery of results, reflecting substantial involvement typical of cooperative agreements.

23) What does it mean that the opportunity is tied to the Californian CESU?

It indicates the opportunity is issued through the CESU framework associated with the Californian CESU partnership structure, and the eligible applicant pool is within the CESU member network described in the notice.

24) What conservation problem is this opportunity trying to address?

The notice points to uncertainty created by restoration investments alongside accelerating climate and land use changes. The project is intended to advance understanding that can help reduce risks to waterbird populations through better-informed, coordinated habitat management across the Pacific Flyway.