Plant demography and vulnerability to climate change at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument & Pinacate Biosphere Reserve | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the title of this funding opportunity?

The funding opportunity is titled "Plant demography and vulnerability to climate change at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument & Pinacate Biosphere Reserve."

What is the Funding Opportunity Number?

The Funding Opportunity Number is P16AS00260.

Which federal agency is offering this grant?

This is a U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service (DOI-NPS) discretionary grant opportunity.

What type of award is being offered?

The award instrument is a cooperative agreement, which generally means the National Park Service is expected to have substantial involvement during the project rather than serving only as a pass-through funder.

What does "cooperative agreement" mean for applicants and awardees?

Based on the opportunity description, a cooperative agreement indicates that the National Park Service is expected to collaborate during the project. This can include working with the awardee on study design, coordinating access to park sites and existing data, aligning methods with management needs, and participating in interpreting results and applying findings to resource management decisions.

What is the main purpose or intent of the project?

The intent is to support natural resource science that can inform resource management decisions in protected desert ecosystems by studying plant population dynamics (demography) and assessing how plant species or plant communities may be vulnerable to climate change.

What research topic area does this opportunity fall under?

The opportunity focuses on natural resource research, specifically plant demography and climate change vulnerability in desert protected areas.

Where will the research take place?

The project is focused on Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument in the United States and the Pinacate Biosphere Reserve in Mexico.

What kinds of questions is the project trying to answer?

From the description provided, the work is centered on how changing temperature and precipitation patterns affect plant survival, recruitment (such as seedling establishment), and long-term population stability, and which species, life stages, or habitats may be most at risk under climate stressors.

What is "plant demography" in the context of this opportunity?

In this context, plant demography refers to studying plant populations over time, including measurements related to survival and mortality, reproduction, recruitment, and overall population trends that help determine whether populations are stable, increasing, or declining.

What climate-related stressors are relevant to this project?

The opportunity description points to stressors such as heat extremes, drought, altered rainfall timing, and potential interactions with disturbance. The goal is to link demographic patterns and population outcomes to these climate pressures.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education. In practical terms, this means public universities and similar state-affiliated academic institutions are the eligible applicant pool.

Are private universities or non-profits eligible to apply under this listing?

Based on the provided eligibility statement, the opportunity is limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, so private universities and other organization types are not included in the eligible categories described.

How many awards are expected to be made?

The opportunity indicates a single expected award.

What is the maximum award amount?

The award ceiling is $56,026.

Does the opportunity suggest a large program or a targeted project?

Given that there is one expected award and a ceiling of $56,026, the listing suggests a relatively small, targeted research project rather than a large multi-year program.

What is the CFDA number and what is it for?

The opportunity is associated with CFDA number 15.945. The CFDA number identifies the federal assistance program category used for tracking and reporting.

When was this opportunity created and posted?

The administrative details indicate the opportunity was created and posted on June 15, 2016.

Is there an application deadline listed in the provided information?

A standard application deadline is not provided in the information given. The listing references an "NOI" (Notice of Intent) timeline rather than providing a typical application due date.

What is an NOI and how does it relate to this opportunity?

In this listing, "NOI" refers to a Notice of Intent timeline. This typically implies prospective applicants may have been expected to submit an initial notice before a full proposal, or that the public listing was tied to a pre-proposal stage.

What kinds of activities might the project include?

Based on the title and description, the work would commonly include field-based monitoring of plant populations over time, measuring survival and mortality, documenting reproduction and recruitment, and analyzing how demographic trends relate to climate conditions such as heat and drought.

What kinds of outputs are expected from the project?

The project is framed to produce management-relevant results, such as identifying which species, life stages, or habitats are most vulnerable, and providing evidence that can guide conservation actions, monitoring priorities, or adaptive management strategies across the Organ Pipe and Pinacate protected-area landscapes.

How will the results be used?

The description emphasizes science that informs resource management decisions in protected desert ecosystems, meaning findings are expected to be applied to on-the-ground management, monitoring, and conservation planning related to climate change impacts on plant populations.

Will the National Park Service be involved in the project beyond providing funding?

Yes. Because the instrument is a cooperative agreement, the National Park Service is expected to have substantial involvement, including collaboration on study design, coordination for access to park sites and data, ensuring methods align with management needs, and participating in interpretation and application of the results.