Opportunity Information: Apply for 21560 09 005
Apply for 21560 09 005
- The Fish and Wildlife Service in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Attwaters Prairie Chicken Red Imported Fire Ant Reseach" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.650 Research Grants (Generic).
- This funding opportunity was created on Sep 8, 2009 and posted on Sep 8, 2009.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 14, 2009. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $12,350.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $12,350.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.
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Opportunity Summary:
This grant opportunity from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service supports a targeted research project at the Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge aimed at understanding whether red imported fire ants (Solenopsis invicta) are contributing to the severe chick and brood survival problems facing the critically endangered Attwater's prairie chicken (Tympanuchus cupido attwateri). The Attwater's prairie chicken has been listed as endangered since 1967, and the wild population has fallen to fewer than 100 birds. Captive breeding and releasing birds into the wild has been the main tool preventing extinction since the mid-1990s, but near-total brood failure in the wild remains a major barrier to recovery and is identified as a top priority by the species recovery team and recovery plan updates.
The project is built around a straightforward biological concern: newly hatched prairie chicken chicks depend heavily on insects during the first weeks of life, and limited insect availability can translate quickly into starvation, poor growth, and higher vulnerability to predators and weather. Existing comparisons between Attwater's prairie chicken brood habitat in Texas and a growing greater prairie chicken population in Minnesota (where red imported fire ants are absent) suggest a meaningful gap in food resources, with about 70 fewer insects observed in the Attwater's habitat. One notable example is leafhoppers, which were abundant in the Minnesota habitat but scarce in the Attwater's range, despite historical observations that leafhoppers used to be common there. Because red imported fire ants are known to disrupt native insect communities and have been linked to negative outcomes for multiple bird species, the refuge is trying to determine whether this invasive ant is indirectly undermining chick survival by reducing the insects chicks rely on.
The opportunity specifically funds a larger-scale study and management experiment than earlier efforts. Refuge staff and Texas A&M University Extension Entomology previously conducted red imported fire ant control on small five-acre plots, achieving strong short-term suppression during spring brooding season. However, the ants rapidly reinvaded those small areas within months, and researchers did not detect strong improvements in insect abundance during the key brooding period. The grant frames two plausible reasons for the limited response: control may not have occurred at the most important times in insect life cycles, and the small plot size may have reduced the chances that beneficial insects could recolonize quickly enough to show improvements while chicks were feeding. In response, the proposed work shifts to a much larger treatment area, about 760 acres, to better test whether meaningful ant suppression can change insect abundance and diversity at a scale that matters to prairie chicken broods, and whether any resulting changes translate into improved brood survival.
Administratively, this is a discretionary funding opportunity offered as a cooperative agreement under a science and technology / research and development category. The total funding is $12,350, with one expected award, and the award amount is fixed at $12,350 (both the ceiling and floor). There is no cost sharing or matching requirement. Eligibility is limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education. The funding opportunity number is 21560-09-005, and it was originally posted on September 8, 2009 with an application closing date of September 14, 2009 (later archived October 14, 2009). The listed contact is Terry Rossignol, Wildlife Refuge Manager at Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge, reachable by phone at 979-234-3021 or email at terryrossignol@fws.gov.
Grant Opportunity FAQs: Attwater Prairie Chicken NWR Fire Ant Research
What is this grant opportunity about?
This U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service grant supports a targeted research project at the Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge to evaluate whether red imported fire ants (Solenopsis invicta) are contributing to severe chick and brood survival problems in the critically endangered Attwater's prairie chicken (Tympanuchus cupido attwateri).
Which species is the project focused on?
The project focuses on the Attwater's prairie chicken (Tympanuchus cupido attwateri), which has been listed as endangered since 1967 and has declined to fewer than 100 birds in the wild.
Why is chick and brood survival such a major concern for this species?
While captive breeding and releasing birds has helped prevent extinction since the mid-1990s, near-total brood failure in the wild remains a major barrier to recovery. Improving brood survival is identified as a top priority by the species recovery team and in recovery plan updates.
What is the biological question this study is trying to answer?
The project asks whether red imported fire ants are indirectly undermining chick survival by reducing the insects that newly hatched chicks rely on during the first weeks of life.
How could red imported fire ants affect prairie chicken chicks?
Newly hatched chicks depend heavily on insects early in life. If invasive fire ants disrupt native insect communities and reduce insect availability, chicks may face food shortages that can lead to starvation, poor growth, and increased vulnerability to predators and weather.
What evidence suggests insect availability may be lower in the Attwater's prairie chicken habitat?
Comparisons between Attwater's prairie chicken brood habitat in Texas and a growing greater prairie chicken population in Minnesota (where red imported fire ants are absent) indicate a gap in food resources, with about 70 fewer insects observed in the Attwater's habitat.
Are any specific insects mentioned as being important or missing?
Yes. Leafhoppers are highlighted as an example: they were abundant in the Minnesota habitat but scarce in the Attwater's range, even though historical observations indicate leafhoppers used to be common there.
Why does the Refuge suspect red imported fire ants could be involved?
Red imported fire ants are known to disrupt native insect communities and have been linked to negative outcomes for multiple bird species. The Refuge wants to determine whether similar indirect effects are occurring for Attwater's prairie chicken broods.
What has been tried before, and what were the results?
Refuge staff and Texas A&M University Extension Entomology previously conducted fire ant control on small five-acre plots. They achieved strong short-term suppression during spring brooding season, but the ants reinvaded within months and researchers did not detect strong improvements in insect abundance during the key brooding period.
Why might the earlier small-plot efforts not have improved insect abundance during brooding season?
The opportunity description suggests two plausible reasons: (1) control may not have occurred at the most important times in insect life cycles, and (2) the five-acre plot size may have been too small for beneficial insects to recolonize quickly enough to show improvements while chicks were feeding.
How is this funded project different from prior efforts?
This opportunity funds a larger-scale study and management experiment. Instead of five-acre plots, the proposed work shifts to a much larger treatment area of about 760 acres to better test whether meaningful fire ant suppression can change insect abundance and diversity at a scale relevant to prairie chicken broods.
What outcomes is the larger-scale study intended to evaluate?
The study is intended to evaluate whether suppressing red imported fire ants across a larger area can measurably change insect abundance and diversity, and whether any resulting changes translate into improved brood survival.
What is the award type for this opportunity?
The opportunity is offered as a cooperative agreement under a science and technology / research and development category.
Is this a discretionary funding opportunity?
Yes. The posting describes it as a discretionary funding opportunity.
How much funding is available?
The total funding amount is $12,350.
How many awards are expected?
One award is expected.
Is the award amount flexible?
No. The award amount is fixed at $12,350, with the same figure listed as both the ceiling and the floor.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement stated for this opportunity.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education.
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is 21560-09-005.
When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?
The opportunity was originally posted on September 8, 2009. The application closing date was September 14, 2009. The posting was later archived on October 14, 2009.
Who is the point of contact for questions?
The listed contact is Terry Rossignol, Wildlife Refuge Manager at Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge.
How can the contact person be reached?
Phone: 979-234-3021
Email: terryrossignol@fws.gov
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