Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Californian CESU | Apply Online

Opportunity Summary:

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), through its California Water Science Center (CAWSC), offered a discretionary research funding opportunity under the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Program, specifically the Californian CESU. The project focuses on delta smelt (Hypomesus transpacificus) in the Sacramento San Joaquin Delta and is titled "Studies on the Role of Zooplankton Density and Feeding Success in the Spawning Migration of Delta Smelt." The central idea behind the work is to better understand how food availability and feeding outcomes may influence delta smelt behavior during their winter spawning migration, with an emphasis on linking what the fish are eating, what prey is available in the environment, and what that means for overall fish condition.

The opportunity was structured as a cooperative agreement rather than a standard grant, which generally implies closer collaboration with USGS scientists during planning, execution, and interpretation of the work. It was intended to be coordinated closely with another USGS-related effort titled "Studies Assessing Factors that Influence Spawning Migration Behavior and Reproductive Condition of Delta Smelt," meaning applicants should expect their research to fit into a broader, connected set of investigations on migration behavior and reproductive status. The funded work was described as having several interrelated components, and this announcement covered three specific study pieces that together address feeding ecology and condition during winter sampling.

The first component calls for investigating the volume and composition of delta smelt diets retained during winter sampling. In practical terms, this involves examining gut contents to determine how much prey is present (gut fullness) and what kinds of organisms are being consumed. The second component expands the lens from the fish to the surrounding environment by requiring measurement of ambient zooplankton abundance, density, and species composition. This part is meant to establish what prey communities are available where and when delta smelt are sampled, and to allow direct comparison between environmental prey fields and what is actually found in the fish guts. The third component brings these lines of evidence together by integrating gut fullness and diet composition with measures of delta smelt condition, connecting feeding success to physiological status. Condition metrics typically aim to indicate whether fish are energetically robust or stressed, which can be important for understanding migration success and reproductive readiness.

A key planned use of the resulting data is modeling support. Specifically, the USGS indicated that findings would be used to refine behavioral components of particle tracking modules used in individual based models (IBMs) and other delta smelt population models. In other words, the research is intended not only to describe feeding and prey dynamics but also to improve how models represent delta smelt behavior and movement in relation to food resources, which can strengthen forecasting and management-relevant simulations in the Delta.

Administratively, the opportunity number was G13AS00079 under CFDA 15.808 (U.S. Geological Survey Research and Data Collection). The estimated total funding was $95,000, with no cost sharing or matching requirement. The posting date was July 2, 2013, with an original and final closing date of July 12, 2013, and an archive date of September 2, 2013. The listing did not specify an award floor or a formal ceiling (both shown as 0), which typically means applicants would look to the total estimated funding and the scope described to size an appropriate proposal and budget.

Eligibility was limited to partners of the Californian CESU Program. CESUs are collaborative partnerships designed to provide research, technical assistance, and education support for federal land and resource management agencies, and this opportunity restricted applicants to organizations already participating in that CESU network. For full details and access to the original announcement, the posting referenced Grants.gov, and the contact provided for access issues was Faith Graves at 703-648-7356 or fgraves@usgs.gov.

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