Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Colorado Plateau CESU | Apply Online

Opportunity Summary:

This grant opportunity, titled "Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Colorado Plateau CESU" (Funding Opportunity Number G13AS00073), was offered by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), specifically through the USGS Alaska Science Center, as a discretionary cooperative agreement focused on science and technology research. The project centers on using stable isotope analysis to study nearshore food webs, with the main goal of separating (or "partitioning") how much primary production in these ecosystems comes from microalgae versus macroalgae. In practical terms, the work is aimed at clarifying which foundational food sources are fueling nearshore productivity, how those sources move through the food web, and how shifts in that balance could change the overall functioning and output of nearshore ecosystems.

The scientific motivation behind the opportunity is tied closely to climate-driven change in coastal environments. The announcement highlights several expected or emerging stressors that could reshape nearshore systems over time, including changes in circulation patterns along the coast, shifts in freshwater inputs caused by altered precipitation and glacial runoff, increasing ocean acidity, and more frequent or intense storm surges and temperature extremes, especially in intertidal zones. Because nearshore communities are sensitive to these kinds of physical and chemical changes, the opportunity emphasizes that species diversity and community structure may shift, which can then lead to different patterns of primary production (for example, a system relying more heavily on microalgae than macroalgae, or vice versa). Understanding these dynamics is framed as essential for tracking and explaining longer-term changes in ecosystem productivity.

A key applied reason for doing this work is the downstream effect on higher trophic levels and overall ecosystem carrying capacity. The opportunity notes that changes in total nearshore productivity and in the underlying sources of that productivity can affect the ability of the environment to support apex predators and other wildlife that depend on nearshore food webs. Examples specifically named include sea otters, sea ducks, migratory seabirds, and shorebirds. By improving understanding of how energy and nutrients enter and flow through the food web under changing conditions, the research is intended to help agencies anticipate ecological consequences that may not be obvious from physical monitoring alone.

The project is also positioned as a complement to ongoing monitoring efforts by USGS and the National Park Service (NPS). Rather than being a standalone study, it is described as a valuable addition to existing nearshore monitoring work already underway, with the expectation that stable isotope results will help explain the causes of changes observed over time. Stable isotopes are often used in food web studies because they can provide integrative signals of diet sources and trophic relationships, making them useful for distinguishing production sources and tracking how those sources support consumers across the ecosystem.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity anticipated a single award with an estimated total funding amount of $12,000, and it specified no cost-sharing or matching requirement. The CFDA number listed is 15.808 (U.S. Geological Survey Research and Data Collection). Eligibility was limited: applicants had to be participating partners in the Colorado Plateau Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Program, reflecting the CESU model as a partnership-based mechanism for delivering research, technical assistance, and education in support of public land and resource management needs. The posting timeline indicates it was originally posted on July 2, 2013, created on July 9, 2013, with the closing date updated to July 22, 2013, and later archived on September 2, 2013. For access issues with the full announcement, the listed contact was Faith Graves (703-648-7356, fgraves@usgs.gov), and the general additional information link referenced grants.gov.

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