Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Desert Southwest CESU | Apply Online

Opportunity Summary:

The grant opportunity titled "Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Desert Southwest CESU" (Funding Opportunity Number G15AS00116) was issued by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), specifically through the USGS Southwest Biological Science Center (SBSC). It was offered as a discretionary funding opportunity using a cooperative agreement, which typically means the agency expects to stay substantially involved during the project rather than simply issuing a grant and stepping back. The work falls under the Science and Technology and other Research and Development category and is associated with CFDA 15.808 (U.S. Geological Survey Research and Data Collection). The announcement was posted on June 29, 2015, and it closed on July 17, 2015, with the opportunity later archived on September 29, 2015.

The purpose of the project was to support research on how climate change can trigger cascading ecological effects on riparian and stream-dependent organisms in the Upper Rio Grande region. The underlying concern is that climate-driven shifts in hydrology will place additional drought stress on both riparian corridors and aquatic ecosystems. The announcement highlights a chain of expected changes: declining snowfall in headwater areas, earlier snowmelt timing, and reduced early-summer river flows. Those reduced flows are expected to translate into more frequent and severe low-flow conditions, fragmentation of aquatic habitat (for example, disconnected stream reaches and isolated pools), and deeper groundwater levels caused by reduced aquifer recharge. Together, these hydrologic changes can ripple through the ecosystem, affecting species that rely on stable streamflows, accessible groundwater, and intact riparian vegetation.

From an ecological standpoint, the opportunity emphasizes that these hydrologic shifts are not just a water-supply issue but a whole-system stressor. Lower and more variable flows can reduce habitat availability for fish, amphibians, aquatic invertebrates, and other organisms tied to perennial or seasonally reliable water. Fragmentation can limit movement and dispersal, isolate populations, and increase vulnerability to local extirpation during hot and dry periods. Deepening groundwater can weaken riparian vegetation that depends on shallow water tables, potentially altering plant community composition and structure. The announcement also flags a related risk: these conditions may favor the spread or increased dominance of exotic (non-native) plants, which can further change habitat quality, fire regimes, and competition dynamics, creating additional feedbacks that intensify ecological impacts.

Eligibility was limited to organizations that are official partners within the Desert Southwest Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Program. CESUs are collaborative partnerships designed to connect federal agencies with universities, tribes, and other research and conservation organizations to deliver research, technical assistance, and education. In practical terms, that means applicants outside the Desert Southwest CESU partnership were not eligible to apply under this announcement. The opportunity anticipated making one award, with an estimated total funding amount of $39,774, and it specified no cost sharing or matching requirement. The notice listed an award ceiling and floor of $0, which generally indicates that applicants needed to refer to the full announcement details (or agency guidance) for budgeting expectations rather than relying on those placeholder fields.

For applicants needing assistance with accessing the full announcement, the USGS provided a point of contact: Faith Graves (703-648-7356, fgraves@usgs.gov). Additional materials were referenced as available through Grants.gov, where the complete announcement and any required forms or instructions would have been posted.

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