Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Great Lakes Northern Forests CESU | Apply Online

When was the opportunity posted, and when did it close?

It was posted on April 25, 2016 (and created the same day) and it closed on May 9, 2016.

Is this opportunity still open?

No. Based on the posted close date of May 9, 2016, the application window has ended.

What type of award was planned (grant vs. cooperative agreement)?

The award was structured as a cooperative agreement, which typically means the federal agency expected substantial involvement in the work alongside the recipient.

How many awards were anticipated?

The announcement anticipated making a single award.

What was the maximum funding amount (award ceiling)?

The award ceiling was $110,179.

What activity category did this funding fall under?

The activity category was "Science and Technology and other Research and Development."

What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?

The opportunity was listed under CFDA 15.808.

What is the core purpose of the project described in this announcement?

The core purpose was to fill scientific and management knowledge gaps about how recovering predator populations influence ecosystems, with a specific focus on the resurgence of bald eagles and their effects on bird communities.

Which park or management unit was highlighted as having a critical information need?

The work was designed to address a critical information need for VOYA (Voyageurs National Park).

Why were Voyageurs National Park managers seeking this research?

Managers needed clearer, evidence-based understanding of how changes in predator abundance and behavior may be reshaping local avian populations, particularly in the context of bald eagle recovery.

What specific predator recovery was the main focus?

The main focus was the recovery of bald eagles and how their resurgence may affect bird communities.

What kinds of drivers of bird population change did the project aim to disentangle?

The project aimed to separate multiple potential drivers, including bald eagle recovery, broader environmental variability, and direct bald eagle predation.

Was the project framed as looking for a single cause of bird population change?

No. The description explicitly emphasized disentangling multiple factors rather than attributing changes to a single cause.

What kind of primary analysis or deliverable was implied?

A major implied deliverable was a quantitative assessment of how avian populations have changed and how much of that change can reasonably be attributed to each driver (eagle recovery, environmental variability, and direct predation).

What types of data would this project likely use, based on the description?

Based on the description, the work would involve analyzing monitoring data and potentially integrating additional field observations or environmental covariates to separate predator-driven effects from habitat- or climate-related fluctuations over time.

What does it mean to attribute bird population changes to different drivers in this context?

In this context, attribution means estimating whether observed declines or increases in certain bird species are more consistent with impacts from a growing bald eagle population, changing environmental conditions, direct predation, or a combination of these factors.

Was improving monitoring part of the project, or only studying ecological change?

Improving monitoring was a key component. The opportunity emphasized evaluating VOYA's existing avian monitoring program and providing recommendations to improve its ability to detect meaningful population changes.

What aspect of the avian monitoring program was the project expected to evaluate?

The project was expected to test how well different monitoring designs and sampling schemes can detect meaningful population changes in targeted species.

What monitoring performance concepts were highlighted in the description?

The description highlighted statistical power and detectability, including whether the monitoring can reliably detect trends of a given magnitude, how much sampling effort is needed, which methods are most sensitive for particular species, and how to minimize uncertainty.

What practical output was expected for park staff at Voyageurs National Park?

The expected practical output was actionable, evidence-based guidance: clearer understanding of whether bird population changes are linked to bald eagle recovery versus environmental variation, and recommendations to refine monitoring so it can measure those changes with confidence.

Was the work intended to be useful beyond Voyageurs National Park?

Yes. The opportunity emphasized broader applicability across the National Park Service, with the project expected to generate guidance that other NPS units could use to adjust or refine their monitoring protocols.

What broader management question across NPS units did the announcement highlight?

The broader management question was how parks should adapt standard bird monitoring to capture the ecological consequences of predator recovery, especially as species like bald eagles rebound across their historical ranges.

What kind of recommendations were expected for other parks?

The anticipated outcome included practical, transferable recommendations so other park staff can modify existing monitoring to better detect predator-related ecosystem effects without building entirely new programs from scratch.

What was listed for eligibility?

Eligibility was listed as "Others," with additional clarification referenced in the full announcement.

What does the "Others" eligibility label suggest in this case?

Based on the description, it suggests the applicant pool may have been limited or defined by the CESU cooperative framework rules, which often involve partner institutions within a specific CESU network (here, the Great Lakes Northern Forests CESU).

What is the overall theme of the award?

Overall, it was a targeted research-and-monitoring improvement award aimed at producing actionable science on the ecosystem ripple effects of recovering top predators (particularly bald eagles) and improving avian monitoring to support management decisions.