Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Gulf Coast CESU | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the name of this grant opportunity?

The opportunity is the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU), Gulf Coast CESU grant opportunity, Funding Opportunity Number G16AS00089.

Which federal agency is offering this opportunity?

This funding call is offered by the US Department of the Interior, US Geological Survey (USGS), Alaska Science Center.

What is the main scientific focus of the project?

The project focuses on applied wildlife physiology and ecology, centered on male caribou (Rangifer tarandus), with an emphasis on evaluating blood chemistry at the onset of the breeding season.

Why does the project focus on male caribou?

The opportunity is motivated by long-term USGS field observations about growth and life-history tradeoffs in male caribou, especially how males grow to full adult mass, become competitive for breeding, and then experience steep seasonal costs during rut that may reduce survival and effective adult lifespan.

When is the breeding season timing referenced in the opportunity?

The breeding season (rut) for caribou is described as typically occurring in late September through October.

Why collect blood chemistry right at the onset of the breeding season?

The onset of breeding coincides with the end of the annual growing season, so sampling at that time is intended to capture an important physiological transition period when males shift from summer foraging and body condition gain to the energetic and behavioral demands of rut.

What does USGS field work suggest about when males reach full adult body mass?

USGS studies referenced in the opportunity suggest that male caribou reach full adult body mass at around five years of age.

How is body mass linked to breeding competitiveness in this opportunity?

The description indicates males likely only become truly competitive during the rut once they reach the full adult body mass threshold (around five years of age).

What kinds of costs do males experience during rut according to the opportunity?

The opportunity highlights that rutting males can lose a substantial proportion of body mass, citing Barboza et al. 2004 as indicating roughly one-third body mass loss, and connects these seasonal costs to reduced survival and a shorter effective adult lifespan.

What are the key research questions the project is framed around?

The project is framed around understanding why males show the observed growth patterns, why survival declines after they reach maturity, and how physiology and diet at the start of rut may help explain those outcomes.

What types of blood-based indicators are specifically mentioned for analysis?

USGS is seeking a collaborative research effort to assay and interpret two key types of blood-based indicators collected from males at the beginning of the breeding season: hormones and stable isotope diet markers.

What is the purpose of the hormone assays in this project?

Hormone assays are described as providing insight into reproductive readiness, stress, energetic regulation, and other internal processes that influence behavior and body condition during rut.

What is the purpose of stable isotope diet markers in this project?

Stable isotope markers are described as reflecting assimilated diet over relevant time windows and helping reconstruct what animals have been eating and the nutritional landscape they experienced leading up to breeding.

What is the intended benefit of combining hormone assays with stable isotope markers?

By combining these tools, the work is intended to connect diet quality and physiological state with subsequent rut costs, patterns of growth toward adult mass, and survival outcomes.

What outcomes are expected from the funded work?

The expected outcome is a clearer understanding of the physiological mechanisms driving observed patterns in caribou ecology and population dynamics.

Is this research expected to be relevant beyond caribou?

Yes. While the focus is on male caribou, the results are positioned as broadly relevant to cervid management across North America because many deer species face similar seasonal energetic bottlenecks and reproductive tradeoffs.

Who is the practical audience for the results?

The practical audience includes scientists and resource managers who need mechanistic information to interpret demographic change, forecast population trajectories, or evaluate how environmental variation may affect breeding condition and survival.

What is the funding instrument for this opportunity?

The opportunity was offered as a cooperative agreement, which typically involves substantial involvement and collaboration with the federal partner.

What kind of funding opportunity category is this?

It is described as a discretionary research and development funding opportunity in the Science and Technology and other Research and Development category.

What is the CFDA number listed for this opportunity?

The CFDA number listed is 15.808.

How many awards were anticipated?

The opportunity anticipated a single award.

What was the award ceiling?

The award ceiling was $45,000.

When was the opportunity posted and created?

It was posted on June 13, 2016, and created the same day.

What was the application closing date?

The application closing date was June 28, 2016.

Who was eligible to apply based on the information provided?

Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others." The description notes that additional eligibility clarification would normally be provided in the full notice under additional eligibility information, consistent with many CESU opportunities that often target participating CESU network institutions and partners.

Is this opportunity connected to a CESU network?

Yes. It is identified as a Gulf Coast CESU grant opportunity, and the eligibility discussion references how CESU opportunities often relate to CESU network institutions and partners.

What species is explicitly named in the opportunity?

Male caribou are explicitly named, with the scientific name provided as Rangifer tarandus.

What part of the year does the project aim to capture in terms of ecological context?

The work is designed to capture the transition at the end of the annual growing season, when summer foraging and body condition gain give way to the energetic and behavioral demands of the rut.