Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Piedmont South Atlantic CESU | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1) What is the title and funding opportunity number for this grant?

The opportunity is titled "Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Piedmont South Atlantic CESU" and the Funding Opportunity Number is 09HQPA0026.

2) Which federal agency is offering this funding?

This is a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) discretionary grant opportunity.

3) What type of award is being offered?

The announcement describes the award as a cooperative agreement.

4) How many awards did the announcement anticipate?

The opportunity anticipated a single award (ExpectedAwards: 1).

5) What is the estimated total funding amount?

The estimated total funding amount listed in the announcement is $43,000.

6) Is cost sharing or matching required?

No cost sharing or matching was required for this opportunity.

7) What are the award ceiling and floor?

The award ceiling and floor were both listed as $0. In this posting, that indicates fixed bounds were not expressed in those fields, and applicants were expected to rely on the narrative and agency guidance for appropriate budgeting.

8) What is the CFDA number for this program?

The CFDA number tied to the program is 15.808 (U.S. Geological Survey Research and Data Collection).

9) When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?

The opportunity was posted on March 26, 2009 and closed on April 6, 2009.

10) When was the opportunity archived?

The archive date was May 6, 2009.

11) What was the target award date?

The target award date was May 15, 2009.

12) What was the project performance period?

Project performance was planned to run through May 30, 2014, supporting a five-year research effort.

13) What is the overall focus of the research project?

The project focuses on tidal freshwater forested wetlands in the Carolinas and nearby coastal areas, with an emphasis on understanding how climate variability and extreme events drive ecosystem stress, forest decline, and potential long-term shifts in wetland forest composition.

14) What is the central monitoring approach described in the announcement?

The core work involves monthly re-measurement of permanent research plots at established long-term forest monitoring sites.

15) Where are the established monitoring sites located?

Permanent research plots were already established at Savannah National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), Waccamaw NWR, and on university-managed lands at Hobcaw Barony in Georgetown, South Carolina.

16) Are applicants expected to establish new research plots?

Yes. In addition to maintaining established plots, applicants were expected to be willing to set up parallel research plots outside the currently monitored National Wildlife Refuges.

17) Why does the opportunity emphasize establishing plots outside refuge boundaries?

The stated purpose is to strengthen comparisons across different management settings and landscape contexts, and to capture broader patterns of change that might not be visible if monitoring is limited to refuge boundaries.

18) What kinds of climate-driven drivers or stressors are specifically mentioned?

The announcement highlights salinity intrusion, altered inundation patterns, drought intensity, storm-driven surges, and sea level anomalies as key drivers that may translate into measurable ecological stress.

19) What ecological outcomes are expected to be documented?

The project aims to document changes in forest composition (species present), forest structure (size classes and canopy layers), growth rates, and mortality.

20) What does the announcement mean by identifying "pathways and thresholds"?

In the context of this announcement, it refers to linking climate conditions to measurable ecological indicators of stress, including identifying early warning signals and tipping points for salinization and forest dieback.

21) Why is a long-term (multi-year) monitoring window important for this project?

The opportunity explains that episodic events such as droughts, hurricanes, and unusual sea level conditions can push saltwater farther inland and at higher concentrations than typical tidal influence. These events may be infrequent, but their impacts can be severe and long-lasting, requiring multi-year monitoring to capture both triggering events and delayed ecosystem responses.

22) What delayed responses is the monitoring intended to capture?

The announcement specifically mentions progressive salinization, reduced growth, canopy thinning, and eventual dieback as delayed responses that may unfold after major events.

23) What role does the opportunity assign to university-based research?

The opportunity places strong emphasis on a university research role, particularly in forest productivity studies, stand composition analyses, and whole-tree ecophysiological investigations.

24) What topics could be included under forest productivity studies?

Examples listed include tracking biomass accumulation, tree growth increments, and stand-level carbon dynamics.

25) What topics could be included under stand composition analyses?

The announcement describes composition work as including shifts in species presence and dominance, regeneration patterns, and changes in the spread or retreat of salt-tolerant versus freshwater-dependent species.

26) What is meant by whole-tree ecophysiological investigations in this project?

These studies are intended to explain mechanisms behind observed changes, such as how trees respond physiologically to salinity stress, water deficits, prolonged flooding, and storm impacts, potentially using measurements related to water use, stress responses, and growth limitations.

27) Does the opportunity include modeling or process-based studies beyond field monitoring?

Yes. The grant calls for additional process-based studies to be created under the agreement to identify and model acute and chronic changes in biogeochemical and hydrologic cycles in these wetlands.

28) What processes are mentioned as priorities for understanding and modeling?

The announcement references understanding and modeling underlying processes that govern water movement, salt transport, nutrient cycling, and related chemical and biological shifts associated with changing hydrology and salinity regimes.

29) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility was limited to partners within the Piedmont South Atlantic Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU).

30) Are federal employees allowed to apply as the applicant organization?

The announcement states applicants could not be employed by a federal agency.

31) Can federal employees participate in the research in any capacity?

Yes. Federal employees were allowed to participate as collaborators on the research, even though they could not be the applicant.

32) What capability requirements are described for applicants?

Applicants needed to demonstrate capability and experience to conduct the type of research described in the opportunity.

33) What geographic area does the project target?

The work targets tidal freshwater forested wetlands in the Carolinas and nearby coastal areas, with specific established sites including locations in South Carolina and at Savannah National Wildlife Refuge.

34) Who was the listed contact for assistance accessing the full announcement?

The listed contact was Faith Graves, Contract Specialist, at 703-648-7356.