Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Rocky Mountain CESU | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What agency is offering this grant opportunity?

This opportunity is offered by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) through the Rocky Mountain Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) network. The project is led by the Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center (NOROCK/NoRock).

What type of funding mechanism is being used?

The funding is provided as a cooperative agreement. This typically indicates substantial involvement by USGS in the project during its execution, rather than a hands-off, pass-through award.

Is this expected to fund more than one project?

No. The announcement describes support for a single cooperative agreement project, and the identical award ceiling and floor suggest one fixed-amount award.

How much funding is available?

The total estimated funding amount is $67,264. The award ceiling is $67,264 and the award floor is also $67,264, indicating the anticipated award amount is fixed at $67,264.

Is cost sharing or match required?

No. Cost sharing is not required for this opportunity.

What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?

The CFDA listing is 15.808, titled USGS Research and Data Collection.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is limited to partners within the Rocky Mountain CESU network. This reflects the CESU model of collaboration among member institutions for research and technical assistance.

What is the overall purpose of the project?

The purpose is to advance applied, management-relevant science by integrating soils, vegetation, and sensing data to improve understanding of ecosystem responses to changing conditions, particularly where climate pressures and rapid energy development are influencing landscapes.

Where is the work focused geographically?

The project centers on two Wyoming study areas with significant existing data resources: the Powder River Basin and the Pinedale Anticline.

What are the main scientific components of the work?

The core work includes research on soil microbial data, a pilot near-surface sensing effort, and analysis of spatial vegetation information from both study areas.

What does the vegetation analysis focus on?

The vegetation component emphasizes composition and structure. This includes documenting which plant species are present (including native and non-native species) and analyzing how plant communities are arranged and functioning across space.

What does the soils component include?

The soils component includes laboratory analyses of soil samples spanning physical, chemical, and biological properties, with a specific emphasis on biological components such as microbial communities.

How are soils and vegetation data intended to be used together?

Together, the datasets are intended to clarify how biological elements (plants and soil biota) interact with physical landscape and stream components, and how land use influences those interactions over time.

Does the scope include collecting new data, or only using existing datasets?

The scope is not limited to new sample collection or new analyses. It also emphasizes strengthening the integrity and usability of both existing and newly generated datasets, including database maintenance and QA/QC.

What does the opportunity say about data stewardship and quality control?

Data stewardship is a major component. The scope explicitly includes maintaining project databases, conducting quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC), and field-checking model results when needed to ensure reliability for management decisions.

Why is QA/QC and field-checking highlighted as important?

The project aims to make datasets more trustworthy, usable, and comparable across time and sources. Field-checking modeled or remotely derived results helps confirm that outputs match on-the-ground conditions sufficiently to support real management decisions.

What role do sensing and remote measurements play in the project?

The project includes a pilot near-surface sensing effort and also highlights linking vegetation and soils information with near-surface and remotely sensed measurements tied to productivity.

How does the project connect to wildlife or habitat questions?

The opportunity describes extending relationships among soils, vegetation, and sensing-based productivity measures to questions about animal movement and habitat use, linking ecosystem processes to outcomes relevant for wildlife and habitat management.

Why were the Powder River Basin and Pinedale Anticline selected as study areas?

They are described as especially well-suited because they have significant existing databases and previously developed analytical methods, enabling efficient collection of new data and deeper synthesis across data types.

How does this opportunity support practical land management?

NOROCK frames the award as part of a broader mission to improve how science is translated into practical land management by enhancing access to data, strengthening synthesis and outreach capabilities, and enabling timely responses to resource management questions.

Does the opportunity emphasize collaboration or data sharing?

Yes. It specifically aims to encourage interagency data sharing, improve communication of research results, and support practical applications for land managers and the public.

Which regions does NOROCK reference in describing its broader service area?

NOROCK is described as producing unbiased scientific information used by federal and state agencies, tribes, academic partners, and other organizations across Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, and Idaho.

What are the key dates for this opportunity?

The posting date is July 23, 2008. The application closing date is August 1, 2008. The archive date is August 31, 2008.

Who is the listed contact for access issues or administrative questions?

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

What is the announced focus regarding changing conditions on the landscape?

The announcement highlights changing conditions driven by climate pressures and rapid energy development, and it positions the work to better understand ecosystem responses under those influences.

What does "management-relevant science" mean in the context of this project?

In this announcement, it refers to applied science designed to support real-world decision-making by land managers, including producing validated, well-documented datasets and analyses that can be used for practical management questions.