Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, South Florida/Caribben CESU | Apply Online

Opportunity Summary:

This grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number 09HQPA0011) is a U.S. Geological Survey cooperative agreement offered through the South Florida/Caribbean Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU). Its purpose is tightly focused on Everglades restoration support: developing, testing, and applying reliable sampling approaches for fishes and macroinvertebrates living in mangrove creek systems in extreme south Florida. The methods and resulting data are intended to strengthen habitat monitoring both before and during restoration actions tied to the Greater Everglades, with an emphasis on producing information that directly informs whether restoration is working and how monitoring should be done most efficiently.

The core work centers on repeating a standardized, multi-season field sampling program three times per year, aligned with key hydrologic periods: high water (October to December), transition (January to February), and dry season (April to May). The project explicitly calls for continuing with the same sampling techniques used in the first four years of the study so the dataset remains comparable over time. Field collections target different components of the fish community using multiple gears. Large-bodied fishes are collected by electrofishing, processed in the field, and generally released alive, with limited retention for voucher specimens and life-history sampling. Small-bodied fishes are collected using minnow traps placed at both the upstream and downstream ends (top and bottom) of the creek, then preserved for laboratory processing. A specific requirement is that any non-native species encountered are retained for analysis, reflecting the management importance of invasive species in Everglades-linked systems. The opportunity also includes using a density-based capture method such as a drop trap, mainly to produce density estimates that can be compared with other Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) fish studies elsewhere in the ecosystem.

Alongside biological sampling, the project requires collecting key environmental measurements that help interpret patterns in fish and invertebrate communities. These correlative data include relative water depths in channels and adjacent wetlands, plus core water-quality parameters: salinity, temperature, dissolved oxygen, and pH. The work extends beyond field sampling into laboratory processing of preserved specimens, data entry and management (noted as spreadsheet-based), statistical analysis, and production of written reports and presentations. Animal care expectations are also spelled out, including humane handling practices and the use of anesthetics when needed to reduce capture stress or for euthanasia, indicating that appropriate collection and handling protocols are central to the study design.

A major theme of the award is coordination and integration with the wider restoration science community. The recipient is expected to conduct regular, thorough literature reviews to stay current on sampling programs and methods for quantifying stream channel fish communities, and to use that knowledge to strengthen the monitoring approach. The project also emphasizes close collaboration with other investigators working in nearby or connected habitats, specifically mentioning researchers studying fishes and birds, and participation in periodic CERP meetings to share findings and plan integrated studies. The awardee is expected to contribute to annual CERP assessment reporting, positioning this work as part of a broader performance and status-evaluation framework rather than a standalone academic study. Finally, the opportunity requires engagement with a statistician to evaluate results, run power analyses, and refine the sampling design for maximum efficiency, signaling that the project is expected to produce not only ecological findings but also defensible, optimized monitoring guidance.

From an administrative standpoint, this was a single-award opportunity with an estimated total funding amount of $182,000, which is also listed as both the award ceiling and floor, suggesting a fixed-budget cooperative agreement rather than a range. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement. Eligibility is limited to organizations that are formal partners in the South Florida/Caribbean CESU network, consistent with CESU program rules that channel federal research and technical assistance through established partnership frameworks. The opportunity was posted October 30, 2008, with a closing date of November 7, 2008, and an archive date of December 7, 2008. The CFDA listing is 15.808 (U.S. Geological Survey Research and Data Collection). The listed point of contact for access issues was Faith Graves, Contract Specialist, at 703-648-7356.

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