Opportunity Information: Apply for F12AS00145
Apply for F12AS00145
- The Fish and Wildlife Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Great Plains LCC Prairie Fish Science Needs Related to the Alteration and Fragmentation of Watersheds and Physical Aquatic Habitats" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.669 Cooperative Landscape Conservation.
- This funding opportunity was created on Apr 25, 2012 and posted on Apr 25, 2012.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 27, 2012. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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Opportunity Summary:
The grant opportunity titled "Great Plains LCC Prairie Fish Science Needs Related to the Alteration and Fragmentation of Watersheds and Physical Aquatic Habitats" (Funding Opportunity Number F12AS00145) was a discretionary grant competition offered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under CFDA 15.669, Cooperative Landscape Conservation. It focused on a core conservation problem in the Great Plains: the ways human-driven changes to watersheds and aquatic habitats, along with fragmentation of river and stream networks, are reshaping prairie fish communities. The Great Plains Landscape Conservation Cooperative (GPLCC) identified this issue as a top science and research priority because it directly affects habitat availability, movement corridors, and the ecological processes that sustain fish populations across large river basins.
The opportunity was specifically aimed at generating applied research that would inform conservation and management of GPLCC priority prairie fish species. The species highlighted were Arkansas River shiner, Arkansas darter, Topeka shiner, pallid sturgeon, shovelnose sturgeon, and paddlefish. These species depend on functioning river and stream systems that maintain appropriate flows, connectivity, sediment dynamics, riparian condition, and water quality. Because many Great Plains aquatic systems are influenced by dams, diversions, altered flow regimes, land use change, invasive riparian plants, groundwater pumping, and channel modification, the GPLCC sought targeted studies that could translate into better on-the-ground decisions.
To be considered for funding, proposals had to directly address at least one of nine stated science needs for Fiscal Year 2012. These priorities covered a wide range of watershed and habitat concerns, starting with basic evaluation of habitat alteration and how it changes species abundance and community composition. Another major theme was connectivity: understanding how barriers to movement and altered flow patterns affect aquatic ecosystems, including fish migration, dispersal, and access to spawning or nursery habitats. The opportunity also emphasized research on how landscape-scale habitat changes influence whether aquatic species can complete key life history stages, which can include spawning, rearing, feeding, overwintering, or seasonal movement patterns.
Several priorities focused on ecosystem processes rather than only fish presence or absence. Applicants were encouraged to study how habitat change affects nutrient inputs and cycling, and how that then influences food web dynamics, including the connection between riparian zones and the terrestrial subsidies that support aquatic productivity. Another priority targeted sediment transport and fluvial processes, recognizing that altered erosion, deposition, and channel dynamics can change the diversity of habitat types (such as riffles, pools, sandbars, backwaters) and therefore shift aquatic community structure. The grant also called for monitoring and evaluation of riparian invasive species like salt cedar, giant reed, and purple loosestrife, especially where these invasives modify channel structure, bank stability, shading, and flow patterns.
The listed science needs also included evaluating the ecological side effects of habitat management actions, such as chemical treatments, on food webs and non-target plants and animals. Water quantity was a major concern as well: one priority was to quantify the effects of groundwater withdrawals on instream flows, wetland persistence, and spring flows, reflecting the reality that pumping can reduce baseflows and disconnect rivers from floodplains and wetlands. Finally, the opportunity highlighted the practical policy challenge of water allocation, seeking development of coherent strategies that explicitly balance fish and wildlife needs against competing demands from agriculture, industry, municipal supply, and recreation.
Administratively, this was a grant (not a cooperative agreement) with no cost sharing or matching requirement, and eligibility was listed as unrestricted, meaning it was broadly open to applicants unless further limited by the full announcement text. The posting date was April 25, 2012, with a very short application window closing April 27, 2012, and the opportunity was later archived on May 27, 2012. The public record for the opportunity displayed estimated total funding and award floor/ceiling as 0, which typically indicates that specific funding amounts were either not entered into the listing or were determined elsewhere in the full announcement materials. For access issues or questions, the contact provided was Greg Esslinger at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (505-248-6876, gregesslinger@fws.gov), and the primary listing referenced Grants.gov for the complete announcement.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the title of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Great Plains LCC Prairie Fish Science Needs Related to the Alteration and Fragmentation of Watersheds and Physical Aquatic Habitats."
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is F12AS00145.
Which federal agency offered this grant?
This was a discretionary grant competition offered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
What program or CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity was listed under CFDA 15.669, Cooperative Landscape Conservation.
What conservation problem was this funding intended to address?
The focus was on how human-driven changes to watersheds and physical aquatic habitats, along with fragmentation of river and stream networks, are reshaping prairie fish communities in the Great Plains. These changes can affect habitat availability, movement corridors, and the ecological processes that sustain fish populations across large river basins.
Who identified this as a priority and why?
The Great Plains Landscape Conservation Cooperative (GPLCC) identified it as a top science and research priority because it directly affects connectivity, habitat condition, and key ecological processes across major river basins that prairie fish depend on.
What was the overall goal of the research funded through this opportunity?
The goal was to generate applied research that could inform conservation and management decisions for GPLCC priority prairie fish species, especially in the context of altered watersheds, modified aquatic habitats, and fragmented aquatic networks.
Which fish species were specifically highlighted as priorities?
The opportunity highlighted these GPLCC priority prairie fish species: Arkansas River shiner, Arkansas darter, Topeka shiner, pallid sturgeon, shovelnose sturgeon, and paddlefish.
What types of river and stream conditions do the priority species depend on?
The priority species were described as depending on functioning river and stream systems that maintain appropriate flows, connectivity, sediment dynamics, riparian condition, and water quality.
What human-driven factors were mentioned as influencing Great Plains aquatic systems?
The listing cited dams, diversions, altered flow regimes, land use change, invasive riparian plants, groundwater pumping, and channel modification as factors affecting Great Plains aquatic systems.
What did proposals need to do to be considered for funding?
Proposals had to directly address at least one of nine stated science needs for Fiscal Year 2012.
What were the nine FY2012 science needs in general terms?
They included: (1) evaluating habitat alteration and resulting changes in species abundance and community composition; (2) understanding connectivity, barriers to movement, and altered flow patterns; (3) assessing how landscape-scale habitat change affects completion of key life history stages; (4) studying nutrient inputs and cycling and effects on food webs, including riparian-terrestrial subsidies; (5) analyzing sediment transport and fluvial processes and how they shape habitat diversity and community structure; (6) monitoring and evaluating riparian invasive species impacts; (7) evaluating ecological side effects of habitat management actions (including chemical treatments) on food webs and non-target species; (8) quantifying effects of groundwater withdrawals on instream flows, wetland persistence, and spring flows; and (9) developing water allocation strategies that balance fish and wildlife needs with competing human demands.
Was connectivity a major theme of the research priorities?
Yes. A major theme was understanding how barriers to movement and altered flow patterns affect aquatic ecosystems, including fish migration, dispersal, and access to spawning or nursery habitats.
Did the priorities include fish life history needs beyond simple presence/absence?
Yes. One priority emphasized how landscape-scale habitat changes influence whether aquatic species can complete key life history stages such as spawning, rearing, feeding, overwintering, and seasonal movement patterns.
Did the opportunity encourage ecosystem process research (not just fish counts)?
Yes. Several science needs focused on ecosystem processes such as nutrient inputs and cycling, food web dynamics, riparian linkages and terrestrial subsidies, and sediment transport and fluvial processes that determine habitat diversity (riffles, pools, sandbars, backwaters) and influence community structure.
Which invasive riparian plants were specifically mentioned?
The listing specifically mentioned salt cedar, giant reed, and purple loosestrife.
What impacts of riparian invasive species were highlighted?
The opportunity emphasized invasives in cases where they modify channel structure, bank stability, shading, and flow patterns.
Did the science needs include evaluating management actions and potential side effects?
Yes. One priority was to evaluate ecological side effects of habitat management actions, including chemical treatments, on food webs and non-target plants and animals.
How did the opportunity address water quantity concerns?
One priority was to quantify the effects of groundwater withdrawals on instream flows, wetland persistence, and spring flows, recognizing that pumping can reduce baseflows and disconnect rivers from floodplains and wetlands.
Was water allocation policy part of the requested work?
Yes. The opportunity sought development of coherent strategies that explicitly balance fish and wildlife needs against competing demands from agriculture, industry, municipal supply, and recreation.
Was this a grant or a cooperative agreement?
This opportunity was listed as a grant (not a cooperative agreement).
Was cost sharing or matching required?
No. The listing stated there was no cost sharing or matching requirement.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was listed as unrestricted, meaning it was broadly open to applicants unless further limited by the full announcement text.
When was the opportunity posted?
The posting date was April 25, 2012.
What was the application deadline?
The closing date was April 27, 2012, indicating a very short application window.
When was the opportunity archived?
The opportunity was later archived on May 27, 2012.
Were funding amounts (total funding, award floor, award ceiling) listed?
The public record displayed estimated total funding and award floor/ceiling as 0. This typically indicates the specific funding amounts were not entered into the listing or were determined elsewhere in the full announcement materials.
Where could applicants find the complete announcement?
The primary listing referenced Grants.gov for the complete announcement.
Who was the contact for questions or access issues?
The contact provided was Greg Esslinger at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Phone: 505-248-6876. Email: gregesslinger@fws.gov.
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