Opportunity Information: Apply for FWS R6 CLIMATECHANGEONAQUATICECOSYSTEMS
Apply for FWS R6 CLIMATECHANGEONAQUATICECOSYSTEMS
- The Fish and Wildlife Service in the environment natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Predicting Effects of Climate Change on Aquatic Ecosystems in the Great Northern Landscape" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.644 Federal Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design.
- This funding opportunity was created on Sep 14, 2011 and posted on Sep 14, 2011.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 15, 2011. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $500,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $150,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- This is a notice of intent to award this agreement to the University of Montana under the Rocky Mountain Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit.
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Opportunity Summary:
This grant opportunity, titled "Predicting Effects of Climate Change on Aquatic Ecosystems in the Great Northern Landscape: Combining Vulnerability Assessments, Landscape Connectivity, and Modeling for Conservation," is a Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) discretionary funding announcement offered as a cooperative agreement. The core purpose is to strengthen and expand an existing climate change and transboundary research effort focused on freshwater ecosystems, with particular attention to the Great Northern Landscape and the Flathead River system that spans the United States and Canada. The program is built around the idea that climate change is expected to significantly alter how freshwater systems function, but that the region has not yet had a comprehensive, integrated assessment tying together hydrology, habitat, species vulnerability, and conservation planning at the scale needed to guide real management decisions.
The research emphasis is on predicting how climate-driven changes in water flow (hydrology), river and channel processes (geomorphology), and water temperature (thermal regimes) could reshape aquatic food webs, affect native salmonids, and alter riverine (lotic) habitats. Two focal fish species are specifically highlighted: bull trout, which is federally listed as threatened, and westslope cutthroat trout, a native species of conservation concern in much of its range. By focusing on a transboundary watershed, the work is designed to support coordinated management across jurisdictions, recognizing that climate impacts and aquatic species movement do not stop at political borders.
A major feature of the project is the integration of multiple technical approaches and datasets into a unified assessment and modeling framework. The announcement describes using downscaled and regionalized climate models, meaning global climate projections are translated into finer, more locally relevant estimates that can be linked to specific spatial layers and watershed characteristics. Those climate projections are then paired with fine-scale aquatic species vulnerability assessments for both invertebrates and fish, population genetic information (which can indicate connectivity, isolation, and adaptive capacity), and remotely sensed analyses of riparian and aquatic habitat conditions. In practical terms, the project is aimed at connecting climate projections to on-the-ground habitat features and biological responses, rather than treating climate, habitat, and species data as separate lines of evidence.
The intended outcomes are strongly conservation-oriented. Results are expected to help identify which populations and habitats are most susceptible to climate change impacts, which areas may act as refugia, and where connectivity might enable species persistence as conditions shift. The work is also meant to support development of monitoring and evaluation programs, highlight priorities for future research, and inform conservation delivery options that can be implemented alongside other management needs. The announcement is explicit that climate change often interacts with or worsens other stressors such as habitat loss and invasive species, so the expectation is that findings will be useful for planning under multiple, compounding pressures rather than climate in isolation.
The listed task areas indicate a broad, interdisciplinary scope. They include building on the role of existing climate change related projects, evaluating food web responses, addressing fish-related components (including the highlighted salmonids), analyzing aquatic and riparian habitat conditions, collaborating with CMP, and providing transboundary capacity support. While the synopsis does not spell out each task in detail, the structure implies coordinated work across ecological levels (from habitat to genetics to food webs) and across institutions involved in climate and conservation efforts in the region.
Administratively, the opportunity was posted on September 14, 2011, with an original and current closing date of September 15, 2011, and an archive date of October 15, 2011. The estimated total funding listed is $500,000, with an award ceiling of $150,000 and an award floor of $1,000, and the announcement anticipates a single award. There is no cost-sharing or matching requirement. Eligibility is effectively limited because the notice states an intent to award to the University of Montana through the Rocky Mountain Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, indicating this synopsis functions less like an open competition and more like a formal notice supporting a specific cooperative agreement pathway. The CFDA number shown is 15.644. The agency contact listed for access issues is Andrea Meyer, Grants Management Specialist, via email.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the title of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Predicting Effects of Climate Change on Aquatic Ecosystems in the Great Northern Landscape: Combining Vulnerability Assessments, Landscape Connectivity, and Modeling for Conservation."
Which federal agency is offering this funding?
The funding announcement is offered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) as a discretionary funding announcement.
What type of award is this?
This opportunity is offered as a cooperative agreement.
What is the main purpose of the project?
The core purpose is to strengthen and expand an existing climate change and transboundary research effort focused on freshwater ecosystems. The effort is intended to fill a gap in the region by developing a comprehensive, integrated assessment that ties together hydrology, habitat, species vulnerability, and conservation planning at a scale suitable for real management decisions.
What geographic area is the project focused on?
The project focuses on freshwater ecosystems in the Great Northern Landscape, with particular attention to the Flathead River system, which spans the United States and Canada.
Why is the project described as transboundary?
The work is centered on a watershed that crosses the U.S.-Canada border. The intent is to support coordinated management across jurisdictions, reflecting that climate impacts and aquatic species movement do not stop at political borders.
What climate change impacts is the project trying to predict?
The project emphasizes predicting how climate-driven changes in water flow (hydrology), river and channel processes (geomorphology), and water temperature (thermal regimes) could reshape aquatic food webs, affect native salmonids, and alter riverine (lotic) habitats.
Which fish species are specifically highlighted?
Two focal fish species are specifically highlighted: bull trout (federally listed as threatened) and westslope cutthroat trout (a native species of conservation concern in much of its range).
Does the project only focus on fish?
No. The described approach includes fine-scale aquatic species vulnerability assessments for both invertebrates and fish, and it also addresses food web responses and habitat conditions.
What problem or gap is this project trying to address in the region?
The announcement notes that climate change is expected to significantly alter how freshwater systems function, but the region has not yet had a comprehensive, integrated assessment linking hydrology, habitat, species vulnerability, and conservation planning at the scale needed to guide management decisions.
What technical approaches and datasets are expected to be integrated?
The project is described as integrating multiple technical approaches and datasets into a unified assessment and modeling framework, including downscaled and regionalized climate models; fine-scale species vulnerability assessments; population genetic information (to understand connectivity, isolation, and adaptive capacity); and remotely sensed analyses of riparian and aquatic habitat conditions.
What are downscaled and regionalized climate models in the context of this announcement?
In this announcement, downscaled and regionalized climate models refer to global climate projections translated into finer, more locally relevant estimates that can be linked to specific spatial layers and watershed characteristics.
How is the project expected to connect climate projections to conservation decisions?
The project is intended to connect climate projections to on-the-ground habitat features and biological responses, rather than treating climate, habitat, and species data as separate lines of evidence. The overall goal is to produce results that can guide conservation planning and management actions.
What conservation-oriented outcomes are expected from this work?
Expected outcomes include identifying which populations and habitats are most susceptible to climate change impacts, which areas may act as refugia, and where connectivity might enable species persistence as conditions shift. Results are also expected to support development of monitoring and evaluation programs, highlight priorities for future research, and inform conservation delivery options that can be implemented alongside other management needs.
Does the announcement consider stressors beyond climate change?
Yes. The announcement explicitly notes that climate change often interacts with or worsens other stressors such as habitat loss and invasive species. Findings are expected to be useful for planning under multiple, compounding pressures rather than climate impacts in isolation.
What are the major task areas mentioned?
The listed task areas include building on the role of existing climate change related projects, evaluating food web responses, addressing fish-related components (including the highlighted salmonids), analyzing aquatic and riparian habitat conditions, collaborating with CMP, and providing transboundary capacity support.
How many awards does the announcement anticipate making?
The announcement anticipates a single award.
What is the estimated total funding available?
The estimated total funding listed is $500,000.
What are the minimum and maximum award amounts?
The award floor is $1,000 and the award ceiling is $150,000.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The announcement states there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement.
When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?
The opportunity was posted on September 14, 2011. The original and current closing date is September 15, 2011. The archive date is October 15, 2011.
Is this an open competitive opportunity for any applicant?
Eligibility is effectively limited. The notice states an intent to award to the University of Montana through the Rocky Mountain Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, indicating it functions less like an open competition and more like a formal notice supporting a specific cooperative agreement pathway.
Who is the intended recipient named in the notice?
The notice states an intent to award to the University of Montana through the Rocky Mountain Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA number shown is 15.644.
Who is the contact person listed for access issues?
The agency contact listed for access issues is Andrea Meyer, Grants Management Specialist (email contact provided in the notice).
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