Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Chesapeake Watershed CESU | G20AS00086

Opportunity Information: Apply for G20AS00086

The Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU), Chesapeake Watershed CESU grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number G20AS00086) is a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) discretionary funding announcement under the Department of the Interior. It is structured as a cooperative agreement and falls within the Science and Technology and other Research and Development activity category (CFDA 15.808). The award is intended for a CESU partner (with eligibility defined in the opportunitys additional eligibility information) and was set up to support a single anticipated award, with a maximum funding level (award ceiling) of $18,890. The opportunity was created on June 16, 2020, with an original application closing date of June 30, 2020.

The main purpose of the project is to produce an updated understanding of where fish species native to the Pacific Northwest (PNW) are distributed, using a climate change lens that goes beyond broad, coarse indicators. The research focus is explicitly on evaluating species-specific vulnerability by combining information about how sensitive each species is to climate-related changes and how much capacity each species has to adapt. Rather than treating climate change impacts in general terms, the project is designed to connect projected or modeled changes in stream conditions directly to fish distributions and likely responses, yielding results that are more actionable for managers working on conservation, habitat planning, and climate adaptation.

A central element of the work is integrating (aligning) three modeled environmental datasets that describe in-stream conditions relevant to fish survival and habitat suitability. These include PROSPER streamflow permanence (which helps characterize where streams are likely to remain flowing versus become intermittent), the NORWEST water temperature dataset (capturing spatial and temporal patterns in stream temperature), and monthly streamflow estimates (providing hydrologic context and seasonal variation in flows). These modeled products are then paired with an aggregated observational dataset covering 72 fish species known to occur in the Pacific Northwest. By bringing these datasets together, the project aims to quantify how changes in streamflow and water temperature could affect different species in different places, effectively linking exposure to in-stream climate stressors with observed species presence patterns.

Scientifically, the opportunity is positioned as a step forward from prior climate sensitivity work, specifically building on Mims et al. (2018), which emphasized broader terrestrial indicators when assessing sensitivity to climate change. This grant is meant to add an explicit exposure component tied to instream conditions, which is often the missing piece when moving from generalized sensitivity screening to a more complete vulnerability assessment. The framework referenced in the announcement reflects a commonly used structure in climate vulnerability science (for example, Kovach et al., 2019), where vulnerability is understood through three core components: exposure (the magnitude and rate of environmental change experienced), sensitivity (how strongly a species is affected by those changes), and adaptive capacity (the ability of the species to adjust, persist, or shift in response). By incorporating exposure in terms of stream temperature and flow dynamics, the project is intended to deliver a more comprehensive and management-relevant evaluation of climate vulnerability for native PNW fish species, and to translate that evaluation into an updated distributional understanding under changing environmental conditions.

• The Department of the Interior, U. S. Geological Survey in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Chesapeake Watershed CESU" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.808.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jun 16, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 30, 2020. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $18,890.00 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).

Apply for G20AS00086

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