Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, North and West Alaska CESU | G18AS00081

Opportunity Information: Apply for G18AS00081

The Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, North and West Alaska CESU grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number G18AS00081) is a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) cooperative agreement intended to support applied research on freshwater invasive species risks across Alaska. The core purpose is to help identify which freshwater invasive species should be prioritized for early detection and prevention by analyzing where they could survive now, where they may become able to survive in the future, and how they are most likely to be transported into Alaska's freshwater systems. The work is framed around the growing concern that Alaska's subarctic and arctic waters are becoming increasingly vulnerable to biological invasions as climate conditions shift and as human activity creates more opportunities for species to move into new regions.

A central theme of the opportunity is the combined effect of climate warming and increased human-mediated introductions. The opportunity description emphasizes that warming temperatures are making northern habitats more suitable for species that historically could not establish there, effectively opening the door for organisms from lower latitudes to expand their ranges northward. At the same time, human activities are increasing both the number of invasion pathways and the rate at which potential invaders can be transported, which raises the likelihood of introductions. These pathways can include travel, shipping, equipment movement, and other forms of connectivity that inadvertently carry organisms or their propagules. The opportunity highlights that this synergy, meaning warming conditions plus rising introduction pressure, creates a substantial and escalating risk to Alaska's freshwater ecosystems.

From a project design perspective, the research focus is on evaluating present and future habitat suitability and on assessing potential transport mechanisms into freshwater habitats across Alaska. In practice, this implies developing or applying tools such as habitat suitability models, climate scenario analyses, risk screening approaches, and pathway or vector assessments to determine where invasive species could establish and how they might reach those areas. The intended end use is strongly management-oriented: generating information that helps agencies and partners decide which species to watch for first, where surveillance should be concentrated, and which prevention actions could most effectively reduce the chance of establishment before invasions become costly or irreversible.

Administratively, this is a discretionary funding opportunity offered by the Department of the Interior through the U.S. Geological Survey. The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, which typically indicates substantial involvement or collaboration with the federal agency during the project, rather than a hands-off grant. The activity category is listed as Science and Technology and other Research and Development, and the CFDA number associated with the opportunity is 15.808. The opportunity anticipated a single award, with an award ceiling of $124,876. The posting was created on July 31, 2018, with an original closing date of August 14, 2018. Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others" with additional clarification expected in the full eligibility text, consistent with CESU opportunities that often involve partnerships with member institutions.

Overall, the opportunity is aimed at producing actionable, forward-looking invasive species risk information for Alaska's freshwater environments, explicitly accounting for rapid environmental change and increasing human-driven movement of species. The emphasis on early detection and prevention reflects the high value of intervening before invasive species establish widely, especially in subarctic and arctic freshwater systems where ecological impacts can be severe and control options are often limited once an invasion takes hold.

• 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, North and West Alaska 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 Jul 31, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 14, 2018. (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 $124,876.00 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).

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