Cooperative Agreement for CESU-affiliated Partner with Great Plains Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit | G23AS00048

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the funding opportunity number for this grant?

The Funding Opportunity Number is G23AS00048.

Which federal agency is offering this opportunity?

This is offered by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), specifically through the Wetland and Aquatic Research Center (WARC).

What type of award is this?

This opportunity is a discretionary cooperative agreement, not a standard grant.

What does it mean that this is a cooperative agreement?

A cooperative agreement generally involves substantial involvement by USGS compared to a typical grant. Based on the description provided, that involvement may include close collaboration on items like project design, data needs, deliverables, and interpretation so the work directly supports management priorities.

Is this opportunity being issued under a specific program framework?

Yes. It is being issued under the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) framework, specifically within the Great Plains CESU network.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is limited. The applicant must be an existing participating partner within the Great Plains CESU Program. The eligibility category is listed as "Others" in the opportunity.

If an organization is not part of the Great Plains CESU network, can it apply?

Based on the information provided, no. Applicants must already be a participating partner in the Great Plains CESU.

What is the main research focus of this opportunity?

The core focus is radar ornithology, emphasizing the use of mobile X-band polarimetric Doppler weather radar to measure bird activity.

Where will the research take place?

The work is focused on the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas.

What specific measurements does USGS want from the radar work?

USGS is seeking estimates of avian densities and traffic rates (how many birds are moving through an area and at what rate) as detected by the mobile radar system.

What is meant by relating radar measurements to on-the-ground habitat use?

The project is intended to connect what the radar detects in the air to how birds use different habitat types on the landscape. The goal is to make radar observations biologically meaningful by tying aerial detections to habitat use.

What are the key outcomes USGS wants this work to support?

The opportunity identifies three major outcomes:

1. Validation of predictive models derived from Weather Surveillance Radar (WSR) data.
2. Improved understanding of whether and how the US-Mexico border wall and associated lighting infrastructure may be affecting birds.
3. Contribution to spatially explicit decision support tools (typically map-based or GIS-driven tools) to inform conservation and management actions.

What does "validate predictive models derived from WSR data" mean in this context?

It means the project is expected to provide evidence to check whether existing or developing models based on Weather Surveillance Radar (WSR) predictions match what is detected by the higher-resolution mobile radar, supported by habitat-related information.

How does the opportunity connect to the US-Mexico border wall and lighting?

The work is intended to help determine whether and how the border wall and related lighting infrastructure may affect birds. Examples noted include potential changes in flight paths, altered movement corridors, avoidance behaviors, and broader impacts associated with light pollution and physical barriers.

What are "spatially explicit decision support tools" as referenced here?

In this opportunity, the phrase refers to products that translate findings into actionable, location-specific guidance, often in a map-based or GIS-driven form. The description gives examples such as identifying priority areas for habitat acquisition, guiding mitigation strategies, and informing restoration and conservation planning for birds.

What is the CFDA number and program category listed?

The opportunity is listed under CFDA 15.808 and falls within the Science and Technology / Research and Development category.

What is the maximum funding amount available?

The award ceiling listed is $499,999.

How many awards does USGS expect to make?

The extracted fields do not specify an expected number of awards.

When was the opportunity created?

The opportunity was created on October 13, 2022.

What was the original closing date?

The original closing date was November 28, 2022.

Is the work described more basic research or applied research?

Based on the stated outcomes, it is designed to produce defensible research results (radar-based estimates tied to habitat use) while also generating applied outputs that directly support decision-making, including model validation, infrastructure impact assessment, and decision support tools.

Why is the mobile X-band polarimetric Doppler radar important to this project?

The opportunity specifically calls for using this mobile radar technology to detect and quantify bird activity (densities and traffic rates), and then link those detections to habitat use so radar observations can be interpreted in a biologically meaningful way.

What is the overarching purpose of the funding?

The funding is intended to support a CESU-affiliated research partner in producing radar-based estimates of bird movement tied to habitat use, while generating applied findings and tools that inform conservation decisions and assessments of infrastructure impacts in the Lower Rio Grande Valley region.