Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Rocky Mountain CESU | G18AS00110

Opportunity Information: Apply for G18AS00110

This funding opportunity, titled "Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Rocky Mountain CESU" (Funding Opportunity Number G18AS00110), was released by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) within the Department of the Interior as a discretionary science and technology research award. It is intended to be made as a cooperative agreement, meaning the USGS expects to be actively involved with the recipient during the project rather than simply issuing a grant with minimal federal participation. The program is limited to eligible partners within the Rocky Mountain Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) network, which is a partnership framework used by federal agencies to work with universities and other affiliated organizations on applied research and technical assistance.

The core purpose of the award is to support research that directly informs conservation of the boreal toad (Anaxyrus boreas), which is listed as endangered in the State of Colorado and has experienced steep declines in Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) and the broader Southern Rocky Mountain region. The work is framed not only as species-specific recovery science, but also as "prelisting science" that can transfer to other at-risk frogs and toads (anurans) that may need stronger scientific information before regulatory decisions are made. The opportunity explicitly notes that findings could help guide conservation for other disease-susceptible, often high-elevation species such as the Arizona toad (Anaxyrus microschaphus) and the Cascades frog (Rana cascadae), both of which are vulnerable to chytrid fungal disease.

A major driver behind the research focus is the fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), the cause of chytridiomycosis, a frequently lethal skin disease in amphibians. Bd has been strongly implicated as a key cause of the rapid, modern-era decline of boreal toads in RMNP and across the region. Long-term park records and amphibian surveys dating back to 1915 show a pronounced drop in breeding locations over roughly the last three decades. In practical terms, breeding activity over the past 15 years has been recorded at only six sites within RMNP, and by 2017 breeding was observed at just four of those remaining sites. Among those remaining breeding sites, four are known to test positive for Bd, underscoring that the species persists in landscapes where exposure risk is real and ongoing.

The project is structured around two interrelated research questions that connect population dynamics, disease ecology, genetics, and environmental variation. First, the USGS is seeking work that estimates key demographic or "vital" rates for adult boreal toads across multiple populations that are experiencing different phases or intensities of Bd exposure. This includes determining whether differences in survival, persistence, or other demographic measures vary across space and time, and then evaluating which factors best explain that variation. The opportunity highlights three broad explanatory categories to compare: pathogen prevalence (how common Bd infection is), genetic structure (how populations differ genetically and how that might influence outcomes), and environmental characteristics such as habitat features or drought conditions that can affect amphibian health, breeding success, and disease dynamics.

Second, the opportunity calls for the use of genomic data from several boreal toad populations to map and interpret population genetic structure and to connect those genetic patterns to differences in demographic performance. A key aim is to determine whether some populations show genetic signatures that correspond to stronger or weaker vital rates, which could suggest local adaptation, inbreeding effects, or other population-level genetic constraints. In addition, the USGS is specifically interested in examining whether there is variation among populations in genes associated with disease resistance in amphibians, with particular attention to Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) genes that play an important role in immune function. The announcement references prior research indicating that certain immune-related genetic variants can influence susceptibility or tolerance to pathogens, which makes this component potentially valuable for identifying populations with higher resilience to Bd and for informing strategies such as targeted management, translocations, or captive breeding and reintroduction planning.

In terms of funding and administrative details, the opportunity listed an award ceiling of $175,000 and anticipated making a single award. It was posted on July 31, 2018, with an original closing date of August 14, 2018. The CFDA number associated with the opportunity is 15.808, and the activity category is "Science and Technology and other Research and Development," reflecting its emphasis on applied conservation research with clear management relevance. Overall, the opportunity is designed to generate decision-useful science that explains why some boreal toad populations fare better than others under disease pressure, and to translate those insights into broader amphibian conservation tools, especially for species that are declining but still in the stage where strong, targeted evidence can shape effective early interventions.

• 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, Rocky Mountain 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 $175,000.00 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).

Apply for G18AS00110

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