Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Rocky Mountain CESU | G20AS00124

Opportunity Information: Apply for G20AS00124

The Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU), Rocky Mountain CESU grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number G20AS00124) is a US Geological Survey (USGS) cooperative agreement aimed at improving understanding of how amphibian chytrid fungus, commonly referred to as Bd, is influencing amphibian populations across parts of the western and central United States. Managed through the USGS Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center (NOROCK) within the Department of the Interior, the project is framed around a major conservation and wildlife-health question: whether Bd continues to suppress where amphibians can persist (site or patch occupancy) and whether it reduces survival and overall population performance in species that have already experienced serious declines. Bd is widely recognized as an emerging wildlife pathogen associated with dramatic amphibian losses globally, including documented extinctions, and the purpose of this work is to evaluate its ongoing, present-day role as a limiting factor rather than treating it only as a historical driver of decline.

The research supported by this opportunity is strongly field-oriented and geographically broad, covering three main regions: the Southwest, the Northern Rockies, and the northern Great Plains. Study efforts are expected to occur largely on federal lands, particularly those managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), National Park Service (NPS), US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and US Forest Service (USFS). Across these regions, the work emphasizes measurable ecological endpoints tied to management decisions, especially (1) whether amphibians are occupying available habitat sites or patches and (2) whether individuals survive over time in a way that allows populations to remain stable or recover. In other words, the project is not just about detecting the pathogen; it is about connecting infection pressure to real consequences for distribution, persistence, and population dynamics.

In the Southwest, the stated focus is on determining how Bd affects patch occupancy for a suite of amphibians that include multiple sensitive or imperiled species. Target species specifically named include the Chiricahua Leopard Frog, Lowland Leopard Frog, Northern Leopard Frog, and Arizona Toad, along with other at-risk amphibians in the region. This portion of the work is geared toward understanding whether Bd is still preventing these species from using otherwise suitable habitats, which is a key question for recovery planning, habitat restoration, reintroduction decisions, and prioritizing surveillance or mitigation actions.

In the Northern Rockies, the emphasis shifts from occupancy toward survival and population performance, with focal species including Western Toads and Columbia Spotted Frogs. Survival-focused studies typically support questions such as whether populations are being held down by ongoing disease-driven mortality, whether certain habitats or environmental conditions are associated with better outcomes, and how disease impacts might vary across life stages or across different landscapes. This kind of information is often used to refine monitoring strategies and to identify where conservation investments are most likely to improve long-term persistence.

In the northern Great Plains, the work returns to a site-occupancy emphasis, targeting species such as the Great Plains Toad, Woodhouse's Toad, Northern Leopard Frog, and Boreal Chorus Frog. By focusing on occupancy in this region, the project aims to clarify how widely these amphibians can maintain presence across landscapes where Bd may be present, and whether the pathogen is associated with local absence in a way that suggests continued constraint on distribution.

From a funding and administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary opportunity using a cooperative agreement instrument, categorized under Science and Technology and other Research and Development, with CFDA number 15.808. The opportunity anticipated a single award with an award ceiling of $74,005. The posting indicates it was created on June 30, 2020, with an original closing date of July 22, 2020. Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others," with additional eligibility specifics referenced as being provided in a separate section of the full announcement.

Overall, the grant opportunity is designed to produce applied, management-relevant science on Bd and amphibians across multiple US regions. The central deliverable is a clearer, evidence-based picture of whether Bd remains a primary factor shaping amphibian occupancy, survival, and population dynamics on federal lands, with species- and region-specific results that can inform monitoring, conservation prioritization, and long-term amphibian recovery efforts.

• 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 Jun 30, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 22, 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 $74,005.00 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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