Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Great Lakes Northern Forests CESU | G18AS00116

Opportunity Information: Apply for G18AS00116

The Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Great Lakes Northern Forests CESU funding opportunity (G18AS00116) was a U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Great Lakes Science Center cooperative agreement solicitation aimed at supporting targeted research on why the invasive reed Phragmites australis is so successful, with a specific emphasis on the Great Lakes basin. The central idea behind the project is that Phragmites does not grow and spread on its own; it interacts constantly with microbial communities living on and within the plant and in surrounding soils and water. By understanding those plant-microbe relationships in detail, the project seeks to lay the groundwork for microbe-based management approaches that could help limit invasive Phragmites while improving knowledge of how invasiveness works biologically.

The research focus is on isolating, identifying, and experimentally testing microbes associated with Phragmites, including fungi, bacteria, and oomycetes. The work would use Phragmites plants or related species that are grown or collected in coordination with ongoing USGS studies, meaning the award is designed to complement and leverage existing field and laboratory efforts rather than operate as a stand-alone project. A key component of the study is comparative: the project is intended to identify major differences in microbial communities between native and non-native Phragmites and determine how those differences influence overall plant performance and productivity. That includes looking at both mutualists (microbes that may benefit the plant, such as by improving nutrient acquisition or stress tolerance) and pathogens (microbes that may harm the plant or suppress its growth). By teasing apart which microbial partners are helping non-native Phragmites thrive and which microbial enemies might be missing, weakened, or different compared to native lineages, the study aims to clarify underlying microbial mechanisms that contribute to invasiveness.

Beyond basic characterization, the opportunity explicitly targets applied outcomes. One of the stated goals is to provide practical targets for microbial control or enhancement. In other words, the research is expected not only to describe which microbes are present, but also to test microbial manipulations that could shift microbial communities in ways that reduce the growth and spread of non-native Phragmites. This could include experimenting with candidate pathogens that may suppress Phragmites, disrupting beneficial microbial associations that appear to enhance invasiveness, or identifying microbial community changes that correlate with reduced vigor in non-native stands. The larger management intent is a biologically informed toolset that could complement or improve upon conventional invasive plant control methods.

Administratively, this was a discretionary grant opportunity under the Science and Technology and other Research and Development activity category (CFDA 15.808), offered as a cooperative agreement, indicating substantial involvement or collaboration with USGS is expected during the project. The solicitation anticipated a single award with an award ceiling of $28,000. The opportunity was created July 31, 2018, with an original closing date of August 14, 2018. Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others" with additional clarification referenced in the full eligibility text, consistent with CESU opportunities that often route awards through participating network institutions and partners.

• 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, Great Lakes Northern Forests 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 $28,000.00 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 G18AS00116

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