Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, North & West Alaska CESU

Post Date

May 31st 2011

Application Due Date

June 10th 2011

Funding Opportunity Number

G11AS20041

CFDA Number(s)

15.808

Funding Instrument Type(s)

Cooperative Agreement

Funding Activity Categories

Science and Technology and other Research and Development

Number of Awards

1

Eligibility Categories

Other

This financial assistance opportunity is being issued under a Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Program. CESU•À_s are partnerships that provide research, technical assistance, and education. Eligible recipients must be a participating partner of the North & West Alaska Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Program.

Funding

• Estimated Total Funding:

  $25000

• Award Range:

  $0 - $0

Grant Description

The USGS Alaska Science Center is offering a funding opportunity for research to evaluate the potential climate-driven effects of phenological shifts on the availability and abundance of nutrients in the primary summer forages of arctic ungulates. For caribou and muskoxen, the high seasonal variation in plant abundance and quality accentuates the need to replenish body stores during a short growing season that is critical for reproduction and winter survival. Consequently, the predominant effects of climate changes to populations of northern herbivores are likely to be nutritionally mediated through changes in vegetative phenology and nutrient content during the summer. Thus, assessing long-term changes in temperature and vegetative phenology and the spatio-temporal dynamics of nutrients will elucidate the potential bottom-up effects of climate changes to populations of northern ungulates. This research will assess the nutrient concentration of common caribou and muskoxen forages collected every 2 weeks from May to September, 2011-13. The study area comprises the elevation gradient along the Haul Road from Toolik Lake to Prudhoe Bay, AK. Nutrient analyses of forages (n = 405 in 2011; Eriophorum vaginatum, Carex aquatilis, Pedicularis langsdorfii, Salix pulchra, and Salix alaxensis) includes the following: 1) Proximate analysis: analytical dry matter, ash, neutral and acid detergent fiber, and acid lignin; and 2) Nutrient concentrations: gross energy, nitrogen, carbon, phosphorus, calcium, sodium, potassium, magnesium, copper, and zinc.

Contact Information

• Agency

  Department of the Interior

• Office:

  Geological Survey

• Agency Contact:

  FAITH GRAVES
  Contract Specialist
  Phone 703-648-7356

• Agency Mailing Address:

  Contracting Officer

• Agency Email Address:

  fgraves@usgs.gov