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Cooperative Agreement for affiliated Partner with the Desert Southwest Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU)

Agency: Geological Survey

Assistance Listings: 15.808 -- U.S. Geological Survey Research and Data Collection

Last Updated: July 29, 2025

The USGS Southwest Biological Science Center (SBSC) seeks to provide financial assistance for research investigating the vulnerability of saguaros to aridification in Saguaro National Park (hereafter SAGU), and how to make populations more resilient. The southwest U.S is experiencing a severe, long-term drought that is threatening regional water sources, human health, and plant and wildlife communities. Temperatures at SAGU increased 1.2°C since 1895 and are expected to climb in future decades. Managers at SAGU are observing changes in the vegetation communities, fire regimes, and water resources that are related to long-term drought and exacerbated by higher temperatures leading to long-term aridification.The Park"s namesake species, the saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea), is a drought-adapted, long-lived keystone species that directly supports at least 100+ other plant and animal species. The park"s saguaro population began rebounding in the 1960s after decades of decline, most likely due to management practices that protected nurse trees, which young saguaros require for shelter from environmental stress. Many of these plants are now reaching reproductive age. However, since the mid-1990s scientists have documented declines in saguaro seedling survival. In the park"s Cactus Forest, recruitment since 1995 is <10% of what it was in prior decades, and similar results are observed throughout all habitats in the park.While recent studies provide insight into how saguaros are responding to changing environmental factors, they do not address causal effects or provide direct answers to questions related to long-term survival of saguaros in the park; key information needed by managers to decide how to protect this species soon. are essential to achieving the park"s mission. These questions are especially relevant today given the current poor recruitment in the plant"s drier western range including Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument and in the urban heat island of Phoenix, Arizona, where there is anecdotal evidence that otherwise healthy saguaros may be dying due to extreme night-time temperatures.Challenges to conserving an iconic, keystone species are not unique to SAGU and knowledge and management actions can be applied to other public lands on which saguaro"s and potentially other iconic cactus occur.

Eligibility

Eligible applicants

Miscellaneous

  • Other

Additional information

THIS FUNDING OPPORTUNITY IS SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY. This financial assistance opportunity is being issued under a Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESU) Program. CESU"s are partnerships that provide research, technical assistance, and education. Eligible recipients must be a participating partner of the Desert Southwest Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Program.

Grantor contact information

Description

KATIE CALDER kcalder@usgs.gov

Email

kcalder@usgs.gov

kcalder@usgs.gov

Documents

File nameDescriptionLast updated
Program_Announcement.pdf
Program Announcement.pdf
Jul 29, 2025 04:00 PM UTC
ATTACHMENT_A_-Biographical-sketch-common-form-doi-omb-3145-0279_3.pdf
ATTACHMENT A -Biographical-sketch-common-form-doi-omb-3145-0279 3.pdf
Jul 29, 2025 03:57 PM UTC
ATTACHMENT_B_-_Common-form-current-and-pending-support-doi-omb-3145-0279_3.pdf
ATTACHMENT B - Common-form-current-and-pending-support-doi-omb-3145-0279 3.pdf
Jul 29, 2025 03:58 PM UTC
ATTACHMENT_C_-_Project_Abstract_Summary_Requirement.docx
ATTACHMENT C - Project Abstract Summary Requirement.docx
Jul 29, 2025 03:58 PM UTC
ATTACHMENT_D_-_Geospatial_Data_instructions.docx
ATTACHMENT D - Geospatial Data instructions.docx
Jul 29, 2025 03:58 PM UTC

Link to additional information

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Closing: August 29, 2025

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Application process

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Award

$150,000

Program Funding

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Expected awards

$1

Award Minimum

$150,000

Award Maximum

Funding opportunity number:

G25AS00333

Cost sharing or matching requirement:

No

Funding instrument type:

Cooperative agreement

Opportunity Category:

Discretionary

Opportunity Category Explanation:

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Category of Funding Activity:

Science technology and other research and development

Category Explanation:

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History

Version:

3

Posted date:

July 29, 2025

Archive date:

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