Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, North Atlantic Coast CESU | G16AS00013

Opportunity Information: Apply for G16AS00013

This grant opportunity, titled "Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, North Atlantic Coast CESU" (Funding Opportunity Number G16AS00013), was released by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) through its Alaska Science Center (ASC). It is a discretionary financial assistance award offered as a cooperative agreement, meaning the project is expected to involve active collaboration with the federal agency rather than operating as a hands-off grant. The work falls under the Science and Technology and other Research and Development activity category and is associated with CFDA 15.808.

The purpose of the funding is to support research that evaluates contaminant exposure in polar bears from the southern Beaufort Sea subpopulation. The core scientific objective is straightforward and targeted: use polar bear blood samples to measure and quantify exposure to specific classes of contaminants, particularly persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). These compounds are well known for their long environmental persistence, ability to travel long distances through air and ocean currents, and tendency to bioaccumulate and biomagnify in food webs, which is especially relevant for top predators like polar bears.

The opportunity is framed around a changing Arctic environment and the behavioral shifts that come with it. The southern Beaufort Sea polar bears have been experiencing sea ice loss, and as summer sea ice becomes less available, there has been an increasing trend of bears spending more time on land during the open-water season. That shift matters because time on land can change diet, foraging behavior, and contact with different contamination pathways compared with time spent hunting on sea ice. The grant is intended to help determine whether these behavior changes could be linked to different contaminant exposure profiles, and whether contaminant exposure might play a role in mediating or worsening declines in polar bear health.

A key theme of the project is characterization: establishing a clear picture of what polar bears are being exposed to, using blood-based measures as an indicator of internal dose and recent or ongoing exposure. By quantifying POPs and PCBs, the resulting data can help clarify whether increased land use is associated with higher, lower, or simply different contaminant burdens. That kind of information is useful for understanding potential stressors on polar bears beyond habitat loss alone, since contaminants can be tied to immune function, reproduction, and overall physiological condition depending on compound types and concentrations.

This award is issued under the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) framework, specifically the North Atlantic Coast CESU. CESUs are partnership networks designed to connect federal agencies with participating institutions to deliver research, technical assistance, and education tied to natural and cultural resource management needs. As a result, eligibility is restricted: applicants must already be formal partners in the North Atlantic Coast CESU Program. The opportunity indicates an expectation of a single award (Expected Awards: 1). The listing provides an award ceiling of 0, which typically signals that a specific maximum was not stated in the summary record rather than implying that no funds are available.

Key administrative dates included a creation date of November 30, 2015, and an original closing date of December 28, 2015. Overall, the opportunity is focused on supporting a specific applied research effort that links Arctic environmental change, polar bear behavior, and contaminant exposure, using targeted laboratory analysis of blood samples to generate evidence relevant to polar bear health and conservation planning.

• The Geological Survey in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, North Atlantic Coast 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 2015-11-30.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2015-12-28. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for G16AS00013

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