Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Gulf Coast CESU | G18AS00115

FAQs: Gulf Coast CESU (G18AS00115) - USGS Research Grant on Phragmites Microbes

What is this funding opportunity?

This is a discretionary research grant offered by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Department of the Interior, through a cooperative agreement mechanism. It is listed as the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU), Gulf Coast CESU funding opportunity with Funding Opportunity Number G18AS00115.

Which USGS office issued the opportunity?

The opportunity was issued by the USGS Great Lakes Science Center.

What is the main purpose of the project?

The central purpose is to conduct applied research on invasive plant management by examining how microbes influence the invasiveness of Phragmites australis (common reed), particularly in and around the Great Lakes basin. The intent is to generate knowledge that can support practical, microbe-based management strategies for invasive Phragmites populations.

What invasive species is the project focused on?

The project is focused on Phragmites australis (common reed), specifically invasive populations relevant to the Great Lakes basin.

What role do microbes play in the research described in the announcement?

Rather than studying only the plant, the project emphasizes organisms living in and on Phragmites, especially endophytes (microbes living within plant tissues). The work focuses on fungi and bacteria that may influence growth, stress tolerance, competitive performance, and other traits tied to invasiveness.

What are endophytes in the context of this grant?

Endophytes are microbes that live within plant tissues. In this opportunity, endophytes include fungi and bacteria associated with Phragmites, and they are treated as potential drivers (or potential control points) of the plant's invasiveness.

What geographic area is emphasized?

The work is specifically oriented to Phragmites in and around the Great Lakes basin.

How much funding is anticipated?

The total anticipated funding is up to $99,900.

How many awards are expected?

One award is expected.

When did the opportunity open and close?

The opportunity originally opened on July 31, 2018, with an original closing date of August 14, 2018.

What is the CFDA number and program area?

The opportunity is listed under CFDA 15.808 and aligns with Science and Technology and other Research and Development.

What kind of award mechanism is used?

The opportunity uses a cooperative agreement mechanism, which is a type of federal financial assistance award.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is limited to CESU partners. The listing notes "Others" with additional eligibility clarification, but the opportunity is framed as supporting a single CESU partner.

Is the project intended to support basic science, applied management, or both?

The opportunity is aimed at applied research with management relevance. It is not limited to descriptive ecology; it is designed to build a foundation for practical interventions, including potential microbe-based approaches that could complement existing management tools.

What types of microbial outcomes is the project trying to identify?

The project aims to clarify which microbial partners may help Phragmites spread and dominate, and which microbes might be leveraged to suppress it or alter its competitive advantage. The announcement describes identifying microbial "targets" that could support either control or enhancement.

What are the main scientific goals outlined in the announcement?

The goals include improving understanding of how fungal and bacterial endophytes affect Phragmites invasibility and identifying microbial targets that could support control-oriented or management-relevant strategies. This includes assessing whether certain microbes increase growth, stress tolerance, or competitive performance, and whether manipulating those relationships could reduce invasiveness.

How does the opportunity connect to existing USGS work?

The research is designed to use Phragmites samples (and potentially related species) grown or collected in coordination with ongoing USGS efforts, helping ensure the work integrates with existing monitoring, field sites, and broader USGS invasive species research.

What are the three connected research areas included in the announcement?

The announcement outlines three connected areas: (1) developing in vitro (laboratory-based) approaches to explore Phragmites-microbial interactions, (2) conducting in planta testing in living plants under controlled environmental conditions, and (3) running field trials to evaluate whether controlled inoculations can alter invasiveness and shift microbial communities under real-world conditions.

What does the in vitro component involve?

The in vitro component focuses on establishing reliable laboratory methods to culture, isolate, and characterize microbes from Phragmites tissues, and then testing interactions under controlled, simplified conditions. This is positioned as groundwork needed for later applied steps.

What does "in planta testing" mean in this opportunity?

In planta testing refers to experiments conducted in living plants under controlled environmental conditions. The announcement highlights observing how selected microbes affect host growth and the plant's transcriptional responses (changes in gene expression).

Why does the announcement mention transcriptional responses?

By including transcriptional responses, the opportunity signals interest in mechanisms as well as outcomes. The project is expected to examine not only whether microbes change plant performance, but also how the plant physiologically responds, which can relate to pathways tied to invasiveness, stress responses, nutrient uptake, or defense.

What controlled environments are implied for in planta testing?

The announcement indicates controlled environment work such as greenhouse or growth chamber experiments, where variables like temperature, moisture, and nutrients can be manipulated to examine when microbial effects are strongest or most relevant.

What is the purpose of the field trial component?

The field trial component is intended to test management-relevant outcomes under real-world conditions by evaluating whether controlled inoculations can alter Phragmites invasiveness and shift microbial communities. It also helps capture complexities that are difficult to replicate indoors, including soils, hydrology, competing vegetation, seasonal dynamics, and naturally occurring microbial communities.

What kind of intervention is implied by "controlled inoculations"?

Controlled inoculations refer to intentionally adding or modifying microbial associates of Phragmites in a structured way so researchers can evaluate whether microbial manipulation influences invasiveness and community composition in the field.

Is this opportunity framed as a potential biocontrol approach?

The announcement describes building a foundation for potential biocontrol-like approaches or microbial interventions that could complement existing management tools, while emphasizing applied research to identify microbial targets and test their effects.

Does the announcement require working only with Phragmites samples?

The opportunity is centered on Phragmites samples, and it also notes that potentially related species may be included, with sampling grown or collected in coordination with ongoing USGS efforts.

What does it mean that the project supports a single CESU partner?

It means the funding is aimed at making one award to one CESU partner to carry out the proposed applied research scope, consistent with CESU collaboration structures.

How does the CESU model relate to the opportunity?

The CESU program model emphasizes collaboration among federal agencies, universities, and other research partners. The opportunity reflects that structure by limiting eligibility to CESU partners and targeting research that plugs into ongoing USGS efforts.