Cooperative Agreement for affiliated Partner with the Great Basin Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU)
USGS seeks a CESU partner to inventory vegetation and soil factors affecting wildfire-prone invasive plants and recovery in Western US semiarid uplands, supporting land management for military and other uses.
Funder: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
Due Dates: September 22, 2025
Funding Amounts: Up to $489,600 total over five years; award floor $1; typically one award
Summary: Supports research to inventory vegetation and soil factors affecting wildfire resilience and recovery in semiarid uplands, in partnership with the Great Basin CESU.
Key Information: Applicants must be a current partner of the Great Basin Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU).
Description
This funding opportunity from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) seeks a partner within the Great Basin Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) to conduct field-based research on vegetation and soil properties—particularly those influencing resistance to wildfire-promoting invasive grasses and recovery after fire—across semiarid uplands in the western United States. The project aims to fill critical information gaps to support effective land management on military and other federal/state lands, focusing on the cold desert rangelands threatened by exotic grass invasions and wildfires.
Research objectives include:
- Planning and implementing a scientifically defensible, quantitative sampling plan.
- Processing and analyzing soil and vegetation samples to assess texture, carbon content, and more.
- Summarizing spatial variation and relationships between native/exotic plants and soil properties.
- Delivering data and comprehensive reports to USGS for use in landscape management.
The work is intended to directly inform management decisions, improve land resilience, and facilitate productive use of large landscapes.
