Cooperative Agreement for affiliated Partner with the Californian Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit
The U.S. Geological Survey offers funding to a Californian Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit partner to study carbon cycling in seabed mineral environments.
Funder: U.S. Geological Survey
Due Dates: November 27, 2026 (NOFO closing date) | December 23, 2026 (Current Grants.gov closing date)
Funding Amounts: $480,000 estimated total for one five-year cooperative agreement; $200,560 estimated for Year 1
Summary: Supports research on sedimentary organic carbon cycling, deep-sea ecosystems, and resource formation in seabed mineral environments.
Key Information: Applicants must be participating partners of the Californian Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit.
Description
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) offers this cooperative agreement for research on carbon cycling in seabed mineral environments, particularly manganese nodule fields in the abyssal Pacific Ocean. The research will characterize sedimentary organic carbon—its quantity, source, and bioavailability—and assess how sediment organic geochemistry supports deep-sea organisms and influences offshore resources.
The program seeks to distinguish biologically available organic matter from refractory carbon, investigate relationships between carbon cycling and nodule formation or metal enrichment, and refine approaches for fingerprinting oil and gas reservoirs. Research should leverage existing samples and/or ship time through collaboration with USGS, BOEM, and NOAA, including sampling offshore California, Hawai‘i, and U.S. Pacific Island Territories. Results will inform assessments of potential seabed mineral extraction and its environmental implications.
