Ecos

BIOMADE: THE BIOINDUSTRIAL MANUFACTURING AND DESIGN ECOSYSTEM

HEALTH CENTER CLUSTER

PERSISTENT POVERTY (GRANT ONLY) COMBINATION LOAN & GRANT W&W-WATER ONLY

DOMESTIC WATER GRANTS - REGULAR

ACUB/REPI

LTER: LONG TERM ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH AT THE HUBBARD BROOK EXPERIMENTAL FOREST

BALTIMORE ECOSYSTEM STUDY PHASE III: ADAPTIVE PROCESSES IN THE BALTIMORE SOCIO-ECOLOGICAL SYSTEM FROM THE SANITARY TO THE SUSTAINABLE CITY

NATURAL RESOURCE SURVEY AND HABITAT ENHANCEMENT FOR THE UNITED STATES ARMY ON JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD (JBLM) IN WASHINGTON STATE

HEAD START - FULL YEAR CENTER BASED OPTION

LTER: LONG TERM ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH AT THE HUBBARD BROOK EXPERIMENTAL FOREST -THE NEED FOR LONG-TERM RESEARCH ON FOREST ECOSYSTEMS HAS ACCELERATED MARKEDLY IN RECENT YEARS. TRADITIONAL INTERESTS IN PROVISION OF WOOD PRODUCTS AND CLEAN WATER HAVE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE CLIMATE MITIGATION, BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION, AND ECOLOGICAL AND SOCIAL RESILIENCE. FORESTS ARE COMPLEX ECOSYSTEMS, DOMINATED BY LONG-LIVED ORGANISMS, AND ARE HIGHLY CONNECTED TO ADJACENT ECOSYSTEMS AT MANY SCALES. LONG-TERM RESEARCH AT THE HUBBARD BROOK EXPERIMENTAL FOREST HAS FOCUSED ON THE ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT OF HARDWOOD FORESTS, WITH A FOCUS ON UNDERSTANDING THE ROLE OF DISTURBANCE IN HOW FOREST ECOSYSTEMS WORK. THE RESEARCH HAS CONTINUALLY EVOLVED AS UNEXPECTED OBSERVATIONS EMERGE FROM LONG-TERM STUDIES, RAISING QUESTIONS THAT CAN ONLY BE ADDRESSED WITH CONTINUED LONG-TERM RESEARCH. RECENT SURPRISES THAT WILL BE EXPLORED IN THIS LATEST PHASE OF RESEARCH ARE: 1) UNEXPECTED CHANGES IN THE ELEVATIONAL DISTRIBUTION OF SOME TREE SPECIES THAT HAVE SURPRISINGLY MIGRATED DOWNWARD INSTEAD OF UP-SLOPE AS WOULD BE EXPECTED IN RESPONSE TO WARMING TEMPERATURES; (2) ABRUPT INCREASES IN WATER USE BY PLANTS OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS, AND (3) SIGNIFICANT DECLINES SINCE THE 1970S IN SOME SPECIES OF BIRDS, SALAMANDERS, CATERPILLARS, AND BEETLES. THE LONG-TERM NATURE OF STUDIES AT HUBBARD BROOK HAS ALLOWED RESEARCHERS TO BUILD DEEP RELATIONSHIPS WITH STAKEHOLDERS. THESE RELATIONSHIPS ARE ALSO EVOLVING, AND RESEARCHERS WILL DIVERSIFY THEM TO INCREASE PARTICIPATION OF UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS. SPECIFICALLY, THEY WILL MAKE THE LENS OF RESEARCH MORE INCLUSIVE AND MORE HOLISTIC AND WILL RECRUIT NEW PARTICIPANTS TO MAKE THE SITE AND COMMUNITY MORE DIVERSE. THE OVERARCHING RESEARCH THEME OF THIS PROJECT IS THE LONG-TERM RESPONSE OF ECOSYSTEM STRUCTURE, COMPOSITION, AND FUNCTION TO DISTURBANCE. THE CONCEPTUAL MODEL UNDERPINNING THE PROJECT ENVISIONS THREE PRINCIPAL TYPES OF DISTURBANCE ACTING AS DRIVERS OF CHANGE IN THE ECOSYSTEM: CHANGING ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY, CHANGING CLIMATE, AND CHANGING BIOTA. THE EFFECTS OF THESE DRIVERS PLAY OUT ON A BIOGEOPHYSICAL TEMPLATE THAT INCLUDES VARIATION ACROSS THE LANDSCAPE IN TOPOGRAPHY, GEOLOGY, SOILS, VEGETATION, AND HISTORY OF PAST DISTURBANCE. WITHIN THE ECOSYSTEM, THE DISTURBANCES AFFECT THE INTERACTING PROCESSES OF HYDROLOGY, BIOGEOCHEMISTRY, VEGETATION, AND FOOD WEB DYNAMICS. THE CONCEPTUAL MODEL IS EVOLVING TO FOCUS ON ?CONTROL POINTS OF CHANGE? IN THE LANDSCAPE - SPECIFIC PLACES AND TIMES WHERE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES WILL BEGIN OR ACCELERATE. THE RESEARCH IS INTEGRATED WITH BROADER IMPACTS ACTIVITIES DRIVEN BY FOUR GOALS: (1) ESTABLISH LONG-TERM, TRUSTING RELATIONSHIPS WITH DIVERSE COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND ENVIRONMENTAL DECISION-MAKERS ACROSS THE NORTHERN FOREST ECOREGION; (2) RECRUIT AND TRAIN THE NEXT GENERATION OF ECOSYSTEM SCIENTISTS AND ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERS; (3) SUPPORT DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, AND ANTI-RACISM (DEI&A) WITHIN THE SITE AND BROADER SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITIES; AND (4) DRIVE INNOVATIONS IN RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND OUTREACH. TO ACHIEVE THESE GOALS, FIVE APPROACHES ARE PLANNED: PUBLIC AND POLICY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS, SCIENCE EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAMS, AN ART-SCIENCE PROGRAM, DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF INFRASTRUCTURE FOR DEI&A, AND USE OF A CRITICAL ECOLOGY APPROACH TO MAKE THE LENS OF THE SITE?S RESEARCH MORE INCLUSIVE AND HOLISTIC. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.

EPS WILL PROVIDE REHABILITATION AND ENHANCEMENT ACTIVITIES T PRIOR RESTORED EASEMENTS NEEDING REHABBING.

TITLE: DOMESTIC SUPPLY CHAIN FOR VACCINE MANUFACTURINGPURPOSE: THE PURPOSE OF THIS GRANT IS TO DEVELOP AND DEMONSTRATE PILOT SCALE MANUFACTURING OF VACCINE ADJUVANTS FROM SUSTAINABLE DOMESTIC SOURCES, THROUGH MICROBIAL FERMENTATION PROCESSES OR EXTRACTION FROM EASILY GROWN DOMESTIC PLANTS.ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: THE PROJECT TEAM WILL BUILD PILOT- AND INTERMEDIATE-SCALE PRODUCTION OF SUSTAINABLE SQUALENE AND DEVELOP MICROBIAL SYNTHESIS OF PLANT SAPONINS FOR USE AS VACCINE ADJUVANTS.EXPECTED OUTCOMES: SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THESE PROJECTS WILL RESOLVE SPECIFIC SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES FOR CRITICAL VACCINE COMPONENTS. THE RESEARCH WILL IDENTIFY SUSTAINABLE DOMESTIC SOURCES OF VACCINE ADJUVANTS THAT PROVIDE A LONG-TERM SOLUTION TO REPLACING CURRENT ADJUVANTS THAT CURRENTLY ARE PRODUCED FROM ECOLOGICALLY UNFRIENDLY AND GEOPOLITICALLY UNSTABLE FOREIGN SOURCING. INTENDED BENEFICIARIES: VACCINE MANUFACTURERS WILL BENEFIT BY HAVING MORE ROBUST ADJUVANT SUPPLY CHAINS FOR VACCINE PRODUCTION. THE EMERGING U.S. BIOINDUSTRIAL SECTOR WILL BENEFIT BY DEVELOPING A HIGH-QUALITY AND DOMESTIC ALTERNATIVE FOR RAW MATERIAL VALUED BY VACCINE MANUFACTURERS AND THROUGH GAINING GREATER INSIGHT INTO REAL-WORLD INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS AND MARKETS. THE U.S. PUBLIC WILL BENEFIT BY HAVING MORE SECURE DOMESTIC SUPPLY CHAINS FOR VACCINES.SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES: THE RECIPIENT PLANS TO SUBAWARD FUNDS TO SCALE UP FERMENTATION AND DOWNSTREAM PURIFICATION UNIT OPERATIONS, HARVEST PURIFIED SAPONIN FROM DOMESTIC QUILLAJA SAPONINS TREES, AND PRODUCE ADJUVANT MATERIAL FOR THIS RESEARCH PROJECT.

HEAD START

TITLE: DISTRIBUTED MANUFACTURING OF ANTIGEN FOR SEROLOGICAL TESTING & COUNTERMEASURES? PURPOSE: THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO DEVELOP TECHNOLOGIES CURRENTLY AT PROOF-OF-CONCEPT STAGE FOR AGILE AND DISTRIBUTED MANUFACTURING OF CORONAVIRUS FAMILY SPIKE PROTEIN VARIANTS BY DEPLOYING EASILY SCALABLE PROTEIN EXPRESSION SYSTEMS. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: THE PROJECT TEAM WILL DEVELOP METHODS TO RAPIDLY SCREEN SARS-COV-2 ANTIGENS THAT BIND TO PATIENT SERA AND/OR ANTIBODIES THAT TARGET DIFFERENT VIRAL PROTEINS; IDENTIFY PRODUCTION PLATFORMS THAT CAN MOST EFFICIENTLY PRODUCE THE TARGET ANTIGENS THAT MEET QUALITY SPECIFICATIONS AT A SPEED, SCALE, AND COST THAT IS NOT ACHIEVABLE WITH CURRENT ANTIGEN PRODUCTION PROCESSES; CONDUCT RESEARCH TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE CHOICE OF HOST-CELL PRODUCTION PLATFORM IMPACTS FUNCTIONALITY OF THE ANTIGENS PRODUCED; AND DEVELOP CAPABILITIES FOR SCALEUP AND POST-PRODUCTION MODIFICATION OF GLYCOFORMS ON PURIFIED ANTIGENS; AND PROVIDE A TECHNO-ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT OF PROMISING PRODUCTION PLATFORMS. EXPECTED OUTCOMES: THIS RESEARCH WILL ENABLE AGILE DOMESTIC BIOMANUFACTURING OF REAGENTS FOR CORONAVIRUS RESEARCH AND DIAGNOSTICS, DEVELOP NOVEL PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGIES THAT ENHANCE U.S. BIOINDUSTRIAL COMPETITIVENESS, DE-RISK INVESTMENT IN ANTIGEN PRODUCTION INFRASTRUCTURE, AND EXPAND THE BIOMANUFACTURING WORKFORCE. BY ESTABLISHING METHODS FOR RAPID, DISTRIBUTED ANTIGEN PRODUCTION, THIS PROJECT WILL SIGNIFICANTLY SPEED DISTRIBUTED PRODUCTION AND DEPLOYMENT OF REAGENTS FOR DIAGNOSTICS AND COUNTERMEASURES IN RESPONSE TO ANY NEW DISEASE OUTBREAK. INTENDED BENEFICIARIES: AS NEW CORONAVIRUSES AND VARIANTS ARISE, HEALTHCARE RESEARCHERS WILL BENEFIT BY HAVING THE ABILITY TO QUICKLY DESIGN AND PRODUCE ANTIGENS NEEDED TO ACCELERATE DIAGNOSTICS AND COUNTERMEASURE DEVELOPMENT. THE PUBLIC WILL BENEFIT THROUGH FASTER RESPONSES TO FUTURE PANDEMICS, AND THE NATION WILL BENEFIT MORE BROADLY BY THE INCREASED CAPABILITIES OF THE U.S. BIOINDUSTRIAL SECTOR. SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES: THE RECIPIENT PLANS TO SUBAWARD FUNDS TO ACADEMIC PARTNERS TO CONDUCT RESEARCH FOR ANTIGEN DISCOVERY, STANDARDIZED CLONING, PRODUCTION OF ANTIGENS IN DIFFERENT HOST CELLS, AND CHARACTERIZATION AND ?GLYCO-TAILORING? OF THE TARGET ANTIGENS PRODUCED. THE RECIPIENT WILL ALSO SUBAWARD FUNDS FOR AND TECHNO-ECONOMIC ANALYSIS FOR THIS PROJECT.

HEAD START CENTER BASED EDUCATIONAL SERVICES FOR 117 INCOME ELIGIBLE CHILDREN IN FORT STOCKTON

DOMESTIC WATER GRANTS - REGULAR

ADVANCING EARTH SCIENCE INSTRUCTION ACROSS HIGH SCHOOL LIFE AND PHYSICAL SCIENCE -EARTHX IS A DESIGN-BASED RESEARCH PROJECT THAT SUPPORTS THE INTEGRATION OF EARTH SCIENCE INTO HIGH SCHOOL BIOLOGY, CHEMISTRY, AND PHYSICS COURSES IN BALTIMORE CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, WHILE ALSO SUPPORTING THE DISTRICT?S TRANSITION TO THREE-DIMENSIONAL (3D), AMBITIOUS AND EQUITABLE SCIENCE TEACHING ALIGNED WITH THE NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS (NGSS). AS THE DISTRICT DOES NOT HAVE A CURRENT STANDALONE EARTH SCIENCE COURSE AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL, THE PROJECT WILL SUPPORT THE INTEGRATION OF EARTH SCIENCES INTO OTHER DISCIPLINARY SCIENCE CLASSES TO MEET THE NGSS EXPECTATIONS FOR EARTH SCIENCE INSTRUCTION IN ALL GRADE LEVELS. ALL HIGH SCHOOL BIOLOGY, CHEMISTRY, AND PHYSICS TEACHERS IN CITY SCHOOLS (139 TEACHERS) WILL USE EARTHX ASSESSMENTS AND PARTICIPATE IN EARTHX PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (PD). THE PROJECT WILL REACH THE ENTIRE, HIGHLY DIVERSE STUDENT POPULATION ATTENDING TRADITIONAL CITY SCHOOLS. EARTHX BUILDS ON THE SUCCESS OF THE INTEGRATING CHEMISTRY AND EARTH SCIENCE (ICE) DRK-12 PROJECT - WHICH DEVELOPED INNOVATIVE CHEMISTRY COURSE CURRICULUM MATERIALS AND PD STRATEGIES - TO SUPPORT EARTH SCIENCE INTEGRATION INTO BIOLOGY AND PHYSICS COURSE CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT AND 3D TEACHING. EARTHX WILL DEVELOP, TEST, AND REFINE EMBEDDED AND UNIT ASSESSMENTS FOR ALL THREE COURSES, ALONG WITH PROVIDING AN ONLINE SYSTEM FOR ASSESSMENT ADMINISTRATION; REAL-TIME REPORTING TO TEACHERS AND STUDENTS; AND PROVISION OF DATA TO PD LEADERS, ADMINISTRATORS, AND RESEARCHERS FOR MULTIPLE PURPOSES. ASSESSMENTS WILL BE 3D, FEATURING CORE CONCEPTS FROM BOTH EARTH SCIENCE AND THE COURSE DISCIPLINE COMBINED WITH A SCIENCE OR ENGINEERING PRACTICE AND A CROSSCUTTING CONCEPT. ASSESSMENTS WILL SUPPORT TEACHING AND LEARNING OF PHENOMENA IN THE LOCAL-TO-GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT IN WAYS THAT ARE BOTH ENGAGING AND ACCESSIBLE TO BALTIMORE STUDENTS AND TEACHERS. BIOLOGY, CHEMISTRY, AND PHYSICS TEACHERS REQUIRE THESE TYPES OF INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORTS, ALONG WITH ONGOING PD THAT IS COLLABORATIVE BOTH WITHIN SCHOOLS ACROSS DISCIPLINES AND ACROSS SCHOOLS WITHIN DISCIPLINES TO SUCCEED IN THE DUAL CHALLENGE OF ACHIEVING EARTH SCIENCE INTEGRATION AND 3D, AMBITIOUS AND EQUITABLE TEACHING. MANY SCHOOL DISTRICTS AROUND THE NATION ARE FACING THIS SAME DUAL CHALLENGE AND WILL BENEFIT FROM EARTHX RESOURCES, STRATEGIES, INSIGHTS, AND RESEARCH FINDINGS, ALL OF WHICH WILL BE DISSEMINATED AND MADE WIDELY AVAILABLE. EARTHX WILL UTILIZE A DESIGN-BASED RESEARCH APPROACH TO: 1) BUILD AND NURTURE A STRONG RESEARCH-PRACTICE PARTNERSHIP, EMPLOYING BEST PRACTICES OF PARTNER ENGAGEMENT AND EMPOWERMENT, COLLABORATION, EVIDENCE-BASED IMPROVEMENT, AND PRODUCTIVITY. 2) DEVELOP AND TEST DISCIPLINARY AND CROSS-DISCIPLINARY PD STRATEGIES FOR SUPPORTING EFFECTIVE EARTH SCIENCE TEACHING IN HIGH SCHOOL BIOLOGY, CHEMISTRY, AND PHYSICS COURSES. 3) DEVELOP LEARNING PROGRESSION-ALIGNED, EMBEDDED, AND SUMMATIVE 3D ASSESSMENTS OF STUDENT PERFORMANCES THAT CAN SUPPORT AMBITIOUS AND EQUITABLE TEACHING ABOUT PHENOMENA IN THE LOCAL-TO-GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT AT THE INTERFACES BETWEEN EARTH SCIENCE AND BIOLOGY, CHEMISTRY, AND PHYSICS. 4) BRING EARTHX STRATEGIES TO SCALE, RESULTING IN TRANSFORMATIVE, PHENOMENA-BASED 3D INSTRUCTION ACROSS THE DISTRICT. IN MEETING THESE GOALS, THE PROJECT WILL ADDRESS THE FOLLOWING RESEARCH QUESTIONS: HOW DO MULTI-YEAR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING EXPERIENCES THAT SUPPORT EMPOWERMENT AND COLLABORATIVE, REFLECTIVE PRACTICE CONTRIBUTE TO TEACHERS? GROWING UNDERSTANDING AND IMPLEMENTATION OF PHENOMENA-BASED, 3D INSTRUCTION? HOW DOES AVAILABILITY OF AND EXPERIENCE WITH USING STUDENT PERFORMANCE DATA (INCLUDING NEAR REAL-TIME AUTOMATED ANALYSES) CONTRIBUTE TO TEACHERS? GROWING CAPACITY TO IMPLEMENT AMBITIOUS AND EQUITABLE 3D INSTRUCTION? HOW DO TEACHERS? GROWING CAPACITIES TO ENACT 3D, AMBITIOUS, AND EQUITABLE INSTRUCTION IMPACT STUDENT LEARNING GAINS (ASSESSED WITH CREDIBLE MEASURES OF 3D PERFORMANCES) OVER THE COURSE OF A YEAR AND OVER THE THREE-YEAR COURSE SEQUENCE? METHODS FOR ADDRESSING THESE GOALS AND RESEARCH QUESTIONS START WITH A RESEARCH-PRACTICE PARTNERSHIP WITH A DIVERSE TEAM OF DISTRICT LEADERS, SCIENTISTS, SCIENCE EDUCATION SPECIALISTS AND RESEARCHERS, TEACHER LEADERS, AND THE PROJECT EVALUATOR, WITH CRITICAL AND ONGOING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE PROJECT ADVISORY BOARD. DEVELOPMENT AND USE OF ASSESSMENTS OF BOTH TEACHERS' PRACTICES AND STUDENTS? PERFORMANCES ARE A CENTRAL FEATURE OF EARTHX. TEACHER PD WILL EMPHASIZE REFLECTIVE PRACTICES THROUGH VIDEO- AND ARTIFACT-SUPPORTED TEACHER REFLECTION AMONG COHORTS OF TEACHERS THAT WILL INCLUDE BOTH WITHIN-SCHOOL AND ACROSS-SCHOOL COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE. LEARNING PROGRESSIONS WILL BE UTILIZED AND REVISED TO FRAME ANALYSES OF STUDENT PERFORMANCES TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK TO TEACHERS AND STUDENTS, AND TO ADDRESS THE STUDENT LEARNING RESEARCH QUESTION. EARTHX WILL PROVIDE INVALUABLE INSIGHTS INTO THE INTEGRATION, ADOPTION, ADAPTATION, AND SUPPORT OF EARTH SCIENCE AND 3D PEDAGOGY AT THE WHOLE DISTRICT SCALE. AS A RESULT OF THE EARTHX PROJECT, TESTED AND REFINED PD STRATEGIES, SUMMATIVE AND EMBEDDED 3D ASSESSMENT SYSTEMS, AND RESEARCH FINDINGS RELATED TO TEACHER AND STUDENT DEVELOPMENT WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE SCIENCE EDUCATION COMMUNITY?S GROWING UNDERSTANDING AND SUPPORT OF DISTRICT-LEVEL ADOPTION OF NGSS-ALIGNED TEACHING, LEARNING, AND REFORM. THE DISCOVERY RESEARCH PREK-12 PROGRAM (DRK-12) SEEKS TO SIGNIFICANTLY ENHANCE THE LEARNING AND TEACHING OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATHEMATICS (STEM) BY PREK-12 STUDENTS AND TEACHERS, THROUGH RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF INNOVATIVE RESOURCES, MODELS AND TOOLS. PROJECTS IN THE DRK-12 PROGRAM BUILD ON FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH IN STEM EDUCATION AND PRIOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS THAT PROVIDE THEORETICAL AND EMPIRICAL JUSTIFICATION FOR PROPOSED PROJECTS. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.

LTER: HUMAN SETTLEMENTS AS ECOSYSTEMS: METROPOLITAN BALTIMORE FROM 1797 - 2100: PHASE II

PROVIDING CONSTRUCTION ASSISTANCE FOR EASEMENT REHABILITATION AND THE ENHANCEMENT OF ACTIVITIES, SUCH AS REHABILITATION OF PRIOR RESTORED EASEMENTS OR ENHANCING PREVIOUS WORK WITH NEW STRUCTURES.

NSTIC IDENTITY ECOSYSTEM FRAMEWORK DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

HEAD START

DESCRIPTION:THIS AGREEMENT PROVIDES FUNDING TO THE EAST PECOS (NM) MUTUAL DOMESTIC WATER CONSUMERS ASSOCIATION TO IMPLEMENT (MDWCA) ITS PROJECT TO ABANDON EXISTING SEPTIC TANKS AND CONSTRUCT A NEW SANITARY SEWER SYSTEM AND LIFT STATION AS DIRECTED IN THE 2023 CONSOLIDATED APPROPRIATIONS ACT OR AS IDENTIFIED IN AN APPROVED TECHNICAL CORRECTION IF ONE HAS BEEN APPROVED FOR THIS PROJECT. ACTIVITIES:THE ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED INCLUDE THE EXECUTION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A WASTEWATER INFRASTRUCTURE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT. WORKPLAN ACTIVITIES CONSIST OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF NEW GRAVITY SANITARY SEWERS, CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW LIFT, AND CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW FORCE MAIN FROM THE LIT STATION TO THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT FOR MUNICIPAL TREATMENT. SUBRECIPIENT:NO SUBAWARDS ARE INCLUDED IN THIS ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT.OUTCOMES:THE ANTICIPATED DELIVERABLES INCLUDE PROJECT DELIVERY OF A NEW SANITARY SEWER SYSTEM, INCLUDING GRAVITY SEWER LINES, A NEW LIFT STATION, AND A NEW FORCE MAIN. THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES INCLUDE FEWER INSTANCES OF SEPTIC SYSTEM FAILURE WHICH HAVE LED TO GROUNDWATER CONTAMINATION ISSUES AND POOR DOWNSTREAM DRINKING WATER QUALITY IN COMMUNITIES WHO USE THE PECOS RIVER AS A SOURCE OF DRINKING WATER. THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES INCLUDE THE RESIDENTS OF THE VILLAGE OF PECOS, THE CUSTOMERS OF THE EAST PECOS MUTUAL DOMESTIC WATER CONSUMERS ASSOCIATION, AND COMMUNITIES DOWNSTREAM IN THE PECOS RIVER BASIN.

US-UK COLLAB: INTEGRATING METAVIROMICS WITH EPIDEMIOLOGICAL DYNAMICS: UNDERSTANDING VIRUS TRANSMISSION IN THE ANTHROPOCENE -THIS PROJECT WILL DEVELOP AND TEST NEW METHODS FOR TRACKING RNA VIRUSES IN WILD RODENT POPULATIONS, WHICH ARE IMPORTANT VIRAL RESERVOIRS WORLDWIDE BECAUSE MANY SPECIES LIVE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO HUMAN POPULATIONS AND ARE HIGHLY RESPONSIVE TO ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE. MOST EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES AFFECTING HUMANS, INCLUDING AIDS, INFLUENZA, AND COVID-19, ARE CAUSED BY RNA VIRUSES ORIGINATING FROM NON-HUMAN ANIMALS. IN RECENT YEARS, THESE DISEASES HAVE BECOME MORE COMMON AND WIDESPREAD, A PATTERN FREQUENTLY ATTRIBUTED TO INCREASING ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE, NOTABLY THE CONVERSION OF NATURAL LANDSCAPES INTO AGRICULTURAL AND URBAN ENVIRONMENTS. THESE CHANGES HAVE DRAMATICALLY ALTERED WILD ANIMAL COMMUNITIES, INFLUENCING HOW VIRUSES CIRCULATE WITHIN THESE COMMUNITIES AND SIMULTANEOUSLY INCREASING HUMAN EXPOSURE TO NEW ANIMAL VIRUSES. SEASONAL VARIATION AND CLIMATE CHANGE CAN ALSO ALTER PATHOGEN PREVALENCE IN WILD ANIMAL POPULATIONS AND INFLUENCE DISEASE RISK. A CRITICAL BARRIER TO CONTROLLING FUTURE VIRAL OUTBREAKS IS A LACK OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT HOW ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE AFFECTS VIRUS TRANSMISSION WITHIN WILD ANIMAL POPULATIONS AND HOW, IN TURN, THAT AFFECTS HUMAN RISK. THIS PROJECT WILL INVESTIGATE THESE GAPS USING ESTABLISHED FIELD STUDIES IN ENGLAND AND UGANDA THAT MONITOR WILD RODENT COMMUNITIES. ADDITIONALLY, THIS PROJECT WILL INVOLVE RESEARCHERS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND UGANDA, AND PROVIDE TRAINING FOR UNDERGRADUATES, GRADUATE STUDENTS, AND POST-DOCTORAL SCHOLARS. TO TACKLE THE PRACTICAL CHALLENGES OF STUDYING VIRAL TRANSMISSION, RESEARCHERS WILL DEVELOP NEW TOOLS TO INFER EPIDEMIOLOGICAL DYNAMICS AND ZOONOTIC RISK FROM INCREASINGLY ACCESSIBLE AND LOW-COST HOST VIROME DATA. THIS FLEXIBLE APPROACH WILL ALLOW RAPID DISCOVERY AND MONITORING OF ZOONOTIC VIRUSES BY ENABLING EPIDEMIOLOGICAL INFERENCES FROM CROSS-SECTIONAL SAMPLES AND GUIDANCE FOR APPROPRIATE SAMPLING STRATEGIES TO INTERPRET METAVIROMIC DATA IN NEW HOST SYSTEMS. RESEARCHERS WILL USE A LONG-TERM CAPTURE-MARK-RECAPTURE WILD STUDY IN OXFORDSHIRE, UK, TO DETERMINE HOW SEASONAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE INFLUENCES RODENT VIRAL COMMUNITIES. LASTLY, RESEARCHERS WILL USE FIELD SITES ALONG LAND COVER GRADIENT IN UGANDA TO UNDERSTAND HOW PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE INFLUENCES THE RISK OF ZOONOTICS IN RODENT COMMUNITIES. THIS FIELDWORK WILL IDENTIFY LOCAL AND LANDSCAPE DRIVERS OF ZOONOTIC HAZARDS AND HOW HUMANS CHANGE BEHAVIOUR TO AFFECT ZOONOTIC RISK ACROSS THIS GRADIENT. TOGETHER, THIS RESEARCH WILL SUBSTANTIALLY IMPROVE OUR UNDERSTANDING OF VIRAL PATHOGENS WITHIN KEY RESERVOIR HOSTS AND IDENTIFY IMPORTANT ENVIRONMENTAL DRIVERS THAT INCREASE ZOONOTIC RISK. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

TILT-UP TOWER AND INSTALLATION SYSTEM TO REDUCE THE COST OF DISTRIBUTED WIND TURBINES

EBRC 2026: ENGINEERING BIOLOGY FOR THE NEXT-GENERATION BIOECONOMY -THE ENGINEERING BIOLOGY RESEARCH CONSORTIUM (EBRC) BRINGS TOGETHER AN INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE FROM ACADEMIA, GOVERNMENT, AND INDUSTRY TO ADVANCE THE FIELD OF ENGINEERING BIOLOGY TO ADDRESS NATIONAL AND GLOBAL NEEDS. ENGINEERING BIOLOGY COMBINES THE KNOWLEDGE, PROCESSES, AND TOOLS OF BIOLOGY WITH THE PRINCIPLES OF ENGINEERING TO BUILD ORGANISMS AND SYSTEMS, ENABLE TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION AND SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY, AND DEVELOP NEW PRODUCTS, SERVICES, AND ECONOMIC GROWTH. EBRC FACILITATES COLLABORATIONS BETWEEN RESEARCHERS AND LEADERS WITH DIVERSE EXPERTISE TO TACKLE OUR NATION?S MOST CRITICAL CHALLENGES, INCLUDING CRISES IN CLIMATE, FOOD AND WATER, ENERGY, AND HEALTH. THROUGH EBRC?S EFFORTS, EXPERTS WORK TOGETHER TO IDENTIFY THE CONCRETE STEPS NEEDED TO ACHIEVE TECHNICAL PROGRESS AND BREAKTHROUGHS, WHILE ACTIVELY INCORPORATING POLICY, EDUCATION, ETHICS, EQUITY, AND SECURITY CONSIDERATIONS. THROUGH THIS PROJECT, RESEARCHERS AND INNOVATORS IN ENGINEERING BIOLOGY CREATE FORWARD-LOOKING TECHNICAL ROADMAPS THAT DESCRIBE THE RESEARCH ADVANCES NECESSARY TO ACHIEVE PROGRESS TOWARD SOLVING SIGNIFICANT SOCIETAL CHALLENGES. EBRC?S POLICY AND INTERNATIONAL ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS PROVIDE INFORMATION AND INSIGHT TO INFORM AND ADVISE POLICYMAKERS TO HELP THEM ANTICIPATE ISSUES AND MAKE DECISIONS BASED ON A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF THE ENGINEERING BIOLOGY RESEARCH ENTERPRISE. EBRC WORKS TO IDENTIFY AND ADDRESS ETHICAL, REGULATORY, AND POLICY ISSUES IN WAYS THAT BENEFIT THE ADVANCEMENT OF RESEARCH WHILE SERVING SOCIETY RESPONSIBLY. EBRC?S FOCUS ON EDUCATION FOSTERS OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEARNING ABOUT AND ENGAGING WITH ENGINEERING BIOLOGY TO SUPPORT STUDENTS AND DEVELOP THE NEXT GENERATION OF ENGINEERING BIOLOGY LEADERS. THE SECURITY FOCUS BUILDS A RESEARCH CULTURE THAT INCORPORATES CONSIDERATION OF SECURITY THROUGHOUT EVERY STAGE OF THE RESEARCH LIFECYCLE TO REDUCE RISK WHILE PROMOTING BENEFITS. INTEGRATED INTO ALL OF ITS EFFORTS, EBRC ENDEAVORS TO BUILD A MORE DIVERSE, EQUITABLE, AND INCLUSIVE RESEARCH COMMUNITY THAT WILL ACCELERATE INNOVATION AND GROW A STRONG, SUSTAINABLE BIOECONOMY THAT BENEFITS ALL. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.

PECOS VALLEY BIOMASS ENERGY PROJECT (NM)

LTER: DYNAMIC HETEROGENEITY: INVESTIGATING CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF ECOLOGICAL CHANGE IN THE BALTIMORE URBAN ECOSYSTEM

LTER: BALTIMORE ECOSYSTEM STUDY: SYNTHESIS OF LONG-TERM STUDIES OF HOW MULTIPLE HUMAN AND BIOPHYSICAL FACTORS INTERACT TO DRIVE ECOLOGICAL CHANGE OF AN URBAN ECOSYSTEM

GLOBAL PATTERNS, PREDICTORS, AND THEIR DYNAMICAL CONSEQUENCES IN ZOONOTIC DISEASES OF MAMMALS

HEALTH CENTER CLUSTER

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: BUILDING ANALYTICAL, SYNTHESIS, AND HUMAN NETWORK SKILLS NEEDED FOR MACROSYSTEM SCIENCE: A NEXT GENERATION GRADUATE STUDENT T

LONG-TERM ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH AT THE HUBBARD BROOK EXPERIMENTAL FOREST

ACEP WRE RESTORATION ON 6 EASEMENTS 2938.12 ACRES IN NE AR

BIOLOGICAL SERVICES AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AT NAVAL WEAPONS SYSTEMS TRAINING FACILITY (NWSTF) AT BOARDMAN, OREGON

ACEP WRE RESTORATION (VEGETATIVE & HYDROLOGY) ON 4 EASEMENTSIN PRAIRIE CO = 778.06 ACRES

ACEP WRE RESTORATION (VEGETATIVE & HYDROLOGY) - WHITE CO. 3ASEMENTS

PROVIDING CONSTRUCTION ASSISTANCE FOR EASEMENT REHABILITATION AND THEENHANCEMENT OF ACTIVITIES, SUCH AS REHABILITATION OF PRIOR RESTOREDEASEMENTS OR ENHANCING PREVIOUS WORK WITH NEW STRUCTURES.

CNH-L: SOCIAL-ECOLOGICAL DYNAMICS OF RECREATIONAL FISHERY LANDSCAPES

NSFDEB-NERC: GIGANTE: QUANTIFYING AND UPSCALING THE CAUSES AND DRIVERS OF DEATH FOR GIANT TROPICAL TREES -THIS PROJECT ? NAMED GIGANTE - AIMS TO UNDERSTAND WHEN, WHERE, AND WHY THE LARGEST TREES IN TROPICAL FORESTS DIE. THE RESEARCH IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE THE LARGEST 1% OF TREES CONTAIN ENORMOUS AMOUNTS OF CARBON: ABOUT HALF OF ALL CARBON STORED IN PLANTS OF THESE FORESTS. HOWEVER, WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT KILLS THESE TREES AND THEREFORE CAN?T PREDICT HOW THEY MIGHT FARE IN THE FUTURE OR THEIR IMPACT ON CLIMATE. GIGANTE WILL USE DRONES TO GUIDE FIELD TEAMS TO LOCATE AND DESCRIBE THOUSANDS OF GIANT TREE DEATHS IN TROPICAL FORESTS AROUND THE WORLD. THESE DATA WILL THEN BE USED TO PREDICT WHEN AND WHERE OTHER GIANT TREES WILL LIKELY DIE IN THE FUTURE AND TO IMPROVE OUR UNDERSTANDING OF HOW CARBON CYCLES ON OUR PLANET TODAY. GIGANTE?S OUTCOMES ARE CRUCIAL TO A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW VULNERABLE TROPICAL FORESTS ARE TO ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE. THE PROJECT WILL TRAIN NEW AND ASPIRING SCIENTISTS ACROSS AN INTERNATIONAL NETWORK IN THE USE OF MODERN TECHNOLOGY FOR STUDYING GIANT TREES, GENERATE PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE DATA ON ALL GIANT TREE DEATHS TO HELP SATELLITE EXPERTS AND OTHERS MONITOR FORESTS, AND GENERATE NEW SOFTWARE AND TRAINING MATERIALS TO HELP SCIENTISTS AND LAND MANAGERS MONITOR THE HEALTH OF FORESTS WORLDWIDE. GIGANTE WILL LOCATE GIANT TREE MORTALITY EVENTS USING MULTI-PLATFORM, HIGH-FREQUENCY REMOTE SENSING OF 7,500 HECTARES OF TROPICAL FOREST ACROSS FIVE ?SUPER SITES.? THESE DATA WILL FACILITATE TARGETED FIELD SURVEYS USING DETAILED STATE-OF-THE ART PROTOCOLS TO ASSIGN PROXIMATE AGENTS OF MORTALITY TO RECENTLY DEAD TREES IN AN UNPRECEDENTEDLY LARGE FIELD STUDY. THE RESEARCHERS WILL INTEGRATE THESE DATA WITH INFORMATION ABOUT CLIMATE, TOPOGRAPHY, CANOPY STRUCTURE, AND TREE TRAITS TO VALIDATE MECHANISTIC MODELS OF TREE MORTALITY RISK. FINALLY, COMBINING THESE RISK MODELS WITH FOREST PLOTS AND SATELLITE LIDAR, THEY WILL EVALUATE HOW DRIVERS OF GIANT TREE DEATH PREDICT SPATIAL VARIATION IN FOREST DYNAMICS, STRUCTURE, AND CARBON STORAGE. IN THE COURSE OF THIS PROJECT, GIGANTE WILL PRODUCE SOFTWARE AND VIDEOS TO FACILITATE THE USE OF THESE METHODS ELSEWHERE, AND PROVIDE TRAINING AND CAPACITY BUILDING TO SCIENTISTS ACROSS THIS COLLABORATIVE NETWORK. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.

CNH: URBAN DISAMENITIES AND PESTS: COUPLED DYNAMICS OF URBAN MOSQUITO ECOLOGY AND HUMAN SYSTEMS ACROSS SOCIOECONOMICALLY DIVERSE COMMUNITIES

INTEGRATING CHEMISTRY AND EARTH SCIENCE

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: ECOLOGICAL HOMOGENIZATION OF URBAN AMERICA

WE WOULD EQUIP A ROOM FOR VIRTUAL LEARNING; UPDATE EQUIPMENT SUCH AS COMPUTERS, COPY MACHINE AND OTHER TO BE USE BY STUDENTS AND EMPLOYEES.

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: ULTRA-DATA: THE METABOLIC REGIMES OF LAKE ECOSYSTEMS -A PRIMARY FUNCTION OF ALL ECOSYSTEMS IS TO CONVERT SOLAR ENERGY INTO ORGANIC MATTER (PRIMARY PRODUCTION) THAT FUELS THE MAINTENANCE (RESPIRATION) AND GROWTH OF ORGANISMS UP THE FOOD WEB. ECOSYSTEM METABOLISM IS THE BALANCE OF PRIMARY PRODUCTION AND RESPIRATION AT THE ECOSYSTEM-SCALE. FOR TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS, THE METABOLIC REGIME (ANNUAL PATTERN OF ECOSYSTEM METABOLISM) IS LARGELY PREDICTABLE BY CLIMATE AND BIOGEOGRAPHY. IN LAKES, HOWEVER, ECOSYSTEM METABOLISM IS HIGHLY DYNAMIC BECAUSE THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF LAKE ECOSYSTEMS (STRATIFICATION) AND OTHER DRIVING VARIABLES ARE HIGHLY VARIABLE ON SUB-DAILY TO SEASONAL TIMESCALES. THIS PROJECT SEEKS TO CHARACTERIZE THE METABOLIC REGIMES OF LAKE ECOSYSTEMS AND TO EXPLAIN HOW AND WHY THEY VARY THROUGH TIME AND AROUND THE WORLD. BY SYNTHESIZING DATA AND COMPARING ACROSS MULTIPLE MODEL FORMULATIONS, THE RESEARCH TEAM WILL ASSESS DRIVERS, SEASONAL DECOUPLING, TEMPERATURE EFFECTS, AND SPATIAL CLUSTERING OF METABOLIC REGIMES. THIS PROJECT WILL ALSO BUILD TRANSFORMATIVE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR LAKE RESEARCH AND EDUCATION, CATALYZE BROAD USE OF THAT INFRASTRUCTURE, AND HELP TO DEVELOP A GLOBALLY COMPETITIVE STEM WORKFORCE WITH CROSS-TRAINING IN BIOLOGY AND DATA SCIENCE. THIS DATA SYNTHESIS PROJECT WILL ASSEMBLE THE FIRST LARGE-SCALE PUBLIC REPOSITORY OF LAKE ECOSYSTEM METABOLISM DATA ? THE GLOBAL LAKE METABOLISM REPOSITORY (GLAMR) ? WHICH WILL INCLUDE DAILY METABOLISM ESTIMATES AND ASSOCIATED DATA AND METADATA FROM AT LEAST 300 GLOBALLY DISTRIBUTED LAKES, 1,500 LAKE-YEARS, AND 400,000 LAKE-DAYS. THESE DATA WILL BE ANALYZED TO EVALUATE A CONCEPTUAL MODEL OF LAKE METABOLIC REGIMES. HYPOTHESES DERIVED FROM THE CONCEPTUAL MODEL WILL BE TESTED USING MACHINE LEARNING, TIME SERIES CLUSTERING, SPATIAL STATISTICS, AND OTHER TOOLS, BY COMBINING AND SYNTHESIZING DATA FROM MANY STUDIES (INCLUDING LONG-TERM DATA FROM AT LEAST SIX LTER SITES AND SEVEN NEON SITES IN FOUR NEON DOMAINS), THE PROJECT AIMS TO BUILD A RICH AND ROBUST UNDERSTANDING OF THE METABOLIC REGIMES OF LAKE ECOSYSTEMS, AND NEW AND DURABLE GLOBAL CAPACITY FOR LAKE ECOSYSTEM RESEARCH. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT PROGRAM

ACCELERATING VOLUNTARY CONSERVATION DRAINAGE ADOPTION FOR WATER QUALITY AND CROP PRODUCTION BENEFITS

POLLINATOR HABITAT PROJECT TO REHAB AREAS TO NATIVE GRASSES

A MULTI-SENSOR APPROACH FOR MEASURING BIRD AND BAT COLLISIONS WITH OFFSHORE WIND TURBINES

JORDAN RESTORATION OUTREACH

WE ARE APPLYING TO THIS FUNDS UNDER DE SECTION 18004 OF CARES ACT DUE TO THE COVID19 EMERGENCY. ONCE THE FUNDS ARE APPROVED THEY WILL BE UTILIZE ACCORDING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION GUIDELINES.

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: REGULATION OF LAKE PRODUCTIVITY BY TERRESTRIAL DISSOLVED ORGANIC MATTER

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: USING THE VERTICAL DIMENSION OF FORESTS TO TEST TRADEOFFS AND PRINCIPLES OF COMMUNITY ECOLOGY -GLOBAL CHANGES ARE CAUSING SIGNIFICANT SHIFTS IN ECOSYSTEMS WORLDWIDE BY INCREASING ENVIRONMENTAL STRESS. SPECIES THAT CAN WITHSTAND THESE CHANGES ARE LIKELY TO THRIVE, WHILE THOSE LESS ADAPTABLE MAY DECLINE. HOWEVER, IT IS CHALLENGING TO LINK STRATEGIES OF INDIVIDUAL SPECIES TO COMMUNITY-LEVEL RESPONSES TO GLOBAL CHANGES. THIS PROJECT EXPLORES THE VERTICAL LAYERS OF FORESTS TO TEST THE ROLE OF COMPETITION AND TOLERANCE IN COMMUNITY ASSEMBLY. ABIOTIC STRESSORS INCLUDING TEMPERATURE (3-6?C HIGHER IN THE CANOPY), DRYNESS, AND MICROCLIMATE VARIABILITY INCREASE FROM THE FOREST FLOOR TO THE CANOPY, ALL WITHIN JUST 20-30 METERS OF HEIGHT. THIS PROJECT EVALUATES HOW DIFFERENCES IN LIFE HISTORY STRATEGIES, SUCH AS TOLERANCE TO STRESS, INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER SPECIES, AND THE CAPACITY TO COLONIZE NEW HABITATS, PLAY A ROLE IN COMMUNITY ASSEMBLY AND RESPONSES TO ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE. ADDITIONALLY, THIS PROJECT WILL DEVELOP A CURRICULUM MODULE FOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS THAT AIMS TO FOSTER STUDENT INVOLVEMENT IN SCIENCE INCLUDING THE DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS ABOUT THE VALUE OF MICROBIAL DIVERSITY IN NATURE. THE PROJECT WILL DEVELOP A NOVEL MOLECULAR TOOL AND DATABASE FOR CHARACTERIZING MICROBIAL TAXA AND TRAITS ACROSS THE LIFE HISTORY STRATEGIES, WHICH WILL BE MADE WIDELY ACCESSIBLE TO SCIENTISTS AND PRACTITIONERS. FINALLY, THE PROJECT WILL SUPPORT EARLY CAREER SCIENTISTS BY PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND MENTORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR A DOCTORAL STUDENT, A RESEARCH TECHNICIAN, AND THREE SEASONAL FIELD RESEARCH ASSISTANTS. THIS RESEARCH WILL DEVELOP A MODEL SYSTEM ? THE VERTICAL DIMENSION OF FORESTS ? TO SYSTEMATICALLY TEST COMMUNITY ASSEMBLY AND LIFE HISTORY TRADEOFFS OF MICROBIAL COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE VERTICAL GRADIENT IN A PANAMANIAN TROPICAL RAINFOREST. THIS WILL INCLUDE (1) A MULTI-OMIC CHARACTERIZATION OF THE FUNCTIONAL AND TAXONOMIC DIVERSITY OF SOIL COMMUNITIES ALONG THE VERTICAL GRADIENT, (2) AN ASSESSMENT OF THE COMMUNITIES DISPERSING VIA AIR, WATER, AND DETRITUS ACROSS THE GRADIENT, (3) A RECIPROCAL TRANSPLANT EXPERIMENT TO TEST ABIOTIC AND BIOTIC CONTROLS OF COMMUNITY ASSEMBLY, AND (4) A LAB-BASED INCUBATION TO SPECIFICALLY EVALUATE THE ROLES OF HEAT AND WATER STRESS IN SHAPING COMMUNITY ASSEMBLY. FINALLY, THE PROJECT WILL (5) SYNTHESIZE THE RESULTS USING A CAUSAL INFERENCE MODELING APPROACH TO EXPLICITLY TEST THE ROLE OF THE COMPETITIVENESS-TO-TOLERANCE TRADEOFF IN SHAPING COMMUNITY ASSEMBLY IN RESPONSE TO ABIOTIC STRESS. THIS PROJECT WILL MAKE SIGNIFICANT ADVANCES IN OUR UNDERSTANDING OF HOW ABIOTIC STRESS INFLUENCES COMMUNITY ASSEMBLY. MOST IMPORTANTLY, THIS WORK WILL TEST WHETHER A TRADEOFF BETWEEN TOLERANCE AND COMPETITIVENESS DETERMINES THE OUTCOMES OF COMMUNITY ASSEMBLY ACROSS A GRADIENT OF ABIOTIC STRESS. BEYOND TOLERANCE AND COMPETITIVENESS, THE RESULTS FROM THIS WORK WILL PROVIDE THE FIRST DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT TRENDS IN DISPERSAL ALONG THE VERTICAL GRADIENT AND HOW THEY VARY AMONG DIFFERENT PATHWAYS OF DISPERSAL. THIS STUDY WILL CHARACTERIZE THE VERTICAL DIMENSION OF MICROBIAL DIVERSITY IN FOREST SOILS FOR THE FIRST TIME, PROVIDING INSIGHT INTO THIS MAJOR UNDERSTUDIED DIMENSION OF GLOBAL DIVERSITY AND ESTABLISHING A MODEL SYSTEM FOR TESTING PRINCIPLES OF COMMUNITY ASSEMBLY. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

THIS PROPOSED STUDY AIMS TO CHARACTERIZE THE ECOLOGICAL MECHANISMS UNDERLYING LYME DISEASE (LD) RISK. EVIDENCE WILL BE EVALUATED FOR THREE SPECIFIC

LOST RIVER PRESERVE - FISHERIES HABITAT RESTORATION PROJECT

RUI: COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: THE ECOLOGY OF ANAPLASMA PHAGOCYTOPHILUM: RESERVOIRS, RISK, AND INCIDENCE

REU SITE: TRANSLATIONAL ECOLOGY FOR UNDERGRADUATES

SBIR PHASE II: HIGH-PERFORMANCE METAL PRETREATMENTS

LTREB: STREAMS TO SCREENS: BRINGING THE HUBBARD BROOK WATERSHED ECOSYSTEM RECORD (HB-WATER) INTO THE 21ST CENTURY

LTREB: BALTIMORE URBAN WATERSHED STUDIES

LTREB RENEWAL: STREAMS TO SCREENS: BRINGING THE HUBBARD BROOK WATERSHED ECOSYSTEM RECORD (HBWATER) INTO THE 21ST CENTURY -THIS PROJECT SEEKS TO UNDERSTAND HOW WATER AND CHEMICAL ELEMENTS MOVE THROUGH ECOSYSTEMS, AND HOW THESE PROCESSES RESPOND TO ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE. IT CONTINUES A GLOBALLY UNIQUE 60-YEAR RECORD OF PRECIPITATION AND STREAM CHEMISTRY FOR TEN STREAMS IN THE HUBBARD BROOK EXPERIMENTAL FOREST IN THE WHITE MOUNTAINS OF NEW HAMPSHIRE. THIS RECORD SHOWS THE IMPACTS OF AIR POLLUTION, CLIMATE CHANGE, AND PESTS ON FORESTS, SOILS, AND STREAMS. IT HAS BEEN ESSENTIAL FOR RECORDING THE EFFECTS OF POLLUTION CONTROL LAWS AND FOR DEVELOPING AND TESTING THEORIES ABOUT HOW FORESTED ECOSYSTEMS WORK. THE PROJECT WILL EXAMINE HOW THESE ECOSYSTEMS ARE RECOVERING FROM ACID DEPOSITION, AS WELL AS HOW THEY ARE RESPONDING TO NEW IMPACTS, SUCH AS A CHANGING CLIMATE. DATA FROM THE PROJECT ARE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE, AND ADDITIONAL BROADER IMPACTS INCLUDE THE TRAINING OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS THROUGH A SUMMER REU. THE PROJECT MEASURES THE CHEMISTRY OF WEEKLY PRECIPITATION AND STREAMWATER SAMPLES. SOME OF THESE WATERSHEDS HAVE BEEN SUBJECTED TO WHOLE-WATERSHED MANIPULATIONS SUCH AS EXPERIMENTAL TREE HARVEST, AND ALL OF THE WATERSHEDS ARE EXPERIENCING LONG-TERM CHANGES IN ACID DEPOSITION AND CLIMATE. CHEMICAL ANALYSES INCLUDE PH, CONDUCTIVITY, DISSOLVED ORGANIC AND INORGANIC CARBON, MAJOR ANIONS AND CATIONS, DISSOLVED SILICA, AND TRACE ELEMENTS, AMONG OTHER MEASUREMENTS. INPUT AND EXPORT FLUXES OF CHEMICAL ELEMENTS ARE CALCULATED FOR NINE OF THE WATERSHEDS USING PRECIPITATION AND STREAM DISCHARGE DATA. THE STUDY DESIGN USES LONG-TERM OBSERVATION OF CHEMICAL FLUXES THROUGH THESE ECOSYSTEMS TO TEST AND REFINE THEORY ABOUT ECOSYSTEM PROCESSES AND THEIR RESPONSES TO CHANGE. KEY QUESTIONS TO BE TESTED INCLUDE, AMONG OTHERS: 1) THE EFFECTS OF FOREST DISTURBANCE ON NUTRIENT LOSSES FROM SOILS, AND HOW THIS INTERACTS WITH RECOVERY FROM ACIDIFICATION; 2) HOW CLIMATE CHANGE AND LONG-TERM DECREASES IN STREAM SOLUTE CONCENTRATIONS WILL INTERACT TO CONTROL THE TIMING, MAGNITUDE, AND FORM OF WATERSHED EXPORTS; AND 3) THE LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF FOREST DISTURBANCE ON STREAM PH AND THE EXPORT OF DISSOLVED ORGANIC CARBON AND WEATHERING PRODUCTS. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH WSC-CATEGORY 2: REGIONAL CLIMATE VARIABILITY AND PATTERNS OF URBAN DEVELOPMENT - IMPACTS ON THE URBAN WATER CYCLE AND NUTRIE

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: ISLANDS IN THE STREAM: THE CRITICAL ROLE OF BRYOSPHERES IN SMALL STREAMS AND RIVER NETWORKS -MANY HEADWATER STREAMS HAVE MOSSES PRESENT, YET THESE PLANTS ARE RARELY INCLUDED IN CURRENT CONCEPTUAL MODELS OF STREAM ECOLOGY. BRYOPHYTES, INCLUDING MOSSES, LIVERWORTS, AND HORNWORTS, ARE COMMON IN SMALL STREAMS WHERE THEY CAN PROVIDE CRITICAL HABITAT FOR OTHER AQUATIC ORGANISMS, AND STORE LARGE QUANTITIES OF CARBON, NITROGEN, AND PHOSPHORUS. THIS PROJECT WILL STUDY THE ROLE OF STREAM BRYOPHYTES AS HOTSPOTS OF FRESHWATER BIODIVERSITY AND NUTRIENT CYCLING, WITH A PARTICULAR FOCUS ON HOW BRYOPHYTE PRESENCE IN SMALL STREAMS MAY HAVE LARGE IMPACTS ON WATER QUALITY DOWNSTREAM. THE PROJECT SUPPORTS FIFTEEN OR MORE EARLY CAREER RESEARCHERS ACROSS ALL CAREER STAGES AND MULTIPLE INSTITUTIONS. THE RESEARCH TEAM WILL DISSEMINATE FINDINGS TO BROADER AUDIENCES AT CONFERENCES, LOCAL HOMEOWNERS? MEETINGS, AND FIELD TRIPS, AND IS PARTNERING WITH THE HUBBARD BROOK RESEARCH FOUNDATION AND A LOCAL SCHOOL TO DEVELOP ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE CURRICULA (5TH-12TH GRADES) THAT ENABLE YOUNG STUDENTS TO EXAMINE AND STUDY MOSSES IN NATURE. THE RESEARCH USES THREE COMPLEMENTARY APPROACHES TO EVALUATE HOW AND WHERE AQUATIC BRYOPHYTES CONTRIBUTE TO THE STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF HEADWATER STREAM ECOSYSTEMS. FIRST, RESEARCHERS WILL EXPERIMENTALLY REMOVE BRYOPHYTES FROM TWO STREAM SEGMENTS WITHIN THE HUBBARD BROOK EXPERIMENTAL FOREST (NEW HAMPSHIRE) TO DIRECTLY MEASURE THE IMPACT OF BRYOPHYTES ON NUTRIENT UPTAKE, ORGANIC MATTER STORAGE, AND IN-STREAM BIODIVERSITY. SECOND, THE RESEARCH TEAM WILL CONDUCT A REGIONAL SURVEY OF MOSS ABUNDANCE AND FRESHWATER BIODIVERSITY ACROSS 50 HEADWATER STREAMS ACROSS THE WHITE MOUNTAINS NATIONAL FOREST THAT VARY WIDELY IN STREAM PH. RESULTS FROM BOTH EXPERIMENTAL AND SURVEY EFFORTS WILL BE USED TO PARAMETERIZE A STREAM NETWORK MODEL TO ESTIMATE THE EFFECTS OF BRYOPHYTES ON NUTRIENT DYNAMICS AT RIVER NETWORK SCALES AND TO PREDICT THE IMPACT OF BRYOPHYTE LOSS ON RIVER NUTRIENT CYCLING. THE PROJECT WILL INFORM OUR UNDERSTANDING OF HOW BRYOPHYTES SUPPORT FRESHWATER BIODIVERSITY BY PROVIDING FLOW AND DROUGHT REFUGIA AND ENHANCE STREAM NUTRIENT CYCLING THROUGH THEIR HIGH SURFACE AREA AND CAPACITY TO TRAP AND SEQUESTER MATERIALS. BY INITIATING NEW, LONG-TERM RECORDS OF MOSS COVER AT HUBBARD BROOK, THIS EFFORT WILL INFORM OUR UNDERSTANDING OF HOW DROUGHTS, EXTREME FLOODS, AND RIVER ICE AFFECT MOSS COVER OVER TIME. IN ADDITION TO TRAINING OF POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHERS AND UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS, AND OUTREACH TO GRADE SCHOOL STUDENTS, THIS PROJECT WILL ENHANCE UNDERSTANDING OF PROCESSES THAT MAINTAIN CLEAN FRESHWATER STREAMS, AN ESSENTIAL AND LIMITED RESOURCE FOR U.S. CITIZENS. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: LIGHTNING-CAUSED DISTURBANCE AND PATTERNS OF RECOVERY IN TROPICAL FORESTS -TROPICAL FORESTS GARNER ATTENTION BECAUSE THEY ARE HOME TO EXCEPTIONALLY HIGH LEVELS OF BIODIVERISTY, AND ARE DOMINANT CONTRIBUTORS TO THE GLOBAL CARBON BUDGET. ONGOING CHANGES IN PATTERNS OF TREE DEATH IN THE TROPICS ARE ENDANGERING THIS BIODIVERSITY, AND DECREASING THE ABILITY OF FORESTS TO ACCUMULATE CARBON. THIS, IN TURN, WILL HAVE AN IMPACT ON GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE. RECENT WORK BY THIS TEAM HAS REVEALED THAT LIGHTNING COULD BE ONE OF THE MAJOR FACTORS DISRUPTING TROPICAL FORESTS. THIS NEW PHASE OF RESEARCH WILL ASK: HOW CONSISTENT ARE THE EFFECTS OF LIGHTNING STRIKES AMONG FORESTS, AND HOW DO THEY RECOVER FROM THE EFFECTS OF DAMAGE BY LIGHTNING? THIS PROJECT WILL QUANTIFY THE SHORT- AND LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF LIGHTNING AMONG TROPICAL FORESTS THROUGH ADVANCES IN ECOLOGY, ATMOSPHERIC PHYSICS, AND ECOSYSTEM SCIENCE. RESULTS OF THIS STUDY WILL EXAMINE THE IMPORTANCE OF LIGHTNING TO TROPICAL FORESTS AND, MORE BROADLY, ITS EFFECTS ON CARBON CYCLING, AND THE IMPACT THAT HAS ON GLOBAL CLIMATE TRENDS. THE BROADER IMPACTS OF THIS RESEARCH WILL TRAIN A POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHER AND OFFER INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH EXPERIENCES TO UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE STUDENTS. THE PROJECT WILL ALSO PRODUCE EXHIBITS AT THE SMITHSONIAN'S NATIONAL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY, AND AT THE AIRPORT AND CENTRAL BUS TERMINAL IN PANAMA, TO ENGAGE THE PUBLIC IN THE SCIENTIFIC PROCESS. ONLINE, VIRTUAL TOURS OF LIGHTNING STRIKES WILL BE DEVELOPED, AND VIRTUAL RESOURCES WILL MAKE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TRAINING AVAILABLE FOR UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS TO PURSUE GRADUATE EDUCATION. TROPICAL RAINFORESTS ARE THE WORLD'S BEST CLASSROOM FOR STUDYING BIODIVERSITY AND ECOSYSTEM PROCESSES, AND THIS PROJECT PROVIDES OUTSTANDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO GAIN VALUABLE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES IN-PERSON, VIA EXHIBITS, AND THROUGH ONLINE ACTIVITIES. THE PRINCIPAL GOAL OF THIS STUDY IS TO QUANTIFY THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF LIGHTNING STRIKES TO TROPICAL FOREST TURNOVER AND SUCCESSIONAL DYNAMICS. THE CENTRAL HYPOTHESIS IS THAT LIGHTNING STRIKES REDUCE FOREST CARBON STORAGE VIA THEIR DIRECT CONTRIBUTIONS TO TREE MORTALITY AND INDIRECT EFFECTS ON POST-DISTURBANCE FOREST RECOVERY. WE WILL COMBINE EXPERTISE IN FOREST ECOLOGY, LIGHTNING PHYSICS, AND REMOTE SENSING TO ADDRESS THREE CORE QUESTIONS: (1) DOES LIGHTNING TRIGGER AN ALTERNATIVE PATHWAY OF FOREST REGENERATION RELATIVE TO WINDTHROW?; (2) HOW DO LIGHTNING DISTURBANCE CHARACTERISTICS VARY WITH FOREST AGE AND TREE SPECIES COMPOSITION?; AND (3) HOW DO LIGHTNING STRIKES REGULATE REGIONAL DIFFERENCES IN FOREST STRUCTURE AND CARBON DYNAMICS? THIS PROJECT BUILDS ON RECENT RESULTS BY THIS TEAM OF RESEARCHERS, SHOWING THAT THE EFFECTS OF LIGHTNING ON TROPICAL FOREST TURNOVER HAVE BEEN GROSSLY UNDERESTIMATED. THOSE FINDINGS WERE MADE BY STUDYING A SINGLE LOWLAND FOREST. BROADLY UNDERSTANDING THE ROLE OF LIGHTNING IN TROPICAL FORESTS REQUIRES APPLYING THIS APPROACH TO A RANGE OF FOREST TYPES. AN ADVANCED LIGHTNING LOCATION SYSTEM WILL BE DEVELOPED TO SYSTEMATICALLY QUANTIFY THE EFFECTS OF CA. 40,000 ANNUAL LIGHTNING STRIKES ACROSS CA. 8,000 KM2 OF TROPICAL FOREST THAT ENCOMPASS VARIATION IN COMPOSITION, SIZE STRUCTURE, AND AGE. A CHRONOSEQUENCE APPROACH WILL BE USED TO DETERMINE HOW LIGHTNING INFLUENCES TREE COMMUNITY ASSEMBLY AND BIOMASS ACCUMULATION DURING POST-DISTURBANCE REGENERATION. QUANTIFYING THESE CROSS-SCALE EFFECTS WILL HELP IN THE MANAGEMENT TROPICAL FORESTS AND THE FUTURE OF OUR PLANET. THE OUTCOMES OF THIS WORK ARE EXPECTED TO SUBSTANTIALLY IMPROVE SCIENTIFIC UNDERSTANDING OF TROPICAL FOREST ECOSYSTEMS. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.

ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY INCENTIVE PROGRAM

THE GOAL OF PECOS WIND POWER'S USDA SBIR PROJECT IS TO DEMONSTRATE THAT INCREASING CAPACITY FACTOR OF SMALL-SCALE DISTRIBUTED WIND TURBINES IS A TECHNICALLY AND ECONOMICALLY FEASIBLE SOLUTION TO PROVIDING LOWER COST ELECTRICITY TO RURAL AREAS NATIONWIDE. THE CONCEPT WILL BE DEMONSTRATED THROUGH RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (R&D) OF A HIGH-CAPACITY FACTOR DRIVETRAIN FOR PECOS WIND POWER'S 85KW DISTRIBUTED WIND TURBINE, THE PW85. IT WILL ENABLE THE PW85 TO UTILIZE THE NATION'S UNTAPPED, VAST LOW-WIND SPEED RESOURCE WHILE ACHIEVING A BREAKTHROUGH LEVELIZED COST OF ENERGY (LCOE) OF $.068/KWH, 43.3% LESS THAN TODAY'S MOST COST-COMPETITIVE SMALL WIND TURBINES (DOE, 2019).AS ESTIMATED BY THE DISTRIBUTED WIND ENERGY ASSOCIATION (DWEA), THE NUMBER OF PROPERTIES NATIONWIDE WITH ENOUGH SPACE AND WIND RESOURCES FOR DISTRIBUTED WIND TURBINES COULD SATISFY THE ENTIRE COUNTRY'S ELECTRICITY DEMAND (DWEA, 2015). HOWEVER, THE VAST MAJORITY OF THIS POTENTIAL EXISTS IN LOW WIND SPEEDAREAS, 5-6M/S. IN THESE AREAS, ANNUAL ENERGY PRODUCTION OF TODAY'S SMALL WIND TURBINES IS SO LOW THAT THEY FAIL TO BE COST-COMPETITIVE WITH OTHER SOURCES OF ELECTRICITY. PECOS WIND POWER'S HIGH CAPACITY FACTOR DRIVETRAIN WILL OPTIMIZE THE PW85 FOR THE LOW WIND SPEED MARKETS MOST PREVALENT IN RURAL AMERICA. BY DOING SO, IT WILL EXTEND THE BENEFITS OF DISTRIBUTED WIND POWER TO A GEOGRAPHIC TERRITORY NEARLY 10X GREATER THAN THE CURRENT MARKET FOOTPRINT.THIS USDA SBIR PROJECT AIMS TO RESEARCH AND DEVELOP A HIGH CAPACITY FACTOR DRIVETRAIN CAPABLE OF WITHSTANDING THE EXCEPTIONALLY HIGH LOADING FROM A ROTOR WITH A SWEPT AREA 56% GREATER THAN COMPETING DISTRIBUTED WIND TURBINES. DURING PHASE I, PECOS WIND POWER USED NUMERICAL MODELING TO DESIGN AND ANALYZE A DRIVETRAIN CAPABLE OF ACHIEVING A CAPACITY FACTOR OF 43% IN 6M/S ANNUAL WIND SPEEDS - A 2.5X INCREASE OVER THE AVERAGE CAPACITY FACTOR OF SMALL WIND TURBINES INSTALLED TO DATE (DOE, 2019). THE PHASE II EFFORT WILL VALIDATE PHASE IRESULTS VIA FABRICATION AND FIELD TESTING OF THE PW85 PROTOTYPE. AFTER PHASE II, PECOS WIND POWER WILL BE WELL-POSITIONED TO COMMENCE DEVELOPMENT OF A PAID CUSTOMER DEMONSTRATION PROJECT AT SUNY MORRISVILLE IN NEW YORK STATE.PECOS WIND POWER'S USDA SBIR PROJECT REINFORCES AND SUPPORTS USDA-NIFA'S COMMITMENT TO RENEWABLE ENERGY INNOVATION AND ADVANCING THE ECONOMIC PROSPERITY OF RURAL AMERICA. IF SUCCESSFUL, THE R&D PROPOSED HEREIN WILL EXTEND THE BENEFITS OF DISTRIBUTED WIND POWER TO A VAST AND UNTAPPED GEOGRAPHY OF RURAL COMMUNITIES; COMMUNITIES AND INDIVIDUALS WILL BENEFIT FROM SIGNIFICANT ELECTRICITY COST-SAVINGS, INCREASED ELECTRIC SECURITY, IMPROVED RESILIENCY, AND REDUCED GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS.

OVER THE PAST FOUR DECADES, CARIBBEAN CORAL REEFS HAVE DEGRADED RAPIDLY. THIS HAS REDUCED THE INCOME AND LOWERED THE FOOD SECURITY OF COASTAL COMMUNITIES IN ST. LUCIA, AND ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES (SVG) THAT RELY ON THE REEFS FOR FISHING AND TOURISM. IT HAS ALSO INCREASED THEIR EXPOSURE TO STORM SURGES AND COASTAL EROSION. AT THE IAF, WE SUPPORT COMMUNITY-LED APPROACHES TO NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT. OUR GRANTEE PARTNER THE CENTRE FOR LIVELIHOODS, ECOSYSTEMS, ENERGY, ADAPTATION, AND RESILIENCE IN THE CARIBBEAN (CLEAR) WORKS WITH LOCAL COMMUNITIES IN ST. LUCIA AND SVG TO ESTABLISH CORAL REEF RESTORATION PROJECTS TO SUPPORT THEIR LONG-TERM FOOD SECURITY AND CLIMATE RESILIENCE. CLEAR WILL TRAIN COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO GROW AND PRESERVE REEFS WHILE BUILDING PUBLIC AWARENESS FOR MARINE CONSERVATION. THIS GRANT IS PART OF THE IAF’S COMMITMENT TO STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY-LED DISASTER MITIGATION AND RESILIENCE IN THE CARIBBEAN. IT ADVANCES OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH USAID, BUILDING COMMUNITY RESILIENCE IN THE EASTERN & SOUTHERN CARIBBEAN, AS WELL AS THE U.S.-CARIBBEAN RESILIENCE PARTNERSHIP. THIS GRANT IS PART OF THE IAF'S BROADER COVID-19 RESPONSE STRATEGY.

REU SITE: TRANSLATIONAL ECOLOGY FOR UNDERGRADUATES

LTREB RENEWAL: BALTIMORE URBAN WATERSHED STUDIES -URBAN, SUBURBAN AND EXURBAN ECOSYSTEMS ARE INCREASING IN THE U.S. THIS LONG-TERM STUDY USES THE WATERSHED APPROACH, WHICH SYSTEMATICALLY TRACKS THE INPUTS AND OUTPUTS OF WATER AND ASSOCIATED SUBSTANCES FROM HYDROLOGICALLY DEFINED BASINS. THIS APPROACH HAS BEEN CENTRAL TO ADVANCES IN ECOSYSTEM ECOLOGY AND WATERSHED MANAGEMENT FOR OVER 50 YEARS. THIS PROJECT CONTINUES UNIQUE LONG-TERM OBSERVATIONS, EXPERIMENTS, AND MODELING OF WATERSHEDS ACROSS A GRADIENT OF HUMAN USES AND URBANIZATION IN THE BALTIMORE REGION. THE PROJECT PRODUCES VALUABLE DATASETS ON URBAN HYDROLOGY, NUTRIENTS (NITROGEN, PHOSPHORUS), SALT (CHLORIDE), PATHOGENS AND CONTAMINANTS SUCH AS METALS AND PHARMACEUTICAL COMPOUNDS AND CONTRIBUTES NOVEL UNDERSTANDING OF CHANGES IN WATER QUANTITY AND QUALITY THAT ARE ESSENTIAL TO URBAN WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT. THE PROJECT ADVANCES BIOTECHNOLOGY WITH NOVEL DATA AND ANALYSES TO UNDERSTAND AND IMPROVE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE TO COST-EFFECTIVELY MANAGE STORMWATER. SUCH DATA AND ANALYSES ARE RARE AT THE SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL SCALE OF THIS PROJECT. THIS LONG-TERM RESEARCH IN ENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGY (LTREB) PROJECT ON URBANIZING WATERSHEDS CONTINUES AN EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN INITIATED BY THE BALTIMORE URBAN ECOSYSTEM LONG TERM ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH PROJECT IN 1998. CONTINUOUS DATA ON STREAM STAGE AND DISCHARGE AS WELL AS WEEKLY WATER SAMPLES FOR NITRATE, PHOSPHATE, TOTAL NITROGEN, TOTAL PHOSPHORUS, CHLORIDE, SULFATE, TURBIDITY, TEMPERATURE, DISSOLVED OXYGEN, AND PH ARE COLLECTED FROM EIGHT LONG-TERM STREAM STATIONS ALONG AN URBAN-RURAL GRADIENT. THE EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN CAPTURES THE INTEGRATED INFLUENCE OF THE BIOLOGICAL, PHYSICAL, BUILT, AND SOCIAL ASPECTS OF URBAN ECOSYSTEM STRUCTURE ON WATERSHED DYNAMICS. THE CORE DATA COMPRISE MORE THAN 25 YEARS OF CONTINUOUS STREAMFLOW AND MULTIPLE MEASUREMENTS FROM OVER 14,000 WATER SAMPLES, A PHYSICAL ARCHIVE OF COLLECTED SAMPLES, AND LONG-TERM DATA THAT PROVIDE MECHANISTIC SUPPORT FOR THE WATERSHED STUDIES. THIS RENEWAL PROJECT WILL TEST DECADAL-SCALE HYPOTHESES ABOUT STREAM RESPONSES TO URBANIZATION (FLASHINESS, NUTRIENT/SALT EXPORT) THAT ACCOUNT FOR INTERACTIONS BETWEEN PRECIPITATION CHANGES, WATERSHED CHARACTERISTICS AND EFFORTS TO MITIGATE AND MANAGE WATERSHEDS WITH BIOTECHNOLOGY AND CONVENTIONAL APPROACHES. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

TO ASSIST NRCS WITH CONDUCTING IMPORTANT ECOLOGICAL BROADCAST BURNING(PRESCRIBED FIRE) ON MULTIPLE AGRICULTURAL CONSERVATION AND WETLANDRESERVE EASEMENT PROPERTIES.

LTREB: RESOURCE PULSES AND THE DYNAMICS OF RODENTS, TICKS, AND LYME-DISEASE RISK IN OAK FORESTS

BIORETS: ENGAGING TEACHERS IN ECOSYSTEM SCIENCE FOR A CHANGING WORLD -THIS BIORETS SITE AWARD TO THE CARY INSTITUTE OF ECOSYSTEM STUDIES, LOCATED IN MILLBROOK, NY, WILL SUPPORT THE TRAINING OF 9 TEACHERS FOR 6 WEEKS DURING THE SUMMER AND AN ADDITIONAL 2.3 WEEKS DURING THE ACADEMIC YEAR. THREE COHORTS OF TEACHERS WILL BE RECRUITED OVER THE COURSE OF 3 YEARS FROM JANUARY 2024 ? 2027. THE CARY BIORETS PROGRAM AIMS TO ENGAGE DIVERSE COHORTS OF TEACHERS SERVING A VARIETY OF STUDENTS. PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS WILL SPAN ACROSS MID-SIZED URBAN DISTRICTS WITH SIGNIFICANT MINORITY POPULATIONS, TO RURAL DISTRICTS SERVING LOW-INCOME AND IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES, TWO COMMUNITIES THAT OFTEN LACK ACCESS TO HIGH-QUALITY PROFESSIONAL LEARNING EXPERIENCES. THROUGH COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH PROJECTS AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES THAT PROMOTE REFLECTION, TEAMWORK, AND TEACHER LEADERSHIP, THE CARY BIORETS PROGRAM AIMS TO ENHANCE TEACHER CAPACITY TO BUILD THE ECOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE OF THEIR STUDENTS AND INCREASE THEIR PROFICIENCY WITH SCIENCE PRACTICES. THIS PROGRAM WILL CULTIVATE AND SUPPORT TEACHER LEADERSHIP THAT EXTENDS ITS IMPACT BEYOND THE IMMEDIATE CONFINES OF PARTICIPATING TEACHERS' CLASSROOMS. EACH TEACHER WILL PRODUCE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS AND CONTRIBUTE TO AN EDUCATION PUBLICATION BASED ON THEIR RESEARCH AND EXPERIENCES. THEY WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND REGIONAL OR NATIONAL CONFERENCES AND BE SUPPORTED IN CONDUCTING WORKSHOPS WITHIN THEIR SCHOOLS TO SHARE THEIR INNOVATIVE CURRICULA AND OTHER KNOWLEDGE GENERATED FROM THEIR RET EXPERIENCE. ALTHOUGH THE FORMAL PROGRAM LASTS FOR ONE YEAR, THIS BIORETS PROGRAM WILL ESTABLISH A LASTING CONNECTION BETWEEN TEACHERS AND SCIENTISTS COMMITTED TO PROMOTING ECOLOGICAL LITERACY LOCALLY AND NATIONWIDE. THERE IS A PRESSING NEED FOR INCREASED ECOLOGICAL LITERACY IN OUR RAPIDLY CHANGING WORLD. SECONDARY EDUCATION SERVES AS A CRUCIAL ARENA FOR ADVANCING ECOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL TEACHING, AS IT REPRESENTS THE LAST PLACE IN OUR NATION?S SYSTEM WHERE ALL STUDENTS ENGAGE IN SCIENCE LEARNING. TO ENSURE EXPOSURE TO KEY ECOLOGICAL PHENOMENA, THE PROGRAM FOCUSES ON TRAINING AND SUPPORTING TEACHERS IN RESEARCH EXPERIENCES THAT WILL AID IN THEIR ADOPTION OF GLOBAL CHANGE CURRICULUM TO IMPROVE ECOLOGICAL LITERACY. SPECIFICALLY, TEACHERS WILL ENGAGE IN PROJECTS WITH AN ARRAY OF CARY SCIENTISTS THAT ADDRESS (1) ECOSYSTEM CHANGE, TRANSFORMATION AND RESILIENCE, THE (2) ECOLOGY OF HUMAN WELL-BEING, AND/OR (3) FUNCTIONS OF BIODIVERSITY. PARTICIPATING INSTRUCTORS WILL CONDUCT SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, CO-AUTHOR PUBLICATIONS, DEVELOP CURRICULUM AND WILL HAVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. ALL PARTICIPANTS (E.G., MENTORS AND TEACHERS) WILL BE TRAINED IN RESPONSIBLE CONDUCT FOR RESEARCH. COLLABORATION WITH A PROGRAM EVALUATOR WILL HELP REACH PROGRAMMATIC GOALS AND ENSURE SUCCESSFUL PARTICIPANT EXPERIENCES. FUNDING TO TEACHERS INCLUDE A STIPEND, CONFERENCE TRAVEL FOR TEACHERS TO PRESENT, AND CLASSROOM FUNDS TO IMPLEMENT THEIR NEWLY DESIGNED CURRICULUM. APPLICATIONS ARE ACCEPTED THROUGH THE NSF ETAP SYSTEM. MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROGRAM IS AVAILABLE BY VISITING HTTP://WWW.CARYINSTITUTE.ORG/BIORETS, OR BY CONTACTING THE PI (DR. JANE LUCAS AT LUCASJ@CARYINSTITUTE.ORG) OR THE CO-PIS (DR. ALAN BERKOWITZ AT BERKOWITZA@CARYINSTITUTE.ORG OR REBECCA VAN TASSELL AT VANTASSELLR@CARYINSTITUTE.ORG). THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

EFFECTS OF CLIMATE-DRIVEN SPECIES CHANGE ON FOREST CARBON AND NITROGEN CYCLING

MANGROVE/SALTERN RESTORATION ACTIVITIES AT MACDILL AFB

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: LANDSCAPE AND REGIONAL SCALE STUDIES OF NITROGEN GAS FLUX

THIS PROJECT WILL BE FOCUSED ON REMOVAL OF THE LOW-HEAD DAM FROM BIG BLUE RIVER IN EDINBURGH, INDIANA AT RIVER MILE 1.4. THE DAM IS 325-FEET LONG, 10-FEET TALL, 4-FEET WIDE AT TOP. THE DAM HAS BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR MULTIPLE DEATHS AND IS A MAJOR FISH PASSAGE BARRIER IN THE BIG BLUE RIVER, DRIFTWOOD RIVER AND WHITE RIVER BASINS. REMOVAL OF THIS DAM WILL IMPROVE FISH PASSAGE WITH 342 STREAM MILES RECONNECTED AND IMPROVED SAFETY FOR RECREATION.

COLLABORATIVE PROPOSAL: MSB-ENSA: THE NEAR-TERM ECOLOGICAL FORECASTING INITIATIVE

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: NSFDEB-NERC: SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL TRADEOFFS IN CO2 AND CH4 EMISSIONS IN TROPICAL WETLANDS -WETLANDS ARE A CRITICAL HABITAT FOR CARBON STORAGE, AS WELL AS A POTENTIAL SOURCE OF GREENHOUSE GAS (CARBON DIOXIDE AND METHANE) EMISSIONS. LITTLE IS KNOWN ABOUT HOW WETLANDS FUNCTION, ESPECIALLY IN THE TROPICS. WITH CHANGING CLIMATE, IT IS EXPECTED THAT TROPICAL WETLANDS, ESPECIALLY SEASONAL ONES, MAY SHIFT BETWEEN CARBON CONSUMPTION AND RELEASE OF CARBON. METHANE, WHICH IS A MORE POWERFUL GREENHOUSE GAS THAN CARBON DIOXIDE, IS TYPICALLY PRODUCED UNDER FLOODED CONDITIONS, ALTHOUGH SOME EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT SHIFTS BETWEEN WET AND DRY CONDITIONS ALSO LEAD TO ITS RELEASE. SAVANNAS (CERRADO) IN BRAZIL HAVE A RANGE OF GRASSLAND TYPES INCLUDING EVER-WET PEATLANDS, SEASONALLY WET GRASSLANDS, AND DRY GRASSLANDS THAT ARE NEVER FLOODED, WITH THE SEASONAL WETLANDS SHIFTING IN WATER LEVELS BETWEEN DRY AND WET SEASONS. IT IS EXPECTED THAT THESE ECOSYSTEMS WILL BECOME HOTTER AND DRIER IN THE FUTURE. BRAZILIAN SAVANNAS HAVE BEEN UNDERSTUDIED AND UNDER PROTECTED; THEY ARE ALSO AT RISK OF CONVERSION FOR EXAMPLE TO AGRIBUSINESS AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT. THEY ARE THE SOURCE OF THE HEADWATERS FOR RIVER SYSTEMS SUCH AS THE AMAZON, MEANING THEY ARE IMPORTANT FOR PROVIDING CLEAN WATER AND OTHER RESOURCES TO THE PEOPLE AND OTHER ORGANISMS DEPENDENT ON THEM. UNDERSTANDING BRAZILIAN SAVANNA CARBON DYNAMICS NOW AND UNDER FUTURE ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS IS CRITICAL FOR THE REGION. THEY CAN ALSO BE USED AS MODELS TO UNDERSTAND TROPICAL SAVANNAS AROUND THE GLOBE. THIS PROPOSAL MAKES USE OF THE NATURAL GRADIENT, FROM EVER-WET PEATLANDS TO DRY GRASSLANDS, AND SEASONAL SHIFTS THROUGH TIME TO COLLECT DATA ON THE AMOUNT AND FREQUENCY OF GREENHOUSE GASES EMITTED TODAY AND THE CHANGING EXTENTS OF WETLANDS SEASONALLY. RESEARCHERS WILL USE THESE DATA TO PREDICT HOW SAVANNAS MAY STORE AND RELEASE CARBON UNDER FUTURE WARMING AND DRYING CLIMATES. AS PART OF THIS PROJECT, STUDENT BIOLOGISTS WILL BE TRAINED, INCLUDING IN CLASSES ON SAVANNA FIELD ECOLOGY AND WORKSHOPS ON USING FIELD DATA TO PREDICT CHANGES IN GREENHOUSE GAS RELEASE IN THE FUTURE. BIOLOGISTS AND INDIGENOUS ARTISTS WILL ALSO COLLABORATE ON ARTWORK TO DEMONSTRATE THE IMPORTANCE OF SAVANNA SYSTEMS FOR AND TO PUBLIC AUDIENCES. THIS PROPOSAL WILL ANSWER THREE QUESTIONS: Q1. WHAT ARE THE DRIVERS OF SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL HETEROGENEITY IN CARBON STORAGE AND FLUX ACROSS SATURATION GRADIENTS? Q2. HOW DO SATURATION EXTENTS (AREAS AND PERIMETERS) IN TROPICAL GRASSLANDS CHANGE OVER SEASONAL AND DECADAL SCALES? Q3. HOW WILL RATES AND FORMS OF CARBON EMISSIONS FROM TROPICAL GRASSLANDS CHANGE UNDER FUTURE CLIMATES? TO TEST Q1, SPATIALLY DISTRIBUTED MEASUREMENTS WILL BE COUPLED WITH HIGH-TEMPORAL RESOLUTION MEASUREMENTS TO UNDERSTAND GREENHOUSE GAS, SOIL, AND VEGETATION CARBON DYNAMICS ACROSS THE SATURATION GRADIENT. GREENHOUSE GAS VARIABILITY WILL BE MEASURED SPATIALLY AND TEMPORALLY WITH CHAMBERS. SITE CHANGES THROUGH TIME WILL BE DETERMINED BY INITIAL SOIL CHARACTERIZATION, COMBINED WITH SEASONAL MEASUREMENTS OF PLANT PHENOLOGY, STOMATAL CONDUCTANCE, POREWATER CHEMISTRY, ENVIRONMENTAL AND GROUNDWATER MEASURES. TO TEST Q2, HIGH RESOLUTION REMOTE SENSING AND FIELD REFERENCE DATA WILL BE COMBINED TO MAP WETLAND EXTENT SEASONALLY. CARBON AND LEAD ISOTOPE DATING WILL BE USED TO UNDERSTAND WETLANDS EXTENT CHANGES AT DECADAL SCALES. TO TEST Q3, DATA FROM Q1 AND Q2 WILL BE UTILIZED IN EARTH SYSTEM MODELS. ESTIMATES OF CARBON SEQUESTRATION PATTERNS AND GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS WILL BE SPATIALLY SIMULATED WITH PROJECTIONS OF CARBON BALANCE CHANGES AND GREENHOUSE GAS WITH EXPECTED SHIFTS IN REGIONAL CLIMATE AND HYDROLOGY. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: WINTER CLIMATE CHANGE IN A NORTHERN HARDWOOD FOREST

COASTAL SEES COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: EFFECTS OF RESTORATION AND REDEVELOPMENT ON NITROGEN DYNAMICS IN AN URBAN COASTAL WATERSHED

LTREB RENEWAL AT HUBBARD BROOK: HYDROLOGIC-NUTRIENT CYCLE INTERACTION IN SMALL, UNDISTURBED AND HUMAN-MANIPULATED ECOSYSTEMS

ADVANCING PROGRESS IN INDUSTRIAL BIOMANUFACTURING TO ACCELERATE WORKFORCE READINESS -THE RAPIDLY EXPANDING SECTOR OF BIOTECHNOLOGY REQUIRES A WORKFORCE TRAINED IN ALL ASPECTS OF BIOMANUFACTURING. THIS PROJECT, IN PARTICULAR, IS LEADING THE DEVELOPMENT OF WORKFORCE PROGRAMMING DESIGNED TO INCREASE CAREER READINESS AND OCCUPATIONAL COMPETENCIES IN THE EMERGING SPACE OF BIOINDUSTRIAL MANUFACTURING. WHILE EXISTING PROGRAMS THAT LEAD TO DEGREES AND CREDENTIALS IN BIOTECHNOLOGY PROVIDE CRITICAL CORE SKILLS, THEY FALL SHORT OF MEETING THE INDUSTRY BENCHMARKS FOR THE SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES IN DEMAND FOR INDUSTRIAL SCALE BIOPROCESSING. NEW CURRICULA ARE NEEDED TO TEACH CRITICAL ENGINEERING PRINCIPLES SUCH AS ANALYSIS, DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT, SCALE-UP, AND COMMERCIALIZATION OF BIO-BASED PROCESSES AND PRODUCTS. EXPANSION OF THE TALENT POOL TO LEVERAGE THE EXISTING BIOTECHNOLOGY PROGRAM INFRASTRUCTURE IN OUR NATION?S COMMUNITY COLLEGES WILL REQUIRE THE DEVELOPMENT AND ADOPTION OF NEW CURRICULAR MATERIALS TO INTEGRATE KEY BENCHMARKS FOR BIOPROCESS ENGINEERING. INSTRUCTIONAL MODULES CREATED AS PART OF THIS PROJECT WILL GUIDE OTHER COLLEGES WITH MATERIALS ADAPTATION AND COURSE INTEGRATION DURING THE SCALE-OUT PHASE OF THE PROJECT. THREE GOALS GUIDE THIS PROJECT'S COLLABORATION BETWEEN DELGADO COMMUNITY COLLEGE (DCC) AND BIOINDUSTRIAL MANUFACTURING AND DESIGN ECOSYSTEM (BIOMADE). FIRST IS TO FORMALIZE A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE (COP) FOR WORKFORCE AGENCIES, ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS, AND INDUSTRY/COMMERCIAL ENTITIES TO INFORM LOCAL, REGIONAL, AND NATIONAL WORKFORCE EFFORTS IN BIOINDUSTRIAL MANUFACTURING. SECOND IS TO DEVELOP, TEST, AND FINALIZE KEY BIOPROCESSING CONCEPT EDUCATION MODULES THAT MEET PERFORMANCE BENCHMARKS FOR BIOINDUSTRIAL MANUFACTURING. THIRD IS TO INCREASE CAPACITY OF A DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE WORKFORCE ECOSYSTEM AS WELL AS CAREER ENTRY THROUGH THE DEPLOYMENT OF CURRICULAR MATERIALS AND DISSEMINATION EFFORTS, SUCH AS INDUSTRY-DRIVEN WORKSHOPS, GOVERNMENT INTERAGENCY COLLABORATION, AND EXPANDED COMMUNITY AND TECHNICAL COLLEGE CURRICULUM ADOPTION. THIS PROJECT WILL FILL KNOWLEDGE GAPS RELATED TO BIOPROCESSING FOR CAREERS IN BIOINDUSTRIAL MANUFACTURING. THESE EFFORTS WILL CONTRIBUTE TO A WELL-PREPARED, INDUSTRY-QUALIFIED, AND DIVERSE BIOMANUFACTURING WORKFORCE. NOT ONLY WILL THE PROPOSED BIOMADE PROJECT PRODUCE RESOURCES THAT WILL ADDRESS SKILLS AND ADVANCEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR HIGH-SKILLED TECHNICIANS IN THE BIOINDUSTRIAL MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY, BUT IT WILL ENSURE THAT THAT INDUSTRY HAS THE TALENT IT NEEDS TO DRIVE INNOVATION AND REGIONAL BIOECONOMIC SECURITY. THIS PROJECT WILL INCREASE THE NUMBER AND DIVERSITY OF STUDENTS WHO ENTER THE BIOINDUSTRIAL MANUFACTURING WORKFORCE IN THE DEEP SOUTH OF THE UNITED STATES, BUT THE RESOURCES GENERATED WILL ENHANCE EXISTING BIOTECHNOLOGY WORKFORCE PROGRAMS MORE WIDELY. BIOMADE WILL DISSEMINATE THESE RESOURCES BROADLY THROUGH CHANNELS THAT IMPACT OUR ACTIVE AND VETERAN MILITARY, EXISTING BIOTECHNOLOGY EDUCATION PROGRAMS, LOCAL WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AGENCIES, AND INTERAGENCY/CROSS-GOVERNMENT AGENCY NETWORKS. THIS PROJECT IS FUNDED BY THE ADVANCED TECHNOLOGICAL EDUCATION PROGRAM THAT FOCUSES ON THE EDUCATION OF TECHNICIANS FOR THE ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY FIELDS THAT DRIVE THE NATION'S ECONOMY. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: NITROGEN RETENTION AND ECOSYSTEM SUCCESSION: THEORY MEETS DATA

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: WILL CHANGES IN VEGETATION COMPOSITION SLOW CLIMATE-DRIVEN WILDFIRE GROWTH IN THE BOREAL FORESTS OF NORTHWESTERN NORTH AMERICA?

RCN:MSB:FRA: GRASSROOTS GLOBAL NETWORK SCIENCE: A MACROSYSTEMS MODEL

HIGHER EDUCATION EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND

PERFORM FUNDING SYS

PERFORM FUNDING SYS

LTREB RENEWAL: RESOURCE PULSES AND THE DYNAMICS OF RODENTS, TICKS, AND LYME-DISEASE RISK IN OAK FORESTS -LYME DISEASE IS ONE OF THE MOST FREQUENTLY REPORTED INFECTIOUS DISEASES IN THE UNITED STATES, WITH ROUGHLY 500,000 NEW CASES EACH YEAR. RISK OF EXPOSURE TO LYME DISEASE AND ASSOCIATED TICK-BORNE DISEASES VARIES DRAMATICALLY FROM PLACE TO PLACE AND FROM YEAR TO YEAR. RESEARCH THAT DETERMINES WHAT CAUSES THIS VARIATION IS CRITICAL IN PREVENTING AND MANAGING THESE DISEASES. THE TICKS THAT TRANSMIT THESE DISEASES TO PEOPLE FEED ON MANY DIFFERENT ANIMAL SPECIES, BUT RODENTS LIKE WHITE-FOOTED MICE AND CHIPMUNKS ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT IN BOOSTING TICK NUMBERS AND TICK INFECTION. NUMBERS OF THESE RODENTS, IN TURN, DEPEND ON THE SUPPLY OF ACORNS AND OTHER TREE SEEDS. WEATHER AND CLIMATE AFFECT THE TREES, THE RODENTS, AND THE TICKS DIRECTLY. THIS RESEARCH IS DESIGNED TO IMPROVE THE ABILITY TO PREDICT LYME DISEASE RISK, WHICH CAN HAVE MAJOR IMPLICATIONS FOR HUMAN HEALTH. IT ASKS HOW EACH STAGE IN THE COMPLEX LIFE CYCLE OF THE TICK RESPONDS TO RODENT NUMBERS AND TO CLIMATE, HOW THE RODENTS ARE AFFECTED BY THEIR PREDATORS, AND HOW LONG-TERM CHANGES IN THE FOREST, INCLUDING THE SPECIES AND AGES OF THE TREES, AFFECT THE FOOD SUPPLY FOR RODENTS AND DEER. THE RESEARCH WILL COLLECT NEW DATA ON NUMBERS AND SURVIVAL OF BOTH ON-HOST AND OFF-HOST TICKS IN THE LARVAL, NYMPHAL, AND ADULT STAGES AND INTEGRATE THESE INTO FULL MODELS OF TICK POPULATION CHANGES THROUGH TIME. IT WILL ASK HOW TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY ON THE FOREST FLOOR AFFECTS SURVIVAL OF THESE LIFE STAGES. IT WILL CONTINUE ADDING TO A 30-YEAR DATA SET ASKING HOW THE PRODUCTION OF SEEDS BY FOREST TREES CHANGES AS THE CLIMATE AND RELATIVE ABUNDANCES OF TREE SPECIES CHANGE OVER TIME. THE OCCURRENCE OF PREDATORS SUCH AS BOBCATS, FOXES, AND COYOTES WILL BE MONITORED USING CAMERA TRAPS TO INVESTIGATE POSSIBLE IMPACTS ON RODENTS, TICKS, PATHOGEN PREVALENCE, AND LYME DISEASE RISK. THE DATA WILL BE USED TO DEVELOP AND EVALUATE FORECASTS FOR LYME DISEASE RISK FROM THE COMPONENT PARTS. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

ACEP-WRE RESTORATION (VEGETATIVE AND HYDROLOGY) ON 3 EASEMENTS (689.58 ACRES) IN WHITE CO. EPS-WATKINS,CURTIS,EANDN

TO AID THE DEVELOPMENT OF SCIENCE BASED APPROACHED TO ADDRESSEING CRITICAL ISSUES IN EVERGLADES REST

LTREB RENEWAL: LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF A SPECIES INVASION ON AN AQUATIC ECOSYSTEM

LTREB: LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF A SPECIES INVASION ON AN AQUATIC ECOSYSTEM

DATA EXPLORATIONS IN ECOLOGY PROJECT (DEEP)

LTREB: ACORN PULSES AND THE DYNAMICS OF RODENTS TICKS AND LYME-DISEASE RISK IN OAK FORESTS

LTREB RENEWAL: ACORN PULSES AND THE DYNAMICS OF RODENTS, TICKS, AND LYME-DISEASE RISK IN OAK FORESTS

REU SITE: ECOLOGY IN CONTEXT: RESEARCH STRATEGIES AND APPLICATIONS FOR THE UNDERGRADUATE

INCREASING COMMON LOON POPULATIONS IN VERMONT THROUGH MANAGEMENT, MONITORING AND OUTREACH

PURPOSE: THE PUBLIC HOUSING CAPITAL FUND PROGRAM (CFP) WAS CREATED BY AN AMENDMENT TO THE 1937 ACT BY THE QUALITY HOUSING AND WORK RESPONSIBILITY ACT (QHWRA) IN 1998 (ADDING SECTION 9(D) TO THE 1937 ACT MERGING PREVIOUS MODERNIZATION AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS). THE CFP PROVIDES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IN THE FORM OF GRANTS TO APPROXIMATELY 2,770 PUBLIC HOUSING AGENCIES (PHAS), SERVING NEARLY ONE MILLION UNITS, IN ALL 50 STATES AND TERRITORIES, TO CARRY OUT CAPITAL AND MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES INCLUDING THOSE LISTED IN SECTION 9(D)(1) OF THE UNITED STATES HOUSING ACT OF 1937 (1937 ACT). THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THE CFP FORMULA GRANT IS TO FUND PUBLIC HOUSING MODERNIZATION, DEVELOPMENT, MANAGEMENT IMPROVEMENTS, AND THE OTHER ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES DESCRIBED IN 24 CFR PART 905. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE PUBLIC HOUSING CAPITAL FUND IS LOCATED ON THE OFFICE OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS WEBSITE: OFFICE OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS | HUD.GOV / U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT (HUD) ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON PUBLIC HOUSING FUNDING CAN BE FOUND BY ACCESSING THE WEBSITE BELOW AND REVIEWING THE PUBLIC HOUSING DASHBOARD LINKED UNDER THE “DATA DASHBOARD AND ANALYTICS”. PUBLIC HOUSING | HUD.GOV / U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT (HUD); ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: THE PHAS RECEIVE FEDERAL FUNDS FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT (HUD) TO ADMINISTER THE PUBLIC HOUSING FUND. PUBLIC HOUSING CAPITAL FUNDS MAY ONLY BE USED FOR ACTIVITIES THAT ARE DESCRIBED AS ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES IN 24 CFR 905.200 AND ARE EITHER SPECIFIED IN AN APPROVED 5-YEAR ACTION PLAN OR APPROVED BY HUD FOR EMERGENCY WORK OR WORK NEEDED BECAUSE OF A NON-PRESIDENTIALLY DECLARED NATURAL DISASTER. PUBLIC HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, MODERNIZATION, AND FINANCING ARE THE MAJOR ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED. DEVELOPMENT IS ACTIVITIES AND RELATED COSTS THAT ADD TO (OR SIGNIFICANTLY RECONFIGURE) PUBLIC HOUSING UNITS IN A PHA’S INVENTORY, INCLUDING CONSTRUCTION AND ACQUISITION OF ADDITIONAL PUBLIC HOUSING UNITS, WITH OR WITHOUT REHABILITATION, AND ANY-AND-ALL UNDERTAKINGS NECESSARY FOR PLANNING, DESIGN, FINANCING, LAND ACQUISITION, DEMOLITION, CONSTRUCTION, OR EQUIPMENT OF PUBLIC HOUSING UNITS, AND RELATED BUILDINGS, FACILITIES, AND/OR APPURTENANCES (I.E., NON-DWELLING FACILITIES/SPACES). DEVELOPMENT ALSO INCLUDES ANY MIXED-FINANCE MODERNIZATION, ALL RELEVANT MODERNIZATION USES (OTHER THAN MANAGEMENT IMPROVEMENTS), FINANCING USES, AND DEVELOPMENT OF NON-DWELLING SPACE WHERE SUCH SPACE IS NEEDED TO ADMINISTER, AND IS OF DIRECT BENEFIT TO A PUBLIC HOUSING PROJECT (I.E. HOUSING DEVELOPED, ACQUIRED, OR ASSISTED BY A PHA UNDER THE 1937 ACT, AND THE IMPROVEMENT OF ANY SUCH HOUSING), INCLUDING THE RESIDENTS. FINANCING DEBT AND FINANCING COSTS (E.G., ORIGINATION FEES, INTEREST) INCURRED BY A PHA FOR DEVELOPMENT OR MODERNIZATION OF PUBLIC HOUSING PROJECTS, INCLUDING MIXED-FINANCE DEVELOPMENT, THE CAPITAL FUND FINANCING PROGRAM (CFFP), AND ANY OTHER USE AUTHORIZED UNDER SECTION 30 OF THE 1937 ACT. MODERNIZATION INCLUDES ALL ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES EXCEPT FOR DEVELOPMENT AND FINANCING. PHYSICAL WORK IS A MAJOR ACTIVITY AND IS WORK THAT IS DONE ON THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURES, SITE, AND GROUNDS OF A PUBLIC HOUSING PROPERTY OR STRUCTURE. MAJOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES INCLUDE DEMOLITION, RECONFIGURATION, EMERGENCY ACTIVITIES, ENERGY EFFICIENCY, NON-ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, PLANNED CODE COMPLIANCE, AND VACANCY REDUCTION. THE MEASURABLE OUTCOME OF THIS GRANT IS THAT HUD WILL BE ABLE TO TRACK THE AMOUNT OF DOLLARS SPENT ON IMPROVEMENTS TO THE STRUCTURES, UNITS, COMMON AREAS, UTILITIES, AND OTHER ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES. ; EXPECTED OUTCOMES: THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES FOR PUBLIC HOUSING CAPITAL FUNDS OF APPROXIMATELY $3.2 BILLION WILL BE PUT INTO THE DEVELOPMENT, MODERNIZATION, AND FINANCING OF NEARLY 1 MILLION PUBLIC HOUSING UNITS ACROSS ALL 50 STATES AND TERRITORIES. THE PUBLIC HOUSING UNITS ARE UPDATED TO BE DECENT, SAFE, SANITARY AND TO COMPLY WITH FEDERAL HOUSING STANDARDS. PHAS CAN ALSO USE A PORTION OF THE CAPITAL FUNDING FOR MANAGEMENT IMPROVEMENTS OR OPERATING ACTIVITIES INCLUDING SAFETY AND SECURITY COSTS.; INTENDED BENEFICIARIES: THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES FOR PUBLIC HOUSING CAPITAL FUNDS ARE THE LOW-INCOME PUBLIC HOUSING RESIDENTS.; SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES: THE RECIPIENT DOES NOT INTEND TO SUBAWARD FUNDS.

PURPOSE: THE PUBLIC HOUSING CAPITAL FUND PROGRAM (CFP) WAS CREATED BY AN AMENDMENT TO THE 1937 ACT BY THE QUALITY HOUSING AND WORK RESPONSIBILITY ACT (QHWRA) IN 1998 (ADDING SECTION 9(D) TO THE 1937 ACT MERGING PREVIOUS MODERNIZATION AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS). THE CFP PROVIDES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IN THE FORM OF GRANTS TO APPROXIMATELY 2,770 PUBLIC HOUSING AGENCIES (PHAS), SERVING NEARLY ONE MILLION UNITS, IN ALL 50 STATES AND TERRITORIES, TO CARRY OUT CAPITAL AND MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES INCLUDING THOSE LISTED IN SECTION 9(D)(1) OF THE UNITED STATES HOUSING ACT OF 1937 (1937 ACT). THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THE CFP FORMULA GRANT IS TO FUND PUBLIC HOUSING MODERNIZATION, DEVELOPMENT, MANAGEMENT IMPROVEMENTS, AND THE OTHER ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES DESCRIBED IN 24 CFR PART 905. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE PUBLIC HOUSING CAPITAL FUND IS LOCATED ON THE OFFICE OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS WEBSITE: OFFICE OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS | HUD.GOV / U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT (HUD) ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON PUBLIC HOUSING FUNDING CAN BE FOUND BY ACCESSING THE WEBSITE BELOW AND REVIEWING THE PUBLIC HOUSING DASHBOARD LINKED UNDER THE “DATA DASHBOARD AND ANALYTICS”. PUBLIC HOUSING | HUD.GOV / U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT (HUD); ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: THE PHAS RECEIVE FEDERAL FUNDS FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT (HUD) TO ADMINISTER THE PUBLIC HOUSING FUND. PUBLIC HOUSING CAPITAL FUNDS MAY ONLY BE USED FOR ACTIVITIES THAT ARE DESCRIBED AS ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES IN 24 CFR 905.200 AND ARE EITHER SPECIFIED IN AN APPROVED 5-YEAR ACTION PLAN OR APPROVED BY HUD FOR EMERGENCY WORK OR WORK NEEDED BECAUSE OF A NON-PRESIDENTIALLY DECLARED NATURAL DISASTER. PUBLIC HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, MODERNIZATION, AND FINANCING ARE THE MAJOR ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED. DEVELOPMENT IS ACTIVITIES AND RELATED COSTS THAT ADD TO (OR SIGNIFICANTLY RECONFIGURE) PUBLIC HOUSING UNITS IN A PHA’S INVENTORY, INCLUDING CONSTRUCTION AND ACQUISITION OF ADDITIONAL PUBLIC HOUSING UNITS, WITH OR WITHOUT REHABILITATION, AND ANY-AND-ALL UNDERTAKINGS NECESSARY FOR PLANNING, DESIGN, FINANCING, LAND ACQUISITION, DEMOLITION, CONSTRUCTION, OR EQUIPMENT OF PUBLIC HOUSING UNITS, AND RELATED BUILDINGS, FACILITIES, AND/OR APPURTENANCES (I.E., NON-DWELLING FACILITIES/SPACES). DEVELOPMENT ALSO INCLUDES ANY MIXED-FINANCE MODERNIZATION, ALL RELEVANT MODERNIZATION USES (OTHER THAN MANAGEMENT IMPROVEMENTS), FINANCING USES, AND DEVELOPMENT OF NON-DWELLING SPACE WHERE SUCH SPACE IS NEEDED TO ADMINISTER, AND IS OF DIRECT BENEFIT TO A PUBLIC HOUSING PROJECT (I.E. HOUSING DEVELOPED, ACQUIRED, OR ASSISTED BY A PHA UNDER THE 1937 ACT, AND THE IMPROVEMENT OF ANY SUCH HOUSING), INCLUDING THE RESIDENTS. FINANCING DEBT AND FINANCING COSTS (E.G., ORIGINATION FEES, INTEREST) INCURRED BY A PHA FOR DEVELOPMENT OR MODERNIZATION OF PUBLIC HOUSING PROJECTS, INCLUDING MIXED-FINANCE DEVELOPMENT, THE CAPITAL FUND FINANCING PROGRAM (CFFP), AND ANY OTHER USE AUTHORIZED UNDER SECTION 30 OF THE 1937 ACT. MODERNIZATION INCLUDES ALL ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES EXCEPT FOR DEVELOPMENT AND FINANCING. PHYSICAL WORK IS A MAJOR ACTIVITY AND IS WORK THAT IS DONE ON THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURES, SITE, AND GROUNDS OF A PUBLIC HOUSING PROPERTY OR STRUCTURE. MAJOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES INCLUDE DEMOLITION, RECONFIGURATION, EMERGENCY ACTIVITIES, ENERGY EFFICIENCY, NON-ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, PLANNED CODE COMPLIANCE, AND VACANCY REDUCTION. THE MEASURABLE OUTCOME OF THIS GRANT IS THAT HUD WILL BE ABLE TO TRACK THE AMOUNT OF DOLLARS SPENT ON IMPROVEMENTS TO THE STRUCTURES, UNITS, COMMON AREAS, UTILITIES, AND OTHER ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES. ; EXPECTED OUTCOMES: THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES FOR PUBLIC HOUSING CAPITAL FUNDS OF APPROXIMATELY $3.2 BILLION WILL BE PUT INTO THE DEVELOPMENT, MODERNIZATION, AND FINANCING OF NEARLY 1 MILLION PUBLIC HOUSING UNITS ACROSS ALL 50 STATES AND TERRITORIES. THE PUBLIC HOUSING UNITS ARE UPDATED TO BE DECENT, SAFE, SANITARY AND TO COMPLY WITH FEDERAL HOUSING STANDARDS. PHAS CAN ALSO USE A PORTION OF THE CAPITAL FUNDING FOR MANAGEMENT IMPROVEMENTS OR OPERATING ACTIVITIES INCLUDING SAFETY AND SECURITY COSTS.; INTENDED BENEFICIARIES: THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES FOR PUBLIC HOUSING CAPITAL FUNDS ARE THE LOW-INCOME PUBLIC HOUSING RESIDENTS.; SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES: THE RECIPIENT DOES NOT INTEND TO SUBAWARD FUNDS.

TIDAL MARSH EFFECTS ON WATER CHEMISTRY: DOES LOOKING AT THE SMALL SCALE PREDICT WHOLE-SYSTEM PERFORMANCE?

CONTINUATION LTREB AT HUBBARD BROOK: HYDROLOGIC-NUTRIENT CYCLE INTERACTION IN SMALL UNDISTURBED AND HUMAN-MANIPULATED ECOSYSTEMS

PUBLIC HOUSING CAPITAL FUND

HABITAT MONITORING ON THE SAN JUAN RIVER FOR THE UPPER COLORADO AND SAN JUAN RIVER BASINS ENDANGERED FISH RECOVERY PROGRAM. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL CONTINUE THE COLLECTION OF BASELINE DATA ON AQUATIC HABITATS THAT ARE NECESSARY FOR THE RECRUITMENT OF THE TWO RARE SPECIES IN THE SAN JUAN RIVER. THE SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION AND PERSISTENCE OF LOW VELOCITY HABITATS UTILIZED BY COLORADO PIKEMINNOW AND RAZORBACK SUCKER. ECOSYSTEMS RESEARCH INSTITUTE WAS CHOSEN THROUGH THE COMPETITIVE PROCESS UNDER NOFO R24AS00327

PURPOSE: THE PUBLIC HOUSING CAPITAL FUND PROGRAM (CFP) WAS CREATED BY AN AMENDMENT TO THE 1937 ACT BY THE QUALITY HOUSING AND WORK RESPONSIBILITY ACT (QHWRA) IN 1998 (ADDING SECTION 9(D) TO THE 1937 ACT MERGING PREVIOUS MODERNIZATION AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS). THE CFP PROVIDES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IN THE FORM OF GRANTS TO APPROXIMATELY 2,770 PUBLIC HOUSING AGENCIES (PHAS), SERVING NEARLY ONE MILLION UNITS, IN ALL 50 STATES AND TERRITORIES, TO CARRY OUT CAPITAL AND MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES INCLUDING THOSE LISTED IN SECTION 9(D)(1) OF THE UNITED STATES HOUSING ACT OF 1937 (1937 ACT). THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THE CFP FORMULA GRANT IS TO FUND PUBLIC HOUSING MODERNIZATION, DEVELOPMENT, MANAGEMENT IMPROVEMENTS, AND THE OTHER ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES DESCRIBED IN 24 CFR PART 905. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE PUBLIC HOUSING CAPITAL FUND IS LOCATED ON THE OFFICE OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS WEBSITE: OFFICE OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS | HUD.GOV / U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT (HUD) ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON PUBLIC HOUSING FUNDING CAN BE FOUND BY ACCESSING THE WEBSITE BELOW AND REVIEWING THE PUBLIC HOUSING DASHBOARD LINKED UNDER THE “DATA DASHBOARD AND ANALYTICS”. PUBLIC HOUSING | HUD.GOV / U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT (HUD); ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: THE PHAS RECEIVE FEDERAL FUNDS FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT (HUD) TO ADMINISTER THE PUBLIC HOUSING FUND. PUBLIC HOUSING CAPITAL FUNDS MAY ONLY BE USED FOR ACTIVITIES THAT ARE DESCRIBED AS ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES IN 24 CFR 905.200 AND ARE EITHER SPECIFIED IN AN APPROVED 5-YEAR ACTION PLAN OR APPROVED BY HUD FOR EMERGENCY WORK OR WORK NEEDED BECAUSE OF A NON-PRESIDENTIALLY DECLARED NATURAL DISASTER. PUBLIC HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, MODERNIZATION, AND FINANCING ARE THE MAJOR ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED. DEVELOPMENT IS ACTIVITIES AND RELATED COSTS THAT ADD TO (OR SIGNIFICANTLY RECONFIGURE) PUBLIC HOUSING UNITS IN A PHA’S INVENTORY, INCLUDING CONSTRUCTION AND ACQUISITION OF ADDITIONAL PUBLIC HOUSING UNITS, WITH OR WITHOUT REHABILITATION, AND ANY-AND-ALL UNDERTAKINGS NECESSARY FOR PLANNING, DESIGN, FINANCING, LAND ACQUISITION, DEMOLITION, CONSTRUCTION, OR EQUIPMENT OF PUBLIC HOUSING UNITS, AND RELATED BUILDINGS, FACILITIES, AND/OR APPURTENANCES (I.E., NON-DWELLING FACILITIES/SPACES). DEVELOPMENT ALSO INCLUDES ANY MIXED-FINANCE MODERNIZATION, ALL RELEVANT MODERNIZATION USES (OTHER THAN MANAGEMENT IMPROVEMENTS), FINANCING USES, AND DEVELOPMENT OF NON-DWELLING SPACE WHERE SUCH SPACE IS NEEDED TO ADMINISTER, AND IS OF DIRECT BENEFIT TO A PUBLIC HOUSING PROJECT (I.E. HOUSING DEVELOPED, ACQUIRED, OR ASSISTED BY A PHA UNDER THE 1937 ACT, AND THE IMPROVEMENT OF ANY SUCH HOUSING), INCLUDING THE RESIDENTS. FINANCING DEBT AND FINANCING COSTS (E.G., ORIGINATION FEES, INTEREST) INCURRED BY A PHA FOR DEVELOPMENT OR MODERNIZATION OF PUBLIC HOUSING PROJECTS, INCLUDING MIXED-FINANCE DEVELOPMENT, THE CAPITAL FUND FINANCING PROGRAM (CFFP), AND ANY OTHER USE AUTHORIZED UNDER SECTION 30 OF THE 1937 ACT. MODERNIZATION INCLUDES ALL ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES EXCEPT FOR DEVELOPMENT AND FINANCING. PHYSICAL WORK IS A MAJOR ACTIVITY AND IS WORK THAT IS DONE ON THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURES, SITE, AND GROUNDS OF A PUBLIC HOUSING PROPERTY OR STRUCTURE. MAJOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES INCLUDE DEMOLITION, RECONFIGURATION, EMERGENCY ACTIVITIES, ENERGY EFFICIENCY, NON-ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, PLANNED CODE COMPLIANCE, AND VACANCY REDUCTION. THE MEASURABLE OUTCOME OF THIS GRANT IS THAT HUD WILL BE ABLE TO TRACK THE AMOUNT OF DOLLARS SPENT ON IMPROVEMENTS TO THE STRUCTURES, UNITS, COMMON AREAS, UTILITIES, AND OTHER ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES. ; EXPECTED OUTCOMES: THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES FOR PUBLIC HOUSING CAPITAL FUNDS OF APPROXIMATELY $3.2 BILLION WILL BE PUT INTO THE DEVELOPMENT, MODERNIZATION, AND FINANCING OF NEARLY 1 MILLION PUBLIC HOUSING UNITS ACROSS ALL 50 STATES AND TERRITORIES. THE PUBLIC HOUSING UNITS ARE UPDATED TO BE DECENT, SAFE, SANITARY AND TO COMPLY WITH FEDERAL HOUSING STANDARDS. PHAS CAN ALSO USE A PORTION OF THE CAPITAL FUNDING FOR MANAGEMENT IMPROVEMENTS OR OPERATING ACTIVITIES INCLUDING SAFETY AND SECURITY COSTS.; INTENDED BENEFICIARIES: THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES FOR PUBLIC HOUSING CAPITAL FUNDS ARE THE LOW-INCOME PUBLIC HOUSING RESIDENTS.; SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES: THE RECIPIENT DOES NOT INTEND TO SUBAWARD FUNDS.

PURPOSE: THE PUBLIC HOUSING OPERATING FUND (PH OPFUND) PROVIDES OPERATING SUBSIDIES TO HOUSING AUTHORITIES (HAS) TO ASSIST IN FUNDING THE OPERATING AND MAINTENANCE EXPENSES OF THEIR DWELLINGS, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 9 OF THE U.S. HOUSING ACT OF 1937, AS AMENDED. THE SUBSIDIES ARE REQUIRED TO HELP MAINTAIN SERVICES AND PROVIDE MINIMUM OPERATING RESERVES. THE PH OPFUND IS A $5 BILLION DOLLAR PROGRAM PROVIDING FUNDING TO APPROXIMATELY 6,000 HAS SERVING 1,590,321 PUBLIC HOUSING RESIDENTS IN 902,436 HOUSEHOLDS (44% ARE ELDERLY AND 35% OF RESIDENTS HAVE CHILDREN). INFORMATION ON THE CURRENT OPERATING FUND GRANT PROCESSING CAN BE FOUND AT HTTPS://WWW.HUD.GOV/PROGRAM_OFFICES/PUBLIC_INDIAN_HOUSING/PROGRAMS/PH/AM/FUNDING.; ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: OPERATING FUNDS ARE USED TO FUND DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONAL EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH PUBLIC HOUSING AS WELL AS THE ADMINISTRATIVE AND PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION EXPENSES THAT PUBLIC HOUSING AGENCIES (PHAS) ARE REQUIRED TO UNDERTAKE UNDER THE 1937 HOUSING ACT AND PROGRAM REGULATIONS. SUCH ACTIVITIES INCLUDE MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS, ROUTINE AND PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE, ANTI-CRIME, ANTI-DRUG AND SECURITY ACTIVITIES, OPERATING COSTS FOR PRIVATELY OWNED PUBLIC HOUSING UNITS WITHIN MIXED-FINANCE PROJECTS, ENERGY COSTS, RESIDENT SUPPORTIVE SERVICES, INSURANCE, DEBT SERVICE AND COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH ADMINISTRATION AND PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION. TURNKEY III PROJECTS ARE FUNDED FOR UNITS UNDER THE FINAL LEASE PURCHASE AGREEMENT FOR CLOSING OUT THE PROGRAM. TO SUPPORT THESE ACTIVITIES, THERE IS CONTINUED MODERNIZATION OF THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PLATFORMS. PHAS HAVE ACCESS TO WEB-BASED PLATFORMS THAT UTILIZE REAL-TIME DATA TO PROVIDE INSIGHT INTO THEIR PORTFOLIOS. PHAS CAN OBTAIN METRICS ON THEIR FUNDING LEVELS, OCCUPANCY RATES, AND THE NUMBER OF FAMILIES SERVED THROUGH RENTAL ASSISTANCE.; EXPECTED OUTCOMES: AS A RESULT OF THE ACTIVITIES PERFORMED, THIS PROGRAM IS EXPECTED TO ASSIST IN FUNDING THE OPERATING AND MAINTENANCE EXPENSES. THIS MAY INCLUDE INCREASED OCCUPANCY IN PUBLIC HOUSING, DECREASED ENERGY COSTS THROUGH REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND ENERGY PERFORMANCE CONTRACTING AND LEVERAGE FEDERAL RESOURCES. IN ADDITION TO ADDRESSING THE DEPARTMENT’S STRATEGIC GOALS OF: • ADDRESSING THE NEED FOR QUALITY AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOMES BY MAINTAINING OR IMPROVING UPON THE 96% OCCUPANCY RATE OF HABITABLE UNITS; • PROMOTING HOUSING AS A PLATFORM TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE THROUGH SUPPORTIVE SERVICES, CRIME PREVENTION EFFORTS AND RESIDENT ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES; AND • HELPING TO BUILD INCLUSIVE COMMUNITIES FREE FROM DISCRIMINATION BY FACILITATING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF AFFIRMATIVELY FURTHERING FAIR HOUSING MEASURES.; INTENDED BENEFICIARIES: THE OPERATING FUND PROVIDES FOR THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF LOW-INCOME HOUSING PROJECTS TO PHAS/PROJECTS. IT WAS CREATED TO ASSIST HOUSING AUTHORITIES IN PROVIDING DECENT AND SAFE RENTAL HOUSING FOR ELIGIBLE LOW-INCOME FAMILIES OR INDIVIDUALS, THE ELDERLY, AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES. A HA DETERMINES ELIGIBILITY BASED ON 1) ANNUAL GROSS INCOME; 2) A PERSON ON WHO IS ELDERLY, A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY, OR AS A FAMILY; AND 3) U.S. CITIZENSHIP OR ELIGIBLE IMMIGRATION STATUS.; SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES: THE SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES ARE UNKNOWN AT THE TIME OF AWARD.

PUBLIC HOUSING CAPITAL FUND

PUBLIC HOUSING CAPITAL FUND

PUBLIC AND INDIAN HOUSING

THIS IS A BROWNFIELD COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT FOR THE COUNTY OF MECOSTA TO EVALUATE SITES BELIEVED TO BE CONTAMINATED WITH HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES AND PET

THIS AWARD PROVIDES FUNDING TO MECOSTA COUNTY, MICHIGAN TO BE USED TO CONDUCT COMMUNITY-WIDE ASSESSMENTS AT ELIGIBLE BROWNFIELD SITES POTENTIALLY CON

STAR: KNOWLEDGE-GUIDED MACHINE LEARNING TO STUDY GLOBAL RIVERS AND NITROUS OXIDE -NITROUS OXIDE IS A GAS FOUND NATURALLY IN THE ATMOSPHERE THAT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO NEGATIVELY AFFECT AGRICULTURAL AND ECOSYSTEM PRODUCTIVITY. RIVERS AND STREAMS ARE AN IMPORTANT BUT POORLY UNDERSTOOD SOURCE OF NITROUS OXIDE EMISSIONS, BECAUSE REACTIVE NITROGEN ENTERS WATERWAYS AND HAS THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE NITROUS OXIDE. CURRENT ESTIMATES OF HOW MUCH NITROUS OXIDE RIVERS PRODUCE VARY BY A FACTOR OF MORE THAN FIFTY, REFLECTING THE NEED FOR AN IMPROVED UNDERSTANDING OF HOW NITROGEN MOVES THROUGH FRESHWATER SYSTEMS. THIS PROJECT ADDRESSES THIS GAP BY PRODUCING THE MOST ACCURATE, DATA-DRIVEN ESTIMATE OF RIVERINE NITROUS OXIDE EMISSIONS ASSEMBLED. THE PROJECT ADVANCES FRESHWATER NITROGEN SCIENCE BY DEVELOPING NEW ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TOOLS, THEREBY CONTRIBUTING TO A RAPIDLY GROWING FIELD WITH SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC VALUE. THE PROJECT ALSO TRAINS AMERICAN SCIENTISTS IN THE HIGH-DEMAND INTERSECTION OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE AND DATA SCIENCE, AND WILL BRING MODERN COMPUTATIONAL SCIENCE INTO HIGH SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY COLLEGE CLASSROOMS ACROSS THE NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES. THIS PROJECT DEVELOPS A KNOWLEDGE-GUIDED MACHINE LEARNING (KGML) FRAMEWORK TO QUANTIFY RIVERINE NITROUS OXIDE EMISSIONS AT GLOBAL SCALE. THE FRAMEWORK INTEGRATES A STOCHASTIC PROCESS-BASED MODEL OF NITROGEN TRANSFORMATION KINETICS ? INCLUDING NITRIFICATION, DENITRIFICATION, AND THEIR DEPENDENCE ON OXYGEN, CARBON, TEMPERATURE, PH, AND HYDROLOGY ? WITH A GRADIENT BOOSTING MACHINE LEARNING MODEL TRAINED ON RESIDUALS BETWEEN PROCESS MODEL PREDICTIONS AND OBSERVATIONS. THE PROJECT COMPILES THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE GLOBAL DATABASE OF RIVERINE NITROUS OXIDE CONCENTRATIONS (~10,000 RECORDS) AND FLUXES (~1,500 RECORDS) EVER ASSEMBLED, INTEGRATING PUBLISHED DATASETS, UNPUBLISHED FIELD MEASUREMENTS FROM SIX CONTINENTS, AND NATIONAL ECOLOGICAL OBSERVATION NETWORK TIME SERIES. THE CALIBRATED KGML MODEL WILL BE UPSCALED ACROSS THE MERIT-HYDRO GLOBAL RIVER NETWORK TO GENERATE THE FIRST SPATIALLY AND TEMPORALLY RESOLVED, UNCERTAINTY-QUANTIFIED GLOBAL RIVERINE NITROUS OXIDE BUDGET. THIS PROJECT LEVERAGES MACHINE LEARNING TO RESOLVE NONLINEAR BIOGEOCHEMICAL INTERACTIONS THAT NEITHER EMPIRICAL NOR MECHANISTIC MODELS ALONE CAN CAPTURE. THIS PROJECT ADVANCES NSF?S PRIORITIES IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: HOT TODAY, COLD TOMORROW? VARIABLE PERSISTENCE OF GENERALIST PREDATOR HOT SPOTS AND THE DYNAMICS OF THEIR PREY AND PARASITES

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: WILDLIFE SUBSIDIES INTERACT WITH DISCHARGE TO INFLUENCE ECOSYSTEM FUNCTION OF A LARGE AFRICAN RIVER

PUBLIC AND INDIAN HOUSING

PUBLIC AND INDIAN HOUSING

THE FY25 COPS HIRING PROGRAM (CHP) PROVIDES FUNDING TO LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES TO HIRE AND/OR REHIRE ADDITIONAL CAREER LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS IN AN EFFORT TO INCREASE THEIR COMMUNITY POLICING CAPACITY AND CRIME PREVENTION EFFORTS. ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES OF CHP AWARDS INCLUDE ENGAGEMENT IN PLANNED COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, IMPLEMENTATION OF PROJECTS TO ANALYZE AND ASSESS PROBLEMS, IMPLEMENTATION OF CHANGES TO PERSONNEL AND AGENCY MANAGEMENT IN SUPPORT OF COMMUNITY POLICING, AND INCREASED CAPACITY OF AGENCY TO ENGAGE IN COMMUNITY POLICING ACTIVITIES

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: ECOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES OF THE EFFECTS OF A ZOONOTIC PATHOGEN ON ITS RESERVOIR HOST

ARRA - CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM

NFHF 2018 CFRP GRANT TO SUSTAINABLE ECOSYSTEMS, LLC

PERFORM FUNDING SYS

RECOVERY OF CAPE SABLE SEASIDE SPARROW - SUBPOPULATION A

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: THE EFFECTS OF WATERSHED URBANIZATION ON IN-STREAM TRANSFORMATION OF ORGANIC NUTRIENTS WITHIN RUNNING WATERS

DISEQUILIBRIUM AND TRANSIENT DYNAMICS: DISENTANGLING RESPONSES TO CLIMATE CHANGE VERSUS BROADER ANTHROPOGENIC IMPACTS ON EASTERN FORESTS

NITROGEN GAS MEASUREMENT FACILITY AT THE CARY INSTITUTE OF ECOSYSTEM STUDIES

PUBLIC AND INDIAN HOUSING

PUBLIC HOUSING CAPITAL FUND

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: ECOLOGICAL INTERACTIONS BETWEEN SUDDEN OAK DEATH AND LYME DISEASE IN CALIFORNIA

WHILE IT IS WELL KNOWN LOW HEAD DAMS ARE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND RESULT IN A CASCADE OF NEGATIVE ECOLOGICAL EFFECTS, REMOVAL OF DAMS IN INDIANA CONTINUES A SLOW UPWARD TRAJECTORY RELATIVE TO OTHER PARTS OF THE UNITED STATES DAMS ALTER CHEMICAL, PHYSICAL, AND BIOLOGICAL ATTRIBUTES OF STREAMS RELATIVE TO STREAMS WITHOUT DAMS OR STREAMS WHERE DAMS HAVE BEEN REMOVED THERE IS A GROWING BODY OF SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE THAT QUANTIFIES AND SUPPORTS THE ECOLOGICAL LIFT AND SOCIAL BENEFITS OF REMOVING LOW HEAD DAMS FROM STREAMS OUR RESEARCH IN THE EEL RIVER BASIN HAS SHOWN A 25 TO 35 INCREASE IN FISH INDICES AND STREAM HABITAT INDICES AFTER FOUR DAMS HAVE BEEN REMOVED BETWEEN 2012 AND 2019 REMOVAL OF THESE FOUR DAMS RECONNECTED NEARLY 1,200 STREAM MILES THESE INCREASES ARE GENERALLY FROM THE LOSS OF TOLERANT FISH SPECIES LENTIC SPECIES FOUND IN THE POOLS ABOVE DAMS THAT ARE REPLACED BY INTOLERANT SPECIES ONCE A DAM IS REMOVED WE HAVE DOCUMENTED SIMILAR RESULTS FROM THREE DAMS REMOVED FROM INDIAN CREEK NEAR CORYDON AND REMOVAL OF A DAM IN SUGAR CREEK IN CRAWFORDSVILLE WHILE SCIENCE PROVIDES STRONG EVIDENCE FOR ECOLOGICAL LIFT FROM DAM REMOVALS AND EVIDENCE OF IMPROVED RECREATIONAL SAFETY IS CLEAR, IT IS A LACK OF FUNDING OR THE SOCIAL WILL THAT IS LAGGING COMMUNITIES OFTEN HAVE A VOCAL MINORITY WITH PASSIONATE HISTORICAL CONNECTIONS TO LOW HEAD DAMS AND OR A PERCEIVED DECLINE IN SPORT FISHING IF THE DAM IS REMOVED IN EXTREME INSTANCES THERE IS A LACK OF EMPATHY TOWARD INJURIES AND OR DEATHS THAT RESULT FROM LOW HEAD DAMS THE CHARLES MILL DAM IS A RUN OF THE RIVER DAM 350 FEET LONG AND 10 FEET TALL IN THE MISSISSINEWA RIVER AT MARION, INDIANA AT RIVER MILE 36 THE DAM WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1936 AND IS CURRENTLY OWNED BY THE CITY OF MARION THERE IS A TAINTER GATE ON RIVER LEFT INSTALLED TO CONTROL WATER LEVELS IN THE POOL, BUT THIS GATE LONGER FUNCTIONS AND ADDS SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE DANGER AT THIS DAM THERE HAVE BEEN DEATHS AND INJURIES AT THE CHARLES MILL DAM AND REMOVAL OF THE DAM WILL IMPROVE FISH PASSAGE, SAFETY FOR RECREATIONAL USERS, REDUCE LIABILITY, AND PROVIDE AN ECOLOGICAL LIFT TO THE MISSISSINEWA RIVER

PUBLIC AND INDIAN HOUSING

OPP-PRF: INVESTIGATING FIRE-BIOTIC DISTURBANCE INTERACTIONS AND THEIR SENSITIVITY TO CLIMATE IN THE NORTH AMERICAN BOREAL BIOME -BOREAL FORESTS ARE IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEY STORE LARGE AMOUNTS OF CARBON. ALMOST 30% OF ALL FOREST CARBON IS STORED IN THIS BIOME. THE FREQUENCY OF DISTURBANCES, SUCH AS FOREST FIRES, PESTS, HERBIVORES, AND DISEASES, ARE INCREASING WITH CLIMATE CHANGE. MORE FREQUENT FIRES COMBUST CARBON ON THE FOREST FLOOR OF BOREAL BLACK SPRUCE FORESTS, WHICH CAN PREVENT SPRUCE FROM GROWING BACK. WHEN BLACK SPRUCE TREES FAIL TO GROW BACK AFTER FIRE, DECIDUOUS SPECIES SUCH AS BIRCH, ASPEN OR WILLOW GROW INSTEAD. NEW INSECT OUTBREAKS AND DISEASES ARE SHOWING UP IN THE NORTH AMERICAN BOREAL FOREST, WHICH THREATEN TO KILL MANY OF THESE DECIDUOUS TREES. HOWEVER, LITTLE IS KNOWN ABOUT THE CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF THESE NEW OUTBREAKS, AND HOW THEY MAY CONTINUE TO AFFECT CARBON STORAGE IN BOREAL FORESTS. THIS RESEARCH WILL USE COMPUTER SIMULATIONS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND (1) THE EXTENT, IMPACT AND POTENTIAL THREATS OF NEW PESTS, HERBIVORES, AND DISEASES IN ALASKAN BOREAL FORESTS; (2) HOW NEW OUTBREAKS OF PESTS, HERBIVORES, AND DISEASES MAY INTERACT WITH FIRE AND CLIMATE TO ALTER HOW BOREAL FORESTS STORE CARBON. THE BOREAL BIOME IS A GLOBALLY IMPORTANT TERRESTRIAL CARBON SINK: APPROXIMATELY 30% OF ALL TERRESTRIAL CARBON IS STORED WITHIN BOREAL FORESTS AND THE SOILS AND PERMAFROST (FROZEN SOIL) UNDERNEATH. HOWEVER, THE FUTURE FATE OF BOREAL CARBON DEPENDS ON THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON MULTIPLE DISTURBANCES AND THEIR INTERACTIONS. BOREAL FOREST FIRES ARE SENSITIVE TO CLIMATE AND ARE INCREASING IN FREQUENCY, SIZE, AND SEVERITY. INCREASING SHORT-INTERVAL FIRES COMBUST LEGACY CARBON IN SURFACE ORGANIC LAYERS OF BLACK SPRUCE STANDS AND DRIVE TRANSITIONS IN POST-FIRE SPECIES REGENERATION FROM SPRUCE TO BROADLEAF DOMINANCE. ALTERED FOREST REGENERATION FOLLOWING SHORT-INTERVAL FIRES CREATES A PULSE OF EMISSIONS, CAUSES SHIFTS IN CARBON STOCKS FROM BELOW TO ABOVEGROUND AND ALTERS THE VULNERABILITY OF SUBSEQUENT CARBON ACCUMULATION. NEW BIOTIC DISTURBANCES ARE CONCURRENTLY EMERGING IN THE NORTH AMERICAN BOREAL FOREST THAT COULD CAUSE WIDESPREAD BROADLEAF TREE MORTALITY AND THREATEN TO RELEASE THE CARBON ACCUMULATED IN BROADLEAF BIOMASS. HOWEVER, LITTLE IS KNOWN ABOUT THE CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF THESE EMERGING BIOTIC DISTURBANCES, AND HOW THEY MAY FURTHER ALTER BOREAL CARBON STORAGE. THIS PROJECT WILL USE PROCESS-BASED FOREST MODELING (1) TO DEVELOP A SYSTEMS-BASED FRAMEWORK LEVERAGING AVAILABLE AND EMERGING DATA TO MODEL NEW IMPACTS OF BIOTIC DISTURBANCES AND THEIR INTERACTIONS, SYNTHESIZING CURRENT UNDERSTANDING OF THESE EMERGING THREATS; AND (2) APPLY THAT FRAMEWORK TO A SUITE OF CLIMATIC AND BIOTIC AGENT SCENARIOS, TESTING THE IMPACT OF FIRE-CLIMATE-BIOTIC INTERACTIONS ON ECOSYSTEM CARBON AND SUCCESSIONAL TRAJECTORIES AT LANDSCAPE SCALES UNDER CURRENT AND FUTURE CONDITIONS. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.

WFHF 2015 CFRP GRANT TO SUSTAINABLE ECOSYSTEMS, LLC

THE AMERICAN WATER LOW HEAD DAM IS LOCATED IN THE EAST FORK OF THE WHITE RIVER HUC 051202060502 AT 7373 EAST REDDINGTON ROAD, SEYMOUR, INDIANA, 47274 OR APPROXIMATELY 450 FEET DOWNSTREAM OF THE NORTH COUNTY ROAD 725 NORTH BRIDGE COORDINATES LAT 38 985897 LONG 85 898632 THE CONCRETE PORTION OF THE DAM IS APPROXIMATELY 260 FEET LONG AND EXTENDS FROM RIVER LEFT TO APPROXIMATELY THE CENTER OF THE RIVER WHERE IT JOINS A LARGE WING STRUCTURE ABOUT 0 25 ACRES MADE FROM RIPRAP AND CAPPED WITH CONCRETE THAT EXTENDS AND ADDITIONAL 170 FEET NORTHWEST TO RIVER RIGHT BANK THIS DAM IS NO LONGER NEEDED BY THE INDIANA AMERICAN WATER COMPANY AND IS CONSIDERED A SAFETY LIABILITY AND A SIGNIFICANT FISH PASSAGE BARRIER IN THE WHITE RIVER REMOVAL OF THIS DAM WILL RECONNECT 836 STREAM MILES

PUBLIC AND INDIAN HOUSING

PUBLIC AND INDIAN HOUSING

LOCATE LOCAL AREAS WITH DESIRABLE PLANT SPECIES TO USE FOR VEGETATION RESTORATION PURPOSES IN PREVIOUS FIRE SCARS. ECOSOURCE WILL REPORT ON THE SEED SPECIES COLLECTED AND WILL WORK WITH PRIVATE LANDOWNERS TO GROW SPECIES COLLECTED FOR HAVING SEED AVAILABLE FOR USE IN FUTURE RESTORATION ACTIVITIES. BLM PERSONNEL AND ECOSOURCE WILL COLLABORATE ON WHERE TO PLANT SEEDS OR SEEDLINGS OF DIFFERENT NATIVE VEGETATION AND INSPECT PLANTING ACTIVITIES AND HELP WITH MONITORING AFTER PLANTINGS HAVE HAD TIME TO ESTABLISH.

THIS PROPOSED PROJECT SEEKS TO BUILD UPON EXISTING RESTORATION EFFORTS BY SUPPLEMENTING AND EXPANDING UPON EXISTING HABITAT RESTORATION PROJECTS IN THE FISH CREEK WATERSHED. IN ADDITION WE WILL TELL THE STORY OF THE RICH HISTORY AND EXTENSIVE MODERN RESTORATION EFFORTS IN FISH CREEK BY DEVELOPING DESIGN PLANS FOR A RESTORATION TRAIL WHICH WILL INCLUDE A SERIES OF INTERPRETIVE SIGNS AND KIOSKS AND IMPROVEMENTS FOR RECREATIONAL ACCESS TO THE CREEK FROM HEADWATERS TO COASTAL AREAS OF THE WATERSHED. WE WILL LEVERAGE THE ONGOING WORK OF THE LAKE SUPERIOR COLLABORATIVE AND AN EXISTING EPA NINE KEY ELEMENT WATERSHED PLANNING PROJECT FOCUSED ON PORTIONS OF THE FISH CREEK WATERSHED TO EXPAND ON EXISTING HABITAT RESTORATION PROJECTS AND THE EDUCATION AND OUTREACH OUTPUTS FROM THE PLANNING EFFORT. WE WILL RESTORE UP TO 10 ACRES OF WETLAND RIPARIAN AND UPLAND HABITAT THROUGH A COMBINATION OF SUPPLEMENTING AND EXPANDING AN EXISTING NONNATIVE CATTAIL REMOVAL AND NATIVE PLANT SEEDING PROJECT IN THE FISH CREEK SLOUGHS TREE OR SHRUB PLANTINGS TO RESTORE TERRESTRIAL AREAS RECENTLY TREATED FOR INVASIVE SPECIES REMOVAL IN PRENTICE PARK IN THE CITY OF ASHLAND AND TREE AND SHRUB PLANTINGS TO ENHANCE EXISTING BLUFF STABILIZATION AND FISH HABITAT ENHANCEMENT PROJECTS ALONG THE UPPER MAIN STEM OF NORTH FISH CREEK. TO COMPLETE THE DESIGN PLANNING FOR THE FISH CREEK RESTORATION TRAIL WE WILL CREATE A RESTORATION TRAIL WORKING GROUP WITH A CHARGE TO OUTLINE KEY COMPONENTS LOCATIONS AND PARTNERS TO INCLUDE IN A RESTORATION TRAIL CONCEPT OUTLINE. A PARTICULAR AREA OF FOCUS WILL BE UPDATING EXISTING INTERPRETIVE SIGNAGE ALONG THE CITY OF ASHLAND LAKEFRONT TRAIL AND WITHIN PRENTICE PARK. A LANDSCAPE DESIGN FIRM AND A CONSULTANT TO ASSIST WITH CONTENT AND DESIGN FOR INTERPRETIVE SIGNAGE WILL BE HIRED TO WORK WITH THE RESTORATION TRAIL WORKING GROUP TO TAKE THE CONCEPT OUTLINE AND GENERATE AT LEAST THREE CONCEPTUAL DESIGNS FOR LOCATIONS AND COMPONENTS IN THE RESTORATION TRAIL. THE RESTORATION TRAIL WORKING GROUP AND CONSULTANTS WILL ENGAGE IN COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT EVENTS TO GATHER COMMUNITY INPUT ON THE DESIGN PLANS AND IDENTIFY A PREFERRED OPTION. THE OUTCOME FROM THE PROJECT WILL BE APPROXIMATELY 30 PERCENT DESIGN PLANS FOR THE RESTORATION TRAIL WITH ITEMIZED COST ESTIMATES AND A TASK LIST FOR IMPLEMENTING THE FULL DESIGN. THE DESIGN PLANS AND COST ESTIMATE WILL ALLOW PARTNERS TO APPLY FOR FUNDING TO IMPLEMENT THE FULL DESIGN OF THE RESTORATION TRAIL. THIS PROJECT DIRECTLY SUPPORTS MULTIPLE CONSERVATION PRIORITIES AND OBJECTIVES IDENTIFIED BY THE HEADWATERS TO COAST INITIATIVE INCLUDING CONNECTED AND FUNCTIONAL HABITATS HEALTHY HABITATS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND PREPARE FOR AND ADDRESS CURRENT AND EMERGING THREATS.

SBIR PHASE I: BUILDING A REEF MIMICKING CORAL-INDEPENDENT HABITAT SUPPORT STRUCTURE -THE BROADER/COMMERCIAL IMPACT OF THIS SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH (SBIR) PHASE I PROJECT IS TO DEVELOP A NOVEL MODULAR CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY TO SIMULTANEOUSLY PROVIDE SHORELINE PROTECTION AND RESTORE THE MOST ECONOMICALLY IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF CORAL REEFS. THIS TECHNOLOGY AIMS TO SOLVE TWO FUNDAMENTAL PROBLEMS OF TRADITIONAL CORAL RESTORATION WHERE CORALS ARE TRANSPORTED FROM NURSERIES AND SECURED BACK ONTO REEF HABITATS: (1) THAT CORAL REEFS NATURALLY DEVELOP SLOWLY OVER CENTURIES, WHICH MEANS CORAL RESTORATION EFFORTS ARE SLOW TO OFFER MEASURABLE RETURNS TO INVESTORS; AND (2) THAT SUCCESSFUL RESTORATION OF THE REEF ECOSYSTEM AND CONCOMITANT SERVICES IS DEPENDENT ON CORAL SURVIVAL, WHICH IS THREATENED ON MANY LEVELS. THE STRATEGY OFFERED BY THIS PROJECT IS TO REPLACE THE STRUCTURE OF MATURE REEFS AND PROVIDE IMMEDIATE VALUABLE SHORELINE PROTECTION AND FISH HABITAT, SO THAT THIS APPROACH TO RESTORING REEF ECOSYSTEM SERVICES CAN SUCCEED EVEN WHEN CORAL MORTALITY EVENTS OCCUR. MORE TRADITIONAL SHORELINE PROTECTION STRUCTURES LIKE SEAWALLS CHANGE THE PHYSICAL PARAMETERS OF THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT, MAKING CUSTOMERS CHOOSE BETWEEN HABITAT RESTORATION AND COASTAL PROTECTION. THIS TECHNOLOGY OFFERS BOTH LONG TERM STORM DAMAGE REDUCTION TO SHORELINE PROPERTIES AND INCREASED VALUE OF NATURAL ECOSYSTEMS AND THE RESULTANT BLUE ECONOMY. THE PRODUCT UNDER DEVELOPMENT IN THIS PROJECT IS AN ENGINEERED HABITAT SUPPORT STRUCTURE FOR REEF ECOSYSTEMS, NOVEL FOR ITS RELATIVELY LARGER SIZE AND DEGREE OF SURFACE COMPLEXITY. MOST ARTIFICIAL REEF SYSTEMS ARE ORDERS OF MAGNITUDE SMALLER OR ARE CONSTRUCTED OF LARGE PILES OF RECYCLED MATERIALS THAT LACK THE SURFACE FEATURES CRITICAL TO NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS. WHILE THE PROPOSED TECHNOLOGY MAY DEMAND LARGE UPFRONT INVESTMENTS, IT CAN SUBSTANTIALLY SHORTEN THE RECOVERY TIME OF DEGRADED REEFS BY FACILITATING SELF-ORGANIZATION OF SUPPORTING ECOSYSTEMS. A MAJOR INNOVATION OF THE PRODUCT IS ITS MODULAR DESIGN, WHICH WILL ALLOW IT TO BE BUILT OF SCALABLE BLOCK-LIKE COMPONENTS WHILE ALSO BEING CUSTOMIZABLE TO A VARIETY OF INSTALLATION SITES. THIS PHASE I PROJECT WILL TEST THE FEASIBILITY OF DEVELOPING THIS PRODUCT AS A COMMERCIAL TECHNOLOGY THAT CAN BE BUILT AND INSTALLED AT SCALES RELEVANT TO CORAL RESTORATION AND SHORELINE PROTECTION NEEDS FOR CUSTOMERS IN SEVERAL INDUSTRIES ACROSS THE CARIBBEAN. IT WILL ALSO TEST TRADEOFFS BETWEEN STRENGTH AND MASS OF VARIOUS BLOCK SHAPES, AND A VARIETY OF BLOCK JOINTS THAT CAN BE USED TO REDUCE THE COST OF CONSTRUCTION WITHOUT REDUCING THE PERFORMANCE OF THE RESULTING STRUCTURE. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

15.944 NATURAL RESOURCE STEWARDSHIPTHE NATURAL RESOURCE STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM IS THE PRINCIPLE MEANS THROUGH WHICH THE NATIONALPARK SERVICE (NPS) EVALUATES AND IMPROVES THE HEALTH OF WATERSHEDS, LANDSCAPES, AND MARINE AND COASTALRESOURCES, SUSTAINS BIOLOGICAL COMMUNITIES ON THE LANDS AND WATERS IN PARKS, AND ACTIVELY ENDEAVORS TOIMPROVE THE RESILIENCY OF THESE NATURAL RESOURCES AND ADAPT THEM TO THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE. TO CARRYOUT AND FURTHER THIS STEWARDSHIP RESPONSIBILITY, NPS IMPLEMENTS PROGRAMS THAT ENCOMPASS A BROAD RANGEOF RESEARCH, OPERATIONAL, AND EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES BY UTILIZING PARK PERSONNEL AND CONTRACTOR SUPPORT OR COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS. COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT FOR THE PROTECTION AND CONSERVATION OF IMPERILED ECOSYSTEMS AND SPECIES AT SAN JUAN ISLAND NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK AND EBEYS LANDING NATIONAL HISTORICAL RESERVE. BENEFICIARIES INCLUDE THEGENERAL PUBLIC.

THIS STUDY WILL DEVELOP PREDICTIVE MODELS OF LANDSCAPE-LEVEL VARIATION IN ECOLOGICAL RISK OF HUMAN EXPOSURE TO LYME DISEASE, HUMAN ANAPLASMOSIS AND H

QUANTIFYING SOURCES OF VARIATION IN DENITRIFICATION IN AGRICULTURAL LANDSCAPES

PERFORM FUNDING SYS

PUBLIC HOUSING CAPITAL FUND

PUBLIC HOUSING CAPITAL FUND

PUBLIC AND INDIAN HOUSING

PUBLIC HOUSING CAPITAL FUND

DOMESTIC WATER GRANTS - REGULAR

PUBLIC AND INDIAN HOUSING

THE FLATROCK RIVER IN SOUTH CENTRAL INDIANA IS A TRIBUTARY TO THE EAST FORK WHITE RIVER WITH A WATERSHED AREA OF 536 SQ MI AND LAND USE OF 80% CULTIVATED AGRICULTURE.THE REMAINDER OF THE WATERSHED IS FRAGMENTED SMALL RIPARIAN FORESTS WOODLOTS AND SOME SMALL TOWNS.THE UPPER PART OF THE BASIN ORIGINATES NEAR NEW CASTLE INDIANA AND THE RIVER JOINS THE EAST FORK WHITE RIVER NEAR COLUMBUS INDIANA. THE STREAM IS NOTABLE FROM A HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE AND THERE WERE AT ONE TIME FIVE LOW HEAD DAMS FROM COLUMBUS TO GREENSBURG. THE TWO BARRIERS PROPOSED FOR REMOVAL ARE IN GENEVA IN AT RIVER MILE 27.4 AND RIVER MILE 27.6. REMOVAL OF THESE BARRIERS WILL RECONNECT 141.3 STREAM MILES ABOVE THE DAMS AND OPEN 1.5 MILES OF NEW FISH AND MUSSEL HABITAT THAT IS CURRENTLY IN THE POOL BEHIND THE DAMS. THE FLATROCK RIVER IS WITHIN THE HABITAT RANGE OF SEVERAL IMPORTANT AQUATIC SPECIES AND UPLAND SPECIES AND ACCORDING TO THE UNITED STATES CLIMATE AND ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT TOOL AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE WEBSITE SHELBY COUNTY INDIANA AND THE LOCATION OF BOTH THE UPSTREAM AND DOWNSTREAM DAMS IS CONSIDERED A DISADVANTAGED OVERBURDENED AND UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY. REMOVAL OF THE UPSTREAM DAM IS FULLY SUPPORTED BY THE OWNERS AND THERE IS NO RECORDED OWNER OF THE DOWNSTREAM DAM. REMOVAL OF BOTH DAMS WILL IMPROVE SAFETY FOR RECREATIONAL USE OF THE STREAM AND IMPROVE FISH PASSAGE. THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE DEATHS AND INJURIES AT BOTH DAMS. FUNDING PARTNERS INCLUDE INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES LAKE AND RIVER ENHANCMENT SAM SHINE FOUNDATION AND THE NATURE CONSERVANCY.

PUBLIC AND INDIAN HOUSING

SBIR PHASE I: INSTRUCTOR-FRIENDLY INTELLIGENT VR PLATFORM FOR SECONDARY AND POST-SECONDARY DISTANCE LEARNING AND STEAM EDUCATION

PROJECT TITLE NOT PROVIDED

ATMOSPHERIC EXCHANGES OF MERCURY WITH LAKE CHAMPLAIN AND THEIR INFLUENCE ON RATES OF MERCURY ACCUMULATION IN PLANKTON AND FISH

EXTREME WEATHER AND ACCELERATING NATURAL DISASTERS ARE AFFECTING THE REGION’S MOST VULNERABLE PLACES. THESE ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES ARE PUSHING ORGANIZATIONS TO LEARN AND ADAPT. THE IAF SUPPORTS COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO RESPOND TO MEDIUM AND LONG-TERM PRIORITIES OF COMMUNITIES AFFECTED BY HURRICANES, EARTHQUAKES, AND OTHER NATURAL DISASTERS. OUR GRANTEE FUNDACIÓN PARA EL DESARROLLO INTEGRAL, COMUNITARIO Y CONSERVACIÓN DE ECOSISTEMAS EN PANAMÁ (FUNDICCEP) IS SUPPORTING DISASTER RECOVERY AND RESILIENCE EFFORTS AT THE GRASSROOTS LEVEL. IT WILL WORK WITH LOCAL COMMUNITIES TO PROMOTE WIDER PARTICIPATION IN DISASTER READINESS COMMITTEES, STRENGTHEN RISK MANAGEMENT PLANS, AND ENSURE THAT A DIVERSE SET OF VOICES, INCLUDING INDIGENOUS NGÄBE, ARE HEARD AND INCLUDED IN COMMUNITY DECISION-MAKING. THIS GRANT IS PART OF THE IAF'S EFFORTS TO ADDRESS THE ROOT CAUSES OF IRREGULAR MIGRATION IN CENTRAL AMERICA THROUGH DISASTER RECOVERY AND RESILIENCE. IT IS ONE OF A COHORT OF GRANTS FUNDED THROUGH THE PARTNERSHIP FOR DISASTER RECOVERY AND RESILIENCE, WHICH MAKES STRATEGIC INVESTMENTS THAT STRENGTHEN THE CAPACITY FOR ACTION OF LOCAL GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS IN CENTRAL AMERICA AND SOUTHERN MEXICO.

FISH AND WILDLIFE COORDINATION ACT

IMPACTS OF TREE SPECIES AND HARVEST REGIMES ON N RETENTION IN NORTHEASTERN U.S. FORESTS

CAPITAL AND MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES (FORMULA)

PURPOSE: THE PUBLIC HOUSING OPERATING FUND (PH OPFUND) PROVIDES OPERATING SUBSIDIES TO HOUSING AUTHORITIES (HAS) TO ASSIST IN FUNDING THE OPERATING AND MAINTENANCE EXPENSES OF THEIR DWELLINGS, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 9 OF THE U.S. HOUSING ACT OF 1937, AS AMENDED. THE SUBSIDIES ARE REQUIRED TO HELP MAINTAIN SERVICES AND PROVIDE MINIMUM OPERATING RESERVES. THE PH OPFUND IS A $5 BILLION DOLLAR PROGRAM PROVIDING FUNDING TO APPROXIMATELY 6,000 HAS SERVING 1,590,321 PUBLIC HOUSING RESIDENTS IN 902,436 HOUSEHOLDS (44% ARE ELDERLY AND 35% OF RESIDENTS HAVE CHILDREN). INFORMATION ON THE CURRENT OPERATING FUND GRANT PROCESSING CAN BE FOUND AT HTTPS://WWW.HUD.GOV/PROGRAM_OFFICES/PUBLIC_INDIAN_HOUSING/PROGRAMS/PH/AM/FUNDING.; ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: OPERATING FUNDS ARE USED TO FUND DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONAL EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH PUBLIC HOUSING AS WELL AS THE ADMINISTRATIVE AND PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION EXPENSES THAT PUBLIC HOUSING AGENCIES (PHAS) ARE REQUIRED TO UNDERTAKE UNDER THE 1937 HOUSING ACT AND PROGRAM REGULATIONS. SUCH ACTIVITIES INCLUDE MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS, ROUTINE AND PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE, ANTI-CRIME, ANTI-DRUG AND SECURITY ACTIVITIES, OPERATING COSTS FOR PRIVATELY OWNED PUBLIC HOUSING UNITS WITHIN MIXED-FINANCE PROJECTS, ENERGY COSTS, RESIDENT SUPPORTIVE SERVICES, INSURANCE, DEBT SERVICE AND COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH ADMINISTRATION AND PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION. TURNKEY III PROJECTS ARE FUNDED FOR UNITS UNDER THE FINAL LEASE PURCHASE AGREEMENT FOR CLOSING OUT THE PROGRAM. TO SUPPORT THESE ACTIVITIES, THERE IS CONTINUED MODERNIZATION OF THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PLATFORMS. PHAS HAVE ACCESS TO WEB-BASED PLATFORMS THAT UTILIZE REAL-TIME DATA TO PROVIDE INSIGHT INTO THEIR PORTFOLIOS. PHAS CAN OBTAIN METRICS ON THEIR FUNDING LEVELS, OCCUPANCY RATES, AND THE NUMBER OF FAMILIES SERVED THROUGH RENTAL ASSISTANCE.; EXPECTED OUTCOMES: AS A RESULT OF THE ACTIVITIES PERFORMED, THIS PROGRAM IS EXPECTED TO ASSIST IN FUNDING THE OPERATING AND MAINTENANCE EXPENSES. THIS MAY INCLUDE INCREASED OCCUPANCY IN PUBLIC HOUSING, DECREASED ENERGY COSTS THROUGH REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND ENERGY PERFORMANCE CONTRACTING AND LEVERAGE FEDERAL RESOURCES. IN ADDITION TO ADDRESSING THE DEPARTMENT’S STRATEGIC GOALS OF: • ADDRESSING THE NEED FOR QUALITY AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOMES BY MAINTAINING OR IMPROVING UPON THE 96% OCCUPANCY RATE OF HABITABLE UNITS; • PROMOTING HOUSING AS A PLATFORM TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE THROUGH SUPPORTIVE SERVICES, CRIME PREVENTION EFFORTS AND RESIDENT ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES; AND • HELPING TO BUILD INCLUSIVE COMMUNITIES FREE FROM DISCRIMINATION BY FACILITATING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF AFFIRMATIVELY FURTHERING FAIR HOUSING MEASURES.; INTENDED BENEFICIARIES: THE OPERATING FUND PROVIDES FOR THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF LOW-INCOME HOUSING PROJECTS TO PHAS/PROJECTS. IT WAS CREATED TO ASSIST HOUSING AUTHORITIES IN PROVIDING DECENT AND SAFE RENTAL HOUSING FOR ELIGIBLE LOW-INCOME FAMILIES OR INDIVIDUALS, THE ELDERLY, AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES. A HA DETERMINES ELIGIBILITY BASED ON 1) ANNUAL GROSS INCOME; 2) A PERSON ON WHO IS ELDERLY, A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY, OR AS A FAMILY; AND 3) U.S. CITIZENSHIP OR ELIGIBLE IMMIGRATION STATUS.; SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES: THE SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES ARE UNKNOWN AT THE TIME OF AWARD.

RECOVERY OF ENDANGERED CAPE SABLE SEASIDE SPARROW IN EVERGLADES

WITH INCREASING RESTORATION AND OTHER HABITAT ENHANCEMENT OPPORTUNITIES (INCLUDING ON AGRICULTURAL AND TRIBAL LANDS) OCCURRING ACROSS ECOSYSTEMS IN WASHINGTON STATE, AN ADEQUATE AND EQUITABLE SUPPLY OF PLANT MATERIALS IS ESSENTIAL. USFWS AND PARTNERS HAVE IDENTIFIED THE NEED FOR A STATE-WIDE SEED COORDINATOR TO HELP IDENTIFY, BUILD, AND COORDINATE REGIONAL PRIORITIES AND PARTNERSHIPS TO OPTIMIZE SEED PRODUCTION AND PURCHASING AND MANAGE SOURCING ISSUES. THIS PROJECT CONTINUES USFWS IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NATIONAL SEED STRATEGY BY WORKING TO PUT SEED COLLECTING TEAMS ON THE GROUND, INVESTING IN SEED PRODUCTION, AND IMPROVING ECOREGIONAL AND NATIONAL COORDINATION WITHIN OUR AGENCY, AND SUPPORTS EFFORTS TO COORDINATE ACROSS USFWS-ADMINISTRATIVE UNITS AND WITH OTHER AGENCIES, AS WELL AS PRIVATE, STATE, AND TRIBAL LAND MANAGERS, AS APPROPRIATE. THE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS IS TO SUPPORT A 0.5 FTE WASHINGTON NATIVE SEED COORDINATOR POSITION TO DEVELOP AND FACILITATE THE PARTNERSHIPS NEEDED TO CREATE A STATE-WIDE ECOREGIONAL NATIVE SEED STRATEGY THIS WILL COMPLETE A 1 FTE POSITION, IN CONJUNCTION WITH AN ALREADY-FUNDED 0.5 FTE WESTERN WASHINGTON SEED COORDINATOR POSITION. DURING THIS PERIOD THE PROJECT WILL FOCUS ON AT LEAST FOUR OBJECTIVES: 1) BUILD STATE-WIDE AND REGIONAL NATIVE SEED PARTNERSHIPS 2) DEVELOP A DATABASE OF GROWERS AND FACILITIES IN WASHINGTON 3) DEVELOP A DATABASE OF PARTNERS BY ECOREGION AND 4). DOCUMENT AND COLLECT ESSENTIAL INFORMATION FOR THE CREATION OF A STATE-WIDE WASHINGTON NATIVE SEED STRATEGY.

CONSORTIUM FOR ADVANCED MANUFACTURING OF CELL AND TISSUE-BASED PRODUCTS -THIS PROJECT AIMS TO COORDINATE A NETWORK OF STAKEHOLDERS THAT WILL PROMOTE ECONOMIC GROWTH THROUGH WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT IN ADVANCED MANUFACTURING OF CELL AND TISSUE-BASED PRODUCTS (AMCTP). AMCTP REQUIRES A NEW KIND OF MANUFACTURING THAT USES ROBOTICS, MICROFLUIDICS, 3-D PRINTING, COMPUTATIONAL MODELING, AND NOVEL TYPES OF ENGINEERING TO CONSTRUCT BIOLOGICALLY RELEVANT PRODUCTS COMPOSED OF LIVING CELLS IN COMBINATION WITH NATURAL OR SYNTHETIC MATERIALS. THE FIELD IS BUILT UPON ADVANCES IN STEM CELL BIOLOGY, GENOME EDITING, SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY, COMPUTATIONAL MODELING, MICRO- AND NANO-FABRICATION, TISSUE ENGINEERING, AND 3-D ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING. THE PRODUCTS OF AMCTP HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO EXTEND OUR UNDERSTANDING OF DISORDERS AND MAY PROVIDE EFFECTIVE METHODS FOR TREATING CONDITIONS SUCH AS PARKINSON'S DISEASE, SPINAL CORD INJURY, MACULAR DEGENERATION, DIABETES, AND HEART DISEASE. THERE ARE EXPANDING CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN THIS FIELD, AS WELL AS UNMET NEEDS TO DEVELOP A WORKFORCE THAT HAS THE REQUIRED SKILLS. BY CREATING A NETWORK OF STAKEHOLDERS FROM EDUCATION, GOVERNMENT, AND INDUSTRY, THE GOAL OF THE COORDINATION NETWORK IS TO DEVELOP A SKILLED, DIVERSE WORKFORCE FOR AMCTP AND INFORM THE PUBLIC ABOUT AMCTP. THIS COORDINATION NETWORK WILL USE THE EXPERIENCE, EXPERTISE, AND PERSPECTIVES OF DIVERSE STAKEHOLDERS TO UNIFY EFFORTS AND SCALE UP THE PROGRESS IN PREPARATION OF ENTRY, MIDDLE-SKILL, AND SENIOR LEVEL CAREER TRACKS IN AMCTP. MADISON AREA TECHNICAL COLLEGE WILL WORK WITH STAKEHOLDERS TO ENSURE THAT PROJECT ACTIVITIES INCLUDE PRINCIPLES OF INCLUSION, EQUITY, EQUALITY, AND DIVERSITY. THE LESSONS LEARNED IN THIS PROJECT HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO SERVE AS A MODEL FOR SIMILAR EFFORTS IN OTHER EMERGING TECHNOLOGY AREAS. THE PROJECT AIMS TO ACCOMPLISH FOUR OBJECTIVES: (I) ESTABLISH A NATIONAL CONSORTIUM AND A SYSTEM OF GOVERNANCE BASED ON SHARED INTEREST AND PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS TO ENABLE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT FOR AMCTP; (II) CONDUCT ANNUAL MEETINGS OF THE AMCTP CONSORTIUM AND FOCUSED SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP MEETINGS; (III) IDENTIFY/DEVELOP/DISSEMINATE INDUSTRY-BASED AMCTP CORE COMPETENCIES AND IDENTIFY AND DISSEMINATE INFORMATION ABOUT RELEVANT WORKFORCE EDUCATION/TRAINING OPTIONS; AND (IV) CREATE A STRUCTURE FOR SUSTAINABILITY BASED ON PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS, INVESTMENTS, AND COMMITMENTS. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.

DEV & COORDINATION OF DOD INSTALLATION SUBMERGED AQUATIC VEGETATION PROGRAM

ACEP WRE RESTORATION - EPS - ROBINS,HYDROLOGICAL AND VEGETATVE RESTORATION TO BE CONSTRUCTED ON WETLAND EASEMENT. 12-MONTH NCE - COVID-19

COLLABORATIVE RESARCH: TERRESTRIAL SUPPORT OF LAKE FOOD WEBS: A MULTI-ISOTOPE APPROACH

THIS AWARD FUNDS THE APPROVED 2024?25 RSVP PROGRAM. YOUR 2024?25 STATUTORY MATCH IS 30% AND YOUR BUDGETARY MATCH IS 48.13%. THIS AWARD IS APPROVED TO ADD $2,500 IN ONE-TIME ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR TRAVEL RELATED TO TRAINING IN FY 24.

AN ESTIMATED 233 RSVP VOLUNTEERS WILL SERVE IN MECOSTA, OSCEOLA & LAKE COUNTIES. OF THIS NUMBER, 111 VOLUNTEERS WILL BE PLACED IN OUTCOME ASSIGNMENTS. SOME OF THEIR ACTIVITIES WILL INCLUDE STOCKING PANTRIES, DISTRIBUTE COMMODITIES, TRANSPORT TO COMMUNITY SITES, MENTORING, TUTORING,ENVIRONMENTAL/RECYCLE CLEAN UP. THE PRIMARY FOCUS AREA OF THIS PROJECT IS HEALTHY FUTURES. AT THE END OF THE 3 YEAR GRANT PERIOD-ESTIMATED 1,210 INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES WILL HAVE IMPROVED FOOD SECURITY BECAUSE OF RSVP VOLUNTEERS WORKING AT LOCAL FOOD PANTRIES/TRIPS TO GET GROCERIES,ETC.THE CNCS FEDERAL INVESTMENT OF $75,000.00 WILL BE SUPPLEMENTED BY $73,707.00 FROM NON-FEDERAL SOURCES.

GUATEMALAN RETURNEES OFTEN FACE PRESSURE TO RE-MIGRATE TO THE U.S. TO SEEK BETTER ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES OR TO FLEE VIOLENCE. ASOCIACIÓN DE RETORNADOS GUATEMALTECOS (ARG) WORKS TO RE-INTEGRATE RETURNEES BACK INTO GUATEMALAN SOCIETY BY CONNECTING THEM WITH POTENTIAL EMPLOYERS, VOCATIONAL TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES, GOVERNMENT SERVICES AND TO A NETWORK OF RETURNEES WHO HAVE BUILT NEW LIVES FOR THEMSELVES IN GUATEMALA. AT THE IAF, WE SUPPORT COMMUNITY-LED SOLUTIONS TO EXPAND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES IN GUATEMALA. ARG’S ACTIVITIES PROMOTE ALTERNATIVES TO MIGRATION BY CREATING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES AND PROMOTING GREATER INTEGRATION INTO THEIR HOME COMMUNITIES. THIS GRANT IS PART OF OUR BROADER INITIATIVE TO SUPPORT ECONOMIC PROSPERITY, DEMOCRACY AND GOVERNANCE CONSISTENT WITH THE U.S. STRATEGY FOR ENGAGEMENT IN CENTRAL AMERICA.

F19AP00457

THERE IS STRONG EVIDENCE THAT TAYLORS CHECKERSPOT BUTTERFLY (TCB) POPULATION NUMBERS ARE DRAMATICALLY DECLINING ACROSS MANY SITES, PARTICULARLY IN THE CENTER OF ITS RANGE. WHILE THIS DECLINE MAY BE DUE IN PART TO DIRECT IMPACTS OF EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS (EXTENDED SPRING-SUMMER DROUGHT, LATE WINTER FREEZE EVENTS, THE 2021 HEAT DOME, ETC.), IT IS ALSO HYPOTHESIZED THAT A LARGE CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IS A CONCURRENT DECLINE IN OVIPOSITION AND LARVAL HOST PLANT ABUNDANCE IN OCCUPIED SITES DUE TO THE SAME EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS. VERY LITTLE INFORMATION EXISTS AROUND THE MICROSITE CONDITIONS NEEDED TO SUPPORT THE PRIMARY HOST PLANT SPECIES THROUGHOUT THE DIFFERENT LIFE STAGES OF THE BUTTERFLY. WITH THE PROJECTED INCREASE IN THE FREQUENCY OF EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS, INCLUDING EXTENSIVE AND INTENSIVE SPRING-SUMMER DROUGHTS THROUGHOUT THE PNW, IT IS IMPERATIVE TO UNDERSTAND THE CONDITIONS THAT SUPPORT CLIMATE-RESILIENT POPULATIONS OF TAYLORS CHECKERSPOT HOST PLANTS TO MEET RECOVERY GOALS FOR THIS ENDANGERED BUTTERFLY SPECIES. IN ADDITION TO IDENTIFYING AND CREATING SUPPORTIVE MICROSITE CONDITIONS, WE ALSO NEED TO SELECT THE GENETICS THAT WILL THRIVE IN THE RANGE OF CONDITIONS EXPECTED IN THE FUTURE. TESTING SEEDS SOURCED FROM DIFFERENT LOCAL AND REGIONAL SITES WILL PROVIDE THE INFORMATION NEEDED TO CREATE RESILIENT POPULATIONS OF HOST PLANTS GOING FORWARD. THIS PROJECT WILL FOCUS ON FOUR OBJECTIVES: 1) IDENTIFY THE MICROSITE CONDITIONS THAT LEAD TO P. LANCEOLATA AND CASTILLEJA SP. PATCH PERSISTENCE AND DENSITY THAT MEET TAYLORS CHECKERSPOT BUTTERFLY OVIPOSITION HABITAT REQUIREMENTS, 2) EVALUATE THE EFFECTS OF MICROSITE CONDITIONS ON THE PHENOLOGY OF CASTILLEJA SP. AND P. LANCEOLATA THAT MAXIMIZE BOTH PRE- AND POST-DIAPAUSE LARVAL FOOD RESOURCES, 3) EVALUATE THE EFFECTS OF SEED PROVENANCE ON P. LANCEOLATA ESTABLISHMENT, GROWTH AND REPRODUCTION WITHIN DIFFERENT MICROSITES, AND 4) COMMUNICATE PROJECT PROGRESS AND OUTCOMES TO LOCAL AND REGIONAL PARTNERS, RESEARCHERS AND PRACTITIONERS THROUGH REPORTS, REGIONAL AND NATIONAL CONFERENCES AND PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS. THESE OBJECTIVES WILL BE ADDRESSED THROUGH A COMBINATION OF MONITORING OF LONG-TERM PLOTS, INSTRUMENTATION OF OCCUPIED MICROSITES WITH SOIL MOISTURE AND TEMPERATURE DATALOGGERS ALONG WITH PHENOLOGICAL MONITORING OF HOST PLANTS, AND A COMMON GARDEN TRIAL CROSSING SEED SOURCE BY MICROSITE. ACTIVITIES WILL TAKE PLACE AT THREE SITES OCCUPIED BY HOST PLANTS (AND IN MOST CASES, TCB) IN EACH OF THREE REGIONS THAT SPAN THE U.S. DISTRIBUTION OF TCB: THE NORTH AND SOUTH PUGET SOUND IN WASHINGTON, AND THE WILLAMETTE VALLEY IN OREGON.

DUCTLESS HEAT PUMP WITH SIMPLIFIED INSTALL AND SERVICEABILITY

BLM WY CHOKECHERRY MULE DEER COLLARING STUDY

IN THE FERTILE MOUNTAINS OF THE CHIRIQUÍ PROVINCE IN WESTERN PANAMA, TEMPORARY AGRICULTURAL WORKERS—INCLUDING MANY FROM THE INDIGENOUS NGÄBE COMMUNITY—LIVE IN PRECARIOUS DWELLINGS ON HILLSIDES AND NEAR STREAMS. AS MORE AND MORE LAND IS TRANSFORMED INTO FARMLAND, THESE HOMES FACE INCREASED RISK OF FLOODING DURING THE RAINY SEASON. AT THE IAF, WE SUPPORT COMMUNITY-LED SOLUTIONS TO STRENGTHEN LOCAL GOVERNANCE AND PREPARE FOR NATURAL DISASTERS. OUR GRANTEE PARTNER, FUNDACIÓN PARA EL DESARROLLO INTEGRAL COMUNITARIO Y CONSERVACIÓN DE LOS ECOSISTEMAS EN PANAMÁ (FUNDICCEP), WORKS WITH LOCAL COMMUNITIES TO PROMOTE WIDER PARTICIPATION IN DISASTER READINESS COMMITTEES, STRENGTHEN DISASTER READINESS AND RISK MANAGEMENT PLANS, AND ENSURE THAT NGÄBE AND OTHER WORKERS’ VOICES ARE HEARD AND NEEDS ARE MET IN COMMUNITY DECISION-MAKING.

NORTH FISH CREEK IS A TRIBUTARY TO CHEQUAMEGON BAY OF LAKE SUPERIOR. THE STREAM HAS IMPORTANT COLD-WATER HABITAT POTENTIAL FOR NATIVE BROOK TROUT THAT IS LIMITED BY EXCESS SEDIMENTATION. THE PHASE 3 KEYSTONE BLUFF PROJECT WILL BE THE FIFTH BLUFF STABILIZATION AND FISH HABITAT ENHANCEMENT PROJECT ON PUBLIC PROPERTY ALONG NORTH FISH CREEK SINCE 2018 AND IS PART OF A LONG-TERM EFFORT TO REDUCE CURRENT RATES OF EROSION AND EXCESS SEDIMENTATION BY HALF. COASTAL PROGRAM FUNDS WILL BE USED TO SUPPORT PROJECT CONSTRUCTION AND MANAGEMENT. CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES INCLUDE RE-ROUTING THE STREAM CHANNEL THROUGH THE FLOODPLAIN ABOUT 150 FEET FROM THE BLUFF. LARGE WOOD AND ROCK STRUCTURES WILL BE INSTALLED TO PROTECT THE NEW STREAMBANKS AND BED. THE WOOD STRUCTURES WILL BE DESIGNED TO REPLICATE NATURAL WOOD FORMATIONS THAT ALSO PROVIDE CRITICAL AQUATIC HABITAT. WHEN COMPLETED, THE PROJECT WILL RESTORE AND ENHANCE 0.1 MILES OF STREAM CHANNEL, RESTORE AND ENHANCE 0.1 ACRES OF RIVERINE WETLAND, AND PREVENT AN ESTIMATED 2,800 ANNUAL TONS OF SEDIMENT FROM ENTERING THE STREAM. THE PROJECT WILL BENEFIT BROOK TROUT AND OTHER AQUATIC LIFE IN NORTH FISH CREEK AND RECREATIONAL USERS OF THIS CLASS 1 TROUT STREAM ON PUBLIC PROPERTY.

RCN: AN ECOSYSTEM RESEARCH COOPERATIVE FOR NORTHEASTERN NORTH AMERICA

EASY INSTALL HEAT PUMP INTEGRATED WITH FUEL OIL HEATING APPLIANCE

PREVENTING EXTIRPATION OF RECOVERY SITES IN WASHINGTON AND OREGON FOR THE FEDERALLY THREATENED STREAKED HORNED LARK BY DEVELOPING TECHNIQUES AND AN IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY.

HOMELESS ASSISTANCE

CAPITAL FUND PROGRAM

CAPITAL FUND PROGRAM

CAPITAL FUND PROGRAM

TOPIC AREA 3: ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT GREATER SAGE-GROUSE TELEMETRY STUDY FOR THE SIMPSON RIDGE WIND RESOURCE AREA CARBON COUNTY, WYOMING

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: NETWORK CLUSTER: URBAN CRITICAL ZONE PROCESSES ALONG THE PIEDMONT-COASTAL PLAIN TRANSITION

THE LITTLE WABASH RIVER (LITTLE RIVER) OF NORTHERN INDIANA IS A 23-MILE-LONG TRIBUTARY TO THE WABASH RIVER IN NORTHERN INDIANA. THE STREAM JOINS THE MAINSTEM OF THE WABASH RIVER AT RIVER MILE 406. THE STREAM HAS A WATERSHED AREA OF 284 SQUARE MILES AND THE WATERSHED IS PREDOMINANTLY CULTIVATED AGRICULTURE WHERE IT ACCOUNTS FOR NEARLY 75 . THE REMAINDER OF THE WATERSHED IS FRAGMENTED SMALL RIPARIAN FORESTS AND THE UPPER PART OF THE WATERSHED IS WITHIN THE SUBURBAN AREA OF FT. WAYNE, INDIANA. THE STREAM IS NOTABLE FROM A HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE AND RUNS THROUGH THE SOUTHSIDE OF HUNTINGTON, INDIANA AT RIVER MILE 2. THERE IS A LOW-HEAD DAM AND FISH PASSAGE BARRIER IN THE LITTLE RIVER IS AT RIVER MILE 2.2 ABOVE THE CONFLUENCE WITH THE WABASH RIVER. REMOVAL OF THIS BARRIER WOULD RECONNECT 423-STREAM MILES (181,124-ACRES) ABOVE THE DAM AND OPEN NEARLY 500-METERS OF NEW FISH AND MUSSEL HABITAT THAT IS CURRENTLY IN THE POOL BEHIND THE DAM.

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: WHOLE ECOSYSTEM EXPERIMENTS ON EARLY WARNINGS FOR REGIME SHIFTS TO CYANOBACTERIA IN LAKES

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: CI-TEAM DEMONSTRATION: DEVELOPING A MODEL FOR ENGAGEMENT OF CITIZEN SCIENTISTS: LAKE ASSOCIATIONS

WORKSHOP AND PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR MEETING FOR COUPLED BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES: RECENT PROGRESS AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS

TO ADD FINDING AND EXTEND THE PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE.

LTREB: LONG-TERM RESPONSE OF AN ECOSYSTEM TO AN INVASIVE SPECIES

LTREB: ACORN PULSES AND THE DYNAMICS OF RODENTS, TICKS, AND LYME-DISEASE IN OAK FORESTS

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: OPENING PANDORA'S BOX WITH A BIOTIC KEY: CAN CYANOBACTERIAL BLOOMS IN NUTRIENT-POOR LAKES ACCELERATE EUTROPHICATION?

RAPID: EFFECTS OF SPONGY MOTH DEFOLIATION ON BLACKLEGGED TICKS -IN THE UNITED STATES, BLACKLEGGED TICKS ARE THE MAIN VECTORS OF LYME DISEASE AND SEVERAL OTHER DISEASES THAT AFFLICT ROUGHLY 500,000 PEOPLE EACH YEAR. THE ABUNDANCE OF THESE TICKS IS A MAJOR RISK FACTOR FOR HUMAN POPULATIONS. RESEARCH THAT IDENTIFIES THE FACTORS THAT REGULATE TICK ABUNDANCE IS CRITICAL FOR PREDICTING AND MANAGING HUMAN DISEASE RISK. TICKS ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO HIGH TEMPERATURES AND LOW HUMIDITY AT GROUND LEVEL, WHERE THEY SPEND 95% OF THEIR LIVES. SPONGY MOTH OUTBREAKS OCCUR ROUGHLY EVERY TEN YEARS, CAN EXTEND OVER LARGE REGIONS, AND AT HIGH ABUNDANCE CAN STRIP MILLIONS OF (PARTICULARLY OAK) TREES OF THEIR LEAVES, AFFECTING CONDITIONS ON THE FOREST FLOOR BY REMOVING SHADE, INCREASING TEMPERATURES, AND DECREASING HUMIDITY. THIS PROJECT IS DESIGNED TO ASK WHETHER DEFOLIATION BY SPONGY MOTHS CAUSES CHANGES IN GROUND CONDITIONS THAT DECREASE SURVIVAL AND THEREFORE POPULATION SIZE OF BLACKLEGGED TICKS. THE PROPOSED RESEARCH WILL EVALUATE THE INFLUENCE OF HUMIDITY AND TEMPERATURE ON TICK SURVIVAL AND POPULATION GROWTH AT LOCATIONS EXPERIENCING A RANGE OF SPONGY MOTH DEFOLIATION. THE PROJECT WILL ALLOW RESEARCHERS TO PREDICT THE IMPACTS OF CURRENT AND FUTURE SPONGY MOTH OUTBREAKS ON RISK OF TICK-BORNE DISEASES IN NEARBY COMMUNITIES, FACILITATING INTERVENTIONS TO PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH. POST-BACCALAUREATE PROJECT ASSISTANTS WILL RECEIVE IMMERSIVE TRAINING EXPERIENCES THAT PROVIDE EXCELLENT PREPARATION FOR RESEARCH CAREERS. THE RESEARCH INVOLVES THE EXPERIMENTAL DEPLOYMENT OF ALL SIX STAGES IN THE LIFE CYCLE OF THE BLACKLEGGED TICK (I.E. ENGORGED AND UNFED LARVAE, NYMPHS, AND ADULTS), IN HEAVILY DEFOLIATED, LIGHTLY DEFOLIATED, AND EXPERIMENTALLY SHADED LOCATIONS ON EACH OF SIX FOREST PLOTS ON THE GROUNDS OF THE CARY INSTITUTE OF ECOSYSTEM STUDIES. KNOWN NUMBERS OF TICKS WILL BE PLACED IN SMALL SOIL-CORE ENCLOSURES AND THEN ENCLOSURES WILL BE REMOVED AT REGULAR INTERVALS TO QUANTIFY MORTALITY. DEPLOYING ALL STAGES TOGETHER WITH TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY DATA LOGGERS INSIDE SOIL-CORE ENCLOSURES, WILL ALLOW THE INVESTIGATORS TO MODEL THE HAZARD OF TICK MORTALITY AS A FUNCTION OF ABIOTIC CONDITIONS. HAZARD OF MORTALITY FOR EACH LIFE STAGE WILL THEN BE INTEGRATED ACROSS LIFE STAGES AND ABIOTIC CONDITIONS TO INFORM A TICK POPULATION MATRIX MODEL AND FORECAST TICK-BORNE DISEASE RISK. BECAUSE OTHER FOREST PESTS, DISTURBANCES, AND CLIMATE CHANGE CAN HAVE SIMILAR EFFECTS ON CONDITIONS ON THE FOREST FLOOR, THE RESEARCH WILL LEAD TO A GENERAL UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT CONTROLS TICK POPULATIONS. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

PUBLIC HOUSING CAPITAL FUND

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: ECOSYSTEMS AND EVIDENCE PROJECT

OPUS: THE ECOLOGY OF LYME DISEASE: LONG-TERM DATA, SURPRISES, AND A SYNTHESIS -LYME DISEASE IS ONE OF THE MOST FREQUENTLY REPORTED INFECTIOUS DISEASES IN THE UNITED STATES. THE BACTERIA THAT CAUSE LYME DISEASE ARE TRANSMITTED BY TICKS TO PEOPLE, CAUSING SERIOUS ILLNESS. THE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO SYNTHESIZE 35 YEARS OF RESEARCH TO ADDRESS BOTH SCIENTIFIC THEORY OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES AND TO IMPROVE PREDICTION AND MANAGEMENT OF THIS DISEASE. LYME DISEASE HAS BECOME A MODEL FOR UNDERSTANDING EMERGING DISEASES IN THE USA AND WORLDWIDE. HOWEVER, LYME DISEASE IS A COMPLEX ILLNESS THAT INVOLVES INTERACTIONS BETWEEN TICKS, BACTERIA, WILDLIFE, FORESTS, WEATHER, SUBURBIA, AND PEOPLE. PREVENTING THIS AND RELATED DISEASES REQUIRES IMPROVED UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE AND WHEN PEOPLE ARE AT GREATEST RISK. MANY TICKS ARE INFECTED WITH SEVERAL PATHOGENS, INCREASING HUMAN EXPOSURE TO OTHER INFECTIOUS DISEASES. THIS PROJECT ADVANCES NSF?S PRIORITIES IN BIOTECHNOLOGY BY PROVIDING A FRAMEWORK FOR DECISION MAKING ON MODELING, PREVENTION, AND MANAGEMENT OF A COMPLEX AND CRITICAL DISEASE IMPACTING HUMAN HEALTH AND WILDLIFE. A 35-YEAR STUDY OF LYME DISEASE ECOLOGY HAS REVEALED SURPRISING RESULTS INCONSISTENT EITHER WITH POPULATION THEORY AND WITH EXPECTATIONS FROM SHORTER-TERM STUDIES. FOR EXAMPLE, (1) DESPITE DEER BEING CONSIDERED THE MAIN REPRODUCTIVE HOST FOR BLACKLEGGED TICKS, LONG-TERM DATA SHOW NO EFFECT OF DEER ON DENSITIES OF TICKS, WHEREAS THE EFFECT OF RODENTS IS CONSIDERABLY STRONGER. (2) ALTHOUGH WHITE-FOOTED MICE ARE THE MOST EFFICIENT HOST IN TRANSMITTING ZOONOTIC INFECTIONS TO TICKS, THE EFFECT OF MOUSE DENSITY ON INFECTION PREVALENCE FOR ANY PATHOGEN IS NOT DETECTABLE. (3) LIFE HISTORY THEORY PREDICTS DEMOGRAPHIC FORCING BETWEEN CONSECUTIVE LIFE STAGES. YET, CONTRARY TO EXPECTATIONS, THE ABUNDANCE OF LARVAL TICKS IN ONE YEAR DOES NOT PREDICT THE NUMBER OF NYMPHS THE FOLLOWING YEAR. (4) THE BODY BURDEN OF LARVAL AND NYMPHAL TICKS ON RODENTS DECLINES AS THE POPULATION DENSITY OF THOSE HOSTS INCREASES. (5) WEAK EFFECTS OF SUMMER OR WINTER TEMPERATURE EXTREMES ON TICK ABUNDANCE CONTRADICT THE PREDICTION THAT COLD OR HOT EXTREMES CAUSE EXCESS MORTALITY AND REGULATE TICK POPULATIONS IN NATURE. (6) THE OBSERVED STABILITY IN TICK INFECTION PREVALENCE IS INCONSISTENT WITH THEORY SUGGESTING THAT THIS SYSTEM SHOULD SHOW A POSITIVE FEEDBACK LOOP BETWEEN INFECTION OF TICKS AND INFECTION OF HOSTS. A REVIEW OF LONG-TERM STUDIES WILL EXPLORE EACH OF THE SURPRISES IN LIGHT OF PARADIGMS THAT AROSE IN THE 20TH CENTURY. REPLACEMENT OF THESE PARADIGMS IS CENTRAL TO PREDICTION AND MANAGEMENT OF LYME DISEASE RISK. THE REVIEW WILL FACILITATE FURTHER RESEARCH INTO THE ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS THAT SUPPORT GROWING INCIDENCE OF ZOONOTIC DISEASES. IMPROVED POWER TO PREDICT ECOLOGICAL CAUSES OF VARIABLE HUMAN DISEASE RISK EXPANDS BOTH THE REALIZED AND PERCEIVED UTILITY OF ECOLOGY FOR HUMAN HEALTH. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

SEC. 9007 REAP-ENERGY EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENTS GRANTS (MAN)

PROJECT TITLE NOT PROVIDED

FUNDS UNDER THIS AWARD ARE TO BE USED TO REMOVE THE DAMS ON INDIANA CREEK IN CORYDON, IN AND ASSESS THE ECOLOGICAL AND HYDROLOGICAL RESPONSES TO FLOW REGIME AND FISH PASSAGE RESTORATION.

THIS PROJECT IS TO REVEAL MIGRATORY ROUTES AND TIMING, STOPOVER AREAS, AND WINTERING GROUNDS OF THREE-AT-RISK GRASSLAND BIRD SPECIES

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: RCN-SEES FOR URBAN SUSTAINABILITY: RESEARCH COORDINATION AND SYNTHESIS FOR A TRANSFORMATIVE FUTURE

PUBLIC HOUSING CAPITAL FUND

SBIR PHASE I: HIGH-PERFORMANCE METAL PRETREATMENTS