Cooperative Agreement for CESU-affiliated Partner with Great Lakes – Northern Forest Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit | G24AS00361

FAQs: USGS Cisco Restoration Applied Research (G24AS00361)

What is the funding opportunity number and who is offering it?

The opportunity is G24AS00361. It is offered by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) through the Great Lakes Science Center as a discretionary cooperative agreement.

What is the main purpose of this award?

The central purpose is to support applied research on Great Lakes cisco (Coregonus artedi) restoration by testing how incubation temperature during early life stages affects outcomes in artificially reared cisco. The study focuses on survival, growth, physical form (morphology), and gene expression patterns.

Why is incubation temperature being studied?

Early development is a sensitive period when temperature can influence metabolism, development rate, stress responses, and other traits. The project aims to clarify how early rearing conditions shape later performance so hatchery and fisheries managers can make better-informed decisions that improve restoration and stocking success.

How will the results be used in management and restoration?

The work is intended to directly inform efforts to develop a hatchery strain of cisco for restoration in Lake Huron, with potential relevance to other Great Lakes systems. The findings are meant to guide hatchery protocols and improve the odds that stocked fish survive and perform well.

What species and geographic focus does this project address?

The project focuses on cisco (Coregonus artedi) in the Great Lakes, with a specific emphasis on restoration needs in Lake Huron.

Where will the fish and biological materials come from?

The work relies on collecting cisco gametes (eggs and milt) from northern Lake Huron. Those gametes will be used to produce offspring for the study.

Where will the experimental rearing and research be conducted?

Offspring produced from the collected gametes will be reared at the Tunison Laboratory of Aquatic Science under controlled conditions.

What is the experimental design described in the notice?

The design includes three incubation temperature treatments. This allows the research team to compare survival, growth, morphology, stress-related signals, and gene expression among fish incubated under different temperature conditions.

What are the main research objectives?

The project has three stated objectives:

1. Measure how three incubation temperature treatments affect survival, growth, morphology, and gene expression.
2. Identify physiological signals associated with stress across the temperature treatments (including whether certain temperatures trigger measurable stress responses that could influence health or performance).
3. Pinpoint specific genes whose expression differs among temperature groups and appears tied to survival and morphological differences.

What outcomes or metrics will be evaluated?

Based on the notice, the project will evaluate survival, growth, morphology (physical form), gene expression patterns, and physiological indicators linked to stress across the three incubation temperature treatments.

Does the opportunity emphasize practical application or basic science?

It is described as applied research tied to a practical management need. The intent is to produce actionable guidance for hatchery practices and restoration efforts.

How does gene expression fit into the project goals?

Gene expression is used to connect incubation temperature to underlying molecular responses, helping explain not just what differences are observed (for example, in survival or morphology) but also potential biological pathways associated with those differences.

What does it mean that this is a cooperative agreement?

The notice describes the award mechanism as a cooperative agreement, which typically implies substantial involvement or collaboration with USGS during the project rather than a hands-off grant relationship.

What program is this opportunity issued under?

This opportunity is issued under the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Program, which is structured to support research, technical assistance, and education tied to federal land and resource management needs.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is limited to participating partners of the Great Lakes - Northern Forests CESU. This means applicants must already be part of that CESU network rather than applying as a general standalone institution.

Is this opportunity open to applicants outside the CESU network?

Based on the notice, no. Eligibility is limited to participating partners of the Great Lakes - Northern Forests CESU.

What is the CFDA number listed for this opportunity?

The notice lists CFDA 15.808.

What is the funding category or activity type?

The funding activity aligns with science and technology and other research and development, as stated in the notice.

What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?

The award ceiling listed in the notice is $132,796.

When was the opportunity created and what was the closing date?

The notice indicates the opportunity was created on 2024-05-07, with an original closing date of 2024-06-07.

What partnerships or coordination are expected?

The work is described as being carried out in coordination with agency partners, and the cooperative agreement structure indicates active collaboration with USGS as part of the project.

How does this project support stocking success?

The project is designed to link early incubation temperature to traits that influence performance (survival, growth, morphology) and to identify stress-related signals and gene expression differences that may explain success or failure. The intent is to translate those findings into improved hatchery protocols that increase the likelihood that stocked fish thrive.

Which Great Lakes restoration efforts could benefit from the findings?

The notice highlights Lake Huron restoration efforts specifically and notes the potential for the results to be useful in other Great Lakes systems as managers work to rebuild cisco populations.