Cooperative Agreement for CESU-affiliated Partner with Great Rivers Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit | G22AS00119

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is this funding opportunity?

This opportunity is a US Geological Survey (USGS) cooperative agreement offered through the Great Rivers Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) program. It supports applied research to identify water quality conditions that protect freshwater mussel viability and, especially, mussel reproduction.

Who is offering the award?

The award is offered by the US Geological Survey (USGS) through the Great Rivers CESU network.

What type of funding mechanism is being used?

The opportunity uses a cooperative agreement mechanism. This means USGS is expected to have substantial involvement in the project compared to a standard grant.

What is the main scientific goal of the project?

The core goal is to develop and validate methods that can detect reproductive effects in freshwater mussels and then use those methods to evaluate toxicity from a hazardous chemical regulated under CERCLA (the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act).

Why is the project focused on mussel reproduction?

Because reproduction is essential to sustaining mussel populations, and there is currently a gap in widely accepted standardized toxicity testing methods for freshwater mussel reproduction. This gap limits how confidently regulators and resource managers can evaluate chemical threats to mussel recovery and persistence.

What problem with current mussel toxicity testing is this project trying to address?

Current ASTM International standard approaches for chronic toxicity testing with juvenile mussels generally rely on 28-day exposures and focus on endpoints like survival, growth (length and dry weight), and biomass (total dry weight of survivors per replicate). While useful, there is substantial uncertainty about whether 28-day survival and growth reliably predict longer-term reproductive impacts.

How does mussel testing compare to fish reproductive testing?

The opportunity notes that reproductive test methods are more established for fish, while mussel reproduction lacks widely accepted standardized methods. This project is intended to help close that gap for freshwater mussels.

What specific kind of test method is the project aiming to develop?

The project aims to build a partial life cycle test that includes reproductively relevant endpoints, rather than relying only on juvenile growth and survival endpoints.

What are the major study components described in the opportunity?

The opportunity describes two major study components: (1) develop methods using a short-term brooding mussel species to examine effects of a model chemical within a partial life cycle test; and (2) refine and validate that partial life cycle method using a chemical of direct interest to mussel resource managers so the final approach aligns with real-world decision needs and exposure scenarios.

What kinds of chemicals will be evaluated in the research?

The project will evaluate toxicity from a hazardous chemical regulated under CERCLA. It also specifies work with a model chemical during method development and then validation using a chemical of direct interest to mussel resource managers.

What is the anticipated outcome of the funded work?

The anticipated outcome is a set of usable, defensible methods that can be adopted by federal, regional, and state risk assessors to screen chemicals, inform regulatory decisions, and support mitigation actions in waters where listed or sensitive mussel species occur (or could occur).

How might the results be used beyond the immediate project?

A longer-term deliverable is that the results and validated procedures can feed into updates to ASTM International standard methods for mussel toxicity testing, helping move the field beyond reliance on 28-day juvenile endpoints toward methods that directly address reproductive health and population sustainability.

What is the relationship of this opportunity to ASTM International standards?

The opportunity references existing ASTM International standard approaches for chronic toxicity testing with juvenile mussels and indicates the project’s validated procedures could contribute to future updates to ASTM methods, particularly to better address reproduction.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is limited to a CESU-affiliated partner organization that is already an active participating member of the Great Rivers CESU network.

Why is eligibility restricted to Great Rivers CESU partners?

The restriction aligns with the CESU model, which channels applied research, technical support, and education through established collaborations among federal agencies, universities, and other partners within the CESU network.

What is the funding opportunity number?

The funding opportunity number is G22AS00119.

What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?

The opportunity is cataloged under CFDA 15.808.

What is the award ceiling (maximum expected funding amount)?

The posted award ceiling is $80,000.

What is the opportunity’s category or focus area?

It is categorized under Science and Technology and other Research and Development.

What are the key posted dates for this opportunity?

The creation date is listed as December 13, 2021, and the original closing date is listed as January 13, 2022.

What makes this opportunity particularly relevant for regulators and resource managers?

The project is designed to produce practical and defensible reproductive-effect testing methods that can be used to screen chemicals and inform regulatory and mitigation decisions, particularly for waters where listed or sensitive mussel species occur (or could occur).

What conservation or management context is mentioned in the opportunity?

The opportunity notes that chemical threats to mussel recovery and persistence are especially important in habitats that may be protected under conservation statutes, and that improved testing methods would support decision-making in these contexts.