Analysis and Reporting of Existing Data on Low-Density Detection of Brown Treesnakes on Guam | USGS FA 17 9151

Opportunity Information: Apply for USGS FA 17 9151

This grant opportunity, titled "Analysis and Reporting of Existing Data on Low-Density Detection of Brown Treesnakes on Guam" (Funding Opportunity Number USGS FA 17 9151), is a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) cooperative agreement managed through the Department of the Interior. It is aimed at supporting Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, to analyze and report on data that already exist from prior field work rather than funding a brand-new field campaign. The work falls under the broader public purpose of improving how agencies detect and manage invasive brown treesnakes (BTS) on Guam, especially in situations where snake populations have been reduced to low densities and are therefore harder to find.

The underlying problem the opportunity addresses is that brown treesnakes are a major invasive threat on Guam. Multiple federal and territorial agencies treat BTS control as a top priority because the snakes have caused severe ecological damage, including impacts on native wildlife, and they pose an ongoing biosecurity risk. That risk is not limited to Guam itself; it also includes the possibility of snakes being accidentally transported to other islands that do not currently have BTS populations. As snake numbers decline in managed areas, finding the remaining individuals becomes more difficult, and detection becomes the limiting step for both effective control on Guam and early detection efforts elsewhere.

The proposed analysis is tied directly to a 2015 collaborative research project conducted in Guam's Habitat Management Unit (HMU) on Andersen Air Force Base (AAFB). In that earlier work, Dr. Scott Boback of Dickinson College served as the principal investigator, with field activities jointly carried out by USGS and Dickinson College personnel. The project produced data intended to shed light on how brown treesnakes behave when they occur at low density, and how that behavior affects the likelihood that standard search methods will find them.

The opportunity describes two main scientific questions that the analysis and reporting are meant to address. The first is behavioral and ecological: how do brown treesnakes at low densities move through the landscape, and what habitats or habitat features do they select? This includes movement parameters (how far they travel, how often they move, and how they use space) as well as habitat selection (which areas or microhabitats they tend to occupy). Understanding these patterns matters because control programs often assume certain snake activity levels and habitat use, and those assumptions may become less accurate once populations are suppressed.

The second question is operational and practical: can visual search strategies be improved by understanding mismatches between where snakes actually spend time and where searchers typically find them? The description highlights a specific comparison: microhabitats selected by snakes implanted with radiotransmitters versus the microhabitats where snakes are detected during visual searches. If radiotelemetry indicates that snakes frequently use microhabitats that are under-sampled or overlooked by search teams, then agencies could adjust protocols to focus effort where it is most likely to pay off. In other words, the goal is to translate ecological findings into better detection methods, which is critical in low-density situations where each additional detection can have outsized value.

Administratively, the funding mechanism is a discretionary cooperative agreement, meaning USGS anticipates substantial involvement or collaboration with the recipient during the work. The eligible applicants are public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, and the opportunity specifies a single expected award. The award ceiling is $39,000, indicating a relatively focused scope consistent with analysis, synthesis, and reporting of existing datasets rather than extensive new data collection. The posting lists a creation date of July 1, 2017, and an original closing date of July 14, 2017, which reflects a short application window typical of targeted or partner-specific cooperative efforts.

In practical terms, the deliverable implied by the notice is a rigorous analysis and written reporting of the 2015 HMU/AAFB dataset with an emphasis on low-density detection. The intended outcome is actionable guidance for improving detection and search efficiency, supporting both ongoing brown treesnake control efforts on Guam and prevention efforts aimed at keeping other islands snake-free.

• The Department of the Interior, Geological Survey in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Analysis and Reporting of Existing Data on Low-Density Detection of Brown Treesnakes on Guam" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.808.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jul 01, 2017.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 14, 2017. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $39,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.

Apply for USGS FA 17 9151

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: