White Nose Syndrome Research

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is pleased to announce the availability of new research funding to investigate issues related directly to the management of white nose syndrome (WNS). This opportunity is open to nongovernmental, university, and private researchers, as well as State, Federal, and Tribal agency personnel. For information on WNS and details of currently funded projects, please see: http://www.whitenosesyndrome.org/research-and-monitoring White nose syndrome continued to spread last winter (2012/2013), and is anticipated to continue its progression in 2014. As of 30 January 2014, WNS or evidence of the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd) has been reported from at least one location in 26 states and five Canadian provinces including Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, and Quebec. Surveys in affected areas continue to reveal population declines associated with the disease, and evidence to date suggests that affected bat populations are not likely to stabilize or recover in the immediate future. The USFWS has targeted $2 million for an open funding opportunity in 2014 to investigate critical gaps in our understanding of WNS that hinder our ability to control the disease. Available funds are from internally awarded FY2013 and anticipated FY2014 funds. 2014 PRIORITIES Through this request, the USFWS will fund research that addresses priorities identified by the working groups established under the National WNS Response Plan. Proposals addressing priorities 1 and 2 (Tier 1) will receive preference in scoring, while projects addressing priority 3, the open category, will be competitive by excelling in other scoring criteria (see sections on proposal requirements and proposal review). The questions that follow each priority listed below are provided as examples and do not represent a comprehensive list: Tier 1: 1. Priority 1: Understanding the nature and dynamics of remnant bat populations in WNS affected areas. Are survival and recruitment consistent across the affected area within species? What factors influence host resilience and tolerance? 2.P riority 2: Understanding the nature and dynamics of Pd infectivity and virulence factors. Why and how is Pd pathogenic? How does Pd differ physiologically and genomically from congeneric and other cave-associated fungal species? Tier 2: 3. Priority 3: Other important research. (An open category) Control of Pd: chemical and or biological agents for possible treatment of bats and or their environments. Examination of the ecological and economic impacts of WNS.