Cooperative Agreement for CESU-affiliated Partner with Piedmont - South Atlantic Coast Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit

The US Geological Survey is offering a funding opportunity to a CESU partner for state-of-the-art research on sediment geochemical analysis in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM). The research will compare sediment environments in zones designated as impacted and reference zones following the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill. The USGS Wetland and Aquatic Research Center (WARC, Gainesville, FL) is offering a funding opportunity for research and technical assistance relevant to: “DWH Gulf of Mexico Mesophotic and Deep Benthic Community Restoration: sediment geochemical assessment in support of the Habitat Assessment and Evaluation Project”. The USGS conducts ecological studies in support of understanding restoration plans for the GOM, in conjunction and coordination with NOAA, as well as other state and federal partners. Research conducted by USGS scientists, and their research partners improves understanding of GOM sediment environments, continued environmental change, and responses to restoration actions in the deep GOM. USGS’s research provides valuable information, which is used to guide informed decisions during planning, restoration, and adaptive management throughout the duration of long-term restoration projects. The USGS is offering a funding opportunity to CESU partners with the capability to sample, quantify, and synthesize data analysis of sediments collected in regions impacted by the DWH and identify best practices for tracking changes to these constituents. It is anticipated that there will be up to three field sampling years, followed by two years of analysis and synthesis.