Opportunity Information: Apply for P18AS00028
The Department of the Interior, National Park Service is offering a cooperative agreement opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number P18AS00028) to support the development of a soil crust identification guide for the White Sands National Monument Citizen Science Program. The project is designed to generate baseline information on biological soil crusts in the worlds largest gypsum dune field at White Sands in New Mexico, an ecosystem often described as a gypsum island because of its unusual soils and distinctive biological communities. The work falls under the Natural Resources activity category (CFDA 15.945) and is structured to produce practical, public-facing products while also filling a major scientific data gap at the monument.
The core of the project is a systematic inventory of soil cryptogams, meaning non-flowering plants and plantlike organisms that live on or near the soil surface and help form biological soil crusts. The inventory is expected to focus on groups such as lichens, bryophytes (mosses and liverworts), eukaryotic algae, and cyanobacteria. In addition to documenting what species or recognizable types are present, the project is intended to assess ecological functionality across the gypsum system, which can include how these crust organisms contribute to soil stability, surface structure, nutrient cycling, water retention, and other processes that influence dune and desert ecology.
The opportunity is motivated by the fact that gypsum soils worldwide are known to support rich and often endemic vascular plant floras, and the Chihuahuan Desert in New Mexico is particularly notable for extensive gypsum landscapes with many specialized plant species. In contrast, cryptogams in gypsum environments have been far less studied, and at White Sands they have not previously been surveyed in a systematic way. This project aims to correct that imbalance by establishing the first comprehensive baseline dataset for gypsum soil crust organisms at the monument, creating a foundation for future monitoring, management decisions, and research.
A key emphasis is on translating the scientific inventory into materials that can support citizen science and public interpretation. Expected outputs include a crust identification guide tailored for non-specialists, a simplified distribution map suitable for use along the Dune Drive corridor, and a curated collection of crust specimens. The work is also expected to generate supporting technical documentation, including analyses, morphological species descriptions, and photo documentation that can serve both educational purposes and long-term resource management. Overall, the project is framed as both an applied public engagement effort and a scientific baseline study that documents the unique environmental and biological conditions that formed and continue to preserve the White Sands gypsum dune system.
Eligible applicants are limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education. The opportunity was posted on December 5, 2017, with an original closing date of December 14, 2017. The program anticipates making one award, with an award ceiling of $99,954.Apply for P18AS00028
- The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Development of a soil crust identification guide for White Sand National Monument Citizen Science Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.945.
- This funding opportunity was created on Dec 05, 2017.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Dec 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 $99,954.00 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.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) What is the funding opportunity and who is offering it?
This is a cooperative agreement funding opportunity offered by the Department of the Interior, National Park Service. The Funding Opportunity Number is P18AS00028.
2) What is the main purpose of this project?
The project supports the development of a soil crust identification guide for the White Sands National Monument Citizen Science Program. It is also designed to generate baseline information on biological soil crusts in the world's largest gypsum dune field at White Sands in New Mexico.
3) What activity category and CFDA number does this opportunity fall under?
The work falls under the Natural Resources activity category and is associated with CFDA 15.945.
4) Why is this project needed at White Sands?
Gypsum soils worldwide are known to support rich and often endemic vascular plant communities, and New Mexico's Chihuahuan Desert contains extensive gypsum landscapes with many specialized plants. By contrast, cryptogams in gypsum environments have been far less studied. At White Sands, soil crust cryptogams have not previously been surveyed in a systematic way, so this project is intended to address a major scientific data gap by creating the first comprehensive baseline dataset for gypsum soil crust organisms at the monument.
5) What ecosystem is the project focused on?
The work focuses on the gypsum dune field at White Sands in New Mexico, an ecosystem often described as a "gypsum island" because of its unusual soils and distinctive biological communities.
6) What are "soil cryptogams" in the context of this project?
In this project, soil cryptogams refer to non-flowering plants and plantlike organisms that live on or near the soil surface and help form biological soil crusts.
7) Which organism groups are expected to be included in the inventory?
The systematic inventory is expected to focus on soil crust groups such as lichens, bryophytes (mosses and liverworts), eukaryotic algae, and cyanobacteria.
8) What does the "systematic inventory" aim to document?
The inventory is intended to document what species or recognizable types of soil crust organisms are present across the gypsum system at White Sands.
9) Beyond listing species, what else is the project expected to evaluate?
In addition to documenting what is present, the project is intended to assess ecological functionality across the gypsum system, including how soil crust organisms contribute to soil stability, surface structure, nutrient cycling, water retention, and other processes that influence dune and desert ecology.
10) How does the project support citizen science and public interpretation?
A key emphasis is translating the scientific inventory into practical, public-facing materials that can support citizen science and interpretation for non-specialists.
11) What public-facing outputs are expected?
Expected outputs include a crust identification guide tailored for non-specialists and a simplified distribution map suitable for use along the Dune Drive corridor.
12) What collections or physical materials are expected to be produced?
The project is expected to produce a curated collection of crust specimens.
13) What technical or scientific documentation is expected?
The work is expected to generate supporting technical documentation, including analyses, morphological species descriptions, and photo documentation that can serve educational purposes and long-term resource management.
14) How will the results be used by the monument over time?
The project is intended to establish a baseline dataset that can support future monitoring, inform management decisions, and provide a foundation for future research related to gypsum soil crust organisms at White Sands.
15) Is this project primarily scientific research, public engagement, or both?
It is framed as both: an applied public engagement effort (through citizen-science-friendly products) and a scientific baseline study documenting biological soil crusts and the environmental conditions of the White Sands gypsum dune system.
16) Who is eligible to apply for this opportunity?
Eligible applicants are limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education.
17) How many awards does the program anticipate making?
The program anticipates making one award.
18) What is the maximum funding amount available (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling is $99,954.
19) What are the key dates for this opportunity?
The opportunity was posted on December 5, 2017, with an original closing date of December 14, 2017.
20) What is the intended geographic focus for mapping outputs?
The simplified distribution map is intended to be suitable for use along the Dune Drive corridor at White Sands.
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