The objective of this Statement of Need (SON) is to advance understanding of how demographic responses of species of concern, including threatened, endangered, or at-risk (TER) species, to external stressors on Department of Defense (DoD) installations are influenced by spatial and temporal heterogeneity. Spatial variation in microclimate, soils, nutrients, food resources, shelter, and other factors can provide locally favorable or detrimental conditions for TER and other species. Better understanding of these effects can provide useful conservation tools for mitigating regional stressors that are beyond the control of installation managers, and support more robust assessment of species vulnerability to those stressors.
Successful proposals should address the following specific objectives:
- Identify the primary external stressors, and interactions among stressors, that pose threats to sustainment of viable populations of species of concern on DoD lands and waters.
- Determine how spatial heterogeneity on installations and surrounding lands and waters can influence demographic response of those species to external stressors. Of particular interest are habitat elements, natural or created, that can help sustain viable populations in changing landscapes or seascapes.
- Identify potential management solutions and opportunities that make use of spatial heterogeneity and/or temporal variability to improve outcomes for species. Solutions may be restricted to DoD lands and waters but may also include activities on adjacent or nearby properties to manage habitat heterogeneity.
- Proposers are encouraged, but not required, to also address how temporal environmental variability (days to years) interacts with spatial heterogeneity to create synergistic effects (beneficial, harmful, or both) for species. Opportunities for using temporal variability in tandem with spatial heterogeneity to improve species outcomes should be sought.
Proposals should focus on one or more species of concern that occur on DoD installations, particularly those that are endemic to or disproportionately represented on DoD lands and waters. Projects may include observational, experimental, and/or modeling components. Projects and products should identify sources and levels of uncertainty. Investigators are expected to work closely with DoD installation managers during project design and execution. Particular attention should be given to management or mission activities that affect spatial heterogeneity and/or temporal variability.
Detailed understanding of the effects of spatial heterogeneity and temporal variability in key environmental factors on demography of species of concern will confer greater capacity for DoD installation managers to assess risks to populations, leverage heterogeneity to maintain viable populations, and develop and execute long-range planning. More effective and efficient management of species populations will offset regulatory burdens and minimize disruption to training and testing operations.
DoD installations are responsible for managing species populations, including TER species, which are subject to external and sometimes interacting stressors (e.g., invasive species, drought, wildfire, temperature extremes, pollutants, saltwater intrusion). Exposure to these external stressors is typically beyond the control of installation managers. However, demographic sensitivity and responses to external stressors can vary, often substantially, among different sites and microsites. Heterogeneity in microclimate, soils, nutrients, food resources, shelter, audial environment, and other factors can help mitigate effects of regional stressors, by providing safe sites, microrefugia, or nuclei where individuals or populations can persist and disperse to other suitable sites. Environmental heterogeneity may also amplify species vulnerability to stressors. For example, a safe site with respect to one stressor may be more exposed to effects of another stressor. Understanding of the landscape of vulnerability, within an installation or over a broader area, can help resource managers maintain TER species populations more effectively.
Spatial heterogeneity can arise from natural environmental variation (e.g., slope, aspect, altitude, water depth, soil texture, turbidity, soil or water chemistry) and from legacies of historical use by humans (e.g., patchworks of different stand ages, time since agricultural abandonment, previous cultivars, sediment dredging or fill). It can also be induced deliberately, as a management practice (e.g., differential seeding/planting/burning practices, fire or harvest rotation schedules, landscape or seascape engineering). Many management practices incorporate induced heterogeneity, though other practices, particularly in response to overly precise management prescriptions, can homogenize habitats.
Fine-scale temporal variability in the environment (e.g., seasonal or interannual variation in rainfall or temperature, weather extremes, nutrient pulses, pest or herbivore irruptions, human activity, predator migration) can interact with spatial heterogeneity to increase or decrease population vulnerability. For example, drought effects on soil moisture will vary with soil type, exposure, and site aspect, and size and connectivity of suitable habitat patches may vary seasonally or annually with temperature or nutrients.
Landscape habitat heterogeneity and temporal environmental variability can thus have compounding effects on species demography. However, if well-understood, habitat heterogeneity and temporal variability can be leveraged to minimize demographic risks and maintain resilient populations. Improving DoD managers’ understanding of how to manage heterogeneity and variability can provide additional tools for conservation of TER and other species. Installation managers will also benefit from understanding how spatial heterogeneity might be increased by developing partnerships with surrounding or regional jurisdictions, or by acquiring additional installation properties.
The cost and time to meet the requirements of this SON are at the discretion of the proposer. Proposers submitting a Standard or Limited Scope Proposal must provide the rationale for the proposed scale. The two options are as follows:
Standard Proposals: These proposals describe a complete research effort. The proposer should incorporate the appropriate time, schedule, and cost requirements to accomplish the scope of work proposed. SERDP projects normally run from two to five years in length and vary considerably in cost consistent with the scope of the effort. It is expected that most proposals will fall into this category.
Limited Scope Proposals: Proposers with innovative approaches to the SON that entail high technical risk or have minimal supporting data may submit a Limited Scope Proposal for funding up to $350,000 and approximately one year in duration. Such proposals may be eligible for follow-on funding if they result in a successful initial project. The objective of these proposals should be to acquire the data necessary to demonstrate proof-of-concept or reduction of risk that will lead to development of a future Standard Proposal. Proposers should submit Limited Scope Proposals in accordance with the SERDP Core Solicitation instructions and deadlines.
Mr. Kevin Hiers
Program Manager for Resource Conservation
Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP)
