OpportunityTitle: Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Great Lakes Northern Forests CESU
AdditionalInformationOnEligibility: This financial assistance opportunity is being issued under a Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Program. CESU&#226;&#191;&#191;s are partnerships that provide research, technical assistance, and education. Eligible recipients must be a participating partner of the Great Lakes &#226;&#191;&#191; Northern Forest (CESU) Program.
Description: The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Alaska Science Center (ASC) is offering a funding opportunity to a CESU partner for research to support an investigation of polar bear health. The southern Beaufort Sea subpopulation of polar bears has experienced sea ice loss leading to an increasing trend of polar bears spending time on land during summer and possibly increased exposure to disease and contaminants. These changes in behavior have the potential to facilitate changes in health. The goal of this project is to identify the most sensitive markers of changes in polar bear health and develop a program for monitoring changes in health over time. Will make available 30+ years of archived biological samples to facilitate this work. A fairly broad study of polar bear health that includes an investigation of exposure to novel pathogens and culminates in the development of a holistic health monitoring program for the southern Beaufort Sea subpopulation.
GrantorContactEmailDescription: Contract Specialist
GrantorContactText: Faith Graves 703-648-7356&lt;br/&gt;fgraves@usgs.gov&lt;br/&gt;