Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Californian CESU

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The U.S. Geological Survey’s National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII) Program wishes to enter into an agreement with a CESU partner for technical assistance to increase science delivery and technology transfer about biological and natural resources data and information. The purpose is to further data development in a variety of thematic and geographic areas at varying scales using innovative biological informatics tools. The NBII is a collaborative effort among federal, state, local, agencies, non-governmental organizations, universities, and private sector groups to provide an integrated gateway to biological data and information. NBII is used by land managers, researchers, decision makers, educators, and the general public for many purposes that include land-use decisions, scientific research, policymaking, and general information needs of its users.The NBII provides the nation with a mechanism for accessing the vast amount of existing disparate biological and natural resources data, information products, and analytical tools that support and enhance science-based decision-making. Using enterprise portal technology, the NBII helps provide an integrating framework for making these data and information accessible. In 2001, the NBII program was authorized to establish a series of regional and thematic Nodes throughout the country with the objective of providing data and information relevant to those areas available that support efforts of federal, non federal, university, non-profit, and citizens of each Node.The NBII is looking for collaborative opportunities with a University to increase the availability and usefulness of biological and natural resources related scientific data and information by developing or enhancing them through visualization products, tools, models, web based applications, and/or semantic systems. Technical assistance relates to the following research areas:California Biological DataThe purpose is to enhance data sharing within the state. With more than 32 million residents, the California cooperative effort brings together scientific data, models, tools and other resources to provide information for researchers and managers that help address natural resource issues and includes interaction with various state and federal organizations as well as interested research and educational institutions. The products will be available to scientists, policymakers, and the public.Efforts include developing a user friendly web-database interface that brings together widely dispersed information about invasive species, migrating birds, and other natural resources to facilitate access, perform queries, and encourage collaboration among regional partners.Tri-Colored Blackbird Database PortalThe purpose is to further the development of data sharing for the Tri-Colored Blackbird Database Portal. The cooperative effort brings together information on the tricolored blackbird (Agelaius tricolor), a near-endemic California passerine and the most colonial songbird in North America that includes collaboration with various state and federal organizations as well as interested research and educational institutions. The products will be available to scientists, policymakers, and the public.Efforts include providing data that documents breeding colony locations and characteristics, including estimates of productivity, developing on-line data entry capabilities for observation data, and enhancing spatial applications to retrieve information that can be linked through the map application to occurrence/point data. Overall, the USGS and CESU participants will collaborate to develop and deliver biological data and information, tools, models, products, and web based systems, and in ensuring the information reaches professionals in federal and state agencies, educators, and ultimately the public. The CESU partnership will supplement and enhance work already underway on these various geographic and thematic Nodes and their projects to contribute in the development of a national NBII network.Award Information The USGS NBII expects this cooperative agreement to last up to 3 years with the opportunity for renewal. The USGS NBII anticipates making a single award for this project in FY2008 to an existing CESU Program university within the Californian CESU. It is anticipated that the total amount of funding available for the project is $95,000, of which $15,000.00 will be made available in FY2008. Continuation of the project in years 2 and 3 will be based on successful performance and available funding. Award of funding through this year’s competition is not a guarantee of future funding.

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