F23AS00307 Aquatic Invasive Grass Research

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The US Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) has received funding from Congress for the sole purpose of managing and improving the understanding of submerged aquatic invasive grasses with focus on Hydrilla, Milfoil, and Elodea. The Alaska Region is managing $250,000 of these funds in FY23. The Service is seeking proposals that address information gaps to improve the success of the Alaska Invasive Species Partnership to prevent submerged aquatic invasive grasses from becoming established or further spread in Alaska. The program encourages collaboratives proposals that address knowledge gaps associated with the following general categories of priority research needs:Vector and pathway assessment. Research focused on: determining lethal desiccation rates; expanding on seaplane and watercraft vector analyses; and, conducting social science analyses to understand how to improve behavior change to prevent further spread.Prevention and surveillance prioritization and tool development. Research focused on: what habitat conditions favor establishment or causes the invasive plant to die off after a certain period; identify priority waterbodies based on their ecological services considering current and future climate conditions; and, develop and or assess feasibility of non-traditional (e.g., rake throws) early detection surveys tools (e.g., canine detection, aerial/satellite imagery, eDNA).Impacts of these aquatic invasive grasses and various management techniques on native fish and wildlife and their habitats. Research focused on: understanding how aquatic biota recover after a waterbody has been treated with diquat and or fluridone; assess how using these herbicides to treat Elodea, Milfoil, or Hydrilla may affect non-target species; and, improve the understanding of the persistence of fluridone in various aquatic environments of Alaska.Develop innovative control techniques for remote and road accessible waterbodies. Research focused on the design of effective, low cost, eradication and control application equipment.

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