Cooperative Agreement for affiliated Partner with the Piedmont South Atlantic Coast Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit

The USGS Wetland and Aquatic Research Center is offering a funding opportunity to a CESU partner for research in genetic analyses of biological samples from threatened and endangered sea turtles. The project aims to determine the genetic origin of each sample, genetic composition of turtles at sampled sites, and relatedness of individuals. The award instrument for this project is a cooperative agreement, with an estimated funding of $49,999. The project has a duration of 5 years, with two base years and three additional budget years. • Determine genetic origin of each sample through mitochondrial DNA analyses • Determine genetic composition of turtles sampled at each foraging site across time • Determine relatedness of individuals and assess connectivity for samples within regions • Protection of biological diversity has been identified at the global, national, state, and local levels as a critical component of protecting native ecosystems • Effective protection of an area's ecological integrity involves having the ability to evaluate and monitor effects of management actions