DOE DE-FOA-0003196: 2023 Environmental System Science

No limit per institution* // 

*Eligibility note: PO has confirmed that the limitation applies to the lead PI, not the institution. That is, DOE wll accept multiple applications from a specific institution, but there can be only one application from an individual who is the lead PI. That individual could be a co-PI/collaborator on another submission from that same institution or on an application that is led by someone else at another institution.

The BER ESS program goal is to advance an integrated, robust, and scale-aware predictive understanding of terrestrial systems and their interdependent microbial, biogeochemical, ecological, hydrological, and physical processes. To support this goal, the program uses a systems approach to develop an integrative framework to elucidate the complex processes and controls on the structure, function, feedbacks, and dynamics of terrestrial systems, that span from molecular to global scales and extend from the bedrock through the soil, rhizosphere, and vegetation to the atmosphere. The ESS program scope advances foundational process knowledge with an emphasis on understudied ecosystems. Supported research emphasizes ecological and hydro-biogeochemical linkages among system components and characterization of processes across interfaces (e.g., terrestrial-aquatic, coastal, urban) to address key knowledge gaps and uncertainties across a range of spatial and temporal scales. Incorporation of scientific findings into process and system models is an important aspect of the ESS strategy, both to improve predictive understanding as well as to enable the identification of new research questions and directions.

Application Types:

Standard – Standard applications are solicited for research projects that may extend up to three years’ duration addressing a research project objective(s) associated with SRA #1 or SRA #2, as described below in this FOA. Standard applications must include significant new field experiments as part of the proposed activities, use observations and experimental outcomes to inform and/or improve models in a ModEx approach, and advance the understanding of ecosystem and/or watershed systems. Projects focused primarily on modeling or model development and/or those lacking substantial new empirical data collection are out of scope. Standard applications should have budgets commensurate with the scope of work (but no more than $1,000,000 in total costs); applications do not have to be proposed at the award ceiling but can and should include smaller-scope research applications with commensurate budgets. The potential impact, probability of success, and the risk-reward balance will be considered when making funding decisions.

Synthesis – Only Synthesis applications are solicited for SRA #3. Synthesis applications should propose new science that is focused on meta-analysis and synthesis research efforts that address development and testing of ESS-relevant hypotheses using existing data, and that have the potential for high impact regarding ESS research priorities. Synthesis awards will have a duration of up to two years and an award ceiling of $400,000 in total costs. Synthesis applications should target innovative questions that can be addressed by both interrogating and integrating existing data to address key knowledge gaps that are relevant and transferable across ecosystems and/or watershed systems. Synthesis applications may not request funding for collection of new data or field research, support for field-related supplies or equipment, travel to or maintenance of field sites or research facilities, or operational support for research networks.