Inventory of Unique Plant Communities SCNP in advance of Cliamte Change
NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD This Funding Announcement is not a request for applications. This announcement is to provide public notice of the National Park Service¿s intention to fund the following project activities without full and open competition. ABSTRACT Funding Announcement P13AS00119 Project Title Inventory of Unique Plant Communities in SCPN Parks in Advance of Climate Change: Phase 1 Recipient Northern Arizona University (NAU) Principle Investigator / Program Manager Dr. Matt Bowker Total Anticipated Award Amount $40,771.00 Cost Share New Award or Continuation? Task Agreement under Cooperative Agreement H2370094001 Anticipated Length of Agreement From date of award until December 31, 2014. Anticipated Period of Performance From date of award until December 31, 2014. Award Instrument Cooperative Agreement Statutory Authority 16 USC 1a-2j and 16 USC 5933 CFDA # and Title 15.945 Cooperative Research and Training Programs ¿ Resources of the National Park System Single Source Justification Criteria Cited (4) Unique Qualifications NPS Point of Contact June Zastrow 303-987-6718 june_zastrow@nps.gov OVERVIEW As part of the Southern Colorado Plateau Network¿s (SCPN's) vegetation inventory and monitoring efforts, this project contributes to understanding and managing unique plant communities in parks. The purpose of the project described herein is for SCPN and NAU to collaborate to conduct a baseline inventory of unique plant communities across SCPN parks. Through this collaboration, National Park Service (NPS) and NAU will contribute to describing regional vegetation diversity patterns and furthering scientific understanding of the current conditions of these unique and species rich plant communities. RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT Twentieth-century anthropogenic global warming has already affected Earth¿s biota, and will likely produce large-scale changes in vegetation distribution over the next few decades (Parmesan 2006; IPCC 2007). Most climate models predict that the arid American Southwest will be a ¿global change hotspot¿, transitioning to a substantially warmer and drier climate in the coming years (Diffenbaugh et al 2008; Seager et. al 2007). In particular, change will likely be dramatic on the Colorado Plateau, a region characterized by high elevation and arid to semi-arid climate. Small-patch communities with limited and fragmented distributions are often areas of high species richness and endemism, and may be least able to respond to the pressure of changing climatic conditions (Harrison et al. 2009; Malcolm et al 2006). Enquist (2002) found that several Costa Rican biomes with high endemism levels were most vulnerable to changes in temperature, and are likely to substantially decrease in area or disappear entirely under some climate change scenarios, resulting in local extinction of endemic species. Not only are small-patch communities valuable as sources of biodiversity and endemism, but, because they are likely to respond rapidly and dramatically in response to climate change, they may serve as early warning systems of pending changes in larger ecosystems. The Colorado Plateau, with its high elevations and semi-arid climate, is particularly vulnerable to climate change. Many small-patch, unique communities exist within parks of the Southern Colorado Plateau Network (SCPN) (Thomas 2006). In fact, unique plant communities were selected as a secondary vital sign during the SCPN planning process (Thomas 2006). Currently, baseline information regarding the structure and composition of these unique assemblages is incomplete and fragmentary. Collecting this baseline information is an important first step in assessing and understanding climate- related changes. The Southern Colorado Plateau has recently been experiencing phenomena such as mass die-off of pinion pines and other conifers, and an increase in size, severity, and frequency of wildfires. This evidence of a dramatic regional shifting at broader scales further underscores the urgent need for collecting baseline data for sensitive small-patch communities. Research and monitoring are primary tools for park managers in conserving biodiversity in the face of climate change (Welch 2008). Tasked with conserving park resources and faced with increasing temperatures and aridity on the Colorado Plateau, National Park Service resource managers need scientifically-based, quantitative information on the structure and dynamics of these unique plant communities to assess change, inform future management decisions and increase public awareness of this threat to our national parks. In addition, the Department of Interior has recently adopted the Landscape Conservation Cooperative as a means of developing landscape scale responses to the broad impacts of climate change. Conducting unique plant community inventories across a distinct geographic region, such as the southern Colorado Plateau is consistent with that strategy and should contribute to the development of regional climate change adaptation strategies NATIONAL PARK SERVICE INVOLVEMENT Substantial involvement on the part the National Park Service is anticipated for the successful completion of the objectives to be funded by this award. In particular, the National Park Service will be responsible for the following: NPS Substantial Involvement ¿ SCPN staff will assist with the selection of unique communities for inclusion (based on existing reports, vegetation maps and park resource staff recommendations). SCPN GIS Specialist will assist with spatial sampling design. SCPN will provide review comments on the preliminary analysis and interim report. SCPN will assist with any modification of sampling design and locating field sites for field assessment and monitoring surveys. SCPN will assist with developing standard database formats for documenting the results of the monitoring. SCPN will review and approve project data and associated metadata. SCPN will review draft final report. SINGLE-SOURCE JUSTIFICATION DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR SINGLE SOURCE POLICY REQUIREMENTS Department of the Interior Policy (505 DM 2) requires a written justification which explains why competition is not practicable for each single-source award. The justification must address one or more of the following criteria as well as discussion of the program legislative history, unique capabilities of the proposed recipient, and cost-sharing contribution offered by the proposed recipient, as applicable. In order for an assistance award to be made without competition, the award must satisfy one or more of the following criteria: (1) Unsolicited Proposal ¿ The proposed award is the result of an unsolicited assistance application which represents a unique or innovative idea, method, or approach which is not the subject of a current or planned contract or assistance award, but which is deemed advantageous to the program objectives; (2) Continuation ¿ The activity to be funded is necessary to the satisfactory completion of, or is a continuation of an activity presently being funded, and for which competition would have a significant adverse effect on the continuity or completion of the activity; (3) Legislative intent ¿ The language in the applicable authorizing legislation or legislative history clearly indicates Congress¿ intent to restrict the award to a particular recipient of purpose; (4) Unique Qualifications ¿ The applicant is uniquely qualified to perform the activity based upon a variety of demonstrable factors such as location, property ownership, voluntary support capacity, cost-sharing ability if applicable, technical expertise, or other such unique qualifications; (5) Emergencies ¿ Program/award where there is insufficient time available (due to a compelling and unusual urgency, or substantial danger to health or safety) for adequate competitive procedures to be followed. The National Park Service did not solicit full and open competition for this award based the following criteria: (2) CONTINUATION (4) UNIQUE QUALIFICATIONS Single Source Justification Description: The Northern Arizona University Principal Investigator (PI) and team have specialized geographical expertise on the Colorado Plateau. The PI has researched ecological thresholds in closely related plant communities in the SCNP. The research assistant has worked for two years with the SCNP vegetation crews and is proficient with the Colorado Plateau flora and vegetation protocols. This project will serve as a core component of a Master¿s student research project. The research will add to scientific knowledge of the SCNP ecosystems that are likely threatened by climate change. STATUTORY AUTHORITY Congress declares that the national park system, which began with establishment of Yellowstone National Park in 1872, has since grown to include superlative natural, historic, and recreation areas in every major region of the United States, its territories and island possessions; that these areas, though distinct in character, are united through their inter-related purposes and resources into one national park system as cumulative expressions of a single national heritage; that, individually and collectively, these areas derive increased national dignity and recognition of their superb environmental quality through their inclusion jointly with each other in one national park system preserved and managed for the benefit and inspiration of all the people of the United States; and that it is the purpose of this Act to include all such areas in the System and to clarify the authorities applicable to the system. Congress further reaffirms, declares, and directs that the promotion and regulation of the various areas of the National Park System, as defined in section 1c of this title, shall be consistent with and founded in the purpose established by section 1 of this title, to the common benefit of all the people of the United States. The authorization of activities shall be construed and the protection, management, and administration of these areas shall be conducted in light of the high public value and integrity of the National Park System and shall not be exercised in derogation of the values and purposes for which these various areas have been established, except as may have been or shall be directly and specifically provided by Congress. 16 U.S.C §5933. Cooperative agreements §5933. Cooperative agreements (a) Cooperative study units The Secretary is authorized and directed to enter into cooperative agreements with colleges and universities, including but not limited to land grant schools, in partnership with other Federal and State agencies, to establish cooperative study units to conduct multi-disciplinary research and develop integrated information products on the resources of the National Park System, or the larger region of which parks are a part. (b) Report Within one year of November 13, 1998, the Secretary shall report to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the United States Senate and the Committee on Resources of the House of Representatives on progress in the establishment of a comprehensive network of such college and university based cooperative study units as will provide full geographic and topical coverage for research on the resources contained in units of the National Park System and their larger regions. (Pub. L. 105¿391, title II, §203, Nov. 13, 1998, 112 Stat. 3500.)
Office: National Park Service
June_Zastrow@nps.gov
