W81EWF-21-SOI-0013: Monitoring Phragmites australis biological control agent movement into the US
Closed
This grant is closed. A newer notice from the same program is open now: ERDC Broad Agency Announcement (W912HZ26S0001). Status: Closes January 1, 2027 (55 days left). It is in our archive of Engineer Research and Development Center notices from 2021.
Engineer Research and Development Center offered grants of up to $35,000 to the applicants described in the notice. It expected to make one award worth $140,000 in total. Applications closed on April 30, 2021.
From the official notice on Grants.gov, last changed March 10, 2021. Checked November 7, 2026.
- Award ceiling$35,000
- Total funding$140,000
- Expected awards1
- Cost sharingNot required
- Funding typeCooperative Agreement
Key dates
| Posted | March 10, 2021 |
|---|---|
| Deadline | April 30, 2021 |
| Archived by Grants.gov | May 30, 2021 |
Who can apply
This opportunity was open to the applicants described in the notice.
- Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)
This opportunity is restricted to non-federal partners of the Great Lakes Cooperative Ecosystems Studies Unit (CESU).
Is this a realistic fit?
- Past Basic, Applied, and Advanced Research in Science and Engineering awards averaged $1.1 million; this notice allows up to $35,000 per award.
- Most of the program's money (69% over five years) went to colleges and universities.
- No cost sharing or match is required.
What the grant funds
Background: Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. Ex Steudel (common reed, Roseau cane) is a cosmopolitan wetland grass, native to Eurasia but widespread and damaging in North America. Although populations are seen in Europe as valuable and endangered habitats, P. australis is regarded as invasive and negatively impacts biodiversity in North America. Molecular studies have suggested that the spread of P. australis in recent decades in North America is due to an introduced population from Europe, which displaces native North American genotypes. Native North American populations of common reed were recently recognized as the subspecies, P. australis americanus, distinct from the European introduction, P. australis australis. Management tools have been developed for common reed control in the US, but so far the only targeted option is biological control. Investigations to evaluate the potential for classical biological control of the introduced genotype of common reed has been ongoing for more than 20 years. Two promising agents that have been developed by CABI- Switzerland are Archanara neurica and A. geminipuncta, both European stem-boring moths. An application for release of Archanara spp. as biological control agents of P. australis australis in the United States is currently under review by USDA APHIS. Until the permit is issued, agents will not be available for release in the US. However, Canadian authorities have approved the release of Archanara spp., and first releases were made along the northeastern shore of Lake Ontario in Fall 2019. A critical component of any management program, but especially biocontrol, is the measurement of pre-management conditions at sites to develop a baseline for comparison and determination of management efficacy. Thus, there is an urgent need to 1) identify potential release plots and survey Phragmites australis stands in the US Great Lakes for baseline measurement of infestation densities and extent, 2) document species diversity and presence of native and introduced Phragmites australis haplotypes, and 3) monitor for immigration of Archanara spp. from Canadian release locations. Monitoring should therefore occur primarily along the southern shore of Lake Ontario and possibly Lake Erie, given their proximities to Canadian releases.
Who has won Basic, Applied, and Advanced Research in Science and Engineering grants before
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Basic, Applied, and Advanced Research in Science and Engineering (12.630) awarded $1.3 billion across 1,101 grant awards, an average of $1.1 million per award.
| Recipient | State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battelle Memorial Institute | Ohio | 1 | $82.6 million |
| Msi Stem Research & Development Consortium | District of Columbia | 1 | $78.2 million |
| University of California San Diego | California | 4 | $53.1 million |
| Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation | Connecticut | 4 | $38.1 million |
| The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | 3 | $35.0 million |
Applying now
This notice no longer takes applications. Apply under the newer notice, W912HZ26S0001, which is open now.
The notice on Grants.gov keeps its full text and attachments, which is useful for planning a resubmission.
Questions people ask
Is W81EWF-21-SOI-0013 still open?
No. It closed on April 30, 2021. A newer notice is open: W912HZ26S0001, closes January 1, 2027 (55 days left).
Who can apply for Monitoring Phragmites australis biological control agent movement into the US?
Engineer Research and Development Center accepted applications from the applicants described in the notice. The notice adds further conditions, so read its eligibility section.
What is the deadline for Monitoring Phragmites australis biological control agent movement into the US?
Closed April 30, 2021. Applications are no longer accepted; the program's newer notices are on this page when there are any.
How much funding is available?
Awards of up to $35,000 each. About $140,000 in total for one award.
Who has won Basic, Applied, and Advanced Research in Science and Engineering grants before?
The largest recipients over five fiscal years were Battelle Memorial Institute, Msi Stem Research & Development Consortium, University of California San Diego. The program made 1,101 awards worth $1.3 billion in that time.