Oyster larval transport/hydrodynamic modeling at Tangier/Pocomoke Sound, Virginia | W81EWF 22 SOI 0023

Opportunity Information: Apply for W81EWF 22 SOI 0023

This grant opportunity supports research to guide the next phase of oyster restoration in the Chesapeake Bay by focusing on the more open, mainstem waters around Tangier Sound and Pocomoke Sound near the Virginia/Maryland border. After major progress restoring oysters in 10 tributary rivers (five in Virginia and five in Maryland), restoration planners are shifting attention to this larger and more exposed region, where historical records show a dramatic decline in reef habitat. Surveys from the late 1800s documented roughly 2,252 hectares of oyster reefs in the Tangier/Pocomoke area, but by the 1980s only about 630 hectares remained, representing an estimated 72 percent loss. The opportunity is grounded in the idea that oyster reefs are not randomly distributed and that local hydrodynamics, especially currents that move oyster larvae, likely played a major role in where reefs historically persisted and where they could be successfully rebuilt today.

The central scientific need is to understand larval transport and connectivity across the region using hydrodynamic and biophysical modeling. Oyster populations often function as a connected network (a metapopulation) made up of "source" reefs that consistently produce larvae and "sink" reefs that rely on incoming larvae because local conditions do not allow them to sustain themselves. Because site selection is one of the biggest determinants of whether a large-scale reef build will provide lasting ecological benefits, the project aims to use simulations to map how larvae are likely to move, where they are likely to settle, and which locations are most important for sustaining recruitment across the broader system. In practical terms, the modeling is intended to help planners prioritize restoration sites based not only on local suitability, but also on the role each site could play in strengthening recruitment and persistence at the scale of Tangier and Pocomoke Sounds.

The anticipated work has three closely related objectives. First, it seeks to characterize oyster larval transport dynamics throughout the Tangier/Pocomoke region, taking into account that the area is relatively open but may still contain consistent circulation features or "favorable currents" that concentrate larvae and promote settlement in certain places. Second, it aims to identify likely source and sink areas, providing a connectivity-based framework for deciding where reefs should be constructed to maximize population-level benefits rather than isolated, site-by-site gains. Third, it proposes an especially challenging and novel question: estimating the oyster population size required to create a detectable, region-wide improvement in recruitment. According to the opportunity description, determining the population threshold needed to measurably influence recruitment at a regional scale has not previously been done, and the work would help define what "enough restoration" looks like to move the needle beyond individual reefs.

Administratively, the funding is offered by the Department of Defense, Engineer Research and Development Center, under a discretionary cooperative agreement. The funding opportunity number is W81EWF 22 SOI 0023, with an anticipated single award and a stated award ceiling of $100,000. The activity category is Science and Technology and other Research and Development (CFDA 12.630). The opportunity was created June 9, 2022, with an original closing date of August 9, 2022, and eligibility is listed as "Others" with additional eligibility details referenced in the full announcement. Overall, the opportunity is designed to produce decision-relevant modeling outputs that directly inform where and how to invest in oyster reef restoration in Tangier and Pocomoke Sounds so that new reefs meaningfully contribute to recruitment and long-term recovery across the region.

• The Department of Defense, Engineer Research and Development Center in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Oyster larval transport/hydrodynamic modeling at Tangier/Pocomoke Sound, Virginia" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.630.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jun 09, 2022.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 09, 2022. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $100,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for W81EWF 22 SOI 0023

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