Monitoring soundscapes to investigate interactions between human activities Sonoran pronghorn, and other wildlife. | P17AS00118

Opportunity Information: Apply for P17AS00118

This grant opportunity, titled "Monitoring soundscapes to investigate interactions between human activities Sonoran pronghorn, and other wildlife," supports Phase 2 of an existing research task agreement (P16AC00557 / UAZDS-450) focused on understanding how human activities, especially human-caused noise, affect the endangered Sonoran pronghorn (Antilocapra americana sonorensis) and other wildlife such as desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis). The work is framed as soundscape and disturbance ecology research in and around Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument (often shortened as ORPI) and extends to the connected cross-border ecosystem, including the Pinacate Biosphere Reserve in Sonora, Mexico. The core idea is to connect what is happening on the ground (human presence and noise) to measurable wildlife responses (behavioral changes and physiological stress indicators), and then translate those findings into analysis products suitable for scientific publication and resource management.

The project uses a combination of field-based and lab-based methods. On the field side, researchers conduct direct wildlife observations and monitor human activity while running acoustic monitoring equipment that records and characterizes sound in the environment. A key Phase 2 activity is explicitly pairing sound recording devices with real-time or near-time behavioral observations of Sonoran pronghorn, which helps link specific sound conditions or disturbance events to observable animal behavior. In parallel, the team continues collecting fecal samples from pronghorn and other species across the study area. Those samples are used for physiological assays (commonly to infer stress or related biological responses) and for genetic fecal analysis, which can help confirm species identity and potentially support individual-level or population-level insights depending on the design. The description emphasizes that earlier work under the task agreement successfully generated substantial observations and fecal samples, particularly from bighorn sheep and pronghorn, which sets the stage for deeper analysis and stronger inference during this phase.

Phase 2 is also meant to build on technical progress already achieved, especially the development of techniques for measuring human-caused sound disturbance and modeling how sound travels across occupied pronghorn habitat. Sound propagation modeling matters in desert landscapes because disturbance is not limited to where people are physically present; noise can spread across large areas depending on terrain, weather, and source characteristics. By combining sound modeling with on-the-ground monitoring and wildlife response data, the project aims to identify where and when human-generated noise may be most influential, and how that overlaps with important habitat use by pronghorn and other sensitive species. The overall direction is practical as well as scientific: producing information that can guide park and landscape management decisions about visitor use, infrastructure, operational activities, or other sources of disturbance.

The timeline described is straightforward and tied to deliverables. In the near term, Phase 2 continues fieldwork, with the two main streams being (1) acoustic monitoring matched to pronghorn behavior observations and (2) continued fecal sample collection across multiple wildlife species. Within about one year, the plan is to retrieve remaining field equipment and shift emphasis to data analysis and laboratory analysis of collected samples. Toward the end of the performance period, the project expects to be ready to produce at least one peer-reviewed manuscript specifically addressing human-caused sound disturbance impacts on Sonoran pronghorn, which implies a commitment to formal synthesis and dissemination rather than only internal reporting.

Administratively, this opportunity is a discretionary cooperative agreement issued by the Department of the Interior, National Park Service, with funding activity in natural resources. The opportunity number is P17AS00118 and it was created March 10, 2017, with an original closing date of March 20, 2017. Eligibility is limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, indicating the award is geared toward university-based research teams. The expected number of awards is one, with an award ceiling of $37,228, and the CFDA listing is 15.945. Overall, the funding is structured as a targeted continuation/modification that advances an already productive research effort into a second phase focused on additional data collection, comprehensive analysis, and publication-ready outputs.

• The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Monitoring soundscapes to investigate interactions between human activities Sonoran pronghorn, and other wildlife." and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.945.
• This funding opportunity was created on Mar 10, 2017.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 20, 2017. (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 $37,228.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.

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