Opportunity Information: Apply for P18AS00334
The grant opportunity titled "Dendroecological analysis of trees in the NCRN" (Funding Opportunity Number P18AS00334) is a National Park Service cooperative agreement focused on building a high-quality tree-ring dataset to support long-term vegetation monitoring in the National Capital Region Network (NCRN). The project centers on dendroecology, meaning it uses tree-ring records to determine tree age, reconstruct annual growth patterns, and compare growth trends across locations and species. The work will be carried out at two National Park Service units: Catoctin Mountain Park and Monocacy National Battlefield, using existing NCRN vegetation monitoring infrastructure as the sampling framework.
The selected cooperator is expected to collect increment cores from trees located at NCRN vegetation plots at both parks, specifically sampling outside of 49 monitoring plots at Catoctin Mountain Park and outside of 15 monitoring plots at Monocacy National Battlefield. Beyond field sampling, the cooperator must assemble and manage a team of trained technicians capable of completing standard dendrochronology lab preparation steps. This includes mounting and sanding the cores so annual rings are clearly visible and measurable. Each prepared core must then be scanned with a scale bar, creating an image archive that serves as a permanent visual record for quality assurance, future reference, and potential reanalysis.
A major deliverable is precise measurement of annual ring growth. The opportunity specifies the use of a Velmex measuring system together with Measure J2X software to measure annual increment to a precision of 0.001 mm. Using these measurements, the team will determine minimum ages for sampled trees and develop a series of tree-ring chronologies. These chronologies are to be based on normalized mean annual increment, producing a ring width index (RWI) that allows comparison of growth signals over time while reducing the influence of tree age and size on raw ring widths.
Data management is a core requirement of the project. The cooperator must build a structured SQL database designed around clear relationships among plots, cores, and individual rings. PlotName will function as the primary key, CoreID will be linked to PlotName, and RingID will be linked to CoreID. The database will store tree-level attributes such as species and diameter at breast height (DBH) in a table keyed by CoreID. For each RingID, the database will store ring width measurements, ensuring that every annual ring measurement can be traced back to a specific core and plot. This relational structure is intended to make the final dataset usable for NCRN monitoring staff and scalable for future additions.
A key scientific step required by the opportunity is crossdating, the process of matching ring-width patterns among trees to assign each ring to the correct calendar year and to detect measurement or biological anomalies. Each core must be crossdated against all other cores within 3 km of the focal core using COFECHA, a standard dendrochronology quality-control program. Crossdating can reveal missing rings (gaps) or false rings (extra rings formed within a year), and the database must be updated to reflect these corrections. After crossdating is complete, an additional field, Ringyear, will be added to the database and linked to RingID so that each ring width value is associated with an actual year.
The analytical component of the project goes beyond building chronologies and requires evaluation of tree growth rates across sites and species. The opportunity specifically calls for assessing growth using both basal area increment (BAI), which translates ring widths into annual wood production in terms of cross-sectional area, and ring width index (RWI), which supports comparisons of relative growth through time. These metrics together help distinguish whether observed changes are related to climate, competition, disturbance, or stand development, and they provide a clearer basis for comparing growth patterns among different species and park locations.
The project’s final deliverable is a complete, quality-controlled tree-ring database that must be reviewed and approved by the principal investigator (PI) before it is released to NCRN staff. In practical terms, this means the expected outcome is not only raw measurements, but a vetted dataset with documented crossdating corrections, consistent identifiers, and an organized structure that NCRN personnel can use for ongoing monitoring, reporting, and future research.
Administratively, this opportunity was offered as a discretionary cooperative agreement under the Department of the Interior, National Park Service, with an activity category focused on employment, labor, and training and listed under CFDA 15.945. Eligibility was limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education. The opportunity was created on June 15, 2018, with an original closing date of June 25, 2018. The anticipated funding ceiling was $60,000, and the agency expected to make one award, indicating a single partner would be selected to complete the full scope of work.Apply for P18AS00334
- The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the employment, labor and training sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Dendroecological analysis of trees in the NCRN" 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 Jun 15, 2018.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 25, 2018. (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 $60,000.00 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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FAQs: Dendroecological analysis of trees in the NCRN (P18AS00334)
What is the title of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Dendroecological analysis of trees in the NCRN."
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is P18AS00334.
Which federal agency is offering this opportunity?
This is a National Park Service (NPS) opportunity under the U.S. Department of the Interior.
What type of award is this?
It was offered as a discretionary cooperative agreement.
What is the main purpose of the project?
The project is focused on building a high-quality tree-ring dataset to support long-term vegetation monitoring in the National Capital Region Network (NCRN).
What does "dendroecological analysis" mean in this project?
In this project, dendroecology means using tree-ring records to determine tree age, reconstruct annual growth patterns, and compare growth trends across locations and species.
Where will the work be conducted?
The work will be carried out at two National Park Service units: Catoctin Mountain Park and Monocacy National Battlefield.
How will sampling locations be selected?
The sampling framework will use existing NCRN vegetation monitoring infrastructure, specifically NCRN vegetation plots at both parks.
How many monitoring plots are involved at each park?
The cooperator is expected to sample outside of 49 monitoring plots at Catoctin Mountain Park and outside of 15 monitoring plots at Monocacy National Battlefield.
What field data collection is required?
The selected cooperator is expected to collect increment cores from trees located at NCRN vegetation plots at both parks.
What is an increment core in the context of this project?
An increment core is a wood sample collected from a tree that preserves annual rings, allowing ring-by-ring measurement and analysis of annual growth over time.
What team capabilities are expected from the cooperator?
The cooperator must assemble and manage a team of trained technicians capable of completing standard dendrochronology lab preparation steps.
What lab preparation steps are required for the tree cores?
Cores must be mounted and sanded so annual rings are clearly visible and measurable.
Is imaging or scanning required as part of the deliverables?
Yes. Each prepared core must be scanned with a scale bar to create an image archive that serves as a permanent visual record for quality assurance, future reference, and potential reanalysis.
What measurement tools and software are specified for ring-width measurement?
The opportunity specifies using a Velmex measuring system together with Measure J2X software.
What measurement precision is required for annual ring increments?
Annual increment must be measured to a precision of 0.001 mm.
What products are expected from ring-width measurements?
Using ring-width measurements, the team will determine minimum ages for sampled trees and develop a series of tree-ring chronologies.
What is a tree-ring chronology in this opportunity?
A tree-ring chronology is a time series of annual growth derived from ring measurements, used to characterize and compare growth signals over time.
How are chronologies supposed to be constructed for this project?
The chronologies are to be based on normalized mean annual increment, producing a ring width index (RWI) that supports comparison of growth signals over time while reducing the influence of tree age and size on raw ring widths.
What is Ring Width Index (RWI) and why is it used?
RWI is a normalized growth metric derived from ring widths. It allows comparison of relative growth through time and helps reduce the effects of age and size that can dominate raw ring-width values.
Is data management a major requirement?
Yes. Data management is described as a core requirement of the project, with specific expectations for a structured SQL database.
What database platform or structure is required?
The project requires a structured SQL database designed around clear relationships among plots, cores, and individual rings.
What are the required identifiers and relationships in the SQL database?
The database must use PlotName as the primary key, link CoreID to PlotName, and link RingID to CoreID so each ring measurement can be traced to a specific core and plot.
What tree-level attributes must be stored in the database?
The database must store tree-level attributes such as species and diameter at breast height (DBH) in a table keyed by CoreID.
What information must be stored for each ring?
For each RingID, the database must store ring width measurements so every annual ring measurement can be traced back to a specific core and plot.
What is crossdating and is it required?
Crossdating is required. It is the process of matching ring-width patterns among trees to assign each ring to the correct calendar year and to detect measurement or biological anomalies.
What software must be used for crossdating quality control?
Each core must be crossdated using COFECHA, a standard dendrochronology quality-control program.
How broadly must each core be crossdated against other samples?
Each core must be crossdated against all other cores within 3 km of the focal core.
What kinds of issues can crossdating reveal?
Crossdating can reveal missing rings (gaps) or false rings (extra rings formed within a year), as well as measurement or biological anomalies.
How should crossdating corrections be handled in the dataset?
The database must be updated to reflect crossdating corrections, including fixes for missing or false rings.
Is there a requirement to add calendar years to ring records?
Yes. After crossdating is complete, an additional field, Ringyear, must be added to the database and linked to RingID so each ring width value is associated with an actual year.
What analyses are required beyond building a chronology?
The project requires evaluation of tree growth rates across sites and species using both basal area increment (BAI) and ring width index (RWI).
What is Basal Area Increment (BAI) and why is it included?
BAI translates ring widths into annual wood production in terms of cross-sectional area, helping assess growth in a way that complements RWI and supports comparisons across sites and species.
Why does the opportunity require using both BAI and RWI?
Together, BAI and RWI help distinguish whether observed growth changes are related to climate, competition, disturbance, or stand development, and they support clearer comparisons among species and park locations.
What is the final deliverable?
The final deliverable is a complete, quality-controlled tree-ring database.
Is there an approval step before the dataset is released?
Yes. The database must be reviewed and approved by the principal investigator (PI) before it is released to NCRN staff.
Who is the intended end user of the final dataset?
The dataset is intended to be usable by NCRN monitoring staff for ongoing monitoring, reporting, and future research.
How many awards did the agency expect to make?
The agency expected to make one award, meaning a single partner would be selected to complete the full scope of work.
What was the anticipated funding ceiling?
The anticipated funding ceiling was $60,000.
What is the CFDA number listed for this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA 15.945.
What activity category is associated with this opportunity?
The activity category is focused on employment, labor, and training.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education.
When was the opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on June 15, 2018.
What was the original closing date?
The original closing date was June 25, 2018.
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