The DOE SC program in Biological and Environmental Research (BER) hereby announces its interest in receiving applications for research in Environmental System Science (ESS). The goal of the ESS program in BER is to advance an integrated, robust, and scale-aware predictive understanding of terrestrial systems and their interdependent microbial, biogeochemical, ecological, hydrological, and physical processes. To support this goal, the program uses a systems approach to develop an integrative framework to elucidate the complex processes and controls on the structure, function, feedbacks, and dynamics of terrestrial systems, that span from molecular to global scales, and extend from the bedrock through the soil, rhizosphere, and vegetation to the atmosphere. The ESS program scope advances foundational process knowledge with an emphasis on understudied ecosystems. This FOA will encompass three Science Research Areas:

1. Improved understanding of hot spots and hot moments of biogeochemical cycling in terrestrial-aquatic interfaces;
2. Investigations of cold-region ecosystem and watershed process responses to changing cold-season climate drivers; and
3. Synthesis studies using existing data that address testing of ESS-relevant hypotheses and development of transferable insights across ecosystems, watersheds, and regions.

The BER ESS program goal is to advance an integrated, robust, and scale-aware predictive understanding of terrestrial systems and their interdependent microbial, biogeochemical, ecological, hydrological, and physical processes. To support this goal, the program uses a systems approach to develop an integrative framework to elucidate the complex processes and controls on the structure, function, feedbacks, and dynamics of terrestrial systems, that span from molecular to global scales and extend from the bedrock through the soil, rhizosphere, and vegetation to the atmosphere. The ESS program scope advances foundational process knowledge with an emphasis on understudied ecosystems. Supported research emphasizes ecological and hydro-biogeochemical linkages among system components and characterization of processes across interfaces (e.g., terrestrial-aquatic, coastal, urban) to address key knowledge gaps and uncertainties across a range of spatial and temporal scales. Incorporation of scientific findings into process and system models is an important aspect of the ESS strategy, both to improve predictive understanding as well as to enable the identification of new research questions and directions.

Two types of research applications are solicited as part of this FOA. See https://science.osti.gov/ber/-/media/grants/pdf/foas/2023/SC_FOA_0002849.pdf#page=12 for more information.

More information about the three Science Research Areas can be found starting at https://science.osti.gov/ber/-/media/grants/pdf/foas/2023/SC_FOA_0002849.pdf#page=13.

• Others (see text field entitled "Additional Eligibility Criteria" for clarification)

Estimated Total Program Funding: