[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 36 (Monday, February 24, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8224-8226]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-4429]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Office of Energy Research


Energy Research Financial Assistance Program Notice 97-09: 
Biotechnological Investigations--Ocean Margin Program (BI-OMP)

AGENCY: Office of Energy Research, U.S. Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice inviting research grant applications.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Health and Environmental Research (OHER) of the 
Office of Energy Research, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announces 
its interest in receiving research applications involving the use of 
molecular biological and biogeochemical techniques to understand the 
linkages between coastal carbon and nitrogen cycles (primary production 
and microbial processes) in the Northern and Temperate latitudes. This 
information is crucial to the responses of ocean margin ecosystems to 
atmospheric radiative budgets and global biogeochemical cycles. 
Specifically, DOE seeks applications to:
     Apply new and innovative techniques in marine molecular 
biology and marine biotechnology to assess fixation of carbon dioxide 
from the atmosphere, determine the mechanisms and processes that 
control the dynamics of nitrogen fixation or denitrification in coastal 
waters and sediments, define the coupling and/or decoupling of carbon 
and nitrogen cycles in coastal environments, and determine the linkages 
between the function and structure of microbial communities mediating 
carbon and nitrogen cycling in coastal environments, and
     Examine the environmental factors (including nutrient 
availability, temperature, irradiance, and biopolymer lability) that 
affect the linkages between primary productivity, the utilization of 
particulate and dissolved organic matter (POM and DOM) by bacterial 
populations, and nitrogen cycling in coastal areas.
    Applications must involve mutually collaborative partnerships 
between institutions with a strong tradition of research in marine 
sciences and those institutions with developing research capabilities 
in marine science. Partnerships are particularly encouraged with 
institutions that traditionally have served groups underrepresented in 
the sciences. The goals of such collaborative research projects are to 
enhance the research capabilities of both institutions, to promote 
significant interactions between institutions, and to foster long term 
collaboration among investigators.

DATES: To permit timely consideration for awards in Fiscal Year 1997 
and early Fiscal Year 1998, formal applications submitted in response 
to this notice should be received by 4:30 p.m., E.D.T., May 6, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Formal applications referencing Program Notice 97-09 should 
be forwarded to: U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Research, 
Grants and Contracts Division, ER-64, 19901 Germantown Road, 
Germantown, MD 20874-1290, ATTN: Program Notice 97-09. This address 
also must be used when submitting applications by U.S. Postal Service 
Express Mail or any commercial mail delivery service, or when hand-
carried by the applicant.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Anna Palmisano, Environmental 
Sciences Division, ER-74, Office of Health and Environmental Research, 
Office of Energy Research, U.S. Department of Energy, 19901 Germantown 
Road, Germantown, MD 20874-1290, telephone (301) 903-4183, e-mail 
[email protected], fax (301) 903-8519.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The primary research goal of the 
Biotechnological Investigations--Ocean Margin Program is to establish a 
more thorough understanding of the molecular to global scale links and 
feedback mechanisms between solar irradiance, marine microbial 
activity, primary productivity, carbon and nitrogen cycles and 
remotely-sensed ocean color data. This information is crucial to 
understanding the responses of marine biological systems to changes in 
atmospheric radiative budgets and global biogeochemical cycles.

Program Relationships

    The Biotechnological Investigations--Ocean Margins Program is 
expected to build on past research results and accomplishments within 
the Ocean Margins Program (OMP) component of the Biological and 
Environmental Research (BER) program. The main objective of OMP was 
determining whether primary productivity on continental shelves is 
quantitatively significant in removing carbon dioxide (CO2.) from 
the atmosphere. Other objectives of the OMP were: (1) Quantifying the 
ecological and biogeochemical processes that affect the cycling, flux, 
and storage of carbon and other biogenic elements at the land/ocean 
interface; and (2) Defining ocean margin sources and sinks in global 
biogeochemical cycles.

[[Page 8225]]

    Under the OMP, molecular biological techniques were developed, 
adapted, and applied to determine how biological processes are 
regulated and controlled by genetic limitations and environmental 
variables. Research emphasis was placed on molecular regulation of 
photosynthetic carbon reduction by phytoplankton; molecular diagnostic 
markers of bacterial growth, production, and nutrient limitations to 
growth, and; molecular techniques for elucidating metabolic pathways.

Biotechnological Investigations--Ocean Margins Program (BI-OMP)

    BI-OMP is the second phase of the Ocean Margins Program (OMP); it 
places an increased emphasis on the application of modern molecular 
tools to marine microbes and their role in carbon and nitrogen cycling, 
and processes affecting global change. Photosynthetic rates in the 
ocean, and sequestration of atmospheric CO2 by marine primary 
production greatly depend on the availability of fixed inorganic 
nitrogen. Hence, any increase in the net sequestration of CO2 by 
oceanic photosynthetic organisms requires an addition of nitrogen or 
other limiting elements external to the ocean. Three major external 
sources of fixed inorganic nitrogen are cultural eutrophication of the 
coastal zone; atmospheric deposition of anthropogenic and naturally 
produced oxides of nitrogen; and nitrogen fixation from the atmosphere 
by microorganisms.
    Research in Temperate and High Latitude coastal areas indicates 
that the availability and cycling of nitrogen is likely to be the major 
control on primary productivity and carbon cycling in these areas. In 
general, coastal areas are believed to be net heterotrophic on an 
annual basis. This means that they receive more organic substrate than 
is produced within the system by photosynthesis. Bacteria metabolize a 
large fraction of the organic pool, both dissolved and particulate, and 
it appears that most of the excess organic matter in coastal areas is 
degraded by microbial processes.
    Moreover, it appears that denitrification (the reduction of fixed 
nitrogen to N2) overwhelms nitrogen fixation by cyanobacteria in 
Northern Latitude waters and sediments. In these areas, there does not 
appear to be paucity of iron (Fe) to limit nitrogen fixation, but 
nitrogenase activity may be inhibited by the elevated concentrations of 
ammonia (NH3) that occur in Arctic waters following phytoplankton 
blooms. Since little is known about the rates of nitrogen fixation, 
primary productivity, and bacterial respiration in cold water areas, 
this notice calls for applications to help understand the molecular to 
global scale links and feedback mechanisms between solar irradiance, 
marine microbiology, coastal nitrogen and carbon cycles, primary 
productivity, and remotely-sensed ocean color data in the low-
temperature waters off Alaska and the Pacific Northwest.
    Although it is anticipated that most of the research performed will 
be laboratory-based, if field studies are necessary, they should be 
conducted in the coastal waters off the North Slope of Alaska and 
Pacific Northwest; or, in the estuarine and shelf waters of the 
Mississippi River and Gulf of Mexico; Savannah River and South Atlantic 
Bight; or Chesapeake Bay and Mid-Atlantic Bight. Applications that are 
solely concerned with the taxonomic characterization or distributions 
of bacteria, or the identification of new biochemicals or enzymes from 
marine organisms, are excluded from consideration within this notice.

Application of Molecular Tools to Microbes Mediating Carbon and 
Nitrogen Cycling

    This announcement encourages applications that use molecular 
approaches to study marine microbial processes, in particular, carbon 
and nitrogen cycling. Insights can be gained from application of 
biotechnology to carbon sequestration and storage, nitrogen fixation 
and denitrification. Knowledge of the genes responsible for these 
processes, and most importantly, the expression of these genes in 
marine environments is needed. The mechanisms by which environmental 
factors regulate gene expression in ocean margin environments will help 
us to understand the natural controls on these processes.
    The advent of modern molecular biology has provided powerful tools 
for examining genes and gene expression. Molecular methods are now 
being applied to research problems in marine biology, including the 
enzymes involved in carbon fixation (e.g., ribulose bisphosphate 
carboxylase), nitrogen fixation (e.g., nitrogenase) and denitrification 
(e.g., nitrate reductase). Examples of enabling biotechnologies include 
in situ polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to amplify specific catabolic 
genes within bacterial cells, and fluorescent in situ hybridization 
(FISH) to elucidate genotypes in microbial communities. A fundamental 
knowledge of molecular regulatory mechanisms of photosynthesis and 
nitrogen cycling in the oceans is needed.

Environmental Factors That Affect Linkages Between Carbon and Nitrogen 
Cycling

    Environmental factors such as nutrient availability, temperature, 
irradiance, and biopolymer lability affect the coupling and decoupling 
of primary production, bacterial respiration, POM and DOM formation, 
and nitrogen metabolism in coastal areas. The impact of individual 
environmental factors, and synergistic effects of multiple 
environmental factors, on these processes is poorly understood. This 
announcement encourages applications that address the environmental 
controls on carbon and nitrogen cycles, and their coupling and 
decoupling. An understanding of these linkages is critical to 
monitoring and predicting potential changes due to physical, chemical 
or biological factor, and may ultimately contribute to the development 
of algorithms for remotely sensed ocean color data.

Collaborative Partnerships

    Research applications shall include a mutually collaborative 
partnership between institutions that have a strong tradition of 
research in the marine sciences and those institutions with developing 
research capabilities in marine science. Participation of institutions 
with a high proportion of groups that are under represented in the 
sciences are particularly encouraged. Examples of collaborative 
activities include co-investigator status, periodic exchanges of 
researcher-in-residence between institutions, and joint supervision of 
research students. It is critical that both institutions have key roles 
in the collaboration. One institution should serve as the primary 
applicant with a subcontract to the collaborative institution. The 
applications should:
     Clearly state the nature of the collaborative research 
agreement between the institutions;
     Define respective research roles and responsibilities of 
scientists at each institution; describe how the partnership between 
the institutions will be effected (e.g., team meetings, shared 
students, etc.), and
     Provide separate institutional budgets.
    In addition, the applicants will need to show how their proposed 
collaborative research addresses the goals stated in this notice and 
convey a commitment to developing research partnerships between 
respective institutions.

[[Page 8226]]

    It is anticipated that up to $4 million will be available for 
multiple grants awarded in FY 1997 and FY 1998, contingent upon 
availability of appropriated funds. Applications may request project 
support up to three years, with out-year support contingent on 
availability of funds, progress of the research, and programmatic 
needs. Annual budgets are expected to range from approximately $50,000 
to $500,000. Applications should include detailed budgets for each year 
of support requested. The technical portion of the application should 
not exceed twenty-five (25) double-spaced pages. Lengthy application 
appendices are not encouraged.
    Applications will be subjected to formal merit review (peer review) 
and will be evaluated against the following evaluation criteria which 
are listed in descending order of importance codified at 10 CFR 
605.10(d):
    1. Scientific and/or Technical Merit of the Project;
    2. Appropriateness of the Proposed Method or Approach;
    3. Competency of Applicant's personnel and Adequacy of Proposed 
Resources;
    4. Reasonableness and Appropriateness of the Proposed Budget.
    The evaluation will include program policy factors such as the 
relevance of the proposed research to the terms of the announcement and 
an agency's programmatic needs. Note, external peer reviewers are 
selected with regard to both their scientific expertise and the absence 
of conflict-of-interest issues. Non-federal reviewers will often be 
used, and submission of an application constitutes agreement that this 
is acceptable to the investigator(s) and the submitting institution.
    To provide a consistent format for the submission, review and 
solicitation of grant applications submitted under this notice, the 
preparation and submission of grant applications must follow the 
guidelines given in the Application Guide for the Office of Energy 
Research Financial Assistance Program 10 CFR Part 605. Access to ER's 
Financial Assistance Application Guide is possible via the World Wide 
Web at: http://www.er.doe.gov/production/grants/grants.html.

The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number for this program 
is 81.049, and the solicitation control number is ERFAP 10 CFR Part 
605.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on February 13, 1997.
John Rodney Clark,
Associate Director for Resource Management, Office of Energy Research.
[FR Doc. 97-4429 Filed 2-21-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P