Evaluating Restored Wetland Biogeochemical Cycling Following Thin-layer Sediment Introduction | W81EWF 23 SOI 0003

Opportunity Information: Apply for W81EWF 23 SOI 0003

This grant opportunity from the Department of Defense, U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) supports a research project aimed at understanding how wetland soils and their key biogeochemical processes change after wetlands are restored using thin-layer placement of sediment. Thin-layer placement is a restoration technique where dredged material or other mineral-rich sediments are spread in a relatively thin layer across a wetland surface to raise elevation, counter subsidence and sea-level rise pressures, and help restore or improve wetland function. Because these added sediments often contain more mineral material than typical coastal wetland soils, they can alter how carbon, nutrients, and other elements move through and are stored in the wetland system. The work is primarily focused on the southeast United States and Gulf Coast (such as Florida and Alabama), with the possibility of including sample collections from the mid-Atlantic as well.

The underlying motivation is that wetlands deliver major public benefits, including storm surge buffering, flood risk reduction, and a range of ecosystem services tied to water quality and habitat. As restoration has increasingly moved toward approaches aligned with Engineering With Nature and Natural and Nature-Based Features, agencies and practitioners have shown growing interest in thin-layer placement as a practical way to rebuild wetland elevation and sustain wetland function over time. Even so, there is still a notable shortage of field-based studies that track short- to mid-term (roughly up to 10 years) biogeochemical outcomes after restoration, especially for newer and expanding techniques like thin-layer placement. That lack of data makes it harder to confidently design projects that maximize outcomes like carbon sequestration, nutrient retention and transformation, and overall soil and water quality improvements, across different wetland types such as marshes, floodplains, and mangroves.

The central purpose of the project is threefold: first, to document how wetland biogeochemical cycling shifts after thin-layer sediment additions; second, to directly compare restored areas to nearby unrestored reference wetlands to understand what changes are attributable to restoration treatments; and third, to translate the findings into practical guidance that can improve the design and implementation of future wetland restoration projects. In practice, this means focusing on the soil system where many of the most important transformations occur, including biologically mediated processes (driven by microbes and plant roots) and abiotic processes (driven by chemistry, mineral interactions, and hydrology). These transformations influence decomposition rates, nutrient turnover, and the stabilization or loss of organic matter, which together determine whether a restored wetland becomes a strong carbon sink, a nutrient filter, or potentially a source of greenhouse gases and nutrient export under certain conditions.

The initial year of work emphasizes building the foundation for a robust, defensible study. The project expects the awardee to assemble a technical team, select and secure appropriate study sites, and develop a sampling design targeting wetlands that previously received thin-layer placement treatments. At each site, the team is expected to collect soil samples from paired restored and natural (reference) locations, with at least triplicate sampling to support meaningful comparisons and statistics. The laboratory and analytical component is a major feature of the opportunity, since the intent is to quantify soil biogeochemical parameters that reflect ecosystem function, which may require both standard soil tests and more specialized measurements linked to microbial processes and carbon quality. A key deliverable in the initial period is a peer-reviewed journal article produced in collaboration with ERDC researchers, intended to describe mid-range outcomes and help shape future design criteria. The project also includes an expectation for public-facing communication through seminars sharing methods and findings.

Optional follow-on years broaden and deepen the work. These optional periods are designed to refine and streamline the methodology so it becomes more operationally efficient, and to expand the study into additional regions or wetland types that have not been well studied in the context of thin-layer placement. Mangroves are specifically highlighted as an ecosystem of interest that may not have previously received thin-layer placement treatments, suggesting a desire to test the approach and its biogeochemical consequences in different ecological and sedimentary settings. Additional peer-reviewed publications or public reports integrating the full set of conclusions are expected, along with continued public seminars to disseminate results to practitioners and stakeholders.

From an applicant capability standpoint, the opportunity is geared toward teams with strong wetland biogeochemistry expertise and the ability to do demanding field and lab work in challenging coastal environments. That includes practical capacity to collect and process soil cores across a range of substrates, from organic-rich wetland soils to more mineral-dominated sediments created or influenced by dredged material placement. It also includes advanced laboratory capability to quantify biological, chemical, and physical soil parameters tied to ecosystem services, including microbially mediated processes and indicators of nutrient cycling and carbon stabilization. Experience across both natural and constructed/restored wetland environments is important, as is prior familiarity with thin-layer sediment restoration projects, since the goal is not just to measure conditions, but to interpret them in a way that improves future restoration design and performance.

Administratively, this is a discretionary funding opportunity offered as a cooperative agreement under CFDA 12.630, with ERDC as the sponsoring agency. The opportunity listed an expected single award with an award ceiling of $60,000, and it was originally posted March 15, 2023 with an original closing date of May 15, 2023. Overall, the project is positioned as applied research with direct implications for how coastal restoration projects are planned and evaluated, especially as coastal wetlands face accelerating stress from sea-level rise, storms, and changing sediment dynamics.

• 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 "Evaluating Restored Wetland Biogeochemical Cycling Following Thin-layer Sediment Introduction" 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 Mar 15, 2023.
• Applicants must submit their applications by May 15, 2023. (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: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

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