Project Grant 20236701939723

The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville was awarded a $650,000 Project Grant from the United States Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture under the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) federal grant program. The grant period is from May 1, 2023 to April 30, 2027. Under the award, the University of Arkansas will develop and implement a consistent, national-scale early detection and rapid response tool to prevent the spread and establishment of invasive plant species across the United States. Key deliverables include developing novel early detection methods to predict the spread of invasive species and overcome modeling limitations, implementing the methods on cogongrass, estimating impacts of cogongrass invasion on ecosystem services, mapping projected losses of ecosystem services from cogongrass invasion under climate change scenarios, and publishing computer code and guidance to facilitate application of the early detection and response tool to other invasive plant species. Texas A&M Agrilife Research and the University of Florida are sub-awardees that will provide research support, including developing quantitative models for early detection of cogongrass occurrence and spread, assisting with field sampling and data collection, fire behavior modeling, and mapping predicted ecosystem service impacts.