Plant-Soil-Environment Laboratory (FRESC) Active
We produce basic and applied science needed to manage landscapes in ways that make them resistant and resilient to stressors such as wildfire, exotic plant invasions, drought, and temperature extremes. These stressors impact ecosystem productivity and functioning and pose costly risks to human health and safety in the western United States. We team with other state and federal agencies to find efficient and effective ways of mitigating their impacts.
Our program integrates biophysical ecology, ecophysiology, ecohydrology, and biogeomorphology at scales ranging from plants to populations, communities, ecosystems and landscapes. Current projects evaluate emerging approaches for soil stabilization, control of exotic annual grasses, and restoration of desirable native perennials following wildfire in sagebrush steppe. Understanding plant adaptation to temperature and water limitation, and applying this knowledge to management practices such as post-fire restoration seeding or landscape vulnerability assessments, is a major focus.
Principal Investigator
Matt Germino - Supervisory Research Ecologist
Federal Staff
Cara Applestein - Ecologist
Krystal Busby - Ecologist
Bill Davidson - Ecologist
Scott Fordham - Biologist
Chad Kluender - Ecologist
Darius Liles - Biologist
Andrew Lague - Ecologist
Brynne Lazarus - Botanist
Jake Price - Ecologist
Contractors/Volunteers/Associates
Austin Davis
Toby Maxwell
Jayna Thompson
Chloe Watt
Science Themes of the FRESC Plant-Soil-Environment Laboratory are highlighted below.
The Effect of Pre-Emergent Herbicides on Soil in The Sagebrush Steppe
Longevity of Herbicides Targeting Exotic Annual Grasses in Sagebrush-Steppe Soils
Vegetation and Fuel Responses to Linear Fuel-Break Treatments in and around Burned Sagebrush Steppe
Grazing Effects on the Annual Grass Fire-Cycle after Post Fire Management
Systematic Review and Analysis of Seeding and Herbicide Treatment in the Sagebrush Steppe
Weed-Suppressive Bacteria – Testing a Control Measure for Invasive Grasses in the West
Cheatgrass and Medusahead
Wildfire Impacts, and Post-Fire Rehabilitation and Restoration
Plant Responses to Temperature and Water Limitation
Integrating Science and Adaptive Land Management
If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.
Satellite-derived plant cover maps vary in performance depending on version and product
High-resolution thermal imagery reveals how interactions between crown structure and genetics shape plant temperature
Experimental manipulation of soil-surface albedo alters phenology and growth of Bromus tectorum (cheatgrass)
Does post-fire recovery of native grasses across abiotic-stress and invasive-grass gradients match theoretical predictions, in sagebrush steppe?
Spatial models can improve the experimental design of field-based transplant gardens by preventing bias due to neighborhood crowding
Plant community trajectories following livestock exclusion for conservation vary and hinge on initial invasion and soil-biocrust conditions in shrub steppe
Post-fire seed dispersal of a wind-dispersed shrub declined with distance to seed source, yet had high levels of unexplained variation
Modeling of fire spread in sagebrush steppe using FARSITE: An approach to improving input data and simulation accuracy
The effects of cheatgrass invasion on US Great Basin carbon storage depend on interactions between plant community composition, precipitation seasonality, and soil climate regime
Intra-site sources of restoration variability in severely invaded rangeland: Strong temporal effects of herbicide-weather interactions; weak spatial effects of plant-community patch type and litter
Reestablishing a foundational species: limitations on post-wildfire sagebrush seedling establishment
Warming temperatures affect meadow-wide nectar resources, with implications for plant-pollinator communities
If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.
Sagebrush Steppe Stabilization and Rehabilitation - Story Map
Learn how the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) uses data and tools to facilitate the restoration and management of post-fire landscapes. This Story Map includes examples from fire sites within the Great Basin of the western U.S.
The news stories below are short summaries of FIREss Team publications.
New Invasive Annual Grass Book Addresses Critical Questions for the Western U.S.
We produce basic and applied science needed to manage landscapes in ways that make them resistant and resilient to stressors such as wildfire, exotic plant invasions, drought, and temperature extremes. These stressors impact ecosystem productivity and functioning and pose costly risks to human health and safety in the western United States. We team with other state and federal agencies to find efficient and effective ways of mitigating their impacts.
Our program integrates biophysical ecology, ecophysiology, ecohydrology, and biogeomorphology at scales ranging from plants to populations, communities, ecosystems and landscapes. Current projects evaluate emerging approaches for soil stabilization, control of exotic annual grasses, and restoration of desirable native perennials following wildfire in sagebrush steppe. Understanding plant adaptation to temperature and water limitation, and applying this knowledge to management practices such as post-fire restoration seeding or landscape vulnerability assessments, is a major focus.
Principal Investigator
Matt Germino - Supervisory Research Ecologist
Federal Staff
Cara Applestein - Ecologist
Krystal Busby - Ecologist
Bill Davidson - Ecologist
Scott Fordham - Biologist
Chad Kluender - Ecologist
Darius Liles - Biologist
Andrew Lague - Ecologist
Brynne Lazarus - Botanist
Jake Price - Ecologist
Contractors/Volunteers/Associates
Austin Davis
Toby Maxwell
Jayna Thompson
Chloe Watt
Science Themes of the FRESC Plant-Soil-Environment Laboratory are highlighted below.
The Effect of Pre-Emergent Herbicides on Soil in The Sagebrush Steppe
Longevity of Herbicides Targeting Exotic Annual Grasses in Sagebrush-Steppe Soils
Vegetation and Fuel Responses to Linear Fuel-Break Treatments in and around Burned Sagebrush Steppe
Grazing Effects on the Annual Grass Fire-Cycle after Post Fire Management
Systematic Review and Analysis of Seeding and Herbicide Treatment in the Sagebrush Steppe
Weed-Suppressive Bacteria – Testing a Control Measure for Invasive Grasses in the West
Cheatgrass and Medusahead
Wildfire Impacts, and Post-Fire Rehabilitation and Restoration
Plant Responses to Temperature and Water Limitation
Integrating Science and Adaptive Land Management
If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.
Satellite-derived plant cover maps vary in performance depending on version and product
High-resolution thermal imagery reveals how interactions between crown structure and genetics shape plant temperature
Experimental manipulation of soil-surface albedo alters phenology and growth of Bromus tectorum (cheatgrass)
Does post-fire recovery of native grasses across abiotic-stress and invasive-grass gradients match theoretical predictions, in sagebrush steppe?
Spatial models can improve the experimental design of field-based transplant gardens by preventing bias due to neighborhood crowding
Plant community trajectories following livestock exclusion for conservation vary and hinge on initial invasion and soil-biocrust conditions in shrub steppe
Post-fire seed dispersal of a wind-dispersed shrub declined with distance to seed source, yet had high levels of unexplained variation
Modeling of fire spread in sagebrush steppe using FARSITE: An approach to improving input data and simulation accuracy
The effects of cheatgrass invasion on US Great Basin carbon storage depend on interactions between plant community composition, precipitation seasonality, and soil climate regime
Intra-site sources of restoration variability in severely invaded rangeland: Strong temporal effects of herbicide-weather interactions; weak spatial effects of plant-community patch type and litter
Reestablishing a foundational species: limitations on post-wildfire sagebrush seedling establishment
Warming temperatures affect meadow-wide nectar resources, with implications for plant-pollinator communities
If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.
Sagebrush Steppe Stabilization and Rehabilitation - Story Map
Learn how the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) uses data and tools to facilitate the restoration and management of post-fire landscapes. This Story Map includes examples from fire sites within the Great Basin of the western U.S.
The news stories below are short summaries of FIREss Team publications.