Welcome to the Southwest Biological Science Center
Terrestrial Systems: Ecology, Biology, and Restoration
Southwest Biological Science Center
Welcome to the Southwest Biological Science Center! We conduct quality, objective research on the terrestrial and aquatic systems of the Colorado Plateau, Colorado River and its tributaries, drylands across the larger Southwest US, and beyond.
Terrestrial Dryland Ecology (TDE)
Terrestrial Dryland Ecology (TDE)
The Terrestrial Dryland Ecology (TDE) Branch of the SBSC studies the biology, ecology,and processes of semi-arid and arid lands (known as drylands). TDE researchers study plant-soil-water relationships and the wildlife found in drylands.
GCMRC, River Ecosystem Science & Lake Powell Research
GCMRC, River Ecosystem Science & Lake Powell Research
The River Ecosystem Science (RES) Branch of the SBSC, which includes the Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center (GCMRC), studies the biology, ecology, and processes of rivers in the western United States, with an emphasis on the Southwest.
Quick Links
Quick Links
- GCMRC modeling used in decision-making process for new Glen Canyon Dam Environm…
- Research supporting native plant restoration across the Colorado Plateau & beyo…
- Restoration Assessment & Monitoring Program for the Southwest (RAMPS)
- SBSC Tribal Partnerships
- The Southwest Repeat Photography Collection
- Colorado River Basin Science across the USGS and beyond
News
Water is life: USGS remote sensing helps USFWS manage a precious resource
Water is life: USGS remote sensing helps USFWS manage a precious resource
RAMPS Newsletter - Fall 2024
RAMPS Newsletter - Fall 2024
Predicting Wildlife and Plant Responses to Solar Energy Development in the Desert Southwest
Predicting Wildlife and Plant Responses to Solar Energy Development in the Desert Southwest
Publications
Evaluating a simulation-based wildfire burn probability map for the conterminous US
BackgroundWildfire simulation models are used to derive maps of burn probability (BP) based on fuels, weather, topography and ignition locations, and BP maps are key components of wildfire risk assessments.AimsFew studies have compared BP maps with real-world fires to evaluate their suitability for near-future risk assessment. Here, we evaluated a BP map for the conterminous US based on...
Investigation of land cover within wetland complexes at Dixie Meadows, Churchill County, Nevada, from October 2015 to January 2022
The U.S. Geological Survey investigated land cover at subannual time steps within six wetland areas in Dixie Valley, Churchill County, Nevada, from October 2015 to January 2022. As requested by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, we used aerial photography and satellite remote sensing data to map surface water and other land cover types within the wetland complexes. We identified five...
Arsenic accumulation in Sonora Mud Turtles (Kinosternon sonoriense) in an unusual freshwater food web
Montezuma Well is an unusual fishless, spring-fed, desert wetland in central Arizona. Water in the wetland is naturally enriched with > 100 µg/l dissolved geogenic arsenic (As) and supports a simple aquatic food web dominated by a small number of endemic invertebrate species that achieve high abundances. Previous studies of As among various environmental compartments and organisms in...
Science
Smallmouth bass expansion downstream of Glen Canyon Dam
In the Upper Colorado River Basin, smallmouth bass ( Micropterus dolomieu) are considered the greatest threat to native fishes and have been linked to declines in federally protected humpback chub ( Gila cypha), including one population that was rapidly extirpated in the past. Long-term management efforts have been underway to remove smallmouth bass from rivers in the Upper Basin, but smallmouth...
Plant responses to drought and climate change in the southwestern United States
Land managers face tremendous challenges in the future as drought and climate change alter the abundance, distribution, and interactions of plant species. These challenges will be especially daunting in the southwestern US, which is already experiencing elevated temperatures and prolonged droughts, resulting in reduced soil moisture in an already water-limited environment.
Humpback Chub in the Colorado River, Grand Canyon
Threatened humpback chub are a native fish found only in the Colorado River Basin. Once found in warm-water canyons in the Basin, the largest population now persists in the Colorado River in Grand Canyon National Park, downstream of Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell, the reservoir upstream, created by the dam.
