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Welcome to the Southwest Biological Science Center

River Ecosystem Science

Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center

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Terrestrial Systems: Ecology, Biology, and Restoration

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SBSC Tribal Partnerships

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Biology & Ecology of Fish and Wildlife in the Southwest

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Southwest Biological Science Center

Welcome to the Southwest Biological Science Center (SBSC)! 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)

Grassland nestled between red rock mesas and cliffs at Capital Reef National Park during a rainstorm.

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.

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GCMRC, River Ecosystem Science & Lake Powell Research

Boats along a beach on the Colorado River in Grand Canyon

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.

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SBSC Quick Links

News

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Global vegetation decline is linked with multiple climate extremes

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Injuries and abnormalities of the southwestern pond turtle in the Mojave River of California

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Research directions to aid in Colorado Plateau restoration during the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration

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Publications

A river basin spatial model to quantitively advance understanding of riverine tree response dynamics to water availability and hydrological management

Ecological condition continues to decline in arid and semi-arid river basins globally due to hydrological over-abstraction combined with changing climatic conditions. Whilst provision of water for the environment has been a primary approach to alleviate ecological decline, how to accurately monitor changes in riverine trees at fine spatial and temporal scales, remains a substantial challenge. This
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Southwest Biological Science Center

Random forest classification of multitemporal Landsat 8 spectral data and P\phenology metrics for land cover mapping in the Sonoran and Mojave Deserts

Geospatial data and tools evolve as new technologies are developed and landscape change occurs over time. As a result, these data may become outdated and inadequate for supporting critical habitat-related work across the international boundary in the Sonoran and Mojave Deserts Bird Conservation Region (BCR 33) due to the area’s complex vegetation communities and the discontinuity in data availabil
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Southwest Biological Science Center

Declines in prey production during the collapse of a tailwater Rainbow Trout population are associated with changing reservoir conditions

ObjectiveUnderstanding how energy moves through food webs and limits productivity at various trophic levels is a central question in aquatic ecology and can provide insight into drivers of fish population dynamics since many fish populations are food limited. In this study, we seek to better understand what factors drove a decline of >85% in the number of Rainbow TroutOncorhynchus mykiss found in
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Southwest Biological Science Center
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Science

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Dryland, shrub-dominated plant community typical of sandy substrates

Informing seed transfer guidelines and native plant materials development: Research supporting restoration across the Colorado Plateau and beyond

As restoration needs for natural landscapes grow due to higher frequency and/or intensity disturbances, pressure from invasive species, and impacts resulting from changing climates, considerable time and resources are being invested to guide the development and deployment of native plant materials (NPMs). Across lower elevations of the Colorado Plateau, a region composed primarily of public land...
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Land Management Research Program, Southwest Biological Science Center
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Informing seed transfer guidelines and native plant materials development: Research supporting restoration across the Colorado Plateau and beyond

As restoration needs for natural landscapes grow due to higher frequency and/or intensity disturbances, pressure from invasive species, and impacts resulting from changing climates, considerable time and resources are being invested to guide the development and deployment of native plant materials (NPMs). Across lower elevations of the Colorado Plateau, a region composed primarily of public land...
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Cisco milkvetch (Astragalus sabulosus) in flower

Genomic Research Supporting Western Conservation

In the western United States (U.S.), there are many regionally restricted, rare species resulting from complex demographic and ecological processes through time. In addition to the inherent risks associated with being rare (i.e., having few individuals spread over a limited area that could be disproportionately affected by chance events), anthropogenic disturbances are increasing in magnitude...
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Southwest Biological Science Center
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Genomic Research Supporting Western Conservation

In the western United States (U.S.), there are many regionally restricted, rare species resulting from complex demographic and ecological processes through time. In addition to the inherent risks associated with being rare (i.e., having few individuals spread over a limited area that could be disproportionately affected by chance events), anthropogenic disturbances are increasing in magnitude...
Learn More
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Yellow bee plant (Cleome lutea) visited by a monarch butterfly

Genetics for Western Restoration and Conservation (GWRC)

Research using genetic principles, methods, and data provides critical information for restoration and conservation science. Genetic research may rely only upon genomic sequencing techniques, which generate abundant, genome-wide DNA sequences that can provide a glimpse into a species’ evolutionary history and adaptations. Genetic research may also look at an organism’s physical traits to...
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Southwest Biological Science Center
link

Genetics for Western Restoration and Conservation (GWRC)

Research using genetic principles, methods, and data provides critical information for restoration and conservation science. Genetic research may rely only upon genomic sequencing techniques, which generate abundant, genome-wide DNA sequences that can provide a glimpse into a species’ evolutionary history and adaptations. Genetic research may also look at an organism’s physical traits to...
Learn More
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