Publications
Below are publications associated with the Southwest Biological Science Center's research.
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A snapshot of Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia and Y. jaegeriana) stand structure in the eastern Mojave Desert of California A snapshot of Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia and Y. jaegeriana) stand structure in the eastern Mojave Desert of California
The long-term viability of the iconic Joshua tree of the Mojave Desert is being evaluated. In 2022, we measured the abundance and heights of Joshua tree stems on 62 1000 m2 plots in the eastern Mojave Desert of California. The 2022 plots were represented by 33 plots in a population of western Joshua trees (Yucca brevifolia) and 29 plots in a population of eastern Joshua trees (Y...
Authors
Kathryn A. Thomas
Pleistocene porcupine (Erethizontidae) records in arid southwestern North America and comparisons with the modern distribution of Erethizon dorsatum in southern California and Arizona Pleistocene porcupine (Erethizontidae) records in arid southwestern North America and comparisons with the modern distribution of Erethizon dorsatum in southern California and Arizona
he North American porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) is widely distributed throughout many ecosystems on the continent from northern Mexico to the Arctic Ocean, except for the southeastern portion of the United States. Habitats include the arid Desert Southwest region where modern records are generally sparse. The paleogeographic range in the Desert Southwest is not unlike the modern...
Authors
Jeffrey E. Lovich, George T. Jefferson
Ecovoltaic solar energy development effects to microclimate, temperature, and soil moisture in panel array interspaces in a warm desert Ecovoltaic solar energy development effects to microclimate, temperature, and soil moisture in panel array interspaces in a warm desert
Solar energy development is increasing in warm deserts of the southwestern United States, and ecovoltaics has emerged as an approach to maintain ecosystem function within solar facilities while meeting increasing regional energy demands. The Solar Gemini Project, located in the northeastern Mojave Desert, USA, is one of largest photovoltaic facilities incorporating an ecovoltaics...
Authors
Juan Pinos, Seth Munson, Claire C Karban, Matthew D. Petrie
Rising rates of wildfire building destruction in the conterminous United States Rising rates of wildfire building destruction in the conterminous United States
Many regions of the world have seen an increase in highly destructive wildfires, driven by well-documented increases in burned area and growth of housing in the wildland–urban interface (WUI), which exposes more homes to fire. However, it is unclear whether wildfires are also becoming more destructive due to changes in wildfire behavior or in the development patterns of exposed...
Authors
Amanda Renee Carlson, Todd Hawbaker, Miranda H. Mockrin, Volker C. Radeloff, Lucas Bair, Mike Caggiano, James Meldrum, Patricia Alexandre, H. Anu Kramer, Paul F. Steblein
Assessment of dragonfly and damselfly (Odonata) occupancy and habitat suitability at −12 Mile Slough, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Arizona Assessment of dragonfly and damselfly (Odonata) occupancy and habitat suitability at −12 Mile Slough, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Arizona
Management practices that enhance habitat complexity in dam tailwaters often aim to increase biodiversity and improve ecosystem health. However, in other instances, management practices may simplify habitat features to help minimize the establishment of invasive species. These tradeoffs are complex, particularly in the face of drought and warming water temperatures. In Glen Canyon...
Authors
Anya Metcalfe, Morgan Ford, Lawrence E. Stevens, Theodore Kennedy
Status report on the Long-Term Experimental and Management Plan (LTEMP) Metrics for the Glen Canyon Dam adaptive management program Status report on the Long-Term Experimental and Management Plan (LTEMP) Metrics for the Glen Canyon Dam adaptive management program
No abstract available.
Authors
Helen C. Fairley, Gregory Mark Anderson, Andrew Alan Schultz, Joel B. Sankey, Joshua Caster, Lauren Lynn Tango, Bridget Deemer, Theodore Kennedy, Anya Metcalfe, Emily C. Palmquist, Maria C. Dzul, Kimberly L. Dibble, David Ward, David L. Rogowski, Emily C. Omana Smith, Jeffrey Arnold, Brian D. Healy, Charles Yackulic, Lucas Bair, David J. Topping, Paul Grams, Katherine Anne Chapman, Robert B. Tusso, Dale Fonken, Josh Korman, Lindsay Erika Hansen, Benjamin John Miller, John M. Fennell, Drew Elliot Eppehimer, Claudia James Dimartini, Nathaniel D. Bransky
Rapid structured decision making for Hypomesus transpacificus (delta smelt) summer–fall freshwater outflow management Rapid structured decision making for Hypomesus transpacificus (delta smelt) summer–fall freshwater outflow management
Managers of the Central Valley Project (CVP) and State Water Projects (SWP) in California are confronted with difficult tradeoffs between water uses and associated values affected by water management decisions. These decisions involve altering the timing and magnitude of water releases from dams and reservoirs, which can affect habitats for economically important and Federally and State...
Authors
Brian D. Healy, Corey C. Phillis, Brian Mahardja, Cameron Koizumi, Catarina Pien, Nancy Parker, J. Louise Conrad, Julie Ekstrom, Julie Leimbach, Rafael Silberblatt, Tom Fischer, Chase Ehlo
Seed coating treatments alter emergence windows of native Intermountain West U.S. grasses under different regimes of water availability Seed coating treatments alter emergence windows of native Intermountain West U.S. grasses under different regimes of water availability
Introduction Seed-based restoration is widely implemented to recover degraded lands but often fails. Seed enhancement technologies may improve outcomes by shifting emergence to target favorable climate windows and serving as a bet-hedging strategy against increasingly variable precipitation patterns.Objectives To test the potential benefit of these technologies, we applied seed coatings...
Authors
Laura Cecilia Shriver, Sarah A. Costanzo, Matthew D. Madsen, Seth M. Munson
Sentinel-2 based estimates of rangeland fractional cover and canopy gap class for the western United States Sentinel-2 based estimates of rangeland fractional cover and canopy gap class for the western United States
Rangelands are extensive ecosystems, providing important ecosystem services while undergoing continuous change. As a result, improved monitoring technologies can help better characterize vegetation change. Satellite remote sensing has proven effective in this regard, tracking vegetation dynamics at broad and fine scales. We leveraged the spatial, spectral, and temporal resolution of...
Authors
Brady W. Allred, Sarah E. McCord, Timothy J. Assal, Brandon T. Bestelmeyer, Chad S. Boyd, Alexander C. Brooks, Samantha M. Cady, Michael C. Duniway, Samuel D. Fuhlendorf, Shane A. Green, Georgia R. Harrison, Eric R. Jensen, Emily J. Kachergis, Anna C. Knight, Chloe M. Mattilio, Brian A. Mealor, David E. Naugle, Dylan O’Leary, Peter J. Olsoy, Erika S. Peirce, Jason R. Reinhardt, Robert K. Shriver, Joseph T. Smith, Jason D. Tack, Ashley M. Tanner, Evan P. Tanner, Dirac Twidwell, Nicholas P. Webb, Scott L. Morford
Rare milkvetch (Astragalus) persistence at a utility-scale solar energy facility in the Mojave Desert Rare milkvetch (Astragalus) persistence at a utility-scale solar energy facility in the Mojave Desert
Utility-scale solar energy (USSE) development is driving the projected growth in global renewable energy capacity but comes with environmental tradeoffs. New, alternative construction methods are promoted to minimize impacts to soils, vegetation, and hydrology; however, the disturbance created by these methods requires further investigation. We evaluated the population of a rare annual...
Authors
Tiffany J. Pereira, Claire C Karban, Lara A. Kobelt, Seth Munson
Divergent responses of seed banks and aboveground vegetation to drought and deluge in grasslands across an elevational gradient Divergent responses of seed banks and aboveground vegetation to drought and deluge in grasslands across an elevational gradient
Increased variability in precipitation associated with climate change creates extreme conditions of drought and deluge that can have profound effects on the abundance and composition of plant communities. Responses to these extremes likely vary across climatic gradients and depend on local plant community composition, which includes the emergent, aboveground vegetation as well as...
Authors
Jennifer R. Gremer, Margaret M. Moore, Daniel C. Laughlin, Seth Munson
Aridity reduces lag times between aquatic and terrestrial dry-down among watersheds and across years in the northwest US Aridity reduces lag times between aquatic and terrestrial dry-down among watersheds and across years in the northwest US
Landscapes encompass both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems that experience the same climate but may respond to climate in divergent ways. For example, the time lag between seasonal dry-down of terrestrial soil moisture and decline in streamflow has important implications for species and ecosystem processes across the aquatic–terrestrial interface. How these lags between aquatic and...
Authors
Bradley J. Butterfield, Daniel Rodolphe Schlaepfer, Robert Al-Chokhachy, Jason B. Dunham, Jeremiah D. Groom, Clint C. Muhlfeld, Christian E. Torgersen, John B. Bradford