Publications
Below are publications associated with the Southwest Biological Science Center's research.
Trying to access a publication? Or looking for a GCMRC/GCES historical report? Reach out to Meredith Hartwell meredith_hartwell@ios.doi.gov with your request.
Filter Total Items: 1535
CaDAVEr: A metagenome-assembled genome catalog of microbial decomposers across vertebrate environments CaDAVEr: A metagenome-assembled genome catalog of microbial decomposers across vertebrate environments
Microbial degradation of organic matter is a fundamental Earth process, yet a mechanistic understanding of microbial metabolisms and successional ecology involved in decomposition remains poorly understood. Here, we announce the recovery of 277 cadaver-associated soil metagenome-assembled genomes to enhance our understanding of vertebrate decomposition microbial processes.
Authors
Valerie A. Seitz, Bridget B. McGivern, Michael Shaffer, Mikayla A. Borton, Aeriel D. Belk, Parsa Ghadermazi, Cameron Martino, Liat Shenhav, Anru R. Zhang, Pixu Shi, Alexandra Emmons, Heather Deel, Zhenjiang Zech Xu, Victoria Nieciecki, Qiyun Zhu, Kalen Cantrell, Asa Ben-Hur, Sasha C. Reed, Greg C. Humphry, Gail Ackermann, Daniel McDonald, Siu Hung Chan, Melissa Connor, Derek A. Boyd, Jake Smith, Jenna M.S. Watson, Giovanna Vidoli, Dawnie Steadman, Aaron M. Lynne, Sibyl Bucheli, David O. Carter, Zachary M. Burcham, Rob Knight, Kelly C. Wrighton, Jessica L. Metcalf
Supporting dryland restoration success with applied ecological forecasting of seeding outcomes Supporting dryland restoration success with applied ecological forecasting of seeding outcomes
Introduction Ecological restoration is increasingly used to sustain biodiversity and ecosystem services. In drylands of the western United States (US), post-disturbance restoration often involves seeding treatments to promote the recovery of native plant communities. Spatial and temporal variability in environmental conditions influences plant establishment and contributes to low...
Authors
Gregor-Fausto Siegmund, Daniel Rodolphe Schlaepfer, Caitlin M. Andrews, Leland D. Bennion, Jacob Ferguson, Michelle I. Jeffries, Peggy Olwell, David S. Pilliod, Allison B. Simler-Williamson, Alice E. Stears, Regina Zweng, John B. Bradford
Reservoir operational strategies for sustainable sand management in the Colorado River Reservoir operational strategies for sustainable sand management in the Colorado River
Climate change and increasing societal demands for water pose challenges for the management of dam-regulated rivers. Management decisions impact the environment of these rivers, creating the need to balance societal needs with environmental conservation. Here we present a modeling framework that optimizes resource benefits within imposed water use goals for the Colorado River in Grand...
Authors
Gerard Lewis Salter, David J. Topping, Jianghao Wang, John C. Schmidt, Charles B. Yackulic, Lucas Bair, Erich R. Mueller, Paul E. Grams
Warming induces unexpectedly high soil respiration in a wet tropical forest Warming induces unexpectedly high soil respiration in a wet tropical forest
Tropical forests are a dominant regulator of the global carbon cycle, exchanging more carbon dioxide with the atmosphere than any other terrestrial biome. Climate models predict unprecedented climatic warming in tropical regions in the coming decades; however, in situ field warming studies are severely lacking in tropical forests. Here we present results from an in situ warming...
Authors
Tana E. Wood, Colin Lee Tucker, Aura M. Alonso-Rodríguez, M. Isabel Loza, Iana F. Grullón-Penkova, Molly A. Cavaleri, Christine S. O'Connell, Sasha C. Reed
Changes in aeolian saltation cloud properties with wind speed and ripples Changes in aeolian saltation cloud properties with wind speed and ripples
Aeolian sediment transport shapes landscapes on Earth and other planetary surfaces, yet key uncertainties remain in how the near-bed saltation cloud responds to changing wind and surface conditions. Leveraging recent advances in image-based particle tracking, we conducted wind tunnel experiments using high-speed imaging and Particle Tracking Velocimetry to quantify sand grain...
Authors
Madeline Margaret Kelley, Ian J. Walker, Mark W. Schmeeckle, Christy Swann, Ron Dorn, Michaela Roberts, Patrick O'Brien
Newly released Grand Canyon flash flood incident report Newly released Grand Canyon flash flood incident report
No abstract available.
Authors
Erica Paige Byerley
The Benefits Knowledges Learning Framework: A tool for learning across diverse knowledge systems in ecosystem valuation The Benefits Knowledges Learning Framework: A tool for learning across diverse knowledge systems in ecosystem valuation
Sustainable and just environmental management depends on meaningful consideration of the plural values of nature, as they arise in association with diverse worldviews and understandings of well-being. To achieve value pluralism in decision-making, we must also attend to knowledge pluralism, in terms of recognizing the validity and decision relevance of a broader suite of knowledge forms...
Authors
Kristin R. Hoelting, Doreen E. Martinez, Lucas Bair, Rudy Schuster, Michael C. Gavin
Shifts in suitability of pinyon-juniper communities: A climate adaptation framework for range-wide management of arid woodland resources Shifts in suitability of pinyon-juniper communities: A climate adaptation framework for range-wide management of arid woodland resources
Pinyon-juniper (PJ) woodlands are a diverse ecosystem type providing a wealth of ecosystem services across western North America. Managing PJ woodlands in the 21st century entails balancing multiple conservation objectives, and resource managers and policy-makers working to sustain PJ woodlands need spatially explicit information about current PJ woodland conditions and how they may be...
Authors
Adam Roy Noel, Daniel Rodolphe Schlaepfer, Ian P. Barrett, Michael C. Duniway, Jodi R. Norris, Chris T. Domschke, Brad J. Butterfield, Megan C. Swan, Kim Hartwig, Michelle R. Crist, John B. Bradford
Bridging theory and practice to inform seed selection for restoration Bridging theory and practice to inform seed selection for restoration
Introduction Land managers often face the critical decision of what plant materials to select for ecological restoration. Selection depends on factors that span ecological conditions and human interventions in the restoration process, which can strongly influence the recovery of a degraded ecosystem. Objectives To improve the seed selection process, we compared scientific literature and...
Authors
Laura Cecilia Shriver, Samuel E. Jordan, Robert Massatti, Seth M. Munson
Declining reservoir elevations following a two-decade drought increase water temperatures and non-native fish passage facilitating a downstream invasion Declining reservoir elevations following a two-decade drought increase water temperatures and non-native fish passage facilitating a downstream invasion
River ecosystems are threatened by interactions among river regulation, non-native species, and climate change. Water use has exceeded supply in USA’s Colorado River basin draining its two largest storage reservoirs (Lake Powell and Lake Mead). In 2022, Lake Powell began releasing water from its lower epilimnion into the Grand Canyon segment of the Colorado River, which (1) increased...
Authors
Drew Elliot Eppehimer, Charles B. Yackulic, Lindsey Ann Bruckerhoff, Jianghao Wang, Kirk L. Young, Kevin R. Bestgen, Bryce Anthony Mihalevich, John C. Schmidt
Low water levels interact with reservoir aging to increase the severity of summertime metalimnion dissolved oxygen minima in Lake Powell, desert Southwest, USA Low water levels interact with reservoir aging to increase the severity of summertime metalimnion dissolved oxygen minima in Lake Powell, desert Southwest, USA
Water level drawdowns are common in reservoirs and can affect dissolved oxygen (DO) dynamics via several pathways. In large storage reservoirs, inflow deltas are often important sites for sediment deposition, with some sediment laden rivers forming highly dynamic delta regions as they enter the reservoir. As water levels change, deposited sediment may be remobilized and affect pelagic DO...
Authors
Bridget R. Deemer, Caitlin M. Andrews, Robin H. Reibold, Bryce A. Mihalevich, Thomas A. Sabol, Jeremiah Drewel, Charles B. Yackulic
Estimating drivers and identifying uncertainties in smallmouth bass population dynamics in an invaded river network Estimating drivers and identifying uncertainties in smallmouth bass population dynamics in an invaded river network
Smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) is an important recreational sportfish and destructive non-native species when introduced into freshwater habitats. There is therefore a need to understand the drivers of, and uncertainties in, smallmouth bass population dynamics for various management objectives. We combined long-term smallmouth bass catch-effort and early life history data from a...
Authors
Lindsey A. Bruckerhoff, Charles B. Yackulic, Drew Elliot Eppehimer, Kevin R. Bestgen, M. Tildon Jones, Chris Michaud