The Southwest Biological Science Center:
Providing Unbiased Actionable Science & Information to Support Natural Resource Management Needs of the U.S. & Department of the Interior Priorities
Providing Unbiased Actionable Science & Information to Support Natural Resource Management Needs of the U.S. & Department of the Interior Priorities
Knowing what's at stake:
USGS maps wildfire risk at Mount Baldy and Fort Apache Reservation, Arizona
USGS maps wildfire risk at Mount Baldy and Fort Apache Reservation, Arizona
The Southwest Fire Innovation Landscape Network
Advanced tools for fuel monitoring and assessment of wildfire risk
Advanced tools for fuel monitoring and assessment of wildfire risk
Early detection of aquatic threats
eDNA research in the Colorado River ecosystem & Lake Powell
eDNA research in the Colorado River ecosystem & Lake Powell
A new app to report flash floods and debris flows in Grand Canyon
New backcountry alert system for the Grand Canyon
Visitors can subscribe to the alert system using satellite communication devices
Visitors can subscribe to the alert system using satellite communication devices
Supporting energy and mineral development through successful reclamation
Southwest Biological Science Center
The SBSC provides sound science, specialized expertise, and objective and timely tools to Federal and State agencies and the public to inform land management decision-making, and support thriving landscapes for the Southwest’s abundant natural resources and vast public lands. This research assists those who manage, conserve, and rehabilitate rivers and arid regions of the nation.
Dryland Ecology and Management Support: our Terrestrial Drylands Ecology branch
Dryland Ecology and Management Support: our Terrestrial Drylands Ecology branch
SBSC conducts research in terrestrial drylands to deliver information that aids land & wildlife management to promote productive ecosystems. Our work provides tools used to mitigate impacts of drought, wildfire, and invasive species, as well as science that supports Department of the Interior economic and cultural activities including recreation and ranching.
Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center & Lake Powell research: our River Ecosystems branch
Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center & Lake Powell research: our River Ecosystems branch
The SBSC Rivers branch, which includes the Grand Canyon Monitoring & Research Center, studies the biology, ecology, and processes of rivers, primarily in the SW. We provide the public and decision makers with relevant scientific information about the status and trends of natural, cultural, and recreational resources of the Colorado River in Grand Canyon, and Lake Powell.
Quick Links
Quick Links
- Learn how SBSC supports DOI priorities
- GCMRC-specific publications: A resource for GCDAMP stakeholders
- SBSC initiatives support ecosystems & economies on the Colorado Plateau
- Restoration Assessment & Monitoring Program for the Southwest (RAMPS)
- The Southwest Repeat Photography Collection
- Our Staff Directory
News
Tree rings provide an important multi-century context for the current wildfire crisis
Tree rings provide an important multi-century context for the current wildfire crisis
Amphibian Week with USGS: Science for Healthy Habitats
Amphibian Week with USGS: Science for Healthy Habitats
Art of Inquiry: Celebrating a semester of Art & Science at the Flagstaff Stemmy Awards
Art of Inquiry: Celebrating a semester of Art & Science at the Flagstaff Stemmy Awards
Publications
Variability and consistency in wildfire susceptibility: Insights from a national compilation Variability and consistency in wildfire susceptibility: Insights from a national compilation
Background Wildfire risk in the United States is rising and remains a land management priority. The quantitative wildfire risk assessment (QWRA) framework integrates fuels, topography, weather and values at risk to estimate the potential change in value from wildfire. Within this, response functions (RFs) represent how values respond to fire intensity. These are often based on expert...
Building resilience in dryland ecosystems: A climate adaptation strategy menu for pinyon–juniper woodlands Building resilience in dryland ecosystems: A climate adaptation strategy menu for pinyon–juniper woodlands
Pinyon–juniper (PJ) woodlands, one of the most extensive mature and old-growth woodland types in the Western United States, provide critical ecological, cultural, and economic benefits but face increasing threats from climate change, altered disturbance regimes, invasive species, and pests. We developed the PJ Woodland Climate Adaptation Management Menu, a decision support tool designed...
Ecovoltaic solar energy development creates novel microclimate, temperature, and soil moisture patterns under solar panels in a warm desert Ecovoltaic solar energy development creates novel microclimate, temperature, and soil moisture patterns under solar panels in a warm desert
Background: As solar energy development expands in desert regions, new installation practices and solar technologies seek to balance ecosystem conservation and energy generation (ecovoltaics). The Gemini Solar Project, a large ecovoltaic facility located in the northeastern Mojave Desert, employed low impact installation methods to reduce disturbance of the desert ecosystem within arrays...
Science
Copper mining, critical minerals, and long-term drought in the Southwest United States
Long-term drought in the Southwest U.S. affects water use across many sectors as well as the natural environment. The Southwest U.S. is an important area for mining porphyry copper deposits, which consist of copper minerals disseminated in breccia, a type of rock composed of coarse rock fragments held together by cement or a fine-grained matrix, that are the World's largest source of copper...
Enhancing Rangeland Recovery by Forecasting Seed Establishment
This project is synthesizing information about plant establishment and building a tool to deliver forecasts of restoration success, helping to maximize the chances that restoration efforts will be successful.
New Tools for Modern Land Management Decisions
In an era of rapid land use changes, it is imperative that land managers and policymakers have actionable and current information available for decision processes. In this work, we seek to meet these needs through new data products and decision support tools built on digital soil mapping, new vegetation cover maps, agency inventory and monitoring data sets, and cutting-edge analytical frameworks...