Dryland Ecology and Management Support
Dryland Ecology and Management Support
Southwest Energy Exploration, Development, and Reclamation
Restoration Assessment & Monitoring Program for the Southwest
Providing seed restoration guidelines and native plant materials development
Research supporting restoration across the Colorado Plateau and beyond
Research supporting restoration across the Colorado Plateau and beyond
Informing Solar Energy Land Management
Contributing Remote Sensing Expertise
SBSC remote sensing enables partners to make crucial wildlife management decisions that save money and time.
SBSC remote sensing enables partners to make crucial wildlife management decisions that save money and time.
SBSC conducts research in drylands to deliver information that aids land and wildlife management to promote productive ecosystems. Our work provides tools that are used to mitigate the 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.
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USGS Science Syntheses for Public Lands Management
Scientific information is fundamental to understanding how proposed actions on public lands may impact the environment. Development of new science is occurring at rates that can make it challenging for biologists, resource managers, decision makers, private landowners, and other stakeholders to ensure they are using up-to-date, high-quality science information to inform their decisions. Further...
Skill-building workshops for researchers on the coproduction of actionable science
Public lands management requires the use of science, but agency staff rarely have time to stay current with all the science on management-relevant topics, especially as articles are published at an ever-increasing rate. In this new series of learning modules, we aim to provide scientists with essential tools, skills, and strategies for coproducing actionable science products with and for federal...
SBSC: Providing Unbiased Actionable Science & Information to Support Natural Resource Management Needs of the U.S. & Department of the Interior Priorities
The U.S. Geological Survey Southwest Biological Science Center (SBSC) is uniquely positioned in the Colorado River Basin to provide sound information, specialized expertise, and innovative tools to support the management and sustained use of natural resources on public and Tribal lands in the Southwest U.S.
The Innovation Landscape Network
As public, tribal, and military lands continue to experience rapid change brought on by fire, invasive species, and drought, there is a growing need for science-management partnerships to apply innovative research and technologies to support decision-making at an accelerated pace.
WebDART: A Cutting-edge Web Tool that Evaluates Land Condition
WebDART is an online ecological assessment tool available to a wide audience that incorporates Landsat satellite remote sensing imagery, topography, geology, soil conditions, and rangeland geospatial and vegetation mapping to compare altered terrain with an unspoiled area that has similar characteristics in the same region. The tool gives resource managers, landowners, companies, and other...
Supporting energy and mineral development through successful reclamation
Federal lands of the US contain important reserves of oil, gas and other resources important for Unleashing American Energy (SO 3418). After development of these resources is complete, successfully reclaiming disturbed lands is a necessary step towards restoring wildlife habitat, forage production, and maintaining natural resources for future use. To improve reclamation outcomes on these lands and...
Vegetation monitoring: How one square meter can tell the story of 255 river miles along the Colorado River
The goal of SBSC's Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center’s (GCMRC) riparian vegetation monitoring program is to assess changes and trends in plant species composition and cover and relate those changes to river hydrology, climate, geomorphology, and the operations of Glen Canyon Dam.
Southwest Fire Innovation Landscape Network: Advanced tools for fuel monitoring and assessment of wildfire risk
The USGS Southwest Biological Science Center is coordinating the Southwest Fire Innovation Landscape Network to prepare fire and natural resource managers for rapidly changing fire landscapes by conducting research and building science-management partnerships. The network develops advanced tools and technologies to assess fuel loads and the effectiveness of fuel treatments, understand wildfire...
SBSC Science Supports Management of Invasive Species
Invasive species can harm ecosystems, increase wildfires, damage forests, and outcompete native species. The US Geological Survey's Southwest Biological Science Center conducts research that provides our federal and state partners, cooperators and land managers with the tools, data and strategies to enhance biosecurity management. Scroll through the information below to read about different SBSC...
The Gemini Solar Project
The United States is developing renewable energy resources, especially solar, at a rapid rate. Although renewable energy development is widely perceived by the public as “green technology,” construction, operation, maintenance, and eventual decommissioning of facilities all have known and potential negative impacts to natural resources, including plant communities and wildlife. This is especially...
RAMPS: Restoration Assessment & Monitoring Program for the Southwest
The Restoration Assessment and Monitoring Program for the Southwest (RAMPS) seeks to assist U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) and other land management agencies in developing successful techniques for improving land condition in dryland ecosystems of the southwestern United States. Invasion by non-native species, wildfire, drought, and other disturbances are growing rapidly in extent and...
Plant responses to drought in the southwestern United States
Land managers face challenges in the future as heat-related aridification alters the abundance, distribution, and interactions of plant species. These challenges will be daunting in the southwestern US, which is experiencing increased temperatures and prolonged droughts, resulting in reduced soil moisture in an already water-limited environment.