Priority Landscapes: Southwest Energy Development and Reclamation
Approximately 35% of the US and ~82% of DOI lands are “drylands” and found throughout the Western US. The Southwest Energy Development and Reclamation PES conducts research to inform the restoration of drylands impacted by energy exploration and development. These arid and semi-arid lands have unique soil and plant communities that are resistant to decadal fluctuations in precipitation and temperatures. However, because they are relatively resource-limited they are not very resilient and small perturbations often have large and long-term ecological effects. Very few anthropogenic impacts in a dryland are temporary. These lands also contain oil, gas, oil shale, shale oil, and tar sand deposits and the exploration for and extraction of these resources has resulted in hundreds of thousands of abandoned and current wells across the West.
Southwest Energy Development and Reclamation Research
Explore our research using the data below.
Recent publications (2020-2022) related to USGS Southwest Energy Development and Reclamation research are listed below. A complete listing of USGS Southwest Energy Development and Reclamation publications is available from the button below.
Woody plant encroachment of grassland and the reversibility of shrub dominance: Erosion, fire, and feedback processes Woody plant encroachment of grassland and the reversibility of shrub dominance: Erosion, fire, and feedback processes
Multiple resource limitation of dryland soil microbial carbon cycling on the Colorado Plateau Multiple resource limitation of dryland soil microbial carbon cycling on the Colorado Plateau
Biocrusts mediate a new mechanism for land degradation under a changing climate Biocrusts mediate a new mechanism for land degradation under a changing climate
Mapping biological soil crusts in a Hawaiian dryland Mapping biological soil crusts in a Hawaiian dryland
Biocrusts do not differentially influence emergence and early establishment of native and non-native grasses Biocrusts do not differentially influence emergence and early establishment of native and non-native grasses
What determines the effectiveness of Pinyon-Juniper clearing treatments? Evidence from the remote sensing archive and counter-factual scenarios What determines the effectiveness of Pinyon-Juniper clearing treatments? Evidence from the remote sensing archive and counter-factual scenarios
Approximately 35% of the US and ~82% of DOI lands are “drylands” and found throughout the Western US. The Southwest Energy Development and Reclamation PES conducts research to inform the restoration of drylands impacted by energy exploration and development. These arid and semi-arid lands have unique soil and plant communities that are resistant to decadal fluctuations in precipitation and temperatures. However, because they are relatively resource-limited they are not very resilient and small perturbations often have large and long-term ecological effects. Very few anthropogenic impacts in a dryland are temporary. These lands also contain oil, gas, oil shale, shale oil, and tar sand deposits and the exploration for and extraction of these resources has resulted in hundreds of thousands of abandoned and current wells across the West.
Southwest Energy Development and Reclamation Research
Explore our research using the data below.
Recent publications (2020-2022) related to USGS Southwest Energy Development and Reclamation research are listed below. A complete listing of USGS Southwest Energy Development and Reclamation publications is available from the button below.