Anna C Knight
Anna is an ecologist focused on landscape-scale vegetation dynamics. Her research investigates the impacts of human land use and environmental disturbances on dryland ecosystems.
Anna studies the effects of domestic livestock grazing, drought, weather, soil conditions, oil and gas development, and invasive plant species on native plant communities of the Colorado Plateau and on rangelands across the western US. Her work involves a wide variety of skills, from field botany to remote sensing to data management and analysis.
Professional Experience
2019-present: Ecologist, US Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, Moab, UT
2016-2017: Biologist, US Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, Moab, UT
2015-2016: Biological Science Technician, US Geological Survey, Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center, Flagstaff, AZ
2014-2015: Park Ranger (Interpretation), National Park Service, Canyonlands National Park, UT
2013-2014: Park Ranger (Education) Intern, National Park Service, Grand Canyon National Park, AZ
Education and Certifications
2019 - M.S., Natural Resources and Environmental Science, University of Nevada Reno
Thesis: “Watershed-scale controls on riparian vegetation distribution and dynamics: Impacts of geomorphology, climate, and disturbance”
2012 - B.S., Biology, Agricultural Sciences, Cornell University, 2012
Science and Products
Plant cover, climate, grazing disturbance, and soil class data from 1991-2020 compiled from remotely sensed data on two retired grazing allotments in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA Plant cover, climate, grazing disturbance, and soil class data from 1991-2020 compiled from remotely sensed data on two retired grazing allotments in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA
These data were compiled for use by researchers and land managers in studies of post-grazing change in Capitol Reef National Park. The data were initially used for and are associated with the McNellis et al., 2023 (see Larger Work Citation). Objective(s) of our study were to study landscape change (specifically plant cover measured through remote sensing) through time in Capitol Reef...
Soil, geologic, geomorphic, climate, and vegetation data from long-term monitoring plots (2009 - 2018) in Arches, Canyonlands, and Capitol Reef National Parks, Utah, USA Soil, geologic, geomorphic, climate, and vegetation data from long-term monitoring plots (2009 - 2018) in Arches, Canyonlands, and Capitol Reef National Parks, Utah, USA
These data (all data tables for the data release) represent a suite of biotic and abiotic variables that characterized plant communities and the geologic, geomorphic, edaphic, climatic, and land use history context in which distinct plant communities occur. In 2009, the National Park Service's Inventory and Monitoring program for the Northern Colorado Plateau Network (NCPN) began...
Filter Total Items: 19
Evaluation of the gap intercept method to measure rangeland connectivity Evaluation of the gap intercept method to measure rangeland connectivity
Characterizing the connectivity of materials, organisms, and energy on rangelands is critical to understanding and managing ecosystem response to disturbances. For over twenty years, scientists and rangeland managers have used the gap intercept method to monitor connectivity. However, using gap intercept measurements to infer ecosystem processes or inform management actions and...
Authors
Sarah E. McCord, Joseph R. Brehm, Lea A. Condon, Leah Dreesmann, Lisa M. Ellsworth, Matthew J. Germino, Jeffrey E. Herrick, Brian K. Howard, Emily Kachergis, Jason W. Karl, Anna C. Knight, Savannah Meadors, Aleta Nafus, Beth A. Newingham, Peter J. Olsoy, Nicole Pietrasiak, David S. Pilliod, Anthony Schaefer, Nicholas P. Webb, Brandi E. Wheeler, C. Jason Williams, Kristina E. Young
Seasonal drought treatments impact plant and microbial uptake of nitrogen in a mixed shrub grassland on the Colorado Plateau Seasonal drought treatments impact plant and microbial uptake of nitrogen in a mixed shrub grassland on the Colorado Plateau
For many drylands, both long- and short-term drought conditions can accentuate landscape heterogeneity at both temporal (e.g., role of seasonal patterns) and spatial (e.g., patchy plant cover) scales. Furthermore, short-term drought conditions occurring over one season can exacerbate long-term, multidecadal droughts or aridification, by limiting soil water recharge, decreasing plant...
Authors
Rebecca A Finger-Higgens, David L. Hoover, Anna C. Knight, Savannah Wilson, Tara Boyce Belnap Bishop, Robin H. Reibold, Sasha C. Reed, Michael C. Duniway
The Landscape Data Commons: A system for standardizing, accessing, and applying large environmental datasets for agroecosystem research and management The Landscape Data Commons: A system for standardizing, accessing, and applying large environmental datasets for agroecosystem research and management
Understanding where, when, and why agroecosystems are changing requires quality information about ecosystems that span land tenure, ecological processes, and spatial scales. Over the past two decades, land management agencies and research groups have adopted a suite of standardized methods for monitoring rangelands, which have been implemented at over 85,000 monitoring locations globally...
Authors
Sarah E. McCord, Nicholas P. Webb, Brandon T. Bestelmeyer, Kristopher Bonefont, Joseph R. Brehm, Joel R. Brown, Ericha M. Courtright, Christopher Dietrich, Michael C. Duniway, Brandon L. Edwards, Christopher Fraser, Jeffrey E. Herrick, Anna C. Knight, Loretta J Metz, Justin W. Van Zee, Craig E. Tweedie
Grassland Effectiveness Monitoring (GEM): A tiered approach for habitat treatment assessment across private lands incentive programs Grassland Effectiveness Monitoring (GEM): A tiered approach for habitat treatment assessment across private lands incentive programs
Introduction The decline of North American grasslands is a topic of increasing interest as agencies and organizations work to address subsequent declines in wildlife species, including grassland birds (Rosenberg et al. 2019), pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) (Gedir et al. 2015), and other grassland-dependent taxa. In response to grassland habitat loss, conservation programs and policies...
Authors
Anna M. Matthews, Rebekah J. Rylander, Daniel Bunting, Michael C. Duniway, James J. Giocomo, Anna C. Knight, Adriana Leiva, Robert M. Perez, Kourtney Stonehouse, Derek Wiley, Don Wilhelm
Finding a GEM: The Grassland Effectiveness Monitoring (GEM) protocol provides a tiered approach for habitat treatment assessment across private lands incentive programs Finding a GEM: The Grassland Effectiveness Monitoring (GEM) protocol provides a tiered approach for habitat treatment assessment across private lands incentive programs
The soil store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through different processes, depending on the use and management of the land. For the Maderas del Carmen and Ocampo natural protected areas, one of the main conservation goals is to preserve natural habitats, ensuring an ecological balance and making a sustainable. The main productive activity in the region is extensive livestock...
Authors
Rebekah J. Rylander, Anna M. Matthews, Daniel Bunting, Michael C. Duniway, James J. Giocomo, Anna C. Knight, Adriana Leiva, Robert M. Perez, Kourtney Stonehouse, Derek Wiley, Don Wilhelm
Time, climate, and soil settings set the course for reclamation outcomes following dryland energy development Time, climate, and soil settings set the course for reclamation outcomes following dryland energy development
Soil attributes, climate, and time since reclamation have important implications for oil and gas reclamation success on drylands. It is uncertain if reclaimed well pads, on highly degraded drylands, can successfully regain ecological function or meet indicator benchmarks for reclamation. Here, our goals were to assess patterns in reclamation outcomes relative to (1) soil attributes...
Authors
Randi C. Lupardus, Aarin Sengsirirak, Keven Griffen, Anna C. Knight, Brandon E McNellis, John B. Bradford, Seth M. Munson, Sasha C. Reed, Miguel L. Villarreal, Michael C. Duniway
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
Science and Products
Plant cover, climate, grazing disturbance, and soil class data from 1991-2020 compiled from remotely sensed data on two retired grazing allotments in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA Plant cover, climate, grazing disturbance, and soil class data from 1991-2020 compiled from remotely sensed data on two retired grazing allotments in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA
These data were compiled for use by researchers and land managers in studies of post-grazing change in Capitol Reef National Park. The data were initially used for and are associated with the McNellis et al., 2023 (see Larger Work Citation). Objective(s) of our study were to study landscape change (specifically plant cover measured through remote sensing) through time in Capitol Reef...
Soil, geologic, geomorphic, climate, and vegetation data from long-term monitoring plots (2009 - 2018) in Arches, Canyonlands, and Capitol Reef National Parks, Utah, USA Soil, geologic, geomorphic, climate, and vegetation data from long-term monitoring plots (2009 - 2018) in Arches, Canyonlands, and Capitol Reef National Parks, Utah, USA
These data (all data tables for the data release) represent a suite of biotic and abiotic variables that characterized plant communities and the geologic, geomorphic, edaphic, climatic, and land use history context in which distinct plant communities occur. In 2009, the National Park Service's Inventory and Monitoring program for the Northern Colorado Plateau Network (NCPN) began...
Filter Total Items: 19
Evaluation of the gap intercept method to measure rangeland connectivity Evaluation of the gap intercept method to measure rangeland connectivity
Characterizing the connectivity of materials, organisms, and energy on rangelands is critical to understanding and managing ecosystem response to disturbances. For over twenty years, scientists and rangeland managers have used the gap intercept method to monitor connectivity. However, using gap intercept measurements to infer ecosystem processes or inform management actions and...
Authors
Sarah E. McCord, Joseph R. Brehm, Lea A. Condon, Leah Dreesmann, Lisa M. Ellsworth, Matthew J. Germino, Jeffrey E. Herrick, Brian K. Howard, Emily Kachergis, Jason W. Karl, Anna C. Knight, Savannah Meadors, Aleta Nafus, Beth A. Newingham, Peter J. Olsoy, Nicole Pietrasiak, David S. Pilliod, Anthony Schaefer, Nicholas P. Webb, Brandi E. Wheeler, C. Jason Williams, Kristina E. Young
Seasonal drought treatments impact plant and microbial uptake of nitrogen in a mixed shrub grassland on the Colorado Plateau Seasonal drought treatments impact plant and microbial uptake of nitrogen in a mixed shrub grassland on the Colorado Plateau
For many drylands, both long- and short-term drought conditions can accentuate landscape heterogeneity at both temporal (e.g., role of seasonal patterns) and spatial (e.g., patchy plant cover) scales. Furthermore, short-term drought conditions occurring over one season can exacerbate long-term, multidecadal droughts or aridification, by limiting soil water recharge, decreasing plant...
Authors
Rebecca A Finger-Higgens, David L. Hoover, Anna C. Knight, Savannah Wilson, Tara Boyce Belnap Bishop, Robin H. Reibold, Sasha C. Reed, Michael C. Duniway
The Landscape Data Commons: A system for standardizing, accessing, and applying large environmental datasets for agroecosystem research and management The Landscape Data Commons: A system for standardizing, accessing, and applying large environmental datasets for agroecosystem research and management
Understanding where, when, and why agroecosystems are changing requires quality information about ecosystems that span land tenure, ecological processes, and spatial scales. Over the past two decades, land management agencies and research groups have adopted a suite of standardized methods for monitoring rangelands, which have been implemented at over 85,000 monitoring locations globally...
Authors
Sarah E. McCord, Nicholas P. Webb, Brandon T. Bestelmeyer, Kristopher Bonefont, Joseph R. Brehm, Joel R. Brown, Ericha M. Courtright, Christopher Dietrich, Michael C. Duniway, Brandon L. Edwards, Christopher Fraser, Jeffrey E. Herrick, Anna C. Knight, Loretta J Metz, Justin W. Van Zee, Craig E. Tweedie
Grassland Effectiveness Monitoring (GEM): A tiered approach for habitat treatment assessment across private lands incentive programs Grassland Effectiveness Monitoring (GEM): A tiered approach for habitat treatment assessment across private lands incentive programs
Introduction The decline of North American grasslands is a topic of increasing interest as agencies and organizations work to address subsequent declines in wildlife species, including grassland birds (Rosenberg et al. 2019), pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) (Gedir et al. 2015), and other grassland-dependent taxa. In response to grassland habitat loss, conservation programs and policies...
Authors
Anna M. Matthews, Rebekah J. Rylander, Daniel Bunting, Michael C. Duniway, James J. Giocomo, Anna C. Knight, Adriana Leiva, Robert M. Perez, Kourtney Stonehouse, Derek Wiley, Don Wilhelm
Finding a GEM: The Grassland Effectiveness Monitoring (GEM) protocol provides a tiered approach for habitat treatment assessment across private lands incentive programs Finding a GEM: The Grassland Effectiveness Monitoring (GEM) protocol provides a tiered approach for habitat treatment assessment across private lands incentive programs
The soil store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through different processes, depending on the use and management of the land. For the Maderas del Carmen and Ocampo natural protected areas, one of the main conservation goals is to preserve natural habitats, ensuring an ecological balance and making a sustainable. The main productive activity in the region is extensive livestock...
Authors
Rebekah J. Rylander, Anna M. Matthews, Daniel Bunting, Michael C. Duniway, James J. Giocomo, Anna C. Knight, Adriana Leiva, Robert M. Perez, Kourtney Stonehouse, Derek Wiley, Don Wilhelm
Time, climate, and soil settings set the course for reclamation outcomes following dryland energy development Time, climate, and soil settings set the course for reclamation outcomes following dryland energy development
Soil attributes, climate, and time since reclamation have important implications for oil and gas reclamation success on drylands. It is uncertain if reclaimed well pads, on highly degraded drylands, can successfully regain ecological function or meet indicator benchmarks for reclamation. Here, our goals were to assess patterns in reclamation outcomes relative to (1) soil attributes...
Authors
Randi C. Lupardus, Aarin Sengsirirak, Keven Griffen, Anna C. Knight, Brandon E McNellis, John B. Bradford, Seth M. Munson, Sasha C. Reed, Miguel L. Villarreal, Michael C. Duniway
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.