Daniel E Winkler, Ph.D.
Daniel is a plant ecophysiologist and evolutionary ecologist studying how populations respond to global climate change. He is a Research Ecologist with USGS and works with the BLM's Native Plant Program where he studies adaptive traits of native plants. He also conducts research throughout the desert southwest and in alpine areas of Colorado, Mexico, and Japan.
Daniel aims to identify solutions and strategies to enhance conservation efforts and equip managers with the tools necessary to respond to global climate change. His research bridges ecological experimentation with modern restoration, molecular, and ecophysiological methods to understand native plant adaptation primarily in arid and semi-arid dryland ecosystems. Daniel also studies the evolutionary ecology of invasive species and their impacts in protected systems, including lands managed by the NPS, BLM, USFWS, and USFS. Congruent with his studies in global change, Daniel is also interested in the social dimensions of decision-making in management and conservation.
Professional Experience
Research Ecologist, United States Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, Moab, Utah, and Tucson, Arizona, 2017 - present
Fellow, National Park Service Young Leader in Climate Change, Saguaro National Park and Sonoran Desert Network, Arizona, 2015
Research Fellow, Water UCI Initiative, University of California, Irvine, 2014 - 2015
Fellow, NSF East Asia Pacific Summer Institute, Hokkaido University and Daisetsuzan National Park, Japan, 2014
Biological Science Technician, NPS Sonoran Desert Network, Tucson, Arizona, 2010 - 2011
Conservation and Land Management Intern, Bureau of Land Management, Vernal Field Office, Utah, 2009
Student Conservation Association Intern, Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge, Arizona, 2008
Research Fellow, Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, Colorado, 2008
Biological Anthropology Intern, American Museum of National History, New York, 2007
Education and Certifications
Ph.D., Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, 2017- University of California, Irvine
Advised by Travis E. HuxmanM.S., Environmental Systems, 2013 - University of California, Merced
Advised by Lara M. KueppersB.A., Biological Anthropology, 2008 - New York University
Science and Products
Seasonal and individual event-responsiveness are key determinants of carbon exchange across plant functional types
Unexpected hybridization reveals the utility of genetics in native plant restoration
Assessment of population genetics and climatic variability can refine climate‐informed seed transfer guidelines
Supporting the development and use of native plant materials for restoration on the Colorado Plateau (Fiscal Year 19 Report)
Local, temporal trajectories explain population-level responses to climate change in saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea)
Earlier plant growth helps compensate for reduced carbon fixation after 13 years of warming
Contemporary human impacts on alpine ecosystems: the direct and indirect effects of human-induced climate change and land use
Shrub persistence and increased grass mortality in response to drought in dryland systems
Beyond traditional ecological restoration on the Colorado Plateau
Snowmelt timing regulates community composition, phenology, and physiological performance of alpine plants
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
- Science
- Data
- Multimedia
- Publications
Filter Total Items: 34
Seasonal and individual event-responsiveness are key determinants of carbon exchange across plant functional types
Differentiation in physiological activity is a critical component of resource partitioning in resource-limited environments. For example, it is crucial to understand how plant physiological performance varies through time for different functional groups to forecast how terrestrial ecosystems will respond to change. Here, we tracked the seasonal progress of 13 plant species representing C3 shrub, pAuthorsDaniel E. Winkler, Jayne Belnap, Michael C. Duniway, David Hoover, Sasha C. Reed, Hannah Yokum, Richard GillUnexpected hybridization reveals the utility of genetics in native plant restoration
Native plant materials (NPMs) are increasingly utilized during the restoration of disturbed plant communities. Here, we analyze next‐generation genetic sequencing data for Hilaria jamesii, a dominant graminoid across drylands of the southwestern United States, and document that the species' only commercially‐available NPM, ‘Viva’, is a hybrid between H. jamesii and its sister species, H. mutica. IAuthorsDaniel E. Winkler, Robert MassattiAssessment of population genetics and climatic variability can refine climate‐informed seed transfer guidelines
Restoration guidelines increasingly recognize the importance of genetic attributes in translocating native plant materials (NPMs). However, when species‐specific genetic information is unavailable, seed transfer guidelines use climate‐informed seed transfer zones (CSTZs) as an approximation. While CSTZs may improve how NPMs are developed and/or matched to restoration sites, they overlook genetic fAuthorsRobert Massatti, Robert K. Shriver, Daniel E. Winkler, Bryce A. Richardson, John B. BradfordSupporting the development and use of native plant materials for restoration on the Colorado Plateau (Fiscal Year 19 Report)
A primary focus of the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM’s) Colorado Plateau Native Plant Program (CPNPP) is to identify and develop appropriate native plant materials (NPMs) for current and future restoration projects. Multiple efforts have characterized the myriad challenges inherent in providing appropriate seed resources to enable effective, widespread restoration and have identified a broad suAuthorsRobert Massatti, Daniel E. Winkler, Sasha C. Reed, Michael C. Duniway, Seth M. Munson, John B. BradfordLocal, temporal trajectories explain population-level responses to climate change in saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea)
Population demography is typically assumed to be strongly influenced by climatic factors, particularly with succulent plants and cacti. The saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea) is a long‐lived columnar cactus of the Sonoran Desert that experiences episodic recruitment and mortality. Previous studies have attributed long‐term changes in saguaro populations to climatic factors, including increased geAuthorsSusana Rodríguez-Buriticá, Daniel E. Winkler, Robert H. Webb, Lawrence VenableEarlier plant growth helps compensate for reduced carbon fixation after 13 years of warming
1. Drylands play a dominant role in global carbon cycling and are particularly vulnerable to increasing temperatures, but our understanding of how dryland ecosystems will respond to climatic change remains notably poor. Considering that the area of drylands is projected to increase 11–23% by 2100, understanding the impacts of warming on the functions and services furnished by these arid and semiarAuthorsDaniel E. Winkler, Charlotte Grossiord, Jayne Belnap, Armin J. Howell, Scott Ferrenberg, Hilda J. Smith, Sasha C. ReedContemporary human impacts on alpine ecosystems: the direct and indirect effects of human-induced climate change and land use
Alpine ecosystems account for ca. 3 % of terrestrial habitats yet, along with adjacent mountain systems, provide water resources to nearly half of the world’s human population. Approximately 20 % of humans live in or near mountain areas, making it inherently important to understand current impacts on these systems. Here, I review literature regarding current and projected human impacts on alpine eAuthorsDaniel E. WinklerShrub persistence and increased grass mortality in response to drought in dryland systems
Droughts in the southwest United States have led to major forest and grassland die‐off events in recent decades, suggesting plant community and ecosystem shifts are imminent as native perennial grass populations are replaced by shrub‐ and invasive plant‐dominated systems. These patterns are similar to those observed in arid and semiarid systems around the globe, but our ability to predict which spAuthorsDaniel E. Winkler, Jayne Belnap, David L. Hoover, Sasha C. Reed, Michael C. DuniwayBeyond traditional ecological restoration on the Colorado Plateau
The Colorado Plateau is one of North America's five major deserts, encompassing 340,000 km2 of the western U.S., and offering many opportunities for restoration relevant to researchers and land managers in drylands around the globe. The Colorado Plateau is comprised of vast tracts of public land managed by local, state, and federal agencies that oversee a wide range of activities (e.g., mineral anAuthorsDaniel E. Winkler, Dana M. Backer, Jayne Belnap, John B. Bradford, Bradley J. Butterfield, Stella M. Copeland, Michael C. Duniway, Akasha M. Faist, Stephen E. Fick, Scott L. Jensen, Andrea T. Kramer, Rebecca Mann, Robert Massatti, Molly L. McCormick, Seth M. Munson, Peggy Olwell, Steve D. Parr, Alix Pfennigwerth, Adrienne M. Pilmanis, Bryce A. Richardson, Ella Samuel, Kathy See, Kristina E. Young, Sasha C. ReedSnowmelt timing regulates community composition, phenology, and physiological performance of alpine plants
The spatial patterning of alpine plant communities is strongly influenced by the variation in physical factors such as temperature and moisture, which are strongly affected by snow depth and snowmelt patterns. Earlier snowmelt timing and greater soil-moisture limitations may favor wide-ranging species adapted to a broader set of ecohydrological conditions than alpine-restricted species. We asked hAuthorsDaniel E. Winkler, Ramona J. Butz, Matthew J. Germino, Keith Reinhardt, Lara M. KueppersNon-USGS Publications**
Winkler, D.E., Brooks, E. Tracing Extremes across Iconic Desert Landscapes: Socio-Ecological and Cultural Responses to Climate Change, Water Scarcity, and Wildflower Superblooms. Human Ecology (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10745-020-00145-5
Kattge, J., Bönisch, G., Díaz, S., Lavorel, S., Prentice, I. C., Leadley, P., ... Winkler, D. et al. (2020). TRY plant trait database–enhanced coverage and open access. Global Change Biology. 26(1):119-188.
Winkler DE, Lin MY, Delgadillo J, Chapin KJ, Huxman TE. 2019. Early life history responses and phenotypic shifts in a rare endemic plant responding to climate change. Conservation Physiology 7(1): coz076. doi: 10.1093/conphys/coz076
Winkler, D. E., Chapin, K. J., François, O., Garmon, J. D., Gaut, B. S., & Huxman, T. E. (2019). Multiple introductions and population structure during the rapid expansion of the invasive Sahara mustard (Brassica tournefortii). Ecology and Evolution, 9(14), 7928-7941.
Winkler, D. E., Lubetkin, K. C., Carrell, A. A., Jabis, M. D., Yang, Y., & Kueppers, L. M. 2019. Responses of alpine plant communities to climate warming. In: Mohan, J.E. (ed), Ecosystem Consequences of Soil Warming, pp. 297-346. Academic Press.
Mohan, J. E., Wadgymar, S. M., Winkler, D. E., Anderson, J. T., Frankson, P. T., Hannifin, R., ... & Melillo, J. M. 2019. Plant reproductive fitness and phenology responses to climate warming: Results from native populations, communities, and ecosystems. In: Mohan, J.E. (ed), Ecosystem Consequences of Soil Warming, pp. 61-102. Academic Press.
Winkler, D. E., Butz, R. J., Germino, M. J., Reinhardt, K., & Kueppers, L. M. (2018). Snowmelt timing regulates community composition, phenology, and physiological performance of alpine plants. Frontiers in plant science, 9, 1140.
Chapin, K. J., Winkler, D. E., Wiencek, P., & Agnarsson, I. (2018). Island biogeography and ecological modeling of the amblypygid Phrynus marginemaculatus in the Florida Keys archipelago. Ecology and evolution, 8(18), 9139-9151.
Winkler, D. E., J. R. Gremer, K. J. Chapin, M. Kao, and T. E. Huxman. 2018. Rapid alignment of functional trait variation with locality across the invaded range of Sahara mustard (Brassica tournefortii). American Journal of Botany 105(7): 1188–1197.
Kudo G, Y Aoshima, R Miyata, DE Winkler. 2018. Altered morphologies and physiological compensation in a rapidly expanding dwarf bamboo in alpine ecosystems. Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research 50(1): e1463733. doi: 10.1080/15230430.2018.1463733.
Winkler, D. E., Conver, J. L., Huxman, T. E. and Swann, D. E. 2018. The interaction of drought and habitat explain space–time patterns of establishment in saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea). Ecology 99(3):621-631. doi:10.1002/ecy.2124
Conver, JL, T Foley, DE Winkler, DE Swann. 2017. Demographic changes over > 70 yr in a population of saguaro cacti (Carnegiea gigantea) in the northern Sonoran Desert. Journal of Arid Environments 139:41–48. doi: 10.1016/j.jaridenv.2016.12.008
Kudo G, Y Kawai, Y Amagai, DE Winkler. 2017. Degradation and recovery of an alpine plant community: experimental removal of an encroaching dwarf bamboo. Alpine Botany 127:75–83. doi: 10.1007/s00035-016-0178-2
Winkler DE, Y Amagai, TE Huxman, M Kaneko, G Kudo. 2016. Seasonal dry-down rates and high stress tolerance promote bamboo invasion above and below treeline. Plant Ecology 217(10): 1219–1234. doi: 10.1007/s11258-016-0649-y
Winkler, D. E., Chapin, K. J., & Kueppers, L. M. (2016). Soil moisture mediates alpine life form and community productivity responses to warming. Ecology, 97(6), 1553-1563.
**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.
- News