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
Solutions in microbiome engineering: Prioritizing barriers to organism establishment
Climate change and other factors influencing the saguaro cactus
Drivers of seedling establishment success in dryland restoration efforts
The demographic and ecological factors shaping diversification among rare Astragalus species
Incorporating biogeochemistry into dryland restoration
Supporting the development and use of native plant materials for restoration on the Colorado Plateau (Fiscal Year 2020 Report)
Muted responses to chronic experimental nitrogen deposition on the Colorado Plateau
Forward-looking dryland restoration in an age of change
Book review of "Plant anatomy—A concept based approach to the structure of seed plants"
Warming of alpine tundra enhances belowground production and shifts community towards resource acquisition traits
Experimental warming changes phenology and shortens growing season of the dominant invasive plant Bromus tectorum (cheatgrass)
Getting to the root of restoration: Considering root traits for improved restoration outcomes under drought and competition
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
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Filter Total Items: 34
Solutions in microbiome engineering: Prioritizing barriers to organism establishment
Microbiome engineering is increasingly being employed as a solution to challenges in health, agriculture, and climate. Often manipulation involves inoculation of new microbes designed to improve function into a preexisting microbial community. Despite, increased efforts in microbiome engineering inoculants frequently fail to establish and/or confer long-lasting modifications on ecosystem function.AuthorsMichaeline B.N. Albright, Stilianos Louca, Daniel E. Winkler, Kelli L. Feeser, Sarah-Jane Haig, Katrine L. Whiteson, Joanne B. Emerson, John M. DunbarClimate change and other factors influencing the saguaro cactus
The saguaro cacti (Carnegiea gigantea [Engelm.] Britton & Rose) is one of the world’s most iconic plants and a symbol of the desert Southwest. It is the namesake of Saguaro National Park, which was created (initially as a national monument) in 1933 to study, interpret, and protect the “giant cactus” and other unique Sonoran Desert species. Research on saguaros over the past century has revealed muAuthorsDon E. Swann, Daniel E. Winkler, Joshua L. Conver, Theresa FoleyDrivers of seedling establishment success in dryland restoration efforts
Restoration of degraded drylands is urgently needed to mitigate climate change, reverse desertification and secure livelihoods for the two billion people who live in these areas. Bold global targets have been set for dryland restoration to restore millions of hectares of degraded land. These targets have been questioned as overly ambitious, but without a global evaluation of successes and failuresAuthorsNancy Shackelford, Gustavo B. Paterno, Daniel E. Winkler, Todd E. Erickson, Elizabeth A. Leger, Lauren N. Svejcar, Martin F. Breed, Akasha M. Faist, Peter L. Harrison, Michael F. Curran, Qinfeng Guo, Anita Kirmer, Darin J. Law, Kevin Mganga, Seth M. Munson, Lauren M. Porensky, Raul Emiliano Quiroga, Péter Török, Claire E. Wainwright, Ali Abdullahi, Matt A. Bahm, Elizabeth A. Ballenger, Nichole Barger, Owen W. Baughman, Carina Becker, Manuel Esteban Lucas-Borja, Chad S. Boyd, Carla M. Burton, Philip J. Burton, Eman Calleja, Peter J. Carrick, Alex Caruana, Charlie D. Clements, Kirk W. Davies, Balázs Deák, Jessica Drake, Sandra Dullau, Joshua Eldridge, Erin Espeland, Stephen E. Fick, Magda Garbowski, Enrique G. de la Riva, Peter J. Golos, Penelope A. Grey, Barry Heydenrych, Patricia M. Holmes, Jeremy J. James, Jayne Jonas-Bratten, Réka Kiss, Andrea T. Kramer, Julie E. Larson, Juan Lorite, C. Ellery Mayence, Luis Merino-Martín, Tamás Miglécz, Suanne Jane Milton, Thomas A. Monaco, Arlee M. Montalvo, Jose A. Navarro-Cano, Mark W. Paschke, Pablo Luis Peri, Monica L. Pokorny, Matthew J. Rinella, Nelmarie Saayman, Merilynn C. Schantz, Tina Parkhurst, Eric W. Seabloom, Katharine L. Stuble, Shauna M. Uselman, Orsolya Valkó, Kari E. Veblen, Scott D. Wilson, Megan Wong, Zhiwei Xu, Katharine L. SudingThe demographic and ecological factors shaping diversification among rare Astragalus species
AimEvolutionary radiations are central to the origin and maintenance of biodiversity, yet we rarely understand how they are jointly shaped by demography and ecological opportunity. Astragalus is the largest plant genus in the world and is disproportionately comprised of rare species restricted to narrow geographic and ecological regions. Here, we explored the demographic and ecological mechanismsAuthorsMatthew Richard Jones, Daniel E. Winkler, Robert MassattiIncorporating biogeochemistry into dryland restoration
Dryland degradation is a persistent and accelerating global problem. Although the mechanisms initiating and maintaining dryland degradation are largely understood, returning productivity and function through ecological restoration remains difficult. Water limitation commonly drives slow recovery rates within drylands; however, the altered biogeochemical cycles that accompany degradation also playAuthorsKristina E. Young, Sasha C. Reed, Scott Ferrenberg, Akasha M. Faist, Daniel E. Winkler, Catherine E. Cort, Anthony Darrouzet-NardiSupporting the development and use of native plant materials for restoration on the Colorado Plateau (Fiscal Year 2020 Report)
A primary focus of the 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 suite of research activities to providAuthorsRobert Massatti, Daniel E. Winkler, Sasha C. Reed, Michael C. Duniway, Seth M. Munson, John B. BradfordMuted responses to chronic experimental nitrogen deposition on the Colorado Plateau
Anthropogenic nitrogen (N) deposition is significantly altering both community structure and ecosystem processes in terrestrial ecosystems across the globe. However, our understanding of the consequences of N deposition in dryland systems remains relatively poor, despite evidence that drylands may be particularly vulnerable to increasing N inputs. In this study, we investigated the influence of 7AuthorsMichala Lee Phillips, Daniel E. Winkler, Robin H. Reibold, Brooke Bossert Osborne, Sasha C. ReedForward-looking dryland restoration in an age of change
Drought, wildfires, and invasive species are among the many challenges practitioners face in achieving restoration goals in drylands. In this article, we highlight relevant restoration research and programs that pursue actionable information and resource management goals for the Intermountain West. In the context of international restoration targets recently set, we speak to dryland restoration chAuthorsDaniel E. Winkler, Robert Massatti, Sasha C. ReedBook review of "Plant anatomy—A concept based approach to the structure of seed plants"
Plant Anatomy: A Concept-Based Approach to the Structure of Seed Plants by Crang, Lyons-Sobaski, and Wise is a beautifully-illustrated, 600+ page textbook highlighting the wonderful diversity of anatomical form in plants. The layout of the chapters follows many traditional plant anatomy textbooks. Plant Anatomy begins with an overview of plant morphology and proceeds through evolutionary time andAuthorsDaniel E. WinklerWarming of alpine tundra enhances belowground production and shifts community towards resource acquisition traits
Climate warming is expected to stimulate plant growth in high‐elevation and high‐latitude ecosystems, significantly increasing aboveground net primary production (ANPP). However, the effects of simultaneous changes in temperature, snowmelt timing, and summer water availability on total net primary production (NPP)—and elucidation of both above‐ and belowground responses—remain an important area inAuthorsYan Yang, Julia A. Klein, Daniel E. Winkler, Ahui Peng, Brynne E. Lazarus, Matthew Germino, Katherine Suding, Jane G. Smith, Lara M. KueppersExperimental warming changes phenology and shortens growing season of the dominant invasive plant Bromus tectorum (cheatgrass)
Bromus tectorum (cheatgrass) has successfully invaded and established throughout the western United States. Bromus tectorum grows early in the season and this early growth allows B. tectorum to outcompete native species, which has led to dramatic shifts in ecosystem function and plant community composition after B. tectorum invades. If the phenology of native species is unable to track changing clAuthorsArmin J. Howell, Daniel E. Winkler, Michala Lee Phillips, Brandon McNellis, Sasha C. ReedGetting to the root of restoration: Considering root traits for improved restoration outcomes under drought and competition
A foundational goal of trait‐based ecology, including trait‐based restoration, is to link specific traits to community assembly, biodiversity, and ecosystem function. Despite a growing awareness of the importance of belowground traits for ecological processes, a synthesis of how to root traits can inform restoration of terrestrial plant communities is lacking. We reviewed and summarized existing lAuthorsM. Garbowski, B. Avera, J. H. Bertram, J.S. Courkamp, J. Gray, K.M. Hein, R. Lawrence, M. McIntosh, S. McClelland, A. Post, Ingrid J. Slette, Daniel E. Winkler, C. S. BrownNon-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.
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