Monitoring riparian vegetation along the Colorado River downstream of Glen Canyon Dam
Emily C Palmquist, PhD
Dr. Emily Palmquist is a plant ecologist with the Southwest Biological Science Center, Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Station. Emily studies riparian plant ecology in drylands of the western U.S. with particular emphasis on providing scientific information that addresses land management and stakeholder needs.
Emily conducts research with direct applications to improving land stewardship in a changing environment. Her research examines how environmental pressures, plant genetics, plant traits, and interactions among these factors affect plant community structure and change. This research often provides information needed to make management decisions, for example, characterizing floristic patterns, choosing plants for restoration, and evaluating taxonomic relationships. These studies also often characterize the effect of management decisions, for example, dam operations or grazing. Since her research sits at the interface of conservation and land use, she aims to contribute to creating solutions for living sustainably in drylands.
Her current research projects focus on the impact of river regulation on riparian vegetation communities, riparian plant population genetics in a restoration context, and physiological responses of riparian plants to flooding and climate.
Emily moved to the Southwest in 2006 after a variety of seasonal plant ecology positions in Minnesota, Indiana, and Western Australia. Since then, she has worked in Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico assisting with research on rare plants, dryland plant ecology, spring vegetation, grazing, and riparian vegetation. Emily has been working in the Grand Canyon region since 2011, which has included conducting upland and riparian long-term vegetation monitoring and grazing assessments.
Professional Experience
2014 – present: Ecologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Southwestern Biological Science Center, Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center, Flagstaff, AZ
2012 – 2014: Ecologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Southwestern Biological Science Center, Moab, UT
2011: Botanist, National Park Service, Southern Colorado Plateau Inventory & Monitoring Network, Flagstaff, AZ
2011: Botanist, Grand Canyon Trust, Flagstaff, AZ
2006 – 2009: Biological Science Technician, National Park Service, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Page, AZ
Education and Certifications
2022 - PhD. in Biology with Distinction, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ. Co-advised by Drs. Kiona Ogle and Thomas Whitham
Dissertation: "Climate, genetics, and river flow interact to shape riparian plant community structure"
2010 - M.S. in Biology with Distinction, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ. Advised by Dr. Tina Ayers.
Thesis: Phylogeny and evolutionary history of Anticlea vaginata Rydb. (Melanthiaceae): a hanging garden endemic
2005 - B.Sc. in Environmental Science: Resource Conservation and Management (Second Major: English), summa cum laude, Carroll University, Waukesha, WI
Science and Products
Is timing really everything? Evaluating Resource Response to Spring Disturbance Flows
Terrestrial Riparian Vegetation Monitoring: How One Square Meter Can Tell the Story of 245 River Miles
Overview of Riparian Vegetation in Grand Canyon
Presence and cover data for 36 plant species and associated environmental data from the Colorado River downstream of Glen Canyon Dam from 2016 to 2020
Plant habitat suitability modeling for the Colorado River in Grand Canyon, Arizona under different management scenarios for Lake Powell releases
Experimental inundation and drought response data for twelve riparian plants occurring along a local hydrologic gradient in the Colorado River ecosystem
Hydric and mesic riparian plant species data for quantifying divergent physiological responses to a Colorado River experimental flow
Arrowweed (Pluchea sericea) morphological and physiological response data from a greenhouse inundation experiment
Riparian vegetation data downstream of Glen Canyon Dam in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and Grand Canyon National Park, AZ from 2014 to 2019
Southwestern Riparian Plant Trait Matrix, Colorado River, Grand Canyon, Arizona (ver. 2.0, 2022)
Rangeland Ecosystem Data, Grand Canyon - Parashant National Monument, AZ, USA
Riparian vegetation data used for comparing sampling methods along the Colorado River, Grand Canyon, Arizona
Climate, hydrology and riparian vegetation composition data, Grand Canyon, Arizona
Riparian Vegetation and Environmental Variables, Colorado River, 2014Data
Plant functional traits, Colorado River, Grand Canyon, 2012-2014Data
Monitoring riparian vegetation along the Colorado River downstream of Glen Canyon Dam
eZ flow metrics: Using z-scores to estimate deviations from natural flow in the Colorado River below Glen Canyon Dam
Modeling the impacts of Glen Canyon Dam operations on Colorado River resources
U.S. Geological Survey Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center: Proceedings of the fiscal year 2023 annual reporting meeting to the Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program
Divergent physiological responses of hydric and mesic riparian plant species to a Colorado River experimental flow
Inundation tolerance, rather than drought tolerance, predicts riparian plant distributions along a local hydrologic gradient
Assessment of riparian vegetation patterns and change downstream from Glen Canyon Dam from 2014 to 2019
Proceedings of the Fiscal Year 2022 Annual Reporting Meeting to the Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program
Provenance, genotype, and flooding influence growth and resource acquisition characteristics in a clonal, riparian shrub
The hydroclimate niche: A tool for predicting and managing riparian plant community responses to streamflow seasonality
What drought means for southwestern landscapes
Riverine complexity and life history inform restoration in riparian environments in the southwestern U.S.
Regional coordination between riparian dependence and atmospheric demand in willows (Salix L.) of western North America
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
Is timing really everything? Evaluating Resource Response to Spring Disturbance Flows
Terrestrial Riparian Vegetation Monitoring: How One Square Meter Can Tell the Story of 245 River Miles
Overview of Riparian Vegetation in Grand Canyon
Presence and cover data for 36 plant species and associated environmental data from the Colorado River downstream of Glen Canyon Dam from 2016 to 2020
Plant habitat suitability modeling for the Colorado River in Grand Canyon, Arizona under different management scenarios for Lake Powell releases
Experimental inundation and drought response data for twelve riparian plants occurring along a local hydrologic gradient in the Colorado River ecosystem
Hydric and mesic riparian plant species data for quantifying divergent physiological responses to a Colorado River experimental flow
Arrowweed (Pluchea sericea) morphological and physiological response data from a greenhouse inundation experiment
Riparian vegetation data downstream of Glen Canyon Dam in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and Grand Canyon National Park, AZ from 2014 to 2019
Southwestern Riparian Plant Trait Matrix, Colorado River, Grand Canyon, Arizona (ver. 2.0, 2022)
Rangeland Ecosystem Data, Grand Canyon - Parashant National Monument, AZ, USA
Riparian vegetation data used for comparing sampling methods along the Colorado River, Grand Canyon, Arizona
Climate, hydrology and riparian vegetation composition data, Grand Canyon, Arizona
Riparian Vegetation and Environmental Variables, Colorado River, 2014Data
Plant functional traits, Colorado River, Grand Canyon, 2012-2014Data
Monitoring riparian vegetation along the Colorado River downstream of Glen Canyon Dam
Monitoring riparian vegetation along the Colorado River downstream of Glen Canyon Dam
eZ flow metrics: Using z-scores to estimate deviations from natural flow in the Colorado River below Glen Canyon Dam
Modeling the impacts of Glen Canyon Dam operations on Colorado River resources
U.S. Geological Survey Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center: Proceedings of the fiscal year 2023 annual reporting meeting to the Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program
Divergent physiological responses of hydric and mesic riparian plant species to a Colorado River experimental flow
Inundation tolerance, rather than drought tolerance, predicts riparian plant distributions along a local hydrologic gradient
Assessment of riparian vegetation patterns and change downstream from Glen Canyon Dam from 2014 to 2019
Proceedings of the Fiscal Year 2022 Annual Reporting Meeting to the Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program
Provenance, genotype, and flooding influence growth and resource acquisition characteristics in a clonal, riparian shrub
The hydroclimate niche: A tool for predicting and managing riparian plant community responses to streamflow seasonality
What drought means for southwestern landscapes
Riverine complexity and life history inform restoration in riparian environments in the southwestern U.S.
Regional coordination between riparian dependence and atmospheric demand in willows (Salix L.) of western North America
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.