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Kathryn A Thomas, Ph.D.

I am a research ecologist with the Southwest Biological Science Center, currently stationed in Tucson, Arizona; I've worked the Southwestern deserts since 1989 and for the USGS since 1995. My areas of expertise are in biodiversity studies during the anthrocene including studies of vegetation ecology, plant-insect interactions and invasive species on landscape and community scales.

Education

The Bee Course, American Museum of Natural History, Portal, Arizona 

Certificate of Emergency Management Planning. U. of Washington

Doctor of Philosophy, Geography. University of California at Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA. ‘Vegetation and floristic diversity in the Mojave Desert of California: A regional conservation evaluation'. 

Masters of Science, Environmental Horticulture. University of California at Davis, Davis, California. ‘Vegetative propagation and Actinorhizal nodulation of Ceanothus spp.' 

Bachelor of Science, Biology. University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon.

Experience:

Ecologist Southwest Biological Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Tucson & Flagstaff, Arizona - 1995-2010, 2012-present

Information Management Liaison, Pacific Northwest Aquatic Monitoring Program, Portland, Oregon 2010 - 2012

Plant Phenology Program Coordinator - USA National Phenology Network, Tucson Arizona - 2007-2010

Adjunct professor Northern Arizona University Geography Dept. 1997-2005, University of Arizona School of Natural Resources and the Environment 2014-present

Science and Products

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The Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge support native and nonnative grasses, including nonnative African lovegrasses.

Managing for Grassland Health at Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge

Southern Arizona’s semi-desert grasslands provides habitat for flora and fauna, regulates rainfall infiltration and overland flow, mitigates surface erosion and dust production, and sequesters carbon. Sustainable management is important to maintain these ecological services and is of concern for the managers, ranchers, and other people associated with the grassland. The Buenos Aires National...
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Ecosystems, Species Management Research Program, Southwest Biological Science Center
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Managing for Grassland Health at Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge

Southern Arizona’s semi-desert grasslands provides habitat for flora and fauna, regulates rainfall infiltration and overland flow, mitigates surface erosion and dust production, and sequesters carbon. Sustainable management is important to maintain these ecological services and is of concern for the managers, ranchers, and other people associated with the grassland. The Buenos Aires National...
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Arizona map depicting the number of bat species found across Arizona.

Informing Renewable Energy Development Siting Decisions with Vertebrate Biodiversity Measures

Renewable energy development is expanding in southwestern deserts, including in Arizona. Energy developers look to resource management agencies to provide siting guidance on public lands where there might be conflicts with wildlife. Often, agency guidance considers species of conservation concern and economic importance, but information on comprehensive vertebrate biodiversity has been hard to...
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Ecosystems, Species Management Research Program, Southwest Biological Science Center
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Informing Renewable Energy Development Siting Decisions with Vertebrate Biodiversity Measures

Renewable energy development is expanding in southwestern deserts, including in Arizona. Energy developers look to resource management agencies to provide siting guidance on public lands where there might be conflicts with wildlife. Often, agency guidance considers species of conservation concern and economic importance, but information on comprehensive vertebrate biodiversity has been hard to...
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Conceptual model about specialist, introduced insects

Predicting the Next High-Impact Insect Invasion

Although most introduced insects are relatively benign, some become high-impact pests causing widespread ecological and economic damage. Introduced insects that are specialists and feed on a single genus of plants can be high-impact as they can potentially eliminate an entire native plant genus over large areas. Luckily, most introduced insects with this feeding behavior do not become high-impact...
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Southwest Biological Science Center
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Predicting the Next High-Impact Insect Invasion

Although most introduced insects are relatively benign, some become high-impact pests causing widespread ecological and economic damage. Introduced insects that are specialists and feed on a single genus of plants can be high-impact as they can potentially eliminate an entire native plant genus over large areas. Luckily, most introduced insects with this feeding behavior do not become high-impact...
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Close-up of a small Pima pineapple cactus in coarse-textured soil in the desert.

Endangered Cacti in Arizona

Arizona is the home to at least 10 cacti that are listed as endangered, threatened, or under conservation agreement. Land use and management activities that occur on federal, and to some extent state, lands on which the cacti occur require consultation among the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the agency managing the land on which the cacti is growing, and the party proposing an activity...
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Southwest Biological Science Center
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Endangered Cacti in Arizona

Arizona is the home to at least 10 cacti that are listed as endangered, threatened, or under conservation agreement. Land use and management activities that occur on federal, and to some extent state, lands on which the cacti occur require consultation among the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the agency managing the land on which the cacti is growing, and the party proposing an activity...
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USGS science for a changing world logo

Predicting the next high-impact insect invasion: Elucidating traits and factors determining the risk of introduced herbivorous insects on North American native plants

Non-native insect invasions increasingly cause widespread ecological and economic damage in natural and agricultural ecosystems. Non-native insects specialized for feeding on specific plant groups are particularly problematic as they can potentially eliminate an entire genus of native plant species across a wide area. For example, emerald ash borer has killed hundreds of millions of ash trees in N
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John Wesley Powell Center for Analysis and Synthesis
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Predicting the next high-impact insect invasion: Elucidating traits and factors determining the risk of introduced herbivorous insects on North American native plants

Non-native insect invasions increasingly cause widespread ecological and economic damage in natural and agricultural ecosystems. Non-native insects specialized for feeding on specific plant groups are particularly problematic as they can potentially eliminate an entire genus of native plant species across a wide area. For example, emerald ash borer has killed hundreds of millions of ash trees in N
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Climatic suitability models and assessments for plant species and communities of the Southwestern US

These data were compiled to assess potential changes in the climatic suitability for 66 species (dominant and associate plant species) and forecast climate exposure for 29 major plant communities within major plant communities in the southwestern United States. An objective of our study was that species within plant communities have unique climate suitability signatures and forecast changes in cli
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Southwest Biological Science Center

USGS Earthmap Capacity Assessment Dataset

The U.S. Geological Survey provides a wide range of scientific information to an even wider group of stakeholders. Understanding what capacities are needed and if and or where these capacities exist across the USGS landscape is critical in moving science to the next level of use, implementation, and visualization. The concept behind the groups organized to conduct and interpret the survey that col

Traits and Factors Catalog (TRAFAC): Hardwood specialists of North America

These data were compiled in support of the 'Predicting the next high-impact insect invasion: Elucidating traits and factors determining the risk of introduced herbivorous insects on North American native plants' project, supported by the U.S. Geological Survey John Wesley Powell Center for Analysis and Synthesis. The project working group compiled data for non-native insects herbivorous on one Nor
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Southwest Biological Science Center

A snapshot of stakeholder science needs related to drought in the Colorado River Basin

Stakeholder science needs were determined by reviewing more than 200 recently published literature items and web pages from Colorado River Basin (CRB) stakeholders. These stakeholder communications were used to characterize over 400 stakeholder science needs by reviewing their priorities, strategies, issues, missions, and concerns related to drought in the CRB. Members of the CRB Integrated Scienc
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Arizona Water Science Center, California Water Science Center, Colorado Water Science Center, Fort Collins Science Center, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center, Nevada Water Science Center, New Mexico Water Science Center, Southwest Biological Science Center, Utah Water Science Center, Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center

Traits and Factors Catalog (TRAFAC): Conifer specialists of North America

These data were compiled in support of the 'Predicting the next high-impact insect invasion: Elucidating traits and factors determining the risk of introduced herbivorous insects on North American native plants' project, supported by the U.S. Geological Survey John Wesley Powell Center for Analysis and Synthesis. The project working group compiled data for non-native insects herbivorous on three o
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Southwest Biological Science Center

Russian-thistle field and seed bank data at Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona, 2015-2016

These data were compiled as part of a field and growth chamber study of the establishment of Salsola tragus (Russian thistle), an invasive non-native annual plant in North America. Field work was conducted at Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona in 2015 and 2016 and the growth chamber study was conducted in 2016. The data represent field measurements of Salsola germination and growth (cover) an
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Southwest Biological Science Center

Central Mojave Desert Vegetation Mapping Project, California, 1997-1999: Plots Points and Photographs

The Mojave Plots Points data are 1,219 plot locations in the Central Mojave Desert where field data were recorded and photographs were taken from 1997-1999 to provide context for the classification of the Central Mojave Desert into various vegetation classes. The 1,219 plot locations in the plots points shapefile (plots_points.shp) are each assigned a unique identifier called the FinalPlotCode. T
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Core Science Systems, Science Analytics and Synthesis (SAS), Community for Data Integration (CDI), Fort Collins Science Center, Great Lakes Science Center, Southwest Biological Science Center, Communications and Publishing

Landscape-scale wildlife species richness metrics

These raster data represent the results of a case study in Arizona on how vertebrate richness metrics can be used with existing state and federal guidance in wind and solar energy facility siting. Each of the four geodatabases (see Cross References) contain eight native terrestrial wildlife group models in Arizona: 1) all vertebrates, 2) amphibians, 3) reptiles, 4) birds, 5) mammals, 6) bats, 7) r
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Species Management Research Program, Southwest Biological Science Center

Southwest Exotic Mapping Program (SWEMP) Database, 2007

The Southwest Exotic Plant Mapping Program (SWEMP) is a collaborative effort between the United States Geological Survey and federal, tribal, state, county and non-governmental organization (NGO) partners in the southwest. This project is an ongoing effort to compile and distribute regional data on the occurrence of non-native invasive plants in the southwestern United States. The database represe
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Southwest Biological Science Center

Tsezhin Bii Field and Summary 2004Data

These data provide the locational coordinates, soil texture characteristics, plant species occurrence and cover, and vegetation summary characteristics for the Tsezhin bii region in the south-central area of the Navajo Nation in Arizona. They were collected in the fall of 2004 and their subsequent analysis reported in the paper titled 'Vegetation of semi-stable rangeland dunes of the Navajo Nation
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Southwest Biological Science Center
Filter Total Items: 28

Phylogenetic risk assessment is robust for forecasting the impact of European insects on North American conifers

Some introduced species cause severe damage, although the majority have little impact. Robust predictions of which species are most likely to cause substantial impacts could focus efforts to mitigate those impacts or prevent certain invasions entirely. Introduced herbivorous insects can reduce crop yield, fundamentally alter natural and managed forest ecosystems, and are unique among invasive spec
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Ecosystems, Southwest Biological Science Center

Rocky Mountain Region Science Exchange 2020—EarthMAP and the Colorado River Basin

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Rocky Mountain Region (RMR) hosted USGS scientists, managers, program coordinators, and leadership team members for a virtual Science Exchange during September 15–17, 2020. The Science Exchange had 216 registered participants and included 48 talks over the 3-day period. Invited speakers presented information about the novel USGS Earth Monitoring, Analysis, and Pre
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Ecosystems, Water Resources, Oklahoma Water Science Center, Fort Collins Science Center, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center, New Mexico Water Science Center, Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center, Southwest Biological Science Center, Utah Water Science Center, Western Geographic Science Center

Capacity assessment for Earth Monitoring, Analysis, and Prediction (EarthMAP) and future integrated monitoring and predictive science at the U.S. Geological Survey

Executive SummaryManagers of our Nation’s resources face unprecedented challenges driven by the convergence of increasing, competing societal demands and a changing climate that affects the stability, vulnerability, and predictability of those resources. To help meet these challenges, the scientific community must take advantage of all available technologies, data, and integrative Earth systems mo
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Ecosystems, Water Resources, Science Analytics and Synthesis (SAS), Energy Resources Program, Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center , Oregon Water Science Center, Southwest Biological Science Center, Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Predicting non-native insect impact: Focusing on the trees to see the forest

Non-native organisms have invaded novel ecosystems for centuries, yet we have only a limited understanding of why their impacts vary widely from minor to severe. Predicting the impact of non-established or newly detected species could help focus biosecurity measures on species with the highest potential to cause widespread damage. However, predictive models require an understanding of potential dr
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Ecosystems, Southwest Biological Science Center

A not so sudden impact—Historical relations between conifers and insects can help predict damage by nonnative insects

The arrival and establishment of nonnative insects in North America is increasingly problematic. International trade has created opportunities to move wood products and nursery stock worldwide, which has increased the risk of insect introduction to regions or countries where they are not native. One group of researchers, the High-impact Insect Invasions Working Group (HIIWG), has developed a predi
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Ecosystems, Southwest Biological Science Center, John Wesley Powell Center for Analysis and Synthesis

The impact is in the details: Evaluating a standardized protocol and scale for determining non-native insect impact

Assessing the ecological and economic impacts of non-native species is crucial to providing managers and policymakers with the information necessary to respond effectively. Most non-native species have minimal impacts on the environment in which they are introduced, but a small fraction are highly deleterious. The definition of ‘damaging’ or ‘high-impact’ varies based on the factors determined to
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Ecosystems, Southwest Biological Science Center

Evolutionary history predicts high-impact invasions by herbivorous insects

A long‐standing goal of invasion biology is to identify factors driving highly variable impacts of non‐native species. Although hypotheses exist that emphasize the role of evolutionary history (e.g., enemy release hypothesis & defense‐free space hypothesis), predicting the impact of non‐native herbivorous insects has eluded scientists for over a century. Using a census of all 58 non‐native conifer
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Ecosystems, Southwest Biological Science Center, John Wesley Powell Center for Analysis and Synthesis

Modeling habitat of the desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) in the Mojave and parts of the Sonoran Deserts of California, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona

Habitat modeling is an important tool used to simulate the potential distribution of a species for a variety of basic and applied questions. The desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) is a federally listed threatened species in the Mojave Desert and parts of the Sonoran Desert of California, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona. Land managers in this region require reliable information about the potential dist
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Ecosystems, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Establishment of Salsola tragus on aeolian sands: A Southern Colorado Plateau case study

Russian-thistle (Salsola tragus L.), is a nonnative, C4 photosynthesizing, annual plant that infests disturbed and natural areas in the arid U.S. Southwest. Land managers of natural areas may need to decide whether a S. tragus infestation is potentially harmful and whether it should be actively managed. One factor informing that decision is an understanding of the conditions under which this weed
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Ecosystems, Climate Research and Development Program, Land Change Science Program, Southwest Biological Science Center

Arizona hedgehog cactus (Echinocereus triglochidiatus var. arizonicus)—A systematic data assessment in support of recovery

The Arizona hedgehog cactus (Echinocereus triglochidiatus var. arizonicus) is endemic to central Arizona in Gila and Pinal Counties, and has been federally listed as endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) since 1979. Mining, mineral exploration, and highway development have resulted in habitat degradation and loss of individual plants. Therefore, decreases in the population of the
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Ecosystems, Southwest Biological Science Center

Landscape-scale wildlife species richness metrics to inform wind and solar energy facility siting: An Arizona case study

The juxtaposition of wildlife and wind or solar energy facility infrastructure can present problems for developers, planners, policy makers, and management agencies. Guidance on siting of these renewable energy facilities may help identify potential wildlife-facility conflicts with species of regulatory or economic concern. However, existing spatial guidance usually does not consider all wildlife
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Ecosystems, Species Management Research Program, Southwest Biological Science Center

Survival of the endangered Pima pineapple cactus: Does clearing before prescribed fire alter survival postfire?

Federal land managers and ranchers often use prescribed fire as a tool to reduce invading woody plants within desert grasslands of the arid southwestern United States. Managers must evaluate the threat of the burn toward the health and survival of plants of concern including how preemptive clearing before prescribed fire might benefit these species. One example is the endangered Pima pineapple cac
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Ecosystems, Southwest Biological Science Center

Colorado River Basin Projects

The Colorado River Basin Actionable and Strategic Integrated Science and Technology Team has created an interactive map of USGS projects to highlight the integrated science currently conducted within the Colorado River Basin. These projects are not all inclusive of the work conducted by the USGS within the CRB, but highlight the broad range of integrated science currently conducted. 

Science and Products