Mike Duniway, Ph.D.
Dr. Michael (Mike) Duniway is a soil scientist focused on soils and soil processes in dryland ecosystems and the interactions between environmental and land-use drivers, vegetation, soils, and geomorphology. His areas of focus include restoration, ecohydrology, effects of land-use (grazing, energy, and recreation), dust production, plant-soil feedbacks, and soil mapping and interpretations.
In his research and outreach activities, Dr. Duniway seeks to provide information for land managers and owners to facilitate sustainable land-use activities. He works closely with federal agency partners (Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, National Resource Conservation Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and others such as The Nature Conservancy's Canyonlands Research Center) in designing research studies, conducting technology transfer, and outreach activities. Some primary current research focuses include understanding the impacts of drought on Colorado Plateau landscapes, evaluating the recovery of oil and gas pads on the Colorado Plateau and opportunities for improved restoration practices, developing novel restoration techniques for highly disturbed lands using biological soil crusts and physical barriers, and basic research into the importance of soils for dryland ecosystem processes.
Professional Experience
2011-Present: Research Ecologist, USGS Southwest Biological Science Center, Moab, UT
2010-2011: Research Soil Scientist, US Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service, Jornada, Las Cruces, NM
2006-2010: Research Soil Scientist (post doc), US Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service, Jornada, Las Cruces, NM
2012-Present: Adjunct Faculty, Utah State University, Logan, UT
2007-Present: Adjunct Faculty, NM State University, Las Cruces, NM
Education and Certifications
Ph.D., 2006 — Agronomy (Soil Science), New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM
B.S., 1994 — Environmental Resource Science, University of California, Davis, CA
Science and Products
Drylands are highly vulnerable to climate and land use changes: what ecosystem changes are in store?
Wind Erosion and Dust Emissions on the Colorado Plateau
Long-Term Vegetation Change on the Colorado Plateau
Using Long-Term Remote Sensing and an Automated Reference Toolset To Estimate and Predict Post-Development Recovery Potential
RestoreNet: Distributed Field Trial Network for Dryland Restoration
Colorado Plateau Futures: Understanding Agents of Change on the Colorado Plateau to Facilitate Collaborative Adaptation
Colorado Plateau Native Plant Program Field Trial Study
New Approaches for Restoring Colorado Plateau Grasslands
Climate change and ecohydrology in temperate dryland ecosystems: a global assessment
Biocrust cover, vegetation, and climate data from a protected grassland within Canyonlands National Park, Utah (ver. 2.0, Sept. 2023)
Sagebrush recovery analyzed with a dynamic reference approach in southwestern Wyoming, USA 1985-2018
Soil family particle size class map for Colorado River Basin above Lake Mead
Soil geomorphic unit and ecological site group maps for the rangelands of the Upper Colorado River Basin region
Precipitation, soil moisture, and vegetation data from 36 experimental plots in southeastern Utah, near Canyonlands National Park (2015 - 2018)
Soil surface properties and roughness data at two experimental restoration sites within the Southwestern USA
A snapshot of stakeholder science needs related to drought in the Colorado River Basin
Long-term annual aeolian dust deposition data from seven locations in southeastern Utah
Rangeland Ecosystem Data, Grand Canyon - Parashant National Monument, AZ, USA
Predictive soil property maps with prediction uncertainty at 30-meter resolution for the Colorado River Basin above Lake Mead
High-resolution object-based image classifications of biological soil crusts and vegetation (Beef Basin, Utah)
Vegetation cover and composition data in environments surrounding uranium mines in the Grand Canyon ecosystem, USA
Synergistic soil, land use, and climate influences on wind erosion on the Colorado Plateau: Implications for management
Foraging behavior of Raramuri Criollo vs. Angus cattle grazing California Chaparral and Colorado Plateau shrublands
Droughting a megadrought: Ecological consequences of a decade of experimental drought atop aridification on the Colorado Plateau
Variable effects of long-term livestock grazing across the western United States suggest diverse approaches are needed to meet global change challenges
Soil surface treatments and precipitation timing determine seedling development across southwestern US restoration sites
Livestock removal increases plant cover across a heterogeneous dryland landscape on the Colorado Plateau
Geologic, geomorphic, and edaphic underpinnings of dryland ecosystems: Colorado Plateau landscapes in a changing world
Adapting to climate change on desert rangelands: A multi-site comparison of grazing behavior plasticity of heritage and improved beef cattle
Conflict of energies: Spatially modeling mule deer caloric expenditure in response to oil and gas development
Southeast Utah Group climate and drought adaptation report: Exposure and perennial grass sensitivity
Supporting the development and use of native plant materials for restoration on the Colorado Plateau (Fiscal Year 2021 Report)
Soil depth and precipitation moderate soil textural effects on seedling survival of a foundation shrub species
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
Drylands are highly vulnerable to climate and land use changes: what ecosystem changes are in store?
Wind Erosion and Dust Emissions on the Colorado Plateau
Long-Term Vegetation Change on the Colorado Plateau
Using Long-Term Remote Sensing and an Automated Reference Toolset To Estimate and Predict Post-Development Recovery Potential
RestoreNet: Distributed Field Trial Network for Dryland Restoration
Colorado Plateau Futures: Understanding Agents of Change on the Colorado Plateau to Facilitate Collaborative Adaptation
Colorado Plateau Native Plant Program Field Trial Study
New Approaches for Restoring Colorado Plateau Grasslands
Climate change and ecohydrology in temperate dryland ecosystems: a global assessment
Biocrust cover, vegetation, and climate data from a protected grassland within Canyonlands National Park, Utah (ver. 2.0, Sept. 2023)
Sagebrush recovery analyzed with a dynamic reference approach in southwestern Wyoming, USA 1985-2018
Soil family particle size class map for Colorado River Basin above Lake Mead
Soil geomorphic unit and ecological site group maps for the rangelands of the Upper Colorado River Basin region
Precipitation, soil moisture, and vegetation data from 36 experimental plots in southeastern Utah, near Canyonlands National Park (2015 - 2018)
Soil surface properties and roughness data at two experimental restoration sites within the Southwestern USA
A snapshot of stakeholder science needs related to drought in the Colorado River Basin
Long-term annual aeolian dust deposition data from seven locations in southeastern Utah
Rangeland Ecosystem Data, Grand Canyon - Parashant National Monument, AZ, USA
Predictive soil property maps with prediction uncertainty at 30-meter resolution for the Colorado River Basin above Lake Mead
High-resolution object-based image classifications of biological soil crusts and vegetation (Beef Basin, Utah)
Vegetation cover and composition data in environments surrounding uranium mines in the Grand Canyon ecosystem, USA
Synergistic soil, land use, and climate influences on wind erosion on the Colorado Plateau: Implications for management
Foraging behavior of Raramuri Criollo vs. Angus cattle grazing California Chaparral and Colorado Plateau shrublands
Droughting a megadrought: Ecological consequences of a decade of experimental drought atop aridification on the Colorado Plateau
Variable effects of long-term livestock grazing across the western United States suggest diverse approaches are needed to meet global change challenges
Soil surface treatments and precipitation timing determine seedling development across southwestern US restoration sites
Livestock removal increases plant cover across a heterogeneous dryland landscape on the Colorado Plateau
Geologic, geomorphic, and edaphic underpinnings of dryland ecosystems: Colorado Plateau landscapes in a changing world
Adapting to climate change on desert rangelands: A multi-site comparison of grazing behavior plasticity of heritage and improved beef cattle
Conflict of energies: Spatially modeling mule deer caloric expenditure in response to oil and gas development
Southeast Utah Group climate and drought adaptation report: Exposure and perennial grass sensitivity
Supporting the development and use of native plant materials for restoration on the Colorado Plateau (Fiscal Year 2021 Report)
Soil depth and precipitation moderate soil textural effects on seedling survival of a foundation shrub species
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.