Browning, D.M., Duniway, M.C., Laliberte, A., and Rango, A., 2012, Hierarchical analysis of vegetation dynamics over 71 years: Soil-rainfall interactions in a Chihuahuan desert ecosystem: Ecological Applications, v. 22, p.909-926.
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.
Biography
Brief Research Description: 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 agencies partners (BLM, NPS, NRCS, USFWS, and others) in designing research studies, conducting technology transfer, and outreach activities. Some primary current research focuses include understanding impacts of drought on Colorado Plateau landscapes, evaluating 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.
Education
- B.S. 1994 Environmental Resource Science University of California, Davis, CA
- Ph.D. 2006 Agronomy (Soil Science) New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM
Research and Professional Experience
- 2011-Present Research Ecologist USGS SBSC, Moab, UT
- 2010-2011 Research Soil Scientist USDA ARS Jornada, Las Cruces, NM
- 2006-2010 Research Soil Scientist (post doc) USDA ARS Jornada, Las Cruces, NM
- 2012-Present Adjunct Faculty USU, Logan, UT
- 2007-Present Adjunct Faculty NMSU, Las Cruces, NM
Links:
- See our recent LCC webinar!
- My Google Scholar Page
- Canyonlands Research Center
- Jornada Experimental Range
- Landscape Toolbox
- Uranium Mining in Arizona
Science and Products
Date published: June 2, 2020
Status: Active Remote Sensing of Energy Development
Oil and gas development across the western United States has increased substantially in recent decades, including within the Colorado Plateau. The Colorado Plateau is a high desert region of grasslands, shrublands, and woodlands and is home to a large number of world-renowned national and tribal parks and monuments (e.g., Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce, Arches, Canyonlands, Monument Valley, and...
Contacts: Miguel Villarreal, PhD, Mike Duniway, Ph.D.
Attribution: Western Geographic Science Center
Date published: February 13, 2020
Status: Active Well Pad Reclamation and Research
Reclamation on lands impacted by energy development is complicated and extremely challenging in arid environments due to unstable soils, exotic species, and low and variable precipitation. The reclamation tactics employed by energy operators vary widely and outcomes can differ across plant communities and soil types. In order to address the knowledge gaps regarding how to successfully and...
Contacts: Mike Duniway, Ph.D., Rebecca Mann
Date published: February 25, 2019
Status: Active Drylands are highly vulnerable to climate and land use changes: what ecosystem changes are in store?
Improper land use during drought has been a major driver of land degradation in drylands globally, especially in the western U.S. Increasing aridity in western U.S. drylands under future climates will exacerbate risks associated with drought and land use decisions. This project provides critical observational, experimental, and modelling evidence to support our DOI partners with decision...
Contacts: Mike Duniway, Ph.D., Jayne Belnap
Date published: October 17, 2018
Status: Active Digital Soil Mapping: New Tools for Modern Land Management Decisions
The field of digital soil mapping has bridged the classic theories of soil science into the modern computing age to produce high resolution predictive soil maps. This body of work utilizes classic soil factorial theory (soil = f[climate, organisms, relief (topography), parent material, time] + ɛ, or ‘clorpt’). The clorpt framework has been approximated using various environmental spatial data...
Attribution: Ecosystems, Southwest Biological Science Center
Date published: September 30, 2018
Status: Active Wind Erosion and Dust Emissions on the Colorado Plateau
Wind erosion of soils and dust emissions are a significant resource management challenge on the Colorado Plateau. Loss of topsoil and associated aeolian sediment (wind-driven sediment) movement can lead to reduced soil fertility as well as abrasion and burial of vegetation. Dust in the atmosphere poses a threat to human health, visual resources, and regional water supplies (due to interactions...
Attribution: Ecosystems, Southwest Biological Science Center
Date published: September 16, 2018
Status: Active Long-Term Vegetation Change on the Colorado Plateau
Drylands comprise ~35% of Earth’s terrestrial biomes, with over 1 billion people depending on these landscapes for their livelihoods. In the U.S., drylands comprise ~40% of the landmass and 83% of Department of Interior (DOI)-managed lands (excluding Alaska). Due to their vast extent nationally and globally, changes to these landscapes have the potential to affect global climate regulation. A...
Contacts: Jayne Belnap, Mike Duniway, Ph.D., Sasha Reed, Ph.D., Erika Geiger, Ph.D., Edmund E Grote, Terry Fisk, Matt Van Scoyoc
Attribution: Ecosystems, Southwest Biological Science Center
Date published: August 5, 2017
Status: Active RestoreNet: Distributed Field Trial Network for Dryland Restoration
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) researchers and land managers are co-producing a network of restoration field trial sites on DOI and surrounding lands in the southwestern U.S. The network systematically tests restoration treatments across a broad range of landscape, soil, and climate conditions. Each site in the network is used to test suitable seed mixes and treatments that promote plant...
Contacts: Seth Munson, Molly McCormick, Katie Laushman, Rebecca Mann, Mike Duniway, Ph.D., Brad Butterfield, Elise Gornish, Loralee Larios, Akasha Faist, Helen Rowe, Caroline A. Havrilla
Date published: February 28, 2017
Status: Active Southwest Energy Development and Drought (SWEDD)
Deserts of the southwestern US are replete with oil and gas deposits as well as sites for solar, wind, and geothermal energy production. In the past, many of these resources have been too expensive to develop, but increased demand and new technologies have led to an increase in exploration and development. However, desert ecosystems generally have low resilience to disturbance. More frequent,...
Date published: December 16, 2016
Colorado Plateau Native Plant Program Field Trial Study
In the southwest US, monsoon precipitation increases sharply along a northwest to southeast gradient. Pleuraphis jamesii or galleta grass, is an important C4 grass species that spans across this large range in precipitation pattern. In this study we are assessing the ability of galleta grass to adapt to changes in the seasonality of rainfall (termed “plasticity”). In the fall of 2014, we...
Contacts: Mike Duniway, Ph.D., Dave Hoover
Attribution: Southwest Biological Science Center
Date published: December 15, 2016
Status: Active New Approaches for Restoring Colorado Plateau Grasslands
Historic over-grazing of arid grasslands in the Intermountain West has led to widespread soil erosion, loss of plant diversity, and invasion by exotic species. Degraded grassland conditions can be very persistent, even after livestock use has ceased. For example, in national parks on the Colorado Plateau, livestock have been excluded for decades, but soil and native plants have not recovered...
Contacts: Mike Duniway, Ph.D., Rebecca Mann, Terry Fisk, Liz Ballenger
Attribution: Southwest Biological Science Center
Date published: December 7, 2016
Status: Active Chronic Drought Impacts on Colorado Plateau ecosystems (Rain-Out Experiment)
In drylands, chronic reductions in water availability (press-drought) through reduced precipitation and increased temperatures may have profound ecosystem effects, depending on the sensitivities of the dominant plants and plant functional types. In this study, we are examining the impacts of moderate, but long-term chronic drought using a network of 40 drought shelters on the Colorado Plateau...
Contacts: Mike Duniway, Ph.D., Jayne Belnap, David Hoover
Attribution: Southwest Biological Science Center
Date published: November 18, 2016
Colorado Plateau Extreme Drought in Grassland Experiment (EDGE)
In drylands, short-term extreme droughts can have profound ecosystem effects, depending on the timing (seasonality) of drought and the sensitivities of the dominant plants and plant functional types. Past work suggests that cool season drought may disproportionately impact regionally important grass and shrub species. In this study, we are examining the impacts of extreme seasonal drought on...
Contacts: Mike Duniway, Ph.D., Jayne Belnap, David Hoover
Attribution: Southwest Biological Science Center
Year Published: 2020
A hybrid approach for predictive soil property mapping using conventional soil survey data
Soil property maps are important for land management and earth systems modeling. A new hybrid point-disaggregation predictive soil property mapping strategy improved mapping in the Colorado River Basin, and can be applied to other areas with similar data (e.g. conterminous United States). This new approach increased sample size ~6-fold over past...
Nauman, Travis W.; Duniway, Michael C.Attribution: Southwest Biological Science Center, Ecosystems
Year Published: 2020
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...
Winkler, Daniel E.; Belnap, Jayne; Duniway, Michael C.; Hoover, David; Reed, Sasha; Yokum, Hannah; Gill, RichardAttribution: Southwest Biological Science Center, Ecosystems
Year Published: 2020
Assessment of rangeland ecosystem conditions in Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument, Arizona
Sustainability of dryland ecosystems depends on the functionality of soil-vegetation feedbacks that affect ecosystem processes, such as nutrient cycling, water capture and retention, soil erosion and deposition, and plant establishment and reproduction. Useful, common indicators can provide information on soil and site stability, hydrologic...
Duniway, Michael C.; Palmquist, Emily C.Attribution: Southwest Climate Adaptation Science Center, Land Resources
View Citation
Duniway, M.C., and Palmquist, E.C., 2020, Assessment of rangeland ecosystem conditions in Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument, Arizona: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2020–1040, 42 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20201040.
Year Published: 2020
Bridging the research-management gap: Landscape ecology in practice on public lands in the western United States
The field of landscape ecology has grown and matured in recent decades, but incorporating landscape science into land management decisions remains challenging. Many lands in the western United States are federally owned and managed for multiple uses, including recreation, conservation, and energy development. We argue for stronger integration of...
Carter, Sarah K.; Pilliod, David; Haby, Travis S.; Prentice, Karen L.; Aldridge, Cameron L.; Anderson, Patrick J.; Bowen, Zachary H.; Bradford, John; Cushman, Samuel A.; DeVivo, Joseph C.; Duniway, Michael C.; Hathaway, Ryan S.; Nelson, Lisa; Schultz, Courtney A.; Schuster, Rudy M.; Trammell, E. Jamie; Weltzin, Jake F.
Year Published: 2020
Supporting 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,...
Massatti, Robert; Winkler, Daniel E.; Reed, Sasha; Duniway, Michael C.; Munson, Seth M.; Bradford, JohnAttribution: Southwest Biological Science Center, Ecosystems
Year Published: 2020
Grazing-induced changes to biological soil crust cover mediate hillslope erosion in a long-term exclosure experiment
Dryland ecosystems are particularly vulnerable to erosion generated by livestock grazing. Quantifying this risk across a variety of landscape settings is essential for successful adaptive management, particularly in light of a changing climate. In the Upper Colorado River Basin, there are nearly 25 000 km2 of rangelands with underlying soils...
Fick, Stephen E.; Belnap, Jayne; Duniway, Michael C.Attribution: Southwest Biological Science Center, Ecosystems
Year Published: 2020
Microsite enhancements for soil stabilization and rapid biocrust colonization in degraded drylands
In dryland ecosystems, natural recovery of biological soil crusts (biocrusts) following disturbance may be slow or inhibited, necessitating active restoration practices. While biocrusts can be readily propagated under environmentally controlled conditions, rehabilitation in the field is complicated by environmental stresses which may be...
Fick, Stephen E.; Day, Natalie; Duniway, Michael C.; Hoy-Skubik, Sean Lawrence; Barger, Nichole N.Attribution: Southwest Biological Science Center, Ecosystems
Year Published: 2020
Induced biological soil crust controls on wind erodibility and dust (PM10) emissions
Inducing biological soil crust (biocrust) development is an appealing approach for dust mitigation in drylands due to the resistance biocrusts can provide against erosion. Using a portable device, we evaluated dust emissions from surfaces either inoculated with biocrust, amended with a plant‐based soil stabilizer, or both at varying wind friction...
Fick, Stephen E.; Barger, Nichole N.; Tatarko, John; Duniway, Michael C.Attribution: Southwest Biological Science Center, Ecosystems
Year Published: 2019
Digital mapping of ecological land units using a nationally scalable modeling framework
Ecological site descriptions (ESDs) and associated state-and-transition models (STMs) provide a nationally consistent classification and information system for defining ecological land units for management applications in the United States. Current spatial representations of ESDs, however, occur via soil mapping and are therefore confined to the...
Maynard, Jonathan J.; Nauman, Travis W.; Salley, Shawn W.; Bestelmeyer, Brandon T.; Duniway, Michael C.; Talbot, Curtis J.; Brown, Joel R.
Year Published: 2019
Transient population dynamics impede restoration and may promote ecosystem transformation after disturbance
The apparent failure of ecosystems to recover from increasingly widespread disturbance is a global concern. Despite growing focus on factors inhibiting resilience and restoration, we still know very little about how demographic and population processes influence recovery. Using inverse and forward demographic modelling of 531 post‐fire sagebrush...
Shriver, Robert K.; Andrews, Caitlin M.; Arkle, Robert; Barnard, David; Duniway, Michael C.; Germino, Matthew J.; Pilliod, David S.; Pyke, David A.; Welty, Justin; Bradford, John B.
Year Published: 2019
Shrub persistence and increased grass mortality in response to drought in dryland systems
Droughts in the Southwest U.S. 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...
Winkler, Daniel E.; Belnap, Jayne; Hoover, David L.; Reed, Sasha C.; Duniway, Michael C.
Year Published: 2019
Reducing sampling uncertainty in aeolian research to improve change detection
Measurements of aeolian sediment transport support our understanding of mineral dust impacts on Earth and human systems and assessments of aeolian process sensitivities to global environmental change. However, sample design principles are often overlooked in aeolian research. Here, we use high‐density field measurements of sediment mass flux...
Webb, Nicholas P.; Chappell, Adrian; Edwards, Brandon L.; McCord, Sarah E.; Van Zee, Justin W.; Cooper, Bradley F.; Courtright, Ericha M.; Duniway, Michael C.; Sharratt, Brenton; Tedela, Negussie H; Toledo, DavidAttribution: Southwest Biological Science Center, Ecosystems
Pre-USGS Publications
Duniway, M., Karl, J., Schrader, S., Baquera, N., and Herrick, J., 2012, Rangeland and pasture monitoring: an approach to interpretation of high-resolution imagery focused on observer calibration for repeatability: Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, v. 184, p. 3789-3804.
Karl, J., Duniway, M.C., Nusser, S.M., Opsomer, J.D., and Unnasch, R.S., 2012, Using Very-Large-Scale Aerial Imagery for Rangeland Monitoring and Assessment: Some Statistical Considerations: Rangeland Ecology & Management, v. 65, p. 330-339.
Karl, J.W., Duniway, M.C., and Schrader, T.S., 2012, A Technique for Estimating Rangeland Canopy-Gap Size Distributions From High-Resolution Digital Imagery: Rangeland Ecology & Management, v. 65, p. 196-207.
Browning, D.M., and Duniway, M.C., 2011, Digital soil mapping in the absence of field training data: a case study using terrain attributes and semiautomated soil signature derivation to distinguish ecological potential: Applied and Environmental Soil Science.
Duniway, M.C., and Herrick, J.E., 2011, Disentangling road network impacts: the need for a holistic approach: Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, v. 66, p. 31A-36A.
Peters, D.P.C., Lugo, A.E., Chapin, F.S., Pickett, S.T.A., Duniway, M.C., Rocha, A.V., Swanson, F.J., Laney, C., and Jones, J., 2011, Cross-system comparisons elucidate disturbance complexities and generalities: Ecosphere, v. 2, art. 81.
Schrader, T.S., and Duniway, M.C., 2011, Image Interpreter Tool: An ArcGIS tool for estimating vegetation cover from high-resolution imagery: Rangelands, v. 33, p. 35-40.
Duniway, M., Herrick, J., and Monger, H., 2010, Spatial and temporal variability of plant-available water in calcium carbonate-cemented soils and consequences for arid ecosystem resilience: Oecologia, v. 163, p. 215-226.
Duniway, M.C., Bestelmeyer, B.T., and Tugel, A., 2010, Soil processes and properties that distinguish ecological sites and states: Rangelands, v. 32, p. 9-15.
Duniway, M.C., Snyder, K.A., and Herrick, J.E., 2010, Spatial and temporal patterns of water availability in a grass–shrub ecotone and implications for grassland recovery in arid environments: Ecohydrology, v. 3, p. 55-67.
Duniway, M.C., Herrick, J.E., and Monger, H.C., 2007, The high water-holding capacity of petrocalcic horizons: Soil Science Society of America Journal, v. 71, p. 812-819.
The functional role of petrocalcic horizons in desert ecosystems: spatial and temporal dynamics of plant water availability
Duniway, M.C., 2006, The functional role of petrocalcic horizons in desert ecosystems: spatial and temporal dynamics of plant water availability [Ph.D. Dissertation]: New Mexico State Univeristy, Las Cruces, New Mexico, USA.
Date published: May 26, 2020
Secret, Pristine Grassland Provide Scientists Precious Insight Into How Undisturbed Ecosystems Function
Southwest Biological Science Center and National Park Service personnel were featured in a KSL TV story about a hidden, pristine grassland in Canyonlands National Park that is used for scientific study.
Attribution: Ecosystems, Southwest Biological Science Center
Date published: June 27, 2019
Why Sagebrush Re-establishment After Fire is so Difficult
Big sagebrush ecosystems are particularly sensitive to wildfires and life history information on big sagebrush is scarce and vital for restoration success.
Date published: May 30, 2019
Insights from long-term ungrazed and grazed watersheds in western drylands
This article is part of the Spring 2019 issue of the Earth Science Matters Newsletter.
Attribution: Land Change Science Program
Date published: February 7, 2017
New Scientific Approach Assesses Land Recovery Following Oil and Gas Drilling
A new scientific approach can now provide regional assessments of land recovery following oil and gas drilling activities, according to a new U.S. Geological Survey study published in the journal Science of the Total Environment.
Date published: December 28, 2016
Saving the Desert: Push to Restore Arches & Canyonlands National Parks
A video put out by CBS discusses some of the ecological issues of Arches and Canyonlands National Parks in UT such as nonnative annual grasses, disturbance caused by cattle grazing, and the difficulty of getting native, perennial grasses established. The video focuses on the research of SBSC’s Rebecca Mann and Mike Duniway, who are studying the use connectivity modifiers (ConMods) in...
Attribution: Southwest Biological Science Center