Owen McKenna, PhD
Owen P. McKenna is a Research Ecologist at the USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center in Jamestown, North Dakota. He is currently a Visiting Scientist with the Midwest Climate Adaptation Science Center.
His research is focused studying how changes in climate and land use can alter the hydrology and geochemistry of prairie-pothole wetlands. Dr. McKenna has explored a regional climate-induced ecohydrological state shift in wetland ecosystems through analysis of long-term data. He also helped in development and application of the Pothole Hydrology Linked Systems Simulator (PHyLiSS), which is an integrated hydro-geochemical model for prairie pothole wetlands. Dr. McKenna is currently using PHyLiSS to assist land managers in estimating the future impacts of climate and land-use change on critical migratory waterfowl habitat. Additionally, Dr. McKenna is using the APEX model to integrate prairie-pothole wetlands into U.S. Department of Agriculture conservation planning efforts.
Professional Experience
2022 to present: Visiting Scientist, U.S. Geological Survey, Midwest Climate Adaptation Science Center
2020 to present: Research Ecologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
2016 to 2020: Mendenhall Postdoctoral Fellow, U.S. Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
Education and Certifications
Ph.D., Environmental Life Sciences, Arizona State University, 2016
M.S., Environmental Life Sciences, Arizona State University, 2014
B.S., Biology w/Ecology emphasis, Loyola University Chicago, 2011
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 17
Synergistic interaction of climate and land-use drivers alter the function of North American, Prairie-pothole Wetlands
Prairie-pothole wetlands provide the critical habitat necessary for supporting North American migratory waterfowl populations. However, climate and land-use change threaten the sustainability of these wetland ecosystems. Very few experiments and analyses have been designed to investigate the relative impacts of climate and land-use change drivers, as well as the antagonistic or synergistic interac
Authors
Owen P. McKenna, Samuel Richard Kucia, David M. Mushet, Michael J. Anteau, Mark T. Wiltermuth
Climate-driven state shifts in the Prairie Pothole Region: Assessing future impacts relevant to the management of wetland habitats critical to waterfowl
Embedded within the North American Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) are millions of small, depressional wetlands that annually support 50–80% of the continent’s waterfowl production. We recently assembled evidence that demonstrates a change towards a wetter climate that is driving a shift in the state of the region’s wetland ecosystems. This ecological state-shift has been primarily the result of a su
Authors
David M. Mushet, Owen P. McKenna
The Pothole Hydrology-Linked Systems Simulator (PHyLiSS)—Development and application of a systems model for prairie-pothole wetlands
The North American Prairie Pothole Region covers about 770,000 square kilometers of the United States and Canada (including parts of 5 States and 3 provinces: North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Minnesota, Iowa, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Alberta). The Laurentide Ice Sheet shaped the landscape of the region about 12,000 to 14,000 years ago. The retreat of the ice sheet left behind low-permeabili
Authors
Owen P. McKenna, David M. Mushet, Eric J. Scherff, Kyle McLean, Christopher T. Mills
Accommodating state shifts within the conceptual framework of the wetland continuum
The Wetland Continuum is a conceptual framework that facilitates the interpretation of biological studies of wetland ecosystems. Recently summarized evidence documenting how a multi-decadal wet period has influenced aspects of wetland, lake and stream systems in the southern prairie-pothole region of North America has revealed the potential for wetlands to shift among alternate states. We propose
Authors
David M. Mushet, Owen P. McKenna, James W. LaBaugh, Ned H. Euliss, Donald O. Rosenberry
Evidence for a climate-induced ecohydrological state shift in wetland ecosystems of the southern Prairie Pothole Region
Changing magnitude, frequency, and timing of precipitation can influence aquatic-system hydrological, geochemical, and biological processes, in some cases resulting in system-wide shifts to an alternate state. Since the early 1990s, the southern Prairie Pothole Region has been subjected to an extended period of increased wetness resulting in marked changes to aquatic systems defining this region.
Authors
Owen P. McKenna, David M. Mushet, Donald O. Rosenberry, James W. LaBaugh
Non-USGS Publications**
McKenna, O. P., & Sala, O. E. (2018). Playa‐wetlands effects on dryland biogeochemistry: space and time interactions. Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, 123. https://doi.org/10.1029/2017JG004176
McKenna, O.P., and O.E. Sala (2017), Groundwater recharge in desert playas: current rates and future effects of climate change. Environmental Research Letters, doi: 10.1088/1748-9326/aa9eb6\
McKenna, O. P., and O. E. Sala (2016), Biophysical controls over concentration and depth distribution of soil organic carbon and nitrogen in desert playas, J. Geophys. Res. Biogeosci., 121, 3019–3029, doi: 10.1002/2016JG003545
Lishawa, S. C., Treering, David. J., Vail, L. M., McKenna, O.P., Grimm, E. C. and Tuchman, N. C. (2013), Reconstructing plant invasions using historical aerial imagery and pollen core analysis: Typha in the Laurentian Great Lakes. Diversity Distrib., 19: 14–28. doi:10.1111/j.1472-4642.2012.00929.x
**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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Filter Total Items: 17
Synergistic interaction of climate and land-use drivers alter the function of North American, Prairie-pothole Wetlands
Prairie-pothole wetlands provide the critical habitat necessary for supporting North American migratory waterfowl populations. However, climate and land-use change threaten the sustainability of these wetland ecosystems. Very few experiments and analyses have been designed to investigate the relative impacts of climate and land-use change drivers, as well as the antagonistic or synergistic interacAuthorsOwen P. McKenna, Samuel Richard Kucia, David M. Mushet, Michael J. Anteau, Mark T. WiltermuthClimate-driven state shifts in the Prairie Pothole Region: Assessing future impacts relevant to the management of wetland habitats critical to waterfowl
Embedded within the North American Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) are millions of small, depressional wetlands that annually support 50–80% of the continent’s waterfowl production. We recently assembled evidence that demonstrates a change towards a wetter climate that is driving a shift in the state of the region’s wetland ecosystems. This ecological state-shift has been primarily the result of a suAuthorsDavid M. Mushet, Owen P. McKennaThe Pothole Hydrology-Linked Systems Simulator (PHyLiSS)—Development and application of a systems model for prairie-pothole wetlands
The North American Prairie Pothole Region covers about 770,000 square kilometers of the United States and Canada (including parts of 5 States and 3 provinces: North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Minnesota, Iowa, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Alberta). The Laurentide Ice Sheet shaped the landscape of the region about 12,000 to 14,000 years ago. The retreat of the ice sheet left behind low-permeabiliAuthorsOwen P. McKenna, David M. Mushet, Eric J. Scherff, Kyle McLean, Christopher T. MillsAccommodating state shifts within the conceptual framework of the wetland continuum
The Wetland Continuum is a conceptual framework that facilitates the interpretation of biological studies of wetland ecosystems. Recently summarized evidence documenting how a multi-decadal wet period has influenced aspects of wetland, lake and stream systems in the southern prairie-pothole region of North America has revealed the potential for wetlands to shift among alternate states. We proposeAuthorsDavid M. Mushet, Owen P. McKenna, James W. LaBaugh, Ned H. Euliss, Donald O. RosenberryEvidence for a climate-induced ecohydrological state shift in wetland ecosystems of the southern Prairie Pothole Region
Changing magnitude, frequency, and timing of precipitation can influence aquatic-system hydrological, geochemical, and biological processes, in some cases resulting in system-wide shifts to an alternate state. Since the early 1990s, the southern Prairie Pothole Region has been subjected to an extended period of increased wetness resulting in marked changes to aquatic systems defining this region.AuthorsOwen P. McKenna, David M. Mushet, Donald O. Rosenberry, James W. LaBaughNon-USGS Publications**
McKenna, O. P., & Sala, O. E. (2018). Playa‐wetlands effects on dryland biogeochemistry: space and time interactions. Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, 123. https://doi.org/10.1029/2017JG004176McKenna, O.P., and O.E. Sala (2017), Groundwater recharge in desert playas: current rates and future effects of climate change. Environmental Research Letters, doi: 10.1088/1748-9326/aa9eb6\McKenna, O. P., and O. E. Sala (2016), Biophysical controls over concentration and depth distribution of soil organic carbon and nitrogen in desert playas, J. Geophys. Res. Biogeosci., 121, 3019–3029, doi: 10.1002/2016JG003545Lishawa, S. C., Treering, David. J., Vail, L. M., McKenna, O.P., Grimm, E. C. and Tuchman, N. C. (2013), Reconstructing plant invasions using historical aerial imagery and pollen core analysis: Typha in the Laurentian Great Lakes. Diversity Distrib., 19: 14–28. doi:10.1111/j.1472-4642.2012.00929.x**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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