Patrick Shafroth, PhD
Patrick B. Shafroth is a Scientist Emeritus at the Arizona Water Science Center.
Since 1991, Dr. Shafroth has conducted research on river and riparian systems, primarily in arid and semi-arid regions of western U.S. He and his colleagues from the USGS and other institutions have focused their work on understanding relationships between surface and ground-water hydrology, fluvial processes, and the dynamics of native and introduced riparian vegetation. This research has often had strong application to resource management (particularly DOI sister agencies), by providing solid, objective scientific information to inform riparian management and restoration. Specific applications have included studies of large-scale flow experiments, dam removal, effects of invasive species control, system responses to various restoration actions, vegetation responses to drought, and system responses to high intensity wildfires.
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. in Plant Biology, Arizona State University, 1999
M.S. in Forest Ecology, Colorado State University, 1993
B.A. in Environmental Studies and Geography, University of California, Santa Barbara, 1989
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 131
Lessons learned from community and citizen science monitoring projects on the Elwha River Restoration Project Lessons learned from community and citizen science monitoring projects on the Elwha River Restoration Project
Community and citizen science (CCS) projects – initiatives that involve public participation in scientific research – can both sustain and expand long-term monitoring of large dam removal projects. In this article, we discuss our perspectives on CCS associated with the Elwha River dam removals. We summarize how the public has been or could be involved in monitoring and distill lessons...
Authors
M. V. Eitzel, Ryan Meyer, Sarah A. Morley, Ian M. Miller, Patrick B. Shafroth, Chelsea Behymer, Christopher Jadallah, David Parks, Anna Kagley, Anne Shaffer, Heidi L. Ballard
Community and citizen science on the Elwha River: Past, present, and future Community and citizen science on the Elwha River: Past, present, and future
This report reflects on the past, present, and potential future of community and citizen science (CCS) in the Elwha River watershed, with particular focus on the years before and after a major restoration event: the removal of two dams that had impacted the river system for a century. We ask: how does CCS feature in the Elwha story and how could it feature? We use the term CCS to...
Authors
M. V. Eitzel, Sarah A. Morley, Chelsea Behymer, Ryan Meyer, Anna Kagley, Heidi L. Ballard, Christopher Jadallah, Jeffrey J. Duda, Laurel Jennings, Ian M. Miller, Justin Stapleton, Anne Shaffer, Allyce Miller, Patrick B. Shafroth, Barbara Blackie
Functional stability of vegetation following biocontrol of an invasive riparian shrub Functional stability of vegetation following biocontrol of an invasive riparian shrub
Understanding plant community response to environmental change is a crucial aspect of biological conservation and restoration, but species-based approaches are limited in that they do not reveal the underlying mechanisms driving vegetation dynamics. An understanding of trait-environment relationships is particularly important in the case of invasive species which may alter abiotic...
Authors
Annie L. Henry, Eduardo Gonzalez-Sargas, Patrick B. Shafroth, Alexander R.B. Goetz, Anna A. Sher
Models combining multiple scales of inference capture hydrologic and climatic drivers of riparian tree distributions Models combining multiple scales of inference capture hydrologic and climatic drivers of riparian tree distributions
Predicting species geographic distributions is key to managing invasive species, conserving biodiversity, and understanding species' environmental requirements. Species distribution models (SDMs) commonly focus on climatic predictors, but other environmental factors can also be essential, particularly for species with specialized habitats defined by hydrologic, topographic, or edaphic...
Authors
Laura G Perry, Catherine S. Jarnevich, Patrick B. Shafroth
Provenance, genotype, and flooding influence growth and resource acquisition characteristics in a clonal, riparian shrub Provenance, genotype, and flooding influence growth and resource acquisition characteristics in a clonal, riparian shrub
Premise Riparian plants can exhibit intraspecific phenotypic variability across the landscape related to temperature and flooding gradients. Phenotypes that vary across a climate gradient are often partly genetically determined and may differ in their response to inundation. Changes to inundation patterns across a climate gradient could thus result in site-specific inundation responses...
Authors
Emily C. Palmquist, Kiona Ogle, Thomas G. Whitham, Gerard J. Allan, Patrick B. Shafroth, Bradley J. Butterfield
Does large dam removal restore downstream riparian vegetation diversity? Testing predictions on the Elwha River, Washington, USA Does large dam removal restore downstream riparian vegetation diversity? Testing predictions on the Elwha River, Washington, USA
Large dams and their removal can profoundly affect riparian ecosystems by altering flow and sediment regimes, hydrochory, and landform dynamics, yet few studies have documented these effects on downstream plant communities. Ecological theory and empirical results suggest that by altering disturbance regimes, reducing hydrochory, and shifting communities to later successional stages, dams...
Authors
Rebecca L. Brown, Cody C. Thomas, Erin S. Cubley, Aaron J. Clausen, Patrick B. Shafroth
Influence of surface- and ground-water hydrology on riparian tree growth and mortality in the Limitrophe segment of the Colorado River Influence of surface- and ground-water hydrology on riparian tree growth and mortality in the Limitrophe segment of the Colorado River
Branch sections and cores of cottonwood and willow trees were collected from two sites in the Limitrophe. Tree-ring analyses may reveal the relationships among tree growth, streamflow and groundwater.
Authors
Patrick B. Shafroth
Vegetation monitoring Vegetation monitoring
Sonoran Institute, Pronatura Noroeste, and University of Arizona conducted vegetation monitoring in riparian restoration sites and control sites along the Colorado River corridor in Mexico during the fall (end of the growing season) of 2018. The overall goal of the vegetation monitoring program was to quantify impacts of restoration actions on the extent, composition, and structure of...
Authors
Karen Schlatter, Martha Gomez-Sapiens, Helen Salazar, Alejandra Calvo-Fonseca, Patrick B. Shafroth, Eduardo Gonzalez
Response of riparian vegetation to short- and long-term hydrologic variation Response of riparian vegetation to short- and long-term hydrologic variation
Increasing demand for river water now conflicts with an increasing desire to maintain riparian ecosystems. Efficiently managing river flows for riparian vegetation requires an understanding of the time scale of flow effects, but this information is limited by the absence of long-term studies of vegetation change in response to flow variation. To investigate the influence of short- and...
Authors
Jonathan M. Friedman, Abigail M. Eurich, Gregor T. Auble, Michael L. Scott, Patrick B. Shafroth, Polly P Gibson
Invasion of Siberian elm (Ulmus pumila) along the South Platte River: The roles of seed source, human influence, and river geomorphology Invasion of Siberian elm (Ulmus pumila) along the South Platte River: The roles of seed source, human influence, and river geomorphology
Riparian ecosystems in the western USA have been invaded by non-native woody species deliberately introduced for stream bank stabilization, agricultural windbreaks, and urban shade. Recent work suggests that the non-native tree Ulmus pumila (Siberian elm) is capable of significant spread in western riparian ecosystems, that range infilling is still incomplete, and that the invasion is...
Authors
Lindsay Reynolds, Laura Perry, Patrick B. Shafroth, Gabrielle L. Katz, Andrew S. Norton
Riverine complexity and life history inform restoration in riparian environments in the southwestern U.S. Riverine complexity and life history inform restoration in riparian environments in the southwestern U.S.
Riparian habitat in the southwestern USA has undergone substantial degradation over the past century, prompting extensive management and restoration of these critical ecosystems. Most restoration efforts, however, do not account for life history traits or riverine complexity that may influence genetic diversity and structure. Here, we use simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers in four...
Authors
Emily C. Palmquist, Gerald J Allan, Kiona Ogle, Thomas G. Whitham, Bradley J. Butterfield, Patrick B. Shafroth
The transformation of dryland rivers: The future of introduced tamarisk in the U.S. The transformation of dryland rivers: The future of introduced tamarisk in the U.S.
Tamarix spp. (tamarisk or saltcedar), a shrub-like tree, was intentionally introduced to the U.S. from Asia in the mid-1800s. Tamarisk thrives in today’s human-altered streamside (riparian) habitats and can be found along wetlands, rivers, lakes, and streams across the western U.S. In 2001, a biological control agent, Diorhabda spp. (tamarisk leaf beetle), was released in six states, and...
Authors
Pamela L. Nagler, Julia B. Hull, Charles van Riper, Patrick B. Shafroth, Charles B. Yackulic
Non-USGS Publications**
Shafroth, P.B., J.C. Stromberg, D.T. Patten, A.E. Springer, and J.M. Wright. 1996. Ground-water recharge and riparian habitat enhancement from water discharged from New Waddell Dam into the Agua Fria River: Phase I--Planning and feasibility. Final Report to Arizona Dept. of Water Resources - Phoenix Active Management Area. Phoenix, AZ78+ap p.
Shafroth, P.B., J.M. Friedman, and L.S. Ischinger. 1994. River salinity has little influence on establishment of cottonwood and saltcedar. Research Information Bulletin 94-95. NBS Information Bulletin.
**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.
Filter Total Items: 13
Projecting Future Climate Effects on Cottonwood and Willow Seed Dispersal and Tree Regeneration in Western Riparian Forests
Throughout western North America, warming associated with climate change is leading to both earlier spring peak streamflows and earlier seed dispersal, potentially reducing seedling establishment and in turn reducing the quality of riparian (near-river) forests, which provide critical habitat for diverse birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and insects, and food and shade for fish and...
Filter Total Items: 20
Riparian seed dispersal phenology and snowmelt streamflow timing in the upper South Platte River Basin, observed in 2010-2011 and simulated for 1962-2098 Riparian seed dispersal phenology and snowmelt streamflow timing in the upper South Platte River Basin, observed in 2010-2011 and simulated for 1962-2098
This dataset presents observations and model projections of climate, riparian cottonwood and willow seed release phenology, snowmelt streamflow timing, and relative timing of seed release and snowmelt peak streamflow in the upper South Platte River Basin, USA. We collected field observations of seed release phenology from three riparian Salicaceae species at 14 riparian sites and used...
Riparian vegetation, topography, sediment quality, and river corridor geomorphology in the Lower Virgin River, Nevada and Arizona, before (2010) and after (2011-2012) a 40-year return period flood Riparian vegetation, topography, sediment quality, and river corridor geomorphology in the Lower Virgin River, Nevada and Arizona, before (2010) and after (2011-2012) a 40-year return period flood
The data release presents observations of riparian vegetation, topography, sediment quality, and river corridor geomorphology in four river reaches of the Lower Virgin River extending downstream 62 river kilometers (rkm) from near the town of Littlefield (AZ) and the Arizona-Nevada border at rkm 119. Methods included field observations and analysis of remotely-sensed data before (2010)...
Spatial data sets to support conservation planning along the Colorado River in Utah Spatial data sets to support conservation planning along the Colorado River in Utah
With the help of local and regional natural resource professionals, we developed a broad-scale, spatially-explicit assessment of 146 miles (~20,000 acres) of the Colorado River mainstem in Grand and San Juan Counties, Utah that can be used to support conservation planning and riparian restoration prioritization. For the assessment we: 1) acquired, modified or created spatial datasets of...
Spatial datasets to support analysis of the influence of tributary junctions on patterns of fluvial features and riparian vegetation along the Colorado and Dolores Rivers (Utah and Colorado). Spatial datasets to support analysis of the influence of tributary junctions on patterns of fluvial features and riparian vegetation along the Colorado and Dolores Rivers (Utah and Colorado).
To examine potential influence of tributaries on riparian habitat complexity along ~216 km of the Colorado River in Utah and ~300km of the Dolores River in Colorado and Utah, we first classified fluvial features and land cover of the bottomland on remotely sensed imagery. We then examined riparian and geomorphic patterns within the near channel zone with variably-sized spatial units. We...
Geomorphic, climate, streamflow and vegetation data sets to reconstruct channel and vegetation changes associated with the invasion of Russian olive along the Escalante River, Utah 1950-2015. Geomorphic, climate, streamflow and vegetation data sets to reconstruct channel and vegetation changes associated with the invasion of Russian olive along the Escalante River, Utah 1950-2015.
We analyzed historical aerial photography and used dendrochronology to quantify long-term spatial and temporal patterns of narrowing and vegetation expansion, including native cottonwood (Populus fremontii) and non-native Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia), along the largely unregulated Escalante River in Utah, USA. Our general study area was between the town of Escalante and...
Woody riparian invasive plant presence, stem density, and rank dominance and environmental conditions in 2012 at 238 bridge crossings in the Colorado Headwaters, upper/middle Rio Grande, upper Arkansas, and South Platte River Basins, USA Woody riparian invasive plant presence, stem density, and rank dominance and environmental conditions in 2012 at 238 bridge crossings in the Colorado Headwaters, upper/middle Rio Grande, upper Arkansas, and South Platte River Basins, USA
This dataset presents observations and measurements of riparian plant invasion, community composition, and environmental conditions at 238 bridge crossings in four western USA river basins: the Colorado Headwaters, upper/middle Rio Grande, upper Arkansas River, and South Platte River (281,946 square kilometers). The 238 sites are a stratified random sample of all bridge crossings in the...
Chaco Canyon 1930s and 2000 geospatial data Chaco Canyon 1930s and 2000 geospatial data
A study of arroyo evolution in northern New Mexico (Friedman and others, 2015) assessed geomorphic change in the Chaco Wash arroyo from the 1930s to 2000. As part of this study, in October 2000 a trench was excavated across the arroyo bottom and a high-precision (Real-time kinematic) GPS survey was conducted. GPS survey data were used to georeference a 1930s topographic map and to...
Southwestern Riparian Plant Trait Matrix, Colorado River, Grand Canyon, 2014 - 2016Data Southwestern Riparian Plant Trait Matrix, Colorado River, Grand Canyon, 2014 - 2016Data
This dataset contains information on the physical traits and environmental tolerances of plant species occurring along the lower Colorado River through Grand Canyon. Due to the unique combination of plant species within the Grand Canyon, this flora shares species with many riparian areas in the western U.S.A. and represents obligate wetland to obligate upland plant species. Data for the...
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 131
Lessons learned from community and citizen science monitoring projects on the Elwha River Restoration Project Lessons learned from community and citizen science monitoring projects on the Elwha River Restoration Project
Community and citizen science (CCS) projects – initiatives that involve public participation in scientific research – can both sustain and expand long-term monitoring of large dam removal projects. In this article, we discuss our perspectives on CCS associated with the Elwha River dam removals. We summarize how the public has been or could be involved in monitoring and distill lessons...
Authors
M. V. Eitzel, Ryan Meyer, Sarah A. Morley, Ian M. Miller, Patrick B. Shafroth, Chelsea Behymer, Christopher Jadallah, David Parks, Anna Kagley, Anne Shaffer, Heidi L. Ballard
Community and citizen science on the Elwha River: Past, present, and future Community and citizen science on the Elwha River: Past, present, and future
This report reflects on the past, present, and potential future of community and citizen science (CCS) in the Elwha River watershed, with particular focus on the years before and after a major restoration event: the removal of two dams that had impacted the river system for a century. We ask: how does CCS feature in the Elwha story and how could it feature? We use the term CCS to...
Authors
M. V. Eitzel, Sarah A. Morley, Chelsea Behymer, Ryan Meyer, Anna Kagley, Heidi L. Ballard, Christopher Jadallah, Jeffrey J. Duda, Laurel Jennings, Ian M. Miller, Justin Stapleton, Anne Shaffer, Allyce Miller, Patrick B. Shafroth, Barbara Blackie
Functional stability of vegetation following biocontrol of an invasive riparian shrub Functional stability of vegetation following biocontrol of an invasive riparian shrub
Understanding plant community response to environmental change is a crucial aspect of biological conservation and restoration, but species-based approaches are limited in that they do not reveal the underlying mechanisms driving vegetation dynamics. An understanding of trait-environment relationships is particularly important in the case of invasive species which may alter abiotic...
Authors
Annie L. Henry, Eduardo Gonzalez-Sargas, Patrick B. Shafroth, Alexander R.B. Goetz, Anna A. Sher
Models combining multiple scales of inference capture hydrologic and climatic drivers of riparian tree distributions Models combining multiple scales of inference capture hydrologic and climatic drivers of riparian tree distributions
Predicting species geographic distributions is key to managing invasive species, conserving biodiversity, and understanding species' environmental requirements. Species distribution models (SDMs) commonly focus on climatic predictors, but other environmental factors can also be essential, particularly for species with specialized habitats defined by hydrologic, topographic, or edaphic...
Authors
Laura G Perry, Catherine S. Jarnevich, Patrick B. Shafroth
Provenance, genotype, and flooding influence growth and resource acquisition characteristics in a clonal, riparian shrub Provenance, genotype, and flooding influence growth and resource acquisition characteristics in a clonal, riparian shrub
Premise Riparian plants can exhibit intraspecific phenotypic variability across the landscape related to temperature and flooding gradients. Phenotypes that vary across a climate gradient are often partly genetically determined and may differ in their response to inundation. Changes to inundation patterns across a climate gradient could thus result in site-specific inundation responses...
Authors
Emily C. Palmquist, Kiona Ogle, Thomas G. Whitham, Gerard J. Allan, Patrick B. Shafroth, Bradley J. Butterfield
Does large dam removal restore downstream riparian vegetation diversity? Testing predictions on the Elwha River, Washington, USA Does large dam removal restore downstream riparian vegetation diversity? Testing predictions on the Elwha River, Washington, USA
Large dams and their removal can profoundly affect riparian ecosystems by altering flow and sediment regimes, hydrochory, and landform dynamics, yet few studies have documented these effects on downstream plant communities. Ecological theory and empirical results suggest that by altering disturbance regimes, reducing hydrochory, and shifting communities to later successional stages, dams...
Authors
Rebecca L. Brown, Cody C. Thomas, Erin S. Cubley, Aaron J. Clausen, Patrick B. Shafroth
Influence of surface- and ground-water hydrology on riparian tree growth and mortality in the Limitrophe segment of the Colorado River Influence of surface- and ground-water hydrology on riparian tree growth and mortality in the Limitrophe segment of the Colorado River
Branch sections and cores of cottonwood and willow trees were collected from two sites in the Limitrophe. Tree-ring analyses may reveal the relationships among tree growth, streamflow and groundwater.
Authors
Patrick B. Shafroth
Vegetation monitoring Vegetation monitoring
Sonoran Institute, Pronatura Noroeste, and University of Arizona conducted vegetation monitoring in riparian restoration sites and control sites along the Colorado River corridor in Mexico during the fall (end of the growing season) of 2018. The overall goal of the vegetation monitoring program was to quantify impacts of restoration actions on the extent, composition, and structure of...
Authors
Karen Schlatter, Martha Gomez-Sapiens, Helen Salazar, Alejandra Calvo-Fonseca, Patrick B. Shafroth, Eduardo Gonzalez
Response of riparian vegetation to short- and long-term hydrologic variation Response of riparian vegetation to short- and long-term hydrologic variation
Increasing demand for river water now conflicts with an increasing desire to maintain riparian ecosystems. Efficiently managing river flows for riparian vegetation requires an understanding of the time scale of flow effects, but this information is limited by the absence of long-term studies of vegetation change in response to flow variation. To investigate the influence of short- and...
Authors
Jonathan M. Friedman, Abigail M. Eurich, Gregor T. Auble, Michael L. Scott, Patrick B. Shafroth, Polly P Gibson
Invasion of Siberian elm (Ulmus pumila) along the South Platte River: The roles of seed source, human influence, and river geomorphology Invasion of Siberian elm (Ulmus pumila) along the South Platte River: The roles of seed source, human influence, and river geomorphology
Riparian ecosystems in the western USA have been invaded by non-native woody species deliberately introduced for stream bank stabilization, agricultural windbreaks, and urban shade. Recent work suggests that the non-native tree Ulmus pumila (Siberian elm) is capable of significant spread in western riparian ecosystems, that range infilling is still incomplete, and that the invasion is...
Authors
Lindsay Reynolds, Laura Perry, Patrick B. Shafroth, Gabrielle L. Katz, Andrew S. Norton
Riverine complexity and life history inform restoration in riparian environments in the southwestern U.S. Riverine complexity and life history inform restoration in riparian environments in the southwestern U.S.
Riparian habitat in the southwestern USA has undergone substantial degradation over the past century, prompting extensive management and restoration of these critical ecosystems. Most restoration efforts, however, do not account for life history traits or riverine complexity that may influence genetic diversity and structure. Here, we use simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers in four...
Authors
Emily C. Palmquist, Gerald J Allan, Kiona Ogle, Thomas G. Whitham, Bradley J. Butterfield, Patrick B. Shafroth
The transformation of dryland rivers: The future of introduced tamarisk in the U.S. The transformation of dryland rivers: The future of introduced tamarisk in the U.S.
Tamarix spp. (tamarisk or saltcedar), a shrub-like tree, was intentionally introduced to the U.S. from Asia in the mid-1800s. Tamarisk thrives in today’s human-altered streamside (riparian) habitats and can be found along wetlands, rivers, lakes, and streams across the western U.S. In 2001, a biological control agent, Diorhabda spp. (tamarisk leaf beetle), was released in six states, and...
Authors
Pamela L. Nagler, Julia B. Hull, Charles van Riper, Patrick B. Shafroth, Charles B. Yackulic
Non-USGS Publications**
Shafroth, P.B., J.C. Stromberg, D.T. Patten, A.E. Springer, and J.M. Wright. 1996. Ground-water recharge and riparian habitat enhancement from water discharged from New Waddell Dam into the Agua Fria River: Phase I--Planning and feasibility. Final Report to Arizona Dept. of Water Resources - Phoenix Active Management Area. Phoenix, AZ78+ap p.
Shafroth, P.B., J.M. Friedman, and L.S. Ischinger. 1994. River salinity has little influence on establishment of cottonwood and saltcedar. Research Information Bulletin 94-95. NBS Information Bulletin.
**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.
Filter Total Items: 13
Projecting Future Climate Effects on Cottonwood and Willow Seed Dispersal and Tree Regeneration in Western Riparian Forests
Throughout western North America, warming associated with climate change is leading to both earlier spring peak streamflows and earlier seed dispersal, potentially reducing seedling establishment and in turn reducing the quality of riparian (near-river) forests, which provide critical habitat for diverse birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and insects, and food and shade for fish and...
Filter Total Items: 20
Riparian seed dispersal phenology and snowmelt streamflow timing in the upper South Platte River Basin, observed in 2010-2011 and simulated for 1962-2098 Riparian seed dispersal phenology and snowmelt streamflow timing in the upper South Platte River Basin, observed in 2010-2011 and simulated for 1962-2098
This dataset presents observations and model projections of climate, riparian cottonwood and willow seed release phenology, snowmelt streamflow timing, and relative timing of seed release and snowmelt peak streamflow in the upper South Platte River Basin, USA. We collected field observations of seed release phenology from three riparian Salicaceae species at 14 riparian sites and used...
Riparian vegetation, topography, sediment quality, and river corridor geomorphology in the Lower Virgin River, Nevada and Arizona, before (2010) and after (2011-2012) a 40-year return period flood Riparian vegetation, topography, sediment quality, and river corridor geomorphology in the Lower Virgin River, Nevada and Arizona, before (2010) and after (2011-2012) a 40-year return period flood
The data release presents observations of riparian vegetation, topography, sediment quality, and river corridor geomorphology in four river reaches of the Lower Virgin River extending downstream 62 river kilometers (rkm) from near the town of Littlefield (AZ) and the Arizona-Nevada border at rkm 119. Methods included field observations and analysis of remotely-sensed data before (2010)...
Spatial data sets to support conservation planning along the Colorado River in Utah Spatial data sets to support conservation planning along the Colorado River in Utah
With the help of local and regional natural resource professionals, we developed a broad-scale, spatially-explicit assessment of 146 miles (~20,000 acres) of the Colorado River mainstem in Grand and San Juan Counties, Utah that can be used to support conservation planning and riparian restoration prioritization. For the assessment we: 1) acquired, modified or created spatial datasets of...
Spatial datasets to support analysis of the influence of tributary junctions on patterns of fluvial features and riparian vegetation along the Colorado and Dolores Rivers (Utah and Colorado). Spatial datasets to support analysis of the influence of tributary junctions on patterns of fluvial features and riparian vegetation along the Colorado and Dolores Rivers (Utah and Colorado).
To examine potential influence of tributaries on riparian habitat complexity along ~216 km of the Colorado River in Utah and ~300km of the Dolores River in Colorado and Utah, we first classified fluvial features and land cover of the bottomland on remotely sensed imagery. We then examined riparian and geomorphic patterns within the near channel zone with variably-sized spatial units. We...
Geomorphic, climate, streamflow and vegetation data sets to reconstruct channel and vegetation changes associated with the invasion of Russian olive along the Escalante River, Utah 1950-2015. Geomorphic, climate, streamflow and vegetation data sets to reconstruct channel and vegetation changes associated with the invasion of Russian olive along the Escalante River, Utah 1950-2015.
We analyzed historical aerial photography and used dendrochronology to quantify long-term spatial and temporal patterns of narrowing and vegetation expansion, including native cottonwood (Populus fremontii) and non-native Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia), along the largely unregulated Escalante River in Utah, USA. Our general study area was between the town of Escalante and...
Woody riparian invasive plant presence, stem density, and rank dominance and environmental conditions in 2012 at 238 bridge crossings in the Colorado Headwaters, upper/middle Rio Grande, upper Arkansas, and South Platte River Basins, USA Woody riparian invasive plant presence, stem density, and rank dominance and environmental conditions in 2012 at 238 bridge crossings in the Colorado Headwaters, upper/middle Rio Grande, upper Arkansas, and South Platte River Basins, USA
This dataset presents observations and measurements of riparian plant invasion, community composition, and environmental conditions at 238 bridge crossings in four western USA river basins: the Colorado Headwaters, upper/middle Rio Grande, upper Arkansas River, and South Platte River (281,946 square kilometers). The 238 sites are a stratified random sample of all bridge crossings in the...
Chaco Canyon 1930s and 2000 geospatial data Chaco Canyon 1930s and 2000 geospatial data
A study of arroyo evolution in northern New Mexico (Friedman and others, 2015) assessed geomorphic change in the Chaco Wash arroyo from the 1930s to 2000. As part of this study, in October 2000 a trench was excavated across the arroyo bottom and a high-precision (Real-time kinematic) GPS survey was conducted. GPS survey data were used to georeference a 1930s topographic map and to...
Southwestern Riparian Plant Trait Matrix, Colorado River, Grand Canyon, 2014 - 2016Data Southwestern Riparian Plant Trait Matrix, Colorado River, Grand Canyon, 2014 - 2016Data
This dataset contains information on the physical traits and environmental tolerances of plant species occurring along the lower Colorado River through Grand Canyon. Due to the unique combination of plant species within the Grand Canyon, this flora shares species with many riparian areas in the western U.S.A. and represents obligate wetland to obligate upland plant species. Data for the...