Plant-Soil-Environment Laboratory (FRESC)
We produce basic and applied science needed to manage landscapes in ways that make them resistant and resilient to stressors such as wildfire, exotic plant invasions, drought, and temperature extremes. These stressors impact ecosystem productivity and functioning and pose costly risks to human health and safety in the western United States. We team with other state and federal agencies to find efficient and effective ways of mitigating their impacts.
Our program integrates biophysical ecology, ecophysiology, ecohydrology, and biogeomorphology at scales ranging from plants to populations, communities, ecosystems and landscapes. Current projects evaluate emerging approaches for soil stabilization, control of exotic annual grasses, and restoration of desirable native perennials following wildfire in sagebrush steppe. Understanding plant adaptation to temperature and water limitation, and applying this knowledge to management practices such as post-fire restoration seeding or landscape vulnerability assessments, is a major focus.
Staff
Krystal Busby - Ecologist
Bill Davidson - Biologist
Scott Fordham - Biologist
Chad Kluender - Ecologist
Darius Liles - Biologist
Andrew Lague - Ecologist
Jake Price - Ecologist
Austin Davis - Biologist
Jayna Thompson - Biological Science Technician Plants
Chloe Watt - Biological Science Technician Field Assistant
Science Themes of the FRESC Plant-Soil-Environment Laboratory are highlighted below.
If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.
Detecting shrub recovery in sagebrush steppe: Comparing Landsat-derived maps with field data on historical wildfires
Comment on: Grazing disturbance promotes exotic annual grasses by degrading soil biocrust communities
Warming of alpine tundra enhances belowground production and shifts community towards resource acquisition traits
Impact of unburned remnant sagebrush versus outplants on post-fire landscape rehabilitation
Weed-suppressive bacteria effects differ in culture compared to in soils and with or without microbial competition and separation of active ingredient
Spatial grain of adaptation is much finer than ecoregional-scale common gardens reveal
Postfire growth of seeded and planted big sagebrush - Strategic designs for restoring Greater Sage-grouse nesting habitat
Colonisation of the alpine tundra by trees: Alpine neighbours assist late-seral but not early-seral conifer seedlings
Post-fire management-scale trials of bacterial soil amendment MB906 show inconsistent control of invasive annual grasses
Synthesis of weed-suppressive bacteria studies in rangelands of the Western United States: Special section of articles in Rangeland Ecology and Management provides no evidence of effectiveness
Small-scale water deficits after wildfires create long-lasting ecological impacts
Intraspecific variation in surface water uptake in a perennial desert shrub
If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.
The news stories below are short summaries of FIREss Team publications.
New Invasive Annual Grass Book Addresses Critical Questions for the Western U.S.
We produce basic and applied science needed to manage landscapes in ways that make them resistant and resilient to stressors such as wildfire, exotic plant invasions, drought, and temperature extremes. These stressors impact ecosystem productivity and functioning and pose costly risks to human health and safety in the western United States. We team with other state and federal agencies to find efficient and effective ways of mitigating their impacts.
Our program integrates biophysical ecology, ecophysiology, ecohydrology, and biogeomorphology at scales ranging from plants to populations, communities, ecosystems and landscapes. Current projects evaluate emerging approaches for soil stabilization, control of exotic annual grasses, and restoration of desirable native perennials following wildfire in sagebrush steppe. Understanding plant adaptation to temperature and water limitation, and applying this knowledge to management practices such as post-fire restoration seeding or landscape vulnerability assessments, is a major focus.
Staff
Krystal Busby - Ecologist
Bill Davidson - Biologist
Scott Fordham - Biologist
Chad Kluender - Ecologist
Darius Liles - Biologist
Andrew Lague - Ecologist
Jake Price - Ecologist
Austin Davis - Biologist
Jayna Thompson - Biological Science Technician Plants
Chloe Watt - Biological Science Technician Field Assistant
Science Themes of the FRESC Plant-Soil-Environment Laboratory are highlighted below.
If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.
Detecting shrub recovery in sagebrush steppe: Comparing Landsat-derived maps with field data on historical wildfires
Comment on: Grazing disturbance promotes exotic annual grasses by degrading soil biocrust communities
Warming of alpine tundra enhances belowground production and shifts community towards resource acquisition traits
Impact of unburned remnant sagebrush versus outplants on post-fire landscape rehabilitation
Weed-suppressive bacteria effects differ in culture compared to in soils and with or without microbial competition and separation of active ingredient
Spatial grain of adaptation is much finer than ecoregional-scale common gardens reveal
Postfire growth of seeded and planted big sagebrush - Strategic designs for restoring Greater Sage-grouse nesting habitat
Colonisation of the alpine tundra by trees: Alpine neighbours assist late-seral but not early-seral conifer seedlings
Post-fire management-scale trials of bacterial soil amendment MB906 show inconsistent control of invasive annual grasses
Synthesis of weed-suppressive bacteria studies in rangelands of the Western United States: Special section of articles in Rangeland Ecology and Management provides no evidence of effectiveness
Small-scale water deficits after wildfires create long-lasting ecological impacts
Intraspecific variation in surface water uptake in a perennial desert shrub
If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.
The news stories below are short summaries of FIREss Team publications.