Desert Research Institute: Division of Earth and Ecosystem Sciences Fall 2012

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DEESNEWSLETTER

PublicationsPeer-ReviewedCablk, M.E., E. Szelagowski and J.C. Sagebiel, 2012. Charac-terization of the volatile organic compounds present in the headspace of decomposing animal remains, and compared with human remains, Forensic Sci. Int. 220:118-125.Chown, S.L., J.E. Lee, K.A. Hughes, J. Barnes, P.J. Barrett, D.M. Bergstrom, P. Convey, D.A. Cowan, K. Crosbie, G. Dyer, Y. Frenot, S.M. Grant, D. Herr, M.C. Kennicutt, M. Lamers, A.E. Murray, H.P. Possingham, K. Reid, M.J. Riddle, P.G. Ryan, L. Sanson, J.D. Shaw, M.D. Sparrow, C. Summerhayes, A. Terauds, D.H. Wall, 2012. Challenges to the Future Conservation of the Antarctic. Science 337(6091): 158-159.Jones, K.B., G. Zurlini, F. Kienast, I. Petrosillo, T. Edwards, T.G. Wade, B. Li, and N. Zaccarelli, 2012. Informing landscape planning and design for sustaining ecosystem services from existing spatial patterns and knowledge. Landscape Ecology. DOI 10.1007/s10980-012-9794-4Lancaster, N. and S.A. Mahan, 2012. Holocene dune formation at Ash Meadows National Wildlife Area, Nevada, Quaternary Research. 78, 266-274. doi:10.1016/j.yqres.2012.05.012Fenstermaker L.F., R.L. Jasoni, J.A. Arnone III, D.A. Devitt, 2012. Impact of pixel versus footprint approaches on empirically derived ET estimates from Landsat TM. Remote Sensing and Hydrology IAHS Publication 352.Gillies, J.A. and N. Lancaster, 2012. Large roughness element effects on sand transport, Oceano Dunes, California, Earth Surface Processes and Landforms. doi:10.1002/esp.3317Marion, G.M., J.S. Kargel, D.C. Catling, and J.I. Lunine, 2012. Modeling ammonia-ammonium aqueous chemistries in the Solar System’s icy bodies. Icarus, Vol. 220, Issue 2, 932-946.

Above: Station E, near Palmer Station, Antarctica (Photo credit: Joe Grzymski)

Sherry R.A., J.A. Arnone III, D.W. Johnson, D.S. Schimel, P.S.J. Verburg, Y. Luo, 2012. Carry over from previous year envi-ronmental conditions alters dominance hierarchy in a prairie plant community. Journal of Plant Ecology. 1-13. doi: 10.1093/jpe/rtr028Tang, G. and P.J. Bartlein, 2012. Modifying a dynamic global vegetation model for simulating large spatial scale land sur-face water balances. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 16, 2547-2565. Tang, G., B. Beckage, and B. Smith, 2012. The potential tran-sient dynamics of forests in New England under historical and projected future climate. Climatic Change, 114(2), 357-377. Vernet, M., K.L. Smith Jr., A.O. Cefarelli, J.J. Helly, R.S. Kaufmann, H. Lin, D.G. Long, A.E. Murray, B.H. Robison, H.A. Ruhl, T.J. Shaw, A.D. Sherman, J. Sprintall, G.R. Stephenson Jr., K.M. Stu-art, B.S. Twining, 2012. Islands of ice: Influence of free-drifting Antarctic icebergs on pelagic marine ecosystems. Oceangr. 25(3): 38-39.Wanger, G., D. Moser, M. Hay, S. Myneni, T.C. Onstott, and G. Southman, 2012. Mobile hydrocarbon microspheres from >2-billion-year-old carbon-bearing seams in the South Af-rican deep subsurface. Geobiology. DOI: 10.1111/j.1472-4669.2012.00340.xZurlini, G., I. Petrosillo, K.B. Jones, and N. Zaccarelli, 2012. Highlighting order and disorder in social-ecological land-scapes to foster adaptive capacity and sustainability. Land-scape Ecology. DOI.1007/s10980-012-9763-y

Desert Research Institute: Division of Earth and Ecosystem Sciences Fall 2012

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In PressArnone J.A. III, J.G. Zaller, G. Hofer, B. Schmid, Ch. Körner, 2012. Loss of plant biodiversity eliminates stimulatory effect of elevated CO2 on earthworm activity in grasslands. Oecologia (in press).Ghiglione, J.F., P.E. Galand, T. Pommier, C. Pedrós-Alio, E.W. Maas, K. Bakker, S. Bertilson, D.L. Kirchman, C. Lovejoy, P.L. Yager, A.E. Murray, 2012. Pole to pole biogeography of surface and deep marine bacterial communities. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. (in press).

Reports and BooksHartwell, W.T., 2012. Closing the Communications Gap: Mak-ing the Case for Maximum Public Participation in Radiological monitoring. Nuclear Decommissioning Report, August 2012, pp. 10-17. (On-line Link).

PresentationsMurray, A., J.F. Ghiglione, P..E Galand, T. Pommier, E.W. Maas, D. Kirchman, C. Lovejoy, C. Pedrós-Alió. Comparisons between bacterioplankton from the Southern Ocean and Arctic Ocean provide perspective on distinctiveness of polar marine sys-tems. SCAR Open Sciences Conference, Portland, Oregon, July 2012.Ostrom, N.E., A.E. Murray, G. Trubl, E. Kuhn, 2012. The enig-matic nitrogen biogeochemistry of Lake Vida, an isolated brine cryoecosystem. International Symposium on Isotop-mers, Washington DC, June, 2012.

New ProjectsHolocene History of Tulare Lake

PI: Adams, Kenneth D.Agency: National Science FoundationAmount: $25,319.00

Summary: This project will select coring and trenching locations optimal for recovering stratigraphic sections with which to test the initial Tulare Lake-level history of Negrini et al. (2006) and to increase the resolution of the history to 10,2-10,3 yr scale for the past 2,000 years.

Development of a Standard Approach for Terrestrial Ecosystem Assessment and Monitoring

PI: Fenstermaker, Lynn D.Agency: BP International LimitedAmount: $93,324.00

Summary: In terrestrial areas where BP has operations, BP monitors the potential impacts of these operations on the ambient environment. Unfortunately, the methods used to quantify environmental parameters are often highly vari-

able - often depending more on the consultant/contractor who designs/carries out the monitoring rather than on the scientific merit or validity of the data that are generated by these various methods. Data gathered during project assessment phases (e.g. EIA/ESIA/Impact Statement) often are not usable as baselines for assessing subsequent impacts. The overall goal of the project is to provide broad guidance on establishing suitable monitoring systems for BP’s terrestrial projects including a standardized approach to selecting monitoring methods/techniques and monitor-ing designs that will maximize both the quality of the infor-mation obtained and BP’s ability to identify (and thereby mitigate/manage) its impacts on the environment.

Assessing winter bacterioplankton distribution and carbon cycling as part of AMLR field program, Aug 2012

PI: Murray, Alison E.Agency: National Science FoundationAmount: $159,970.00

Summary: The U.S. Antarctic Marine Living Resources (AMLR) field research program will conduct a quantita-tive survey of the pelagic ecosystem during a short, win-tertime field season in the South Shetland Island, Scotia Sea and the NW Weddell Sea regions in August, 2012. This winter expedition follows a 25-year time series program studying austral summer waters, and aims to capture the hydrography and winter distributions of krill for compari-sons with summer conditions over this long times series study. The RVIB Nathanial B. Palmer has been chartered as the research platform for this cruise. The proposed effort complements the AMLR program by adding a microbial component to the oceanographic surveys in this important Southern Ocean region.

A Class III Cultural Resource Inventory for the White Sage 2012 Training Area, U.S. Army Dugway Proving Ground, Tooele County, Utah

PI: Rhode, David E.Agency: DOD - Army Medical Research Acquisition

ActivityAmount: $128,430.00

Summary: DRI will provide cultural resources to the U.S. Army Dugway Proving Ground for a comprehensive Class I literature review of at least a two-mile radius of the project area and a Class III inventory of a minimum of 4309 acres for the White Sage Training area.

Desert Research Institute: Division of Earth and Ecosystem Sciences Fall 2012

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Singin’ in the RainLynn Fenstermaker worked with Levi Steptoe (NRCS State Soil Scientist) and NRCS teams from northern and southern NV to describe and analyze the soils at all NevCAN monitoring station locations in the Snake and Sheep Ranges. The NRCS team described and sampled soil horizons for characterization by the NRCS National Laboratory in Lincoln NE.

Above: Lynn (green coat) and the northern NRCS team sampling the Snake Subalpine West soil as viewed from the webcam at this station. Yep, they were working in the rain.

A Class III Cultural Resource Inventory in Support of Air Force Use Areas, U.S. Army Dugway Proving Ground, Tooele County, Utah

PI: Rhode, David E.Agency: DOD - Army Medical Research Acquisition

ActivityAmount: $122,560.00

Summary: DRI will provide cultural resources to the U.S. Army Dugway Proving Ground for a comprehensive Class I literature review of at least a two-mile radius of the project area and a Class III inventory of a minimum of 4309 acres for the White Sage Training area.

PD Tess Phase 8

PI: Rhode, David E.Agency: DOD - Army Medical Research Acquisition

ActivityAmount: $163,093.00

Summary: DRI will provide cultural resources to the U.S. Army Dugway Proving Ground for a comprehensive Class I literature review of at least a two-mile radius of the project area and a Class III inventory of a minimum of 5440 acres.

Estimating sub-pixel temperature composition using multispectral thermal imaging

PI: Sabol, Donald E. Jr.Agency: Desert Research InstituteAmount: $13,529.00

Summary: The goal of this IPA proposal is to investigate/demonstrate the feasibility of using multispectral thermal image data to improve estimations of the surface composi-tion of agricultural cropland and the resulting measure-ments of temperature from those surfaces.

Who’s TeachingPaul Verburg is teaching the following class this fall: Independent Study on Soil Morphology and Soil Formation (NRES 4980C/793A) This course is being taught to allow students to qualify for Soil Science positions within the Federal Government.

E.L. Cord Lab OperationalThe E.L. Cord Geochronology Lab is resuming operations under the direction of Jose Luis Antinao. Collaboration with Dr. Ed Rhodes from UCLA in calibration and machine setup and help by Sophie Baker, Elizabeth Huenupi, and Arthur Lewis (DEES) in all lab operations has been critical to have the lab up and running again. In addition to OSL-IRSL dating capabili-ties in quartz and polymineral samples, IRSL on K-feld-spar separates can now routinely be measured both in multigrain and single grain aliquots. Besides work in geoarchaeology and Quaternary geology contracts and research projects where the lab is involved, Dr. Antinao is currently looking to expand collaboration with col-leagues doing research in Quaternary Sciences across DRI, NSHE and internationally.

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Proposals (May - August 2012)

Date Submitted PI Sponsor Title Budget ($)01-MAY-12 Cablk, Mary E National Science Foun-

dation & University of Nevada, Reno

DEB Pre-proposal: Coll. Res.: Life on the edge: Leading and trailing edge population responses of tree species to climate change in the Intermountain West

14-MAY-12 Antinao Rojas, Jose Luis

FONDAP Center of Excellence for the Investigation of Natural Disasters

72,459.00

16-MAY-12 Marion, Giles M National Aeronautics & Space Administration

Cryogenic Chemistry (CRYOCHEM): An equation of state of vapor, liquid, and solid solutions at low temperatures for applications on cold extraterrestrial bodies

82,400.00

22-MAY-12 Grzymski, Joseph J National Science Foun-dation

Assessment of molecular mechanisms involved in nitro-gen cost minimization of oligotrophic microorganisms

573,211.00

04-JUN-12 Fritsen, Christian H National Science Foun-dation

Winter Sea Ice Algae along the Western Antarctic Penin-sula (WSIA-WAP)

413,356.00

04-JUN-12 Grzymski, Joseph J National Science Foun-dation

Coll. Res.: Unraveling the Southern Ocean DMS cycle using high resolution surface measurements and tracer-based process studies

299,906.00

04-JUN-12 Murray, Alison E National Science Foun-dation

Coll. Res.: Antarctic Bacterioplankton Winter Populations, Processes, and Linkages to Resources

514,344.00

20-JUN-12 Murray, Alison E National Science Foun-dation

Intelligent Marine Microbial Culturing Systems 50,000.00

25-JUN-12 Antinao Rojas, Jose Luis

FONDECYT Glacier-rock glacier transitions in shifting mountain land-scapes: peculiar highlights from the Central Andes of Chile

220,000.00

03-JUL-12 Lancaster, Nicholas National Science Foun-dation

FESD Prelim Proposal, Type I: Aeolian Dune Systems in Space and Time

5,074,317.00

05-JUL-12 Sun, Henry National Aeronautics & Space Administration

A microbiological study of GFAJ-1, a bacterium that re-portedly can grow by using arsenic instead of phosphorus

99,484.00

05-JUL-12 Murray, Alison E National Science Foun-dation

Assessing winter bacterioplankton distribution and car-bon cycling as part of AMLR field program, Aug 2012

39,936.00

12-JUL-12 Murray, Alison E National Aeronautics & Space Administration

Evaluation of abiotic H2 and N2O production and isotopic fractionation in Lake Vida brine, an icy world-relevant analog

53,350.00

18-JUL-12 Antinao Rojas, Jose Luis

National Science Foun-dation

Millennial variability of hillslope dynamics and alluvial aggradation in semiarid regions: a view from the southern hemisphere

379,959.00

18-JUL-12 Adams, Kenneth D National Science Foun-dation

Coll. Res: Interactions between Holocene Lake Levels and Alluvial Fans in the Western U.S. in Response to Changing Climates

282,277.00

24-JUL-12 Tang, Guoping National Science Foun-dation

CAREER: A user-friendly, individual-and process-based ecohydrological model for improving research and educa-tion in the Earth and Ecosystem Sciences

693,983.00

03-AUG-12 Verburg, Paul S National Science Foun-dation

Coll. Proposal: carbon dynamics in dryland ecosystems: mechanistic responses to climate change across a latitudi-nal climate gradient

901,604.00

20-AUG-12 Tang, Guoping Department of Energy Improving simulations of carbon and plant species dy-namics in semiarid and arid ecosystems

248,219.00

20-AUG-12 Verburg, Paul S Department of Energy Combining in situ field experiments and modeling to quantify seasonal and interannual effects of experimental warming on ecosystem and soil fluxes of CO2 and CH4 in tundra permafrost ecosystems

1,050,000.00

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New GraduateAnna Lue successfully defended her thesis “Effects of water supply and vapor pressure deficit on leaf stomatal conductance and photosynthetic water use efficiency in alternative aridland crop species” on Thursday, August 30th.

(Right: Conceptual diagram of high vapor pressure deficit and low soil water availability effects on plant physiology in aridland agri-culture. Credits: Lisa Wable, Anna Lue, with grass images courtesy of the Integration and Application Network, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, ian.umces.edu/symbols/)

What’s New� NASA Astrobiology Institute has funded the University of Southern California research team

which is focused on the intraterrestrials, a vast community of micro-organisms that make up Earth’s subsurface biosphere. Duane Moser will provide approximately 85% of the field access for this project. DEES/DRI will receive $492K in direct funding with additional funds to support a Postdoc. See the news article in the Daily Trojan.

� We have just received word that Paul Buck’s proposal, “Sub-Pixel Detection of Archaeologi-cal Materials Using NASA Satellite and Aircraft Data“ has been selected for an award by NASA. (More to follow in our next newsletter)

� In his role as iVPAA, Chris Fritsen gave a presentation at a Board of Regents meeting regard-ing DRI’s participation in graduate programs. During the presentation and discussion DEES work was highlighted and included reports on past graduates from DEES that are now in Nevada’s workforce. Additional topics included the recent research on life in extreme envi-ronments and the interest for new integrated earth systems sciences graduate programs.

� Nick Lancaster has been appointed to the Editorial Board of the Journal of Arid Environ-ments as a consulting editor.

� Alison Murray was highlighted in the July issue of Science magazine for her contributions to a policy forum article addressing Antarctica Conservation. See the article online.

� Mary Cablk, the only DRI faculty member currently publishing in the field of forensic sci-ences, has published in the two top forensics journals, most recently Forensic Science Inter-national. She has also published one of only five papers on cadaver dog capabilities.

� The 2012 DEES retreat is being held on October 24-25 in Reno. Details to follow.

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From the DirectorHello Everyone!!! I am greatly honored to be the new Director of DEES. I am very impressed by the diversity of people and programs within DEES and across the entire institute. I greatly appreciate the interactions I’ve had with several faculty and staff during my first three months with DRI, and learning about indi-vidual projects, labs, and capabilities. It’s pretty cool to be able to tell people that I’m part of an organization that studies astrobiol-ogy, extreme environment biology, microbiology, paleoecology, ecology, archaeology, and earth surface processes. And that we use a wide array of methods such as DNA analyses, luminescence, censuses of wildlife population using dogs, geographic informa-tion systems, and remote sensing to study and assess the envi-ronment and its benefits to people. I even was able to excite my two oldest grandchildren … they both want to become astrobiolo-gists!

For those of you who don’t know, I have had a long history with DRI and many of its outstanding faculty and scientists, but espe-cially while working for the EPA. DRI helped develop many of the monitoring protocols for arid ecosystems in EPA’s Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program or EMAP. Many of these monitoring protocols are still in use today! And DRI played a key role in development of EPA’s Alternative Landscape Future’s program, a program that has had a significant positive impact on multi-stakeholder groups who manage important landscapes within the US arid southwest. Moreover, DRI has had a major positive impact on lands managed by DOE, on DOE in terms of flexibility and efficient uses of these lands, and protection of im-portant landscape processes and environmental resources.

As you all know, we will face some significant challenges over the next few years, but especially in funding. My highest priority will be to work with faculty, staff, and senior managers to enhance funding opportunities for DEES and DRI. I see great opportunity in expanding our relationships with the private sector, as well as expanding our work in multidisciplinary environmental as-sessments and interdisciplinary science. The interdisciplinary concepts of environmental and ecosystem services are becoming popular themes in Federal and State agencies, NGOs, and private industry, and cumulatively DRI can fill many of the science gaps needed to implement these concepts. Several national and global initiatives have been launched in these areas (see for example the Ecosystem Services Partnership … http://www.es-partnership.org/esp.) I believe that my background in landscape ecology will

help facilitate some new and exciting opportunities in inter-disciplinary assessments and science. One of landscape ecol-ogy’s primary goals is to understand how spatial and temporal patterns of landscape features at multiple scales influence the fundamental processes from which society derives environmen-tal benefits, and it fully embraces the concept that humankind is part of the system. So, it is common to see landscape ecology use the term “socio-ecological landscapes.” More information on landscape ecology can be found at http://landscape-ecology.org/ and http://www.usiale.org/.

DEES is planning a retreat in Reno on October 24 and 25. The three primary goals of the retreat are to:

(1) identify strategic opportunities and actions that will enhance funding opportunities (including science directions),

(2) identify options to enhance the operation of DEES and its relationships to other Divisions in DRI, and

(3) increase the awareness of ongoing projects across the Divi-sion.

We are planning on having a social hour and poster session highlighting some of DEES’ projects and science on the evening of October 24 at the DRI Northern Science Center. The retreat will move off-site to the Tannenbaum Events Center off of Mount Rose Highway on October 25th. For more information on the retreat, please contact Petra Bartella.

I wanted to take this time to thank Paul Verburg for doing such an excellent job leading DEES over the past four years. Paul is an outstanding scientist and leader. He’s also been a great help to me in understanding many of the complexities of the Division Director’s job … many thanks Paul!

I look forward to interacting with everyone in the near future!

Bruce Jones

Calendar of EventsDivision Retreat in Reno 24-25 October Nevada Day Holiday 26 OctoberGSA Annual Meeting 4-7 NovemberVeterans’ Day Holiday 12 NovemberThanksgiving Day Holiday 22-23 NovemberAGU Fall Meeting 3-7 DecemberDRI Holiday Party North 7 DecemberDRI Holiday Party South 13 DecemberChristmas/Winter Holiday 25 December

New Hires (May 1 - Sept 1, 2012)Scott Hamilton Brehm, Postdoctoral Fellow, SNSCChristine Hedge, Graduate Research Asst, NNSCK. Bruce Jones, Executive Division DirectorKatie Willever, Graduate Research Asst, SNSC