USGS National Research Program: Tucson AZ Research Project Office

Research Highlight

November/December 2008

Water, Conservation, and Exurban Development in Semiarid Grasslands of Southwestern North America -- Impacts on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services

Waite R. Osterkamp, U.S. Geological Survey
Joe E. Marlow, Sonoran Institute

Research personnel of the U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) have had a long-standing collaboration with universities and other nonprofit organizations to study and protect native grasslands of the American Southwest. Waite Osterkamp, of the USGS National Research Program and Board Member of The Research Ranch Foundation (TRRF), and Joe Marlow, of the Sonoran Institute (SI), have written "Water, Conservation, and Exurban Development in Semiarid Grasslands of Southwestern North America -- Impacts on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services". The document describes recent workshops conducted by TRRF and SI, and proposes innovative approaches to grasslands research. Feedback on the intended research is welcome, and participation is encouraged.

1955 E 6th St
Tucson AZ 85719
520.670.6821
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The USGS NRP Research Project office is located on the University of Arizona campus in the Office of Arid Lands Studies.

Our office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.

What Happened to the Desert Laboratory?

Screen shot of old Desert Laboratory home page.

After a presence of over a quarter century, the US Geological Survey moved from the Desert Laboratory on Tumamoc Hill to the University of Arizona campus. The Desert Laboratory is now being run by The Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, and will have a new web site at http://www.tumamoc.org/.