Special Programs

The USGS is involved in numerous project and programs involving multiple USGS Disciplines, other federal agencies, local governments, universities, and other external organizations.

Desert Laboratory

The University of Arizona Desert Laboratory: Desert Laboratory has been dedicated to studying plants, animals, and the environment of North American deserts. Since deserts are particularly sensitive to human disturbance, the need to understand desert life has become increasingly important as the population of arid regions has grown.

The Desert Laboratory is operated jointly by the University of Arizona's Department of Geosciences, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, and the U.S. Geological Survey. This interdisciplinary effort has enabled the Laboratory to expand its pivotal role in the understanding of structure, process, and change in desert areas.