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Contact Information:

photo of Barbara Ralston
Name:
Ralston, Barbara E.
Title:
Biologist
Discipline(s):
(Not yet specified.)
Research Station:
GCMRC
Work Address:
2255 North Gemini Drive, Flagstaff, AZ, 86001
Telephone Number:
(928)556-7455
Email Address:
bralston@usgs.gov

Biographical Sketch:

Barbara Ralston has lived in Flagstaff, AZ, since 1989. She originally moved to Flagstaff to study systematic botany at Northern Arizona University. Barbara studied mating system evolution within the genus Lithospermum in the Boraginaceae, while at N.A.U. and receiving her Ph.D. in Botany in 1993.

Barbara became involved in Colorado River research in 1991 as a volunteer. She subsequently worked on vegetation analysis and vegetation mapping projects sponsored by the Glen Canyon Environmental Studies (GCES) in 1995 and assisted in data collection efforts associated with the beach-habitat building flood in 1996. Barbara's interests lie in change detection associated with riparian vegetation and the effects of scale on biological interactions and interpretations, and the development of long-term monitoring programs for biological resources. Barbara has acted as the biological program manager (1999 - 2001) within Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center and the terrestrial biologist (1998 - present). She is currently acting as the biology coordinator for the Integrated Science Program, but continues to serve the role as terrestrial biologist as well.

Project List

  • (Not yet specified.)

Publications, Maps, and other Products

  1. Ralston, B.E. 2007. Scale effects on interpretation of riparian vegetation monitoring data from the Colorado River in Grand Canyon, Arizona. Annual Ecological Society Meeting, 2007, San Jose, CA. [Poster with Abstract]
  2. Ralston, B.E., M.V. Lauretta, and T.A. Kennedy. 2007. Comparisons of water quality and biological variables from Colorado River shoreline habitats in Grand Canyon, Arizona, under steady and fluctuating dishcarges from Glen Canyon Dam. U.S. Geological Survey Open File Report 2007-1195 [http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2007/1195/]. [Open-File Report]
  3. Korman, Josh, Matt Kaplinski, and Joseph Buszowski. 2006. ects of Air and Mainstem Water Temperatures, Hydraulic Isolation, and Fluctuating Flows From Glen Canyon Dam on Water Temperatures in Shoreline Environments of the Colorado River in Grand Canyon : Final Report. Cooperative Agreement No: 04WRAG00006, Modification 1, 57 p. [Technical Report]
  4. Ralston, B.E. and T.A. Kennedy. 2006. GIS-based Estimates of Above-ground Biomass and Terrestrial Vegetation Inputs for the Colorado River Ecosystem. International Conference on Riverine hydroecology: advances in research and applications. 10th International symposium on regulated streams (TISORS II) and 2nd International symposium on wood in world (ISWWRII) rivers. [Poster with Abstract]
  5. Kearsley, M.J.C, N.S. Cobb, H.K. Yard, D.C. Lightfoot, S.L. Brantley, G.C. Carpenter and J.K. Frey. 2006. Inventory and Monitoring of Terrestrial Riparian Resources in the Colorado River corridor of Grand Canyon: An Integrative Approach. Cooperative Agreement Number 01-WRAG 0034/0044. [Technical Report]
  6. Ralston, B.E. 2005. Riparian Vegetation and associated wildlife. Gloss, S.P, Lovich, J.E., and Melis, T. eds. 2005 The State of the Colorado River Ecosystem in Grand Canyon, U.S.Geological Survey Circular 1282 220 p. [Book Chapter]
  7. Ralston, B.E. 2005. Riparian vegetation and associated wildlife. Colorado River Ecosystem Science Symposium 2005: October 25-27, 2005 http://www.gcmrc.gov/news_info/outreach/symposiums/2005/files/05_symposium_abstracts.pdf. [Presentation with Abstract]
  8. Speas D.W., C.J. Walters, D.LO. Ward, R.S. Rogers. 2004. Effects of Intraspecific Density and Environmental Variables on Electrofishing Catchability of Brown and Rainbow Trout in the Colorado River. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 24:586. [Journal Article]
  9. Kearsley M.J.C., N. Cobb, H. Yard, D. Lightfoot, S. Brantley, G. Carpenter, J. Frey. 2003. Inventory and Monitoring of Terrestrial Riparian Resources in the Colorado River corridor of Grand Canyon: An Integrative Approach. . [Technical Report]
  10. Weber R. M., P.A. Davis, B.E. Ralston, J.M. Rundall. 2003. Development of a vegetation inventory database for the Colorado River ecosystem in Arizona. 7th Biennial Conference of Research on the Colorado Plateau, Flagstaff, Arizona. Poster. [Poster]
  11. Ralston B.E., M. Kaplinski, J.C. Schmidt. 2003. Changes in Riparian Habitat Patches within Two Discharge Zones Along the Colorado River in Grand Canyon, Arizona From 1965 to 1992. Annual meeting of American Botanical Society. Poster. [Poster]
  12. Ralston B.E. 2001. Development and Implementation of Biological Monitoring along the Colorado River in Grand Canyon, Arizona. 6th Colorado Plateau Biennial Conference. Invited speaker. [Presentation]
  13. Ralston B.E. 2001. Using historic data to develop trends in Grand Canyon Fisheries. American Fisheries Society 131st annual meeting. Phoenix, AZ. August, 2001, Session Chair. [Presentation]
  14. Fritzinger C., M.J. Liszewski, T. Melis, S. Mietz, B. Ralston, M. Yard, B. Gold. 2000. Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center: A science plan for WY 2000 low summer steady flows. [Technical Report]
  15. Fritzinger C., M. Liszewski, T. Melis, S. Mietz, B. Ralston, M. Yard, B. Gold. 2000. A science plan for WY 2000 low summer steady flows. Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center. April, 2000. [Technical Report]
  16. Melis T., M.J. Liszewski, B. Gold, L. Stevens, F.M. Gonzales, R. Lambert, L.D. Garrett, W. Vernieu, B. Ralston. 1998. Prospectus for evaluating GCMRC monitoring protocols for the Colorado River Ecosystem. GCMRC Libary. [Technical Report]
  17. Ralston B.E., B.D. Gold. 1998. Playing Ball on running water: the adaptive management program on the Colorado River ecosystem. American Society of Limnology and Oceanography, April 1998. [Presentation]
  18. Salas D.E., J.R. Carlson, B.E. Ralston, D.A. Martin, K.R. Blaney. 1996. Riparian Vegetation Mapping of the Lower Colorado River from the Davis Dam to the International Border. Technical Memorandum No. 8260-96-03. [Technical Report]
  19. Ralston B.E., D.L. Wegner. 1996. Effects of Habitat/Building Flows on Backwater Habitat along the Colorado River, below Glen Canyon Dam. American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting. [Presentation]
  20. Siemens D.H., B.E. Ralston, C.D. Johnson. 1994. Alternative seed defense mechanisms in a Palo Verde hybrid zone: effects on bruchid beetle performance and preference. Ecological Entomology. 19:381-391. [Technical Report]
  21. Ralston B.E. 1993. Phylogenetic systematics and the evolution of mating systems in Lithospermum (Boraginaceae). Dissertation. Department of Biology, Northern Arizona University. [Thesis/Dissertation]
  22. Ralston B.E. 1993. Comparative resource allocation of three heterostylous species of Lithospermum (Boraginaceae). Amer. J. Bot. 80:285. [Journal Article]
  23. Ralston B.E. 1993. Using phylogenetic analysis and comparative resource allocation to test hypotheses of mating system evolution. Society for the Study of Evolution, Annual Meeting, Snowbird, UT. [Presentation]
  24. Ralston B.E. 1993. Herbivory, heterostyly and fecundity: mechanisms promoting selection on pin and thrum floral morphs of Lithospermum multiflorum. Amer. J. Bot. 80:280. [Journal Article]
  25. Ralston B.E., R.A. Hilsenbeck. 1992. Opuntia densispina: A new species of Opuntia (Cactaceae) from the Big Bend Regions of Texas. Madrono. 39:281-284. [Journal Article]
  26. Ralston B.E., G. Nesom, B.L. Turner. 1989. Documented plant chromosome numbers: I. Chromosome numbers in Mexican Asteraceae with special reference to the tribe Tageteae. Sida. 13:359-368. [Journal Article]
  27. Ralston B.E., R.A. Hilsenbeck. 1989. Taxonomy of the Opuntia schottii complex (Cactaceae) in Texas. Madrono. 36:221-231. . [Journal Article]