Joseph Blankinship

Interests

Research

Soil biogeochemistry; microbial ecology; soil carbon sequestration, soil greenhouse gas production and consumption; soil aggregate stability; biocrusts; carbon-water-microbe interactions; plant-microbe interactions; ecosystem responses to climate change; biochar; sustainable and regenerative desert agriculture

Teaching

Soil Ecology of Sustainable Systems (ENVS 300); Nutrient Dynamics in Soils (ENVS 502); Scientific Writing (ENVS 408)

Courses

Scholarly Contributions

Chapters

• Blankinship, J., & Hungate, B. (2006). Belowground food webs in a changing climate. In AGROECOSYSTEMS IN A CHANGING CLIMATE(pp 117-150). CRC Press.

Journals/Publications

• Musa, N., Khan, K., Blankinship, J., Ijaz, S., Akram, Z., Alwahibi, M., Ali, M., & Yousra, M. (2024). Sorption-Desorption of Phosphorus on Manure- and Plant-Derived Biochars at Different Pyrolysis Temperatures. Sustainability (Switzerland), 16(7). doi:10.3390/su16072755
  More info

  Sustainable phosphorus (P) management is essential to preventing mineral fertilizer losses, reducing water pollution, and addressing eutrophication issues. Phosphorus sorption and mobility are strongly influenced by the properties of biochar, which are determined by pyrolysis temperature and type of feedstock. This understanding is crucial for optimizing biochar application for soil nutrient management. Therefore, a batch sorption-desorption experiment was conducted to examine P sorption-desorption in plant-based (parthenium, corn cobs) and manure-based (farmyard manure, poultry manure) biochars prepared at both 400 °C and 600 °C. Manure-based biochars demonstrated higher P sorption at 400 °C, with less sorption at 600 °C, while plant-based counterparts exhibited lower sorption capacities. Phosphorus desorption, on the other hand, increased at 600 °C, particularly in manure-based biochars. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier-transform infrared spectra (FTIR) analysis suggested that a lower pyrolysis temperature (400 °C) enhances P sorption due to higher specific surface area and different functional groups. Additionally, the manure-based biochars, which were enriched with calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg), contributed to increased P sorption. In summary, P sorption is enhanced by a lower carbonization (400 °C) temperature. Although manure-based biochars excel in retaining P, their effectiveness is limited to shorter durations. In contrast, plant-based biochars showcase a prolonged capacity for P retention.
• Musa, N., Khan, K., Ijaz, S., Akram, Z., & Blankinship, J. (2022). Phosphorus sorption-desorption on manure- and plant-derived biochars at different pyrolysis temperatures. JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE AND PLANT NUTRITION.
• Ball, K., Malik, A., Muscarella, C., & Blankinship, J. (2023). Irrigation alters biogeochemical processes to increase both inorganic and organic carbon in arid-calcic cropland soils. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 187. doi:10.1016/j.soilbio.2023.109189
  More info

  Irrigation in arid croplands is necessary to sustain crop growth, but with increasing water scarcity and population growth in drylands, irrigation systems may need to shift from flooding to dripping techniques to cope with increased water demand. Therefore, it is important to understand how irrigation drives organic and inorganic carbon dynamics in arid-calcic soils. This study on arid-calcic cropland soils assessed the influence of flood and subsurface drip irrigation on soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil inorganic carbon (SIC) formation as influenced by soil chemical properties and bacterial and fungal biomass. As well, these dynamics were assessed in an unmanaged/unirrigated desert soil. Under drip irrigation, SOC was significantly greater than under flood irrigation, but flood stored more SIC than drip irrigation and no irrigation. The observed SOC–SIC patterns were likely driven by calcium binding. Flood irrigation adds significantly more calcium and bicarbonate to the system, while leaching dissolved organic carbon (DOC). Under flood, calcium is likely more preferentially bound as calcium carbonate. Under drip irrigation, less water was added, calcium and SOC were maintained in the rooting zone where SOC may be stabilized via cation-mediated bridging. Despite higher SOC under drip, more total, and bacterial biomass were detected under flood than drip irrigation, which promoted fungal biomass. Bacterial biomass under flood irrigation may be contributing to microbial carbonate precipitation, supported by the greater presence of common bacterial groups known to contribute to this process, and significant positive relationships with calcium. This research emphasizes the importance of examining SOC and SIC dynamics from abiotic and biotic and particularly microbial perspectives; to optimize soil carbon storage in arid croplands.
• Blankinship, J. C., Bristol, D., Hassan, K., & Nielsen, U. N. (2023). Responses of nematode abundances to increased and reduced rainfall under field conditions: A meta‐analysis. Ecosphere, 14(1). doi:10.1002/ecs2.4364
• Hoglund, S., Rathke, S., & Blankinship, J. (2022). Effect of biochar application rate on soil water and fertilizer retention in a Sonoran Desert cropland soil. JOURNAL OF ARID ENVIRONMENTS.
• Hoglund, S., Rathke, S., Fidel, R., & Blankinship, J. (2023). Contrasting effects of biochar application rate in an alkaline desert cropland soil. Journal of Arid Environments, 215. doi:10.1016/j.jaridenv.2023.105011
  More info

  Improving water and nutrient retention in desert croplands using soil organic amendments can be a major challenge because organic matter decomposes quickly under irrigated conditions in a hot climate. Biochar—a long-lasting carbon-rich soil organic amendment—has been proposed to improve soil water and nutrient retention, but only by carefully selecting an appropriate application rate. To better understand effects of biochar application rate on soil water and nutrient retention in desert croplands, we set up a mesocosm-scale experiment with biochar added at rates of 0, 19.8, 39.7, 79.4, 119.0, and 158.7 t ha−1 to an alkaline, sandy loam soil. After initial water retention measurements, we added fertilizer and then measured gaseous nitrogen losses as well as soil nitrate (NO3−) and phosphate (PO₄³⁻) leaching. Then, we measured biochar's effect on the soil's capacity to hold plant-available water (i.e., available water capacity, or AWC) using Tempe cells and a dewpoint potentiometer. We found contrasting effects of low and high biochar application rates. First, we found that applying a minimum of 79.4 t ha−1 biochar was necessary to improve soil water and PO₄³⁻ retention; application rates below 79.4 t ha−1 exacerbated PO₄³⁻ leaching whereas treatments above 79.4 t ha−1 improved AWC by up to 34% compared to the control treatment. While biochar application rate did not affect soil nitric oxide or ammonia emissions, we did find that low biochar application rates increased soil nitrous oxide emission while higher application rates reduced emission compared to soil with no biochar. Overall, we found that lower and higher rates of biochar application can have contrasting effects on soil water and nutrient retention in an alkaline, desert cropland soil. Therefore, farmers and other land managers must consider potential drawbacks of lower application rates and threshold responses of higher application rates prior to large-scale biochar use in arid agroecosystems.
• Marsh, C., Blankinship, J., & Hurteau, M. (2023). Effects of nurse shrubs and biochar on planted conifer seedling survival and growth in a high-severity burn patch in New Mexico, USA. Forest Ecology and Management, 537. doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2023.120971
  More info

  The synergistic effects of widespread high-severity wildfire and anthropogenic climate change are driving large-scale vegetation conversion. In the southwestern United States, areas that were once dominated by conifer forests are now shrub- or grasslands after high-severity wildfire, an ecosystem conversion that could be permanent without human intervention. Yet, the reforestation of these landscapes is rarely successful, with a mean planted seedling survival of just 25 %. Given these low rates, we carried out a planting experiment to quantify the impacts of biochar as a soil amendment and shrubs as nurse plants on planted conifer seedling survival and growth following high-severity wildfire. We planted 1200 seedlings of three species (Pinus ponderosa, P. strobiformis, and Pseudotsuga menziesii) in a 2-ha area within the footprint of the Las Conchas fire in New Mexico, USA. We used four treatments: under shrubs, or in the open and with or without biochar in a full-factorial design. We found that planting tree seedlings underneath shrubs increased tree seedling survival by 46 % after 3 years, with some marginal evidence that shrubs inhibited seedling diameter growth (mean R2 = 0.08). The addition of biochar increased seedling survival by 11 % but had no effect on seedling growth. Our study suggests that planted seedling survival in post-wildfire areas can be increased by planting under shrubs in soil amended with biochar. The widespread adoption of these methods may improve the success rates of post-wildfire reforestation efforts in semi-arid areas, regaining some of the ecosystem services lost to high-severity wildfire.
• Mpanga, I., Neumann, G., Brown, J., Blankinship, J., Tronstad, R., & Idowu, O. (2023). Grape pomace's potential on semi-arid soil health enhances performance of maize, wheat, and grape crops. Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science, 186(3). doi:10.1002/jpln.202200232
  More info

  Background: Grape pomace (GP) is a by-product of wineries after filtering the grape juice for wine production. GP contains seeds, pulp, skin, and stalks with acidic properties, and it is normally composted before using as a soil amendment. However, composting GP requires more time, labor, and equipment; furthermore, composting loses some of the desirable organic acids for arid soils. The acidic properties of these organic acids and the plant nutrients in GP make it a desirable amendment for arid soils in both non-composted and composted forms. Aim: This study investigates the potential of directly applying GP as a soil amendment and its impact on arid soil health and plant performance. Methods: To test the potential of non-composted GP as a soil amendment, greenhouse and field studies were conducted by combining GP with existing management practices (manure application for soil used in the greenhouse study and fertigation for the field study) to assess the effects of GP on soil health and crop (maize, wheat, and grape) performance. Results: Adding 5% GP to an alkaline soil significantly increased maize and wheat growth and shoot nutrient concentrations in the greenhouse and grapes in the field (48% yield increase). The significance of GP on maize, wheat, and grapes was associated with soil nutrient enhancements (i.e., nutrients supplied, increase in organic matter and microbial biomass increase, reduction in pH, and better nutrient mobilization). Conclusion: GP has the potential for direct use as a soil amendment for soil and crop health improvement, especially in arid soils with high pH and limited soil organic matter.
• Blankinship, J. C., Ball, K. R., Leger, A. M., & Rathke, S. J. (2022). Mulch more so than compost improves soil health to reestablish vegetation in a semiarid rangeland. Restoration Ecology, 30(6). doi:10.1111/rec.13698
• Blankinship, J. C., Schiro, G., Chen, Y., & Barberán, A. (2022). Ride the dust: linking dust dispersal and spatial distribution of microorganisms across an arid landscape. Environmental Microbiology, 24(9), 4094-4107. doi:10.1111/1462-2920.15998
• Leger, A., Ball, K., Rathke, S., & Blankinship, J. (2022). Using mulch and compost to restore soil health and reestablish vegetation in a semiarid rangeland. RESTORATION ECOLOGY.
• Martyn, T., Barberan, A., Blankinship, J., Miller, M., Yang, B., Kline, A., & Gornish, E. (2022). Rock structures improve seedling establishment, litter catchment, fungal richness, and soil moisture in the first year after installation. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT, N/A.
• Mpanga, I., Blankinship, J., Tronstad, R. E., Neumann, G., & Idowu, J. (2022). Grape pomace enhances maize, wheat, and grape performance in semi-arid soils. Current Research in Sustainability.
• Schiro, G., Chen, Y., Blankinship, J., & Barberan, A. (2022). Ride the dust: Linking dust dispersal and spatial distribution of microorganisms across an arid landscape. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, N/A.
• Wood, S., Wallenstein, M., & Blankinship, J. (2022). Making soil health science practical: Guiding research for agronomic and environmental benefits. SOIL BIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY.
  More info

  For inclusion in Virtual Special Issue on biological and biochemical indicators of soil health
• Blankinship, J. C., Rasmussen, C., Heckman, K., Hicks Pries, C. E., Lawrence, C. R., Crow, S. E., Hoyt, A. M., Fromm, S. F., Shi, Z., Stoner, S., McGrath, C., Beem‐Miller, J., Berhe, A. A., Keiluweit, M., Marín‐Spiotta, E., Monroe, J. G., Plante, A. F., Schimel, J., Sierra, C. A., , Thompson, A., et al. (2021). Beyond bulk: Density fractions explain heterogeneity in global soil carbon abundance and persistence. Global Change Biology, 28(3), 1178-1196. doi:10.1111/gcb.16023
• Heckman, K., Hicks Pries, C. E., Lawrence, C. R., Rasmussen, C., Crow, S. E., Hoyt, A. M., von Fromm, S. F., Shi, Z., Stoner, S., McGrath, C., Beem-Miller, J., Berhe, A. A., Blankinship, J. C., Keiluweit, M., Marín-Spiotta, E., Monroe, J. G., Plante, A. F., Schimel, J., Sierra, C. A., , Thompson, A., et al. (2022). Beyond bulk: Density fractions explain heterogeneity in global soil carbon abundance and persistence. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY, 28(3), 1178-1196.
  More info

  Understanding the controls on the amount and persistence of soil organic carbon (C) is essential for predicting its sensitivity to global change. The response may depend on whether C is unprotected, isolated within aggregates, or protected from decomposition by mineral associations. Here, we present a global synthesis of the relative influence of environmental factors on soil organic C partitioning among pools, abundance in each pool (mg C g  soil), and persistence (as approximated by radiocarbon abundance) in relatively unprotected particulate and protected mineral-bound pools. We show that C within particulate and mineral-associated pools consistently differed from one another in degree of persistence and relationship to environmental factors. Soil depth was the best predictor of C abundance and persistence, though it accounted for more variance in persistence. Persistence of all C pools decreased with increasing mean annual temperature (MAT) throughout the soil profile, whereas persistence increased with increasing wetness index (MAP/PET) in subsurface soils (30-176 cm). The relationship of C abundance (mg C g  soil) to climate varied among pools and with depth. Mineral-associated C in surface soils (
• Lawrence, C., Beem-Miller, J., Hoyt, A., Monroe, G., Sierra, C., Stoner, S., Heckman, K., Blankinship, J., Crow, S., McNicol, G., Trumbore, S., Levine, P., Vinduskova, O., Todd-Brown, K., Rasmussen, C., Hicks Pries, C., Schadel, C., McFarlane, K., Doetterl, S., & Hatte, C. (2020). An open-source database for the synthesis of soil radiocarbon data: International Soil Radiocarbon Database (ISRaD) version 1.0. EARTH SYSTEM SCIENCE DATA, 12, 61-76.
• Todd-brown, K. E., Todd-brown, K. E., Thompson, A. J., Thompson, A. J., Wagai, R., Wagai, R., Vinduskova, O., Vinduskova, O., Vaughn, L. J., Vaughn, L. J., Trumbore, S. E., Trumbore, S. E., Treat, C. C., Treat, C. C., Torn, M. S., Torn, M. S., Todd-brown, K., Todd-brown, K., Thompson, A., , Thompson, A., et al. (2019). An open source database for the synthesis of soil radiocarbon data: ISRaD version 1.0. Earth System Science Data Discussions, 12(1), 61-76. doi:10.3929/ethz-b-000385703
  More info

  Abstract. Radiocarbon is a critical constraint on our estimates of the timescales of soil carbon cycling that can aid in identifying mechanisms of carbon stabilization and destabilization, and improve forecast of soil carbon response to management or environmental change. Despite the wealth of soil radiocarbon data that has been reported over the past 75 years, the ability to apply these data to global scale questions is limited by our capacity to synthesis and compare measurements generated using a variety of methods. Here we describe the International Soil Radiocarbon Database (ISRaD, soilradiocarbon.org ), an open-source archive of soils data that include data from bulk soils, or whole-soils ; distinct soil carbon pools isolated in the laboratory by a variety of soil fractionation methods; samples of soil gas or water collected interstitially from within an intact soil profile; CO2 gas isolated from laboratory soil incubations; and fluxes collected in situ from a soil surface. The core of ISRaD is a relational database structured around individual datasets (entries) and organized hierarchically to report soil radiocarbon data, measured at different physical and temporal scales, as well as other soil or environmental properties that may also be measured at one or more levels of the hierarchy that may assist with interpretation and context. Anyone may contribute their own data to the database by entering it into the ISRaD template and subjecting it to quality assurance protocols. ISRaD can be accessed through: (1) a web-based interface, (2) an R package (ISRaD), or (3) direct access to code and data through the GitHub repository, which hosts both code and data. The design of ISRaD allows for participants to become directly involved in the management, design, and application of ISRaD data. The synthesized dataset is available in two forms: the original data as reported by the authors of the datasets; and an enhanced dataset that includes ancillary geospatial data calculated within the ISRaD framework. ISRaD also provides data management tools in the ISRaD-R package that provide a starting point for data analysis. This community-based dataset and platform for soil radiocarbon and a wide array of additional soils data information in soils where data are easy to contribute and the community is invited to add tools and ideas for improvement. As a whole, ISRaD provides resources that can aid our evaluation of soil dynamics and improve our understanding of controls on soil carbon dynamics across a range of spatial and temporal scales. The ISRaD v1.0 dataset (Lawrence et al., 2019) is archived and freely available at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.2613911 .
• Blankinship, J. C., Berhe, A. A., Crow, S. E., Druhan, J. L., Heckman, K. A., Keiluweit, M., Lawrence, C. R., Marin-Spiotta, E., Plante, A. F., Rasmussen, C., Schimel, J. P., Sierra, C. A., Schaedel, C., Thompson, A., Wagai, R., & Wieder, W. R. (2018). Improving understanding of soil organic matter dynamics by triangulating theories, measurements, and models. BIOGEOCHEMISTRY, 140, 1-13. doi:10.1007/s10533-018-0478-2
• Blankinship, J. C., Homyak, P. M., Slessarev, E. W., Schaeffer, S. M., Manzoni, S., & Schimel, J. P. (2018). Effects of altered dry season length and plant inputs on soluble soil carbon. Ecology, 99(10), 2348-2362. doi:10.1002/ecy.2473
• Blankinship, J. C., McCorkle, E. P., Meadows, M. W., & Hart, S. C. (2018). Quantifying the legacy of snowmelt timing on soil greenhouse gas emissions in a seasonally dry montane forest. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY, 24, 5933-5947.
• Blankinship, J., & Schimel, J. (2018). Biotic versus abiotic controls on bioavailable soil organic carbon. SOIL SYSTEMS, 2, 10. doi:10.3390/soilsystems2010010
• Harden, J. W., Hugelius, G., Ahlstrom, A., Blankinship, J. C., Bond-Lamberty, B., Lawrence, C. R., Loisel, J., Malhotra, A., Jackson, R. B., Ogle, S., Phillips, C., Ryals, R., Todd-Brown, K., Vargas, R., Vergara, S. E., Cotrufo, F., Keiluweit, M., Heckman, K. A., Crow, S. E., , Silver, W. L., et al. (2018). Networking our science to characterize the state, vulnerabilities, and management opportunities of soil organic matter. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY, 24, e705-e718.
• Homyak, P. M., Blankinship, J. C., Slessarev, E. W., Schaeffer, S. M., Manzoni, S., & Schimel, J. P. (2018). Effects of altered dry season length and plant inputs on soluble soil carbon. ECOLOGY, 99, 2348-2362.
• Marchus, K. A., Blankinship, J. C., & Schimel, J. P. (2018). Environmental controls on extracellular polysaccharide accumulation in a California grassland soil. SOIL BIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY, 125, 86-92.
• Rasmussen, C., Heckman, K., Wieder, W. R., Keiluweit, M., Lawrence, C. R., Berhe, A. A., Blankinship, J. C., Crow, S. E., Druhan, J. L., Hicks-Pries, C. E., Marin-Spiotta, E., Plante, A. F., Schaedel, C., Schimel, J. P., Sierra, C. A., Thompson, A., & Wagai, R. (2018). Beyond clay: towards an improved set of variables for predicting soil organic matter content. BIOGEOCHEMISTRY, 137, 297-306.
• Blankinship, J. C., Harden, J. W., Hugelius, G., Ahlström, A., Bond‐Lamberty, B., Lawrence, C. R., Loisel, J., Malhotra, A., Jackson, R. B., Ogle, S., Phillips, C., Ryals, R., Todd‐Brown, K., Vargas, R., Vergara, S. E., Cotrufo, M. F., Keiluweit, M., Heckman, K. A., Crow, S. E., , Silver, W. L., et al. (2017). Networking our science to characterize the state, vulnerabilities, and management opportunities of soil organic matter. Global Change Biology, 24(2). doi:10.1111/gcb.13896
• Carey, C. J., Blankinship, J. C., Eviner, V. T., Malmstrom, C. M., & Hart, S. C. (2017). Invasive plants decrease microbial capacity to nitrify and denitrify compared to native California grassland communities. BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS, 19(10), 2941-2957.
• Harden, J., Hugelius, G., Ahlstrom, A., Blankinship, J., Bond-Lamberty, B., Lawrence, C., Loisel, J., Malhotra, A., Jackson, R., Ogle, S., Phillips, C., Ryals, R., Todd-Brown, K., Vargas, R., Vergara, S., Cotrufo, F., Keiluweit, M., Heckman, K., Crow, S., , Silver, W., et al. (2017). Networking our science to characterize the state, vulnerabilities, and management opportunities of soil organic matter. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY. doi:10.1111/gcb.13896
• Leitner, S., Homyak, P. M., Blankinship, J. C., Eberwein, J., Jenerette, G. D., Zechmeister-Boltenstern, S., & Schimel, J. P. (2017). Linking NO and N2O emission pulses with the mobilization of mineral and organic N upon rewetting dry soils. SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY, 115, 461-466.
• Schimel, J., Becerra, C. A., & Blankinship, J. (2017). Estimating decay dynamics for enzyme activities in soils from different ecosystems. SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY, 114, 5-11.
• Blankinship, J. C., Fonte, S. J., Six, J., & Schimel, J. P. (2016). Plant versus microbial controls on soil aggregate stability in a seasonally dry ecosystem. GEODERMA, 272, 39-50.
• Homyak, P. M., Blankinship, J. C., Marchus, K., Lucero, D. M., Sickman, J. O., & Schimel, J. P. (2016). Aridity and plant uptake interact to make dryland soils hotspots for nitric oxide (NO) emissions. PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 113(19), E2608-E2616.
• Duval, B. D., Blankinship, J. C., Dijkstra, P., & Hungate, B. A. (2015). CO2 effects on plant nutrient concentration depend on plant functional group and available nitrogen: a meta-analysis (Retraction of vol 213, pg 505, 2012). PLANT ECOLOGY, 216(12), 1675-1675.
• Blankinship, J. C., & Hart, S. C. (2014). Hydrological control of greenhouse gas fluxes in a Sierra Nevada subalpine meadow. ARCTIC ANTARCTIC AND ALPINE RESEARCH, 46(2), 355-364.
• Blankinship, J. C., Becerra, C. A., Schaeffer, S. M., & Schimel, J. P. (2014). Separating cellular metabolism from exoenzyme activity in soil organic matter decomposition. SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY, 71, 68-75.
• Blankinship, J. C., Meadows, M. W., Lucas, R. G., & Hart, S. C. (2014). Snowmelt timing alters shallow but not deep soil moisture in the Sierra Nevada. WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH, 50(2), 1448-1456.
• Blankinship, J. C., & Hart, S. C. (2012). Consequences of manipulated snow cover on soil gaseous emission and N retention in the growing season: a meta-analysis. ECOSPHERE, 3(1).
• Brown, J. R., Blankinship, J. C., Niboyet, A., van, G., Dijkstra, P., Le, R. X., Leadley, P. W., & Hungate, B. A. (2012). Effects of multiple global change treatments on soil N2O fluxes. BIOGEOCHEMISTRY, 109(1-3), 85-100.
• Duval, B. D., Blankinship, J. C., Dijkstra, P., & Hungate, B. A. (2012). CO2 effects on plant nutrient concentration depend on plant functional group and available nitrogen: a meta-analysis (Retracted article. See vol. 216, pg. 1675, 2015). PLANT ECOLOGY, 213(3), 505-521.
• Blankinship, J. C., Niklaus, P. A., & Hungate, B. A. (2011). A meta-analysis of responses of soil biota to global change. OECOLOGIA, 165(3), 553-565.
• Dijkstra, P., Blankinship, J. C., Selmants, P. C., Hart, S. C., Koch, G. W., Schwartz, E., & Hungate, B. A. (2011). Probing carbon flux patterns through soil microbial metabolic networks using parallel position-specific tracer labeling. SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY, 43(1), 126-132.
• Niboyet, A., Brown, J. R., Dijkstra, P., Blankinship, J. C., Leadley, P. W., Le, R. X., Barthes, L., Barnard, R. L., Field, C. B., & Hungate, B. A. (2011). Global change could amplify fire effects on soil greenhouse gas emissions. PLOS ONE, 6(6).
• Niboyet, A., Le Roux, X., Dijkstra, P., Hungate, B., Barthes, L., Blankinship, J., Brown, J., Field, C., & Leadley, P. (2011). Testing interactive effects of global environmental changes on soil nitrogen cycling. ECOSPHERE, 2, art56. doi:10.1890/ES10-00148.1
• Blankinship, J. C., Brown, J. R., Dijkstra, P., & Hungate, B. A. (2010). Effects of interactive global changes on methane uptake in an annual grassland. JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-BIOGEOSCIENCES, 115.
• Blankinship, J. C., Brown, J. R., Dijkstra, P., Allwright, M. C., & Hungate, B. A. (2010). Response of terrestrial CH4 uptake to interactive changes in precipitation and temperature along a climatic gradient. ECOSYSTEMS, 13(8), 1157-1170.
• Brown, J. R., Blankinship, J. C., Dijkstra, P., & Hungate, B. A. (2010). Effects of interactive global changes on methane uptake in an annual grassland: CH₄FLUXES AND GLOBAL CHANGE. Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, 115(G2), n/a-n/a. doi:10.1029/2009jg001097
• Blankinship, J. C., Riveros-Iregui, D. A., & Desai, A. R. (2008). NCAR Advanced Study Program students "method hop" their way to regional biogeochemistry. BULLETIN OF THE AMERICAN METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY, 89(10), 1571-1573.
• Barnard, R., Blankinship, J., Le Roux, X., Hungate, B., Cleland, E., Barthes, L., & Paul, L. (2006). Several components of global change alter nitrifying and denitrifying activities in an annual grassland. FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY, 20, 557-564.

Presentations

• Ball, K., & Blankinship, J. (2021). Hung out to dry: How the reliance on metrics developed for soil health assessment in temperate systems may leas to erroneous management advice in arid systems. National Cooperative Soil Survey National Conference.
• Blankinship, J. (2021). Assessing and enhancing soil health to mitigate dust, rehabilitate rangelands, and sustain croplands. ENVS Colloquium.
• Blankinship, J. (2021). Benefits and limitations of Biological Soil Amendments of Animal Origin (BSAAO) for desert soil health. FDA Biological Soil Amendments of Animal Origin (BSAAO) Workshop. Estralla Community College.
• Blankinship, J. (2021). Linking soil health to dust prediction and mitigation: Project updates from University of Arizona research team. Arizona Annual Dust WorkshopNational Weather Service.
• Blankinship, J. (2021). Roles and opportunties of organic matter and microorganisms for arid soil health. Southwest Agricultural Summit. Yuma.
• Blankinship, J. (2021). Soil health research in desert cropping systems. Yuma Center for Excellence in Desert Agriculture (YCEDA) Donors Meeting.
• Blankinship, J., Ball, K., Muscarella, C., & Rathke, S. (2021). The dry side of soil health: Developing a new framework for measuring and enhancing soil health in arid agroecosystems. NRCS Dynamic Soil Properties for Soil Health (DSP4SH) Annual Meeting.
• Blankinship, J., Blankinship, J., Rathke, S., Rathke, S., Babst-Kostecka, A., Babst-Kostecka, A., Gornish, E., Gornish, E., Barberan, A., Barberan, A., Field, J., Field, J., Saez, A. E., Saez, A. E., Rasmussen, C., Rasmussen, C., Tfaily, M., & Tfaily, M. (2021). Mitigating dust pollution for climate-resilient development in arid regions. Symposium on Resilience Research for Global Development ChallengesArizona Institutes for Environment.
• Blankinship, J., Rathke, S., Rasmussen, C., Field, J. P., & Saez, A. E. (2021). Deadly dust on Arizona highways: Developing an improved dust risk index based on soil stabilization mechanisms and Ecological Site Descriptions. National Cooperative Soil Survey National Conference.
• Muscarella, C., Ball, K., & Blankinship, J. (2021). Are extracellular enzyme activities a useful indicator of nutrient availability in semi-arid soils?. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting.
• Blankinship, J. (2020, February). Evaluating and nurturing soil health in desert agriculture. 2020 Southwest Ag Summit. Yuma, AZ.
• Blankinship, J. (2020, January). Evaluating landscape-scale soil health interventions and their ecosystem services. Altar Valley Soil Health Workshop.
• Blankinship, J. (2020, July). Soil organic matter as a holistic indicator of desert soil health. Desert Southwest Soil Health Webinar.
• Blankinship, J. (2020, June). Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) Project Proposal to Yuma Lettuce Industry. Yuma Center for Excellence in Desert Agriculture.
• Blankinship, J. (2020, March). Adding organic materials to accelerate soil stabilization and dust mitigation. 2020 Arizona Dust Workshop. Coolidge, AZ: NOAA, ADEQ, and ADOT.
• Blankinship, J. (2020, September). Assessing and enhancing soil health to mitigate dust, rehabilitate rangelands, and sustain croplands. Northern Arizona University Foresty Departmental Seminar.
• Blankinship, J. (2019, April). Launchging the Arizona Carbon Project: Soil carbon accounting and sequestration in the Sonoran Desert. CALS Deans Research Advisory Committee (DRAC) Meeting. University of Arizona Main Campus.
• Blankinship, J. (2019, April). Soil aggregates in the desert: Where did they go and how do we get them back?. New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology. Socorro, NM: Biology Departmental Seminar.
• Blankinship, J. (2019, December). Predicting and mitigating dust emissions from barren lands. Arizona State Dust Group Fall Meeting. Phoenix, AZ: Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.
• Blankinship, J. (2019, January). Soils! The world beneath your feet. Envirothon. University of Arizona Main Campus.
• Blankinship, J. (2019, March). Testing carbon- and microbial-based strategies for soil stabilization and dust mitigation in barren lands of the Sonoran Desert. 2019 Arizona Dust Storm Workshop. Central Arizona College: National Weather Service.
• Blankinship, J. (2019, November). Advancing the science of soil health in dryland restoration. Society for Ecological Restoration Southwest Chapter Annual Meeting. University of Arizona Main Campus.
• Blankinship, J., Perno, S., Leger, A., & Rathke, S. (2019, January). Manifesting drought in the Desert Southwest: Soil biogeochemical signals and opportunities for mitigation. Soil Science Society of America Annual Meeting. San Diego, CA.
• Leger, A., Rathke, S., & Blankinship, J. (2019, January). Rangeland compost application. Stakeholder outreach meeting with Emily Rockey from Tank's Green Stuff. University of Arizona Main Campus.
• Leger, A., Rathke, S., & Blankinship, J. (2019, March). Soil health and soil organic matter in southern Arizona. UA Earth Week Plneary Session Lightning Talks. University of Arizona Main Campus.
• Leger, A., Rathke, S., & Blankinship, J. (2019, November). Mulch and compost for semi-arid grassland restoration: Influences on soil health and vegetation. Society for Ecological Restoration Southwest Chapter Annual Meeting. University of Arizona Main Campus.
• Trumbore, S., Hoyt, A., Lawrence, C., Monroe, G., Heckman, K., Sierra, C., Blankinship, J., Beem-Miller, J., Stoner, S., & McNichol, G. (2019, April). ISRaD: the International Soil Radiocarbon Database. European Geophysical Union Annual Meeting. Vienna, Austria.
• Blankinship, J. (2018, August). Improving soil health in low-productivity rangelands. Discussion with Arizona State Land Department. Phoenix, AZ.
• Blankinship, J. (2018, August). Increasing soil value: quantifying organic matter and its benefits for soil health and agricultural sustainability in Arizona. Arizona Pecan Growers Association Annual Meeting. Desert Diamond Hotel, Tucson, AZ.
• Blankinship, J. (2018, August). Potential for mitigating wind erosion in the Sonoran Desert using organic amendments and microbes to build soil aggregates. Soil and Water Conservation Society Annual Conference. Albuquerque, NM.
• Blankinship, J. (2018, July). Nurturing soil health in degraded arid rangelands. Altar Valley Conservation Alliance Science Advisory Board Meeting. Tucson.
• Blankinship, J. (2018, May). Micro-niche formation in arid systems. Biosphere 2 Workshop: Eco-Engineering of Life in Arid Landscapes. Biosphere 2: University of Arizona RDI.
• Blankinship, J., Leger, A., Perno, S., & Rathke, S. (2019, January). Manifesting drought in the Desert Southwest: soil biogeochemical signals and opportunities for mitigation. Soiil Science Society of America Annual Meeting. San Diego, CA.
• Hart, S., & Blankinship, J. (2018, June). Consequences of warming and altered snowmelt timing on greenhouse gas fluxes and soil N cycling in the Sierra Nevada rain-snow transition zone. North American Forest Soils Conference International Symposium on Forest Soils. Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.
• Homyak, P., Blankinship, J., Slessarev, E., Schaeffer, S., Manzoni, S., & Schimel, J. (2018, August). Mechanisms governing soluble soil carbon in drying soils: exoenzymes vs. physics. Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting. New Orleans, LA.
• Lawrence, C., Beem-Miller, J., Blankinship, J., Crow, S., Hatte, C., Heckman, K., He, Y., Hoyt, A., Keiluweit, M., Monroe, G., Sierra, C., Stoner, S., Treat, C., & Trumbore, S. (2018, December). The International Soil Radiocarbon Database (ISRaD): a new resource for the synthesis of soil radiocarbon data across scales. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting. Washington, D.C..
• Blankinship, J. (2017, May). What lies below? Improving understanding and quantification of soil carbon storage. United States Geological Survey Powell Center Seminar Series. Fort Collins, CO.
• Blankinship, J. (2017, October). Building soil aggregates to improve soil health and accelerate restoration of degraded arid ecosystems. Altar Valley Conservation Alliance Board of Directors Meeting.
• Blankinship, J., & Lawrence, C. (2017, June). Nurturing a mechanistic view of soil health. Ecology of Soil Health Summit.
• Blankinship, J., Morse, H., Marchus, K., & Schimel, J. (2017, June). Using extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) from bacteria to make soils more drought-adapted. Soil Ecology Society Biennial Meeting.

Poster Presentations

• Ball, K., Crow, S., Brien, C., Berhe, A., Rathke, S., & Blankinship, J. (2021). Inorganic carbon mediates tillage legacy effects on soil organic carbon stocks in arid agricultural soils. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting. New Orleans, LA.
• Hart, S., & Blankinship, J. (2021). Transferring forest soil to a lower altitude enhances greenhouse gas fluxes and nitrogen transformations in a Mediterranean-type climate. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting.
• Hoglund, S., Rathke, S., & Blankinship, J. (2019, July). Increasing soil carbon for desert agriculture. United States Biochar Initiative (USBI) Annual Meeting. Fort Collins, CO.
• Hoglund, S., Rathke, S., & Blankinship, J. (2019, March). Increasing soil carbon for future water solutions and desert agricultural sustainability. ALVSCE Poster Forum. University of Arizona Main Campus.
• Hoglund, S., Rathke, S., & Blankinship, J. (2019, March). Increasing soil carbon for future water solutions and desert agricultural sustainability. SWESx Poster Fourm. University of Arizona Main Campus.
• Leger, A., Rathke, S., & Blankinship, J. (2019, March). Soil amendments and soil organic matter to improve soil health. SWESx Poster Session. University of Arizona Main Campus.
• Beem-Miller, J., Lawrence, C., Blankinship, J., Hoyt, A., Stoner, S., Sierra, C., Monroe, G., McNicol, G., He, Y., Hatte, C., Treat, C., Crow, S., Heckman, K., Keiluweit, M., & Trumbore, S. (2018, June). From fractions to fluxes: the International Soil Radiocarbon Database. International Radiocarbon Annual Conference. Trondheim, Norway.
• Jones, J., & Blankinship, J. (2018, April). Biochar as a potential means for climate change mitigation and adaptation in dryland soils. SWESx. Tucson, AZ: UA Earth Week.
• Leger, A., & Blankinship, J. (2018, April). Challenges and opportunities for carbon sequestration in dryland ecosystems. SWESx. Tucson, AZ: UA Earth Week.
• Perno, S., & Blankinship, J. (2018, April). The effects of wet-dry cycles on greenhouse gas emissions from southern Arizona compost sources. SWESx. Tucson, AZ: UA Earth Week.
• Gebhardt, M., Espinosa, N., Blankinship, J., & Gallery, R. E. (2017, Dec). B14B-02: A meta-analysis of soil exoenzyme responses to simulated climate change. American Geophysical Union (AGU). New Orleans, LA: AGU.
• Perno, S., & Blankinship, J. (2018, January). The effects of wet-dry cycles on greenhouse gas emissions from southern Arizona compost sources. Undergraduate Biology Research Program Annual Conference.

Others

• Blankinship, J., Hungate, B., & Schwartz, E. (2015, October). Soil methanotrophic communities after simulated climate change along an elevation gradient. KNOWLEDGE NETWORK FOR BIOCOMPLEXITY.