Mitchel P Mcclaran

Interests

Research

Rangeland Vegetation Dynamics, Rangeland Management

Teaching

Rangeland Plant Communities, Rangeland Management

Courses

Scholarly Contributions

Chapters

• Pulido, F., McCreary, D., Canellas, I., Mcclaran, M. P., & Plieninger, M. (2013). Oak regeneration: ecological dynamics and restoration techniques.. In Mediterranean Oak Woodland Working Landscapes: Dehesas of Spain and Ranchlands of California.(pp 123-144). Springer-Verlag.

Journals/Publications

• Brugger, J., Mcclaran, M. P., & Sprinkle, J. (2019). Story-telling natural resource conflict on U.S. public lands.. Ethnos: Journal of Anthropology, 85(1), 54-78. doi:1080/00141844.2018.1456476
• Gillan, J., Mcclaran, M. P., Swetnam, T. L., & Heilman, P. (2019). Estimating forage utilization with drone-based photogrammetric point clouds. Rangeland Ecology and Management, 72, 575-585.
• Weston, J., Mcclaran, M. P., Whittle, R., Black, C. W., & Fehmi, J. S. (2019). Satellite Patches, Patch Expansion, and Doubling Time as Decision Metrics for Invasion Control: Pennisetum ciliare Expansion in Southwestern Arizona. Invasive Plant Science and Management, 12, 36-42.
• Brugger, J., Hawkes, K. L., Bowen, A. M., & Mcclaran, M. P. (2018). Framework for a collaborative process to increase preparation for drought on U.S. public rangelands.. Ecology and Society, 23(4), 18.
• Choy-ing, H., Archer, S. R., Mcclaran, M. P., & Marsh, S. E. (2018). Shrub encroachment into grasslands: end of an era?. PeerJ, 6. doi:10.7717/peerj.5474.
• Hawkes, K., Mcclaran, M. P., Brugger, J., Crimmins, M. A., Howery, L. D., Ruyle, G. B., Sprinkle, J., & Tolleson, D. (2018). Guide to Co-Developing Drought Preparation Plans for Livestock on Southwest National Forests. University of Arizona Cooperartive Extension Bullletin, az1764, 80.
• Swetnam, T., Gillan, J., Sankey, T., Mcclaran, M. P., Nichols, M., Heilman, P., & McVay, J. (2018). Considerations for achieving cross-platform point cloud data fusion across different dryland ecosystem structural states. Frontiers in Plant Science, 8, 13. doi:10.3389/fpls.2017.02144
• Tolleson, D., Sprinkle, J., Ruyle, G. B., Howery, L. D., Crimmins, M. A., Mcclaran, M. P., Brugger, J., & Hawkes, K. (2018). Guide to Co-Developing Drought Preparation Plans for Livestock Grazing on Southwest National Forests. Peer-Reviewed Arizona Cooperative Extension Publication (az1764), 80.
  More info

  Hawkes, K., M. McClaran, J. Brugger, M, Crimmins, L. Howery, G. Ruyle, J. Sprinkle, and D. Tolleson. 2018. Co-Developing Drought Preparation Plans for Livestock Grazing on Southwest National Forests. Peer-Reviewed Arizona Cooperative Extension Publication (az1764).
• Tolleson, D., Sprinkle, J., Ruyle, G. B., Howery, L. D., Crimmins, M. A., Mcclaran, M. P., Brugger, J., & Hawkes, K. (2018). Guide to Co-Developing Drought Preparation Plans for Livestock Grazing on Southwest National Forests. University of Arizona Cooperative Extension Bulletin, 80.
• Baghi, S., Singh, N., Briske, D. D., Bestelmeyer, B., Mcclaran, M. P., & Murty, K. (2017). Quantifying long-term trajectories of plant community change with movement models: implication for ecological resilience.. Ecological Applications, 27, 1514-1528.
• Brischke, A. S., Tolleson, D., Hall, A. L., Brugger, J., Mcclaran, M. P., & Crimmins, M. A. (2017). Rain Gauges for Range Management: Precipitation Monitoring Best Practices Guide. University of Arizona Cooperative Extension Publication, 7.
  More info

  Precipitation in the form of rain and snow is critical to many aspects of working lands from controlling the growth of vegetation used in grazing by livestock and wildlife to recharging local water resources found in springs, tanks and riparian areas. Land management decisions often require some knowledge of how much precipitation fell within a management unit to assess how past actions have performed and what to do next. For example, do forage conditions reflect a lack of precipitation or grazing management? Did the next pasture or allotment in my rotation get any rainfall over the past season?
• Crimmins, M. A., Mcclaran, M. P., Brugger, J., Hall, A. L., Tolleson, D., & Brischke, A. S. (2017). Rain Gauges for Range Management: Precipitation Monitoring Best Practices Guide. University of Arizona Cooperative Extension Fast Track.
• Crimmins, M. A., Mcclaran, M. P., Hall, A. L., Brugger, J., & Tolleson, D. (2017). Do-it-yourself Construction Guide: Rugged Accumulation Precipitation Gauge for Remote Monitoring. University of Arizona Cooperative Extension Fast Track.
• Mcclaran, M. P., Sankey, T., McVay, J., Swetnam, T., Heilman, P., & Nichols, M. (2017). Hyperspectral and lidar data fusion for arid and semi-arid land vegetation monitoring.. Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation, 44. doi:doi: 10.1002/rse2.44.
• Brugger, J., & Mcclaran, M. P. (2016). Ranchers, Forest Service, and University of Arizona are co-developing approaches to improve planning for drought on public lands, Part II. DroughtScape: National Drought Mitigation Center Newsletter.
• Brugger, J., Crimmins, M. A., & Mcclaran, M. P. (2016). Groups co-develop approaches to improve planning for drought on public lands.. DroughtScape: Newsletter National Drought Mitigation Center, 16-18.
• Chu, C., Kleinhessellink, A., Havstad, K., Mcclaran, M. P., Peters, D., Vermiere, L., Wei, H., & Adler, P. (2016). Direct effects dominate responses to climate perturbations in grassland plant communities.. Nature Communications, 7, 11766. doi:10.1038/ncomms11766
• Crimmins, M. A., Crimmins, M. A., Mcclaran, M. P., & Mcclaran, M. P. (2016). Where do seasonal climate predictions belong in the drought management toolbox?. Rangelands, 38, 169-176.
• Jernigan, M. B., Mcclaran, M. P., Biedenbender, S. H., & Fehmi, J. S. (2016). Uprooted buffelgrass thatch reduces buffelgrass seedling stablishment.. Arid Land Research and Management, 30, 320-329.
• Williamson, J. C., Bestelmeyer, B. T., Mcclaran, M. P., Robinett, D., Briske, D. D., Wu, B., & Fernadez-Gimenez, M. (2016). Can ecological land classification increase the utility of vegetation monitoring data?. Ecological Indicators, 69, 657-666.
• Brugger, J., & Mcclaran, M. P. (2015). Ranchers, Forest Service, University of Arizona co-develop approaches to improve planning for drought on public lands.. DroughtScape: National Drought Mitigation Center Newsletter., 12-13.
• Mcclaran, M. P., Butler, G. J., Wei, H., & Ruyle, G. B. (2015). Increased preparation for drought among livestock producers reliant on rain-fed forage. Natural Hazards, 79, 151-170.
• Chu, C., Havstad, K., Lauenroth, W., Peters, D., Mcclaran, M. P., Vermeire, L., & Adler, P. (2014). Life form influences survivorship patterns for 109 herbaceous perennials from six semi-arid ecosystems.. Journal of Vegetation Science, 25, 947-954.
• Mcclaran, M. P., & Wei, H. (2014). Recent drought phase in a 73-year record at two spatial scales: Implications for livestock production on rangelands in the Southwestern United States. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 197, 40-51.
• Moran, M. S., Ponce-Campos, G., Huete, A., Mcclaran, M. P., Zhang, Y., Hamerlynck, E., Augustine, D., Gunther, S., Kitchen, S., Peters, D., Starks, P. J., & Hernandez, M. (2014). Functional response of U.S. grasslands to the early 21st century drought.. Ecology, 95, 2121.
• Perlinski, A. T., Paige, G. B., & McClaran, M. P. (2014). Evaluating a state-and-transition model using a long-term dataset. Rangeland Ecology and Management, 67(2), 173-182.
  More info

  Abstract: State-and-transition models (STMs) are used in natural resource management to describe ecological site scale response to natural and anthropogenic disturbances. STMs are primarily based for expert opinion and literature reviews, lacking analytical testing to support vegetation community dynamics, thresholds, and state changes. We developed a unique approach, combining ordination and permutation MANOVA (perMANOVA) with raw data interpretation, to examine vegetation data structure and identify thresholds for a STM. We used a long-term monitoring dataset for an ecological site on the Santa Rita Experimental Range, Arizona. Basal cover of perennial grasses and canopy cover of shrubs and cacti were measured on permanent transects beginning in 1957. Data were grouped by drivers identified by the STM including species invasion, grazing, drought, and mesquite treatment. Ordination by nonmetric multidimensional scaling described the structure of the data. PerMANOVA was used to test for differences between groups of sample units. Analyses of combined key species (Lehmann's lovegrass and mesquite Prosopis velutina Woot.") and nonkey species patterns demonstrated an irreversible transition and occurrence of a structural threshold due to Lehmann's lovegrass invasion, as well as a short-term reversible transition (restoration pathway) following mesquite treatment. Sensitivity analysis, in which key species were removed from the dataset, showed that the relative composition of nonkey species did not differ between states previously defined by the key species. This apparent disconnect between dynamics of key and nonkey species may be related to changes in the functional attributes that were not monitored during this time series. Our analyses suggest that, for this ecological site, transition to a Lehmann's lovegrass state occurs when basal cover of this species exceeds 1-2%, which often occurs within 6 yr of its arrival. Evaluation of the restoration pathway showed a recrossing of the threshold within 6 yr of treatment and when mesquite canopy cover exceeded 10%. © 2014 The Society for Range Management.
• Polyakov, V., Nichols, M. H., Mcclaran, M. P., & Nearing, M. (2014). Effect of check dams on runoff, sediment yield and retention on small semi-arid watersheds.. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, 69, 414-421.
• Archer, S. R., McMurtry, C., & Mcclaran, M. P. (2013). A tool for estimating impacts of woody encroachment in arid grasslands: allometric equations for biomass, carbon and nitrogen content in Prosopis velutina. J Arid Environments, 88, 39-42.
• Chu, C., Havstad, K. M., Kaplan, N., Lauenroth, W. K., Mcclaran, M. P., Peters, D. P., Vermeire, L. T., & Adler, P. B. (2013). Life form influences survivorship patterns for 109 herbaceous perennials from six semi-arid ecosystems. Journal of Vegetation Science.
  More info

  Abstract: Questions: What factors explain the variation in plant survival parameters across species and ecosystems? Location: Western North America. Methods: We compiled six long-term data sets from western North America to test for ecosystem-dependent demographic responses for forbs and grasses. Based on these data, we characterized 123 survivorship curves for 109 species. Three demographic parameters were extracted from these survivorship curves: survival rate at age 1, life expectancy at age 1, and a parameter describing the shape of the survivorship curve. We used a mixed effects model to compare the differences in demographic parameters between life forms (forbs or grasses) and among ecosystems, incorporating 'ecosystem' as a random factor, with life form treated as a categorical factor, and mean annual precipitation and mean annual temperature treated as continuous variables. Results: Grasses had higher survival and longer life expectancy than forbs at 1 yr of age. Both forbs and grasses followed Type III survivorship curves, although forbs were closer to Type II compared to the grasses. Averaging across species, hazard ratios for whole survivorship curves differed among most ecosystems. While mean annual precipitation had no effect on any demographic parameter, mean annual temperature had a significantly negative effect on both first year survival rates and life expectancy for forbs. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that life form exerts a strong influence on demographic parameters and their response to temperature variation among ecosystems. This unprecedented information on the age-specific demography of herbaceous plants has implications for population modelling and research on life-history evolution and senescence. We compiled six long-term datasets from western North America to test for ecosystem-dependent survival patterns of forbs and grasses. We found that life form exerts a strong influence on survival parameters and their response to temperature variation among ecosystems. The age-specific demography of herbaceous plants has implications for population modeling and research on life history evolution and senescence. © 2013 International Association for Vegetation Science.
• E., G., Moran, M. S., Huete, A., Zhang, Y., Bresloff, C., Huxman, T. E., Eamus, D., Bosch, D. D., Buda, A. R., Gunter, S. A., Scalley, T. H., Kitchen, S. G., Mcclaran, M. P., Mcnab, W. H., Montoya, D. S., Morgan, J. A., P., D., Sadler, E. J., Seyfried, M. S., & Starks, P. J. (2013). Ecosystem resilience despite large-scale altered hydroclimatic conditions. Nature, 494(7437), 349-352.
  More info

  PMID: 23334410;Abstract: Climate change is predicted to increase both drought frequency and duration, and when coupled with substantial warming, will establish a new hydroclimatological model for many regions. Large-scale, warm droughts have recently occurred in North America, Africa, Europe, Amazonia and Australia, resulting in major effects on terrestrial ecosystems, carbon balance and food security. Here we compare the functional response of above-ground net primary production to contrasting hydroclimatic periods in the late twentieth century (1975-1998), and drier, warmer conditions in the early twenty-first century (2000-2009) in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. We find a common ecosystem water-use efficiency (WUE e: Above-ground net primary production/ evapotranspiration) across biomes ranging from grassland to forest that indicates an intrinsic system sensitivity to water availability across rainfall regimes, regardless of hydroclimatic conditions. We found higher WUE e in drier years that increased significantly with drought to a maximum WUE e across all biomes; and a minimum native state in wetter years that was common across hydroclimatic periods. This indicates biome-scale resilience to the interannual variability associated with the early twenty-first century drought - that is, the capacity to tolerate low, annual precipitation and to respond to subsequent periods of favourable water balance. These findings provide a conceptual model of ecosystem properties at the decadal scale applicable to the widespread altered hydroclimatic conditions that are predicted for later this century. Understanding the hydroclimatic threshold that will break down ecosystem resilience and alter maximum WUE e may allow us to predict land-surface consequences as large regions become more arid, starting with water-limited, low-productivity grasslands. © 2013 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved.
• Gold, A. J., Gold, A. J., Parker, D., Parker, D., Waskom, R. M., Waskom, R. M., Dobrowolski, J., Dobrowolski, J., O'Neill, M., O'Neill, M., Groffman, P. M., Groffman, P. M., Addy, K., Addy, K., Barber, M., Barber, M., Batie, S., Batie, S., Benham, B., , Benham, B., et al. (2013). Advancing water resource management in agricultural, rural, and urbanizing watersheds: why land-grant universities matter. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, 68(4), 337-348.
• Gold, A. J., Parker, D., Waskom, R. M., Dobrowolski, J., O'Neill, M., Groffman, P. M., Addy, K., Barber, M., Batie, S., Benham, B., Bianchi, M., Blewett, T., Evensen, C., Farrell-Poe, K., Gardner, C., Graham, W., Harrison, J., Harter, T., Kushner, J., , Lowrance, R., et al. (2013). Advancing water resource management in agricultural, rural, and urbanizing watersheds: Why land-grant universities matter. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, 68(4), 337-348.
• McClaran, M. P., McMurtry, C. R., & Archer, S. R. (2013). A tool for estimating impacts of woody encroachment in arid grasslands: Allometric equations for biomass, carbon and nitrogen content in Prosopis velutina. Journal of Arid Environments, 88, 39-42.
  More info

  Abstract: Regression equations were developed to estimate above ground biomass and carbon and nitrogen mass of foliage and stem size fractions from plant size dimensions (basal diameter, canopy area, height, canopy volume) for a tall shrub species (Prosopis velutina) that has increased in abundance in arid and semi-arid grasslands in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. Regression equations were also developed to describe relationships among the dimensions of plant size. All equations were significant (p < 0.001); and all but two had r2 values >0.72. In addition to species-specific information, we found support for the global patterns of foliar biomass increasing to the 3/4 power of stem biomass and height increasing to the 1/2 power of stem diameter. We provide a comprehensive report of all equations, which can support a variety of in situ (ground-based), modeling, and remote-sensing objectives related to quantifying changes in ecosystem function and carbon sequestration accompanying changes in woody plant abundance. We advocate that comprehensive reporting should become more common for arid and semi-arid woody species in order to support a broad spectrum of users while laying the foundation for the development of global generalizations similar to those available for forest trees. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd.
• Mcclaran, M. P., McMurtry, C., & Archer, S. R. (2013). A tool for estimating impacts of woody encroachment in arid grasslands: allometric equations for biomass, carbon and nitrogen content in Prosopis velutina.. Journal of Arid Environments, 88, 39-42.
• Moore, P. E., W., J., Yee, J. L., McClaran, M. P., Cole, D. N., McDougald, N. K., & Brooks, M. L. (2013). Net primary productivity of subalpine meadows in yosemite national park in relation to climate variability. Western North American Naturalist, 73(4), 409-418.
  More info

  Abstract: Subalpine meadows are some of the most ecologically important components of mountain landscapes, and primary productivity is important to the maintenance of meadow functions. Understanding how changes in primary productivity are associated with variability in moisture and temperature will become increasingly important with current and anticipated changes in climate. Our objective was to describe patterns and variability in aboveground live vascular plant biomass in relation to climatic factors. We harvested aboveground biomass at peak growth from four 64-mplots each in xeric, mesic, and hydric meadows annually from 1994 to 2000. Data from nearby weather stations provided independent variables of spring snow water content, snow-free date, and thawing degree days for a cumulative index of available energy. We assembled these climatic variables into a set of mixed effects analysis of covariance models to evaluate their relationships with annual aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP), and we used an information theoretic approach to compare the quality of fit among candidate models. ANPP in the xeric meadow was negatively related to snow water content and thawing degree days and in the mesic meadow was negatively related to snow water content. Relationships between ANPP and these 2 covariates in the hydric meadow were not significant. Increasing snow water content may limit ANPP in these meadows if anaerobic conditions delay microbial activity and nutrient availability. Increased thawing degree days may limit ANPP in xeric meadows by prematurely depleting soil moisture. Large within-year variation of ANPP in the hydric meadow limited sensitivity to the climatic variables. These relationships suggest that, under projected warmer and drier conditions, ANPP will increase in mesic meadows but remain unchanged in xeric meadows because declines associated with increased temperatures would offset the increases from decreased snow water content. © 2013.
• Moore, P. E., van Wagtendonk, J., Yee, J. L., Mcclaran, M. P., Cole, D. N., McDougald, N. K., & Brooks, M. L. (2013). Net primary productivity of subalpine meadows in Yosemite National Park in relation to climate variability.. Western North American Naturalist.
• Ponce-Campos, G. E., Moran, M. S., Huete, A., Zhang, Y., Bresloff, C., Huxman, T., McNab, D. E., Bosh, D. D., Buda, A. R., Gunther, S. A., Scalley, T. H., Kitchen, S., Mcclaran, M. P., Montoya, D. S., Morgan, J. A., Peters, D., Sadler, E. J., Seyfried, M. S., & Starks, P. J. (2013). Ecosystem resilience despite large-scale altered hydroclimatic condition.. Nature.
• Zhang, Y., Moran, M. S., Nearing, M. A., E., G., Huete, A. R., Buda, A. R., Bosch, D. D., Gunter, S. A., Kitchen, S. G., McNab, W. H., Morgan, J. A., McClaran, M. P., Montoya, D. S., Peters, D. P., & Starks, P. J. (2013). Extreme precipitation patterns and reductions of terrestrial ecosystem production across biomes. Journal of Geophysical Research G: Biogeosciences, 118(1), 148-157.
  More info

  Abstract: Precipitation regimes are predicted to shift to more extreme patterns that are characterized by more heavy rainfall events and longer dry intervals, yet their ecological impacts on vegetation production remain uncertain across biomes in natural climatic conditions. This in situ study investigated the effects of these climatic conditions on aboveground net primary production (ANPP) by combining a greenness index from satellite measurements and climatic records during 2000-2009 from 11 long-term experimental sites in multiple biomes and climates. Results showed that extreme precipitation patterns decreased the sensitivity of ANPP to total annual precipitation (PT) at the regional and decadal scales, leading to decreased rain use efficiency (RUE; by 20% on average) across biomes. Relative decreases in ANPP were greatest for arid grassland (16%) and Mediterranean forest (20%) and less for mesic grassland and temperate forest (3%). The cooccurrence of heavy rainfall events and longer dry intervals caused greater water stress conditions that resulted in reduced vegetation production. A new generalized model was developed using a function of both PT and an index of precipitation extremes and improved predictions of the sensitivity of ANPP to changes in precipitation patterns. Our results suggest that extreme precipitation patterns have substantially negative effects on vegetation production across biomes and are as important as P T. With predictions of more extreme weather events, forecasts of ecosystem production should consider these nonlinear responses to altered extreme precipitation patterns associated with climate change. Key Points Extreme rainfall events reduced the sensitivity of ANPP to total annual rainfallCo-occurrence of intense rainfall and longer dry interval reduced greater ANPPA new model improved predictions of ANPP by accounting for extreme patterns ©2012. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved.
• Zhang, Y., Moran, M. S., Nearing, M. A., Ponce-Campos, G. E., Huete, A. R., Buda, A. R., Bosh, D. D., Gunther, S. A., Kitchen, S., McNabb, W. H., Morgan, J. A., Mcclaran, M. P., Montoya, D. S., Peters, D., & Starks, P. J. (2013). Extreme precipitation patterns reduced terrestrial ecosystem production across biomes.. Journal of Geophysical Research-Biogeosciences.
• Anderson, J., McClaran, M., & Adler, P. (2012). Cover and density of semi-desert grassland plants in permanent quadrats mapped from 1915 to 1947. Ecology, 93, 1492.
• Bagchi, A., Briske, D., Wu, X., McClaran, M., Bestelmeyer, B., & Fernandez-Gimenez, M. (2012). Empirical assessment of state-and-transition models with a long-term vegetation record from the Sonoran Desert. Ecological Applications, 22, 400-411.
• Bagchi, S., Briske, D. D., Wu, X. B., McClaran, M. P., Bestelmeyer, B. T., & Fernández-Giménez, M. E. (2012). Empirical assessment of state-and-transition models with a long-term vegetation record from the Sonoran Desert. Ecological Applications, 22(2), 400-411.
  More info

  PMID: 22611843;Abstract: Resilience-based frameworks, including state-and-transition models (STM), are being increasingly called upon to inform policy and guide ecosystem management, particularly in rangelands. Yet, multiple challenges impede their effective implementation: (1) paucity of empirical tests of resilience concepts, such as alternative states and thresholds, and (2) heavy reliance on expert models, which are seldom tested against empirical data. We developed an analytical protocol to identify unique plant communities and their transitions, and applied it to a long-term vegetation record from the Sonoran Desert (1953-2009). We assessed whether empirical trends were consistent with resilience concepts, and evaluated how they may inform the construction and interpretation of expert STMs. Seven statistically distinct plant communities were identified based on the cover of 22 plant species in 68 permanent transects. We recorded 253 instances of community transitions, associated with changes in species composition between successive samplings. Expectedly, transitions were more frequent among proximate communities with similar species pools than among distant communities. But unexpectedly, communities and transitions were not strongly constrained by soil type and topography. Only 18 transitions featured disproportionately large compositional turnover (species dissimilarity ranged between 0.54 and 0.68), and these were closely associated with communities that were dominated by the common shrub (burroweed, Haplopappus tenuisecta); indicating that only some, and not all, communities may be prone to large compositional change. Temporal dynamics in individual transects illustrated four general trajectories: stability, nondirectional drift, reversibility, and directional shifts that were not reversed even after 2-3 decades. The frequency of transitions and the accompanying species dissimilarity were both positively correlated with fluctuation in precipitation, indicating that climatic drivers require more attention in STMs. Many features of the expert models, including the number of communities and participant species, were consistent with empirical trends, but expert models underrepresented recent increases in cacti while overemphasizing the introduced Lehmann's lovegrass (Eragrostis lehmanniana). Quantification of communities and transitions within long-term vegetation records presents several quantitative metrics such as transition frequency, magnitude of accompanying compositional change, presence of unidirectional trajectories, and lack of reversibility within various timescales, which can clarify resilience concepts and inform the construction and interpretation of STMs. © 2012 by the Ecological Society of America.
• Butler, G., Ruyle, G. B., Mcclaran, M. P., & Austin, D. E. (2012). Ranching with drought.. Arizona Cattlelog, 66(8), 16-17.
• Mcclaran, M. P. (2012). Santa Rita Experimental Range Long Term Transect Database. Biodiversity & Ecology, 4, 435.
• Olsson, A. D., Betancourt, J., Mcclaran, M. P., & Marsh, S. E. (2012). Sonoran Desert Ecosystem transformation by a C ₄ grass without the grass/fire cycle. Diversity and Distributions, 18(1), 10-21.
  More info

  Abstract: Aim Biological invasions facilitate ecosystem transformation by altering the structure and function, diversity, dominance and disturbance regimes. A classic case is the grass-fire cycle in which grass invasion increases the frequency, scale and/or intensity of wildfires and promotes the continued invasion of invasive grasses. Despite wide acceptance of the grass-fire cycle, questions linger about the relative roles that interspecific plant competition and fire play in ecosystem transformations. Location Sonoran Desert Arizona Upland of the Santa Catalina Mountains, Arizona, USA. Methods We measured species cover, density and saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea) size structure along gradients of Pennisetum ciliare invasion at 10 unburned/ungrazed P. ciliare patches. Regression models quantified differences in diversity, cover and density with respect to P. ciliare cover, and residence time and a Fisher's exact test detected demographic changes in saguaro populations. Because P. ciliare may have initially invaded locations that were both more invasible and less diverse, we ran analyses with and without the plots in which initial infestations were located. Results Richness and diversity decreased with P. ciliare cover as did cover and density of most dominant species. Richness and diversity declined with increasing time since invasion, suggesting an ongoing transformation. The proportion of old-to-young Carnegiea gigantea was significantly lower in plots with dominant P. ciliare cover. Main conclusions Rich desert scrub (15-25 species per plot) was transformed into depauperate grassland (2-5 species per plot) within 20years following P. ciliare invasion without changes to the fire regime. While the onset of a grass-fire cycle may drive ecosystem change in the later stages and larger scales of grass invasions of arid lands, competition by P. ciliare can drive small-scale transformations earlier in the invasion. Linking competition-induced transformation rates with spatially explicit models of spread may be necessary for predicting landscape-level impacts on ecosystem processes in advance of a grass-fire cycle. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
• Olsson, A., Betancourt, J., McClaran, M., & Marsh, S. (2012). Sonoran desert ecosystem transformation by a C4 grass without the grass/fire cycle. Diversity and Distributions, 18, 10-21.
• Goodrich, D., Guertin, D., Burns, I., Nearing, M., Stone, J., Wei, H., Heilman, P., Hernandez, M., Speath, K., Pierson, F., Page, G., Miller, S., Kepner, W., Ruyle, G., McClaran, M., Weltz, M., & Jolley, L. (2011). AGWA: The automated geospatial watershed assessment tool to inform rangeland management. Rangelands, 33(4), 41-47.
• Huang, C., Archer, S., McClaran, M., & Marsh, S. (2011). Long-term cross-scale assessment of woody cover stability in drylands. 34th International Symposium on Remote Sensing of Environment - The GEOSS Era: Towards Operational Environmental Monitoring.
  More info

  Abstract: Grasslands and savannas characterize much of the world's dryland ecosystems. Various lines of evidence indicate the grass/shrub balance in these systems has destabilized in the recent decades. Here, we link long-term field and remote sensing observations to quantify woody plant dynamics at a site in the southwestern USA where Prosopis velutina has proliferated in semi-desert grassland. Field records revealed that the overall trend can be dissected into three phases: Rapid expansion (1957-1991), abrupt decline (1991-1997) and stabilization (1997-2006). The contributions of land histories and topo-edaphic factors to the trend were complex. Remote sensing observations indicated net declines in woody cover since 1984. Some of these occurred at sites with recent fires, whereas others may reflect density dependent dynamics. Notable exceptions occurred at low elevations where cacti proliferated. This study confirms that temporal and spatial dynamics of woody cover change are not unidirectional and are influenced by complex combinations of factors.
• Ponce, G., Moran, S., Huete, A., Bresloff, C., Huxman, T., Bosch, D., Bradford, J., Buda, A., Gunter, S., McNab, H., McClaran, M., Peters, D., Sadler, J., Seyfried, M., Starks, P., Montoya, D. S., & Heartsill, T. (2011). Convergence of dynamic vegetation net productivity responses to precipitation variability from 10 years of MODIS EVI. 34th International Symposium on Remote Sensing of Environment - The GEOSS Era: Towards Operational Environmental Monitoring.
  More info

  Abstract: According to Global Climate Models (GCMs) the occurrence of extreme events of precipitation will be more frequent in the future. Therefore, important challenges arise regarding climate variability, which are mainly related to the understanding of ecosystem responses to changes in precipitation patterns. Previous studies have found that Above-ground Net Primary Productivity (ANPP) was positively related to increases in annual precipitation and this relation may converge across biomes during dry years. One challenge in studying this ecosystem response at the continental scale is the lack of ANPP field measurements over extended areas. In this study, the MODIS EVI was utilized as a surrogate for ANPP and combined with precipitation datasets from twelve different experimental sites across the United States over a 10-year period. Results from this analysis confirmed that integrated-EVI for different biomes converged toward common precipitation use efficiency during water-limited periods and may be a viable surrogate for ANPP measurements for further ecological research.
• Polyakov, V. O., Nearing, M. A., Nichols, M. H., Scott, R. L., Stone, J. J., & McClaran, M. P. (2010). Long-term runoff and sediment yields from small semiarid watersheds in southern Arizona. Water Resources Research, 46(9).
  More info

  Abstract: This study presents analysis of 34 years of precipitation, runoff, and sediment data collected from eight small (1.1-4.0 ha) semiarid rangeland watersheds in southern Arizona, USA. Average annual precipitation ranged between 354 and 458 mm with 53% of the total rainfall occurring from July through September. Runoff depth was 3.5%-13.9% of annual precipitation depth for individual watersheds and 9.2% on average. Runoff events with missing sediment data were estimated to account for 30% of the total sediment yield. Sediment yields were highly variable, ranging between 0.85 t ha-1 yr -1 and 6.69 t ha-1 yr-1 with an average of 2.4 t ha-1 yr-1. Ten percent of rainfall events with the largest sediment yields produced over 50% of the total sediment yield during the 34 year period. Linear regression models were developed to relate precipitation and runoff characteristics to watershed sediment yield. Maximum 30 min precipitation intensity was the primary factor affecting runoff, and runoff was the best predictor for sediment yield, explaining up to 90% of its variability. Fire and drought may have significantly altered the hydrologic and sediment response on some of the watersheds, but lack of continuous monitoring of vegetation on the watershed areas complicated interpretation of both fire and grazing management effects. Copyright 2010 by the American Geophysical Union.
• Moran, M. S., Hutchinson, B. S., Marsh, S. E., McClaran, M. P., & Olsson, A. D. (2009). Archiving and distributing three long-term interconnected geospatial data sets. IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, 47(1), 59-71.
  More info

  Abstract: Repeat remote sensing field campaigns at experimental sites result in a valuable set of remote sensing data resources, geographic information system data sets, digitized maps, and tabular data that are tied to specific locations. Archiving and distributing these geospatial data generally become the responsibility of local universities and federal research centers with few resources dedicated to the task. The developments in archiving and distributing geospatial data are presented through the description and discussion of three interconnected case studies of data preservation at government and academic units in southeastern Arizona. The main challenges were associated with data archiving, developing online data distribution systems, interconnecting the data distribution systems, and sustaining the archiving and distribution systems. The case studies present multiple approaches to meeting these challenges within the constraints of government and academic units. Results should guide other local efforts to archive and preserve long-term geospatial data and distribute them online. © 2006 IEEE.
• Nafus, A. M., McClaran, M. P., Archer, S. R., & Throop, H. L. (2009). Multispecies allometric models predict grass biomass in semidesert rangeland. Rangeland Ecology and Management, 62(1), 68-72.
  More info

  Abstract: Multispecies allometric models to predict grass biomass may increase field study efficiency by eliminating the need for species-specific data. We used field measurements during two growing seasons to develop single-species and multispecies regression models predicting the current year's aboveground biomass for eight common cespitose grass species. Simple and stepwise regression analyses were based on natural log expressions of biomass, basal diameter, and height, and a dummy variable expression of grazing history. Basal diameter had the strongest relationship with biomass among single-species (adjusted R 2 = 0.80 to 0.91) and multispecies (adjusted R2 50.85) models. Regression slopes (b) for diameter among single-species (b = 1.01 to 1.49) and the multispecies (b = 1.25) models suggests that biomass will double when diameter increases ∼75%. Height and grazing history added little predictive value when diameter was already in the model. When applied to actual populations, biomass estimates from multispecies models were within 3-29% of estimates from the single-species models. Although the multispecies biomass-size relationship was robust across the cespitose life-form, users should be cautious about applying our equations to different locations, plant sizes, and population size-structures.
• Bolton, G. H., & McClaran, M. P. (2008). Evaluating sustainability of Symplocos ramosissima harvest for herder huts: A case study near an upper-elevation village in Nepal. Mountain Research and Development, 28(3-4), 248-254.
  More info

  Abstract: Upper-elevation villagers in Nepal harvest large numbers of 5-10 cm diameter trees to construct itinerant herders' shelters. The harvest of these poles, as well as fuelwood and tree-leaf livestock fodder, may be altering upper-elevation forest structure and resource availability in Nepal. Near a village in west-central Nepal, we evaluated the sustainability of Symplocos ramosissima poles harvested for herders' shelter construction by comparing estimates of harvest and replenishment rates under 4 scenarios of spatial distribution of harvest within 3 equal-area forest types: 1) harvest evenly distributed, 2) harvest only in forest type closest to area of hut construction, 3) harvest in two closest forest types, 4) harvest in each forest type proportional to recent use patterns, as deduced from the density of stumps of pole-sized S. ramosissima. Mean density ± SE of pole-size S. ramosissima was 375 ± 32 stems ha-1. Tree-ring analysis of 24 pole-size S. ramosissima indicated a mean age of 35 years and a mean of 11 years to grow from 5 cm to 10 cm dbh. Comparisons of harvest and replenishment rates suggest that only harvest scenario 1 (even distribution) was sustainable. Harvest scenario 2 (closest forest type) and scenario 3 (two closest forest types) were unsustainable, Harvest scenario 4 proportional to stump density) was sustainable in the two farther forest types, but unsustainable in the forest type closest to agricultural fields.
• Browning, D. M., Archer, S. R., Asner, G. P., McClaran, M. P., & Wessman, C. A. (2008). Woody plants in grasslands: Post-encroachment stand dynamics. Ecological Applications, 18(4), 928-944.
  More info

  PMID: 18536253;Abstract: Woody plant abundance is widely recognized to have increased in savannas and grasslands worldwide. The lack of information on the rates, dynamics, and extent of increases in shrub abundance is a major source of uncertainty in assessing how this vegetation change has influenced biogeochemical cycles. Projecting future consequences of woody cover change on ecosystem function will require knowledge of where shrub cover in present-day stands lies relative to the realizable maximum for a given soil type within a bioclimatic region. We used time-series aerial photography (1936, 1966, and 1996) and field studies to quantify cover and biomass of velvet mesquite (Prosopis velutina Woot.) following its proliferation in a semidesert grassland of Arizona. Mapping of individual shrubs indicated an encroachment phase characterized by high rates of bare patch colonization. Upon entering a stabilization phase, shrub cover increases associated with recruitment and canopy expansion were largely offset by contractions in canopy area of other shrub patches. Instances of shrub disappearance coincided with a period of below-average rainfall (1936-1966). Overall, shrub cover (mean ± SE) on sandy uplands with few and widely scattered shrubs in 1902 was dynamically stable over the 1936-1996 period averaging ∼35% ± 5%. Shrub cover on clayey uplands in 1936 was 17% ± 2% but subsequently increased twofold to levels comparable to those on sandy uplands by 1966 (36% ± 7%). Cover on both soils then decreased slightly between 1966 and 1996 to 28% ± 3%. Thus, soil properties influenced the rate at which landscapes reached a dynamic equilibrium, but not the apparent endpoint. Although sandy and clayey landscapes appear to have stabilized at comparable levels of cover, shrub biomass was 1.4 times greater on clayey soils. Declines in shrub cover between 1966 and 1996 were accompanied by a shift to smaller patch sizes on both sandy and clayey landscapes. Dynamics observed during the stabilization phase suggest that density-dependent regulation may be in play. If woody cover has transitioned from directional increases to a dynamic equilibrium, biomass projections will require monitoring and modeling patch dynamics and stand structure rather than simply changes in total cover. © 2008 by the Ecological Society of America.
• Mashiri, F. E., McClaran, M. P., & Fehmi, J. S. (2008). Short- and long-term vegetation change related to grazing systems, precipitation, and mesquite cover. Rangeland Ecology and Management, 61(4), 368-379.
  More info

  Abstract: Rangeland scientists struggle with how long rangeland experiments must continue in order to detect treatment effects, particularly in semiarid ecosystems characterized by slow responses and high spatiotemporal variability. We compared changes in eight grass and three shrub categories to grazing systems (yearlong vs. seasonal rotation with equivalent long-term stocking rates), and covariates (precipitation and mesquite [Prosopis velutina] gradients) over 12 yr (1972-1984) and 34 yr (1972-2006) on the Santa Rita Experimental Range, Arizona. We used split-plot analysis of variance, with year as the split, to make these comparisons. Grazing systems did not influence plant dynamics as shown by the lack of grazing system by year effect on all response variables in either time period. The absence of a detectable grazing effect on vegetation changes may be due to overriding influences of grazing intensity, pasture size, precipitation variability, and few replicates. Also, more time may be needed to detect the small accumulating and potentially temporary effects from grazing systems. The grazing system main effects present at the beginning and throughout the study suggest that pastures assigned to each grazing system had different potentials to support vegetation. Nearly twice the number of response variables were related to the precipitation covariate than to mesquite cover, but only about half of all the relationships were consistent between time periods. The struggle to know how long to observe before detecting a grazing system effect was not resolved with the additional 22 yr of observation because we cannot definitively reject that either more time is needed to detect small but cumulative effects or that the two grazing systems are not different.
• McLain, J. E., Martens, D. A., & McClaran, M. P. (2008). Soil cycling of trace gases in response to mesquite management in a semiarid grassland. Journal of Arid Environments, 72(9), 1654-1665.
  More info

  Abstract: Over the last century, proliferation of velvet mesquite (Prosopis velutina) in Southwestern grasslands has led to mesquite removal to increase livestock forage, but the effects of mesquite on the fluxes of C- and N-based gases are not well understood. We report soil surface fluxes and porespace concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide (N2O), and methane (CH4) over two monsoon seasons beneath mesquite canopy (LIVE), in open grassland (OPEN), and under a mesquite skeleton (DEAD) in Southeastern Arizona. In 2003, CO2 production was not different among sites, but on three 2004 measurement dates, CO2 production was greatest from LIVE. In both years, N2O production was highest in LIVE in early monsoon, while CH4 production dominated in OPEN and DEAD sites. CH4 consumption increased in all sites as the summer progressed, resulting in net monsoon CH4 fluxes near zero. Over both years, temperature and precipitation accounted for significant variability in CO2 flux and precipitation correlated with N2O production. Soil moisture accounted for significant variability in CH4 flux in 2003. Observed variations in trace gas dynamics suggest that several years of measurements would be required to accurately predict mesquite management effects on trace gas flux in Southwestern rangelands. © 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
• Huang, C., Marsh, S. E., McClaran, M. P., & Archer, S. R. (2007). Postfire stand structure in a semiarid savanna: Cross-scale challenges estimating biomass. Ecological Applications, 17(7), 1899-1910.
  More info

  PMID: 17974330;Abstract: Algorithms relating remotely sensed woody cover to biomass are often the basis for large-scale inventories of aboveground carbon stocks. However, these algorithms are commonly applied in a generic fashion without consideration of disturbances that might alter vegetation structure. We compared field and remote sensing estimates of woody biomass on savannas with contrasting disturbance (fire) histories and assessed potential errors in estimating woody biomass from cover without considering fire history. Field surveys quantified multilayer cover (MLC) of woody and succulent plants on sites experiencing wildfire in 1989 or 1994 and on nearby unburned (control) sites. Remote sensing estimates of the woody cover fraction (WCF) on burned and control sites were derived from contemporary (2005) dry-season Landsat Thematic Mapper imagery (during a period when herbaceous cover was senescent) using a probabilistic spectral mixture analysis model. Satellite WCF estimates were compared to field MLC assessments and related to aboveground biomass using allometry. Field-based MLC and remotely sensed WCFs both indicated that woody cover was comparable on control areas and areas burned 11-16 years ago. However, biomass was approximately twofold higher on control sites. Canopy cover was a strong predictor of woody biomass on burned and control areas, but fire history significantly altered the linear cover-biomass relationship on control plots to a curvilinear relationship on burned plots. Results suggest predictions of woody biomass from "generic" two-dimensional (2-D) cover algorithms may underestimate biomass in undisturbed stands and overestimate biomass in stands recovering from disturbance. Improving the accuracy of woody-biomass estimates from field and/or remotely sensed cover may therefore require disturbance-specific models or detection of vegetation height and transforming 2-D vegetation cover to 3-D vegetation volume. © 2007 by the Ecological Society of America.
• McClaran, M. P., & Angell, D. L. (2007). Mesquite and grass relationships at two spatial resolutions. Plant Ecology, 191(1), 119-126.
  More info

  Abstract: Relationships between woody plants and grass are typically described at either the stand (≥100 m2) or plant (≤10 m2) spatial resolutions. Descriptions of the Prosopis velutina (mesquite)-grass relationships in the North American Desert Grassland differ between spatial scales: P. velutina often inhibits grass at the stand scale compared to facilitation or neutral relations at the plant scale. We use simultaneous measures of grass density at both spatial resolutions (made at 3 y intervals from 1997 to 2003) to evaluate the influence of the spatial resolution on detecting P. velutina-grass relationships. We confine our observations to the parsimonious conditions of (1) two distinct P. velutina age classes that are exclusive occupants of study sites and (2) total cover of P. velutina was not different between study sites in 2000 and 2003. Thus, total P. velutina cover is constant in those 2 years but P. velutina ages contributing to that cover differed between the study sites. We confirmed the importance of spatial scale because no grass species was related to P. velutina age at the stand scale, but 2 of 5 species were significantly related at the plant scale. Aristida spp. was greater under young than old P. velutina, and Muhlenbergia porteri was greater under old P. velutina. These results suggest that the influence of old P. velutina on grass abundance is restricted to the area under the canopy and does not extend into inter-canopy areas, and therefore the observations at the stand scale may not detect the P. velutina-grass relationships at the plant scale. © 2006 Springer Science+Business Media, Inc.
• McClaran, M. P., & Angell, D. L. (2006). Long-term vegetation response to mesquite removal in Desert Grassland. Journal of Arid Environments, 66(4), 686-697.
  More info

  Abstract: Forty-six years of vegetation response to mesquite removal at dry, low elevation sites on the Santa Rita Experimental Range in southern Arizona was only slightly different than the vegetation dynamics where mesquite trees were left intact. Only the density of threeawn grass species (Aristida spp.) was greater in the mesquite removal areas: and that difference persisted even after the cover of mesquite was no longer different between treatment and control areas. Cover of shrubs and perennial grasses, and density of all other perennial grasses did not differ between mesquite treatments throughout the study period. Mesquite cover on treated areas was not different than untreated areas 40 years after tree removal. The long-term results support the interpretation that vegetation dynamics at these dry locations, are not limited by the abundance of neighbouring mesquite. Alternatively, mesquite abundance is self-limiting at levels less than would influence grass abundance and precipitation anomalies may override any effects of neighbouring mesquite. Practically, these results suggest that areas with {less-than or slanted equal to}350 mm year-1 of annual precipitation and
• Tanzer, L. S., & McClaran, M. P. (2006). Distinguishing hyperbole from action in corporate strategic responses to global climate change. Electric Utilities Environmental Conference, EUEC 2005: 8th Annual Joint EPA, DOE, EEI, EPRI Conference on Air Quality, Global Climate Change and Renewable Energy, 2006.
  More info

  Abstract: There has been an advance in the social, political and corporate dialogue regarding global climate change (GCC) over the past twenty years. The question is: how much has the dialogue influenced corporate strategic action? Industry has learned to respond in a more positive manner to the socio-political dialogue concerning environmental issues, particularly global welfare issues. To distinguish increased dialogue from increased action, we examined 20 years of discussion in the utility industry's main trade journals, Utility Week and Electric Utility Week, looking for signs of strategic planning and action relating to GCC. We compare that dialogue to the types of strategic GCC activities taken by several randomly selected utility companies regarding GCC. Thus, if words are indeed turned into action, we would expect that there will be a positive correlation between reaching a critical mass in the journal discussion and greater strategic activity at the corporate level. If that is the case, it could be said that corporations are becoming more environmentally 'tuned-in' by incorporating socially important issues into their operations. They might also be said to be more politically positive regarding environmental issues, a change in strategy from the heretofore reactionary stance taken by most firms and industry associations.
• Fang, H., Liang, S., McClaran, M. P., J.D., W., Drake, S., Marsh, S. E., Thomson, A. M., Izaurralde, R. C., & Rosenberg, N. J. (2005). Biophysical characterization and management effects on semiarid rangeland observed from landsat ETM+ data. IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, 43(1), 125-133.
  More info

  Abstract: Semiarid rangelands are very sensitive to global climatic change; studies of their biophysical attributes are crucial to understanding the dynamics of rangeland ecosystems under human disturbance. In the Santa Rita Experimental Range, AZ, the vegetation has changed considerably, and there have been many management activities applied. This study calculates seven surface variables: the enhanced vegetation index, the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), surface albedos (total shortwave, visible, and near-infrared), leaf area index (LAI), and the fraction of photosynthetically active radiation (FPAR) absorbed by green vegetation from the Enhanced Thematic Mapper (ETM+) data. Comparison with the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer vegetation index and albedo products indicates they agree well with our estimates from ETM+, while their LAI and FPAR are larger than from ETM+. Human disturbance has significantly changed the cover types and biophysical conditions. Statistical tests indicate that surface albedos increased and FPAR decreased following tree-cutting disturbances. The recovery will require more than 67 years and is about 50% complete within 40 years at the higher elevation. Grass cover, vegetation indexes, albedos, and LAI recovered from cutting faster at the higher elevation. Woody plants, vegetation indexes, and LAI have recovered to their original characteristics after 65 years at the lower elevation. More studies are needed to examine the spectral characteristics of different ground components.
• Cole, D. N., W., J., McClaran, M. P., Moore, P. E., & McDougald, N. K. (2004). Response of mountain meadows to grazing by recreational pack stock. Journal of Range Management, 57(2), 153-160.
  More info

  Abstract: Effects of recreational pack stock grazing on mountain meadows in Yosemite National Park were assessed in a 5-year study. Yosemite is a designated wilderness, to be managed such that its natural conditions are preserved. Studies were conducted in 3 characteristic meadow types: shorthair sedge (Carex filifolia Nutt.), Brewer's reed grass (Calamagrostis breweri Thurber), and tufted hairgrass [Deschampsia cespitosa (L.) Beauv.]. Horses and mules grazed experimental plots at intensities of 15 to 69% utilization for 4 seasons. In all 3 meadows, grazing caused decreases in productivity. The mean reduction after 4 years of grazing was 18% in the shorthair sedge meadow, 17% in the Brewer's reed grass meadow, and 22% in the tufted hairgrass meadow. Grazing also caused shifts in basal groundcover (usually a reduction in vegetation cover and increase in bare soil cover), and changes in species composition. Productivity and vegetation cover decreased as percent utilization increased, while bare soil cover increased as utilization increased. Changes in species composition were less predictably related to differences in grazing intensity. Passive management of grazing is insufficient in wilderness areas that are regularly used by groups with recreational stock. Wilderness managers need to monitor meadow conditions and the grazing intensities that occur. Our study suggests that biomass and ground cover are more sensitive indicators of grazing impact than species composition. Managers must make decisions about maximum acceptable levels of grazing impact and then develop guidelines for maximum use levels, based on data such as ours that relates grazing intensity to meadow response.
• Fang, H., Liang, S., McClaran, M. P., J.D., W., Drake, S., Marsh, S. E., Thomson, A., Izaurralde, R. C., & Rosenberg, N. J. (2004). Deriving land surface biophysical parameters from satellite data for soil carbon sequenstration. International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (IGARSS), 6, 4277-4280.
  More info

  Abstract: We apply a hybrid inversion algorithm to estimate land surface biophysical variables (e.g., leaf area index) from the CHRIS (Compact High Resolution Imaging Spectrometer), and ETM+. Field campaigns were conducted over Tucson, Arizona to validate the algorithms and the products. The derived products were compared for different human management activities. These products are then available for input to a plant growth model for calculating the potential for carbon sequestration.
• Hoppe, K. A., Amundson, R., Vavra, M., McClaran, M. P., & Anderson, D. L. (2004). Isotopic analysis of tooth enamel carbonate from modern North American feral horses: Implications for paleoenvironmental reconstructions. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 203(3-4), 299-311.
  More info

  Abstract: The accuracy of paleoenvironmental reconstructions based on isotope analyses of equid teeth is currently uncertain because the exact relationship between the isotope composition of modern feral equids and their environment has not been thoroughly studied. We analyzed the carbon and oxygen isotope values (δ13C and δ18O) of tooth enamel carbonate and the δ13C values of fecal samples from modern feral horses. We compared those values with the δ13C values of local vegetation and the δ18O values of local waters. Herds were studied in two contrasting localities: eastern Oregon, where grasslands consisted of 100% C3 species, and New Mexico, where >95% of the grasses were C4 species. Carbon isotope analyses of fecal material and tooth enamel suggest that horses consumed primarily grass, but some New Mexico horses also consumed significant amounts of shrubs and/or forbs. Microhistological analyses of fecal samples show that Oregon horses consumed 95% grass, and Oregon enamel δ13C values are consistent with a diet containing 100% C3 plants. Microhistological analyses of fecal samples from New Mexico indicate a diet averaging 75% grass, while enamel δ13C values suggest that diets averaged 85% C4 plants (range=72-97%). Thus, reconstructions of the C3/C4 ratio of grasses in ancient grasslands that are based on the δ 13C values of fossil equid teeth may underestimate the abundance of C4 grasses. The mean δ18O values of tooth enamel paralleled the trends observed in the mean δ18O values of precipitation. However, the mean δ18O values of enamel carbonate from Oregon and New Mexico differed by only 3.3‰, which is less than the difference in the mean δ18O values of precipitation (6.5‰). In addition, the range of δ18O values within New Mexico enamel samples (6.5‰) was greater than the difference between mean enamel δ18O values at each site. Calculated values for the δ18O of water ingested by horses are 2-3‰ more positive than mean δ18O values for corresponding precipitation, suggesting that horses consumed waters that were enriched in 18O due to evaporation. While our results confirm that local climatic and hydrological conditions can influence the δ 18O values of equid enamel, they also show that the δ 18O values of equid teeth are not always a direct proxy for the isotope ratios of precipitation. © 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
• McClaran, M. P., Angell, D. L., & Wissler, C. (2002). Santa rita experimental range digital database: User's guide. USDA Forest Service - General Technical Report RMRS-GTR, 1-16.
  More info

  Abstract: Long-term measurements and repeat photograph collections have been collected In a systematic manner on the approximately 21,000 ha Santa Rita Experimental Range (SRER) since Its establishment In 1903. This research facility, located In the Desert Grassland vegetation of southern Arizona, was administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture until 1988, when it was transferred to the State of Arizona to be administered by the University of Arizona, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. To facilitate the preservation of the long-term data collected on the SRER and to increase access to the data, we developed a digital archive that is accessible on the World Wide Web at http://ag.arizona.edu/SRER. The digital archive contains 10 databases, seven of which provide the longest records of ongoing measurements of precipitation, vegetation response to grazing and mesquite clearing experiments, and widespread photographic evidence of landscape changes available for the SRER. Two databases provide essential ancillary data about plant species names and spatial coverages (maps) of elevation, soils, plot locations, and other attributes. The final database is a digital version of a previously published annotated bibliography of SRER publications between 1903 and 1988. The information in these databases is available in five formats (ASCII text, Excel spreadsheet *.xls, ARCINFO *.e00, tagged image *.tif, and graphical interchange *.gif) that can be easily used in analytic, word processing, graphic, and geographic information system software.
• Angell, D. L., & McClaran, M. P. (2001). Long-term influences of livestock management and a non-native grass on grass dynamics in the Desert Grassland. Journal of Arid Environments, 49(3), 507-520.
  More info

  Abstract: Density of 23 perennial grass species was measured in 25 permanent plots nine times between 1972-2000. Grass density was not related to the intensity of livestock grazing. Only one species expressed a difference between the summer rest and no summer rest with heavier stocking grazing treatments: bush muhly (Muhlenbergia porteri Scribn. ex Beal) density was less under the no summer rest with heavier stocking treatment. Beginning in 1975, the non-native Lehmann lovegrass (Eragrostis lehmanniana Nees) spread from distant seedings to one plot, and by 1991, it was the dominant species on most plots. The density of native species was not related to the length of time that the non-native lovegrass was present on a plot. In general, native species declined prior to the arrival and increase of the non-native lovegrass. © 2001 Academic Press.
• Coronado-Quintana, J., & McClaran, M. P. (2001). Range condition, tenure, management, and bio-phyiscal relationships in Sonora, Mexico. Journal of Range Management, 54(1), 31-38.
  More info

  Abstract: The objective of this study was to describe the relationship among range condition scores, tenure system, management practices and bio-physical variables for 107 communal ejido ranches and 373 private ranches in Sonora, Mexico. The data was obtained from assessments of range condition and recommended carrying capacity for individual ranch units that were completed between 1973 and 1993 by the Comisión Técnica para la Determinación de Coeficientes de Agostadero. Variables measured were range condition, land tenure (communal ejido or private ranch), management characteristics (human density, livestock stocking rate, ranch size, and infrastructure condition), and bio-physical characteristics (rangeland site quality and precipitation in the year of assessment). We used a combination of simple, univariate chi-square analyses and more complex, multivariate ordered logistic regression analyses to assess the relationships among these variables. There was no evidence from the logistic regression analysis that range condition of ranches in Sonora was related to the ejido or private tenure systems. Infrastructure condition was different between the 2 tenure systems, and infrastructure condition was positively related to range condition for both ejido and private ranches. Based on the univariate and multivariate analyses, precipitation amounts in the year of assessment was less for private ranches, and range condition on private ranches was more sensitive to precipitation than ejido ranches. Compared to estimates made in the 1960's and 1970's in other parts of Mexico, we found there to be less of a difference in stocking rate between the more lightly stocked private ranches and more heavily stocked ejido ranches, and generally good condition infrastructure on all ranches. The important relationship between precipitation and range condition implies that range condition assessments should be done over many years to produce estimates of trend that can be compared across wet and dry years.
• Kuehl, R. O., McClaran, M. P., & Zee, J. V. (2001). Detecting fragmentation of cover in desert grasslands using line intercept. Journal of Range Management, 54(1), 61-66.
  More info

  Abstract: Changes in the amount or spatial distribution of grass plants are thought to be indicative of the stability of desert grasslands. This study assessed, through simulation, the sensitivity of statistical properties for distance between plants (fetch length), measured with a line intercept transect, to changes in the spatial distribution and amount of plant cover. Monitoring plots, 30 × 30 m, were simulated for 1, 2.5, 5, 10 and 15% grass cover with random and fragmented spatial distribution. Fetch lengths were measured on 2 randomly placed 30 m transects. In addition to the median and interquartile range, the asymmetry of the sampling distributions was measured with a ratio [(maximum-median)/(median-minimum)] that would identify the presence of at least 1 large open space. The accuracy of the fetch length method was confirmed by the similarity of its sampling distribution to that for the well known random point-to-plant sampling procedure. In both the fetch length and the point-to-plant measures, the median and interquartile range increased with decreasing cover for random and fragmented distribution. The asymmetry estimate increased sharply with increasing cover for the fragmented distribution but asymmetry was nearly constant with increasing cover for the random distribution. The results suggest that the evaluation of changes over time at a monitoring site could use fetch lengths measured along a line intercept transect to detect changes in both absolute and spatial arrangement of cover.
• McClaran, M. P. (2000). Viewpoint: Selecting the 5 most important papers in the first 50 years of the journal of range management. Journal of Range Management, 53(3), 250-254.
  More info

  Abstract: A graduate seminar to select the 5 most important papers published in the first 50 years of the Journal of Range Management (JRM), 1948-1997, cultivated an appreciation for the development of the discipline of rangeland science and management, and provided some historical perspective to judge the JRM. A review of textbooks, and papers describing early milestones and the use of citation counting were helpful in developing criteria to discriminate the importance of papers. The greatest disagreement among the 9 participants focused on the use of citation counts as a criterion: 2 students used only counts and 3 students refused to use counts. Eighteen papers received at least 1 vote as a top 5 paper, and 2 plant succession-vegetation monitoring papers were clearly the most popular. The exercise revealed that discontent with the JRM is not new. Although the JRM now covers a wider variety of topics, including both reductionist and synthetic works, some students felt that it was less encompassing of multiple values of rangelands and the breadth of rangeland science than recent texts. The students found that the selection of important papers expanded their understanding of the discipline and their resolve to publish in the JRM. Ideally, others will be challenged to perform this review for the benefit of students, the discipline, and the JRM.
• McClaran, M. P., & Umlauf, M. (2000). Desert grassland dynamics estimated from carbon isotopes in grass phytoliths and soil organic matter. Journal of Vegetation Science, 11(1), 71-76.
  More info

  Abstract: We document the potential for using carbon isotopes in both soil organic matter (SOM) and grass phytoliths in soil to increase the temporal and taxonomic resolutions of long term vegetation dynamics. Carbon isotope values from both SOM and phytoliths are expected to describe both the age of material through 14C dating, and the photosynthetic pathway of the source plant material through ratios of 12C/13C. Taxonomic resolution is increased because the phytoliths examined are specific to grasses, whereas the SOM reflects the contribution of all the vegetation. Temporal resolution is increased because phytoliths are less mobile in the soil profile than SOM, and can therefore provide older dates from the same soil depth. Our results, from a desert grassland site in southwestern North America, largely confirm these expectations, and show that C4 species have dominated the grass composition for the last 8000 yr, C3 non-grass vegetation increased about 100-350 yr BP, and no significant C3 grass or non-grass vegetation existed between 350-2000 yr BP.
• McClaran, M. P., & King, D. A. (1999). Procedural fairness, personal benefits, agency expertise, and planning participants' support for the forest service. Natural Resources Journal, 39(3), 441-453.
  More info

  Abstract: Numerous appeals of Forest Plans have been interpreted as a lack of support for the Forest Service. Questionnaire responses from 455 Forest Plan participants show that agency support was more strongly related to perceptions of procedural fairness and personal benefits than to agency expertise expressed as information about resources and human needs. These responses suggest that agency support will be most sensitive to changing perceptions of procedures from somewhat unfair to somewhat fair, and preventing reductions in personal benefits. Furthermore, perceptions of fair procedures were half as frequent when benefits were expected to decline than when they were expected to either increase or not change.
• Moote, M. A., & Mcclaran, M. P. (1997). Viewpoint: Implications of participatory democracy for public land planning. Journal of Range Management, 50(5), 473-481.
  More info

  Abstract: Non-traditional, collaborative public participation approaches such as coordinated resource management have been proposed to improve the public participation process used in public land planning on rangelands. Either implicitly or explicitly, most advocates of such non-traditional approaches to public participation seem to embrace s participatory democracy model of governance. Whether or not this model for decision-making can practicably be implemented, given our current institutional and legal frameworks for public lands management, has not been closely examined. Criticisms of the traditional public participation process are categorized into 5 main issues: efficacy; representation and access; information exchange and learning; continuity of participation; and decision-making authority. We use these categories to evaluate the feasibility of implementing participatory democracy-based decision-making in public lands planning. Although there is some statutory and regulatory authority for participatory democracy in public land planning, there are a number of logistical, legal, and even philosophical challenges to its application that warrant further consideration.
• Moote, M. A., McClaran, M. P., & Chickering, D. K. (1997). Theory in practice: Applying participatory democracy theory to public land planning. Environmental Management, 21(6), 877-889.
  More info

  Abstract: Application of participatory democracy theory to public participation in public land planning, while widely advocated, has not been closely examined. A case study is used here to explicate the application of participatory democracy concepts to public participation in public land planning and decision making. In this case, a Bureau of Land Management resource area manager decided to make a significant shift from the traditional public involvement process to a more participatory method-coordinated resource management (CRM). This case was assessed using document analysis, direct observation of CRM meetings, questionnaires, and interviews of key participants. These sources were used to examine the CRM case using participatory democracy concepts of efficacy, access and representation, continuous participation throughout planning, information exchange and learning, and decision-making authority. The case study suggests that social deliberation in itself does not ensure successful collaboration and that establishing rules of operation and decision making within the group is critical. Furthermore, conflicts between the concept of shared decision- making authority and the public land management agencies' accountability to Congress, the President, and the courts need further consideration.
• McClaran, M. P. (1995). Desert grasslands and grasses. The desert grassland, 1-30.
  More info

  Abstract: Desert grasslands experience hot, dry, sunny climates, and have one of the lowest levels of primary production and rates of solar energy conversion of North American grassland types. Peak growth occurs later than in these other grassland types, coincident with the rainfall maximum during June-September. Reflecting this late-season growth the proportion of C4 grasses is greater than that found in other grasslands of this continent. Shrubs and trees can be abundant but the relative proportion of grasses and shrubs has changed greatly during this century. Habitat fragmentation and the impact of introduced species are the major human environmental impacts. Members of the grass family (Poaceae) are important because of their morphological and physiological adaptations to withstand constant defoliation; regrowth ability depends on severity and season of grazing. Recruitment is from seeds, rhizomes or stolons. Desert grasses are relatively short-lived, though maximum longevity can be several decades; the influence of weather and defoliation varies among species.
• McClaran, M. P., & McPherson, G. R. (1995). Can soil organic carbon isotopes be used to describe grass-tree dynamics at a savanna-grassland ecotone and within the savanna?. Journal of Vegetation Science, 6(6), 857-862.
• McClaran, M. P., & Cole, D. N. (1993). Packstock in wilderness: use, impacts, monitoring, and management. General Technical Report - US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service.
  More info

  Abstract: Sections describe: the amount and composition of packstock use in wilderness, impacts associated with packstock use, methods for monitoring impacts caused by packstock, techniques for managing packstock in wilderness, examples of packstock management programs, and research needs. -from Authors
• Bartolome, J. W., & McClaran, M. P. (1992). Composition and production of California oak savanna seasonally grazed by sheep. Journal of Range Management, 45(1), 103-107.
  More info

  Abstract: Tested the effects of two seasonal grazing strategies on within- and between-year production and composition in blue oak Quercus douglasii savanna understory and adjacent open annual grassland. Moderate intensity summer-fall-winter and spring-summer sheep use had few within-year effects. Production and composition varied considerably between years in both treatments. Forbs (especially legumes) decreased in open grassland and oak understory between years within both seasonal grazing regimes. This change could not have been caused by selective grazing because there were no corresponding within-year patterns. Instead, between-year changes are more likely related to nonselective effects of stocking rate and/or weather. -from Authors
• McClaran, M. P., & Anable, M. E. (1992). Spread of introduced Lehmann lovegrass along a grazing intensity gradient. Journal of Applied Ecology, 29(1), 92-98.
  More info

  Abstract: Changes in density of Eragrostis lehmanniana and native grasses, and the proportion of lovegrass present along a livestock grazing intensity gradient were measured, on the Santa Rita Experimental Range, Arizona. The gradient included grazing exclosures and plots radiating away from a cattle watering point. Lehmann lovegrass spread from sowings 4 km from the water point and an average 1.8 km from the exclosures. Lovegrass density increased with time but was not affected by different grazing intensities. Native grass density decreased, and lovegrass relative abundance increased with time and as grazing intensity increased. Livestock grazing was not necessary for Lehmann lovegrass to spread, but the lovegrass relative abundance was greater at higher grazing intensities. -from Authors
• McClaran, M. P. (1991). Forest Service and livestock permittee behavior in relation to wilderness designation. Journal of Range Management, 44(5), 483-486.
  More info

  Abstract: The effect of wilderness designation, during the first 20 yr after designation, on Forest Service and permittee behavior on Coronado and Tonto National Forests in Arizona was evaluated. In general, permitted animal unit months increased on wilderness allotments but remained the same for nonwilderness allotments, but there was no difference on Coronado National Forest when forests were analyzed separately. -from Author
• McClaran, M. P. (1990). Livestock in wilderness: A review and forecast. Environmental Law, 20(4), 857-889.
• McClaran, M. P., & Bartolome, J. W. (1990). Comparison of actual and predicted blue oak age structures. Journal of Range Management, 43(1), 61-63.
  More info

  Abstract: Examined the role of management on the current lack of Quercus douglasii recruitment on California foothill rangelands. Diameter at breast height accounted for 42-71% of the variation in tree age at 2 sites. Actual age structures were significantly different than age structures predicted from all regression equations at both sites. Use of age structures to infer the role of management on blue oak population dynamics requires direct age measurement. -from Authors
• McClaran, M. P., & Bartolome, J. W. (1989). Fire-related recruitment in stagnant Quercus douglasii populations. Canadian Journal of Forest Research, 19(5), 580-585.
  More info

  Abstract: Age structure, stem analysis and fire-scar history from >500 blue oak individuals on 2 sites in central California revealed: 1) meager tree recruitment since the 1940s and few trees older than 150 yr; 2) increased fire frequency following Anglo-American settlement in 1848 until fire suppression efforts in the 1940s; 3) a positive association between tree ages and fire dates; and 4) superior vertical growth to 135 cm of postfire sprouts (trees with ground-level ages within 1 yr after fires) on the site with less livestock browsing pressure. The association between tree ages and fire dates may have resulted from temporal concentration of postfire seedling sprouts, and faster vertical growth of postfire sprouts compared with true seedlings. However, sampling from existing trees may dampen the difference in vertical growth rates between sprouts and true seedlings where there is heavy browsing, because only true seedlings that grew as fast as sprouts survived and were available for sampling. -from Authors
• McClaran, M. P. (1988). Comparison of fire history estimates between open-scarred and intact Quercus douglasii. American Midland Naturalist, 120(2), 432-435.
  More info

  Abstract: Fire scars in 181 scarred Quercus douglasii cross sections were dated from 2 different stands in the Sierra Nevada foothills, California. In the stand with no fires for the last 35 yr, open-scarred trees revealed a shorter fire history, 90% fewer fire dates, and a mean fire interval (MFI) that was shorter than determined from intact trees. In the stand with no fires for the last 15 yr, MFI and length and length of record were comparable but open-scarred trees accounted for 27% fewer fires than intact trees. Open-scarred trees were twice as likely to scar as intact trees, but the average number of scars tree-1 were similar. Time since last fire is critical, as scars may heal before sampling. This suggests that fire history estimates will be most affected by sample restriction in areas with long periods of fire suppression. -from Author
• McClaran, M. P., Romm, J., & Bartolome, J. W. (1985). Differential farmland assessment and land use planning relationships in Tulare County, California.. Journal of Soil & Water Conservation, 40(2), 252-255.
  More info

  Abstract: Research has shown that participation in California's differential assessment program, the California Land Conservation Act (CLCA), at the rural-urban fringe is limited by landowners' 'unreasonable expectations about development'. Integration of land use planning and the CLCA has been proposed to increase participation by presenting reasonable expectations.-from Authors

Presentations

• Gillan, J., Mcclaran, M. P., Swetnam, T., Heilman, P., Noelle, S., & Turner, R. (2018, February). Estimating forage biomass and utilization in a desert grassland with small unmanned aerial system imagery. 71st Annual Meeting, Society for Range Management. Sparks, NV: Society for Range Management.
• Gornish, E., & Mcclaran, M. P. (2018, January). Grassland and mesquite on the Santa Rita Experimental Range: An historical perspective. Altar Valley Conservation Alliance Brush Management Workshop.
• Gornish, E., & Mcclaran, M. P. (2018, May). Relationships between grass and mesquite cover based on long-term data: Implications for restoration opportunities. Madrean Conference. Tucson, AZ.
• Gornish, E., & Mcclaran, M. P. (2018, October). Relationships between grass and mesquite cover based on long-term data: Implications for restoration opportunities. Society for Ecological Restoration Southwest Chapter. Flagstaff, AZ.
• Landreville, K., & Mcclaran, M. P. (2018, February). Guide to Increasing Drought Preparation. Farm Home Ranch Day, Graham County Cooperative Extension. Safford, AZ: Graham County Cooperative Extension.
• Mcclaran, M. P. (2018, February). Overview: Weather and Climate Trends in Our Region. Farm Home Ranch Day, Graham County Cooperative Extension. Safford, AZ: Grahamn County Cooperative Extension.
• Mcclaran, M. P. (2018, February). Standardized Precipitation Index Explorer. Farm Home Ranch Day, Graham County Cooperative Extension. Safford, AZ: Graham County Cooperative Extension.
• Mcclaran, M. P. (2018, February). Weather, Drought and Tools to Help. Arizona Cattle Growers Association Winter Meeting. Phoenix, AZ: Arizona Cattle Growers Association.
• Mcclaran, M. P. (2018, September). Three lessons from drought planning to help plan for climate change. 20th Meeting United Nations FAO-CIHEAM (International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies) Mountain Pasture Network. Ballstad, Norway: United Nations FAO-CIHEAM (International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies) Mountain Pasture Network.
• Mcclaran, M. P. (2017, Fall). Review of Collaborative Drought Preparation for Forest Service Grazing Allotments.. Region 3 National Forest Range and Wildlife Managers Annual Meeting. Albuquerque, NM: US Forest Service.
• Mcclaran, M. P. (2017, Fall). Standardized Precipitation Index Explorer Tool. Region 3 National Forest Range and Wildlife Managers Annual Meeting.. Albuquerque, NM: US Forest Service.
• Mcclaran, M. P. (2017, Spring). Review of Collaborative Drought Preparation for Forest Service Grazing Allotments.. Annual Meeting. Tucson, AZ: Arizona Section Society for Range Management.
• Mcclaran, M. P. (2017, Spring). Standardized Precipitation Index Explorer Tool.. Annual Meeting. Tucson, AZ: Arizona Section Society for Range Management.
• Mcclaran, M. P. (2017, summer). Livestock Management and Drought Planning Workshop. Coronado National Forest Grazing Permittee Annual Meeting.. Sonoita, AZ: Coronado Natioanl Forest.
• Mcclaran, M. P. (2017, summer). Standardized Precipitation Index Explorer Tool.. Cattlemens College. Prescott, AZ: Arizona Cattle Growers Association.
• Mcclaran, M. P. (2017, summer). Standardized Precipitation Index Explorer Tool.. Coronado National Forest Grazing Permittee Annual Meeting.. Sonoita, AZ: Coronado National Forest.
• Mcclaran, M. P., Hawkes, K., & Crimmins, M. A. (2017, Summer). Collaborative Drought Preparation Project Review.. Cattlemens College. Prescott: Arizona Cattle Growers Association.
• Mcclaran, M. P. (2016, Fall). How to Select and Complete Research.. Teacher Outreach and Training Workshop. Santa Rita Experimental Range, AZ: University of Arizona CALS Cooperative Extension.
• Mcclaran, M. P. (2016, Fall). Planning as a prerequisite to using drought information.. Intermountain West Drought Early Warning System Drought and Climate Outlook.. Oracle, AZ: National Integrated Drought Information System and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
• Mcclaran, M. P. (2016, Fall). Planning as a prerequisite to using drought information. Winter Season Outlook and Impacts Forum. Las Cruces, NM: National Integrated Drought Information System, USDA Southwest Climate Hub and National Drought Mitigation Center.
• Mcclaran, M. P. (2016, Spring). Santa Rita Experimental Range and National Ecological Observatory Network.. UA Arid Lands III. UA Global Initiatives.. University of Arizona: UA Global Initiatives.
• Brugger, J., Mcclaran, M. P., & Sprinkle, J. E. (2015, November). The Co-Production of Natural Resources Use on US Public Lands. American Anthropological Association Annual Meeting.
• Mcclaran, M. P. (2015, October). Protective Motivation Theory Applied to Ranchers in the Southwest. Social Science Methods in Climate Adaptation.
• Mcclaran, M. P. (2013, summer). Drought on rangelands: Considering scales of space and time.. Development of Real-World Drought Management Scenarios for Arizona Rangelands.. Cottonwood, AZ: University of Arizona.
• Mcclaran, M. P. (2013, summer). Future of Livestock Production in the Southwest in the Face of Climate and Economic Uncertainty: Range Scientist Perspective.. Future of Meat Production, Processing & Local Distribution in Pima County, Southeastern Arizona.. Tucson, AZ: Pima County.
• Mcclaran, M. P., & Wei, H. (2013, December). Recent drought phase in a 73-year record viewed at two spatial scales: Implications for livestock production on rangelands in the Southwest.. USDA-ARS Southwest Watershed Research Center Seminar Series. Tucson, AZ: USDA-ARS Southwest Watershed Research Center.
• Mcclaran, M. P., Guertin, D. P., Ruyle, G. B., Wei, H., Dalke, A., Butler, G., & Ross, M. (2013, summer). Grazing Land Conservation Practices and Drought on Southwestern Rangelands. CEAP Rangeland Assessment Symposium. Reno, NV: Soil and Water Conservation Society.

Poster Presentations

• Crimmins, M. A., Hall, A. L., Brischke, A. S., Grace, J. L., Mcreynolds, K. H., & Mcclaran, M. P. (2019, August). Rangeland Precipitation Monitoring Training Program for Ranchers and Land Managers. University of Arizona Cooperative Extension Annual Conference. Tucson, AZ: University of Arizona Cooperative Extension.
• Crimmins, M. A., Mcclaran, M. P., & Hawkes-Landerville, K. (2018, February). Filling in the Gaps: Managing and Interpreting Site-Specific Precipitation Observations with the myRAINge Log Tool. 71st Annual Meeting Society for Range Management. Sparks, NV: Society for Range Management.
• Hall, A. L., Crimmins, M. A., & Mcclaran, M. P. (2018, July). Integrating Climate Data with Rangeland Monitoring to Improve Ranch-Scale Drought Detection. National Association of County Agriculture Agents Conference. Chattanooga, TN: National Association of County Agriculture Agents.
• Hawkes, K., Mcclaran, M. P., & Crimmins, M. A. (2018, February). Guide to Co-Developing Drought Preparation Plans for Livestock Grazing on SW National Forests. 71st Annual Meeting, Society for Range Management. Sparks, NV: Society for Range Management.
• Mcclaran, M. P., Crimmins, M. A., & Hawkes, K. (2018, February). Talking About Drought: SPI Explorer Tool Builds a Common Language. 71st Annual Meeting, Society for Range Management,. Sparks, NV: Society for Range Management.
• Bagchi, S., Singh, N., Bestelmeyer, B., Mcclaran, M. P., Briske, D., & Murty, K. (2017, Spring). Quantifying plant community dynamics using animal movement models-implications for ecosystem resilience.. Gordon Research Conference on Movement Ecology of Animals. Ventura, CA: Gordon Research Center.
• Brischke, A. S., Mcclaran, M. P., Crimmins, M. A., & Hall, A. L. (2017, October). Developing Resources to Help Ranchers Plan for Drought in Arizona. National Association of County Agriculture Agents Western Region Professional Improvement Conference. Albuquerque, NM: NACAA Western Region.
• Gallery, R. E., Mcclaran, M. P., & Kariuki, S. (2017, Summer). How does recreational camping affect cover-mediated soil microbial activity?. Soil Ecology Society Biennial Meeting. Ft Collins, CO: SoilEcology Society.
• Gillan, J., Mcclaran, M. P., Swetnam, T., Heilman, P., & Turner, R. (2017, Fall). Estimating forage utilization with unmanned aerial imagery. RISE (Research Insights in Semi-arid Ecosystems) Symposium. Tucson, AZ: CALS and USDA ARS.
• Kariuki, S., Mcclaran, M. P., & Gallery, R. E. (2017, Fall). How does recreational camping affect cover-mediated soil microbial activity?. RISE (Research Insights in Semi-arid Ecosystems) Syposium. Tucson, AZ: CALS and USDA ARS.
• Kariuki, S., Mcclaran, M. P., & Gallery, R. E. (2017, Summer). How does recreational camping affect cover-mediated soil microbial activity?. Biennial Meeting. Ft Collins, CO: SoilEcology Society.
• Hawkes, K., Mcclaran, M. P., Brugger, J., Crimmins, M. A., Howery, L. D., Ruyle, G. B., Sprinkle, J. E., & Tolleson, D. (2016, October). Using an Interactive Scenario-Planning Tool for Ranchers and Forest Service to Prepare for Drought. 13th RISE Symposium (Research Insights in Semi-arid Environments. Tucson, AZ: College of Agriculture and Life Science.
• Hawkes, K., Mcclaran, M. P., Brugger, J., Crimmins, M. A., Howery, L. D., Ruyle, G. B., Sprinkle, J. E., & Tolleson, D. (2016, winter). Using a co-development process to improve livestock grazing during drought on National Forests. 68th Annual Meeting, Society for Range Management. Corpus Christi, TX: Society for Range Management.
• Mcclaran, M. P., Hawkes, K., Brugger, J., Crimmins, M. A., Tolleson, D., Howery, L. D., Ruyle, G. B., & Sprinkle, J. E. (2016, October). Using an Interactive Scenario-Planning Tool for Ranchers and Forest Service to Prepare for Drought. 13th RISE Symposium (Research Insights in Semi-arid Environments). Oct. 8, 2016.. Tucson, AZ: College of Agriculture and Life Science.
• Mcclaran, M. P., Rawoot, D., & Fisher, L. (2016, Fall). Spatial distribution of conservation easements in relations to protected areas and grasslands in the Maderan Archipelago.. 13th Symposium on Research Insights in Semi-arid Environments (RISE).. Tucson, AZ: College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
• Mcclaran, M. P., Ruyle, G. B., & Noelle, S. (2016, Fall). Short-term Rangeland Monitoring Archive: A New Resource for Researchers.. 13th Symposium on Research Insights in Semi-arid Environments (RISE).. Tucson, AZ: College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
• Lohani, S., Heilman, P., Desteiguer, J. E., Guertin, D. P., Wissler, C. A., & Mcclaran, M. P. (2014, December). Linking ecosystem services with state-and-transition models to evaluate rangeland management decisions. AGU Fall Meeting.
• Dalke, A., & Mcclaran, M. P. (2013, February). Native and introduced perennial grass abundance responds differently to grazing,. 66th Annual Meeting, Society for Range Management. Oklahoma City, OK: Society for Range Management.
• Jernigan, M., Fehmi, J. S., Mcclaran, M. P., & Biedenbender, S. (2013, Aug). Use of uprooted invasive buffelgrass (Pennisetum ciliare) parent plants as thatch to reduce progeny seedling emergence. 98th Annual meeting of the Ecological Society of America. Minneapolis, MN: Ecological Society of America.
• Mcclaran, M. P., & Wei, H. (2013, fall). Frequency and duration of drought patches across the Santa Rita Experimental Range, 1940-2012.. 10th Annual Symposium on Research Insights in Semi-arid Environments (RISE). Tucson, AZ.
• Wei, H., & Mcclaran, M. P. (2013, summer). Spatial scale of drought in a meso-scale southwestern watershed.. Soil and Water Conservation Society Annual Meeting. Tucson, AZ: Soil and Water Conservation Society.

Others

• Sheehy, C., & McClaran, M. (2012, Fall). Photo Monitoring on the Santa Rita Experimental Range. Global Rangeland Web Site catalog of videos for Vegetation Monitoring. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHjmM2iAD6s&list=PL7CD3CD7A9350A858&index=5; http://globalrangelands.org/content/multimedia