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Steven Sesnie

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These data were compiled for the Altar Valley Conservation Alliance and the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service to identify and quantify the spatial distribution of fine fuels in relation to wildfire management across jurisdictional boundaries. Objective(s) of our study were to map the 2021 annual distribution of the biomass (kg/ha) of fine fuels (grasses, shrubs, and forbs) for the whole of the Altar Valley, AZ, including the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge. These data represent estimated biomass of fine fuels (kg/ha) at a 10-m resolution. These data were collected/created in September through October 2021 for the Altar Valley, located in Pima County, AZ, USA. These data were collected/created by the U.S. Geological...
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Managing water and riparian habitats on the Bill Williams River with scientific benefit for other desert river systems
The importance of riparian ecosystems in semiarid and arid regions has generated interest in understanding processes that drive the distribution and abundance of dominant riparian plants. Changes in streamflow patterns downstream of dams have profoundly affected riparian vegetation composition and structure. For example, in the southwestern United States, flow regulation has contributed to the replacement of many riparian forests historically dominated by the native Populus fremontii (Fremont Cottonwood) and Salix gooddingii (Goodding’s Willow) by the exotic species Tamarix spp. (Salt Cedar). The proposed project will help guide reservoir release decision making to enhance downstream recruitment of native cottonwood...
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Executive Summary: Evolution of policies that guide operation of individual reservoir systems begins with a relative flurry of activity associated with building of dams. Over perhaps a ten year period, operations are proposed in anticipation of construction, implemented when a dam is complete, and then modified as the effects, capabilities, and limitations of the project become better understood. After these initial adjustments, the policy process slowly begins to simmer. Operational changes are the driven by short-term influences that are largely episodic (e.g. droughts and floods) and long-term influences (e.g. social and economic factors) that affect operations more gradually.
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Forecasting Resource Availability for Wildlife Populations in Desert Grasslands under Future Climate Extremes
The desert grasslands of the southwestern United States support many wildlife species of management concern and economic value. The American pronghorn, for example, is a game species that contributes to local and state economies. Climate extremes, including severe droughts, heat waves, and atmospheric river events, are expected to occur more frequently in the Southwest. These extremes can affect the availability of food and water needed by wildlife. Wildlife management agencies and conservation organizations need information on resource availability for wildlife under future climate scenarios to design effective management strategies to sustain wildlife populations. Project scientists are working with the Arizona...
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