Center for Environmental Biology
Ayala School of Biological Sciences, UC Irvine
FINAL REPORT
for Activities from FY 2011-15
HOW ABOUT A NICE PHOTO??
Report to Donald Bren and the Irvine Company
Fall 2015
Executive Summary – Final Program Report
The $1,000,000 seed grant from Mr. Donald Bren and the Irvine Company to UC Irvine
allowed the establishment of the Center for Environmental Biology (CEB) in 2010. In the
past 5 years, CEB has fundamentally transformed how faculty and graduate students in the
Ayala School of Biological Sciences do science. CEB has aligned UCI’s tremendous research
capacity with both the challenges and opportunities present in Orange County’s landscape.
Dr. Travis E. Huxman, a leading environmental scientist, directs CEB and coordinates the
work of more than two dozen world-class researchers on local, translational, stakeholderengaged research. This science both helps protect and manage our invaluable biodiversity
hotspot and focuses on the grand challenge questions in Ecology, Evolution, and Earth
sciences. CEB has become UCI’s model of how faculty and students create impactful
scholarship – by exploiting a local focus, engaging university-community partnerships, and
coupling research and education.
Since its founding the Center has:
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created a collaborative research hub for 23 faculty members, helped to recruit 5
new professors to UCI, and provided an intellectual home to ~12 graduate students,
engaged 3 external scientists as CEB affiliates.
provided funding for 6 individual-faculty and 4 center-wide priority field research
projects – all in collaboration with community partners
developed a data-archiving and sharing portal that has been adopted by UCI’s
Library Services to preserve and disseminate important information on our region
indefinitely
leveraged an additional $1,325,000 in support for field research and graduate
fellowships directly on the above projects
enhanced faculty competitiveness for other research proposals, resulting in at
minimum ~$1,370,166 in additional grants and contracts
produced 63 peer-reviewed scientific publications
established collaborative relationships with 9 landowner / management /
coordination organizations and their staffs to help steward the biological diversity
hotspot that is Orange County open-space
engaged 48 undergraduate students in a unique, intensive field research / education
program (36 female and 21 traditionally under-represented minority students)
participated in / or convened 24 important events and symposia on topics
important to science and society
The Center for Environmental Biology Priority Areas
1. Developing translational science for ecosystem conservation and management
2. Creating effective data sharing, infrastructure enhancement, and project
coordination
3. Providing education, engagement, and outreach to future environmental
professionals and stakeholders
Priority 1: Translational science for ecosystem conservation and management
From the initial seed grant CEB has invested in research identified collaboratively with
land owners, managers, and stewards. CEB’s priority projects focus on knowledge gaps in
conservation and restoration, yet also advance basic environmental science so as to
generate future grant support. Eighty percent of the original grant is associated with
projects that include the active participation of both local land managers and researchers.
These projects are prioritized by their potential to improve decision-making about
conservation and management of open-space. Nearly all these projects occur on the
historic Irvine Ranch, in collaboration Irvine Ranch Conservancy, and the Natural
Communities Coalition (NCC; formerly the Nature Reserve of Orange County).
Research Highlight: The West Loma Ecosystem Restoration Experiment
Developed jointly with scientists at Irvine Ranch Conservancy, this project set up a multilayered, long-term experimental site to test fundamental questions and examine methods
around habitat restoration. In just 5 years, the project has produced publications in 3 major
journals, leveraged $600,000 in additional donations for research, and led to several proposals
to the National Science Foundation for further funding. Additional descriptions of funded
research projects can be found in Appendix 1.
Priority 2: Effective data sharing, infrastructure enhancement, and project coordination
CEB houses, organizes, analyzes, and shares data from research projects in partnership
with other institutions and land management groups to answer fundamental questions in
conservation. Both contemporary data and results from the deep history of science in
Orange County are often relevant to multiple research questions, projects, managers, and
preserve areas. Effective sharing of data and infrastructure saves time, money, and impact
on the land by avoiding the need for redundant experimentation. This priority required
development of new ways to share data and results, and led to broader collaboration
among researchers and opportunities for new partnerships at UCI.
Data Sharing Highlight: EcoDataPortal.org
A portion of the original grant was used to develop EcoDataPortal.org, housing an online
collection of contemporary and historical research from the region. UCI’s Library has adopted
this portal, making it accessible to both researchers and land managers in perpetuity. It is
maintained by both Center and Library staff. Among the early benefits of this data sharing
program was development of a 10-year work plan on data and research for the NCCP Reserve,
where synthesis, retrospective analysis, modeling, and data integration is critical to Additional
data and information projects can be found in Appendix 2.
Priority 3: Education, engagement, and outreach to future environmental professionals
and stakeholders
An important element of CEB’s mission is education that impacts the environmental
workforce and important stakeholders. Through affiliated faculty and partner
organizations, CEB offers unique undergraduate experiences. The Irvine Company seed
grant enabled creation of CEB’s Research, Outreach, and Education Internships Programs,
which have grown rapidly and mentored 48 undergraduates to date (Appendix 3). These
year-long experiences are highly competitive, provide unique professional development,
and have been useful in placing students in employment in the field. The Internships
Program is highly competitive for future funding, and is being included in a proposal to the
Howard Hughes Medical Institute STEM Initiative and an NSF Science and Technology
Center proposal.
Education Highlight: The Moro Canyon Environmental Loop and K-12/Public Outreach
at Crystal Cove State Park
The Center assisted in development of the Moro Canyon Environmental Loop, a citizen science
project created by Crystal Cove State Park and Crystal Cove Alliance, along with several
outreach activities in the Marine Protected Area. Between 2013-2015, 42 UCI undergraduates
were trained to either lead community groups and K-12 students and teachers through this
state-of-the-art interpretive trail in Moro Canyon, activities in the Research Cottage, or other
informal education experiences (such as boat cruises). The program to date has included
summer stipends to high performing students that extend these programs. These students
spent the summer developing additional curriculum based on science standards for use by the
Alliance and the Park based on research taking place through CEB at UCI.
Summary
The Irvine Company seed grant has provided resources for five productive years at the UCI
Center for Environmental Biology. The number of faculty conducting innovative research
locally to help manage Orange County open space lands is growing every year. Partners are
using and sharing knowledge coordinated and synthesized through CEB to improve
stewardship. UCI undergraduates and the public are engaged in the land and the
environment, translating research activities and needs associated with the renown
biodiversity hotspot that is contained in our region. This grant has been leveraged
significantly with additional and future funding, all aimed at the original mission of
bringing academic research to the needs of local land managers. The seed grant has
transformed environmental research and the faculty of the Ayala School of Biology.
Financial Summary and Report
The $1,000,000 seed grant from Mr. Donald Bren and the Irvine Company was distributed
to UCI in annual allocations of $200,000 between 2010 and 2015. All spending has focused
on the above described goals of bringing science to our local challenges and enhancing the
competitiveness of researchers in obtaining additional grant to tackle important questions.
In this final year grant funds supported Dr. Michael Bell (Post-doc), who worked at length
on rare plant dynamics in partnership with IRC, NCC, and the wildlife agencies. Funds were
spent on a technician (Ms. Johannah McCollum), who is a key individual involved in all
research projects and outreach/education activities. Funds were spent to support a shared
technician with the New Irvine Ranch Conservancy (Ms. Kathleen Balazs), who works on
projects that are of special importance to both organizations. Funds were spent on Dr.
Sarah Kimball (Project Scientist), who is the critical staff member that connects our many
research projects with stakeholders and is an important topical expert available to the land
management community of our region. Finally, funds were spent on the Dr. Travis Huxman
(Director) associated with his direct activity in the research projects, the coordination of
projects across UCI laboratories and with different stakeholders, the planning and
alignment of research potential with research needs, and the dissemination of results.
Minimal operating expenses have been encumbered associated with the projects outlined
in our appendix.
This financial report represents activity up until June 30th, 2015. The current spending
plan will exhaust the remaining balance by the end of the current granting period
(December 31st, 2015). This remaining balance is encumbered on primarily on Dr. Kimball
and Ms. McCollum, supporting their activities in the described projects, along with the
partnership with the New Irvine Ranch Conservancy on a shared research technician.
Financial Activities from 2010 to 2015
Throughout the life of this project, the vast majority of the funds were spent on projects
involving action on the ground, mostly in the form of the labor to carry out tasks,
stakeholder engagement, or infrastructure for broad-use by researchers and practitioners.
Personnel costs were upwards of 60% of the grant financial activity. Support of the
Director was less than 8.8% of the entire fund over the life-time of the grant, associated
with the time-investment of first Dr. Pataki and then Dr. Huxman in research and education
activities, along with coordination.
Over the course of the grant, approximately $300,000 was spent on two post-doctoral
researchers (first Dr. Kimball and then Dr. Bell), who collectively worked on most projects
listed in this report. After the second year of activities we re-classified expenses on Dr.
Kimball, reflecting her essential functions across all activities in the Center and to allow her
to compete for external funding.
The two research technicians listed above contributed substantially to the many projects
and collaborations in the Center. In total, we will have expended approximately $100,000
on Ms. McCollum and Balazs over the life of the grant.
On one occasion, we employed graduate students in the development and support of a
stakeholder engagement meeting. Ms. LuAnna Dobson and Ms. Kate Gallagher, both PhD
students in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology participated in these activities for the May
2014 workshop on restoration approaches to complex topography.
Operating costs included hosting stakeholder workshops, meetings to coordinate research
needs of land managers, sample processing, and some field equipment that is shared across
the staffs of most of the affiliated faculty laboratories. Additional costs of running the
center (printing, phone, etc.) were extremely small components of the overall
expenditures. Total operating costs were constrained below 10% of the total award.
Early in the operation of the Center several projects were managed such that allocations of
the grant were passed through to PI’s that focused on singular projects (~$208,000 to Dr.
Goulden, Dr. Mooney, Dr. Treseder, and Dr. Campbell, in collaboration of others). This
included ~$50,000 investment in capitol equipment (the weather station project). The
majority of these funds were expended on staff in these PI’s laboratories directly involved
in research. In the final years of the Center operation, we found that Center employed staff
were more optimal in allocating these collaborative efforts as they could be moved in time
to different priorities of the moment.
Exhibit I
Donald Bren Endowment Master Agreement
Summary of Sources/Uses of the Beneficiary Spendable Amount
For the Period July 1, 2010 to June 30, 2015
(Cash Basis)
Fund Name:
Center for Environmental Biology
3432
Foundation Fund
ITD
FY 2014-2015
Beginning Fund Balance
$
-
$
-
$
200,000
$
1,000,000
Total Increases to Fund
$
200,000
$
1,000,000
Subtotal
$
200,000
$
1,000,000
$
200,000
$
1,000,000
$
200,000
$
1,000,000
$
-
$
-
Increases to Fund
Contributions
Transfer from Other Fund
Interest Income
Monetary Transfers to Beneficiary Spending Account
MTF
Total Transfers Out of Fund
Ending Balance
Beneficiary Spending Account
Beginning Fund Balance
$
61,992
$
-
Transfer from Foundation
$
200,000
$
1,000,000
$
261,992
$
1,000,000
Director Support
$
18,678
$
73,335
Post Doc
$
46,571
$
295,836
Other Center Operating Expenses
Research Technician (K. Balazs, J.
McCollum)
$
16,395
$
88,081
$
17,689
$
59,476
Project Scientist (S. Kimball)
Technician (New Irvine Ranch
Conservancy)
Research Stipend (Dobson &
Gallagher)
Research Allocations (Projects #1
CEB-IRC, #2 Goulden, #3 Treseder)
$
77,809
$
189,439
$
18,013
$
18,013
$
-
$
1,000
$
-
$
207,982
$
195,155
$
933,163
$
66,837
$
66,837
Subtotal
Fund Expenditures & Uses
Total Expenditures & Uses
Ending Fund Balance
Appendices
Appendix 1:
Funded Research Projects
Appendix 2:
Data Sharing, Infrastructure, and Coordination Projects
Appendix 3:
Education and Outreach Projects
Appendix 4:
Science, Partner and Engagement Events
Appendix 5:
Center Governance, Staffing and University Investment
Appendix 6:
Peer Reviewed Publications Produced at Center 2010-15
Appendix 7:
Grants, Contracts, and Gifts to Center Activities
APPENDIX 1: Funded Research Projects
1.1. “The West Loma Ecosystem Restoration Experiment.” Drs. Sarah Kimball,
Travis Huxman, Kathleen Treseder, Jennifer Martiny, Kailen Mooney (et al.).
While many of the projects listed here are important for the long-term business plan
of the Center, this specific long-term collaborative experiment with IRC has
significant potential to impact science and management. This originally co-visioned
project has grown to an exceptionally complex experimental design that is doubling
in output by year. This project is focused on developing a mechanistic
understanding of community assembly and assessments of the long-term impacts of
ecosystem restoration. Major milestones include the publication of a first-year’s
data set in Restoration Ecology, publication of the economics and efficiencies of
different techniques in Ecological Restoration, analysis and submission of an
additional manuscript evaluating the behavior of non-native species to Ecosphere,
and submission several proposals to the National Science Foundation to further this
work with a focus on translating the results into forms that can be used in other
settings). How this experiment responds to the El Niño forecast for 2015/16 is
perhaps one of the most important data sets that any of the faculty involved in the
Center will ever had access to for analysis. This project resulted in a major donation
to the Center from the Voth Family Trust ($100K per year for five years for
research), where we propose to use a trait-based approach to understand the
resilience of these human constructed ecosystems. We are currently looking to both
TNC, NCC, and NSF for additional funding to support this science. (ongoing)
1.2. “Rare Plant Monitoring and Management” – Drs. Sarah Kimball, Travis
Huxman, Steve Weller
Working together with scientists from IRC, NCC, the US Fish and Wildlife Service
(USFWS), and CA Dept. of Fish and Wildlife Service (CAFWS), the Center has
developed a database and modeling platform to understand the factors that control
the distribution of important rare and sensitive plant species in southern California,
with a focus on Orange County. Dr. Mike Bell, a Center post-doctoral scholar, carried
out the full database development in 2014/15. Dr. Bell was recently recruited by
the National Park Service in Denver CO and we will be hiring a second individual to
continue this project. This project, which has been seed-funded by the Center, is in
NCC’s funded work plan and will enter a second phase of program goals in 2015/16.
This second phase will include detailed monitoring of rare plant populations, future
scenario assessment, and some comparative experimentation as important
deliverables – each item supporting on-the-ground planning and management,
while also asking important basic questions. (ongoing)
1.3. “Vegetation/Habitat Monitoring, Modeling and Management” – Drs. Sarah
Kimball, Travis Huxman, Mike Goulden, James Randerson
In 2013/14 the Center brought together scientists from IRC, NCC, USFWS, and The
Nature Conservancy (TNC), to develop a framework to synthesize, standardize,
collect, integrate, and analyze habitat data within the NCC region. This collaboration
is in a unique position to develop decision support tools assisting in the compilation
of the diverse data available to land managers and assisting with guidance on
specific restoration practices or management actions. This is in part because of the
independence of our scientists (as compared to a manager focused on a single parcel
of land), the sophistication and scope of analysis available to academic researchers,
and the ready application of the land managers and policy partners. There is no
other example in the nation of such coupled interactions of community and
university partnering in such a complex land ownership setting. The Center has
supported the visioning meetings and contributed some personnel time to
preliminary analysis (Dr. Bell and Dr. Kimball). TNC has funded the first two years
of monitoring, utilizing historic data collection sites beginning in 2014/15, with a
possible renewal beyond two years ($90,000). NCC invested $25,000 to support the
further conceptual development of the vegetation monitoring plan. Collectively, this
research group anticipates the project to be part of the 2015/16 work plan for
funding by the non-profit. The TNC funds have helped support existing technicians
in the Center, while the NCC funds will allow the hire of an additional data analyst to
support many The Center activities. This project has a long-term business plan that
relies on the use the TNC and then NCC funds for an initial period, followed by
efforts to support the program through Community Assistance grants from CA Fish
and Wildlife. During this 3-5 year window The Center and partners will develop
basic science research proposals to programs such as NSF in support of long-term
research (we submitted a proposal to NSF on this topic that was not funded in
2015). This project is also developing a strong emphasis on fire risk and post-fire
recovery, which has attracted new faculty involvement. (ongoing)
1.4. “Understanding passive restoration opportunities in variable degraded
settings.” Drs. Travis Huxman, Sarah Kimball
This is a collaborative experiment with IRC measuring long-term population
dynamics of native shrubs in response to removal of invasive species at varying
levels of initial native cover and at multiple sites across the Irvine Ranch. This
project will help in deciding which types of landscape require active restoration and
which perhaps can be left to their own, slow recovery. This project has become an
integral component of the long-term vegetation monitoring project (#2 above)
engaging land managers and is the focus of a PhD student’s dissertation. To date,
the PhD student (Ms. Emily Griffoul) has presented preliminary data at the
Ecological Society of America’s annual meeting and is in the process of preparing a
paper for a professional journal. This is a unique long-term experimental data set
that has few comparable examples in the west and we hope to find a way to
continue the work and expand it significantly as a tool to ‘take the pulse’ of a system.
In fact, this experiment has been extended to new sites across the county, co-located
with our weather station infrastructure (see below), and the long-term monitoring
plots from Activity #3. (ongoing)
1.5. “Assessing the importance of arthropod abundance, community
composition and habitat structure as determinants of habitat quality for
Cactus Wren (Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus).” Dr. Kailen Mooney
This project explores the hypothesis that food availability is playing a major role in
the decline of this historically widespread bird species and is a close collaboration
with NCC and IRC. The project speaks to ways of assessing habitat and changing
management to positively affect species recovery by employing sequencing
technology that is rapidly becoming affordable. This project has formed the basis for
a component of NCC’s 10 year work plan, which will focus on developing a formal
understanding of the relationship between vegetation composition and food quality
as influencing sensitive bird species. We anticipate this to be supported in 2015/16
in part by NCC’s work plan, but the project is still in the developmental stages
preventing it from being competitive for significant external funding. This project in
part was a component of the preliminary data supporting a grant to NSF by Dr.
Mooney evaluating the behavior of different populations of CA coastal scrub species
in common gardens. This project was funded for $590,477 in late 2014. (ongoing)
1.6. “Limits to fountain grass distribution in natural areas of Orange County.”
Dr. Ann Sakai
This project evaluates the mechanism by which populations of fountain grass on IRC
lands are limited in their invasiveness, examining population size and habitat
suitability. While the drought has restricted activity in this project, its continuation
is key to developing assessments of new invasive threats for the region. Sampling in
the coming El Nino will provide interesting new data. This project will help IRC and
NCC understand areas that are at risk for novel invasion. The PI’s anticipate
submitting grant applications surrounding this data set and topic in the coming
year. (ongoing)
1.7. “Impacts of invasive black mustard on pollination of natives.” Dr. Diane
Campbell
This research compares native and invasive plants with respect to pollination,
competition, and diversity of insect pollinators, focusing on how interactions among
species are importantly modified by species invasions. The goal here is to document
the unanticipated effects of invasion and help in reprioritizing areas where removal
will be warranted. This project was the dissertation subject of a recently graduated
PhD student (Dr. Daniela Bruckman), who has published extensively on the project
and continues to analyze data without direct support from the Center. In fact, this
project has demonstrated to several graduate students the opportunities of working
in a local context and the relative efficiency of economy that can be achieved by
doing so. (completed)
1.8. “Response of soil bacterial communities associated with native and exotic
plant species to management, climate and pollution disturbances in a coastal
grassland.” Dr. Steven Allison
This study investigates the important differences in microbial communities under
exotic and native grasses in Bee Flat Canyon associated with IRC restoration efforts,
and how they change following native seeding efforts. This will help us understand
how the microbial system may be important in the restoration process. This work
has had significant impact in the broader area of ecology and earth sciences, as part
of Dr. Allison’s effort to improve the representation of microbial and soil processes
in Earth System Models. In fact, this work (combined with additional microbial work
below) informed the pilot study of a very research proposal to NSF evaluating
microbial behavior in the context of global change (funded at $839,807 in August of
this year). In addition, this project served as the foundation for a Science and
Technology Center (where UCI is a collaborating partner, and the University of
Arizona is the lead institution). Science and Technology Centers are extremely large
investments (~$50M over 10 years), and are extremely competitive. This proposal
on ‘Genomics at the Nexus of Earth Sciences’ is one of 20 proposals having made it
through a number of pre-rounds, competing for 4-5 centers nationally. Of this
$50M, UCI is leading 2/3rds of the research activities and will see just less than ½ of
the funding coming to campus over an extended period should the proposal be
successful. Drs. Allison, Huxman, Kimball, Randerson, Treseder, Martiny, Goulden,
and Gaut are all involved in this proposal. (ongoing)
1.9. “Fungal facilitators of ecosystem services in Irvine Ranch.” Dr. Kathleen
Treseder
This work is providing a “fungal catalog” for all land managers in Orange County to
enable improvement in predictions regarding the effects of global change on
Southern California ecosystems and is guided in part by NROC collaborations. This
project has resulted in the close-association of a PhD student (Ms. Mia Maltz) with a
diversity of land managers, all of whom now rely heavily on the student for advice /
guidance on microbiological issues in their work. Ms. Maltz has recently published a
meta-analysis that is directly related to this topic which has been of significant
interest to the land management community and Dr. Treseder continues to publish
extensively referencing this project. This work has contributed to the STC grant
opportunity described above (near completion)
1.10. “Symbiotic microbes and water stress in coastal-sage plants.” Dr.
Kathleen Treseder
This project focuses on understanding what controls plant establishment from the
perspective of microbial communities that could be used in restoration efforts and is
associated with the planting efforts of IRC. The PhD student carrying out this work
is in the final year of her research, with anticipated research papers to be finalized
in 2014/2015 (near completion)
APPENDIX 2: Data Sharing, Infrastructure, and Coordination Projects
2.1. “EcoDataPoral.org” Dr. Sarah Kimball, Crista Lopes, & Travis Huxman
This project is focused on database development and dissemination to leverage
historic research efforts and align all new environmental science in Orange County.
Initiated as a collaboration with NCC, the project has become integrated into the
collections unit at the UCI Library, and will live in that setting in perpetuity (called
“Dash” - https://dash.lib.uci.edu/xtf/search?smode=orangecounty-home). This is
one of the areas that The Center points to as a major success. Not only will UCI
researchers have the use of this tool, but so will all community partners affiliated
with UCI projects (such as IRC and NCC). We have allowed the library to fill a role
for the region that will have transformational effects on how we manage these
historic lands (because of the archiving capabilities and the common data access).
This data base tool is being leveraged for every grant submitted in environmental
biology from UCI. We anticipate continuing to partner with the library as needs
develop for new aspects of the tool over the next decade, especially in the area of
citizen science, where active, web-based analysis of existing data for public viewing
is desirable. Funding for a comprehensive “Environmental Informatics” scheme by
NCC is planned in the later years of the 10 year work plan (Status: Completed, spunoff to new project)
2.2. “Environmental Meteorology and Water Balance in Orange County.” Drs.
Mike Goulden, Sarah Kimball, & Travis Huxman
This project focused on developing the infrastructure to facilitate environmental
research across the Nature Reserve of Orange County open-space, which will be
heavily leveraged for UCI researchers, land managers interested in using data for
area closure and fire agencies for planning and management of disturbance. This
data has been an important source of new meteorology for local fire agency
personnel in their push for the development of new ‘Red Flag’ designations by
NOAA. Data are now available in a common portal to all interested parties
(128.200.14.200/index.html) and several new sites are being located on the
landscape associated with needs from researchers and land manager collaborators.
Growing from this work and UCI’s involvement in the COAST fire coordination
group, we are hoping to develop more extensive fire-detection and monitoring
aspects to this project in years to come (Status: Expanded, Ongoing).
2.3. “An ecohydrology monitoring array for water sustainability, biological
diversity, and integrated research/education programs at the Steele/Burnand
Anza-Borrego Desert Research Center.” Drs. Travis Huxman, Kailen Mooney,
Jessica Pratt, Sarah Kimball, & James Famiglietii
This project is an extension of the above meteorological infrastructure project in
Orange County (#12) to create a parallel structure in the desert surrounding Anza
Borrego. The result was a successful NSF grant to install the infrastructure
($270,882). This data will be an important source of new information for the
community of Borrego Springs, which is worried about air quality in addition to
water balance. Installation is currently under way and data will be available in a
common portal to all interested parties, similar to what has been produced for our
OC Array (128.200.14.200/index.html). (Status: Completing)
2.4. “Synthesis of legacy ecological science” Drs. Sarah Kimball, Mike Goulden, &
Travis Huxman
This project is focused on synthesizing a number of experiments carried out over
the last two decades in the southwestern U.S. that have evaluated the effects of
global change effects on plant communities from a number of dryland settings,
including both natural settings and restored ecosystems. This basic research,
focused on synthesis is extremely relevant to ecosystem management or science to
serve decision-making in this region, thus bringing lessons learned from many
experiments in many settings to our local context. This project continues in form
and represents efforts to integrate our specific management collaborative projects
above with the ‘grand challenges’ identified in the basic science of ecology and earth
sciences. (Status: Ongoing)
APPENDIX 3: Education and Outreach Projects
3.1. “Center Research Internships” Drs. Sarah Kimball, Jennifer Long, & Travis
Huxman
This program is focused on bringing the exceptional research opportunities among
UCI laboratories and partners to the undergraduate student population, both from
our campus and other institutions (in the summer). Throughout the 2011-2012
academic year four interns participated in the program (two academic year, two
summer), in 2012-2013 the Center expanded this program to a steady state size of
approximately 12 students during the academic year (eight academic year, four
summer). In total from 2011 to 2015 we have mentored 48 students, of which 21
were under-represented minorities and 36 were women. This program is seen as
an effective tool at enhancing the pipeline of non-traditional STEM students to
graduate and professional school. This program has become a signature item of the
Center’s activities and will be an important aspect of the Center moving forward.
We are now in the position to try and fund an expansion through competitive grants
and foundations. A part of this program (and the education and outreach program)
is being included in a upcoming competition to the Howard Hughes Medical
Institute STEM enhancement request for proposals. Additionally, this program is
being leveraged on our campus by other units, including the School of Engineering
and the Sustainability Initiative to build similar, collaborative student internship
structures. (continuing)
3.2 “Center Education and Outreach Internships” Drs. Sarah Kimball, Jennifer
Long, & Travis Huxman
This program is focused on integrating the exceptional research opportunities
experienced by UCI undergraduates in many settings (see above) with the education
and engagement mission of the University, in the context of the major investment
UCI is making in STEM education and teacher training. Between 2013 and 2015 28
undergraduates who participated in our research internships were trained in the
pedagogy of informal science education (in partnership with community groups,
such as the Crystal Cove Alliance), and then placed them in informal settings to
disseminate UCI research to K-12 students, the general public, teacher candidates,
other undergraduates, and donors and university partners. This program ends with
a competitive capstone experience, where four of the highest performing students
receive a stipend and spend the summer developing curriculum with Crystal Cove
Alliance professionals. We have built a business model within this program that
allows it to be used by faculty submitting research grants to agencies (such as the
National Science Foundation), where this internship program will serve as their
broader impacts activities (an important criteria for successful awarding of funds).
This is one of the most exciting aspects of our program and is being leveraged on
our campus by the School of Engineering and the Sustainability Initiative
(continuing)
3.3 “Ecohydrology in the Moro Canyon Environmental Loop” Drs. Travis
Huxman, Jennifer Long, Sarah Kimball & Rosella Santagata
This program is focused on developing a citizen science opportunity that links our
research on water balance, with a public engagement program and K-12 student
curriculum development opportunity at Crystal Cove State Park and Crystal Cove
Alliance. This project held it’s first round of activities in January of 2014 and 2015,
where an afterschool experience engaged the students from Moro Elementary
School. The data from this project serves as the basis for a PhD student’s
dissertation from the School of Education (Ms. Jennifer Long). We submitted a
proposal to NSF to fund this project and received favorable reviews – our plan is to
resubmit in January 2015, and we have also begun to submit proposals to
foundations to support this work (continuing)
3.4 “Professional Masters Program in Conservation and Restoration Science”
Drs. Travis Huxman, Sarah Kimball, and Jessica Pratt
To educate the next generation of conservation and environmental professionals,
the Center is partnering with the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
to develop a professional masters program that is fee based and self supporting.
The goal of this program is to leverage the high level research environment of UCI’s
environmental sciences to train professionals who are adept at translating
knowledge from basic scholarship to practical action. The program will be a twoyear, immersive program with a capstone experience with community partners the
Center has cultivated. A market study demonstrated tremendous demand for such a
program that had a focus of ecological restoration. Our community partners are
excited by the chance to interact with the student workforce and help to grow a
professional capacity in the region for dealing with environmental issues. This
program has been approved for planning by the Department of Ecology and
Evolutionary Biology, the Francisco J. Ayala School of Biological Sciences, and UCI’s
Graduate Division. The proposal will be formally evaluated and approved by UCI
committees and the Office of the President in 2016, for a potential first enrolling
class entering in the fall term of 2016. The Center helped secure $50,000 per year
for five years from the Voth Family Trust to help place these masters students in
projects aimed at advancing environmental solutions relevant to local stakeholders.
APPENDIX 4: Science, Partner and Engagement Events
The Center has participated in, convened, or co-sponsored 24 important local, regional
and national events and symposia since its founding.
Data Portal Workshop, Oct. 29, 2012 – The Center hosted a workshop on ecological data
access and management. The workshop included participants from Nature Reserve of
Orange County, Irvine Ranch Conservancy, O.C. Parks, CA Dept. of Fish and Game, UCI
Informatics Dept., Crystal Cove Alliance, Orange County Public Works, CA State Parks,
UCI Department of Education, The Nature Conservancy, UC Berkeley, and USGS. The
focus of the workshop was on how data web portals (especially ecodataportal.org) can
be used to help organizations meet their reporting obligations, to provide ecological
datasets for educational purposes, and to demonstrate value in experimental and
monitoring efforts.
State of CA Natural Resources Symposium, November 8, 2012 - The Center research was
featured in a distinguished speakers session for California Department of Natural
Resources personnel at the Beckman Center of the National Academy of Sciences. The
Center highlighted the development of environmental projects in collaboration with
Irvine Ranch Conservancy personnel in the talk.
Salton Sea Listening Session, January 22, 2013 – The Center co-sponsored, with other
programs in the School of Biological Sciences and the Environment Institute, a collective
to discuss emerging research opportunities associated with the Salton Sea and
interdisciplinary challenges.
May 17, 2013 Anza Borrego – Developing sustainable water management and use plans –
community meeting. The goal here was to engage researchers with socio-cultural and
socio-economic frameworks to ask about how resources are valued and managed in
highly variable environments.
UC Irvine Chief Executive Roundtable Tour, May 17, 2013 – The historic Irvine Ranch
lands were host to a driving and hiking excursion for this UC Irvine leadership group.
Attendees included Chancellor Michael Drake, Interim Executive Vice Chancellor and
Provost Sue Bryant, Professor David Gardner, and 15 Roundtable members and their
families. Presentations were made by Dean Al Bennett, Center Director Travis Huxman,
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Professor Kailen Mooney, IRC Director Michael
O’Connell and OC Parks Director Mark Denny.
Irvine Ranch Conservancy’s Science Friday Lecture Series, May 24, 2013 – Sarah Kimball
gave a presentation, “Restoration Experiments: Evaluating Techniques for Assembling
Native Communities,” to highlight the important collaborative work in the region
between UCI and IRC.
The Desert Research Workshop; connecting our capacities to real problems, June 5, 2013 –
The Center in collaboration with the Steele/Burnand Anza-Borrego Desert Research
Center, and the Salton Sea Research Initiative held a workshop at the Beckman Center of
the National Academies of Science and Engineering to coordinate the many stakeholder
engaged research projects that UCI is carrying out in the Orange County region with
those that extend to the lower Colorado Desert. We invited UCI faculty as speakers in
addition to our community partners – a key feature was The Center’s development of
research knowledge networks through our many faculty driven projects.
School of Biological Sciences Leadership Tour, June 19, 2013 – The School of Biological
Sciences Dean’s Leadership Council held its quarterly meeting at the Augustine Staging
Area on the Irvine Ranch, including a vehicle tour of the oak restoration area and hike to
The Sinks. A special guest was new Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Dr. Howard
Gillman.
UCI Graduate Student Introduction to OC Open Space, September 21, 2013 – The Center
hosted an event, coordinated with an orientation for our internship program, that
brought new graduate students in ecology and evolution to the important sites of
potential research in OC open space. The goal is to encourage more graduate student
research on important ecology topics in our local setting.
NROC Science Panel, November 8, 2013 – The Center helped plan and put into action a
science panel of experts on a number of topics, all with the goal of streamlining the use
of science in the management of open space in Orange County.
Land Manager / UCI Graduate Student Meet and Greet, November 15, 2013 – The Center
hosted a lunch focused on making connections between local land managers and new
graduate students, where the goal was to connect these two groups that (1) need topics
for their dissertation, and (2) need to know more about the local systems they manage.
This will be an annual event for the Center.
Bill DeBuys Lecture on Water in the West, December 3, 2013 – The Center co-hosted an
event where a leading science writer provided a public lecture on water, climate, and
sustainability in the West. UCI (and Dr. Huxman) research were a big component of the
content used in his recent book. The goal of the event was to begin to bring different
schools at UCI into a common discussion on climate, water, and the environment.
Coastal SEES Visioning Meeting, January 24, 2014 – The Center co-hosted a faculty
recruitment event to bring together individuals working on ocean, near-shore, coastal
and coastal connected science. The goal of this meeting was to develop a research focus
for the faculty that could be leveraged into a larger vision of a center or program.
Emerging from this workshop was a collection of faculty that are developing
collaborative projects and an identity (see – http://ceb.bio.uci.edu/research/marine/).
Moro Environmental Science Loop Opening, January 31, 2014 – The Center participated
and student interns staffed the opening of our partner’s new informal science
infrastructure at Crystal Cove State Park.
Alternative Spring Break, March 24 to 28, 2014 – The Center initiated a program in
service learning for UCI undergraduates in the community of Borrego Springs. The goal
was to introduce them to the complex environmental, societal, and economic issues that
drive a community through projects in partnership with community partners.
Destination Borrego – Sustainability in the Desert, April 11, 2014 – The Center co-hosted
a community engagement event associated with developing a leadership team and
stewardship council to guide community projects and scholarship in the Borrego region.
Workshop on Restoration on Steep Slopes, May 9, 2014 – The Center co-hosted with
NROC an engagement workshop at the Beckman Center of the National Academies
focused on developing a common research methodology and potential collaborative
project to understand the challenges of habitat reconstruction on complex topography.
UCI CEO Roundtable, October 17, 2014 – The Center hosted four faculty during a meeting
of the CEO Roundtable at Crystal Cove State Park to highlight the kind of environmental
science carried out by faculty and the way that our world-class scientists are also
working locally on important issues to the community.
Anza-Borrego Foundation Colorado Desert Natural History Symposium, November 8,
2014 – The Center co-hosted the meeting and Huxman provided a public seminar on
drought adaptation and the way plants work in the context of drought.
Coastal Impacts Roundtable, February 23, 2015 – Huxman provided an overview of the
‘Gnarly Problems’ associated with environmental sustainability in our region and the
capacities of UCI in helping cities, counties, and other government agencies in tackling
the important issues.
The California Drought, April 20-22, 2015 – The Center co-hosted and participated in a
meeting at The Beckman Center of the National Academies of the U.S., focused on
bringing different scientists, policy makers, stakeholders, and the public together to
discuss drought in general and the California drought in particular. Huxman provided a
key-note talk and the meeting produced a high-impact opinion piece that was published
in the journal Nature.
UCI-Oceans Inaugural Meeting, May 8, 2015 – The Center participated as a stakeholder
and key speaker in a session of this first meeting of the participants in UCI-Oceans. The
goal was to highlight the important biological science and environmental research being
carried out in the local coastal zone.
Alumni Chapter Chancellor Event, May 27, 2015 & June 2, 2015 – The Center participated
in two fundraising / alumni education events with the Chancellor in New York and
Washington DC. Dr. Huxman spoke about environmental programs
Polyphasgous Shot Hole Borer: a major threat to southern California’s urban forest and
natural areas, September 9, 2015 – The Center co-hosted and convened a meeting at
campus student center focused on bringing different scientists, policy makers, and
stakeholders together to discuss this emerging threat, potential research needs, best
practices, and potential coordinating activities.
APPENDIX 5: Center Governance, Staffing and University Investment
Center Leadership
The Center has both an Executive Board and an External Advisory Board to guide its
operations.
The Executive Board includes Ayala School Dean Frank LaFerla, Dr. Huxman, Dr.
Laurence Mueller (Chair of the Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Department), and
Michael O’Connell of Irvine Ranch Conservancy.
The current External Advisory Board is comprised of technical experts and provides
advice and guidance on the Center’s mission, activities, and program objectives.
Members evaluate the merits of research proposals for projects on the Irvine Ranch
submitted under the Center’s requests for funding applications. Having established a
strong strategy and plan of operation, the Center is considering transitioning its
advisory board to focus on development and advancement.
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Dr. Frank Davis - Director of the National Center for Environmental Analysis and
Synthesis, UC Santa Barbara;
Mark Denny - Chief Operating Officer, County of Orange;
Dr. Richard Redak - Professor and Chair,Dept of Entomology U.C. Riverside;
Dr. Phil Rundel - Distinguished Professor Dept of Ecology and Evolutionary
Biology, UCLA;
Dr. Raymond Sauvajot - Associate Director, Natural Resource Stewardship and
Science, National Park Service; and
Gail Sevrens – District Services Mgr, Colorado Desert District, CA State Parks
Center Staffing
Staffing of the Center has been a critical priority during the initial grant period. Irvine
Company grant funding provided partial support for Center operations, but the vast
majority of staffing support was contributed by UCI. In particular, the first three
positions are essential to continued success of the Center.
Center Director – Dr. Travis Huxman – Dr. Huxman is a plant physiological ecologist
with interests in the evolution of plants and plant traits along with the importance
of aspects of global change in influencing terrestrial ecosystems. He is a passionate
scholar focused on carrying out globally important research with specific local
impacts. Dr. Huxman has extensive program management experience having lead
programs in Earth Sciences, ecohydrology, science communication, and teacher
training at his former institution in Arizona (University of Arizona).
Center Coordinator – Dr. Sarah Kimball – Dr. Kimball joined the Center as Program
Coordinator in July 2011. She coordinates and manages the research agenda and
day to day operations, funded in part by the Irvine Company grant. Dr. Kimball
received her Ph.D. from the UC Irvine Department of Ecology and Evolutionary
Biology in 2007 and was a post-doctoral scholar at the University of Arizona. Dr.
Kimball has taken a leadership role in coordinating Center activities with land
management agencies in Orange County, and serves on the Board of the Newport
Bay Conservancy. She is an excellent example of practitioner-engaged scholarship
at the core of the Center’s Mission.
Education and Outreach Coordinator – Dr. Jessica Pratt – Dr. Pratt coordinated
outreach and education in 2013 and 2014. She received her Ph.D. from UC Irvine
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and brings extensive training in
program development to the Center. Among Dr. Pratt’s honors was being selected
by the university to deliver the graduate student commencement address at the
2014 50th Anniversary Commencement Ceremony that included President Obama in
2014. In 2014/2015, Dr. Jennifer Long assumed the position of Coordinator. Dr.
Long is a former PhD student in the School of Education and a specialist in teaching
science through authentic research experiences.
Environmental Modeling / Rare Plant Modeling – In 2014 Dr. Mike Bell joined the
Center as a post-doctoral scholar focused on research questions surrounding rare
and threatened plant species in the Orange County area – with a goal of developing
habitat distributions models to govern future management. Dr. Bell left for a
permanent scientist job with the National Park Service in 2015 and we will be
replacing his position in the coming year.
Affiliated UCI Faculty - The Center for Environmental Biology has been highly
successful in attracting faculty. In the first year, 19 UCI Faculty formally affiliated
with the Center. All faculty have either full, joint, or split appointments in Ecology
and Evolutionary Biology and many have appointments in other departments such
as Earth System Science and Civil and Environmental Engineering. This large
breadth and depth of expertise available to the Center is critical to achieving its
long-term objectives.
Affiliated External Scholars – Formal connections and courtesy appointments
importantly connect the Center with community partners and when well leveraged,
allow the Center to act as a catalyst for innovation in regional environmental science
issues. The Center currently has three affiliated scholars – Dr. Megan Lulow, Dr.
Jutta Burger (both lead scientists at IRC), and Dr. Milan Mitrovich (NCC Science
Coordinator). We are engaging these scholars to participate in curriculum, help
with guidance for Center activities, and provide insight into our programs from a
practitioners’ perspective. We are currently reviewing the criteria used in
connecting additional land manager / scientists in our affiliates.
University Investment in the Center for Environmental Biology
In the summer of 2013, the University assigned an open Lecturer line to the Dept of
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, which the Center helped to vision as an investment in
environmental science and sustainability. The Center participated in the recruitment,
which resulted hiring Dr. Jessica Pratt. This investment will substantially strengthen our
ability to connect with partners through education and engagement programs. Dr. Pratt
will lead the development of a Professional Master’s Program in Conservation and
Restoration Science (see Appendix 3).
The School of Biological Sciences assigned an open position to the Center in 2013 for the
hiring of an Education and Outreach Coordinator. This position is key to connecting
research programs and our stakeholders, especially the outreach efforts of Crystal Cove
Alliance and IRC. This position has been extremely helpful in developing the
community-based collaborative programs that are becoming a signature of The Center.
In 2014 Dr. Huxman was assigned as Faculty Director of the UCI Sustainability Initiative
to help lead the development of a new undergraduate programs on the topic and vision
next steps, which includes such potential concepts as additional professional masters
program for sustainability professionals. This position has let The Center have a
leadership role in the development of other, related multidisciplinary programs on
campus.
The Office of Research and the Ayala School of Biological Sciences have agreed to reorganize the environmental research facilities (field sites, growth facilities, etc.) all in
order to better align the infrastructure associated with the environment with the
research capacities and themes evolving guided by The Center. This re-organization will
include personnel investment in managing these facilities and coordinating activities
with lands/assets that UCI utilizes, but does not own (such as the Historic Irvine Ranch).
These personnel will be key to The Center’s mission and facilitate even greater
interactions with the local environmental stakeholder community.
In 2015 The Center partnered with the School of Engineering, the School of Physical
Sciences, and the Department of Planning, Policy, and Design for a proposal for four new,
community-engaged faculty, centering on the topic of water in our environment. This
High-Impact Hire cluster is attempting to recruit an internationally renown ecological
hydrologist, who would then work to recruit four additional young faculty studying
water and the environment. These individuals would explicitly utilize the natural
experiment offered by the local “Ridge to Reef” landscape of historic lands of southern
California, and Orange County in particular. This would be a major expansion of the
research capacity of UCI with respect to the many issues on the landscape and would
position the faculty as a center of excellence in many forms. The recruitment is active at
the moment and may take some time to move forward.
APPENDIX 6: Peer Reviewed Publications Produced at the Center 2010-2015
63 peer reviewed papers have been published or are in review with funding in
whole or part from the Center and by Center-affiliated faculty.
1. Bell M, Lulow M, Huxman TE, Kimball S (In Review) Evaluating the Optimal
Native Plant Seed Mix to Restore an Invasion-Resistant Mediterranean Shrub
Community. Ecosphere
2. Bruckman D, Campbell DR (In Review) Timing of invasive pollen deposition
influences pollen tube growth and seed set in a native plant. Oecologia.
3. Maltz MR, Mitrovich MJ, Iyer A, Treseder KK (In Review) Invasive plant
management alters arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Ecological Restoration
4. Martiny JBH, Jones SE, Lennon JT, Martiny AC (In Press) Microbiomes in light
of traits: a phylogenetic perspective. Science.
5. AghaKouchak A, Feldman D, Hoerling M, Huxman T, Lund J (2015) Water and
Climate: recognize anthropogenic drought. Nature 524:409-411.
6. Amend AS, Martiny AC, Allison SD, Berlemont R, Goulden ML, Lu Y, Treseder
KK, Weihe C, Martiny JBH (2015) Microbial response to simulated global
change is phylogenetically conserved and linked with functional potential.
ISME Journal:doi:10.1038/ismej.2015.96.
7. Amend AS, Matulich KL, Martiny JBH (2015) Nitrogen addition, not initial
phylogenetic diversity, increases litter decomposition by fungal
communities. Frontiers in Microbiology 6:109.
8. Kimball S, Lulow M, Sorenson Q, Balazs K, Fang Y, Davis SJ, O’Connell M,
Huxman TE (2015) Cost-effective ecological restoration. Restoration
Ecology.
9. Baker NR, Allison SD (2015) Ultraviolet photodegradation facilitates
microbial litter decomposition in a Mediterranean climate. Ecology 96:1994–
2003.
10. Gevaert AI, Teuling AJ, Uijlenhoet R, DeLong SB, Huxman TE, Pangle L,
Breshears DD, Chorover J, Pelletier JD, Saleska SR, Zeng X, Troch P (2015)
Hillslope experiment demonstrates role of convergence during two-step
saturation. Hydrology and Earth System Science. 18:3681-3692.
11. Hynson NA, Allison SD, Treseder KK (2015) Quantum dots reveal shifts in
organic nitrogen uptake by fungi exposed to long-term nitrogen enrichment.
PLoS One 10:e0138158.
12. Maltz MR, Treseder KK (2015) Sources of inocula influence mycorrhizal
colonization of plants in restoration projects: a meta-analysis. Restoration
Ecology doi: 10.1111/rec.12231
13. Matulich, K. L., and J. B. H. Martiny. 2015. Microbial composition alters the
response of litter decomposition to environmental change. Ecology 96:154–
163.
14. Matulich, K., C. Weihe, S. D. Allison, A. Amend, R. Berlemont, M. L. Goulden, S.
Kimball, A. C. Martiny, and J. B. H. Martiny (2015) Temporal variation
overshadows the response of leaf litter microbial communities to simulated
global change. ISME Journal:doi: 10.1038/ismej.2015.58.
15. Nelson, M. B., R. Berlemont, A. C. Martiny, and J. B. H. Martiny (2015)
Nitrogen cycling potential of a grassland litter microbial community.
Applied and Environmental Microbiology:doi: 10.1128/AEM.02222–15.
16. Ogle K, Barber JJ, Barron-Gafford GA, Patrick Bentley L, Young JM, Huxman
TE, Loik ME, Tissue DT (2015) Quantifying ecological memory in plant and
ecosystem processes. Ecology Letters 18:221-235.
17. Pangle LA, DeLong SB, Abramson N, Adams J, Barron-Gafford GA, Breshears
DD, Brooks PD, Chorover J, Dietrich WE, Dontsova K, Durcik M, Espeleta J,
Ferre TPA, Ferriere R, Henderson W, Hunt EA, Huxman TE, Millar D, Murphy
B, Niu GY, Pavao-Zuckerman, M, Pelletier JD, Rasmussen C, Ruiz J, Saleska S,
Schaap M, Sibayan M, Troch PA, Tuller M, van Haren J, Zeng X (2015) The
Landscape Evolution Observatory: A large-scale controllable infrastructure
to study coupled Earth-surface processes. Geomorphology.
18. Parolari AJ, Goulden ML, Bras RL (2015) Ecohydrological controls on grass
and shrub agove-ground net primary productivity in a seasonal dry climate.
Ecohydrology doi: 10.1002/eco.1605
19. Lewis J, Phillips N, Logan B, Smith R, Aranjuelo I, Clarke S, Offord C, Frith A,
Barbour M, Huxman T, Tissue D (2015) Rising temperature may negate the
stimulatory effects of rising CO2 on growth and physiology of Wollemi pine
(Wollemia nobilis). Functional Plant Biology DOI:10.107/FP14256
20. Matulich K, Weihe C, Allison SD, Amend AS, Berlemont R, Goulden ML,
Kimball S, Martiny, A, Martiny JBH (2015) Temporal variation overshadows
the response of leaf litter microbial communities to simulated global change.
The ISME Journal.
21. Allison SD (2014) Modeling adaptation of carbon use efficiency in microbial
communities. Frontiers in Microbiology 5:571.
22. Jin Y, Randerson JT, Faivre N, Capps S, Hall A, Goulden ML (2014) Contrasting
controls on wildland fires in Southern California during periods with and
without Santa Ana winds. JGR Biogeosciences 119:432-450
23. Angert A, Kimball S, Peterson M, Huxman TE, Venable DL (2014) Phenotypic
constraints and community structure: linking trade-offs within and among
species. Evolution 68:3149-3165.
24. Bruckman D, Campbell DR (2014) Floral neighborhood influences pollinator
assemblages and effective pollination in a native plant. Oecologia 176:465476.
25. Pratt JD, Keefover-Ring K, Liu LY, Mooney KA (2014) Genetic based
latitudinal variation in Artemisia californica. Oikos 123:953-963.
26. Kimball S, ML Goulden, KN Suding, Parker S (2014) Altered water and
nitrogen inputs shift succession in a Southern California Coastal Sage Scrub
community. Ecological Applications 24:1390-1404.
27. Kimball S, Lulow M, Mooney K, Sorenson Q (2014) Establishment and
management of native functional groups in restoration. Restoration Ecology
22:81-88.
28. Barron-Gafford GA, Cable JM, Bentley LP, Scott RL, Huxman TE, Jenerette DG,
Ogle K (2014) Quantifying the timescales over which exogenous and
endogenous conditions affect soil respiration. New Phytologist 202:442-454.
29. Berlemont, R., S. D. Allison, C. Weihe, L. Lu, E. L. Brodie, J. B. H. Martiny, and A.
C. Martiny (2014) Cellulolytic potential under environmental changes in
microbial communities from grassland litter. Frontiers in
Microbiology 5:639.
30. Dios VR, Weltzin JF, Sun W, Huxman TE, Williams DG (2014) Transitions
from grassland to savanna under drought through passive facilitation by
grasses. Journal of Vegetation Science 27:937-946.
31. Kimball S, Gremer JR, Barron-Gafford GA, Angert AL, Huxman TE, Venable DL
(2014) High water-use efficiency and growth contribute to success of nonnative Erodium cicutarium in a Sonoran Desert winter annual community.
Conservation Physiology 2:cou006.
32. Mouginot, C., R. Kiwamura, K. Matulich, R. Berlemont, S. D. Allison, A. S.
Amend, and A. C. Martiny (2014) Elemental stoichiometry of
Fungi and Bacteria strains from grassland leaf litter. Soil Biology and
Biochemistry 76:278–285.
33. Niu GY, Pasetto D, Scudeler C, Paniconi C, Putti M, Troch PA, DeLong SB,
Donstova K, Pangel L, Breshears DD, Chorover J, Huxman TE, Pelletier J,
Saleska SR, Zeng X (2014) Incipient subsurface heterogeneity and its effect
on overland flow generation-insight from a modeling study of the first
experiment at the Biosphere 2 Landscape Evolution Observatory. Hydrology
and Earth System Sciences 18:1873-1883.
34. Niu GY, Paniconi C, Troch PA, Scott RL, Durcik M, Zeng X, Huxman T, Goodrich
DC (2014) An integrated modeling framework of catchment-scale
ecohydrological processes: 1. Model description and test over an energylimited watershed. Ecohydrology 7:427-439.
35. Niu GY, Troch PA, Paniconi C, Scott RL, Durcik M, Zeng X, Huxman T, Goodrich
D, Pelletier J (2014) An integrated modeling framework of catchment-scale
ecohydrological processes: 2. The role of water subsidy by overland flow on
vegetation dynamics in a semi-arid catchment. Ecohydrology 7:815-827.
36. Nyyssönen, M., and E. L. Brodie (2014) Uncovering the Metabolic Diversity of
Soil Microbial Communities Through Functional Metagenomics. in D. P. Singh
and H. B. Singh, editors. Trends in Soil Microbiology. Stadium Press LLC,
Houston, TX.
37. Scott RL, Huxman TE, Barron-Gafford GA, Jenerette GD, Young JM,
Hamerlynck EP (2014) When vegetation change alters ecosystem water
availability. Global Change Biology 20:2198-2210
38. Smith SD, Charlet TN, Zitzer SF, Abella SR, Vanier CH, Huxman TE (2014)
Long-term response of a Mojave Desert winter annual plant community to a
whole-ecosystem atmosphere CO2 manipulation (FACE). Global Change
Biology 20:879-892.
39. Villegas JC, Espeleta JE, Morrison CT, Breshears DD, Huxman TE (2014)
Factoring in canopy cover heterogeneity on evapotranspiration partitioning:
beyond big-leaf surface homogeneity assumptions. Journal of Soil and Water
Conservation 69:78A-83A
40. Adams HD, Germino MJ, Breshears DD, Barron-Gafford GA, GuardiolaClaramonte M, Zou CB, Huxman TE (2013) Nonstructural leaf carbohydrate
dynamics of Pinus edulis during drought-induced tree mortality reveal role
for carbon metabolism in mortality mechanism. New Phytologist 197:11421151
41. Allison, S. D., Y. Lu, C. Weihe, M. L. Goulden, A. C. Martiny, K. K. Treseder, and
J. B. H. Martiny (2013) Microbial abundance and composition influence litter
decomposition response to environmental change. Ecology 94:714–725.
42. Alster, C. J., D. P. German, Y. Lu, and S. D. Allison (2013) Microbial enzymatic
responses to drought and to nitrogen addition in a southern California
grassland. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 64:68–79.
43. Bach, C. E., D. D. Warnock, D. J. Van Horn, M. N. Weintraub, R. L. Sinsabaugh, S.
D. Allison, and D. P. German (2013) Measuring phenol oxidase and
peroxidase activities with pyrogallol, L-DOPA, and ABTS: Effect of assay
conditions and soil type. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 67:183–191.
44. Barron-Gafford GA, Scott RL, Jenerette GD, Hamerlynck EP, Huxman TE
(2013) Landscape and environmental controls over leaf and ecosystem
carbon dioxide fluxes under woody plant expansion. Journal of Ecology
101:1471-1483.
45. Barron-Gafford GA, Angert AL, Venable DL, Tyler AP, Gerst KL, Huxman TE
(2013) Photosynthetic temperature responses of co-occurring desert winter
annuals with contrasting resource-use efficiencies and different temporal
patterns of resource utilization may allow for species coexistence. Journal of
Arid Environments 91:94-103.
46. Cable JM, Ogle K, Barron-Gafford GA, Bentley LP, Cable WL, Scott RL, Williams
DG, Huxman TE (2013) Antecedent conditions influence soil respiration
differences in shrub and grass patches. Ecosystems 16:1230-1247.
47. Campos GEP, Moran MS, Huete A, Zhang YG, Gresloff C, Huxman TE, Eamus D,
Bosch DD, Buda AR, Gunter SA, Scalley TH, Kitchen SG, McClaran MP, McNab
WH, Montoya DS, Morgan JA, Peters DPC, Sadler EJ, Seyfried MS, Starks PJ
(2013) Ecosystem resilience despite large-scale altered hydroclimatic
conditions. Nature 494:249-252.
48. Eilts JA, Huxman TE (2013) Invasion by an exotic, perennial grass alters
response of a native woody species in an arid system. Journal of Arid
Environments 88:206-212.
49. Gremer JR, Kimball S, Keck KR, Huxman TE, Angert AL, Venable DL (2013)
Water-use efficiency and relative growth rate mediate competitive
interaction sin Sonoran Desert winter annual plants. American Journal of
Botany 100:2009-2015.
50. Huxman TE, Kimbal S, Angert AL, Gremer JR, Barron-Gafford GA, Venable DL
(2013) Understanding past, contemporary, and future dynamics of plants,
populations, and communities using Sonoran Desert winter annuals.
American Journal of Botany 100:1369-1380.
51. Hynson, N. A., V.S.F.T. Merckx, B.A. Perry and K.K. Treseder (2013) Identities
and distributions of the co-invading ectomycorrhizal fungal symbionts of
exotic pines in the Hawaiian Islands. Biological Invasions 15: 2373-2385.
52. Kimball S, Gremer JR, Huxman TE, Venable DL, Angert AL (2013) Phenotypic
selection favors missing trait combinations in coexisting annual plants.
American Naturalist 182:191-207.
53. Nyyssönen, M., H. M. Tran, U. Karaoz, C. Weihe, M. Z. Hadi, J. B. H. Martiny, A.
C. Martiny, and E. L. Brodie (2013) Coupled high-throughput functional
screening and next generation sequencing for identification of plant polymer
decomposing enzymes in metagenomic libraries. Frontiers in
Microbiology 4:282.
54. Pelletier JD, Barron-Gafford GA, Breshears DD, Brooks PD, Chorover J, Durcik
M, Harman CJ, Huxman TE, Lohse KA, Lybrand R, Meixner T, McIntosh JC,
Papuga SA, Rasmussen C, Schaap M, Swetnam TL, Troch PA (2013)
Coevolution of nonlinear trends in vegetation, soils, and topography with
elevation and slope aspect: A case study in the sky islands of southern
Arizona. Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface 5:1-18.
55. Pratt JD, Mooney KA (2013) Clinal adaptation and adaptive plasticity in
Artemisia californica: Implications for the response of a foundation species to
predicted climate change. Global Change Biology 19:2454-2466.
56. Treseder, K. K (2013) Marschner Review: The extent of mycorrhizal
colonization of roots and its influence on plant growth and phosphorus
content. Plant and Soil 371: 1-13.
57. Adams HD, Luce CH, Breshears DD, Allen CD, Weiler M, Hale VC, Smith AMS,
Huxman TE (2012) Ecohydrological consequences of drought- and
infestation-triggered tree die-off: insights and hypotheses. Ecohydrology
5:145-159.
58. Aronson, E. L., and S. D. Allison (2012) Meta-analysis of environmental
impacts on nitrous oxide release in response to N amendment. Frontiers
in Microbiology 3:272.
59. Barron-Gafford GA, Rascher U, Bronstein JL, Davidowitz G, Chaszar B,
Huxman TE (2012) Herbivory of wild Manduca sexta causes fast downregulation of photosynthetic efficiency in Datura wrightii: an early signaling
cascade visualized by chorolophyill fluorescence. Photosynthesis Research
113:249-260.
60. Barron-Gafford GA, Scott RL, Jenerette GD, Huxman TE (2012) Temperature
and precipitation controls over leaf- and ecosystem-level CO2 flux along a
wood plant encroachment gradient. Global Change Biology 18:1389-1400.
61. Cable JM, Barron-Gafford GA, Ogle K, Pavao-Zuckerman M, Scott RL, Williams
DG, Huxman TE (2012) Shrub encroachment alters sensitivity of soil
respiration to temperature and moisture. Journal of Geophysical Research –
Biogeosciences 117:G01001.
62. de Dios VR, Weltzin JF, Sun W, Huxman TE, Williams DG (2012) Windows of
opportunity for Prosopis veluntina seedling establishment and encroachment
in a semiarid grassland. Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution, and
Systematics 14:275-282.
63. Gremer JR, Kimball S, Angert AL, Venable DL, Huxman TE (2012) Variation in
photosynthetic response to temperature in a guild of winter annual plants.
Ecology 93:2693-2704.
APPENDIX 7: Grants, Contracts, and Gifts to Center Activities
The Center has raised an additional $2,695,166 in research funding to complement
the $1,000,000 from the Irvine Company gift. In addition, the Center’s presence and
leverage in the activities of Affiliated Faculty is nearly universal – at minimum three
extended projects associated with $, can be related to CEB activities. Currently
almost all grants of any kind awarded to Affiliated Faculty contain a connection to
programs in the Center – especially through the data management investment of
CEB. The Research, Education, and Outreach Internship Programs of the Center are
being included in nearly every grant submitted. This component is expected to
continue to grow as a proportion of funding over time.
Grant activities facilitated by CEB funding
NSF – FSML, An ecohydrology monitoring array for water sustainability,
biological diversity and integrated research/education programs at the
Steele/Burnand Anza-Borrego Desert Research Center. $270,882 Facility
Grant, PI (Huxman), OSP (Mooney, Pratt, Kimball, Famiglietti). 8-15-2014 to 814-2015.
The Voth Family Trust, Research to understand plant traits and resource use to
improve conservation and restoration science, and Support for Master’s
Student Projects. $750,000 ($100,000 and $50,000 per year for each project
respectively for five years) Gift, PI (Huxman), co-PI (Kimball). 1-1-2015 to 12-3119.
The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Vegetation and Oak Woodland Monitoring
Program, $99,000 Research Grant, PI (Huxman), co-PI (Kimball). 10-1-2014 to
9-30-2016.
Natural Communities Coalition (NCC – formerly NROC), Vegetation Monitoring
and NCC’s Science Plan. $25,000. A gift to support the community-based
planning-based activities of The Center, PI (Huxman)
(Pending Master Agreement Approval) Nature Reserve of Orange County (NROC),
Monitoring and Modeling Rare Plants in Orange County. $60,000 (annually)
Research Grant, PI (Huxman). 1-1-2015 to 12-31-2016.
National Science Foundation (NSF), Controls over decomposition by microbial
communities under climate change. $839,807 Research Grant, PI (Allison), COPI (Martiny, Martiny). 8-15-2015 to 8-14-2018.
National Science Foundation (NSF), Effects of environmental clines and
herbivory for plant functional traits and response to climate change.
$590,477 Research Grant, PI (Mooney). 11-15-2014 to 11-14-2017.
National Science Foundation (NSF), Science and Technology Center – Genomics
Examined at the Nexus with Ecosystems (GENE), University of Arizona lead
(subaward to UCI), $5,771,052, Center Grant, UCI-PI (Allison). Pending