Biodiversity, Conservation & Ecosystems

With an unparalleled network of environmental monitoring stations, research field sites and cyber infrastructure, UArizona pioneers fundamental and use-inspired ecosystem science to help save species and conserve the lands, forests and wildlife of the western U.S. and beyond.

Our research

Conservation groups sue to protect habitat for imperiled Mount Graham red squirrel

Conservation groups sued the Trump administration last week saying the U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have failed to adequately protect the imperiled Mount Graham red squirrel. 

The Curious Case of the Giant Boole

One of the biggest trees in the world—the Boole—is thriving despite a devastating logging in Converse Basin, a massive sequoia grove 60 miles east of Fresno. The bigger mystery is why it was named for the man who supervised the forest’s destruction.

Trees remember everything—even the fall of the roman empire

The timeline of the failure of the Roman state is fairly well established and accepted, thanks to the Romans' love of writing. The circumstances contributing to its disintegration, however, have long been debated among historians and archaeologists. There is no consensus about the relative role of internal failures, such as escalating corruption and civil war, versus external factors, such as the barbarian invasions and pandemics.

Aspen face new threat

Oh, no. Arizona’s dwindling aspen groves face yet another threat.

Does Biosphere 2 From Hulu’s ‘Spaceship Earth’ Documentary Still Exist?

Spaceship Earth is a new documentary on Hulu about eight people stuck inside for two years, unable to venture into the outside world. That may sound familiar, but this film from director Matt Wolff is not about quarantining during the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s about a group of people who voluntarily locked themselves inside a structure called Biosphere 2 in the ’90s.

‘We Need to Hear These Poor Trees Scream’: Unchecked Global Warming Means Big Trouble for Forests

New studies show drought and heat waves will cause massive die-offs, killing most trees alive today.

Border wall threatens sweeping variety of wildlife, federal officials say

When the federal government finishes building nearly 240 miles of new border wall across much of Southern Arizona, damaging impacts on a wide range of mammals, birds, fish and insects are expected, say environmentalists, researchers and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officials.

$3 million NSF grant supports search for heat-tolerant tomatoes

When your tomato plants won’t bear fruit during the dog days of summer, a team of Wake Forest researchers led by Gloria Muday will be in the lab, trying to find a plant that thrives despite the heat.

EPA awards $255k in grants for environment, health on Arizona-Mexico border

The Arizona-Sonora border region will receive over $255,000 to advance environmental projects, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced last week. Recipient organizations will match with an additional $100,000.