USGS NRP Tucson: Biotic Response to Climate Variability

Travis Bean

Research Interests

I am currently spearheading an effort to facilitate buffelgrass control in Southern Arizona. My work is focused on raising awareness about buffelgrass among the public, policy makers, and land managers, as well as on coordination and implementation of actual on-the-ground control of buffelgrass on Tumamoc Hill and other parts of the Tucson Basin. My research interests are mostly centered on plant population ecology and the ecology of plant invasions. Specifically, I am interested in how seed dispersal and seed banks affect the distribution of species across fragmented landscapes, how climate affects the emergence and persistence of species in harsh environments, how climate and surrounding landscape condition affect recovery rates and successional trends in severely disturbed habitats, and in developing climate-based phenological models of invasives facilitate their management. Some of my current projects include:

• Evaluating differences in seedbank richness and density between buffelgrass infested and uninfested sites
• Monitoring the native seedbank response to buffelgrass control on infested sites
• Mapping buffelgrass infestations in the greater Tucson region
• Large-scale restoration of abandoned agriculture fields in the Southern Arizona
• Assessing patterns and rates of native vegetation recovery on abandoned agriculture fields Southern Arizona
• Evaluating the buffelgrass germination fraction in response to varying temperature and precipitation

Education

B.S. (Plant Science) University of Arizona - 2000
M.S. (Range Management) University of Arizona - 2002
Ph.D. currently enrolled in Natural Resources Studies program at the University of Arizona

Work Experience

• 2004-Present
  Principal Research Specialist, University of Arizona Desert Laboratory, Tucson, Arizona.
• 2000-2004
  Research Assistant, Office of Arid Lands Studies, University of Arizona.
• 2003
  Teaching Assistant, Native Plant Taxonomy Course, School of Natural Resources, University of Arizona.
• 2000-2001
  Soil Conservation Intern, US Dept of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service, Tucson, Arizona.
• 1999-2000
  Plant Materials Intern, US Dept of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service Plant Materials Center, Tucson, Arizona.

Presentations

Buffelgrass 2006:
Pima County Board of Supervisors, Tucson Channel 12 City News, City of Tucson Ward 6 Environmental Town Hall, Weeds Across Borders Conference in Hermosillo, Sonora, Desert Horticulture Conference, Gridley Middle School Science Class, NASA Space Grant Symposium, Phoenix Mountain Preserve Council, University of Arizona Landscape Ecology Guest Lecture, ADOT Natural Resources Management Section, Rincon Heights Neighborhood Association, NAU Fire Ecology Guest Lecture, Marana Town Council, Tucson Dept of Neighborhood Resources, Millstone Manor Homeowners Association, Tucson Estates Homeowners Association, Arizona Botanists Annual Meeting, AZ Dept of Ag Noxious Weed Coordinator, Tucson Basin Managers Planning Group

Buffelgrass 2005:
USGS Wildland Fire Science Workshop, Academy Village Guest Lecture, Southwest Vegetation Management Association Annual Meeting, Saguaro Cliffs Homeowners Association, Southern Arizona Homebuilders Association, Rincon Heights Neighborhood Association, Mitman Neighborhood Association, City of Tucson Habitat Conservation Plan Technical Advisory Committee, Univ. Arizona College of Law Breakfast Club, University of Arizona Conservation Biology Guest Lecture, Catalina Foothills HS Honors Science Class Tucson Parks and Recreation, Shadow Roc Homeowners Association, Sustainability Under Uncertainty in Arid and Semiarid Ecosystems Workshop, Dept of Interior US/Mexico Border Field Coordination Committee, Pima County Fire Chiefs Association, "A" Mountain Neighborhood Association, Panorama Estates Neighborhood Association, Tucson Landscape Advisory Committee, Menlo Park Neighborhood Association, Governor Napolitano's Office Pima Association of Governments, Arizona Native Plant Society, University of Arizona School of Natural Resources Special Seminar, Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan Technical Advisory Committee Meeting

Ecological Society of America 2004: Trends in natural vegetation recovery on abandoned agricultural lands in Southern Arizona

Society for Ecological Restoration 2003: Long-term vegetation recovery of retired cropland in Southern Arizona

Arizona Nevada Academy of Science 2002: Techniques for the establishment of native vegetation on abandoned agricultural land

Publications

Bowers, JE, TM Bean, and RM Turner. 2006. Two decades of change in the distribution of exotic plants at the Desert Laboratory, Tucson, Arizona. Madroño 53:254-265.

Bean TM, SE Smith, and MM Karpiscak. 2004. Intensive revegetation in Arizona's hot desert: the advantages of container stock. Native Plants Journal 5:173-180.

Bean TM, MM Karpiscak, and SE Smith. 2003. A prescription for restoring native vegetation on former agricultural land (Arizona). Ecological Restoration 21:214-215.

Manuscripts in Preparation

Bean, TM, and JL Betancourt. Buffelgrass management in Southern Arizona, USA. In Weeds Across Borders 2006, Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum.

Bean, TM, and MM Karpiscak. Long-term patterns in natural vegetation recovery on abandoned agricultural lands in Southern Arizona.

Bean, TM, and MM Karpiscak. Transplant survival, cover and density 5 years after restoration treatments on abandoned agricultural fields in Southern Arizona.

Bean, TM, JE Bowers, TE Esque, and C Schwalbe. Differences in seedbank density and species richness between buffelgrass-infested and uninfested areas.

Funding

• 2005-2007
  Pima County Natural Resources, Parks and Recreation. "Invasive Plant Management, Education and Eradication Coordination Project." ($100,000).
• 2004-2006
  Kinder Morgan Energy Partners. "Buffelgrass eradication and outreach at the Desert Laboratory." ($110,000).
• 2006-2009
  U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Economic Research Service Program of Research on the Economics of Invasive Species Management (Co-investigator w/G. Frisvold, B. Orr, A. Olsson, S. Marsh, and J.L. Betancourt). "A decision model for controlling buffelgrass invasion in an urban-wildland interface combining dynamic programming with the analytical hierarchy process." ($175,000).
• 2005-2010
  U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program. "Buffelgrass eradication on Tumamoc Hill." ($58,725).
• 2006-2007
  City of Tucson Habitat Conservation Plan. "Mapping of buffelgrass on City of Tucson property in Avra Valley" ($911).
• 2006-2010
  City of Tucson Habitat Conservation Plan. "Native and buffelgrass seedbank characteristics following chemical control of buffelgrass on City of Tucson property in Avra Valley" ($15,100).

Professional Memberships and Service

SW Vegetation Management Association

Chair, Pima-Santa Cruz Basin Cooperative Weed Management Area (2005-2007)

Desert Horticulture Conference 2006 - Invasive Ornamental Species Advisory Committee

Tucson Basin Planning and Management Group, Member

Ecological Society of America

Society for Ecological Restoration

Society for Range Management

Arizona Native Plant Society

Arizona Certified Pesticide Applicator PUP0200

Awards

SW Vegetation Management Association Weed Manager of the Year (2006)

Accessibility FOIA Privacy Policies and Notices

U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
URL:
Page Contact Information: Please direct feedback regarding this page to the webmaster.
Page Last Modified: