David D. Breshears
Professor of Natural Resources in the School of Natural Resources and the Environment (Watershed Management and Ecohydrology Program) and also affiliated with the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Biosphere 2 Earthscience Steering Committee, The University of Arizona
Univ. of Arizona - University of Arizona
PhD, Colorado State University, 1993
Breshears' research program focuses on four interrelated themes in drylands: (i) ecohydrology with a focus on ecological and hydrological interrelationships in uplands, (ii) trends in ecosystem properties along gradients from grassland and forest, (iii) rapid vegetation change with a focus on drought-induced tree die-off, and (iv) wind- and water-driven sediment transport and associated erosion, as interacting processes; insights in these areas are applied to help aide natural resources management issues related to land use, pollution and global change.
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CZO Publications
Papers/Books
2019
Bioclimatic Envelopes for Individual Demographic Events Driven by Extremes: Plant Mortality from Drought and Warming. Law D.J., Adams H.D., Breshears D.D., Cobb N.S., Bradford J.B., Zou C.B., Field J.P., Gardea A.A., Williams A.P., and Huxman T.E. (2019): International Journal of Plant Sciences 180(1): 53-62
2019
Mechanisms of a coniferous woodland persistence under drought and heat. McDowell N.G., Grossiord C., Adams H.D., Pinzón-Navarro S., Mackay D.S., Breshears D.D., Allen C.D., Borrego I., Dickman L.T., Collins A., Gaylord M., McBranch N., Pockman W.T., Vilagrosa A., Aukema B., Goodsman D., and Xu C. (2019): Environmental Research Letters 14(4): 045014
2019
Targeting Extreme Events: Complementing Near-Term Ecological Forecasting With Rapid Experiments and Regional Surveys. Redmond M.D., Law D.J., Field J.P., Meneses N., Carroll C.J.W., Wion A.P., Breshears D.D., Cobb N.S., Dietze M.C. and Gallery R.E. (2019): Frontiers in Environmental Science 7: 183
2019
Drought supersedes warming in determining volatile and tissue defenses of piñon pine (Pinus edulis). Trowbridge A.M., Stoy P.C., Adams H.D., Law D.J., Breshears D.D., Helmig D., and Monson R.K. (2019): Environmental Research Letters 14(6): 065006
2018
Implicit assumptions of conceptual diagrams in environmental science and best practices for their illustration. Fandel C.A., Breshears D.D., and McMahon E.E. (2018): Ecosphere 9(1): e02072
2018
Research frontiers for improving our understanding of drought‐induced tree and forest mortality. Hartmann, H., Moura, C.F., Anderegg, W.R., Ruehr, N.K., Salmon, Y., Allen, C.D., Arndt, S.K., Breshears, D.D., Davi, H., Galbraith, D., Ruthrof, K.X., Wunder, J., Adams, H.D., Bloemen, J., Cailleret, M., Cobb, R., Gessler, A., Grams, T.E., Jansen, S., Kautz, M., Lloret, F. and O'Brien, M. (2018): New Phytologist 218(1): 15-28
2018
Controlled Experiments of Hillslope Coevolution at the Biosphere 2 Landscape Evolution Observatory: Toward Prediction of Coupled Hydrological, Biogeochemical, and Ecological Change. Volkmann T.H.M., Sengupta A., Pangle L.A., Dontsova K., Barron-Gafford G.A., Harman C.J., Niu G.-Y., Meredith L.K., Abramson N., Meira Neto A.A., Wang Y., Adams J.R., Breshears D.D., Bugaj A., Chorover J., Cueva A., DeLong S.B., Durcik M., Ferre T.P.A., Hunt E.A., Huxman T.E., Kim M., Maier R.M., Monson R.K., Pelletier J.D., Pohlmann M., Rasmussen C., Ruiz J., Saleska S.R., Schaap M.G., Sibayan M., Tuller M., van Haren J.L.M., Zeng X. and Troch P.A. (2018): in: Hydrology of Artificial and Controlled Experiments (eds. Jiu-Fu Liu and Wei-Zu Gu), IntechOpen, pp. 25-74
2017
The temperature response surface for mortality risk of tree species with future drought. Adams H.D., Barron-Gafford G.A., Minor R.L., Gardea A.A., Bentley L.P., Law D.J., Breshears D.D., McDowell N.G., Huxman T.E. (2017): Environmental Research Letters 12(11): 115014
2017
A multi-species synthesis of physiological mechanisms in drought-induced tree mortality. Adams H.D., Zeppel M.J.B., Anderegg W.R.L., Hartmann H., Landhausser S.M., Tissue D.T., Huxman T.E., Hudson P.J., Franz T.E., Allen C.D., Anderegg L.D.L., Barron-Gafford G.A., Beerling D.J., Breshears D.D., Brodribb T.J., Bugmann H., Cobb R.C., Collins A.D., Dickman L.T., Duan H., Ewers B.E., Galiano L., Galvez D.A., Garcia-Forner N., Gaylord M.L., Germino M.J., Gessler A., Hacke U.G., Hakamada R., Hector A., Jenkins M.W., Kane J.M., Kolb T.E., Law D.J., Lewis J.D., Limousin J-M., Love D.M., Macalady A.K., Martinez-Vilalta J., Mencuccini M., Mitchell P.J., Muss J.D., O'Brien M.J., O'Grady A.P., Pangle R.E., Pinkard E.A., Piper F.I., Plaut J.A., Pockman W.T., Quirk J., Reinhardt K., Ripullone F., Ryan M.G., Sala A., Sevanto S., Sperry J.S., Vargas R., Vennetier M., Way D.A., Xu C., Yepez E.A., and McDowell N.G. (2017): Nature Ecology & Evolution 1: 1285–1291
2017
Ecosystem dynamics and management after forest die-off: a global synthesis with conceptual state-and-transition models. Cobb R.C., Ruthrof K.X., Breshears D.D., Lloret F., Aakala T., Adams H.D., Anderegg W.R.L., Ewers B.E., Galiano L., Grünzweig J.M., Hartmann H., Huang C., Klein T., Kunert N., Kitzberger T., Landhäusser S.M., Levick S., Preisler Y., Suarez M.L., Trotsiuk V., and Zeppel M.J.B (2017): Ecosphere 8(12)
2016
Understanding ecosystem services from a geosciences perspective. Field J.P., Breshears D.D., Law D.J., Villegas J.C., López-Hoffman L., Brooks P.D., Chorover J., and Pelletier J.D. (2016): EOS 97
2016
Addendum: Multi-scale predictions of massive conifer mortality due to chronic temperature rise. McDowell N.G., Williams A.P., Xu C., Pockman W.T., Dickman L.T., Sevanto S., Pangle R., Limousin J., Plaut J., Mackay D.S., Ogee J., Domec J.C., Allen C.D., Fisher R.A., Jiang X., Muss J.D., Breshears D.D., Rauscher S.A. & Koven C (2016): Nature Climate Change 6: 1048
2016
Multi-scale predictions of massive conifer mortality due to chronic temperature rise. McDowell N.G., Williams A.P., Xu C., Pockman W.T., Dickman L.T., Sevanto S., Pangle R., Limousin J., Plaut J., Mackay D.S., Ogee J., Domec J.C., Allen C.D., Fisher R.A., Jiang X.,Muss J.D., Breshears D.D., Rauscher S.A. and Koven C. (2016): Nature Climate Change 6 (3): 295-300
2015
On underestimation of global vulnerability to tree mortality and forest die-off from hotter drought in the Anthropocene. Allen C.D., Breshears D.D., and McDowell N.G (2015): Ecosphere 6(8): art129
2015
Sunlight and soil-litter mixing: drivers of litter decomposition in drylands. Barnes P.W., Throop H.L., Archer S.R., Breshears D.D., McCulley R.L., and Tobler M.A. (2015): Progress in Botany 76: 273-302
2015
Recent tree die-off has little effect on streamflow in contrast to expected increases from historical studies. Biederman J.A., Somor A.J., Harpold A.A., Gutmann E.D., Breshears D.D., Troch P.A., Gochis D.J., Scott R.l., Meddens A.J.H., and Brooks P.D. (2015): Water Resources Research 51(12): 9775-9789 Cross-CZO
2015
Critical Zone Services: Expanding Context, Constraints, and Currency beyond Ecosystem Services. Field J.P., Breshears D.D., Law D.J., Villegas J.C., López-Hoffman L., Brooks P.D., Chorover J., Barron-Gafford G.A., Gallery R.E., Litvak M.E., Lybrand R.A., McIntosh J.C., Meixner T., Niu G-Y., Papuga S.A., Pelletier J.D., Rasmussen C.R., and Troch P.A (2015): Vadose Zone Journal 14(1)
2015
The Landscape Evolution Observatory: A large-scale controllable infrastructure to study coupled Earth-surface processes. Pangle L.A., DeLong S.B., Abramson N., Adams J., Barron-Gafford G.A., Breshears D.D., Brooks P.D., Chorover J., Dietrich W.E., Dontsova K., Durcik M., Espeleta J., Ferre T.P.A., Ferriere R., Henderson W., Hunt E.A., Huxman T.E., Millar D., Murphy B., Niu G-Y., Pavao-Zuckerman M., Pelletier J.D., Rasmussen C., Ruiz J., Saleska S., Schaap M., Sibayan M., Troch P.A., Tuller M., van Haren J., Zeng X. (2015): Geomorphology 244: 190-203 Cross-CZO
2015
Sensitivity of regional evapotranspiration partitioning to variation in woody plant cover: insights from experimental dryland tree mosaics. Villegas J.C., Dominguez F., Barron-Gafford G.A., Adams H.D., Guardiola-Claramonte M., Sommer E.D., Selvey A.W., Espeleta J.F., Zou C.B., Breshears D.D. and Huxman T.E. (2015): Global Ecology and Biogeography 24(9): 1040-1048
2014
Factoring in canopy cover heterogeneity on evapotranspiration partitioning: Beyond big-leaf surface homogeneity assumptions. Villegas J.C., Espeleta J.E., Morrison C.T., Breshears D.D., and Huxman T.E. (2014): Journal of Soil and Water Conservation 69(3): 78A-83A
2014
Progress on relationships between horizontal and vertical dust flux: Mathematical, empirical and risk-based perspectives. Whicker J.J., Breshears D.D. and Field J.P. (2014): Aeolian Research 14: 105-111
2013
Nonstructural leaf carbohydrate dynamics of Pinus edulis during drought-induced tree mortality reveal role for carbon metabolism in mortality mechanism. Adams H.A., Germino M.J., Breshears D.D., Barron-Gafford G.A., Guardiola-Claramonte M., Zou C.B., and Huxman T.E. (2013): New Phytologist 197: 1142–1151
2013
Precipitation thresholds and drought-induced tree die-off: insights from patterns of Pinus edulis mortality along an environmental stress gradient. Clifford M.J., Royer P.D., Cobb N.S., Breshears D.D., and Ford P.L. (2013): New Phytologist 200(2): 413-421
2013
Global change-type drought-induced tree mortality: vapor pressure deficit is more important than temperature per se in causing decline in tree health. Eamus D., Boulain N., Cleverly J., and Breshears D.D. (2013): Ecology and Evolution 3(8): 2711–2729
2013
Key landscape ecology metrics for assessing climate change adaptation options: rate of change and patchiness of impacts. Lopez-Hoffman L., Breshears D.D., Allen C.D., Miller M.L. (2013): ECOSPHERE 4(8): art101
2013
Modeling aeolian transport of soil-bound plutonium: considering infrequent but normal environmental disturbances is critical in estimating future dose. Michelotti E.A., Whicker J.J., Eisele W.F., Breshears D.D., Kirchner T.B. (2013): Journal of Environmental Radioactivity 120: 73-80
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. Pelletier J.D., Barron-Gafford G.A., Breshears D.D., Brooks P.D., Chorover J., Durcik M., Harman C.J., Huxman T.E., Lohse K.A., Lybrand R., Meixner T., McIntosh J.C., Papuga S.A., Rasmussen C., Schaap M., Swetnam T.L., and Troch P.A. (2013): Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface 118(2): 741-758
2013
Employing lidar to detail vegetation canopy architecture for prediction of aeolian transport. Sankey J.B., D.J. Law, D.D. Breshears, S.M. Munson, and R.H. Webb (2013): Geophysical Research Letters 40: 1724–1728
2012
Ecohydrological consequences of drought- and infestation- triggered tree die-off: insights and hypotheses. Adams H.D., Luce C.H., Breshears D.D., Allen C.D., Weiler M., Hale V.C., Smith A.M.S., and Huxman T.E. (2012): Ecohydrology 5: 145-159
2012
Modeling aeolian transport in response to succession, disturbance and future climate: Dynamic long-term risk assessment for contaminant redistribution . Breshears D.D., Kirchner T.B., Whicker J.J., Field J.P., and Allen C.D. (2012): Aeolian Research, 3(4): 445-457
2012
Sediment capture by vegetation patches: Implications for desertification and increased resource redistribution. Field J. P, Breshears D. D., Whicker J. J, and Zou C. B. (2012): Journal of Geophysical Research 117: G01033
2012
Soil C and N patterns in a semiarid pinon-juniper woodland: Topography of slope and ephemeral channels add to canopy-intercanopy heterogeneity. Law D.J., Breshears D.D., Ebinger M.H., Meyer C.W., and Allen C.D. (2012): Journal of Arid Environments, 79: 20-24,
2012
Drought-induced forest decline: causes, scope and implications. Martínez-Vilalta J., Lloret F., and Breshears D. D. (2012): Biology Letters 8: 689-691
2012
Ecohydrologic connections and complexities in drylands: new perspectives for understanding transformative landscape change. Wilcox B. P., Seyfried M. S., Breshears D. D. and McDonnell J. J. (2012): Ecohydrology 5: 143–144
2011
How Water, Carbon, and Energy Drive Critical Zone Evolution: The Jemez-Santa Catalina Critical Zone Observatory . Chorover J., Troch P.A., Rasmussen C., Brooks P., Pelletier J., Breshears D.D., Huxman T., Lohse K., McIntosh J., Meixner T., Papuga S., Schaap M., Litvak M., Perdrial J. Harpold A., and Durcik M. (2011): Vadose Zone Journal 10(3): 884-899
2011
The interdependence of mechanisms underlying climate-driven vegetation mortality. McDowell N.G., Beerling D.J., Breshears D.D., Fisher R.A., Raffa K.F., and Stitt M. (2011): Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 26(10): 523-532,
2010
Evapotranspiration partitioning in a semiarid woodland: ecohydrological heterogeneity and connectivity in vegetation patches. Newman B.D., Breshears D.D., and Gard M.O. (2010): Vadose Zone Journal, 9(3): 561-572,
2010
Redistribution of runoff among vegetation patch types: on ecohydrological optimality of herbaceous capture of run-on . Urgeghe A.M., Breshears D.D., Martens S.N., and Beeson P.C. (2010): Rangeland Ecology and Management, 63: 497-504,
Papers and books that explicitly acknowledge a CZO grant are highlighted in PALE ORANGE.
Other CZO Publications
2019
Catalina-Jemez CZO Annual Report 2019. Chorover J.D., Breshears D.D., McIntosh J.C., Pelletier J.D., Rasmussen C. (2019): University of Arizona
2018
Catalina-Jemez CZO Annual Report 2018. Chorover J.D., Breshears D.D., McIntosh J.C., Pelletier J.D., Rasmussen C. (2018): Catalina-Jemez CZO, University of Arizona
2017
Catalina-Jemez CZO Annual Report 2017. Chorover J.D., Breshears D.D., McIntosh J.C., Pelletier J.D., Rasmussen C. (2017): Catalina-Jemez CZO, University of Arizona
2016
2016 Catalina-Jemez CZO Annual Report for NSF EAR-1331408 entitled "Transformative Behavior of Water, Energy and Carbon in the Critical Zone II: Interaction Between Long- and Short-term Processes that Control Delivery of Critical Zone Services". Chorover J.D., Breshears D.D., McIntosh J.C., Pelletier J.D., Rasmussen C. (2016): Catalina-Jemez CZO, University of Arizona
2015
Underestimation of Global Vulnerability to Tree Mortality and Forest Die-Off from Hotter Drought in the Anthropocene — A Synthesis of Contrasting Evidence and Perspectives. Allen C, Breshears D., McDowell N., Lloret F. (2015): Abstract B22C-06 presented at 2015 Fall Meeting, AGU, San Francisco, CA, 14-18 Dec.
2015
2015 Catalina-Jemez CZO Annual Report for NSF EAR-1331408 entitled "Transformative Behavior of Energy, Water and Carbon in the Critical Zone II: Interactions between Long- and Short-term Processes that Control Delivery of Critical Zone Services". Chorover J.D., Breshears D.D., McIntosh J.C., Pelletier J.D., Rasmussen C. (2015): Jemez-Catalina CZO, University of Arizona
2014
2014 Catalina-Jemez CZO Annual Report for NSF EAR-1331408 entitled "Transformative Behavior of Energy, Water and Carbon in the Critical Zone II: Interactions between Long- and Short-term Processes that Control Delivery of Critical Zone Services". Chorover J.D., Breshears D.D., McIntosh J.C., Pelletier J.D., Rasmussen C. (2014): Jemez-Catalina CZO, University of Arizona
2013
Large-scale drought-induced vegetation die-off: expanding the ecohydrological emphasis more explicitly on atmospheric demand (Invited). Breshears D.D., Adams H.D., Eamus D., McDowell N.G., Law D.J., Will R.E., Williams P., Zou C. (2013): Abstract H11N-03 presented at 2013 Fall Meeting, AGU, San Francisco, CA, 9-13 Dec.
2013
Consequences in Change in Vegetation Cover for the Critical Zone: Example Implications for Hydropedology (Invited). Breshears D.D., Archer S.R., Bojóquerez Ochoa M., Field J.P., Huxman T.E., Law D.J., Logie C., Reynoso E.D., Villegas J.C., Whicker J.J. (2013): Abstract H32D-01 presented at 2013 Fall Meeting, AGU, San Francisco, CA, 9-13 Dec.
2013
Fluid Chemistry Dynamics Before and After Fire in the Jemez River Basin Critical Zone Observatory. Chorover J., Perdrial J.N., Field J.P., Pelletier J.D., Pohlmann M.A., Losleben M.V., Lasharr K., Amistadi M., Brooks P.D., McIntosh J.C., Meixner T., Gallery R., Rich V.I., Rasmussen C., Schaap M.G., Breshears D.D. (2013): Abstract B41F-05 presented at 2013 Fall Meeting, AGU, San Francisco, CA, 9-13 Dec.
2013
Bridging from Soil to Ecosystem Goods and Services Provided by the Critical Zone. Field J.P., Breshears D.D., Law D.J., Brooks P.D., Chorover J., Pelletier J.D., Troch P.A., López-Hoffman L., Rasmussen C., Papuga S., Harpold A., Biederman J.A., Barron-Gafford G.A., McIntosh J.C., Litvak M. (2013): Abstract presented at AGU Chapman Conference on Soil-mediated Drivers of Coupled Biogeochemical and Hydrological Processes Across Scales, Biosphere 2, Tucson, Arizona, 21-24 October 2013 (Poster) Cross-CZO
2011
Carbon, water and weathering limitations in the semi-arid critical zone. J. Chorover, P.A. Troch, J.D. Pelletier, C. Rasmussen, P.D. Brooks, J.C. McIntosh, D.D. Breshears, T.E. Huxman, S.A. Papuga, K.A. Lohse, T. Meixner, M.G. Schaap, M.E. Litvak, A.A. Harpold, J.N. Perdrial, M. Durcik (2011): AGU Fall Meeting Presentations Abstract B41H-05.
2010
Biophysical drivers of erosion and aeolian transport in semiarid grasslands: Consequences of prescribed fire, livestock grazing and climate variability. Field, J.P., Breshears, D.D., Whicker, J.J. (2010): AGU Fall Meeting (Invited) Abstract B22B-07.
2010
Coevolution of topography, hydrology, soil development, and vegetation in sky islands of the southwestern United States. Pelletier, J.D., Rasmussen, C., Breshears, D.D., Brooks, P.D., Chorover, J., Huxman, T.E., Lohse, K.A., Meixner, T., McIntosh, J.C., Kurc, S.A., Schaap, M.G., Swetnam, T., Troch, P.A. (2010): AGU Fall Meeting Abstract EP42A-03.
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News
NSF News Release: What’s killing trees during droughts? Scientists have new answers.
14 Aug 2017 - Researchers find that carbon starvation and hydraulic failure kill drought-stricken trees.
2017 CZO Webinar Series: Critical Zone and Society
06 Apr 2017 - 2017 CZO Webinar Series: Critical Zone and Society.
EOS: Bark Beetles Cause Big Tree Die-Offs, but Streams Flow Steadily
10 Mar 2016 - EOS article written by Lily Strelich features research conducted by CZO investigators and their colleagues, which shows that bark beetle epidemics...
EOS Opinion: Understanding Ecosystem Services from a Geosciences Perspective
22 Jan 2016 - Assessment of ecosystem services can be improved by including broader spatial and temporal scales of geosciences perspectives.
Forests Worldwide Vulnerable to Drought, UA Researcher Says
28 Aug 2015 - David Breshears was interviewed by Sara Hammond about forest vulnerability to growing risks of drought and heat-induced die-off. Read and listen...
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Events
CZO Webinar: Critical Zone Services
Critical Zone Services webinar presented by David Breshears and Jason Field
Online.
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