Category Archives: In the News
New Publication on Emerging Frameworks for Mitigating Woody Plant Encroachment
A new paper commenting on the emerging frameworks for mitigating Woody Plant Encroachment (WPE) was just published in the journal ‘Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability’. The focus of the paper is understanding savannas (woody plant encroachment) under the Alternative Stable State Theory (ASST). As the authors revisit some of key conceptual models of ASST laid down by John Anderies and Marten Scheffer, the paper strongly emphasizes on acknowledging pyric herbivory and fire together as stabilizing forces for sustaining a grassland. The observations regarding shifts in the two feedback… Read More →
Dr. Bradford Wilcox receives the Outstanding Achievement Award at SRM meeting 2018
Dr. Bradford Wilcox was presented with the Outstanding Achievement Award for Research/Academia by the Society of Range Management at their 71st annual meeting early in February. The award recognizes Dr. Wilcox’s several achievements over the past 30 years – which includes contributions to understanding how humans alter water cycle, doing interdisciplinary science and bringing diverse stakeholders together. He has produced over 100 peer-reviewed publications, chapters , proceedings and has been cited over 6000 times. Link for SRM press release: http://rangelands.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/2018-SRM-Honor-Awards-Press-Release-Outstanding-Achievement-Research_Academia-Dr.-Bradford-P.-Wilcox.pdf
New paper in Ecohydrology by graduate student Pedro Leite talks about recovery of soil hydraulic properties in Caatinga (Brazil)
Our most recent paper talks about soil infiltration and erosion in Caatinga – a dry tropical forest biome situated in North East Brazil. Results from rainfall simulations over forests of different ages were compared for infiltration and erosion. In addition, beerkan methods was used to estimate infiltration curves and hydraulic conductivity for different ages and vegetation cover. Ksat determined from lab and beerkan methods were found to be consistently increasing with time since it was left for recovery or regrowth of forest. Field work for this study was… Read More →
Brad Wilcox awarded Sid Kyle Endowed Professor
Earlier this March, Dr. Brad Wilcox was awarded the Sid Kyle Endowed Professor in Arid and Semi-Arid ecohydrology. On the same occasion, Dr. Boutton was also awarded the Sid Kyle Endowed Chair in Arid and Semi-arid ecohydrology for Biogeochemistry. This award will bring funds which will provide more impetus to Dr. Wilcox’s lab’s effort in understanding the ecohydrology of savannas in Texas, Oklahoma, Mexico and North-Eastern Brazil. With new funds available, the lab will be looking to support undergraduate research work at the range area – a research… Read More →
Streamflows do not increase by killing Salt Cedar: Study on Pecos River
A new study published in Water Resources Research has found out that killing or removal of Salt Cedar,a species introduced in U.S. in early 1800s, from riparian regions do not increase stream flows. This is a groundbreaking result as it challenges the existing assumption that Salt Cedar reduce stream flows because of increased transpiration rates. Dr. Alyson McDonald, who is the lead author on the study, is a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service range specialist at Fort Stockton and is also a former Phd student of Dr. Wilcox. The team… Read More →
Brad Wilcox receives 2015 Dean’s Outstanding Achievement Award for Research
The Dean’s Outstanding Achievement Awards are the highest awards in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (C.O.A.L.S) awarded to faculty, staff and students. Dr. Bradford Wilcox was presented with this award last week on September 16th, 2015 at C.O.A.L.S. awards ceremony by Mark Hussey who is the Vice Chancellor and Dean for C.O.A.L.S.
Dr. Berg presents research to Lampasas River Watershed Partnership
Matthew Berg recently presented his doctoral research at a public meeting of the Lampasas River Watershed Partnership, coordinated by Texas AgriLife Extension. Dr. Berg was the featured guest speaker and discussed how landscape changes over 75 years have affected water resources in the area. Lampasas River Watershed Partnership
Lab research featured in statewide popular publication
Latest developments in ecohydrology research challenge long-held perceptions, featured in Texas Wildlife magazine. The Changing Science of Managing Brush for Water Yield
Invited testimony before Texas Legislature
Dr. Wilcox shares the current state of ecohydrological knowledge with the Texas House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture and Livestock. Testimony begins at 2:12:20. Texas House of Representatives Testimony