Science Moab: Recent Episodes
Kristina Young
A podcast exploring the science and learning about the scientists from southeast Utah and the Colorado Plateau. Produced by Science Moab, KZMU, and USU Extension
Listen in for Part 2 of Science Moab's conversation with Nicole Horseherder, co-founder and Executive Director of Tó Nízhóní Ání (Sacred Water Speaks), a Diné-led nonprofit based on Black Mesa on the Navajo Nation. In this episode, Nicole maps her science communication, advocacy, and policy work in water protection from the earliest days of the N Aquifer education campaign; to the consequential shutdowns of the Mohave Generating Station, Black Mesa Mine slurry line, and Navajo Generating Station; all the way to her team's current focus on Just and Equitable Transition (JET)—rebuilding economic losses from coal plant and mine closures and replacing coal energy with renewable energy to protect water resources across the Navajo Nation.Missed Part 1 ? https://on.soundcloud.com/90MCcTIXGTiUdOkvjX
Across many chapters, Nicole Horseherder has worked at the confluence of water, science, advocacy, and community. As a founding member and executive director of Tó Nízhóní Ání (Sacred Water Speaks), a Diné-led nonprofit based on Black Mesa on the Navajo Nation, Nicole and her team envision a future on Black Mesa where communities exist in harmony with the Diné elements of Life —land, air, water, and sunlight. In part one of a two-episode series, Nicole describes her childhood and young adult years—witnessing socio-political, climactic, and hydrologic shifts in her community that changed ways of life on Dził Yíjiin (Black Mesa). Nicole shares how these experiences propelled her into a leading role in the formation of Tó Nízhóní Ání to educate and mobilize Diné communities around Black Mesa hydrology and water rights.
Join guest host M.A. Russell and botanist and Utah Native Plant Society Vice President Parker James Lloyd for a springtime hike through the canyons of Moab as they chat Utah's native plant biodiversity, marvel at cool botanical adaptations, and visit a hanging garden full of water-loving plants like orchids, monkeyflowers, and the cave-dwelling primrose, Primula specuicola.
There is good ozone and bad ozone. We are discussing the bad ozone today, the one we breathe and can be harmful to our health. Daniel Mendoza, a research associate professor at the University of Utah, discusses the chemistry behind ozone formation, primarily from nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds intensified by sunlight. Daniel has started a project to measure air quality and heat in rural Utah communities, using both indoor and outdoor sensors. The discussion includes the challenges of ozone measurement, the role of vegetation like sagebrush in VOC emissions, and the potential benefits of using public cooling centers as environmental refuges. The episode underscores the need for more awareness and education about ozone's health impacts, especially for tourists in areas like Moab.
This episode of Science Moab continues the exploration of the Navajo sandstone with Marjorie Chan, Professor Emeritus at the University of Utah. The unique coloration of the sandstone is influenced by iron oxides that have analogies with the iron oxide 'blueberries' found on Mars and have implications for groundwater evidence on the planet. Margie elaborates on the concretions and weathering patterns within the Navajo sandstone and how these differ from the Wingate sandstone. We also discuss the challenges of geological research funding, the importance of fieldwork partnerships, and the significance of preserving natural geological features and educating the public on their value.
The majestic and iconic Navajo Sandstone has become ubiquitous in scenes from the Colorado Plateau. Margie Chan, Professor Emeritus at the University of Utah, has studied the Navajo Sandstone her entire career and we discuss the deposition and unique features of this Jurassic wind-blown sand. This ancient desert extended across much of Utah, Arizona, and Nevada, and combined different geological structures including dunes, lake deposits, and springs. In this first of a 2-part series, we talk about the key role that groundwater plays in the sediment deformation and coloring. The next episode delves into the role of iron in the Navajo sandstone and its connection to Mars.
This show is part of a series exploring Science Moab’s School to Science Program, connecting students with scientists in the field, the lab, and beyond. This program began in 2021 and to date has mentored over 57 local students. In this episode, we talk with Chris Moreira, a recent graduate of the Grand County Student Career and Success Center and participant in the School to Science Program. Guest host Sasha Pereira explores Chris’s journey from high school to hands-on paleontology internships, his experiences with mentors and scientists, and the impact of these opportunities on his academic and career aspirations. Chris shares insights about the welcoming scientific community, the excitement of fieldwork, and the importance of mentorship. The episode also covers Chris’s achievements, including presenting research at a professional conference and earning a college scholarship. The conversation concludes with advice for students interested in science careers and Chris’s vision for making science accessible to future generations.
Drylands play a critical role in global ecosystems as well as the carbon cycle. We talk with ecologist Brooke Osborne about the fascinating world of biogeochemistry and dryland science. Covering 40% of the Earth's surface and hosting a third of the human population, heterogeneous drylands have low resource availability and therefore are highly sensitive to climatic changes. We discuss Brooke’s ongoing research into soil carbon storage and sequestration, particularly in the context of grazing practices and land management.
This show is part of a series exploring Science Moab’s School to Science Program, connecting students with scientists in the field, the lab, and beyond. In this episode, we talk with mentor Emily Lessner, paleontologist for the Bureau of Land Management, and Shadis McDaniel, a recent Grand County High School graduate. Shadis joined Emily on a couple of job shadows, both in the office and in the field.
A lichen is a colony of algae or cyanobacteria living interactively with fungus and bacteria in a mutual or symbiotic relationship, but for Steve Leavitt, a lichen is a hotspot of diversity and an indicator of ecological health. Steve is in charge of one of the largest lichen collections in North America at BYU where he teaches and directs the Life Science Museum. But most of all, Steve loves his research and being outside. We talk with Steve about how the unique factors on the Colorado Plateau contribute to diverse lichen communities, how lichens can be used as indicators of air quality, and the impacts of climate change on their distribution. Steve explains how advancements in genetics have led to a step-change in the study of lichens and the broader implications of studying lichens for understanding life on Earth.
Brian Davis, an associate professor at the University of Louisville School of Medicine, loves looking for small fossils. His research focuses on early mammals, particularly teeth, jaws, and skull parts. Brian’s most recent discovery is a mammal fossil quarry in Cisco, Utah, part of the Morrison Formation dating back to the Jurassic period. The site has yielded small animal fossils, including some potentially significant early mammals that correlate with a nearby site in Fruita, CO. We discuss the complexities of fossil excavation, preservation, and the analysis process as well as the importance of student education.
Across the Colorado Plateau, pinyon-juniper ecosystems are facing more and more stress due to increasing heat and aridity. Today we talk with Seth Munson, a plant and ecosystem ecologist with the U.S. Geological Survey Southwest Biological Science Center in Flagstaff, Arizona. Seth’s research focuses on how dryland ecosystems respond to drought, wildfire, invasive species, and land-use to assist land management decision-making. He is currently working with the National Park Service to assess the areas of dieback of pinyon-juniper woodlands in the SE Utah Parks. The research involves both ground surveys and satellite imagery to create maps detailing the intensity and recovery of dieback over time.
Randy Irmis, a paleontologist and curator at the Natural History Museum of Utah, discusses his research on the Chinle Formation, (Triassic, ~201 to 230 million years ago) located in southern Utah. The Chinle Formation is characterized by river and stream deposits in a semi-arid environment, and is rich in fossils including vertebrates, plants, and trace fossils. Despite the historical lack of paleontological work in Utah compared to neighboring states, recent discoveries in the Chinle have significantly increased knowledge of life in the Triassic. We talk about the process of collecting and preparing these fossils for study and exhibits at the museum and Randy emphasizes the importance of public lands and the legal and ethical procedures for fossil collection and preservation.
Tony Mancuso is the Sovereign Lands Program Manager for the Green and Colorado Rivers at Utah’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR). His management efforts focus on maintaining the health and navigability of waterways under state jurisdiction, including removing invasive species and restoring natural habitats. Tony talks about specific projects like the New Rapid and Gold Bar side channels aimed at enhancing fish habitats and wetland environments. He also emphasizes the importance of public education and engaging youth through programs like Science Moab. The discussion highlights the challenges, collaborative efforts, and long-term commitments required in resource conservation and management.
Ryan Barton emphasizes the importance of collaboration and negotiation in solving water issues and bringing resilient water systems to the Navajo Nation. As a hydrologist working for the Navajo Nation Department of Water Resources, Ryan has been involved in projects for over a decade including hydrographic surveys, lake capacity studies, and the San Juan River Basin Crop Inventory. Science Moab talks with Ryan about his most recent and ongoing efforts to successfully provide drinking water to the Westwater community west of Blanding, UT through extensive collaboration among various entities. Ryan’s path into hydrology has been influenced by family and childhood experiences of nature conservation.
This podcast concludes a 3-part series on Moab’s creek corridors. The series includes restoration processes on the creeks, stream water gauge science, and this episode, fire fuels mitigation along Mill and Pack creeks flowing from the west side of the La Sal Mountains. Fire risk is high in creek corridors and other overgrown areas. The dense corridors could spread fire quickly through Moab and Spanish Valley. We talked with Duncan Fuchise, the forest stewardship program manager with the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands, as he hopped between work sites along the Mill Creek Corridor one morning in March 2025.
It is the mission of the U.S. Geological Survey to monitor water resources across the country. We talk with Chris Wilkowske, a hydrologist with the USGS at the Utah Water Science Center, about the science and methodology of measuring stream flow. We talk about how stream gauges operate and the process of validating and adjusting data, particularly after events like floods. Local examples from the Moab area and the Colorado River highlight the dual purposes of stream gauges for flood monitoring and groundwater assessments.
Charlie Carpenter, a Braided Science Conservationist with IndigenousLed, discusses their work focused on reintroducing buffalo to Indigenous lands. The process of buffalo reintroduction includes land suitability assessments, political hurdles, and funding challenges. The initiative aims to restore buffalo, a keystone species, to their native habitats, benefiting both Indigenous cultures and ecosystems. Charlie highlights the importance of braided science, which integrates traditional ecological knowledge with Western science. We also talk about other upcoming projects including medicinal gardens and intertribal beaver councils.
Dr. Karletta Chief, Director of the Indigenous Resilience Center at the University of Arizona, leads initiatives for Tribal water security and community-driven climate solutions. Dr. Chief, a Diné hydrologist and professor, shares how growing up in Black Mesa on the Navajo Nation has influenced her current work. She emphasizes the importance of utilizing traditional knowledge alongside western science, and ensuring Indigenous communities’ central role in decision-making. We learn about the powerful mission of the Indigenous Resilience Center, and Dr. Chief shares her hopes for empowering the next generation of Indigenous youth to lead and innovate in their communities.
This is a special episode of Science Moab. "Dear Ovis” is taken from a live radio show during a recent Radiothon at KZMU Moab. Host Jordan Lister and local scientist Robin Reibold answer hypothetical science questions from the fourth-grade class at HMK Elementary School in Moab. Robin, a biogeochemist with diverse expertise, addresses interesting scenarios such as what would happen if the Earth were split in half, the consequences if all toilets in Moab were flushed simultaneously, and the impacts on humans if we had no pores. It’s a fun show that blends scientific facts and insights with humor.
Not everyone looks at the night sky in the same way. Science Moab talks with Autumn Gillard, the Cultural Resource Manager for the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah, who shares her passion for the night sky influenced by her grandmother's teachings. We discuss the importance of the night sky in Southern Paiute culture, including its influence on traditional stories, dances, agricultural methods, and ecological knowledge. The conversation touches on the cultural differences in interpreting celestial bodies among various tribes and Western astronomy and the significance of winter storytelling. Autumn emphasizes preserving and passing down this knowledge through storytelling, mentorship programs, and community outreach events, and advocates for recognizing the scientific contributions of Indigenous people.
This show is part of a series exploring Science Moab’s School to Science Program, connecting students with scientists in the field, the lab, and beyond. This program began in 2021 and to date has mentored over 57 local students. In this episode, we talk with mentor Sarah Karinen, botanist and lead technician for the Northern Colorado Plateau Network of the National Park Service, and Maya and Ari Jacobs, juniors at Grand County High School. Sarah has sponsored several day long job shadows with local students facilitated by Science Moab. Maya and Ari spent a day with Sarah in the field at one of the NPS pinyon juniper long term test plots in Island in the Sky. They helped measure trees, learned a lot of different plant names, and talked about ecology out in nature.
The town of Moab exists because of the freshwater creeks that come off the La Sal Mountains into the alluvial fan the town was built on. We talk with Kara Dohrenwend about the science and efforts behind revitalizing creek corridors in Moab, including the history, current challenges, and strategic restoration plans for Moab's creeks. A key part of the restoration includes the removal of invasive species like Russian olive and tamarisk, which are replaced with native vegetation to mitigate fire hazards and improve ecological health. These projects also aim to manage flooding in Mill and Pack Creeks by stabilizing creek banks and facilitating better flood control.
Ray Mesa, near the La Sal mountains on the Colorado-Utah border is notable for its old-growth Ponderosa pines (estimated to be several hundred years old) that are growing in cool drainages amongst pinyon-juniper woodlands. Recent Ponderosa tree mortality raised concerns among land managers and Larissa Yocom, a fire ecologist at Utah State University, began exploring the potential causes of these deaths. These include drought, insect attacks, and increased competition due to fire suppression over the last 140 years. This research underscores the challenges of ecosystem management, particularly under changing climates, and highlights the unique importance of these rare old Ponderosa stands.
The Bears Ears Digital Cultural Heritage Initiative is a group of anthropologists, archaeologists, and indigenous communities collaborating to create virtual reality experiences and photogrammetric models of significant sites in the Bears Ears National Monument. We talk with Eric Heller, professor of anthropology at the University of Southern California, Noah Pleshet, assistant professor of anthropology at the university of New Brunswick, and Ben Bellorado, assistant curator at the Arizona State Museum about their methods and the importance of involving descendant communities in the interpretation and preservation of these sacred sites. We talk about the educational and preservation goals of the initiative, the involvement of indigenous students and community members, and the future potential for expanding this technology-driven approach to cultural heritage.
Plants and insects are the key members of food webs because they are not only abundant and diverse, but they also provide food for many other animals higher up the food chain. We talk with Moria Robinson, Assistant Professor of Biology at Utah State University, about variations in these food webs as climate in the western U.S. dries and warms. In particular, we look at the interactions of rabbit brush and caterpillars.
Utah is home to over 800 rock glaciers. These masses of ice covered with rock debris are key to perennial streams and alpine biodiversity, but they are poorly understood. We talk with Scott Hotaling, Assistant Professor in the Department of Watershed Sciences at Utah State University, who is studying the rare stonefly in order to gain understanding of how alpine streams are faring as glaciers recede under a warming and drying climate.
Sunset Crater, the most recent cinder cone in the San Francisco Volcanic Field, is estimated to have erupted between A.D. 1085 and 1090. In areas where the resulting lava flows were greater than 30cm thick, people may have been forced to migrate, leaving behind long-established homesteads and agricultural fields. On the positive side, lower elevation areas with cinder fall in the range of 3-10 cm would have become more suitable for farming, due to the beneficial effects of the cinder mulch. We talk with Volcanologist Michael Ort, who, together with a team of scientists, has unraveled the timing of these events and the implications of volcanic activity for humans at the time.
This show is part of a series exploring Science Moab’s School to Science Program, connecting students with scientists in the field, the lab, and beyond. This program began in 2021 and to date has mentored over 57 local students. In this episode, we talk with mentor Mary Langworthy, Public Programs Manager at the Moab Museum, and Klayre Humphreys, junior at Grand County High School. Mary has sponsored several day long job shadows with local students facilitated by Science Moab. Klayre spent a day at the museum with Mary in the spring of 2024 and ended up delving into the world of shark teeth which ultimately helped Moab Museum staff update and enhance their exhibit.
As photosynthesis happens, trees take in carbon from the atmosphere and store it in the form of sugars or carbohydrates. These sugars can be stored for many years in trees as a sort of “memory” and used to support their growth and metabolism during times of stress, like a drought. We talk with Drew Peltier, ecophysiologist and professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Drew’s interests and research center on understanding how climate influences tree growth in our changing environment.
From the perspective of an archaeologist, the physical body of an ancient person is a gift because a body is a time capsule of the past. They lived in that space and that time, and their bodies are manifestations of what was there. We talk with archaeologist Erin Baxter, teacher and Curator of Anthropology at Denver Museum of Nature and Science, about her work unraveling the ancient southwest culture and her fascination with the archaeology of death.
The Little Colorado River (LCR) is a culturally and spiritually significant drainage for many people in the southwest. The LCR also provides sediment load to the main stem of the Colorado River for the production of sandbars downstream AND it is an important spawning ground for and home to the largest population of Humpback Chub. We talk with Phoebe Brown, river guide and researcher, about her studies that involve understanding the interactions of phosphorus and the growth rates of the Humpback Chub.
Rangelands are vast, natural grasslands, shrublands, woodlands, wetlands, and deserts that support grazing and browsing mammals and they are primarily natural ecosystems with native vegetation.These rangelands can become degraded by fire or improper grazing. We talk with Kari Veblen, professor of Rangeland Ecology at Utah State University about her research that focuses on the ecology and management of rangelands. Her research emphasizes multi-use landscapes, public and private, that are managed simultaneously for wildlife conservation and sustainable livestock production. The ultimate goal of her work is to inform sustainable management of rangeland ecosystems.
It is well known at this point that humans are using more water out of the Colorado River, then the river can support…for humans as well as other life forms that live along and within the river. Agriculture is using approximately 80% of that water. We talk with Aaron Derwingson, Water Projects Director of the Colorado River Program for the Nature Conservancy. Aaron and his team do freshwater conservation restoration projects across the whole Colorado River Basin, involving a combination of work from science and policy to direct project work on the grounds. By working to build relationships with the agricultural community, the team hopes to help ensure that there are sufficient water supplies for both people and nature.
Sagebrush once stretched across almost 500,000 square miles from the Dakotas to California. Each year, a million acres is lost to invasive species, catastrophic wildfire, development, improper grazing and climate change. Matt Cahill is the director of the Sagebrush Sea program for The Nature Conservancy. Matt advocates that scientific solutions and large-scale collaboration are needed to reverse the trend in sagebrush. We talk with Matt about what is being done to save this vital landscape.
For the past three years, the Nature Conservancy has hosted a small cohort of Indigenous college students at their Canyonlands Research Center in southeast Utah. The program, known as N.A.T.U.R.E. (Native American Tribes Upholding Restoration & Education), seeks to empower the next generation of science and conservation leaders on the Colorado Plateau. During those seven weeks, students work with Indigenous knowledge holders and scientists, Western scientists, and program mentors to learn and teach about the science, conservation, and knowledge of the region’s landscape and conduct their own original capstone research projects. In this episode, Science Moab talks with two students from the 2023 N.A.T.U.R.E. cohort, James Johanntoberns (Kiowa/Caddo/Pawnee) and Shundeen Smith (Diné). We talk about their experiences in the program and their capstone research projects focused on ant-biocrust interactions and the legacy of abandoned uranium mines on the Navajo Nation.
Can the simple beauty of an organism be enough to want to restore and preserve it? If so, Aspen would be at the top of that list. So much more than a beautiful tree, a stand or group of aspen trees is considered a singular organism with the main life force underground in the extensive root system. We talk with Paul Rogers, professor and Director of the Western Aspen Alliance, about the threats to Aspen today across the west and the Colorado Plateau. In the face of increasing drought and fire across the Colorado Plateau, this resilient tree finds itself most susceptible to the vast numbers of animals that forage on its young and nutritious shoots.
Ever wonder how those amazing dinosaur bones make it from being embedded in rock to a museum where they are flawlessly displayed within a complete skeleton? Natalie Toth knows. Natalie is the Chief Preparator at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science and her job begins with a chainsaw in the field and ends with a fully prepared fossil display. We talk about the chain of events that must occur for this to be completed and about the backbone of this process which is building a world class Earth Sciences collection for researchers around the world to use.
Cirsium scopulorum, or mountain thistle, was long thought to be the only species of thistle occurring in the alpine tundra. Molecular, morphological, and geographical evidence now support the recognition of many species of thistles in the alpine tundra of the southern Rocky Mountains. We talk with Jennifer Ackerfield, the head curator of natural history collections, and the associate director of biodiversity research at Denver Botanic Gardens about her quest to delineate the many varieties of thistles across the alpine of the intermountain west, including a unique species right here in the La Sal Mountains of SE Utah.
Increased visitation and recreation in the desert inevitably leads to more human-generated noise. We talk with Joel Berger, University Chair in Wildlife Conservation at Colorado State University, about how this noise may or may not be affecting the iconic desert bighorn sheep. More specifically, we discuss how the noise may lead to increased prenatal stress on the females. The female bighorn typically give birth in the late Spring, which is when recreation in the SW desert is at its peak.
Given the increasing temperatures and aridity, the fate of pinyon-juniper woodlands on the Colorado Plateau is uncertain. We talk with Rebecca Finger-Higgens, Ecologist with the US Geological Survey, about the recovery of the pinyon-juniper woodlands in the La Sal Mountains following the Pack Creek Fire of 2021. Rebecca tackles the question of whether pre-fire forest thinning programs and post-fire seeding and erosion control expedite pinyon-juniper forest recovery.
Here in SE Utah, we are living in a geologically young, rapidly eroding landscape and we have the Colorado River to thank for sculpting such a beautiful and dynamic area. We talk with Joel Pederson, professor and Department Head of Geomorphology at Utah State University about his continuing research on incision rates of the Colorado River across the Colorado Plateau. We talk about some new advancements in age dating and why the area around Moab is currently the fastest eroding reach of the River.
High alpine talus slopes are home to a myriad of creatures, namely mountain goats and American pikas, both specialists in alpine habitats. We talk with Mallory Sandoval Lambert, whose curiosity about the interactions between these two mammalian herbivores led her to study their behaviors in the LaSal Mountains. Understanding these interactions will have important implications for the conservation of each species. This data will be particularly useful for both pika conservation and agencies tasked with managing the land that introduced mountain goat herds inhabit.
Around the world, civilizations have literally been built on rock and the specific rock type of an area has definite influences on that society. Science Moab talks with wildlife and science documentary writer, Gautier Dubois, whose recent work, Top of the Rocks, will be featured at this year’s Moab Festival of Science. Each episode of this 5-part series looks at a different rock (basalt, granite, sandstone, limestone, and clay) and how that rock influences our landscapes and environments. The Sandstone episode was filmed partially on the Colorado Plateau and features Moab scientist, Tim Graham.
On October 14, 2023, an annular solar eclipse will cross North, Central, and South America. Parts of SE Utah will be in the direct path of the eclipse. We talk with Cris White, Eclipse Coordinator for the Earth to Sky Interagency Partnership, about the uniqueness of eclipses and the many scientific activities that will be happening in conjunction with this year’s eclipse.
Sedimentologists are geologists that study rocks on the earth’s surface today in order to interpret ancient depositional environments. By studying deposits of river gravels, Andre Potochnik has been able to determine major changes in the drainages on the southern part of the Colorado Plateau. We talk with Andre about his work in Arizona on the Apache Reservation and how he has come up with the timing of significant drainage reversals for rivers in that area and how this impacts the interpretations of the Colorado River and the Grand Canyon.
Drylands encompass over 40% of terrestrial ecosystems and face significant degradation from a warming/drying climate and overuse. To combat this degradation, some restoration efforts have focused on the use of biological soil crusts (biocrusts): complex communities of cyanobacteria, algae, lichens, bryophytes, and other organisms living in association with the top millimeters of soil. We talk with Anita Antoninka, Dept. of Forestry at Northern Arizona University, about the current knowledge in biocrust restoration. These efforts effectively restore biocrusts in different ecosystems using a variety of lab and field methods, providing a useful resource for the scientific community as well as land managers.
Rivers have a magic way of healing, transforming and inspiring. From the calmest riffle to barnstorming haystacks, rivers always have rapids. This is how the river transfers energy. Monte Tillinghast grew up on rivers and has spent most of his adult years rowing the Grand Canyon of the Colorado. He knows a thing or two about rapids and has a gracious way of describing them. We talk with Monte about how and why rapids form in rivers.
Aside from the inherent beauty of a pinon-juniper ecosystem, the health of such woodlands are tied to broader climate swings. This is the awareness that the project Sentinels hopes to bring to light. The brainchild of Todd Anderson, Bruce Crownover, and Gary Machlis, the Sentinels project uses art+science to showcase the pinon-juniper adaptation to increased aridification in the deserts of the American Southwest. From fieldwork in Grand Staircase Escalante and Bears Ears National Monuments, these fine art books contain unique art prints and prose and can be found on display at fine museums and universities.
While modern day river systems are highly engineered to efficiently move water, this is not necessarily a “healthy” condition. Joe Wheaton, a fluvial geomorphologist and Professor of Riverscapes at Utah State University, works to better understand the dynamics of fluvial environments and their subsequent management and restoration. We talk with Joe about his research on how the dam building activity of beaver can alter physical habitat for their own benefit as well as many other fauna and flora. This activity can also help create resiliency in a river corridor facing a warming climate.
There has been a long history of climate transitions in the southwest and the people who have lived in this region for tens of thousands of years have dealt with this climate change through time, especially with adaptations of their food systems. We talk with Kyle Bocinsky whose specialty is paleoclimate reconstruction, and specifically, looking at how past farmers responded to climate change and negotiated the social implications of climate change in their societies. We explore the adaptation techniques that humans have used in the past, and how we can use them to learn about our future.
A series of linear roads were built around 1000 years ago all over the four corners area, but focusing on the Chaco Canyon region. We talk with Rob Weiner – archaeologist, anthropologist, and student of religion – whose research at the University of Colorado in Boulder focuses on monumental roads that the ancestors of the Pueblo and dine people built about 1000 years ago here on the Colorado Plateau. We talk about the significance of these architectural monuments, how they are mapped out, and why it is important to preserve them.
The sagebrush ecosystem in Utah and the greater Western U.S. is actually its own biome, or biological community that has formed in response to the physical environment in which it is found. There is more sagebrush in the West than forest. We talk with Adam Mahood of the USDA Agricultural Research Center about his work with sagebrush ecosystems in terms of their distribution, challenges, and what they may look like into the future.
Brendan Moore was one of the first round of Grand County High School students to participate in Science Moab's School to Science program, which pairs GCHS students with scientists for mentorship opportunities in the field and the lab. In this high-level internship, Brendan received guidance on how to develop his own research question and experimental method that he would use to investigate it. Brendan ultimately chose to study patterns of rock lichen development. We talked with Brendan about his experience.
Moab is known as a Colorado River town, but the key to its existence is the LaSal Mountains. With peaks over 12,000’, the LaSal Mountains contain the snowpack that recharges several aquifers that produce potable water for Moab. Hydrogeologist Tom Lachmar talks about the path water takes from the high peaks of the LaSals to the Colorado River. We also talk with Tom about the several water studies that have been conducted on Moab’s aquifers and what the results mean for the future.
With a warmer and drier climate dominating the Colorado Plateau, traditional cattle ranching has its challenges. We talk with Utah State University PhD students Will Munger and Maria Stahl about their work at the Dugout Ranch in San Juan County, UT. The Criollo cattle, first brought to the New World by Christopher Columbus, are more adapted to arid climates, forage on more native vegetation, and travel farther from water sources. The introduction of these cattle at Dugout Ranch is part of an effort to move towards more sustainable ranching in the desert southwest.
We talk with author, photographer, and conservationist Jonathan Bailey about his latest work, “When I Was Red Clay”. Jonathan writes about his struggles growing up and how the natural world, namely the deserts of southern Utah, provided solace. Amongst the many essays in the book, we talk about the colors of the desert, dragonflies, and preserving badlands from energy development.
Consider making a map of land use issues across the Bears Ears National Monument. This is what Gustavo Ovando-Montejo, Assistant Professor at USU Blanding, is working on. Gustavo uses geography and social science to understand landscapes and how people interact with them.
Over 65 million years ago, a seaway existed across North America from the present-day Gulf of Mexico to present-day Alaska. Peter Flaig, Research Scientist at the Bureau of Economic Geology in Austin, TX, has studied the geology of this seaway by looking at deposits from the southwest US into Canada and Alaska. We talk with Peter about the margin of this seaway that includes parts of the present-day Colorado Plateau.
The historic distribution of wolves includes most if not all of Utah. As wolves migrate out of the Yellowstone reintroduction area, their numbers expand both to the north and south. We talk with Kirk Robinson, founder and executive director of Western Wildlife Conservancy, about what wolves are doing, the ecosystems they live in, and what it might mean to have wolves back on the western slope and into the historic ranges within Utah.
This is the second part of a two part series on the science of fire brought to you by our partners at Utah Tech University and the Southern Utah Science Cafe. This discussion was captured live early in 2022 in St. George, UT and pertains to the impacts of wildfires on the land and its inhabitants. Panel members include Greg Melton (Utah Tech University Department of Earth, Energy, and Environmental Science), Mike Schijf (Biologist, Washington County Habitat Conservation Plan), and Jason Whipple (Director, Washington County Emergency Services).
This is the first part of a two part series on the science of fire brought to you by our partners at Utah Tech University and the Southern Utah Science Cafe. This discussion was captured live early in 2022 in St. George, UT and pertains to the impacts of wildfires on the land and its inhabitants. Panel members include Greg Melton (Utah Tech University Department of Earth, Energy, and Environmental Science), Mike Schijf (Biologist, Washington County Habitat Conservation Plan), and Jason Whipple (Director, Washington County Emergency Services).
Whether on rock or vegetation, lichen can be found all around us and play surprising and complex roles. Steve Leavitt, an evolutionary biologist at Brigham Young University, is the curator of the lichen collection at BYU’s Life Science Museum. We talk with Steve about what lichen are composed of and why we should care about these colorful and unique life forms.
There are lots of myths and misinformation surrounding rattlesnakes and snakes in general. We talk with Scott Gibson, Wildlife Conservation Biologist for the Southeastern Region with the Utah Division of Wildlife (UDWR), about his research and interest in rattlesnakes. Scott sets the record straight on many of the common falsehoods about rattlesnakes and talks about where you may (or may not) encounter the rattle.
Michael Remke, a researcher and lecturer at Fort Lewis College in Durango, CO, identifies the connections native plant communities have with their mycorrhizae (plant root associated fungi). We talk about how he applies this research to reforesting programs, rebuilding and replanting after high-intensity disturbance events, and utilizing next-generation sequencing to predict the genetic make-up of soils already long-gone.
Beginning in 2001, an executive order mandated that the Bureau of Land Management consider climate change in their reports and their management planning. We talk with wildlife ecologist Lainie Brice about a project she was a part of for the climate adaptation science program at Utah State University. A key feature of this project was looking at the gap between scientific literature on climate change and the actual land management practices within the Bureau of Land Management.
Biomass is anything that has ever grown or anything organic from bugs, to animals, to plants, and everything in between Darren McAvoy, Extension assistant professor at Utah State University, is a forester by trade and the chair and co-founder of Utah biomass resources group. We talk with him about biomass and the product, biochar, and how he is working to reduce hazardous fuels in the forest and educate people about the advantages of biochar.
When considering sources of greenhouse gases, lakes and reservoirs may not immediately come to mind, but they are a significant part of the global greenhouse gas budget. Bridget Deemer is a research ecologist at the U.S. Geological Survey’s Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center. Her research aims to understand how human activities are affecting the way that energy and nutrients cycle through ecosystems. She also continues to be involved in efforts to understand methane emissions from lakes and reservoirs, including Lake Powell.
Our partners in St. George, UT at the Southern Utah Science Cafe bring you this week's podcast. Scientists Jerry Harris and Lura Snow talk about the geology in Red Cliffs National Conservation Area and the critical habitat for the desert tortoise.
Many plants can thrive through drought and other stresses because of their associated fungi. We talk with Catherine Gehring, the Lucking Family Professor at Northern Arizona University (NAU), who has been studying plant-associated fungi for more than 20 years. The Gehring Lab at NAU conducts research to understand the functioning of fungi and how they influence the natural world.
The Glen Canyon Dam disturbed the balance of many natural processes in the Grand Canyon stretch of the Colorado River. Here we talk with geologist and fluvial geomorphologist, Katie Chapman about the effect the dam has had on sandbars downstream. By understanding how the sand is (or is not) moving through the canyon, Katie is working to try and restore these once plentiful sand deposits for the sake of recreationists as well as natural river ecosystems.
Tara Gatewood understands the power of Indigenous radio. As longtime host of "Native America Calling", Tara was part of a communal place where native voices were heard. Here, we speak with Tara, an award winning veteran journalist and enrolled Citizen of the Pueblo of Isleta/Diné, who is now the International Women’s Media Foundation’s Director of the Fund for Indigenous Journalists Reporting on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, Two-Spirit and Transgender People (MMIWG2T) (https://www.iwmf.org/programs/fund-for-indigenous-journalists/ ), an initiative that directly supports Indigenous journalists’ reporting on the issue of MMIWG2T.
Dawn Davis of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes of Fort Hall, Idaho studies the sustainability of ethno-significant plants. Her work is trying to deter people from harming culturally important plants by helping others understand the impacts on plant populations and the Indigenous cultures that have had direct relationships for thousands of years. Here, Science Moab speaks with Dawn about Peyote, a traditional medicine and important cultural plant found only in the Southwest United States. We speak about how peyote is threatened and how she and others are working with land owners, Native communities, and scientists to maintain this important species.
Science Moab talks with Ann Marie Chischilly, Executive Director at the Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals (ITEP). In addition to the advocacy work she does at the national and international level, Chischilly works with ITEP to address climate change in Tribal communities and works in academia to Indigenizing higher education.
This week we talk with Reagan Wytsalucy about traditional foods on the Colorado Plateau. Reagan is actively working to reestablish agriculture and the traditional food crops in native communities, and is specifically looking at peaches as the beginning food crop to identify, locate, and bring back to four corners communities.
Native communities have land management objectives that stem from traditional ecological knowledge and deep connections to land. Jaime Yazzie has been asking how traditional knowledge held within her Diné community can inform management in Navajo Nation forests. Yazzie's work on Tribal forests emphasizes Diné concepts of kinships and here she explains how she works to incorporate these concepts into management objectives.
This episode of Science Moab was made possible by a Stem Action Grant from the Society for Science.
When it comes to the Colorado RIver Basin, the management of resources must consider the scale at which effects are felt. We talk with Lucas Bair, economist with the USGS Southwest Biological Science Center in Flagstaff, AZ. His work deals with the monitoring and researching resources downstream from Glen Canyon Dam and also provides science to federal agencies, providing additional science and information that helps them make informed decisions when managing the basin. Ideally, this monitoring and research helps inform not only the delivery of water and the production of hydropower, but also the management of ecosystems and other resources at the basin scale.
There are many efforts going on within the national parks of the Southwest to restore degraded ecosystems. From using biological controls, to weeding and seeding, to anticipating the effects of climate change, the national parks of southeastern Utah are actively being managed to return or maintain ecological function. Here, we speak with NPS ecologist Liz Ballenger about what ecological restoration means for national parks within SE Utah and the Colorado Plateau.
Horses evolved in the North American landscape but went functionally extinct towards the end of the Pleistocene. Horses were then re-introduced to North American and many have become wild on western ranges. Their numbers are growing and so is the damage they are causing. We talk with range scientist Eric Thacker about the growing number of wild horses across the west and the need for horse management in order to maintain the fragile ecosystems they graze on.
Aquatic insects can be used as bio-indicators of how a river’s ecosystem is doing. In the case of the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon, these insects are being severely affected by the Glen Canyon Dam. We talk with ecologist and bug lover Anya Metcalfe about her research with aquatic invertebrates in the Grand Canyon and how this might help sustain the weakening food web within this river corridor.
While dinosaur remains can be fragmented and hard to find, several reptile remains from the Cretaceous period (65-75 million years ago) are extremely abundant. These include freshwater turtles and a marine lizard known as a Mosasaur. We talk with Josh Lively, curator of Paleontology at USU Eastern Prehistoric Museum in Price, UT, about his work with these ancient reptiles and what his goals are with his new position.
Ambient water includes water from sources such as lakes, streams and springs. While ambient water may relate to groundwater or drinking water, it is not the same. Arne Hultquist is responsible for testing the ambient water quality in Grand and San Juan Counties, Utah. This includes the drainages of Mill and Pack Creek. As far as desert communities go, Moab and Spanish Valley have excellent ambient water quality.
The Navajo Nation is the size of West Virginia. Throughout the Nation, the topography, precipitation patterns, and water recharge are extremely diverse, but not well understood. Here we talk with principal hydrologist Crystal Tulley-Cordova about her work with the Navajo Nation Department of Water Resources and her research around the precipitation, recharge sources, and opportunities for sustainable water use on the Navajo Nation.
This episode was made possible by a Stem Action Grant from the Society for Science
The Grabens is an area in the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park along the Colorado River that is constantly changing. The earth in these grabens is slowly moving up and down along faults and has resulted in a series of upthrown and downthrown blocks that results in long valleys between high areas. We talk with geophysicist Alba Rodriguez Padilla about the movement along these faults and how the information helps understand earth movements elsewhere.
Wildlife conservationist Joel Berger has come full circle with his observations of Bighorn Sheep. After studying Bighorn during his graduate studies, Joel took a 30 year hiatus from the species only to return recently by undertaking a Desert Bighorn Sheep study in southeast Utah. We talk with Joel about the logistics of monitoring the sheep and the possible impacts from the increase in human recreation in the area.
Reading a snowpack can be as much art as it is science. We talk with Eric Trenbeath, avalanche forecaster for the USFS Utah Avalanche Center for the La Sal and Abajo Mountains, about reading patterns in the snow and how that fits into an avalanche forecast. Each snow or wind event change the story and ultimately change the daily forecast.
Traditional foods that address the environmental, cultural, nutritional and spiritual health of land and people is at the heart of Cynthia Wilson’s work. As a tribal member of the Navajo Nation, Cynthia was born and raised in Monument Valley, UT. We talk with Cynthia about her work with traditional foods and the founding of the Women of Bears Ears who seek to restore Indigenous women’s matrilineal roles and the rematriation of the Earth.
Colleen Cooley grew up in Shą́ą́ʼtóhí, a small community located on the Navajo Nation in northeast Arizona. She guides on the San Juan and Green Rivers and advocates for the landscapes, waters, and cultures that surround her. Here, we speak with her about her experience as a Diné river guide, the importance of water, and what she wants to see moving forward for Native and Indigenous guides and Native communities in the region.
Many animals rely on sound for communication, especially birds. Human generated noise can have a large impact on bird numbers and productivity. Science Moab talks with Skip Ambrose, a wildlife biologist who specializes in the bioacoustics of birds. We talk about the specialized methods of recording the sound of birds and how this data helps define how much the birds are affected by human noise.
Tribal communities are working on their own terms and with their own knowledge system to address and create resiliency to the coming changes. We talk with Nikki Cooley, the Interim Assistant Director for the Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals (ITEP) with their tribes and Climate Change Program. While her master's degree is in forestry from Northern Arizona University, she has now found her dream job where she can combine all of her interests and passions, and feel like she’s making a difference.
The Colorado Plateau is host to many environmental contaminants, both natural and man-made. These substances can find their way into waterways and eventually to ecosystems. We talk with Jonathan Credo and Amy Chandos about their research on the relationship between human activity and the environment. We talk about how mining and agriculture impact tribal and non-native communities and the ecology of this region.
The majority of Rock Art in southern Utah has not been documented. Jonathan Bailey is working on changing that. Hiking many miles into the backcountry, Jonathan is seeking out and photographing rock art in order to protect and preserve its heritage and to conserve the cultural landscapes that surround it. We talk with Jonathan about his work in photography and conservation in Utah and the special places it takes him to.
Traditional knowledge systems that contain regenerative relationships with the land have been in place for generations on the Colorado Plateau. With Talia Boyd, we talk about these relationships and the necessity of Native peoples leading the region through issues like the climate crisis and environmental contamination. Talia calls for those with power, including non-Native scientists, to step back and give power back to this land's First Peoples. This episode is sponsored by the Colorado Plateau Foundation
Biogeography is the distribution of life within and around landforms. In a large deep canyon, that distribution is influenced by the elevation and the aspect of a slope which also controls the sunlight received. We talk with Larry Stevens of the Museum of Northern Arizona about his decades long investigation of biogeography within the Grand Canyon. More than 70% of the species found in the Grand Canyon are genetically affected by the landform itself and many can live nowhere else.
In the red rock deserts of the southwest, there is little soil to absorb rainfall. It usually runs off the rock to the lowest point which is commonly a narrow incised canyon. These canyons can fill with flood waters very quickly. We talk with hydrologist Brian McInerney about the conditions that come together to form these flash floods and how dangerous they can be.
The beautiful red rock desert surrounding Moab is host to more than 10 geohazards that can affect the structural integrity of buildings, bridges, or roads. We talk with Taylor Hall who is a geotechnical engineer studying the physics of soils and rocks in order to understand their mechanical properties and how they may affect such structures. Taylor has recently started his own business in Moab where he finds the unique environment curious and fun to work in.
Join scientists Chris Benson and Terry Dial on a geology tour of Arches National Park! Learn about rock layers, ancient environments and arch formation. The drive takes you along the main Arches NP road, highlighting the amazing geology seen at six different and incredibly scenic stops. Download the Arches National Park GeoTour now and take an epic educational drive through this sandstone wonderland!
To Indigenous archaeologist Lyle Balenquah, archaeological sites are places that are connected to a living culture. As a Hopi archaeologist working on Ancestral Lands on the Colorado Plateau, Lyle's experience in archaeology is different from his non-Native colleagues. We speak with him about his journey into archaeology and what it means for him to be preserving Hopi culture within Ancestral Lands. This episode of Science Moab was sponsored by the STEM Action Grant from the Society for Science.
“Leave No Trace” is not a new concept for most outdoor enthusiasts but the LNT recommendations for engaging with the outdoors are always updating as new learnings evolve. We talk with Ben Lawhon, the head of LNT’s research team about the science behind the curriculum of LNT. For this episode, we’ve partnered with the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics in advance of the upcoming Arches Leave No Trace Hotspot Sep 24-27th. An event that is working to help address the mountain recreation problems in Arches National Park.
Monsoons in the desert southwest rely on a seasonal wind shift to occur. They don’t always materialize. When they come, though, the drastic change in weather and rainfall amounts can often lead to flash floods in a sun-parched desert. We talk with Megan Stackhouse from the National Weather Service in Grand Junction, CO. We talk about the difficulty in predicting rainfall and flooding in arid environments with so much topographic variation.
As the number of climbers grows across the country, so does the number of climbing visitors to Indian Creek (San Juan County, UT). Concern is rising for the conservation of the climbing resource and the fragile desert ecosystem it sits in. This is the second of two podcasts dedicated to the recent attention in this climbing area. We talk with Ty Tyler, Stewardship Director for the Access Fund - a national non-profit organization dedicated to leading and inspiring the climbing community in keeping climbing areas open and conserving the climbing environment. We talk about the upcoming stewardship program in Indian Creek that begins this fall (2021).
The number of climbers coming to Indian Creek (San Juan County, UT)has increased like so many outdoor recreation areas. The resource, though, is limited at Indian Creek. This is the first of two podcasts dedicated to this climbing area and the attempts being made to preserve the resource. We talk with David Carter, assistant professor of public policy and administration at the University of Utah’s Department of Political Science. An avid climber himself, David is responsible for distributing a survey to Indian Creek climbers in 2021.
The invasive quagga mussel found its way into Lake Powell in 2012. This rapidly spreading nuisance species is affecting the lake’s ecology, namely its fish population. We talked with biologist Nathan St. Andre about his work with the stable isotopes in the fish of Lake Powell and how they are changing with the presence of the quagga mussel. The results echo a broader geographical division in the Lake itself.
The unique ecosystem of Southwestern Utah includes bits of the Mojave Desert, the Colorado Plateau, and the Great Basin. Here you can find 18 of the 23 species of lizards in the state of Utah. Some species are found nowhere else. Dr. Geoffrey Smith, professor of physiology at Dixie State University, lives in this part of the world for this reason. We talk with him about his work with lizards, in particular the Side-blotched Lizard, which he describes as the most beautiful lizard you’ve ever seen.
The sheer number of recreationists in southern Utah has brought the subject of human waste in the backcountry to a head. The Southeast Utah Health Department is spearheading a campaign to educate visitors and tourists about having a bathroom plan when recreating. We talk with Ginger Allen, the Environmental Stewardship Coordinator at the SEUHD, about the interagency message and a public health campaign that hopes to result in an overall increase in the public’s awareness of human waste issues and disposal techniques for the backcountry.
There are lots of different forms of knowledge, from place-based, community knowledge to science in laboratories. When this wide diversity of understanding isn't listened to or valued, we all lose out. Here, Science Moab speaks with Dr. Sabah Ul-Hasan, who grew up near the Great Salt Lake, about their experience as a scientist studying bioinformatics and how bringing inclusive understandings into science is essential to understanding the world and making it a better place.
Soil mapping involves interpreting landscapes, how soil changes across it, and a bit of art to represent repeatable patterns in a map. The mapping of soils began in the U.S. in the 1930’s as a result of the Dust Bowl, but many remote areas in the West are just getting mapped for the first time. Soil scientist Kristi Mingus talks to Science Moab about her work mapping soils in remote areas of Emery County, Utah. We discuss how the data is collected, how the maps are made, and how the information is available to the public.
When dinosaurs roamed the earth, Southeast Utah was a coastal paradise. Dinosaurs flourished in this utopia in numbers and variety of species unlike any other place. This coupled with the effective preservation of the bones in the rock, make Southeast Utah mecca for paleontologists young and old. Science Moab speaks with John Hankla from the Denver Museum of Nature & Science and a few of his recent students, Jake Percival and Megan Sims. We talk about life in the field and the work they are doing in the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument.
Mike and Jenny Fiebig traveled for 183 days over 1800 miles from the source of the Green River in the Wind River Range to where the Colorado River enters the Sea of Cortez. Using canoe, packraft, and a dory, the couple traversed the length of the river system with all its rapids, dams, and reservoirs. Science Moab talks with Jenny and Mike about the Colorado River Basin health, stewardship, and connectivity that they experienced along their journey.
When puffy white clouds appear in the sky above a hot arid landscape, one may wonder “where is that moisture coming from?”. The desert southwest is unique in many ways and the weather patterns are no exception. We talk about weather with Tony Merriman, meteorologist and outreach coordinator from the National Weather Service office in Flagstaff, AZ. We discuss the large and small scale factors that contribute to the aridity and the (hopefully) moisture we have here on the Colorado Plateau.
The humpback chub have been swimming in the wild and turbulent waters of the Colorado River Basin for 3 million years. They have been endangered since 1967 following the building of dams along the Colorado River and its tributaries and the introduction of non-native predatory fish. We talk with Brian Healy, the Native Fish Ecology and Conservation Program manager at Grand Canyon National Park, and a PhD candidate in Ecology at Utah State University. In addition to studying the ecology of the humpback chub and other native fish in the Grand Canyon, Brian works to restore habitat and populations of these native fish.
To understand geologic time, you have to stretch your mind across knowledge sets and time scales. That’s exactly what geologist and paleontologist Kevin Madalena has done as he’s worked to understand and defend the fossil record and cultural sites on Ancestral lands. Here, we speak with him about how he has crossed scientific disciples and knowledges to understand the deep past and help safeguard the future. We cover the recent defacement of cultural sites in the Moab region and how those acts are an extension of looting, ecological destruction, and missing and murdered Indigenous women.
The Willow Flycatcher’s song is innate... it is not a learned song but something ingrained in its DNA. Because of this and the fact that the songs are unique among subspecies, the Southwestern Willow Flycatcher is protected under the Endangered Species Act. We talk with Dr. Sean Mahoney who studies the ecology of plants, birds, and insects. His work with the Willow Flycatcher and its song is important for protecting the birds and the riparian habitats they live in.
Educating visitors about the Colorado Plateau landscape is necessary to keeping it intact. It's something that storyteller and guidebook author Morgan Sjogren has been trying to do as she's told stories and written books about the region. Here, we speak with Morgan about what she sees as the role of storytellers on Plateau and the need for diverse voices when educating about and conserving this place.
photo courtsey Morgan Sjogren
Behind the management and policies of the Colorado River System is a computer model...The Colorado River Simulation System (CRSS) is a continuously evolving model that has been revised and modified over a 40-year period. We talk with Dr. Kevin Wheeler who is an important interpreter and translator of the model for stakeholders. We discuss how using the model to explore alternative management strategies for the Colorado River will benefit water supply users and river ecosystems and empower more stakeholders to participate in planning the future of the river system.
Potholes on the Colorado Plateau are depressions primarily in the sandstone, unassociated with any drainage, that are home to ephemeral pools of water. These potholes provide shelter for life in a hostile environment and many species have survived to the modern day only because these rain filled pools are available. We speak with biologist/ecologist Tim Graham about the types of organisms that have adapted to live in these ephemeral pools and why humans should try to avoid these fragile ecosystems.
Science and conservation in the United States is made up of primarily white scientists and Western ways of thinking. This is something that Sergio Avila saw clearly when he first came to the US from Mexico to study mountain lions and jaguars along the border. Here, we speak with Sergio about his experiences in conservation and the need to incorporate diverse ways of thinking into science that includes, respects, and learns from Indigenous communities and people of color. Sergio challenges conservationists to expand their role models away from authors like Ed Abbey and John Muir and look towards the written, spoken, and on the ground knowledge that is held within Indigenous communities and within communities of color.
The Bears Ears region is a place held sacred to Native people across the Colorado Plateau. It’s also a place that has a complicated history with Western archaeologists, who at times harmed cultural sites that hold tremendous significance to Native communities. Here, we speak with Ralph Burrillo, whose pen name is R.E. Burrillo, about the scientific and natural history of the Bears Ears region and what he sees as the role of Western scientists today in supporting Indigenous-led efforts in Bears Ears.
Arches are always vibrating. The unique size and shape of each arch produces a unique wave frequency that it vibrates at. We talk with Jeff Moore and Paul Geimer from the University of Utah Geohazards Research Group who study the seismology or movement of natural rock spans.
In Moab, climate change has greatly reduced the size of the wetlands and many of the mosquitoes’ natural predators that used to live there have also disappeared. Now when the floodwaters do come and fill up the wetlands, mosquitoes reproduce relentlessly. We speak with Shannon Amsberry, manager of Moab Mosquito Abatement, about how he and his team are keeping the mosquito population under control.
The Colorado River Basin provides water for communities across the West, from the Front Range of Colorado to the coast of California. Increase in use, along with climate change, have resulted in extremely low water levels for the Colorado River Basin and its reservoirs. We speak with Brian Richter about the hazards of such low water levels and what is being done to mitigate the risks.
Biological soil crusts—mosses, lichens, and bacteria that live on the surface of dryland soils—perform crucial functions in desert ecosystems. Some species make nitrogen available for nearby plants. Others are huge carbon sinks. In this episode, Michala Phillips, a postdoctoral researcher at the Southwest Biological Science Center, explains how drought, temperature increases, and physical disturbances threaten the survival of these organisms.
When it comes to arid climates, junipers are some of the toughest trees around. But in the past two years, southeastern Utah has seen huge swathes of them die off. In this episode, Steven Kannenberg, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Utah, explains why so many junipers are struggling to survive.
A unique combination of events came together at the end of Permian time (250 million years ago)that resulted in the extinction of more the 90% of living species. We talk with Dr. Benjamin Burger about what earth looked like during this period and what led to such a drastic change in environment and life.
Join scientists Chris Benson and Terry Dial on a geology tour of Moab, Utah! This 50-mile scenic driving loop includes information on the spectacular geology surrounding Moab.
This 50-mile scenic driving loop includes six stops with audio by local geologist
- 4-wheel drive recommended
- 2-wheel drive option
- Plan 3-4 hours
- Join caravan Friday, 18 September 2-6p
Download map at www.moab-scifest.org
Extreme heat can be dangerous and is often called the "silent killer". We talk with Kirsten Goldstein, a grad student at Utah State University in Climate Adaptation Science, who studies how people perceive the risk of heat to their health. A person’s perception can influence their behavior and the we discuss the methods Kirsten uses to try and understand perceptions relating to how hot people feel.
Sixty years after its creation, Lake Powell faces an uncertain future with increasing drought and limited runoff into the Colorado River Basin. Here we speak with Jack Schmidt and Eric Kuhn about the policies and politics of reservoirs along the Colorado River. Jack Schmidt is a professor at Utah State University’s Center for Colorado River studies and Eric Kuhn is an engineer and was general manager for the Colorado River Water Conservation District for 37 years. We discuss the role Lake Powell plays in the Colorado River Basin and how climate change, politics, and water-use policies affect the reservoir’s future.
There is a lot of Western science happening here on the Colorado Plateau but there is also long-held Indigenous knowledge that is centered on knowing this place. Here, we speak with Jim Enote about these two different knowledge systems. Jim is a Zuni writer, farmer and CEO of the Colorado Plateau Foundation. Jim is also a trained scientist and we talk with him about the different ways that Western scientists and Indigenous communities both understand the world and maintain knowledge. Jim explains how we can begin to speak across those understandings to make the world better for both people and the natural environment.
Wildfires often result in increased flooding of an area. We talk with Natalie Gillard, a graduate student in watershed sciences at Utah State University, who is studying how wildfires affect fish and other aquatic wildlife downstream of burnt areas.
Outcrops of Cretaceous Cedar Mountain Formation in Grand County, Utah contain dinosaur fauna found nowhere else in the world. We talk with Dr. James Kirkland, state paleontologist for the Utah Geological Survey about his discoveries of these unique dinosaur species and how the salt tectonics of the area is key to preserving these rare fauna from the Cretaceous time.
The Colorado Plateau has a long history of uranium mining. That history is especially apparent within the Navajo Nation, which has hundreds of abandoned uranium mines. Tailings and raw material from these mines can still be found in the open air within the Navajo Nation. Tribal communities have unique exposure pathways to uranium and other heavy metals. Here, we speak with Dr. Tommy Rock about his work to uncover these exposure pathways and the work he does to engage and empower his community.
The Colorado River Basin has experienced incredibly large flood events in the past. Present-day river deposits can be used to understand the size and timing of floods that have happened within the region. Here, we speak with Dr. Vic Baker who studies what he calls Paleoflood Hydrology. We talk about the ways he and his team determine how big flood events were and how we can understand the possibility of floods into the future.
Traditional ecological knowledge(s) are knowledge systems held by Indigenous peoples. They are long-held sets of knowledge and awarenesses about the world that are passed from one generation to the next. The knowledge is based on observations and information accumulated through time, similar to western science. Here we speak with scholar and activist Daisy Purdy about traditional ecological knowledge and its relationship with western science.
Birds rely on riparian areas of SE Utah and the Colorado Plateau and as the ecosystems change along the banks of these rivers, there is real impact on bird populations and species. Sean Mahoney, PhD candidate at Northern Arizona University, speaks with us about his work with birds that inhabit and migrate through the rivers of the Colorado Plateau. We talk about how they are being affected as climate, water levels, and invasive species make their mark on the banks of these rivers.
Natural shifts in light and dark are critical to all forms of life. We talk with naturalist and dark skies advocate Crystal White about what darkness means to ecosystems and people. We also talk about the different ways that dark skies are being threatened and what is being done to protect them.
Changes are happening in plant communities in deserts of the Colorado Plateau and around the world. We speak with Dr. Steve Archer from the University of Arizona about the shifts in ecosystems primarily made up of grasses to those of woody plants and shrubs. The effects of this shift are wide reaching and have large effects for desert systems that we know.
Natural springs have long been centers of biodiversity and cultural significance. We speak with David Sabata who recently completed his masters degree from Northern Arizona University where he studied springs within the Grand Staircase Escalante Monument. We talk about his studies and how springs can be used to understand human settlement across the landscape.
We speak with Allison Stegner who is a post-doctoral researcher at Stanford University. She studies small mammals as a way to understand present and past environments. Here, we talk with Allison about her work and how studying small mammal abundance and distribution on the landscape can give us a better understanding of environmental change through time.
We speak with author/journalist Jonathan Thompson about mining history in SW Colorado and its impacts on rivers. His book “River of Lost Souls: the Science, Politics, and Greed Behind the Gold King Mine Disaster” explores the infamous Gold King Mine spill that released large amounts of acid mine waste into the Animas and San Juan Rivers. Here, Jonathan talks about the history of mining in the San Juan Mountains and its positive and negative effects on communities and ecosystems. We discuss how the Gold King mine spill is only a small part of a larger picture of the extractive industry in the Four Corners.
This show explores the social and ecological impacts of climbing in the Indian Creek Area, Utah. We talk with Zeke Baker and Steve Fick. Zeke is a PhD candidate in sociolology at UC Davis while Steve is a post-doctoral research ecologist with University of the Colorado Boulder and the USGS here in Moab. The two have teamed up to study rock climbing in the Indian Creek area and the social, ecological, and political interactions of climbers with this fragile landscape.
The understanding of snow...the various ways it falls from the sky and how it is transformed on the ground is critical to being safe in the backcountry. We talk with Mark Staples who is the director of the Forest Service Utah Avalanche Center. Mark graduated from the Montana State University Snow Science Program and here in Utah he and his team predict snow conditions for avalanche reports. Here with Mark we discuss the different forms snow can take when falling from the sky and the various ways that snow transforms once it is on the ground. This information is critical for understanding the snow stability and avalanche danger both in the La Sals and elsewhere around Utah and the West.
The world that existed when dinosaurs roamed the Moab area was vastly different than the world today . We talk with Dr. John Foster, a paleontologist and the former director of the Museum of Moab, whose work involves excavating the oldest known dinosaur Sauropod skeleton right here in the Moab area. Here we discuss a geologic layer known as the Morrison Formation and we explore the Jurassic Period…the landscape, plants and animals that existed 150 million years ago when the Morrison was being deposited.
Drought is impacting the plants that are growing around Moab and the Colorado Plateau. Here we talk to Alix Pfennigwerth, a former biologist with the US Geological Survey in Moab. We talk about different types of droughts that are expected to impact the plant communities we see on the Colorado Plateau. We explore how experiments provide insight into plant response to future drought due to climate change and what that might mean for the ecosystems and how we manage them into the future.
Deserts are characterized by having limited amounts of water. The plants that live in these dry climates are there because the soil holds onto just enough water for plants to survive. But climate change has the potential to change the amount of soil water available to plants. Here, Dr. John Bradford explains how soil moisture influences plant communities in the Southwest and how management actions & climate change can interact to alter water available to plants.
The impacts of climate change can be complicated and far reaching. Here we are speak with Ryan Choi about the influence that climate change has on the interactions that occur within ecosystems. Ryan Choi is a PhD student at Utah State University. There, Ryan studies how climate change changes interactions between Arctic plants and the species that eat them. Specifically he looks at how warming temperatures influences when grasses grow, and how changes to that timing of growth impacts the migrating geese that rely on those grasses year after year. While it might not seem directly relevant to the Colorado Plateau, Ryan explains how changes in the Arctic have ripple effects to ecosystems across the globe.
Unexplored caves can store a wealth of information about the past. Here we talk with Dr. Tim Heaton who studies the Ice Age mammals found in caves. He got his start exploring the caves of the Colorado Plateau, and currently live here in Moab. Of his multiple scientific accomplishments, one of his best known is the discovered of 10,000 year old human remains in a cave on on island off of Alaska, making them one of a handful of the oldest human remains found in the Americas. Here we talk with him about that discovery and why this site helps us understand how humans came to populate the Americas.
There are an incredible number and many diverse types of volcanoes in four corners region. Here we are speak with Dr. Michael Ort about the different kinds of volcanoes on the Colorado Plateau, when they erupt, and how they might erupt again.
Here we talk about how wildlife moves through the landscape and how wildlife corridors might be the best chance to preserve the different members of ecosystems with Dr. Paul Beier a professor in the School of Forestry from Northern Arizona University. As a conservation biologist Dr. Beier studies wildlife corridors, protected areas that allow wildlife to move from one natural area to another without being stopped by human made barriers. These corridors are important not just for allowing the movement and exchange of genetic material, but also for maintaining the integrity and functions of whole ecosystems
The Colorado River is one of the main forces shaping the landscape around Southeast Utah. Here we talk with Dr. Joel Pederson and tease apart new information about the Colorado River and the forces that carve the landscapes we see around us. We explore the unanswered questions about erosion in Moab, Utah and the central Colorado Plateau.
Plants have many and incredible chemical compounds that they use to survive in our desert. These chemical compounds found in plants can have interactions that structure whole ecosystems. Here we explore the many and incredible ways that chemical compounds work to defend plants and what chemical ecology can teach us about the deserts around us with Dr. Adrienne Godschalx.
This show explores ecological change on the Colorado Plateau over time with Dr. Laura Huenneke. She explains the kinds of changes that have occurred and dissects the types of management actions available to address current and future landscape changes.
The way that trees are arranged in a forest can be more important than it seems. This interview with Dr. Andrew Sanchez-Meador explores the composition of forests in the Southwest and why changes to forest structure can influence how the forest works.
Moab Utah is home to an incredible amount of dinosaur tracks. Here we learn why there are some many tracks around Moab, how tracks are studied, and what we can learn about prehistoric ecology through these fossilized footprints.
Pinyon-juniper forests and woodlands are found across the Colorado Plateau. These ecosystems are expanding into new areas where they have not been in human memory, at the same time increased temperatures and reduced precipitation due to climate change are resulting in huge mortality events of pinyon and some juniper trees. Here, Dr. Nichole Barger helps break down this dichotomy
Out in desert ecosystems, plants are interacting with one another in unseen ways. Here, Dr. Alex Filazzola explains the many and surprising ways that plants living side by side can affect one another. These effects can play a big role in how ecosystems are ultimately structured, with lessons for how we manage and restore our landscapes
Biological soil crusts are an enigmatic sight on the Colorado Plateau. In this show, we explore what biocrusts are doing out in the desert. We speak with Colin Tucker and Natalie Day to learn about the research and efforts going on to understand and restore these fragile soil communities.
The tamarisk beetle has reshaped riparian areas along the Colorado River. Here, we talk with Tim Graham about his work monitoring these biocontrols. We learn about the history of testing and releasing the tamarisk beetle, how the beetle has done with controlling tamarisk along the rivers, and why the dead tamarisk we now see serve important roles in riparian areas.
A show about seeds waiting in the desert soil with Dr. Akasha Faist. We find out kind of seeds are there, what they need to germinate, and how scientists study the surprisingly mysterious world of soil seed banks.
As both the fire season and the amount of fire continue to increase in the Southwest, researchers and managers are working to figure out the best ways to reduce the sometimes incredible amounts of erosion that happen after wildfire. We speak with Henry Grover who studies the native mosses that can colonize hill slopes after severe fires. His work explores both the ecology and application of these mosses as a way to restore burned areas.
The desert both breathes out and pulls in carbon to and from the atmosphere. Here we talk with Dr. Anthony Darrouzet-Nardi about that process by exploring a field called biogeochemistry. We hear about the different kinds of carbon that exists in ecosystems, and how it is transformed and moved through the fascinating and dynamic carbon cycle.
Understanding physical features of rivers and streams can give information about what is happening upstream and down. Here we talk about geomorphology with Christopher Ely. We explore Amazonian headwater streams in the Andes Mountains of southern Ecuador, and how the tools used to studying these high elevation streams can be applied to studying rivers and streams around the world and here on the Colorado Plateau.
What were mammals like when dinosaurs roamed the earth? We explore the fascinating world of mammals living at the time of dinosaurs with Dr. Brian Davis. We learn about what they ate, who ate them, and how these small creatures evolved to become the mammals we see today.
The Colorado Plateau holds an incredible amount of native plant diversity, however past and current land use practices and future climate change threaten the diversity and abundance of our native plant species. Here, with Dr. Daniel Winkler, we explore how land management programs and non-profit partners are using programs like Seeds of Success and the Colorado Plateau Native Plant Program to collect native seeds and make them available for research and restoration.
Southeast Utah and the Colorado Plateau is home to a diverse number of pollinators. Here we get a fascinating look at the relationships between pollinators and plants. We explore how they evolved together, pollinator types on the Colorado Plateau, and what the future holds for pollinators with Molly McCormick.
There are many efforts going on within national park to restore degraded ecosystems. From using biological controls, to weeding and seeding, to anticipating the effects of climate change, the national parks of southeastern Utah are actively being managed to return or maintain ecological function. Here, we speak with NPS ecologist Liz Ballenger about what ecological restoration means for national parks within the Colorado Plateau.
Climate change will result in lasting changes for the ecosystems of the Colorado Plateau. Here, we talk with Dr. Scott Ferrenberg about what the ecosystems of this region may look like in the future. We learn how scientists study climate change and how our ecological communities are expected to change as the planet warms.
Bark beetles evolved to live in western forests. But in recent decades the number of beetles has grown so large that they are killing millions of acres of forests. Here, we talk to Dr. Richard Hofstetter about these now infamous beetles. We learn about what these beetles do for forests, what happens when their numbers swell out of control, and the acoustic research that might help keep them in check.
Water can be a formidable force in the desert. From carving canyons to cutting arroyos, water has the power to form the landscapes around us. Today on Science Moab, we learn how water shapes the earth with Dr. Taylor Joyal, a fluvial-geo-morphologist studying earth shaping processes.
When you’re walking over the desert soil, you’re walking over huge amounts of fungi. These fungi are connected to the roots of grasses and shrubs, gathering the nutrients these plants need to survive. Here, we speak with world renowned soil ecologist Dr. Nancy Johnson and hear about the evolutionary past and current roles of these understudied and truly fascinating organisms.
The geology of the Colorado Plateau is amazingly exposed and incredibly dramatic. Here, we get to hear about the forces and slow passage of time that shaped the Plateau as we see it today. We hear from Drs. Scott Ritter and Tom Morris as they walk us through iconic and lesser known places, describing why our landscape looks like the way it does.
In the deserts, the soil surface is alive. The soil is covered with lichens, mosses, cyanobacteria, algae, fungi and other microorganisms that together are called biological soil crusts. Here, we talk with Dr. Matthew Bowker who studies these cryptic communities and works to put them back into the landscape.
Humans have been using and modifying the ecosystems around on the Colorado Plateau for thousands of years. To understand human relationships with the land, we talk with Kate Magargal, who combines archaeology and ecology to ask how people who lived in the Southwest interacted with the landscape around them, specifically through gathering food, wood, and using fire as a tool. We explore what her findings can tell us about how to manage our landscapes into the future.
Cheatgrass is one of the most pervasive, non-native grasses in the American West, changing ecosystems almost everywhere it goes. Here, we talk with Dr. Jayne Belnap, a world renowned scientist from Moab, Utah, who has studied how this invasive grass has changed ecosystems around the Southwest. We talk about where cheatgrass came from, how it got here, and how it has and will likely continue to transform southwestern landscapes.
This show examines how people living in the desert southwest in the past may have differentiated between communal places where everyone was welcome, and private places like granaries and dwellings. Through studying these differentiations, Elizabeth Hora-Cook tries to understand what society may have been like for Fremont and Ancestral Puebloan people.
A show about Southwestern archaeology and paleoethnobotany, or the study of plants that past humans have used, with Dr. Timothy Riley. Rose Elgholff talks to Dr. Riley about ways to figure out what humans ate in the past, why we care about it, and work he has done with experimental archaeology today.
Exploring strategies to protect plant and animal species by protecting diverse landscapes with Dr. Paul Beier.
The second part of a two part interview about volcanoes on the Colorado Plateau, how they interact with the ecosystem, why there are so many, and how humans may have responded to the eruptions, with Dr. Michael Ort.
An interview about the different ways herbivores influence plant communities in our region and the different impacts of native and nonnative grazers with Dr. Kari Veblen .