ANTHONY DARROUZET-NARDI
Last updated Sep 24, 2025
CURRICULUM VITAE
Education
2004-2010 Ph.D. University of Colorado at Boulder, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research. Dissertation: Landscape heterogeneity in the soil nitrogen cycle of an alpine-subalpine ecosystem. Mentor: Dr. William D. Bowman
1999-2003. B.A. University of California, Berkeley. Integrative Biology with Honors.
1995-1999. Mountain View High School, Mountain View, California.
Research Experience
2021-present. Associate Professor, University of Texas at El Paso, Department of Biological Sciences.
2015-2021 Assistant Professor, University of Texas at El Paso, Department of Biological Sciences.
2013-2014. Postdoctoral Research Associate. U.S. Geologic Survey (USGS), Canyonlands Research Station, Moab Utah, laboratories of Dr. Jayne Belnap and Dr. Sasha Reed.
2010-2013. Postdoctoral Research Associate. University of Toledo, Department of Environmental Sciences, laboratory of Dr. Michael Weintraub.
2004-2010 Dissertation research. University of Colorado at Boulder, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, laboratory of Dr. William D. Bowman.
2004. Research intern. Desert Research Institute, laboratory of Dr. John A. Arnone III.
2001-2003. Honors thesis. University of California, Berkeley, Department of Integrative Biology, laboratories of Dr. Carla M. D’Antonio and Dr. Todd E. Dawson, with Dr Eric Berlow.
2001. Semester abroad on the island of Moorea, French Polynesia (Tahiti). Moth diversity and role in plant pollination.
2000. Independent research, University of California, Berkeley, Department of Integrative Biology, laboratory of Dr. Cheryl Briggs, with Dr. Martha Hoopes.
1997-1998. Independent research. Stanford University, Departments of Pathology and Cancer Biology, laboratory of Dr. Teresa Wang, with Dr. Ralph Davis.
Grant Funding
2025–2028. Collaborative Research: CrustNet: Global determinants of biodiversity in biocrusts, and outcomes for ecosystem function, resistance and resilience. Darrouzet-Nardi, Anthony (Principal); Bowker, Matthew (Principal, NAU; lead institution); Antoninka, Anita (co-Principal, NAU); Ceja Navarro, Javier (co-Principal, NAU); Reed, Sasha (Principal, USGS). $307,069. NSF Division of Environmental Biology.
2024. Kukreja, Kalpana (Lead), Darrouzet-Nardi-Anthony (Co-Lead). New insights into phosphorus (P) acquisition strategies by quantifying untargeted metabolites in dryland soils Instrument usage award; in-kind value $68,000. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL).
2020-2025. Network Cluster: Patterns and controls of ecohydrology, CO2 fluxes, and nutrient availability in pedogenic carbonate-dominated dryland critical zones. Jin, Lixin (Principal), Darrouzet-Nardi, Anthony (Co-Principal), Lougheed, Vanessa L (Co-Principal), Ma, Lin (Co-Principal), McLaren, Jennie R (Co-Principal), Gutierrez-Jurado, Hugo A (Other), Karplus, Marianne (Other), Gill, Thomas E, Mauritz-Tozer, Marguerite E (Other). $5,269,319. NSF Division of Earth Sciences.
2020-2022. MRI: Acquisition of inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometer for research and education uses in water, energy, and environmental sciences. Engle, Mark (Principal), Jin, Lixin (Co-Principal), Ma, Lin (Co-Principal), Walker, William S. (Co-Principal), Darrouzet-Nardi, Anthony (Supporting), Gill, Thomas E (Supporting). $131,324. NSF Major Research Instrumentation
2019-2022. MRI: Acquisition of a carbon dioxide isotope analyzer for monitoring real-time carbon fluxes in extreme environments and training the next generation of environmental scientists. Darrouzet-Nardi, Anthony (Principal), Jin, Lixin (Co-Principal), Gutierrez-Jurado, Hugo A (Other), Lougheed, Vanessa L (Other), Tweedie, Craig E (Other), Mauritz-Tozer, Marguerite E (Other), McLaren, Jennie R (Other). $131,324. NSF Major Research Instrumentation
2019-2022. Combine sensors, geophysical survey and geochemical tools to investigate pedogenic carbonate precipitation and carbon dioxide emission in irrigated soils of aridlands. Jin, Lixin (Principal), Darrouzet-Nardi, Anthony (Co-Principal), Doser, Diane I (Co-Principal). $683,756. NSF Division of Earth Sciences
2016-2021. Collaborative Research: Testing the fungal loop hypothesis for Carbon and Nitrogen cycling in dryland ecosystems. Darrouzet-Nardi, Anthony (Principal), Sinsabaugh, Robert (Co-Principal), Rudgers, Jennifer (Supporting), Belnap, Jayne (Supporting). $769,702 (total grant $1.5 million). NSF Division of Environmental Biology.
Past Funding and Awards
2017. Certificate of Excellence in Reviewing, Biogeochemistry.
2009. John W. Marr Ecology Fund, University of Colorado at Boulder
2009. Student Research Grant, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, CU Boulder
2008. Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant, National Science Foundation.
2005-2008. Graduate Research Fellowship Program, National Science Foundation.
2002-2003. Beckman Scholars Program, Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation.
2001. Biology Fellows Program, Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
2000. Research Experience for Undergraduates, National Science Foundation.
Peer-reviewed publications
Holguin, J., Darrouzet-Nardi, A. J., McLaren, J. R. (2025). Low retention of added nitrogen at realistic levels of simulated nitrogen deposition in the Northern Chihuahuan Desert. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 211: 109977. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2025.109977
Young, K. E., Sala, O., Darrouzet-Nardi, A., Tucker, C., Finger-Higgens, R., Starbuck, M., Reed, S. C. (2025). Biocrust Mosses and Cyanobacteria Exhibit Distinct Carbon Uptake Responses to Variations in Precipitation Amount and Frequency. Ecology Letters 28: e70125. https://doi.org/10.1111/ele.70125
Singh, T., Sandhu, P. S., Darrouzet-Nardi, A. (2024). Thiourea Supplementation Improves Drought Stress Response of Ridge-Sown and Mulch-Applied Rainfed Maize (Zea mays L.) via Improved Leaf Source to Grain Sink Dynamics. Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science 210: e12755. https://doi.org/10.1111/jac.12755
Díaz-Martínez, P., Maestre, F. T., Moreno-Jiménez, E., et al. (2024). Vulnerability of mineral-associated soil organic carbon to climate across global drylands. Nature Climate Change 14: 976–982. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-024-02087-y
Gross, N., Maestre, F. T., Liancourt, P., et al. (2024). Unforeseen plant phenotypic diversity in a dry and grazed world. Nature 632: 808–814. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-07731-3
Eldridge, D. J., Ding, J., Dorrough, J., et al. (2024). Hotspots of biogeochemical activity linked to aridity and plant traits across global drylands. Nature Plants 10: 760–770. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41477-024-01670-7
Darrouzet-Nardi, A., Is Asaf, I., Mauritz, M., Roman, K., Keats, E., Tweedie, C. E., McLaren, J. R. (2023). Consistent microbial and nutrient resource island patterns during monsoon rain in a Chihuahuan Desert bajada shrubland. Ecosphere 14: e4475. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.4475
Hoellrich, M. R., James, D. K., Bustos, D., Darrouzet-Nardi, A., Santiago, L. S., Pietrasiak, N. (2023). Biocrust carbon exchange varies with crust type and time on Chihuahuan Desert gypsum soils. Frontiers in Microbiology 14: 1128631. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2023.1128631
Maestre, F., Le Bagousse-Pinguet, Y., Delgado-Baquerizo, M., et al. (121 total authors), Darrouzet-Nardi, A. (2022). Grazing and ecosystem service delivery in global drylands. Science 358: 915–920. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abq4062
Adelizzi, R., O’Brien, E. A., Hoellrich, M., Rudgers, J. A., Mann, M., Fernandes, V. M. C., Darrouzet-Nardi, A., Stricker, E. (2022). Disturbance to biocrusts decreased cyanobacteria, N-fixer abundance, and grass leaf N but increased fungal abundance. Ecology 103: e3656. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.3656
Weber, B., Belnap, J., Büdel, B., Antoninka, A. J., Barger, N. N., Chaudhary, V. B., Darrouzet-Nardi, A., Eldridge, D. J., Faist, A. M., Ferrenberg, S., Havrilla, C. A., Huber-Sannwald, E., Malam Issa, O., Maestre, F. T., Reed, S. C., Rodriguez-Caballero, E., Tucker, C., Young, K. E., Zhang, Y., Zhao, Y., Zhou, X., Bowker, M. A. (2022). What is a biocrust? A refined, contemporary definition for a broadening research community. Biological Reviews. https://doi.org/10.1111/brv.12862
Young, K. E., Ferrenberg, S., Reibold, R., Reed, S. C., Swenson, T., Northen, T., Darrouzet-Nardi, A. (2022). Vertical movement of soluble carbon and nutrients from biocrusts to subsurface mineral soils. Geoderma 405: 115495. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2021.115495
Young, K. E., Reed, S. C., Ferrenberg, S., Faist, A., Winkler, D. E., Cort, C., Darrouzet-Nardi, A. (2021). Incorporating biogeochemistry into dryland restoration. BioScience 71: 907–917. https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biab043
Martinez, J., McLaren, J., Tweedie, C. E., Darrouzet-Nardi, A. (2021). Soil enzymes are preferentially associated with larger particles in highly organic Arctic tundra soils. Elementa 9: 00020. https://doi.org/10.1525/elementa.2021.00020
Stricker, E., Crain, G., Rudgers, J., Sinsabaugh, R., Fernandes, V., Nelson, C., Giraldo-Silva, A., Garcia-Pichel, F., Belnap, J., Darrouzet-Nardi, A. (2021). What could explain δ13C signatures in biocrust cyanobacteria of drylands? Microbial Ecology 81: 134–145. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-020-01536-3
Bonilla-Bird, N., Ye, Y., Akter, T., Valdes-Bracamontes, C., Darrouzet-Nardi, A., Saupe, G., Flores-Margez, J., Ma, L., Hernandez-Viezcas, J., Peralta-Videa, J., Gardea-Torresdey, J. (2020). Effect of copper compounds on two varieties of sweet potato plants. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry 154: 277–286. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plaphy.2020.06.009
Darrouzet-Nardi, A., Steltzer, H., Sullivan, P. F., Segal, A., Koltz, A. M., Livensperger, C., Schimel, J. P., Weintraub, M. N. (2019). Limited effects of early snowmelt on plants, decomposers, and soil nutrients in Arctic tundra soils. Ecology and Evolution 9: 1820–1844. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.4870
Livensperger, C., Steltzer, H., Darrouzet-Nardi, A., Sullivan, P. F., Wallenstein, M., Weintraub, M. N. (2019). Experimentally warmer and drier conditions in an Arctic plant community reveal microclimatic controls on senescence. Ecosphere 10(4): e02677. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.2677
Rudgers, J. A., Dettweiler-Robinson, E., Belnap, J., Green, L. E., Sinsabaugh, R. L., Young, K. E., Cort, C. E., Darrouzet-Nardi, A. (2018). Are fungal networks key to dryland primary production? American Journal of Botany 105: 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajb2.1184
Crain, G., McLaren, J., Brunner, B., Darrouzet-Nardi, A. (2018). Biologically available phosphorus in biocrust-dominated soils of the Chihuahuan Desert. Soil Systems 2: 56. https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems2040056
Darrouzet-Nardi, A., Reed, S. C., Grote, E. E., Belnap, J. (2018). Patterns of longer-term climate change effects on CO2 efflux from biocrusted soils differ from those observed in the short term. Biogeosciences 15: 4561–4573. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-4561-2018
Tan, W., Du, W., Darrouzet-Nardi, A., Hernandez-Viezcas, J., Ye, Y., Peralta-Videa, J. R., Gardea-Torresdey, J. L. (2018). Effects of the exposure of TiO2 nanoparticles on basil (Ocimum basilicum) for two generations. Science of the Total Environment 636: 240–248. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.04.263
McLaren, J. R., Darrouzet-Nardi, A., Weintraub, M. N., Gough, L. (2017). Seasonal patterns of soil nitrogen availability in moist acidic tundra. Arctic Science 4: 98–109. https://doi.org/10.1139/as-2017-0014
Reed, S. C., Maestre, F. T., Ochoa-Hueso, R., Kuske, C. R., Darrouzet-Nardi, A., Oliver, M., Darby, B., Sancho, L. G., Sinsabaugh, R. L., Belnap, J. (2016). Biocrusts in the context of global change. In: Biological Soil Crusts: An Organizing Principle in Drylands. Springer, pp. 451–476. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-30214-0_22
Livensperger, C., Steltzer, H., Darrouzet-Nardi, A., Sullivan, P. F., Wallenstein, M. D., Weintraub, M. N. (2016). Earlier snowmelt and warming lead to earlier but not necessarily more plant growth. AoB PLANTS 8. https://doi.org/10.1093/aobpla/plw021
Darrouzet-Nardi, A., Reed, S. C., Grote, E. E., Belnap, J. (2015). Observations of net soil exchange of CO2 in a dryland show experimental warming increases carbon losses in biocrust soils. Biogeochemistry 126: 363–378. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10533-015-0163-7
Melle, C. A., Wallenstein, M. D., Darrouzet-Nardi, A., Weintraub, M. N. (2015). Microbial activity is not always limited by nitrogen in Arctic tundra soils. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 90: 52–61. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2015.07.023
Darrouzet-Nardi, A., Weintraub, M. N. (2014). Evidence for spatially inaccessible labile N from a comparison of soil core extractions and soil pore water lysimetry. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 73: 22–32. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2014.02.010
Darrouzet-Nardi, A., Ladd, M. P., Weintraub, M. N. (2013). Fluorescent microplate analysis of amino acids and other primary amines in soils. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 57: 78–82. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2012.07.017
Darrouzet-Nardi, A., Erbland, J., Bowman, W. D., Savarino, J., Williams, M. W. (2011). Landscape-level nitrogen import and export in an ecosystem with complex terrain, Colorado Front Range. Biogeochemistry 109: 271–285. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10533-011-9625-8
Lieb, A., Darrouzet-Nardi, A., Bowman, W. D. (2011). Nitrogen deposition decreases buffering capacity of alpine soils in the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. Geoderma 164: 220–224. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2011.06.013
Darrouzet-Nardi, A., Bowman, W. D. (2011).
Hot spots of inorganic nitrogen availability in an alpine–subalpine ecosystem, Colorado Front Range.
Ecosystems 14: 848–863.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-011-9450-x
(Includes description of the R package hotspots.)
Zhou, X., Luo, Y., Gao, C., Verburg, P. S. J., Arnone III, J. A., Darrouzet-Nardi, A., Schimel, D. S. (2010). Concurrent and lagged impacts of an anomalously warm year on autotrophic and heterotrophic components of soil respiration: A deconvolution analysis. New Phytologist 187: 184–198. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8137.2010.03256.x
Darrouzet-Nardi, A. (2010). Landscape heterogeneity of differently aged soil organic matter constituents at the forest–alpine tundra ecotone, Niwot Ridge, Colorado, U.S.A. Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research 42: 179–187. https://doi.org/10.1657/1938-4246-42.2.179
Darrouzet-Nardi, A., D’Antonio, C. M., Berlow, E. L. (2008). Effects of young Artemisia rothrockii shrubs on soil moisture, soil nitrogen cycling, and resident herbs. Journal of Vegetation Science 19: 23–30. https://doi.org/10.3170/2007-8-18311
Darrouzet-Nardi, A., D’Antonio, C. M., Dawson, T. E. (2006). Depth of water acquisition by invading shrubs and resident herbs in a Sierra Nevada meadow. Plant and Soil 285: 31–43. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-005-4453-z
Darrouzet-Nardi, A., Hoopes, M. F., Walker, J. D., Briggs, C. J. (2006). Dispersal and foraging behavior of Platygaster californica: Hosts can’t run, but they can hide. Ecological Entomology 31: 298–306. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2311.2006.00798.x
Other publications
Darrouzet-Nardi, A. 2016. Biogeochemistry on the Range: The Arising Researcher. The Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America 97:365-366. https://doi.org/10.1002/bes2.1268
Darrouzet-Nardi, A. 2008-present. Anthony's Science Blog. 174 posts on science-related topics. http://scienceblog.darrouzet-nardi.net/
Mentorship
Advised 3 Ph.D. dissertations and 5 M.S. theses.
Ph.D. dissertations advised
Cort, Catherine. “Investigating the roles of plants, fungi, and biocrusts in nutrient movement within dryland ecosystems” (2024). Open Access Theses & Dissertations. 3964. https://scholarworks.utep.edu/open_etd/3964/
Martinez, Jane Karen. “Linking Decomposition Reactions In Arctic Soils To Microbial Enzyme Production” (2023). Open Access Theses & Dissertations. 3821. https://scholarworks.utep.edu/open_etd/3821
Young, Kristina. “Restoring biogeochemical properties in drylands and exploring functional roles of biological soil crust” (2021). Open Access Theses & Dissertations. 3374. https://scholarworks.utep.edu/open_etd/3374
M.S. theses advised
Dacey, Lindsey. “Water Sufficiency For Organismal Function In Dryland Critical Zones” (2024). Open Access Theses & Dissertations. 4083. https://scholarworks.utep.edu/open_etd/4083/
Salcido, Briana Alyce. “Temporal Trends In Dryland Soil Carbon Fluxes In Response To Artificial And Natural Pulsed Moisture Events” (2023). Open Access Theses & Dissertations. 3849. https://scholarworks.utep.edu/open_etd/3849
Orona, Viridiana. “Characterizing Spatial Variability In Soil CO2 Fluxes In The Chihuahuan Desert Using Geostatistical Techniques” (2023). Open Access Theses & Dissertations. 3837. https://scholarworks.utep.edu/open_etd/3837
Lara, Alejandro. “Reconciling Carbon Flux Discrepancies In A Desert Environment: Characterizing Influences Of Soil Processes Using Automated CO2 Flux Chambers” (2020). Open Access Theses & Dissertations. 3103. https://scholarworks.utep.edu/open_etd/3103
Crain, Grace Margaret. “Biologically Available Phosphorus In Biocrust-Dominated Soils Of The Chihuahuan Desert” (2018). Open Access Theses & Dissertations. 1415. https://scholarworks.utep.edu/open_etd/1415
Teaching
Organismal Biology. BIOL 1306; Taught 12 times Fall 2015 - Spring 2024.
Soil Ecology (BIOL 5301/BIOL 4395): Spring 2015, Fall 2016, Spring 2019, Fall 2022, Fall 2024
Professional Development (BIOL 3192): Fall 2017 – Spring 2022, Spring–Fall 2024; Spring 2025
Scientific Visualization (BIOL 5301): Spring 2018, Spring 2021, Spring 2024
Advances in Ecological Theory (BIOL 5327): Fall 2019, Fall 2022, Fall 2023
Professional Service
2017-2021. Associate Editor at Plant Ecology and Diversity
Peer journal article review for journals including: Nature Communications, Ecosphere, Elementa, Ecosystems, Science of the Total Environment, Ecosystems, Rangeland Ecology and Management, Biogeochemistry (reviewer award in 2017), New Phytologist, Journal of Soils and Sediments, Plant and Soil, Biogeosciences, Soil Biology and Biochemistry, JGR Biogeosciences, Functional Ecology, & Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
Proposal review: Reviewer and panelist for National Science Foundation and Department of Energy.
Student poster judge: Ecological Society of America, Soil Ecology Society, American Geophysical Union
2010-2015. Webmaster and email list moderator, Ecological Society of America Biogeosciences Section.
Professional Affiliations
Ecological Society of America (2001–present)
American Geophysical Union (2006–present)
Soil Ecology Society (2015–present)
Community Service
2007-2010. Board of Directors, Boulder Housing Coalition.
1999, 2002-2003. Counselor, Youth in Science, San Jose State University.
1998. Summer. Volunteer Park Ranger (Volunteers-In-Parks). Hovenweep National Monument, Utah.