Adrian Harpold

Photo of Adrian Harpold, Extension

Adrian Harpold

Associate Professor

Summary

My interests are in quantifying catchment and basin scale water and solute budgets and the linkages between hydrology, hydrochemistry, geomorphology, and ecology in montane forested systems. Moutain ecosystems are the major water source and carbon sink in western North America and subject to ongoing changes in climate and disturbance.  Improved ecohydrological process understanding has the potential to improve local to global-scale water resource management in the 21st century.

My research program (Nevada Mountain Ecohydrology Lab) utilizes existing observation networks and new field observations to improve the ecohydrological process underpinnings of Earth systems models.  My diverse interests and background has led to investigations of runoff generation mechanisms via hydrological tracers and models, as well as the partitioning of water to its various stores and fluxes.  I am particularly interested in better linking the hydrological sub-disciplines of catchment and snow hydrology to improve our predictions of headwater catchment response to environmental change.

Education

B.S. Virginia Polytechnic Institute, 2003
M.S. Virginia Polytechnic Institute, 2005
Ph.D. Cornell University, 2010

Programs

slide mountain from washoe lake

SNOWPACS: Synthesizing kNowledge to Optimize Water Policy for Agriculture under Changing Snowpack

SNOWPACS is a National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)-funded project on the impact of changes in mountain snowpack on agricultural production and water allocation institutions in the western United States.

Courses

NRES 295: Principles of Ecohydrology (Fall every year)

NRES 482/682: Small Watershed Hydrology (Spring every year)

 

Honors and Awards

  • CABNR Researcher of the Year, 2019
  • Haury Fellowship, University of Arizona, 2019
  • National Science Foundation EAR Postdoctoral Fellowship, 2012 - 2014
  • NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, 2005 - 2009
  • Virginia Conservationist of the Year, Soil and Water Conservation Society (SWCS), 2005
  • Summa cum laude, B.S., 2003

Accomplishments

2012 - 2014         INSTAAR, University of Colorado and NCAR                Research Fellow

2010 - 2012         Hydrology and Water Resources Dept., U. of Arizona    Postdoctoral Researcher

Service

  • UNR representative to Tahoe Science Advisory Council, 2019-present

News & Journal Articles, Fact Sheets, Reports...

Book Chapter(s)
Dendrochronology, Volcanic Eruptions Biondi, F. 2015, W.J. Rink and J.W. Thompson (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Scientific Dating Methods. Springer-Verlag, Berlin-Heidelberg, Germany; pp. 221-227. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6326-5_24-1
Journals
Multi-annual dendroclimatic patterns for the Desert National Wildlife Refuge, southern Nevada, USA Biondi, F. and J. Roberts 2025, Forests 16(7): art.1142 (13 pp.), doi: 10.3390/f16071142
A single-tree approach to determine climate-growth patterns of European beech and their seasonality in the species southern distribution area Serrano-Notivoli, R., J. Jevšenak, E.M. del Castillo, K. Cufar, N. Škrk-Dolar, G. Battipaglia, J.J. Camarero, A.H. Pain, A. Jump, R. Motta, P. Nola, M. Panayotov, I.C. Petritan, A. Popa, I. Popa, C.-C. Roibu, M. Svoboda, C. Zang, T. Zlatanov, A. Balzano, F. Biondi, and 25 other authors 2025, Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 371: art. 110644 (15 pp.), doi: 10.1016/j.agrformet.2025.110644
Long-term tree population growth can predict woody encroachment patterns Shriver, R.K., E. Pletcher, F. Biondi, A.K. Urza, and P.J. Weisberg 2025, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) 122(18): art. e2424096122 (9 pp.), doi: 10.1073/pnas.2424096122
Longevity estimates of Canary palms and dragon trees via radiocarbon dating: Initial results Biondi, F., G.M. Santos, P.R. Rodríguez, and P.A. Sosa 2024, Plants 13: art. 45 (12 pp.), doi: 10.3390/plants13010045
No future growth enhancement expected at the northern edge for European beech due to continued water limitation Klesse, S., R.L. Peters, R. Alfaro-Sánchez, V. Badeau, C. Baittinger, G. Battipaglia, D. Bert, F. Biondi, and 63 other authors 2024, Global Change Biology 30(10): art. e17546 (16 pp.), doi: 10.1111/gcb.17546
Identifying drivers of non-stationary climate-growth relationships of European beech
The multiple significant interaction terms in our model elucidate the complexity of European beech's drought sensitivity, which needs to be taken into consideration when assessing this species' response to climate change.
 Leifsson, C., A. Buras, S. Klesse, C. Baittinger, B. Bat-Enerel, G. Battipaglia, F. Biondi, and 49 other authors 2024, Science of The Total Environment, 937: art. 173321 (14 pp.), doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173321
Runoff variability in the Truckee-Carson River basin from tree rings and a water balance model Meko, D.M., F. Biondi, A.H. Taylor, I.P. Panyushkina, R.D. Thaxton, A.A. Prusevich, A.I. Shiklomanov, R.B. Lammers, and S. Glidden. 2024, Earth Interactions 28(1): art. e230018 (19 pp.), doi: 10.1175/EI-D-23-0018.1
Partial asynchrony of coniferous forest carbon sources and sinks at the intra-annual time scale
Our findings suggest that high-resolution seasonal data of ecosystem carbon fluxes, wood formation and the associated physiological processes may reduce uncertainties in carbon source-sink relationships at different spatial scales, from stand to ecosystem levels.
 Silvestro, R., M. Mencuccini, R. García-Valdés, S. Antonucci, A. Arzac, F. Biondi, and 67 other authors 2024, Nature Communications, Volume 15, Article number: 6169 (2024)
Heartwood relationship with stem diameter in Pinus canariensis plantations of Gran Canaria, Spain Arencibia Aguilar, L.F., P. Rodríguez Rodríguez, and F. Biondi 2023, Forests 14 (9), art. 1719 (14 pp.), doi: 10.3390/f14091719
Maximum tree lifespans derived from public-domain dendrochronological data
Maximum tree lifespans for 157 conifers and 80 angiosperms; 22 conifers exceeded 1,000 years of age, whereas angiosperms peaked around 500 years.
 Biondi, F., D. Meko, and G. Piovesan 2023, iScience 26 (3), art. 106138 (13 pp.), doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106138
Stomatal regulation and xylem hydraulics of limber pine and Engelmann spruce in Great Basin sky-island ecosystems
Comparing canopy conductance and xylem hydraulics of limber pine and Engelmann spruce.
 Liu, X., E. Ziaco, and F. Biondi 2023, Science of the Total Environment 892, art. 164351 (13 pp.), doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.164351
The longevity of fruit trees in Basilicata (southern Italy): Implications for agricultural biodiversity conservation
Some of the oldest scientifically dated fruit trees in the world: olive (680 ± 57 years), mulberry (647 ± 66 years), chestnut (636 ± 66 years), and pear (467 ± 89 years).
 Palli, J., M. Baliva, F. Biondi, L. Calcagnile, D. Cerbino, M. D'Elia, R. Muleo, A. Schettino, G. Quarta, N. Sassone, F. Solano, P. Zienna, and G. Piovesan 2023, Land 12(3), art. 550 (17 pp.), doi: 10.3390/land12030550
Bell-shaped tree-ring responses to air temperature drive productivity trends in long-lived mountain Mediterranean pines Piovesan, G., A. Rita, F. Biondi, M. Baliva, M. Borghetti, M. Brunetti, G. De Vivo, A. Di Filippo, A. Dinella, T. Gentilesca, M. Maugeri, J. Palli, A. Piotti, E. Presutti Saba, F. Ripullone, A. Schettino, and G.G. Vendramin 2023, Science of the Total Environment 890, art. 164103 (11 pp.), doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.164103
Species sensitivity to hydrologic whiplash in the tree-ring record of the high Sierra Nevada Winitsky, A.G., D.M. Meko, A.H. Taylor, and F. Biondi 2023, Environments 10(1), art. 12 (17 pp.), doi: 10.3390/environments10010012
Dendroanatomy of xylem hydraulics in two pine species: Efficiency prevails on safety for basal area growth in drought-prone conditions
We investigated the relationships between xylem anatomy, plant hydraulic functioning, and stem growth in bristlecone pine and limber pine
 Ziaco, E., X. Liu, and F. Biondi 2023, Dendrochronologia 81, art. 126116 (13 pp.), doi: 10.1016/j.dendro.2023.126116
The North American tree-ring fire-scar network Margolis, E.Q., C.H. Guiterman, 53 other authors, F. Biondi, and other 31 authors 2022, Ecosphere 13(7), art. e4159 (36 pp.). doi: 10.1002/ecs2.4159
Wood anatomy of Douglas-fir in eastern Arizona and its relationship with Pacific Basin climate Balanzategui, D., H. Nordhauß, I. Heinrich, F. Biondi, N. Miley, A.G. Hurley, and E. Ziaco 2021, Frontiers in Plant Science - Functional Plant Ecology 12(1812), art. 702442 (14 pp.), doi: 10.3389/fpls.2021.702442
Inter-specific transpiration differences between aspen, spruce, and pine in a sky-island ecosystem of the North American Great Basin Liu, X. and F. Biondi 2021, Forest Ecology and Management 491, art. 119157 (10 pp.), doi: 10.1016/j.foreco.2021.119157
Water-use efficiency of co-occurring sky-island pine species in the North American Great Basin Liu, X., E. Ziaco, and F. Biondi 2021, Frontiers in Plant Science - Functional Plant Ecology 12, art. 787297 (11 pp.). doi: 10.3389/fpls.2021.787297
On tree longevity
Identifying old trees helps with managing entire landscapes, and to revisit classic ecological theories. Among the most-downloaded and most-cited New Phytologist articles from 2020 and 2021.
 Piovesan, G. and F. Biondi 2021, New Phytologist 231: 1318–1337 (Tansley Review), doi: 10.1111/nph.17148
From dendrochronology to allometry
How to use tree rings for much more than climate reconstructions.
 Biondi, F. 2020, Forests 11 (2), art. 146 (17 pp.), doi: 10.3390/f11020146
Photoperiod and temperature as dominant environmental drivers triggering secondary growth resumption in Northern Hemisphere conifers Huang, J.-G., Q. Ma, S. Rossi, F. Biondi, and other 47 authors 2020, PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences) 117 (34): 20645–20652. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2007058117
Post-wildfire regeneration in a sky-island mixed-conifer ecosystem of the North American Great Basin Kilpatrick, M. and F. Biondi 2020, Forests 11(9), art. 900 (17 pp.), doi: 10.3390/f11090900
Transpiration drivers of high-elevation five-needle pines (Pinus longaeva and P. flexilis) in sky-island ecosystems of the North American Great Basin Liu, X., and F. Biondi. 2020, Science of the Total Environment, doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.139861
Reconstruction of seasonal and water-year precipitation anomalies from tree-ring records of the southwestern United States Ziaco, E., N. Miley, and F. Biondi 2020, Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 547, art. 109689 (11 pp.). doi: 10.1016/j.palaeo.2020.109689
Long-term hydroclimatic patterns in the Truckee-Carson Basin of the eastern Sierra Nevada, USA Biondi, F. and D. Meko 2019, Water Resources Research 55(7): 5559–5574. doi: 10.1029/2019WR024735
Hierarchical modeling of space-time dendroclimatic fields: Comparing a frequentist and a Bayesian approach Cameletti, M. and F. Biondi 2019, Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research 51(1): 115–127. doi: 10.1080/15230430.2019.1585175
Fire history of an old-growth ponderosa pine stand in the Sheep Range, Desert National Wildlife Refuge, Nevada, USA Kilpatrick, M., J. Roberts, and F. Biondi 2019, Tree-Ring Research 75(2): 127–138. doi: 10.3959/1536-1098-75.2.127
Tree growth patterns associated with extreme longevity: Implications for the ecology and conservation of primeval trees in a changing world Piovesan, G., F. Biondi, M. Baliva, A. Dinella, L. Di Fiore, V. Marchiano, E. Presutti Saba, G. De Vivo, A. Schettino, and A. Di Filippo 2019, Anthropocene 26, art.100199 (14 pp.). doi: 10.1016/j.ancene.2019.100199
Lessons from the wild: Slow but increasing long-term growth allows for maximum longevity in European beech Piovesan, G., F. Biondi, M. Baliva, G. De Vivo, V. Marchiano, A. Schettino, and A. Di Filippo 2019, Ecology 100(9): art. e02737 (4 pp.), doi: 10.1002/ecy.2737
Slow growth leads to longevity in temperate hardwoods Piovesan, G., F. Biondi, M. Baliva, G. De Vivo, V. Marchiano, A. Schettino, and A. Di Filippo 2019, Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America 100(3): art.e01560 (6 pp.), doi: 10.1002/bes2.1560
Identifying the 993-994 CE Miyake event in the oldest dated living tree in Europe Quarta, G., A. Di Filippo, L. Calcagnile, M. D’Elia, F. Biondi, E. Presutti Saba, M. Baliva, G. De Vivo, A. Schettino, and G. Piovesan 2019, Radiocarbon (in press). doi: 10.1017/RDC.2019.37
Growth rate rather than growing season length determines wood biomass in dry environments Ren, P., E. Ziaco, S. Rossi, F. Biondi, P. Prislan, and E. Liang 2019, Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 271: 46-53. doi: 10.1016/j.agrformet.2019.02.031
Seasonal analysis of the 2011–2017 North American Monsoon near its northwest boundary Truettner, C., M.D. Dettinger, E. Ziaco, and F. Biondi 2019, Atmosphere 10(7): art. 420 (18 pp.), doi: 10.3390/atmos10070420
Assessing near surface hydrologic processes and plant response over a 1600 m mountain valley gradient in the Great Basin, NV, U.S.A. Devitt, D., B. Bird, B. Lyles, L. Fenstermaker, R. Jasoni, S. Strachan, J. Arnone, F. Biondi, S. Mensing, and L. Saito 2018, Water 10(4), article 420 (21 pp.), doi:10.3390/w10040420
Climatically controlled reproduction drives inter-annual growth variability in a temperate tree species Hacket-Pain, A.J., D. Ascoli, G. Vacchiano, F. Biondi, L. Cavin, M. Conedera, I. Drobyshev , I. Dorado Liñán, A.D. Friend, M. Grabner, C. Hartl, J. Kreyling, F. Lebourgeois, T. Levanic, A. Menzel, E. van der Maaten, M. van der Maaten-Theunissen, L. Muffler, R. Motta, C.-C. Roibu, I. Popa , T. Scharnweber, R. Weigel, M. Wilmking, and C. Zang 2018, Ecology Letters 21(12): 1833-1844. doi: 10.1111/ele.13158
The oldest dated tree of Europe lives in the wild Pollino massif: Italus, a strip-bark Heldreich's pine
Finding the “oldest tree in the world” is a perfect motivation for doing science because it's closely linked with exploration and discovery, which are the purest scientific motives.
 Piovesan, G., F. Biondi, E. Presutti Saba, M. Baliva, L. Calcagnile, G. Quarta, M. D’Elia, G. De Vivo, A. Schettino, and A. Di Filippo 2018, Ecology 99 (7): 1682-1684. doi: 10.1002/ecy.2231
Dating old hollow trees by applying a multistep tree-ring and radiocarbon procedure to trunk and exposed roots Piovesan, G., F. Biondi, M. Baliva, L. Calcagnile, G. Quarta, and A. Di Filippo 2018, MethodsX 5: 495-502. doi: 10.1016/j.mex.2018.05.015
Conifer radial growth response to recent seasonal warming and drought from the southwestern USA Truettner, C., W.R.L. Anderegg, F. Biondi, G.W. Koch, K. Ogle, C. Schwalm, M.E. Litvak, J.D. Shaw, and E. Ziaco 2018, Forest Ecology and Management 418: 55–62. doi: 10.1016/j.foreco.2018.01.044
Stem circadian phenology of four pine species in naturally contrasting climates from sky-island forests of the western USA Ziaco, E. and F. Biondi 2018, Forests 9 (7), art.396 (21 pp.). doi: 10.3390/f9070396
Moisture-driven xylogenesis in Pinus ponderosa from a Mojave Desert mountain reveals high phenological plasticity Ziaco, E., C. Truettner, F. Biondi, and S. Bullock 2018, Plant, Cell & Environment 41 (4): 823–836. DOI: 10.1111/pce.13152
Tree-ring based metrics for assessing old-growth forest naturalness
The definition of "old-growth" forest stands needs to be revised and updated in light of modern scientific research results, especially from dendrochronology.
 Di Filippo, A., F. Biondi, G. Piovesan, and E. Ziaco 2017, Journal of Applied Ecology 54 (3): 737–749. DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.12793
Global patterns of drought recovery Schwalm, C.R., W.R.L. Anderegg, A.M. Michalak, J.B. Fisher, F. Biondi, G. Koch, M. Litvak, K. Ogle, J.D. Shaw, A. Wolf, D.N. Huntzinger, K. Schaefer, R. Cook, Y. Wei, Y. Fang, D. Hayes, M. Huang, A. Jain, and H. Tian 2017, Nature 548, 202–205 (10 August 2017). doi:10.1038/nature23021
Tree growth, cambial phenology, and wood anatomy of limber pine at a Great Basin (USA) mountain observatory Ziaco, E. and F. Biondi. 2016, Trees - Structure and Function 30: 1507–1521. doi: 10.1007/s00468-016-1384-7
Wood cellular dendroclimatology: Testing new proxies in Great Basin bristlecone pine Ziaco, E., F. Biondi, and I. Heinrich 2016, Frontiers in Plant Science - Functional Plant Ecology 7: 1602 (13 pp.), doi: 10.3389/fpls.2016.01602
Environmental drivers of cambial phenology in Great Basin bristlecone pine Ziaco, E., F. Biondi, S. Rossi, and A. Deslauriers 2016, Tree Physiology 36: 818–831. doi: 10.1093/treephys/tpw006
Pervasive drought legacies in forest ecosystems and their implications for carbon cycle models Anderegg,W.R.L., C. Schwalm, F. Biondi, J.J. Camarero, G. Koch, M. Litvak, K. Ogle, J.D. Shaw, E. Shevliakova, A.P. Williams, A. Wolf, E. Ziaco, and S. Pacala 2015, Science 349 (6247), 528-532. DOI: 10.1126/science.aab1833
Plant-water relationships in the Great Basin Desert of North America derived from Pinus monophylla hourly dendrometer records Biondi, F. and S. Rossi 2015, International Journal of Biometeorology 59(8): 939-953. doi: 10.1007/s00484-014-0907-4
A water-balance approach for reconstructing streamflow using tree-ring proxy records Saito, L., F. Biondi, R. Devkota, J. Vittori, and J. Salas 2015, Journal of Hydrology 529(Part 2): 535–547. doi: 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2014.11.022
A hydrological record extension model for reconstructing streamflows from tree-ring chronologies Salas, J.D., Z. Tarawneh, and F. Biondi 2015, Hydrological Processes 29(4): 544–556. DOI: 10.1002/hyp.10160
treeclim: an R package for the numerical calibration of proxy-climate relationships Zang, C., and F. Biondi 2015, Ecography 38: 431–436. DOI: 10.1111/ecog.01335