Description
This repository contains the datasets, R scripts, HYDRUS-1D model files, weather data, and supporting materials used for the M.S. thesis, "Fast and Slow Water Handling Strategies Explain Pinyon Pine Decline and Juniper Expansion." The study investigated root water uptake and water-use strategies of pinyon pine (Pinus edulis) and Utah juniper (Juniperus osteosperma) using stable isotope tracer experiments, soil water flow modeling, leaf water potential measurements, stomatal conductance measurements, and environmental data collected across an aridity gradient in southern Utah, USA.
Author ORCID Identifier
Andrew Kulmatiski https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9977-5508
Muhammad Faraz Rehman https://orcid.org/0009-0006-4140-1937
Document Type
Dataset
DCMI Type
Dataset
File Format
.xlsx, .h1d, .IN, .out, .txt, .DAT, .R, .csv, .docx
Publication Date
6-26-2026
Funder
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Publisher
Utah State University
Methodology
Field data were collected during the 2024 and 2025 growing seasons. Stable isotope tracer injections, leaf water potential, stomatal conductance, and environmental measurements were collected following standardized field protocols. Weather data were downloaded from weather stations corresponding to each study site. Soil water movement and tracer transport were simulated using HYDRUS-1D. Data processing, statistical analyses, and figure generation were completed using R. Each R script is fully annotated and describes each processing and analytical step.
Scientfic Names
Pinus edulis, Juniperus osteosperma
Referenced by
Master's Thesis
Rehman, M. F. (2026). Fast and Slow Water Handling Strategies Explain Pinyon Pine Decline and Juniper Expansion. Utah State University.
Associated Manuscript
Rehman, M. F., & Kulmatiski, A. Fast and Slow Water Handling Strategies Explain Pinyon Pine Decline and Juniper Expansion. Manuscript submitted to Oecologia.
Start Date
3-2024
End Date
5-2025
Location
Southern Utah, Canyonlands Research Center (CRC)
Language
eng
Code Lists
see README
Disciplines
Environmental Sciences | Plant Sciences | Soil Science
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Kulmatiski, A., & Rehman, M. F. (2026). R Code and Supporting Data for "Fast and Slow Water Handling Strategies Explain Pinyon Pine Decline and Juniper Expansion" [Dataset]. Utah State University. https://doi.org/10.26078/39MW-PA79
Checksum
7b0b32d00fd9b68e396ba801f67d906f