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Education

Ph.D., New Mexico State University

Selected Publications

*denotes student collaborator

Chuan*, X., Carlyle, C.N., Bork, E.W., Chang, S.X., Hewins, D.B. 2020. Extracellular enzyme activity in grass litter varies with grazing history, environment and plant species in temperate grasslands. Science of the Total Environment, 701,134562 .

Bork, E.W., Lyseng, M.P*., Hewins, D.B., Carlyle, C., Chang, S.X., Willms, W. and Alexander, M., 2019. Herbage Biomass and its Relationship to Soil Carbon Under Long-term Grazing in Northern Temperate Grasslands. Canadian Journal of Plant Science, 99(0), 1-12.

Hewins, D.B., Lee, H., Barnes, P.W., McDowell, N.G., Pockman, W.T., Rahn, T. and Throop, H.L., 2019. Early exposure to UV radiation overshadowed by precipitation and litter quality as drivers of decomposition in the northern Chihuahuan Desert. PloS One, 14(2), p.e0210470.

Lyseng, M. P*., Bork, E. W., Hewins, D. B., Alexander, M. J., Carlyle, C. N., Chang, S. X., & Willms, W. D. 2018. Long-term grazing impacts on vegetation diversity, composition, and exotic species presence across an aridity gradient in northern temperate grasslands. Plant Ecology, 219(6), 649-663.​

Hewins, D.B., Lyseng, M.P. *, S. X. Chang, Adams, B., Carlyle, C.N., Bork, E.W. In Press. Quantifying the effect of typical land uses on soil carbon quantities and stability across six distinct ecoregions in northern temperate grasslands. Nature Scientific Reports.

Chuan*, X., Carlyle, C.N., Chang, S.X., Bork, E.W., Hewins, D.B.,In Press. Long-term grazing accelerated litter decomposition in northern temperate grasslands. Ecosystems.  

Bork, E.W., Hewins, D.B., Tannas*, S., Willms, W.D. 2018.Festuca campestris density and defoliation regulate abundance of the rhizomatous grass Poa pratensisin a fallow field. Restoration Ecology. 

Hewins, D. B., Sinsabaugh, R.L., Archer, S.R., Throop. H.L. 2017. Soil-litter mixing and microbial activity mediate decomposition and soil aggregate formation in a sandy shrub-invaded Chihuahuan Desert grassland. Plant Ecology. 218: 459-474.

Hebb*, C. C., Schoderbek*, D. F., Hewins, D.B., Carlyle, C.N., Bork, E.W., Hernandez-Ramierz, G. 2017. Soil physical quality varies among contrasting land uses in northern prairie regions. Agriculture, Ecosystems and the Environment. 240: 14-23.

Hewins, D.B., Chuan*, X., Bork, E.W., Carlyle C.N. 2016. Measuring the effect of freezing on hydrolytic and oxidative extracellular enzyme activities associated with plant litter decomposition. Pedobiologia – Journal of Soil Ecology. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pedobi.2016.09.002

Hewins, D.B., Broadbent, T.*, Carlyle, C.N., Bork, E.W. 2016. Exploring the effect of defoliation intensity and precipitation pulses on microbial extracellular enzyme activity in northern mixed-grass prairie. Agriculture, Ecosystems and the Environment. 230: 79-86.

Hewins, D. B., Throop, H.L. 2016. Seasonal monsoons and soil-litter mixing overshadow solar radiation as dominant drivers of decomposition in a Chihuahuan Desert dune ecosystem. Journal of Arid Environments. 29:111-118.

Hewins, D. B., Fatemi, F., Carlyle, C.N., Chang, S.X., Bork, E.W. 2016. Grazing, regional climate and soil biophysical impacts on microbial enzyme activity in grassland soil of western Canada. Pedobiologia – Journal of Soil Ecology. doi:10.1016/j.pedobi.2015.10.003.

Tannas*, S., Hewins, D.B., Bork, E.W. 2015. Isolating the role of soil resources, defoliation, and interspecific competition on early establishment of the late successional bunchgrass Festuca campestris. Restoration Ecology. 24:366-374. 

Lee, H., Fitzgerald, J.*, Hewins, D.B., McCulley, R.L., Archer, S.R., Rahn, T., Throop, H.L. 2014. Soil moisture and soil-litter mixing effects on surface litter decomposition: A controlled environment assessment. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 72:123-132.

Hewins, D.B., Archer, S.R., Okin, G.S., McCulley, R.L., Throop, H.L. 2013. Soil–Litter Mixing Accelerates Decomposition in a Chihuahuan Desert Grassland. Ecosystems 16:183-195.

Barnes, P. W., Throop, H. L., Hewins, D.B., Abbene, M.L., Archer, S.R. 2012. Soil Coverage Reduces Photodegradation and Promotes the Development of Soil-Microbial Films on Dryland Leaf Litter. Ecosystems 15:311-321

Hewins, D. B., and Hyatt, L. A.  2009. Flexible N uptake and assimilation mechanisms may assist biological invasion by Alliaria petiolata. Biological Invasions12:2639-2647. 

Courses

Climate Change and You! (Connections in Environmental Studies)

Fundamental Concepts of Biology

Introductory Biology II

Introduction to Environmental Studies

Ecosystem Ecology

Independent Research in Biology

Environmental Studies Internship

Research

Ecosystem Ecology. Decomposition. Land-use change effects on biogeochemical cycles.