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Grasslands provide fundamental ecosystem services in many arid and semi-arid regions of the world, but are experiencing rapid increases in fire activity making them highly susceptible to post-fire accelerated soil erosion by wind. A quantitative assessment that integrates fire-wind erosion feedbacks is therefore needed to account for vegetation change, soil biogeochemical cycling, air quality, and landscape evolution. We investigated the applicability of a novel tracer technique – the use of multiple rare earth elements (REE) - to quantify aeolian soil erosion and to identify sources and sinks of wind-blown sediments in a burned and unburned shrub-grass transition zone in the Chihuahuan desert, NM, USA. Results indicate that the horizontal mass flux of wind-borne sediment increased approximately three times following the fire. The REE-tracer analysis of aeolian sediments shows that an average 88% of the horizontal mass flux in the control area was derived from bare microsites, whereas at the burned site it was derived from shrub and bare microsites, 42% and 39% respectively. The vegetated microsites, which were predominantly sinks of aeolian sediments in the unburned areas, became sediment sources following the fire. The burned areas exhibited a spatial homogenization of sediment tracers, highlighting a potential negative feedback on landscape heterogeneity induced by shrub encroachment into grasslands. Though fires are known to increase aeolian sediment transport, accompanying changes in the sources and sinks of wind-borne sediments likely influence biogeochemical cycling and land degradation dynamics. Our experiment demonstrated that REEs can be used as reliable tracers for field-scale aeolian studies. / Geology / Accompanied by one compressed .zip file: MET_Tower_Data.zip

This dissertation follows in the tradition of role theory and organizational scholarship by examining how one role can be taken over by another, which can be referred to as encroachment. Previous organizational role research has not explored fully encroachment and its effects. Therefore, this study investigated factors that lead to role encroachment, especially the sharing of internal resources, and how individuals cope with the effects of encroachment. To conduct the study, focus groups of marketing and public relations departments were analyzed to explain how roles are enacted within their practical context. The goals of this dissertation were to (a) investigate how shared resources affect role boundaries and role enactment that can lead to encroachment, (b) explain the concept of encroachment and how it affects role enactment, and (c) investigate the conflict between public relations and marketing that can lead to encroachment in the age of social media. The study found themes related to: (a) definitions of encroachment, (b) factors facilitating encroachment, (c) factors affecting the intensity of encroachment, (d) shared resources and their effects on encroachment, (e) implications of encroachment to the individual, department, and organization, and (f) ways people deal with encroachment. First, encroachment was defined in three ways: the overtaking of tasks, or receiving unwanted strategic guidance, or interference of organizational processes. Second, the study found that role ambiguity and the communication of and adherence to cultural norms invite or prevent encroachment. Third, role ambiguity and organizational culture were found to be the dominant factors that affect the intensity of encroachment. Fourth, the study found that tangible macro resources, like organizational culture and structure, and practical resources, such as information and skill sets, facilitate encroachment. Fifth, findings indicated that implications of encroachment include stress, frustration, and confusion at the individual level; an us versus them mentality and role conflict at the departmental level; and broken relationships with external partners, lack of organizational nimbleness, and wasted time and money at the organizational level. Lastly, the study found that people deal with encroachment by providing and receiving emotional and informational social support, and by accumulating and spending social capital through relationship building within the organization. Theoretical implications of this research indicate that role conflict, role ambiguity, and boundary spanning role theory relate to encroachment. In addition, previous theory focused on external resource use by organizations can be expanded to evaluate the internal use of resources. Theory from interpersonal communication, such as social exchange theory, social support, and social capital, relate to how people facing encroachment cope with their roles being infringed upon. Practical implications of this dissertation include recommendations for organizations including increased communication of role boundaries and evaluations of restrictive cultural norms. The findings from this study provide an understanding of encroachment and indicate directions for further development of theory about encroachment and role enactment. / Media & Communication

Many grasslands in arid and semi-arid regions are undergoing rapid changes in vegetation, including encroachment of woody plants and invasive grasses, which can alter the rates and patterns of fire and sediment transport in these landscapes. We investigated the spatial distribution of sediments at the scale of vegetated microsites for three years following a prescribed fire using a multiple rare earth element (REE) tracer-based approach in a shrub-grass transition zone in the northern Chihuahuan desert (New Mexico, USA). To this end, we applied REE tracers – holmium, europium, and ytterbium on shrub, grass, and bare microsites, respectively in March 2016. Soil samples were collected from both burned and control (not burned) sites before (March) and after (June) the annual windy season, from 2016 through 2018. Results indicate that although the horizontal mass flux (HMF) of wind-borne sediment increased approximately threefold in the first windy season following the fire, and the HMF of both plots were not significantly different after three windy seasons. Comparing REE concentrations in sediments from both plots over the three years and three annual windy seasons, we observed a post-fire shift in source and sink dynamics of sediments. The tracer analysis of wind-borne sediments indicated that the source of the HMF in the burned site was mostly derived from shrub microsites following the fire, whereas the bare microsites were the major contributors for aeolian sediment in control areas. The shift in sources and sinks, and the spatial homogenization of REEs indicate that the removal of shrub vegetation resulted in sediment redistribution to the bare microsites even three years after the prescribed fire. The findings of this study will improve our understanding of post-fire geomorphic processes at a microsite scale in a grassland ecosystem undergoing land degradation induced by shrub encroachment. / Geology

The conversion of grasslands to woodlands is an ecosystem transformation that threatens grassland biodiversity, the provision of important ecosystem services, and the sustainability of rural livelihoods. A global phenomenon, woody plant encroachment (WPE) has been particularly problematic in the Southern Great Plains of the United States where the actions of private landowners are integral to sustaining grasslands. Increased diversity in landowners’ motivations for owning land have shifted the social landscape of rural areas necessitating a better understanding of landowners’ perspectives about WPE and their subsequent management actions. Towards this purpose, I employed a mail survey to private landowners in the Edwards Plateau of Texas, Central Great Plains of Oklahoma, and Flint Hills of Kansas to investigate landowner perceptions and management responses to WPE. First, I assessed landowners’ acceptance of WPE as a function of how they relate to their land (i.e., sense of place), their beliefs about the positive and negative consequences of woody plants, and their perceived threat of grassland conversion. Then, I examined the drivers of landowners’ goal intentions to manage woody plants and their current use of five adaptive management practices that prevent WPE. My results demonstrate that landowners vary in their sensitivity to WPE based on how they feel connected to their land. This was true even though most landowners had low acceptance thresholds for WPE, believed it led to numerous negative outcomes, and perceived it as increasingly threatening at greater levels of encroachment. Most landowners wanted to control or remove woody plants and were actively engaged in management practices to do so. These findings address uncertainties about landowners’ acceptance of WPE and grassland conservation actions and provide broad implications for how people perceive and respond to ecosystem transformation. / Master of Science / Around the world, grasslands are converting to tree and shrub woodlands at an unprecedented rate. This transformation profoundly reduces habitat available for grassland plants and animals and diminishes many ecosystem services that people and rural communities rely on. This loss of grasslands has been especially far-reaching throughout the Southern Great Plains of the United States. Because most of this region is privately owned, the management actions of landowners play a crucial role in preventing or allowing this conversion to continue. Recent shifts in land ownership motivations expanding beyond traditional agricultural production have created increased uncertainty about how private landowners view and react to this change. To investigate how landowners perceive and respond to this woody plant encroachment (WPE) phenomenon, I conducted a mail survey of landowners in the Edwards Plateau of Texas, the Central Great Plains of Oklahoma, and the Flint Hills of Kansas. Using sense of place, landowners’ beliefs about the potential positive and negative consequences of woody plants, and their perceptions of how threatening grassland conversion is, I assessed the thresholds at which landowners’ do or do not accept WPE. Then, I examined how acceptance of WPE relates to landowners’ management goals and current use of management practices to control or reduce woody plants. I found that most landowners believed that woody plants had many negative consequences and perceived increasing levels of threat at greater levels of encroachment. This related to low levels of acceptance for woody plants in grasslands. However, landowners’ threat perceptions and acceptance of WPE varied based on their sense of place. Finally, most landowners wanted to control or remove woody plants and were actively engaged in management practices to do so. My results provide critical information regarding how current landowners’ view and respond to grassland conversion and offer broad implications for how people perceive and respond to large-scale environmental change.

Thesis (LLD (Private Law))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / Bibliography / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: South African courts seem to be adopting a new approach to the problem of building encroachments. For pragmatic and policy reasons courts are now inclined to exercise its discretion in favour of leaving building encroachments in place, against compensation, despite the common law right to demand removal. It has been widely accepted that courts indeed have the discretion to award damages instead of removal of the building encroachment. However, the circumstances involved and the consequences of these orders are uncertain and hence these orders result in confusion. It is unclear how this discretion is exercised. Furthermore, it is uncertain whether this discretion includes the power to order transfer of the encroached-upon land to the encroacher. There are doctrinal and constitutional implications that may be triggered by these court orders that leave building encroachments in place. The doctrinal issues centre on what happens when an encroachment is not removed and nothing is said about the rights of the respective parties after the order is made. Possible solutions are investigated to provide a doctrinally sound outcome in encroachment disputes. It is clear that the encroacher is allowed to continue occupying the portion of property on which the encroachment is erected. It seems as though a use right is indirectly created when the encroachment remains in place. The constitutional difficulty lies in the fact that the court orders may result in infringements that conflict with section 25 of the Constitution. The focus is specifically to determine whether these orders result in the compulsory loss of property or property rights. With reference to Germany, the Netherlands and Australia, a comparative perspective is provided in order to support the doctrinal and policy arguments. The comparative law provides a source of guidelines for what may work effectively and informs the ultimate suggestion of this project, namely the need for legislation to regulate building encroachments in South Africa. The legislation envisaged would have to prescribe with at least some sort of certainty how and in which circumstances the discretion should be exercised. It should also provide clarity with regard to the right that is created when the encroachment is not removed and how the compensation that is awarded in exchange for removal, should be determined. The unnecessary confusion and uncertainty that result from court orders made in the context of building encroachments may be cleared up by legislation. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Suid Afrikaanse howe begin al hoe meer om ‘n nuwe benadering te volg ten opsigte van oorskrydende bouwerke. Dit lyk asof howe meer geneig is om hul diskresie uit te oefen ten gunste daarvan om die oorskryding vir pragmatiese en beleidsredes teen vergoeding in stand te hou, ten spyte van die gemeenregtelike reg om verwydering te eis. Daar word algemeen aanvaar dat howe wel die diskresie het om in die konteks van oorskrydende bouwerke skadevergoeding toe te ken in plaas van verwydering. Die omstandighede betrokke by en die nagevolge van hierdie beslissings is egter onseker en daarom lei dit tot verwarring. Dit is nie altyd duidelik hoe hierdie diskresie uitgeoefen word nie. Daarbenewens is daar ook onsekerheid oor of die diskresie die bevoegdheid insluit om oordrag van die grond waarop die oorsrkryding staan, te gelas. Die beslissings kan ook doktrinêre en grondwetlike implikasies hê. In terme van die doktrinêre probleem is daar vrae oor wat gebeur as die oorskryding nie verwyder word nie en niks word gesê oor die regte van beide partye in die dispuut nie. Oplossings word ondersoek om die beste moontlike doktrinêre verduideliking te probeer vasstel. Die eienaar van die oorskrydende bouwerk mag voortgaan om die grond waarop die oorskryding staan te okkupeer. Dit lyk asof ‘n gebruiksreg indirek geskep word ten gunste van die oorskryder wanneer die oorskryding nie verwyder word nie. ‘n Grondwetlike probleem mag veroorsaak word deur die moontlike oortreding van artikel 25 van die Grondwet. Die beslissings mag lei tot die gedwonge verlies van grond of regte, wat aan die vereistes van artikel 25 moet voldoen. ‘n Vergelykende perspektief met verwysing na Duitsland, Nederland en Australië word verskaf om die doktrinêre en beleidsargumente te ondersteun. Die vergelykende reg bied ‘n bron van riglyne vir wat effektief kan werk en het dus die wetgewing wat in hierdie proefskrif voorgestel word geïnspireer. Die wetgewing wat beoog word sal moet voorskryf hoe en onder watter omstanghede die diskresie uitgeoefen moet word. Dit moet ook sekerheid gee ten opsigte van die reg wat geskep word as die oorskryding nie verwyder word nie en hoe die skadevergoeding bepaal moet word. Die onnodige verwaring en onsekerheid wat veroorsaak word deur hierdie hofbeslissings kan opgeklaar word deur die promulgering van wetgewing om oorskrydende bouwerke te reguleer.

本研究主要探討電源供應器產業之突破式創新的可能性。透過文獻了解創新的涵意和學者對創新的分類，深入比較「維持性創新」（Sustaining Innovation）與其高階入侵（High-end encroachment），以及「突破式創新」（Disruptive Innovation）之三種低階入侵（Low-end encroachment）方式，分別為：即刻市場入侵（Immediate low-end encroachment）、邊緣市場入侵（Fringe-market low-end encroachment）、分離市場入侵（ Detached-market low-end encroachment）。 首先探究電源供應器之技術、產業現況、供應鏈結構及電源供應器的應用分類；將無線充電器歸類為新科技，針對無線充電技術的市場、聯盟、應用、未來機會做深入的剖析。為驗證無線充電技術之突破式創新的可能性分析，本研究採取學者Schmidt（2008）所提之「辨別創新的三步驟」進行突破性創新的驗證，以「無線方便性」與「充電速度」為關鍵指標。現有充電器的消費者比較重視「充電速度」，而新市場的消費者比較在意「無線方便性」，兩者的需求曲線不同，無線充電科技因提供與既有市場不同的新功能，所以被歸類為「低端突破式創新」之「分離市場」入侵。分離市場的消費者願意為無線的方便性付出較高的價格購買新產品。在新產品推出初期不會侵蝕主流市場的銷售，但經過一段時間，當價格下降及充電速度性能提升後，新產品會「低端突破」原有市場；到最後，新產品會往主流市場及高階市場擴散而影響既有產業和原來的市場結構。 本文藉由與產業專家的深入訪談得知目前既有企業對於新科技尚未開始準備，著實也驗證了Christensen（2005）提過主流企業常常因為過度著重現有技術，而忽略突破性科技的存在。最後，本文建議既有電源供應器產業應多留意突破性科技的入侵且適時跨入新科技，才能在突破性科技崛起時做好準備。 / The main purpose of this research is to examine the potential of disruptive innovation on the power supply industry. This article investigates the definitions and the classifications of innovation by various scholars. It identifies sustaining innovation with its high-end encroachment and disruptive innovation with its three approaches of low-end encroachment which are immediate, fringe-market, and detached-market. This article reviews the power supply industry and its technology, applications, market status, supply chains and then investigates the wireless charging industry and its technologies, evolutions, standards, and market opportunities. To identify the potential of wireless charging becoming disruptive technology, the article refers to the three-step framework of Schmidt (2008) to assess the potential diffusion pattern. The primary attribute of the incumbent is the charging time whereas the primary attribute of new technology is its wireless convenience. The results classify wireless charging as a low-end detached-market encroachment. The current and new products initially sell to the two opposite ends of the market and the highest willingness to pay for each market in the beginning are different, which are “detached “from one another. Over time, charging time would be expected to improve and cost would be expected to decrease, wireless chargers will be more favorable to high-end users of the wired chargers, and eventually current market will be encroached by the new technology. The interviews with incumbents present that current power supply firms have not initiated the development of wireless technology. Companies usually pursue sustaining innovations at the higher tiers of their markets because this is what has historically helped them succeed and they often missed the chances to disruptive innovation. (Christensen, 2005) The results suggest the established organizations to take more efforts to start looking into the disruptive technology so that established organizations will not be displaced by the new firms.

Master of Science / Department of Biology / Walter K. Dodds / Human-induced stressors such as increased nitrogen (N) loadings, altered watershed land-use, and biodiversity losses are a few of the numerous threats to aquatic systems. Prairie streams experience natural disturbances, such as flooding and desiccation, which may alter responses to anthropogenic stressors. Denitrification, the dissimilatory reduction of NO3- to N gas (N2O or N2), is the only permanent form of N removal from terrestrial or aquatic ecosystems, and is important in mitigating N pollution to streams and downstream waters. Little is known about the relationships between denitrification and riparian prairie vegetation or large consumers. In the first chapter, I used outdoor mesocosms to determine the impact of a grazing minnow, Campostoma anomalum, on structural and functional responses of prairie streams to a simulated flood, focusing on denitrification. In terrestrial ecosystems, grazing can stimulate denitrification, but this has not been studied in streams. Ammonium (NH4+) enrichments, used to simulate fish excretion, alleviated N limitations on denitrification. Both fish and NH4+ affected algal biomass accrual, but only fish affected algal filament lengths and particulate organic matter. In a second experiment, I examined the impact of woody vegetation expansion, a primary threat to tallgrass prairie, on riparian and benthic denitrification. Expansion of woody vegetation in these grasslands is due primarily to altered fire regimes, which historically inhibited woody vegetation growth. To determine the effect of woody vegetation expansion on benthic and riparian denitrification, woody vegetation was removed from the riparian zone of a grazed and an ungrazed watershed. Both soil and benthic denitrification rates from this removal buffer were compared to rates in grassy or woody riparian zones. Riparian soil denitrification was highly seasonal, with greatest rates occurring during early spring, and rates being low throughout the remainder of the year. Benthic denitrification was also temporally variable but did not exhibit seasonal trends, suggesting benthic denitrification is driven by factors other than water temperature. Removal of woody vegetation stimulated soil and benthic denitrification rates over rates found in naturally vegetated riparian zones. Elevated N loadings will continue to affect aquatic ecosystems, and these effects may be exacerbated by biodiversity losses or changing riparian vegetation.

Em todo o mundo, a conservação de savanas é menos valorizada que a de florestas. No Cerrado Brasileiro, majoritariamente composto por savanas, a expansão de plantações florestais é uma ameaça à biodiversidade. Entender o impacto dessas plantações na comunidade nativa e como restaurá-las quando os plantios são abandonados é uma demanda relevante. O principal objetivo do estudo foi avaliar se, em plantações florestais de pinus abandonadas, é possível restaurar a vegetação nativa de savanas ou se há necessidade de manejo após o abandono. Foram avaliadas três práticas recorrentes de restauração em plantações florestais: áreas abandonadas em que as árvores de pinus são mantidas em pé (pinus abandonado), áreas com corte raso de pinus seguido de abandono (restauração passiva) e áreas em que, após o corte raso do pinus, foram plantadas árvores nativas e controladas as gramíneas exóticas (restauração ativa). As práticas foram comparadas entre si e com cerrado típico (savana natural primária) e cerradão (savana adensada pela exclusão do fogo), em duas regiões (Assis e Mogi-Guaçu - SP). Foram avaliados o estrato arbóreo (DAP &#8805; 5 cm) e o arbustivo e arbóreo regenerante (DAP < 5 cm e H &#8805; 50 cm). A densidade de ervas não graminides, a riqueza de ervas graminóides e não graminóides, a cobertura do solo por vegetação nativa e por gramíneas exóticas e a cobertura de dossel foram avaliadas em Assis - SP. As espécies foram classificadas em típicas de savana, florestais e generalistas. O pinus abandonado apresentou menores valores de densidade, área basal e riqueza geral e de espécies típicas de savana para o estrato arbóreo. O estrato arbustivo e arbóreo regenerante não variou em densidade e riqueza em função das técnicas de restauração, embora a densidade tenha sido sempre menor do que a de savanas primárias. Restauração passiva e ativa apresentaram riqueza de espécies típicas de savana, no estrato arbóreo, semelhantes à savana primária. Entretanto, apenas a restauração passiva apresentou densidade semelhante à referência para espécies típicas de savana. Nenhuma prática de restauração foi eficaz para restaurar a comunidade herbácea e todas tiveram alta cobertura de dossel e presença de espécies florestais e generalistas. No decorrer do estudo, o pinus abandonado e a restauração passiva em Mogi-Guaçu - SP sofreram um incêndio e avaliamos o papel do fogo para a restauração do estrato herbáceo, comparando as duas práticas com savanas primárias e com a restauração ativa, que não queimou. Foram avaliadas a riqueza e a similaridade florística do estrato herbáceo e a cobertura do solo por herbáceas nativas e por gramíneas exóticas. Savanas primárias apresentaram composição florística diferente e maior riqueza que as áreas em restauração. A restauração passiva associada à queima resultou em maior cobertura por herbáceas nativas e mais espécies em comum com as savanas primárias do que a restauração ativa sem fogo. Entretanto, ambas as práticas de restauração resultaram em maior cobertura por gramíneas exóticas do que nas savanas primárias. Conclui-se que o corte do pinus seguido de abandono é mais eficaz à restauração da comunidade lenhosa típica de cerrado do que as demais técnicas comparadas. Porém, devido à ausência do fogo, as áreas tenderão a formar fisionomias florestais no futuro, sem a presença da comunidade herbácea nativa. A ocorrência do fogo nas áreas de Mogi-Guaçu reforça a importância das queimas para a restauração da comunidade herbácea típica do Cerrado. / Throughout the world, savanna conservation is less valued than is forest conservation. The Brazilian Cerrado, which is mostly composed by savannas, is having its biodiversity threatened by the expansion of forest plantations. Thus, it is relevant to understand how those plantations affects native communities and how to restore those areas when plantations are abandoned. The main objective of the study was to evaluate whether abandoned pine plantations can restore the native savannas or if there is a need for management for the restoration to take place. Three recurrent restoration practices in forest plantations were evaluated: abandoned pine plantations where pine trees are kept standing (abandoned pine plantation), areas abandoned after pinus harvesting (passive restoration) and areas with native tree seedling plantation and grasses control after pinus harvesting (active restoration). The practices were compared among themselves and to old-growth savanna and cerradão (encroached savanna), in two regions (Assis - SP and Mogi-Guaçu - SP). We evaluated trees (DBH &#8805; 5 cm) and woody natural regeneration (DBH < 5 cm and H &#8805; 50). Nongraminoid species density, richness of grasses and nongraminoid species, ground cover by native vegetation and by exotic grasses, and canopy cover were evaluated in Assis - SP. Surveyed individuals were classified as savanna, forest and generalist species. Abandoned pine plantation had the lowest tree density and general basal area and richness, as well as the lowest richness for savanna tree species. Woody natural regeneration did not vary in density and richness among restoration practices, although density was lower compared to the old-growth savanna. Community richness for savanna tree species was similar among passive and active restorations and old-growth savanna. However, only the passive restoration presented tree density similar to the reference for savanna species. No restoration practice was effective for the restoration of the native herbaceous community, and all practices had high canopy cover and presence of forest and generalist species. During the study, abandoned pine plantation and passive restoration in Mogi-Guaçu - SP burned and we evaluated the role of fire for the restoration of the native herbaceous community. We compared the herbaceous community richness and floristic similarity of the two restoration practices to old-growth savannas and to the active restoration, which did not burn. Ground cover by native herbs and by exotic grasses were also evaluated. The old-growth savannas are floristically different and have a greater richness than restoration sites. The burned passive restoration had more species in common with the old-growth savannas and a higher ground cover by native herbs than active restoration without fire. However, both restoration practices had higher ground cover by exotic grasses than old-growth savannas. We conclude that pine harvesting followed by passive restoration was the most effective practice for the restoration of the Cerrado native woody community. However, due to the lack of fire, areas tend to become forest physiognomies without native herbs in the future. The fire in the Mogi-Guaçu highlighted the importance of fire for the Cerrado native herbaceous community restoration.

In the southern Great Plains, the encroachment of grassland ecosystems by mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa), is widespread, and prescribed fire is commonly used in its control. Despite this, substantial quantitative information concerning their influences on the community composition, functional dynamics, and soil organic carbon (SOC) storage potential of grassland ecosystems is lacking. The objectives of this study were to: a) quantify the effects of seasonal prescribed fire treatments and mesquite encroachment on aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) and herbaceous community composition; b) characterize SOC pool sizes, turnover, and storage potential relative to vegetation type and fire treatment; c) evaluate the structure and diversity of soil microbial communities relative to vegetation type; and d) characterize the functional diversity of these same microbes using the GeoChip functional gene microarray. Repeated winter and summer fires led to increased ANPP rates (average, 434 and 313 g m-2 y-1, respectively), relative to unburned controls (average, 238 g m-2 y-1), altered herbaceous community composition, and increased the storage of resistant forms of SOC, but did not affect overall SOC storage. Herbaceous ANPP rates did not differ significantly as a result of mesquite encroachment, but herbaceous community composition and SOC storage did. Mesquite soils contained significantly more total, slow-turnover, and resistant forms of SOC than those that occurred beneath C3 or C4 grasses. Similarity among the soil bacterial and fungal communities associated with the major vegetation types in this system was low to moderate. Significant differences were detected among soil fungi, with the mesquite-associated fungi harboring significant differences in community structure relative to the fungal communities associated with each of the other vegetation types examined. Despite this result, few significant differences were detected with respect to the functional diversity of these communities, suggesting either a high degree of functional redundancy, or that the functional differences harbored by these communities are beyond the scope of the GeoChip. The results of this study demonstrate that both fire and mesquite encroachment have the potential to alter ecosystem components and processes significantly, providing new insight regarding the effects of these widespread land use and land cover changes on ecosystem structure and function.