My research interests are in arid zone soils, specifically, genesis and biogeochemical cycling of soils in desert mountains.  I am interested in quantitatively describing soil morphology, relating these variables to landscape processes, and applying numerical models to study pedological phenomena. This research will help to understand soil-landscape response to past and future environmental conditions. More information available here.

Subroy, V., D. Giménez, D.R. Hirmas, and P. Takhistov. 2011. On determining soil aggregate bulk density by displacement in two immiscible liquids. Soil Science Society of America Journal. (In review)

Hirmas, D.R., B.F. Platt, and S.T. Hasiotis. 2011. Determination of calcite and dolomite content in soils and paleosols by continuous coulometric titration. Soil Science Society of America Journal. (In review)

Eck, D.V., and D.R. Hirmas. 2011. Promising technologies for enhanced quantification and characterization of soil and sediment. Current Research in the Pleistocene. (In review)

Wysocki, D.A., P.J. Schoeneberger, D.R. Hirmas, and H.E. LaGarry. 2011. Geomorphology of Soil Landscapes. In P.M. Huang, Y. Li, and M.E. Sumner (eds.) Handbook of Soil Science: Properties and Processes, 2nd ed. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL. (In press)

Hirmas, D.R., R.C. Graham, and K.J. Kendrick. 2011. Soil-geomorphic significance of land surface characteristics in an arid mountain range, Mojave Desert, USA. Catena 87:408-420.

Hirmas, D.R., and R.C. Graham. 2011. Pedogenesis and soil-geomorphic relationships in an arid mountain range, Mojave Desert, California. Soil Science Society of America Journal 75:192-206.

Platt, B.F., S.T. Hasiotis, and D.R. Hirmas. 2010. Use of low-cost multistripe laser triangulation scanning technology for three-dimensional, quantitative paleoichnological and neoichnological studies. Journal of Sedimentary Research 80:590-610.

Hirmas, D.R., C. Amrhein, and R.C. Graham. 2010. Spatial and process-based modeling of soil inorganic carbon storage in an arid piedmont. Geoderma 154:486-494.

Rossi, A.M., D.R. Hirmas, R.C. Graham, and P.D. Sternberg. 2008. Bulk density determination by automated three-dimensional laser scanning. Soil Science Society of America Journal 72:1591-1593.

Graham, R.C., D.R. Hirmas, Y.A. Wood, and C. Amrhein. 2008. Large near-surface nitrate pools in soils capped by desert pavement in the Mojave Desert, California. Geology 36:259-262.

Hirmas, D.R., and B.L. Allen. 2007. Degradation of pedogenic calcretes in West Texas. Soil Science Society of America Journal 71:1878-1888.

Hirmas, D.R., and S.A.C. Furquim. 2006. A simple modification of the clod method for determining bulk density of very gravelly soils. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis 37:899-906.

Papers in Preparation

Hirmas, D.R., D. Giménez, X. Li, V. Subroy, and B.F. Platt. Characterization of soil structure and pore architecture from the aggregate to horizon scale. Geoderma.