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Ecological processes
Dynamic biogeochemical interactions that occur among and between biotic and abiotic components of the biosphere.
Subtopics:
Transpiration (3 items)
Algal blooms (3 items)
Bioaccumulation (5 items)
Biogeochemical cycling (14 items)
Biological productivity (1 items)
Contaminant transport (25 items)
Dispersal (organisms) (2 items)
Ecological competition (2 items)
Ecosystem functions (16 items)
Eutrophication (6 items)
Extinction and extirpation (3 items)
Habitat alteration (13 items)
Migration (organisms) (4 items)
Pollination (3 items)
Succession (biological) (1 items)
Related topics:
Results 1 - 81 of 100 listed by similarity [list alphabetically]
Patuxent's effects of ecological processes and human impacts on biological resources--invasive species [More info]
List and brief abstracts on research projects on invasive species, the ecology of introduced species, and developing management strategies at Patuxent Wildlife Research Center.
PDF Coal-tar-based pavement sealcoat, polycyclic aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), and environmental health [More info]
Pavement sealant contains chemicals that are known carcinogens, which get into nearby homes, lakes, and the air. Sealants based on coal tar release more dangerous chemicals than those based on asphalt.
Columbia Environmental Research Center [More info]
Website for the Columbia Environmental Research Center with links to staff, publications, databases, field stations, and projects including those on the Rio Grande, burrowing owls, sea turtles, and geospatial technology.
Columbia Environmental Research Center (CERC) Ecology Branch [More info]
Overview of research of the Ecology Branch on the ecological consequences of habitat degradation due to altered environment, nonindigenous species, and atmospheric alterations. Includes links to staff and research projects.
Everglades Depth Estimation Network (EDEN) for support of biological and ecological assessments [More info]
Integrated network of real-time water-level monitoring, ground-elevation modeling, and water-surface modeling that provides scientists and managers with current on-line water-depth information for the entire freshwater portion of the Greater Everglades.
Studies in Long Island Sound: geology, contaminants, and environmental issues [More info]
Description of Long Island Sound projects and links to research topics, data, publications, photos, and technology on sediment transport, sea floor mapping, contaminant sampling, sediment texture, and environmental issues.
Watershed processes and modeling [More info]
Links to published materials produced by the Watershed Processes and Modeling Project on watershed model TOPMODEL, compilation of STATSGO soils data, climate change, landscape heterogeneity in ecoregions, and other links.
Western Ecological Research Center (WERC) [More info]
Links to research at the field stations of the Western Ecological Research Center with direct links to web pages for wildlife videos, satellite telemetry, fire ecology, invasive species, herpetology field guide, and coastal ecosystems.
PDF A science strategy to support management decisions related to hypoxia in the northern Gulf Of Mexico and excess nutrients in the Mississippi River Basin [More info]
The report describes a strategy for monitoring, modeling, and research activities to support management decisions to improve water-quality conditions in the Mississippi River Basin, reduce hypoxia in the northern Gulf of Mexico, and improve conditions for
PDF A spatial analysis of cultural ecosystem service valuation by regional stakeholders in Florida: a coastal application of the social values for ecosystem services (SolVES) tool [More info]
Research project to close gaps in our knowledge about the attitudes and perceptions, or nonmonetary values, held by coastal residents for ecosystem services, particularly for cultural services.
Acute toxicity database [More info]
The following database summarizes the results from aquatic acute toxicity tests conducted by the USGS CERC located in Columbia, Missouri.
PDF Algal toxins [More info]
Chapter of Field Manual of Wildlife Diseases on algal toxins, red tide toxins, phycotoxins, dinoflagellates, cyanobacterium, and bird mortality due to algal toxicosis.
PDF Assessing carbon stocks, carbon sequestration, and greenhouse-gas fluxes in ecosystems of the United States under present conditions and future scenarios [More info]
Congress asked us (in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007) to figure out how to assess the effects of carbon storage, sequestration, and greenhouse gas fluxes in our ecosystems. Here's how we plan to do that.
Atchafalaya & Mississippi River Deltas study: a tale of two deltas [More info]
Project of the Gulf of Mexico Integrated Science program that evaluates the transport and sedimentation of contaminates through the Mississippi River and Atchafalaya River delta to the near-shore Gulf of Mexico. Includes aerial photographs.
PDF Bats and wind energy-A literature synthesis and annotated bibliography [More info]
A literature synthesis and annotated bibliography focus on North America and on refereed journals. Additional references include a selection of citations on bat ecology, international research on bats and wind energy, and unpublished reports.
PDF Biochar for soil fertility and natural carbon sequestration [More info]
Explains what biochar is and how it is formed, its potential use in both fertilizer and carbon sequestration, and some of the research questions remaining to be addressed before we can utilize it fully in practical ways.
Biocomplexity Thesaurus [More info]
Browsable online access to the CSA/NBII Biocomplexity Thesaurus developed in 2002-2003 through a partnership between the NBII and CSA as a merger of five thesauri.
Biosolids, Animal Manure, and Earthworms: Is There a Connection? [More info]
Research findings and examples of application to real problems--how household contaminants accumulate in and effect the environment
Boston Harbor Studies: the fate of sediments and contaminants in Massachusetts Bay [More info]
Boston Harbor/Massachusetts Bay Studies research project conducted as part of Boston Harbor cleanup to predict the fate of contaminants and sediments introduced to Massachusetts' coastal waters from sources that include Boston sewage outfall.
PDF Bryophytes and lichens, small but indispensable forest dwellers [More info]
Description of bryophytes (mosses, liverworts, and hornworts) and lichens (dual organisms of a fungus and an alga or a cyanobacterium) that are part of forest ecosystems in the Pacific Northwest with information on habitat and conservation.
Classification of natural ponds and lakes in the glaciated prairie region [More info]
Presents a wetland classification system that reflects seasonal, regional, and local variations in the environment.
Climate-Driven Ocean Changes Affect Estuaries [More info]
Research findings and examples of application to real problems--Pacific Ocean cooling triggers phytoplankton blooms in San Francisco Bay.
Coastal ocean modeling at the USGS Woods Hole Field Center [More info]
Fly-by and circulation movies, effluent concentration, tidal flushing, sea level, and temperature in Massachusetts Bay and Boston Harbor
Connectivity of tropical marine ecosystems--An overview of interdisciplinary research to understand biodiversity and trophic relationships in the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico [More info]
Describes research to assess the effectiveness of the current system and distribution of marine reserves and protected areas in the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico for conserving reef ecosystems and resources.
Contamination in Fractured Rock Aquifers [More info]
Overview of fractured rock research aimed at understanding the movement of water through fracture networks, and characterize field conditions influencing contaminant migration. Includes programs and publications.
Determinants of breeding distributions of ducks [More info]
Article from Wildlife Monographs no. 100 (1988) on the relationships of wetland habitat dynamics and life history to the breeding distributions of the various species of ducks with information on research methods and references.
PDF Effects of brush management on the hydrologic budget and water quality in and adjacent to Honey Creek State Natural Area, Comal County, Texas, 2001--10 [More info]
Comparison of water in two adjacent watersheds before and after implementing a brush management strategy in one of the watersheds helps us see what water resource characteristics are sensitive to brush management and how.
Endocrine Disruption Found in Fish Exposed to Municipal Wastewater [More info]
Research findings and examples of application to real problems--cause and potential effects of wastewater on fish in streams is explored.
Fire ecology research [More info]
Study of wildland fire history and fire ecology such as plants in the Sierra Nevada forests, California shrublands, the Mojave, and Sonoran deserts to develop management techniques that will reduce hazards.
Fish passage through dams in large temperate floodplain rivers: an annotated bibliography [More info]
Report describes an electronic database of annotated citations relevant to fish passage through dams. Document may be searched using the search form or downloaded as an Endnote, Microsoft Word, or WordPerfect
Flagstaff Field Center [More info]
Homepage for the Flagstaff Field center with links to space science, water and ice studies, earth sciences, biological resources, Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center, outreach & education, data and software, and images.
Flying by Night: USGS Scientists Put Technology to Work on Bats [More info]
Short description of techniques used to monitor migration patterns and behavior of bats in New Mexico.
PDF Forecasting the effects of land-use and climate change on wildlife communities and habitats in the lower Mississippi Valley [More info]
Describes the analytical process by which spatial scientific information contributes to forecasts and models in support of regional and local decision-making.
Genetics and molecular tools [More info]
Describes the value of molecular biology genetic tools in enhancing the delineation of the genetic diversity and the effects of environmental degradation on living species. Links to research, which differentiated two species of sage-grouse.
Geologic framework and process of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin [More info]
Field methods, topics of investigation, shoreline changes, publications, and satellite imagery related to geologic and hydrologic processes affecting Lake Pontchartrain and adjacent lakes which form a large estuary in the Gulf Coast region.
Geospatial Multi-Agency Coordination (GeoMAC) wildland fire perimeters, 2008 [More info]
Where the fires were, as GIS data in shapefile format, geographic coordinates, NAD83.
Great Lakes Science Center [More info]
Site for Great Lakes Science Center, Ann Arbor, which provides information about biological resources in the Great Lakes Basin. Links to personnel, publications, data, library, facilities, research vessels, Great Lakes issues, and research.
PDF Hawaiian duck's future threatened by feral mallards [More info]
The greatest threat to the future of the Koloa maoli as a unique species is cross-breeding with the introduced Mallard duck. This type of threat is termed genetic extinction.
Hurricane Katrina photographs August 30, 2005 [More info]
Photographic survey of the impacts of Hurricane Katrina on the barrier islands, barrier shoreline, and the Mississippi River Delta along the Louisiana coastline. Primary focus is on the ecosystems such as fish, rookeries, and seagrass beds.
Hydrologic studies in the Upper Klamath Basin, Oregon [More info]
Overview of Klamath ecological research and links to USGS Klamath studies on ground water, nutrients, sediment oxygen demand, and fish response to water quality, sucker ecology, publications, bibliographies, and data.
PDF Hydrology, phenology and the USA National Phenology Network [More info]
Explains how hydrologic factors interact with phenology
Hypoxia [More info]
A brief definition and explanation of hypoxia with special reference to the Gulf of Mexico hypoxic zone along the Louisiana-Texas coast as well as extensive links to USGS and other related information resources.
Hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico and related USGS activities [More info]
Information about the causes and impact of hypoxia with links to USGS and other Federal agency information and activities related to nutrients in the Mississippi River Basin and hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico.
Identifying sources of fecal coliform bacteria in selected streams on Virginia's Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL) priority list [More info]
Describes project to identify sources of fecal coliform bacteria by ribotyping to develop the use of Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) values for contaminated stream segments in Virginia.
Invasive crayfish in the Pacific Northwest [More info]
These organisms have negative effects on local ecosystems, but we don't yet know how extensively they have spread. Here is a key to help people identify them.
Karst Interest Group Proceedings (February 2001) [More info]
Scientific presentations and papers about geologic, geophysical, and hydrologic studies of karst areas in the U.S.
PDF Lead Poisoning in Wild Birds [More info]
Even though lead usage has declined due to environmental awareness and regulation, several human sources of lead continue to affect birds. Hunting ammunition and fishing gear are ingested by the birds, with toxic effects.
Maps of the distribution and occurrence of ground water quality constituents and early 1970's land use in New Jersey [More info]
Links to maps of New Jersey showing nitrate levels, pesticides, Total Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), and radium in wells and land use of the 1970s.
Mercury Concentrations in Streams Found to Go Through Daily Cycles [More info]
Research findings and examples of application to real problems--highly variable conditions cause the production of toxic methyl mercury in the environment which accumulates in fish.
Midcontinent Agricultural Chemical Research Program [More info]
Homepage for the research on occurrence, movement, flux, fate, and effects of agricultural chemicals, such as pesticides, in 25 states by the Midcontinent Agricultural Chemical Research Project (MACRP) with links to study results and publications.
Monitoring program for mercury in precipitation in Indiana [More info]
Precipitation-monitoring network for mercury in Indiana.
National assessment of mercury in aquatic ecosystems [More info]
Overview of three research programs including determining levels of mercury at selected sites in water, sediment and fish, mercury emissions into the atmosphere, and mercury cycling in the Everglades National Park, Florida.
PDF Net Ecosystem Production (NEP) of the Great Plains, United States [More info]
Geographic analysis of the changes in storage and release of carbon in this large area as land use patterns, especially agriculture, have changed.
North American Pollinator Protection Campaign [More info]
An effort focused on encouraging the health of resident and migratory pollinating animals in North America. USGS participates in the leadership of this effort.
Nutrient dynamics and biochemical cycling [More info]
Briefly describes research efforts to better understand nutrient dynamics and biogeochemical cycling in ecosystems and how these properties are altered by large-scale human activities.
Nutrients National Synthesis Project: nutrients in rivers, streams, and aquifers in the United States [More info]
This Nutrients National Synthesis Project site on the U.S. study of nutrients, especially nitrogen and phosphorus, as contaminants in high concentrations links to an overview, study team, featured reports, publications, and national datasets.
Online guide to the continental Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary in the Raton basin, Colorado and New Mexico [More info]
Field guide describing the geology and paleontology of the continental Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary in the Raton basin, Colorado and New Mexico.
PDF Ospreys in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest [More info]
Fact sheet in Adobe PDF about ospreys in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest
Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center [More info]
Geographical isolation of the Hawaiian Islands has resulted in the evolution of endemic species unique in the world. Research at the Center aims at preventing the further extinction of these species. Links to projects, publications and other data.
Pathways of metal transfer from mineralized sources to bioreceptors [More info]
A synthesis of the Mineral Resources Program's past and future research directions in the western U.S. on metal contamination due to mineral deposits and mining and the environmental effects on living organisms. Chapters 1, 4, and 6 as PDF files.
Patuxent Wildlife Research Center: Populations [More info]
Descriptions of projects and resources on wildlife population ecology at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center with links to research activities, long-term programs, and resources and references.
Pautuxent Wildlife Research Center - Wetlands and other communities [More info]
List and brief abstracts on projects at Patuxent Wildlife Research Center researching wetland ecology and ecosystem management in Eastern United States.
Pesticides in Midwestern rivers, 1989-2002 [More info]
Overview of aspects of research on pesticides and herbicides in Midwestern rivers with collection of data, results over a period of time, online publications, and bibliography.
Platte River Program, a USGS Place-Based Studies Program [More info]
Site for the Platte River Program in Nebraska an area that is a critical staging area for migratory waterbirds of the Central Flyway. Includes links to color-infrared aerial photos, 1938 historic aerial photos, and Cottonwood Ranch research site.
Polar bear and walrus response to the rapid decline in Arctic sea ice [More info]
The Arctic is warming faster than other regions of the world due to positive climate feedbacks associated with loss of snow and ice. The USGS has modeled the future responses of polar bear and Pacific walrus populations to this environmental change.
Post-fire burn assessment by remote sensing on Federal lands [More info]
Remote sensing and field sampling techniques to support national assessment of burned areas
Potential effects of anthropogenic greenhouse gases on avian habitats and populations in the Northern Great Plains [More info]
Report on effects of the increase of atmospheric carbon dioxide on plants and animals, especially birds, in the Great Plains including effects of carbon dioxide fertilization, ultraviolet radiation, climate change, and harmful effects on bird habitats.
Radio tracking manatees to assess the impact of hydrologic changes in southwest Florida [More info]
Report on the Sirenia Project use of a radio tracking study to determine manatee movement patterns and habitat to develop ecological models to understand and predict the effects of hydrologic restoration on manatees in Southwest Florida.
Real-time water-quality monitoring and regression analysis to estimate nutrient and bacteria concentration in Kansas streams. [More info]
Report on the use of regression equations from measurements made by water quality monitors and analytical results of manually collected samples estimating nutrient, bacteria, and other constituent concentrations to study streams in Kansas.
Recent changes in the food web of Lake Erie - the role of phosphorus and zebra mussels [More info]
Brief overview of the proliferation of zebra mussels and the role of phosphorus in Lake Erie with links to publications related to Lake Erie water quality.
River corridor habitat dynamics, Lower Missouri River [More info]
Detailed description of The Lower Missouri River Corridor Habitat Dynamics Project studying river habitat in a heavily engineered river.
River inventory and monitoring [More info]
Links to science programs on upper Midwest river inventory and monitoring with links to databases on macroinvertebrates, fisheries, vegetation, water quality, bathymetry, floodplain forest, wildlife, sediment, contaminants and nutrients.
Satellite imagery: Lake Pontchartrain Basin and Gulf of Mexico [More info]
Report on satellite imagery collected by the NOAA Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) on NOAA polar-orbiting weather satellites. Links are provided to imagery of north-central Gulf of Mexico and of the Lake Pontchartrain.
SolVES - Social values for ecosystem services [More info]
GIS application for assessing, mapping, and quantifying the social value of ecosystem services. Helps decision makers consider tradeoffs among them with the human attitudes and preferences that express underlying social values.
South Florida Information Access (SOFIA) projects by topic [More info]
Links to explore South Florida and the Everglades ecosystem projects arranged by topic and subtopic, including proposals, project summaries, scopes of work, work plans, publications, and contacts.
SPARROW Modeling of Surface-Water Quality [More info]
A software model for regional interpretation of water-quality monitoring data, estimating origin and fate of contaminants in streams, with documentation, publications and data for the applications.
PDF St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center coral reef research [More info]
Describes ecological problems facing coral reef ecosystems and the research strategies we use to study the prevalence and severity of those problems.
PDF Summary and analysis of the U.S. government bat banding program [More info]
Analysis of the program with a detailed study of the best collection of data available from it. Includes recommendations for future studies of bats.
PDF Terrestrial essential climate variables (ECVs) at a glance [More info]
Explains 16 distinct types of scientific information that are needed to understand climate change, including the specific parameters measured, why they are needed, who measures them, and the type and amount of information that are not yet available.
The carbon cycle in lakes of the Upper Mississippi Basin [More info]
Summary of part of the USGS interdivisional Mississippi Basin Carbon project that will study the changes in climate and the environment through carbon cycle changes recorded in lake sediments in the Upper Mississippi River Basin.
The fragile fringe: a guide for teaching about coastal wetlands [More info]
Teacher's guide on coastal wetlands to aid in developing lesson plans for different levels of grade school and high school students. Includes general information, activities, references, and glossary.
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