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Ecosystems
The interacting populations of plants, animals, and microorganisms occupying a certain area, and their relationship to the environment.
Subtopics:
Aquatic ecosystems (132 items)
Terrestrial ecosystems (100 items)
Wetland ecosystems (34 items)
Related topics:
Results 103 - 204 of 264 listed alphabetically [list by similarity]
Geographic Analysis and Monitoring Program current studies [More info]
Links to current Geographic Analysis and Monitoring (GAM)studies.
Geographic science of Alaska [More info]
Descriptions, results, and data on research projects using geographic analysis and monitoring and remote sensing to study ecosystems and land processes in the Arctic region.
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 support [More info]
Description of the Geospatial Multi-Agency Coordination (GeoMAC) project, online maps of current wildland fire locations using Netscape Communicator or Microsoft Internet Explorer, and user guide on how to use mapping application.
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.
Grizzly bear and black bear ecology [More info]
Summaries of research projects on black bear and grizzly ecology and ecosystems supporting the populations and bibliography of related publications.
Gulf of Mexico Estuaries Integrated Science Strategy [More info]
A white paper describing a plan for USGS research in Gulf of Mexico estuaries, developed in 2001 using Tampa Bay as an example with links to program strategy and design.
Gulf of Mexico Integrated Science [More info]
Website of the Gulf of Mexico Integrated Science program to understand the framework and processes of the Gulf of Mexico using Tampa Bay as a pilot study. Links to publications, digital library, water chemistry maps, epiphytes, and field trips.
PDF Gulf of Mexico deep-sea coral ecosystem studies, 2008-2011 [More info]
Deep-sea corals, also known as cold-water corals, have become a topic of interest due to conservation concerns over the impacts of trawling, exploration for oil and gas, and climate change.
History and ecology of mangroves in the Dry Tortugas [More info]
Fact sheet on the historic and current conditions of mangroves of Dry Tortugas National Park, a cluster of islands and coral reefs west of Key West, Florida. Mangroves and nesting frigate bird colonies are at risk to destruction by hurricanes.
Hudson River salt front data [More info]
Tide stage, specific conductance, water temperature, and freshwater inflow at selected Hudson River (New York) gages updated every 4-hours to measure the effects of freshwater withdrawals and upstream movement of the salt front.
Hurricane Katrina disaster: general information and USGS response [More info]
Observations and effects of hurricane Katrina, with information about USGS monitoring and studies related to the area affected.
Hurricane and extreme storm impact studies: coastal and nearshore mapping with scanning airborne laser (LIDAR) [More info]
Airborne scanning laser surveys (LIDAR) are used to obtaining data to investigate the magnitude and causes of coastal changes that occur during severe storms. Links to examples of coastal mapping during specific hurricanes.
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 predators and fates of grassland passerine nests using miniature video cameras [More info]
Description of the use of a miniature video-camera system deployed at nests of passerine species in North Dakota to videotape predation of eggs or nestlings by animals such as mice, ground squirrels, deer, cowbirds and others.
Impounded river systems [More info]
Article from Status and Trends of the Nation's Biological Resources on the serious impacts to river systems due to damming and flow regulation, and rehabilitation, monitoring, and research on such rivers.
PDF Integrated monitoring of ecological conditions in wetland-upland landscapes [More info]
Landscapes of interwoven wetlands and uplands offer a rich set of ecosystem goods and services. Changes in climate and land use can affect the value of those services. We study these areas to understand how they may be changing.
PDF Integrating agriculture and conservation [More info]
We conducted a national landowner survey, evaluated short-term vegetation responses to land management practices (primarily grazing, haying, and burning), and initiating a long-term vegetation monitoring study for wetland buffers.
Invasive Species Program -- Snakeheads, aquatic invaders [More info]
Snakeheads, aggressive airbreathing freshwater fishes that are not native to North America, are considered injurious to certain native North American fish and other aquatic wildlife.
Invasive species research [More info]
Links to research projects that will improve the ability to detect, monitor, and predict the effects of invasive species, including exotic animals, on native ecosystems of the Pacific Southwest (California, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona).
PDF Inventory and protection of salt marshes from risks of sea-level rise at Acadia National Park, Maine [More info]
Will salt marshes survive if sea level rises quickly? The answer depends on whether the areas surrounding them can allow salt marsh fauna and flora to migrate there. Local topography, both natural and manmade, is the main factor limiting this migration.
PDF Investigating atmospheric mercury with the U.S. Geological Survey mobile mercury laboratory [More info]
Explains sources of mercury in the air, ways in which mercury is concentrated in animals, and describes how we measure deposition of atmospheric mercury, with summaries of observations.
Lake Tahoe Data Clearinghouse [More info]
This website is a gateway to information and data on Lake Tahoe with links to Lake Tahoe Initiative, geography, history, lake facts, GIS Data, DEM, DOQ, DLG imagery, bathymetry, satellite imagery, land cover, census, soils, pictures, and general maps.
PDF Lake monitoring field manual [More info]
Handbook on monitoring methods for lake management, including program design, sampling methods and protocol, biota and chemical sampling methods, laboratory methods, preservation of data and samples, glossary, and bibliography. (PDF file, 92 pp.)
PDF Land-use planning for nearshore ecosystem services--the Puget Sound Ecosystem Portfolio Model [More info]
Describes the types of concerns and observations used to help area resource managers analyze actual or potential changes in this highly developed ecosystem.
Leetown Science Center [More info]
Homepage for the Leetown Science Center in West Virginia conducting research on aquatic and terrestrial organisms and their supporting ecosystems with links to directions, general description, library, projects, fact sheets, and facilities.
Limber pine communities [More info]
Report on status and trends of limber pine communities with references.
Louisiana coastal land loss [More info]
Homepage for Louisiana coastal land loss, including links to press release, animation of wetland loss, and PDF digital images of land change maps.
PDF Macroinvertebrate and algal community sample collection methods and data collected at selected sites in the Eagle River watershed, Colorado, 2000-07 [More info]
Macroinvertebrate data collected by USGS or USFS from 73 sites from 2000 to 2007 and algal data collected from up to 26 sites between 2000 and 2001 in the Eagle River watershed, with emphasis on methods of sample collection and data processing.
Managing habitat for grassland birds: a guide for Wisconsin [More info]
Guide to identification, selection, and management of grassland habitats in Wisconsin to conserve the populations of grassland birds. Includes glossary, references, bird lists, graphs, and maps.
PDF Mapping grasslands suitable for cellulosic biofuels in the Greater Platte River Basin, United States [More info]
Study to identify grasslands that may be suitable for cellulosic feedstock production. Producing ethanol from non-cropland areas such as grassland will minimize the effects of biofuel developments on global food supplies.
PDF Mapping perennial vegetation cover in the Mojave Desert [More info]
Field data and satellite images allow us to make a calibrated model of percent vegetation cover, which we can use to inform scientific investigations and land management efforts.
Maps of distribution and abundance of selected species of birds on uncultivated native upland grasslands and shrubsteppe in the northern Great Plains [More info]
Links to maps of breeding distributions of bird species on grasslands and shrublands in the northern Great Plains. Maps can also be downloaded from *.zip files in HTML format.
Marine Realms Information Bank: topic search, geographic search [More info]
Searching by geography and topics to locate scientific information about oceans, lakes, marine environments and coastal environments.
Marine reserves and biological habitats: Monterey Bay, California [More info]
Brief description of the research program to inventory the natural resources of Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary with links to cruises, and publications and products, including an internet map server, imagery, and geologic descriptions.
Mercury Studies Team [More info]
Home page on hydrology studies on mercury, the most common contaminant of aquatic ecosystems, with links to general information, research team projects and data.
Mercury in stream ecosystems - publications [More info]
Publications dealing with the occurrence, methods of monitoring, and changes in the concentration of mercury within streams and nearby areas
PDF Microbial ecology of deep-water mid-Atlantic canyons [More info]
Plan for an upcoming study, at the microbiological scale, of the benthic communities (including corals) that reside in and around mid-Atlantic canyons, which are located at the edge of the continental shelf.
Missouri River InfoLink: a clearinghouse of Missouri River information [More info]
Portal for Missouri River Infolinks, a clearinghouse to multiple links giving Missouri information, photo gallery, river weather forecast, projects and features, maps, meetings, history, and science research.
Mollusks [More info]
Information on mollusks and uses of the identification of fossil mollusks in the fields of biostratigraphy, geochronology, paleocoeanography, paleoecology and ecosystems history. Links to experts and related USGS projects.
Multibeam data and socio-economic issues in west-central San Francisco Bay [More info]
Webpage based on USGS Open File Report 98-139 links to information on the San Francisco Bay estuary to study dredge disposal effects, fish habitats, sediment transport, rock pinnacles and navigation, and consequences of a large oil spill.
Multibeam mapping of the West Florida Shelf, Gulf of Mexico [More info]
Georeferenced high-resolution mapping of bathymetry of the West Florida Shelf, Gulf of Mexico of areas suspected to be critical benthic habitats for fisheries. Includes links to images, data, metadata, and TIFF image files.
National Water Quality Assessment urban studies portal [More info]
Multiple studies addressing urban water-quality issues, to describe biological, chemical, and physical characteristics of urban water resources over time, and relate those characteristics to natural processes and human activities
National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program - Water quality in the Puget Sound Basin [More info]
The Puget Sound Basin is a National Water Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program study unit for studying the status, trends, and changes affecting the nation's water quality. Site links to data, publications, and results.
National Wetlands Research Center [More info]
Homepage for the National Wetlands Research Center, Lafayette, Louisiana with links to general information, staff, issues and capabilities, library, publications and data.
National Wetlands Research Center (NWRC) publications and research products [More info]
List of National Wetlands Research Center, Lafayette, Louisiana publications.
National assessment of coastal vulnerability to sea-level rise: preliminary results for the U.S. Pacific Coast [More info]
Report on the potential of coastal change due to future sea level rise using the coastal vulnerability index (C.V.I.) with two regional examples in San Francisco and Monterey Bay and Tillamook Head, Oregon, to Ocean Shores, WA.
National assessment of coastal vulnerability to sea-level rise: preliminary results of the U.S. Atlantic coast [More info]
Brief report on map showing the relative vulnerability of the Atlantic coast to changes due to future rise in sea level. Includes links to similar maps in Open-file report 2000-178 on the Pacific Coast and 2000-179 on the Gulf of Mexico Coast.
National geologic studies of benthic habitats, northeastern United States : Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary Region off Boston, Massachusetts [More info]
Geological research of the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary sea floor are presented in the form of maps, posters, fact sheets, sonar images, and bottom photographs.
Natural and human drivers of biodiversity in the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem [More info]
This study reconstructs past interactions among ecosystem factors, native species, and human land use in the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem to provide a context for future management to sustain both ecological and human communities.
Nearshore Benthic Habitat Project [More info]
Homepage for the Nearshore Benthic Habitats Project for mapping geophysical characterization of the coastal sea floor to identify benthic fish and shellfish habitat with links to research cruises and preliminary results.
Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) [More info]
A national information resource for locating biogeographic accounts of non-indigenous aquatic species in the U.S. Provided are scientific reports, online/real-time queries, spatial data sets, regional contact lists, and general information.
Nonindigenous Plants and Animals in Florida [More info]
Brief descriptions of programs of research on aquatic nonindigenous plants and animals at the Florida Integrated Science Center with links to descriptions, videos, posters, and reports on various exotic plant and animals species.
Nonindigenous amphibian distribution information [More info]
Descriptions of amphibians and examples of the deleterious effects of nonindigenous species, with links to distribution maps, species lists and related information on amphibians.
Nonindigenous annelid distribution information [More info]
Descriptions of annelids and examples of the deleterious effects of nonindigenous species, with links to distribution maps, species lists and related information on annelids.
Nonindigenous bryozoan distribution information [More info]
Descriptions of bryozoans and examples of the deleterious effects of nonindigenous species, with links to distribution maps, species lists and related information on bryozoans.
Nonindigenous coelenterate distribution information [More info]
Descriptions of coelenterates and examples of the deleterious effects of nonindigenous species, with links to distribution maps, species lists and related information on coelenterates.
Nonindigenous crustacean distribution information [More info]
Descriptions of crustaceans and examples of the deleterious effects of nonindigenous species, with links to distribution maps, species lists and related information on crustaceans.
Nonindigenous fish distribution information [More info]
Descriptions of fishes and examples of the deleterious effects of nonindigenous species, with links to distribution maps, species lists and related information on fishes.
Nonindigenous mammal distribution information [More info]
Descriptions of mammals and examples of the deleterious effects of nonindigenous species, with links to distribution maps, species lists and related information on mammals.
Nonindigenous mollusk distribution information [More info]
Descriptions of mollusks and examples of the deleterious effects of nonindigenous species, with links to distribution maps, species lists and related information on mollusks.
Nonindigenous reptile distribution information [More info]
Descriptions of reptiles and examples of the deleterious effects of nonindigenous species, with links to distribution maps, species lists and related information on reptiles.
Nonindigenous sponge distribution information [More info]
Descriptions of sponges and examples of the deleterious effects of nonindigenous species, with links to distribution maps, species lists and related information on sponges.
Nonindigenous tunicate distribution information [More info]
Descriptions of tunicates and examples of the deleterious effects of nonindigenous species, with links to distribution maps, species lists and related information on tunicates.
Nonindigenous vascular plant distribution information [More info]
Descriptions of vascular plants and examples of the deleterious effects of nonindigenous species, with links to distribution maps, species lists and related information on vascular plants.
Northern Appalachian Field Branch, Leetown Science Center [More info]
Description of scientific focus and research at the Northern Appalachian Field Lab on mining land use impacts and mediation, aquatic ecology, effects of dam removal, and invasive plant and animal species.
Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center [More info]
Homepage for the Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, Jamestown, ND, with links to announcements, science prgorams, biological resources finder, publications search option, contacts, and answers to common questions about the Center
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.
Oculina Bank - geology of a deep-water coral reef habitat off Florida [More info]
Brief report on sidescan sonar data, sediment sampling, and submersible and video photography studies of destruction of deep-water coral pinnacles where fish spawn off east-central Florida in the Oculina Bank in order to restore and protect the habitat.
Our dynamic desert landscape [More info]
Overview of studies of fragile and active landscape of the American Southwest deserts, including projects on geologic mapping, surface processes, remote sensing research, ecological processes, and earthquake hazard applications.
Pacific Walrus Response to Arctic Sea Ice Losses [More info]
Radio-tracking indicates that walruses will exploit sparse ice to maintain access to preferred foraging areas over the continental shelf.
Patuxent Fact Sheets [More info]
Access to Patuxent Wildlife Research Center fact sheets (PDFs) providing summaries of center studies on coastal ecosystems, birds, amphibians, taxonomy and other subjects and on center activities including partners and volunteer program.
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.
PDF Phage therapy for Florida corals? [More info]
Explains how some diseases affecting corals might be countered by viruses that infect disease-causing bacteria.
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.
Presettlement and contemporary vegetation patterns along two navigation reaches of the Upper Mississippi River [More info]
Study to reconstruct presettlement vegetation patterns along two navigation reaches of the Upper Mississippi.
Priority ecosystem studies initiative [More info]
Description of the priority ecosystems studies initiative with links to projects in Chesapeake Bay, Greater Yellowstone, Mojave Desert, Platte River, Salton Sea, San Francisco, and south Florida.
Protecting the Nation's coral reefs [More info]
Report on problems in preserving coral reef ecosystems with links to information on the interagency U.S. Coral Reef Task Force, press releases, reports, and NOAA coral reef sites.
Recoverability and vulnerability of desert ecosystems [More info]
Research results (publications, photographs, maps) on ecological processes within the Mojave Desert Ecosystem to provide land managers with scientific understanding and tools needed to conserve and restore threatened desert landscapes.
PDF Red-Rimmed Melania (Melanoides tuberculatus) - A Snail in Biscayne National Park, Florida - Harmful Invader or Just a Nuisance? [More info]
Explains how this potentially harmful invasive species arrived, why we are concerned, where in the area it is found, what environmental factors control its spread, and what might be done in response.
PDF Relations among geology, physiography, land use, and stream habitat conditions in the Buffalo and Current River systems, Missouri and Arkansas [More info]
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.
PDF SAGEMAP: a web-based spatial dataset for sage grouse and sagebrush steppe management in the Intermountain West [More info]
Links to fact sheet describing the database of spatial information on sage grouse and sagebrush habitats.
Sago pondweed (Potamogeton pectinatus L.): a literature review [More info]
Literature review of sago pondweed, a submersed angiosperm that attracts waterfowl, but is also a nuisance plant that clogs irrigation systems. Includes classification, distribution, habitat, physiology, management, and economics.
Salinity variation in an estuary used for oyster cultivation in southeastern North Carolina during the passover of the eye of Hurricane Bertha [More info]
Review of a study monitoring changes in salinity in Alligator Bay, NC during a 1996 hurricane due to the influx of fresh and saltwater and the effect it would have on oyster aquaculture.
San Francisco Bay bathymetry web site [More info]
Provides location-depth grids of bathymetry available for San Francisco Bay and tools for examining those grids. Data provided as GIS grids and animations.
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.
Savanna restoration bibliography [More info]
A searchable, living bibliography on the subject of savannas and their restoration.
PDF Science-Based Strategies for Sustaining Coral Ecosystems [More info]
Explains the environmental factors that affect coral reef habitats and ecosystems, focusing on those that pose urgent problems.
Sea otter research at Western Ecological Research Center (WERC) [More info]
Webpage on research on sea otters (Euhydra lutris) in the nearshore environment of the eastern Pacific Ocean with information on status of otters on the coast of Alaska, Washington, and California and link to fact sheet in PDF format.
Seasonal Flux and Assemblage Composition of Planktic Foraminifera from the Northern Gulf of Mexico, 2008-2009 [More info]
The U.S. Geological Survey established a sediment trap in the northern Gulf of Mexico to collect time-series data on the flux and assemblage composition of live planktic foraminifers. This report provides an update of the 2008 time-series data to include
Sediment load from major rivers into Puget Sound and its adjacent waters [More info]
Sediment from rivers has both beneficial and detrimental effects on ecosystems and human activities around Puget Sound. We explain where the sediment comes from, how it is transported, and the nature of the data that we can use to understand it.
PDF Shoreline surveys of oil-impacted marsh in southern Louisiana, July to August 2010 [More info]
Locations of survey points, a photographic record of each site, field observations of vegetation cover and descriptions of oil coverage in the water and on plants, including measurements of the distance of oil penetration from the shoreline.
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.
Sound waves [More info]
Monthly online newsletter covering coastal and marine science with links listed under sections titled fieldwork, meetings, outreach, and research.
South Florida Ecosystem History Project [More info]
Project is designed to integrate studies from a number of researchers compiling data from terrestrial, marine, and freshwater ecosystems within south Florida. Links to publications, maps, posters, and data of studies.
South Florida Information Access (SOFIA) [More info]
Portal of the South Florida Information Access (SOFIA) system providing multiple links to projects, products, information, and data for research, decision-making, and resource management of the South Florida ecosystem restoration effort.
South Florida Information Access (SOFIA) data exchange [More info]
Provides links to the data, models and maps on the biology, ecology, geology, mapping, hydrology, and chemistry of research studies in southern Florida.
South Florida Information Access (SOFIA) metadata [More info]
Links to metadata of South Florida research projects and to the webpage of the project.
South Florida Information Access (SOFIA) projects by region [More info]
Listing of South Florida Information Access (SOFIA) projects by region
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.
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