Publications
This list of publications includes peer-review journal articles, official USGS publications series, reports and more authored by scientists in the Ecosystems Mission Area. A database of all USGS publications, with advanced search features, can be accessed at the USGS Publications Warehouse.
Filter Total Items: 43130
Abundance, trends, and challenges facing mountain goats throughout their North American distribution Abundance, trends, and challenges facing mountain goats throughout their North American distribution
Recent declines among some mountain goat (Oreamnos americanus) populations have heightened concern about their current status and ability to cope with future challenges. We conducted a range-wide assessment of the status of mountain goats across their distribution to understand the extent and patterns of change in recent years. We queried states, provinces, National Parks, and Indigenous
Authors
Richard B. Harris, Steve Bethune, Mark Biel, Roy T. Churchwell, Julie Cunningham, Rob Found, Tabitha A. Graves, Anne Hubbs, Tyler Jessen, Bill Jex, Joshua Kirk, Meghan Larivee, Chadwick P. Lehman, Brian MacBeth, Hollie Miyasaki, Tony W. Mong, William Moore, Susan Oehlers, Todd Rinaldi, Kristin M. Rine, Rusty Robinson, Zachary L. Robinson, Jennifer Sevigny, Michael Sevigny, Kyle Smith, David Vales, Kevin White, Don Whittaker, Carmen Wong, Travis Wyman
Landscape change and age ratios for mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) herd units in Wyoming,1980-2019 Landscape change and age ratios for mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) herd units in Wyoming,1980-2019
No abstract available.
Authors
Teagan A. Hayes, Aaron N. Johnston, L. Embere Hall, Jill Randall, Matthew J. Kauffman, Christopher Keefe, Kevin Monteith, Tabitha A. Graves
Dietary composition and diversity in an endemic island bat, the Hawaiian hoary bat (Lasiurus semotus) Dietary composition and diversity in an endemic island bat, the Hawaiian hoary bat (Lasiurus semotus)
Due to the importance of sufficient diets, conservation practices for endangered bats often involve protection and restoration of foraging resources. For insectivorous (or arthropodivorous) bats, detailed knowledge of prey consumption can inform effective management. In this study, we used metabarcoding techniques to investigate the diet of Lasiurus semotus, a primarily insectivorous...
Authors
Corinna Pinzari, P. Marcos Gorresen, Robert W. Peck, Karen Courtot
Incorporating location uncertainty improves inference with stop-level North American Breeding Bird Survey data Incorporating location uncertainty improves inference with stop-level North American Breeding Bird Survey data
Ecological models should account for uncertainty to be most effective and useful. Yet, uncertainty from model covariates—unlike that from other sources, such as sampling error or process variability—is seldom explicitly incorporated. This can cause underestimates of uncertainty to cascade through model parameter estimates, predictions, and downstream uses. Burner et al. proposed a method...
Authors
Ryan C. Burner, J. A. Hostetler, Alan Kirschbaum
Cultural benefits knowledge and social learning in Elwha River dam removal and ecosystem decision-making Cultural benefits knowledge and social learning in Elwha River dam removal and ecosystem decision-making
In a retrospective case study of the seminal Elwha River dam removal in Washington State, USA, we explore pathways through which ecosystem services (ES) knowledge can inform environmental decision-making. We specifically investigate how knowledge of cultural benefits linked to the Elwha River ecosystem was made available. Through interviews and historical document review we identify...
Authors
Kristin R. Hoelting, Doreen E. Martinez, Lucas Bair, Rudy Schuster, Michael C. Gavin
An integrated drought early warning system to support coldwater fisheries management An integrated drought early warning system to support coldwater fisheries management
Low streamflow resulting from drought and human water use is a threat to freshwater fisheries throughout western North America, creating a need for effective tools to aid management and fisheries use. We developed a drought early warning framework that forecasts river conditions that could result in temporary fishery closures and restrictions across Montana’s renowned trout fisheries...
Authors
Justin T. Martin, Gregory T. Pederson, Timothy Cline, Andrew Biche Lahr, Jeffrey D. Walker, David Schmetterling, Donovan A. Bell, Clint C. Muhlfeld
Disease-associated mortality drives reduction in Yukon River Chinook salmon escapement: A novel method for quantifying the negative impacts of ‘misfit’ parasites to improve fisheries management Disease-associated mortality drives reduction in Yukon River Chinook salmon escapement: A novel method for quantifying the negative impacts of ‘misfit’ parasites to improve fisheries management
Parasites can suppress host populations through parasite-induced mortality. However, the negative effects of parasites are difficult to measure in wild populations and we have few tools for quantifying the magnitude of parasite-induced mortality. This is especially true for many ‘misfit’ parasites that do not fit into standard classifications (e.g. fungal-like parasites and myxozoans)...
Authors
Mark Q. Wilber, Jayde A. Ferguson, David James Páez, Zachary W. Liller
Assessment of Chinook Salmon Smolt Survival at Offsite Release Locations in the Sacramento River Across Wet and Dry Years Assessment of Chinook Salmon Smolt Survival at Offsite Release Locations in the Sacramento River Across Wet and Dry Years
We used acoustic telemetry to estimate survival of tagged release groups, and quantify differences between alternative hatchery release strategies. To assess whether offsite release could increase survival of hatchery fish relative to those released at the hatchery, we compare survival during emigration of hatchery fall Chinook Salmon (FCS, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) smolts released...
Authors
Michael J. Dodrill, Sarah Austing, Kevin Niemela, Russell Perry
Bright spot in eDNA monitoring: Early detection of invasive New Zealand mudsnails (Potamopyrgus antipodarum) prompted effective rapid response for fish hatchery Bright spot in eDNA monitoring: Early detection of invasive New Zealand mudsnails (Potamopyrgus antipodarum) prompted effective rapid response for fish hatchery
The New Zealand mudsnail (NZMS; Potamopyrgus antipodarum) is a widespread aquatic invasive species that is parthenogenic, requiring only a single individual to initiate an infestation. Fish hatcheries–which are critical infrastructure that raise fish to support conservation, recreation, and subsistence fisheries–frequently use local water sources to provide cool water and are especially...
Authors
Devin Slobodian, Patrick R. Hutchins, Jennifer Graves, Adam Sepulveda
Quantifying Chinook Salmon habitat across flow regimes: High resolution modeling in Oregon’s Willamette River basin Quantifying Chinook Salmon habitat across flow regimes: High resolution modeling in Oregon’s Willamette River basin
The Santiam and McKenzie River basins of western Oregon provide critical habitat for federally listed Upper Willamette River Spring Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha). Streamflows in each basin are regulated in part by high-head multi-purpose dams; however, quantitative linkages between regulated streamflows and downstream habitat for juvenile and adult Chinook salmon remain...
Authors
James S. White, Karen Michelle Bartelt, Tobias J. Kock, Brandon Overstreet, Gabriel S. Hansen, J. Rose Wallick
Potential flood events in the lower Missouri River basin over multiple centuries identified using tree-ring based multi-model streamflow reconstructions Potential flood events in the lower Missouri River basin over multiple centuries identified using tree-ring based multi-model streamflow reconstructions
The Missouri River basin (MRB), the largest river basin in the United States, presents major water management challenges due to its complex topology and extensive infrastructure designed to manage high annual flows. Severe hydroclimatic events, particularly floods in 1993, 2011, and 2019, have highlighted vulnerabilities, leading the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to enhance flood risk...
Authors
Subhrendu Gangopadhyay, Edward R. Cook, Gregory T. Pederson, Connie A. Woodhouse, Gregory J. McCabe, Matthew P. Dannenberg, Victoria M. Harris, Erika K. Wise, Jeffrey P. Niehaus, Upmanu Lall
Modeling the temperature-mediated link between demography and biomass in ectotherms Modeling the temperature-mediated link between demography and biomass in ectotherms
Population models can forecast the effects of environmental change, disturbance, and management decisions on populations of interest. Most population models focus on abundance of individuals, but biomass may be a more relevant quantity at the community or ecosystem scale, especially when investigating interaction of multiple stressors and cross-ecosystem energy flows. We developed a...
Authors
Angelika L. Kurthen, Theodore Kennedy, David A. Lytle