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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: 43176

Hurricane sedimentation in a subtropical salt marsh-mangrove community is unaffected by vegetation type Hurricane sedimentation in a subtropical salt marsh-mangrove community is unaffected by vegetation type

Hurricanes periodically deliver sediment to coastal wetlands, such as those in the Mississippi River Delta Complex (MRDC), slowing elevation loss and improving resilience to sea-level rise. However, the amount of hurricane sediment deposited and retained in a wetland may vary depending on the dominant vegetation. In the subtropical climate of the MRDC, the black mangrove (Avicennia...
Authors
Karen L. McKee, Irving A. Mendelssohn, Mark W. Hester

Assessment of microscopic pathology in fishes collected at sites impacted by wood tar in Pennsylvania Assessment of microscopic pathology in fishes collected at sites impacted by wood tar in Pennsylvania

In an effort to determine whether fish populations in an area affected by wood tar waste exhibited health effects, fish were collected and analyzed with histopathology. Multiple species, including Mottled Sculpin (Cottus bairdii), Creek Chub (Semotilus atromaculatus), White Sucker (Catostumus commersonii), Redside Dace (Clinostomus elongatus), Common Shiner (Luxilus cornutus), and...
Authors
Heather L. Walsh, Vicki S. Blazer, Patricia M. Mazik, Adam J. Sperry, Diana Pavlick

Human dimensions considerations in wildlife disease management Human dimensions considerations in wildlife disease management

In 1943, Aldo Leopold observed that the real problem of wildlife management is not how to handle wildlife, but how to manage humans. As with any other aspect of wildlife management, social sciences can improve understanding the human dimensions of wildlife disease management (WDM). Human activities have accelerated the emergence of wildlife diseases, and human concerns about the...
Authors
Kirsten Leong, Daniel J. Decker

Low stand density moderates growth declines during hot droughts in semi-arid forests Low stand density moderates growth declines during hot droughts in semi-arid forests

Increasing heat and aridity in coming decades is expected to negatively impact tree growth and threaten forest sustainability in dry areas. Maintaining low stand density has the potential to mitigate the negative effects of increasingly severe droughts by minimizing competitive intensity.However, the direct impact of stand density on the growing environment (i.e. soil moisture), and the...
Authors
Caitlin M. Andrews, Anthony W. D’Amato, Shawn Fraver, Brian Palik, Michael A. Battaglia, John B. Bradford

The effects of management practices on grassland birds—Merlin (Falco columbarius) The effects of management practices on grassland birds—Merlin (Falco columbarius)

The key to Merlin (Falco columbarius) management is maintaining an interspersion of groves of deciduous or coniferous trees for nesting and open grasslands for hunting. Merlins do not build their own nests but rather use former nests of other bird species, including those of corvids (crows, ravens, and magpies) and accipitrids (hawks). In recent decades, Merlins have established breeding
Authors
Paul M. Konrad, Jill A. Shaffer, Lawrence D. Igl

The effects of management practices on grassland birds—Sprague’s Pipit (Anthus spragueii) The effects of management practices on grassland birds—Sprague’s Pipit (Anthus spragueii)

Keys to Sprague’s Pipit (Anthus spragueii) management include providing suitable grassland habitat, especially native prairie, with intermediate vegetation height and low visual obstruction, and controlling succession therein. Sprague’s Pipits have been reported to use habitats with no more than 49 centimeters (cm) average vegetation height, 4–14 cm visual obstruction reading, 15–53...
Authors
Jill A. Shaffer, Lawrence D. Igl, Douglas H. Johnson, Marriah L. Sondreal, Christopher M. Goldade, Melvin P. Nenneman, Travis L. Wooten, Jason P. Thiele, Betty R. Euliss

Spatial distribution of heavy metals in the West Dongting Lake floodplain, China Spatial distribution of heavy metals in the West Dongting Lake floodplain, China

The protection of Dongting Lake is important because it is an overwintering and migration route for many rare and endangered birds of East Asia and Australasia, but an assessment of heavy metal contamination in West Dongting Lake is lacking. A total of 75 sediment samples (five sites x three sediment depths x five repeats) were collected in West Dongting Lake in January 2017 to assess...
Authors
Dong Peng, Ziyu Liu, Xinyue Su, Yaquin Xiao, Yuechen Wang, Beth A. Middleton

Egg and larval collection methods affect spawning adult numbers inferred by pedigree analysis Egg and larval collection methods affect spawning adult numbers inferred by pedigree analysis

Analytical methods that incorporate genetic data are increasingly used in monitoring and assessment programs for important rate functions of fish populations (e.g., recruitment). Because gear types vary in efficiencies and effective sampling areas, results from genetic‐based assessments likely differ depending on the sampling gear used to collect genotyped individuals; consequently...
Authors
Robert D. Hunter, Edward F. Roseman, Nick M. Sard, Daniel B. Hayes, Travis O. Brenden, Robin L. DeBruyne, Kim T. Scribner
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