Images

An infographic that highlights a study describing four main mechanisms by which marine heatwaves affect seabirds and marine ecosystems, i.e., (1) habitat modification, (2) physiological forcing, (3) behavioral responses, and (4) ecological processes or species interactions.  Study findings indicate that marine heatwaves can affect seabirds directly by creating

Crosshatching in the map shows the general area where the Norseman II may sail to observe walruses from June 5 to July 2, 2023, as part of a USGS and USFWS project to study Pacific walrus population dynamics.

This figure shows flow rates in Chester Creek (Anchorage, Alaska) by month for 2022 (black line) and the range of water flow rates (above and below normal flows shown by different colors) for the entire 44 years of data collection at Chester Creek.

This is a graphical abstract for the publication by Severson et al. (2023) that investigated the influence of vehicle traffic in Northern Alaska oil fields on summer space use and road crossings of female caribou in the Central Arctic Herd.

The USGS Alaska Science Center is a leader in marine ecosystems science with collaborations and projects that cover topics from ocean bottom-dwelling invertebrates – a source of food for Pacific walrus, sea otter, and marine birds – to polar bears, an apex predator in the Arctic. Each January, the 

Map showing the premature mortality observations of Pacific salmon carcasses in Alaska during summer and fall of 2019. Symbol color and shape denote Pacific Salmon species or alternative taxonomic groupings specified in the legend.

Comparison of the body area of walruses in human care in two positions (head up and flat) used for estimating body mass.

Overview illustration of Russia for use with the AK Science Center Bird checklists.

An animation showing tectonic faults across the Eastern Pacific Ocean from space. The San Andreas fault in California is shown in green, and the Cascadia Subduction Zone north of it is shown in yellow. The animation ends at the location of Queen Charlotte-Fairweather fault (in yellow), displaying the latest 30-meter terrain model.

A computed-generated image showing the bathymetry of the Queen Charlotte Fault and the elevation of mountains in the nearshore area, using bathymetry and lidar data.

THE ALEUTIAN CRADLE OF TSUNAMIS 

(Click here to read EOS Feature: Seismic Sources in the Aleutian Cradle of Tsunamis) 

Scientists collect exposed ablation stakes during fall fieldwork on South Cascade Glacier in Washington. 

Figure showing two Capella Space Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite images of a walrus haulout in Russia during and after walrus occupancy. USGS has found that SAR imagery can detect walruses when they rest on shore in large numbers and is pursuing studies to understand how satellite imagery can support improved management of the Pacific walrus.

Normal Black-capped Chickadee. Over the past 20 years, Alaskans have witnessed a startling increase of beak deformities among Black-capped Chickadees and other species of resident birds. This disease, called avian keratin disorder (AKD), is characterized by debilitating beak overgrowth and other abnormalities of keratinized tissues.

USGS research hydrologist Laura Hubbard and Memorial University of Newfoundland's Jordan Wight wade with an orange inflatable boat in shallow wetland as they filter for infectious avian influenza in Izembek National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska.

Upper Midwest Water Science Center Hydrologist Laura Hubbard filters wetland water to sample for infectious avian influenza in Izembek National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska.

Scientists scout for brown bears before starting infectious avian influenza water sampling in Izembek National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska.

Staff of the USGS Alaska Science Center Molecular Ecology Lab, September 2022.  From left to right: Ann Riddle-Bernsten (Biologist), Bobbi Pierson (Lab Manager and Geneticist), Laura Scott (Geneticist), Eleni Petrou (Geneticist), Christina Ahlstrom (Geneticist), Cherie McKeeman (Geneticist), Damian Menning (Research Geneticist), and Andy Ramey (Lab Director and

An adult male polar bear with a GPS-enabled video camera collar on land in Wapusk National Park, Canada as part of a study measuring the energy expenditure, behavior, movement, and body composition changes of polar bears on land.

Point-of-view image of an adult male polar bear interacting with another bear while in the ocean near Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. The image was recorded from a GPS-enabled video camera collar as part of a study measuring the energy expenditure, behavior, movement, and body composition changes of polar bears on land.

Point-of-view image of an adult male polar bear interacting with two other bears while in the ocean near Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. The image was recorded from a GPS-enabled video camera collar as part of a study measuring the energy expenditure, behavior, movement, and body composition changes of polar bears on land.