Publications
Explore publications related to research areas and staff members at the USGS Alaska Science Center compiled from the USGS Publications Warehouse.
Filter Total Items: 3230
Assessment of Undiscovered Conventional Gas Resources in the Northern Alaska Province, 2026 Assessment of Undiscovered Conventional Gas Resources in the Northern Alaska Province, 2026
Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated undiscovered, technically recoverable mean conventional resources of 96 trillion cubic feet of gas in the Northern Alaska Province.
Authors
William H. Craddock, Jared T. Gooley, Katherine J. Whidden, John W. Counts, Christopher D. Connors, David W. Houseknecht, Rebecca A. Smith, Jade Harper, William A. Rouse, Richard O. Lease, Samuel J. Heller, Tracey J. Mercier, Christopher J. Schenk
Extensive glacier loss in the coterminous United States Extensive glacier loss in the coterminous United States
Glaciers populate the mountain ranges of the western conterminous United States and despite their importance to alpine hydrology, their area and volume change have never been comprehensively evaluated. Since the mid-Twentieth Century about one-quarter of the glaciers have disappeared and the overall area and volume are reduced by one-third. The pattern of glacier shrinkage suggests most...
Authors
Andrew G. Fountain, Bryce Glenn, Christopher McNeil, Brian Menounos
Detecting polar bears on land using satellite imagery and deep learning Detecting polar bears on land using satellite imagery and deep learning
Summer land use is increasing for polar bears in the Beaufort Sea, which may lead to increases in human-bear interactions. Remote methods may enable noninvasive approaches to monitor polar bear abundance and distribution on land. We examined the potential of using very high-resolution optical satellite imagery to detect polar bears on land from images collected at three sites on the...
Authors
Anthony M. Pagano, Ryan H. Wilson, Anthony S. Fischbach, Todd C. Atwood
Improving predictions of insect harassment for barren-ground caribou in the Arctic Improving predictions of insect harassment for barren-ground caribou in the Arctic
Many populations of barren-ground caribou (Rangifer tarandus) have declined or are declining, which is concerning given their ecological role in Arctic ecosystems and their societal role in northern communities. Insect harassment is an important driver of the behavior, energetics, and demographic rates of caribou, and yet, due to challenges in predicting harassment, there is limited...
Authors
William H. Hein, Murray M. Humphries, Heather E. Johnson, Gabrielle L. Coulombe, Michael J. Suitor
Evidence for exposure to and infection with H5 clade 2.3.4.4b highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses among polar bears inhabiting Alaska Evidence for exposure to and infection with H5 clade 2.3.4.4b highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses among polar bears inhabiting Alaska
No abstract available.
Authors
Andrew M. Ramey, Lindsey S. Mangipane, Todd C. Atwood, Raphaela Stimmelmayr, David S. Rotstein, Christina A. Ahlstrom, Kristin S. Simac, Sarah M Coburn, Mia Kim Torchetti, David E. Stallknecht, Rebecca L. Poulson
Abrupt onset and persistent downstream effects of acid rock drainage on rivers across northwest Arctic Alaska Abrupt onset and persistent downstream effects of acid rock drainage on rivers across northwest Arctic Alaska
Arctic streams and rivers are increasingly vulnerable to degradation from permafrost thaw that releases toxic elements via natural acid rock drainage. However, the spatial and temporal evolution of acid rock drainage on river chemistry across diverse mineral settings remain poorly constrained. Here, water chemistry in six watersheds across Alaska's Brooks Range (2022–2024) quantified the...
Authors
Taylor G. Evinger, Jonathan A. O'Donnell, Michael P. Carey, Joshua C. Koch, Carson A. Baughman, Kenneth R. Hill, Rebecca J. Frei, Brett A. Poulin
Landscape controls river continuum dissolved organic carbon in northeastern Alaska Landscape controls river continuum dissolved organic carbon in northeastern Alaska
Rivers draining continuous permafrost landscapes on the North Slope of Alaska span from the mountains to the coast, integrating gradients in vegetation, soil organic matter, and hydrologic flow. We investigated how these landscape transitions influence dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations, radiocarbon ages, and export along the river continuum over seasonal timeframes in...
Authors
Craig T. Connolly, Joshua C. Koch, Jim McClelland, Mike Rawlins, Marisa Repasch
DRIFteRS: A dataset of drift invertebrate densities in streams and rivers across western North America, 1997–2024 DRIFteRS: A dataset of drift invertebrate densities in streams and rivers across western North America, 1997–2024
Prey availability is among the most influential and highly variable determinants of fish growth and freshwater habitat carrying capacity, yet it remains understudied compared to physical habitat variables (Ouellet et al., 2025; Rosenfeld et al., 2014; Weber et al., 2017). We often lack a clear understanding of how much food is available to fishes, how it varies spatially and temporally...
Authors
Elsa K. Toskey, Toshio Matsuoka, Peter M. Kiffney, Sean M. Naman, Martin C. Liermann, Javan Bailey, David Beauchamp, J. Ryan Bellmore, Christopher A. Binckley, Steven C. Blumenshine, Timothy J. Caldwell, Michael P. Carey, Shannon Claeson, Chelsea Clawson, Rosa Cox, Cromwell. Kara J., Robert J. Danehy, Michael J. Dodrill, Jeffrey J. Duda, Jason B. Fellman, Adrianne Z. Grimm, Tyson B. Hallbert, Chris E. Jordan, Ernest R. Keeley, Brian P. Kennedy, Theodore Kennedy, Andre E. Kohler, Erin D. Lowery, Kate H Macneale, Kyle D. Martens, Sarah A. Morley, Jeffrey Muehlbauer, Jason B. Neuswanger, Alison O'Dowd, Shelley Pneh, Mary E. Power, Suzanne J. Rhoades, Jordan Rosenfeld, Gabriel Rossi, Beth L. Sanderson, Katy K. Shelby, Thomas Starky-Owens, Jamie N. Thompson, Carol Volk, Jasmine S. Williamshen, Robert W. Wisseman
Biomarkers of mortality risks in Yukon Chinook salmon Biomarkers of mortality risks in Yukon Chinook salmon
Premature mortality of spawning adult Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus species) can strongly influence population dynamics and complicate escapement-based management. Heat stress and Ichthyophonus infections have been identified as probable drivers of premature mortality in Yukon River Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and likely contributors to low spawning abundance. We leveraged a
Authors
Vanessa R. von Biela, Lizabeth Bowen, Amy M. Regish, Jayde A Ferguson, Zachary W Liller, Stephen D. McCormick, Paul Hershberger, Stan Zuray, Morag Clinton, Michael P. Carey
Validating antler- and movement-based estimates of caribou reproduction using video camera collars Validating antler- and movement-based estimates of caribou reproduction using video camera collars
Wildlife agencies invest substantial resources in monitoring ungulate reproductive rates given ongoing concerns about population trends and their implications for management. For barren-ground caribou (Rangifer tarandus) in the North American Arctic, data on parturition and neonate survival have traditionally been collected using visual observations of antler retention and calf presence...
Authors
Heather E. Johnson, Emily Racenet, Gabrielle Coulombe, Matthew Cameron, Kyle Joly, Martin Kienzler, Michael J. Suitor
Climate change vulnerability assessment for guiding ecosystem restoration in fire-prone landscapes of the western U.S. Climate change vulnerability assessment for guiding ecosystem restoration in fire-prone landscapes of the western U.S.
Climate-driven alterations to fire regimes challenges forest management and restoration in the western United States, where increased wildfire severity threatens ecosystem integrity and resilience. In this study, we demonstrate the application of the FireCLIME (Fire-Climate-Landscape Interactions in Montane Ecosystems) Vulnerability Assessment (VA) as a decision-support tool for...
Authors
Megan Friggens, Rachel A. Loehman, Stephanie Mueller, William T. Flatley, Andrea E. Thode
Potential warming-induced changes in stream water sources between proglacial and non-glacial streams, south-central Alaska Potential warming-induced changes in stream water sources between proglacial and non-glacial streams, south-central Alaska
Snow and ice-melt are essential for global water resources. Rising air temperatures are causing vegetation encroachment and shrubification of previously snow- and ice-covered landscapes, and precipitation regimes are changing. Collectively, these changes will likely affect the hydrology of mountain environments, although the exact ways in which the hydrology will change are poorly...
Authors
Hannah Kristen Richardson, Anna Bergstrom, Joshua C. Koch, Zanden Arthur Frederick, James B. Shanley, Emily H. Baker