This is a graphical abstract for a publication by the USGS that evaluates satellite imagery for monitoring large Pacific walrus haulouts in northwestern Alaska.
Science Support Program and Quick Response Program Active
This is a nation-wide collaborative program, supported by the USGS Ecosystems Mission Area, through which USGS and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff address priority research needs identified by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. On this page, we highlight research taking place in Alaska as part of this program.
Return to Ecosystems >> Collaborative Science for Priority Information Needs
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service priorities change annually through this program. Results of past studies can be found under Data and Tools and Publications on this page.
For 2020-2023, the USGS Alaska Science Center is focusing on the following science needs identified by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Alaska Region:
- Processing and publication of high-resolution coastal walrus haulout survey imagery
- Quantifying groundwater and aufeis and their contribution to surface water availability and habitat in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska
- Distribution and abundance of breeding waterbirds in relation to habitat type on the 1002 Area of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska
- Development of a population monitoring plan for the Southern Beaufort Sea polar bear subpopulation
- Assessing the population status of two rare taxa endemic to the central Bering Sea, Alaska: McKay's Bunting and Pribilof Rock Sandpiper
- Improved mapping of historical fire perimeters on Alaska National Wildlife Refuges
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Q&A: Vessel Cruise for Estimates of Pacific Walrus Demography
Q&A: Improving Aerial Surveys of Geese in Alaska with Aerial Imagery
Winter Habitat of Juvenile Dolly Varden in the Canning River
Below are data or web applications associated with this project.
Aerial Photo Imagery from Fall Waterfowl Surveys, Izembek Lagoon, Alaska, 2017-2019
Counts of Birds in Aerial Photos from Fall Waterfowl Surveys, Izembek Lagoon, Alaska, 2017-2019
Blood Parasite Infection, Body Mass, and Survival Data from Emperor Geese (Anser canagicus), Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska, 2006-2016
Predicted Calving and Post-calving Season Resource Use of the Porcupine Caribou Herd During 2012-2018 With Future Projections for the 2030s, 2040s, and 2050s
Fatty Acid Composition of Polar Bear Adipose Tissue and Ringed and Bearded Seal Blubber Collected in the Chukchi Sea, 2008-2017
Counts and Abdominal Profile Indices of Wintering Emperor Geese (Anser canagicus) at Three Islands in Alaska, 2003 and 2015-2017
Serum Urea and Creatinine Levels of Spring-Caught Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus) in the Southern Beaufort and Chukchi Seas
Sex and Age Composition of Walrus Groups Hauled Out on Ice Floes in the Bering and Chukchi Seas, 2013-2015
Measurement Data of Polar Bears Captured in the Chukchi and Southern Beaufort Sea, 1981-2017
Tracking data for Yellow-billed Loons (Gavia adamsii)
Below are multimedia items associated with this project.
This is a graphical abstract for a publication by the USGS that evaluates satellite imagery for monitoring large Pacific walrus haulouts in northwestern Alaska.
Example of a photo from the USFWS fall aerial survey for geese at Izembek Lagoon. Inset shows a closer view of four Black Brant (bottom) with a Cackling Goose (top) foraging on eelgrass. Scientists from the USGS Alaska Science Center and the U.S.
Example of a photo from the USFWS fall aerial survey for geese at Izembek Lagoon. Inset shows a closer view of four Black Brant (bottom) with a Cackling Goose (top) foraging on eelgrass. Scientists from the USGS Alaska Science Center and the U.S.
USGS gage 15955000 Canning River above Staines River near Deadhorse, AK. Derek Frohbelter loading helicopter for return to Kavik.
USGS gage 15955000 Canning River above Staines River near Deadhorse, AK. Derek Frohbelter loading helicopter for return to Kavik.
This photograph shows caribou tracks on ice-wedge polygons near Garry Creek in Alaska. Coastal erosion along the Arctic coast is chronic, widespread and potentially accelerating, posing threats to infrastructure important for defense and energy purposes, natural shoreline habitats and nearby Native communities.
This photograph shows caribou tracks on ice-wedge polygons near Garry Creek in Alaska. Coastal erosion along the Arctic coast is chronic, widespread and potentially accelerating, posing threats to infrastructure important for defense and energy purposes, natural shoreline habitats and nearby Native communities.
Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska.
Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska.
Below are publications associated with this project.
A comparison of contemporary and historical hydrology and water quality in the foothills and coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Arctic Slope, northern Alaska
Seasonal and decadal subsurface thaw dynamics of an Aufeis feature investigated through numerical simulations
Rapid population decline in McKay's Bunting, an Alaskan endemic, highlights the species’ current status relative to international standards for vulnerable species
Status of spectacled eiders (Somateria fischeri) on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska, 2022—Testing and updating predictive models
Optimizing surveys of fall-staging geese using aerial imagery and automated counting
Evaluating the efficacy of aerial infrared surveys to detect artificial polar bear dens
Evaluation of satellite imagery for monitoring Pacific walruses at a large coastal haulout
Negligible evidence for detrimental effects of Leucocytozoon infections among Emperor Geese (Anser canagicus) breeding on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska
Spring phenology drives range shifts in a migratory Arctic ungulate with key implications for the future
Seal body condition and atmospheric circulation patterns influence polar bear body condition, recruitment, and feeding ecology in the Chukchi Sea
Shifts in the wintering distribution and abundance of Emperor Geese in Alaska
Evidence of prevalent heat stress in Yukon River Chinook salmon
Below are news stories associated with this project.
- Overview
This is a nation-wide collaborative program, supported by the USGS Ecosystems Mission Area, through which USGS and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff address priority research needs identified by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. On this page, we highlight research taking place in Alaska as part of this program.
Return to Ecosystems >> Collaborative Science for Priority Information Needs
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service priorities change annually through this program. Results of past studies can be found under Data and Tools and Publications on this page.
For 2020-2023, the USGS Alaska Science Center is focusing on the following science needs identified by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Alaska Region:
- Processing and publication of high-resolution coastal walrus haulout survey imagery
- Quantifying groundwater and aufeis and their contribution to surface water availability and habitat in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska
- Distribution and abundance of breeding waterbirds in relation to habitat type on the 1002 Area of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska
- Development of a population monitoring plan for the Southern Beaufort Sea polar bear subpopulation
- Assessing the population status of two rare taxa endemic to the central Bering Sea, Alaska: McKay's Bunting and Pribilof Rock Sandpiper
- Improved mapping of historical fire perimeters on Alaska National Wildlife Refuges
- Science
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Q&A: Vessel Cruise for Estimates of Pacific Walrus Demography
Adult female and juvenile Pacific walruses reside in the northern Bering Sea and Chukchi Sea in the late spring and summer. In June of 2024, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the USGS will again conduct a walrus research cruise on the Research Vessel Norseman II. The cruise will depart from Nome, Alaska on May 31, 2024, and return to Nome on June 28, 2024. The research cruise will be...Q&A: Improving Aerial Surveys of Geese in Alaska with Aerial Imagery
Thousands of geese gather at Izembek Lagoon in southwestern Alaska every fall where they “stage”, meaning that they rest and eat in preparation for migration to lower latitudes. Izembek Lagoon is especially important for Pacific brant geese, as the entire Pacific Flyway population is thought to use the lagoon in fall. This provides an opportunity to efficiently survey the population to track...Winter Habitat of Juvenile Dolly Varden in the Canning River
In the Arctic, rivers often freeze all the way to the bottom each winter leaving fish with limited habitat where they can survive. - Data
Below are data or web applications associated with this project.
Aerial Photo Imagery from Fall Waterfowl Surveys, Izembek Lagoon, Alaska, 2017-2019
The imagery and annotations presented here were generated while testing an aerial photographic survey design to improve repeatability, transparency, and estimation of variance for annual population estimates of geese staging at Izembek Lagoon, Alaska. This dataset includes 1) 131,031 .JPG images captured from a small fixed-wing occupied aircraft, usually at an altitude of about 457 m, over IzembekCounts of Birds in Aerial Photos from Fall Waterfowl Surveys, Izembek Lagoon, Alaska, 2017-2019
This dataset includes tables summarizing image information and bird counts from the aerial digital images taken over open water at Izembek Lagoon in Alaska in fall 2017-2019. These summaries list one record per image and provide the camera parameters, latitude, longitude, altitude, and automated and manual counts representing the total number of birds in each taxon (brant, white-cheeked geese, empBlood Parasite Infection, Body Mass, and Survival Data from Emperor Geese (Anser canagicus), Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska, 2006-2016
This dataset provides two tables of blood parasite infection data collected from Emperor Geese (Anser canagicus) on Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska, 2006-2016. Three genera of blood parasites (Leucocytozoon, Haemoproteus, Plasmodium) were detected by molecular sequencing of a 479 bp fragment of the Cytochrome-b gene. The data provided in the tables are: 1) age, sex, mass, infection status, and NCBIPredicted Calving and Post-calving Season Resource Use of the Porcupine Caribou Herd During 2012-2018 With Future Projections for the 2030s, 2040s, and 2050s
This dataset contains rasters and polygon shapefiles related to predicted resource use of the Porcupine Caribou Herd (PCH) during the calving (26 May-10 June) and post-calving (11-30 June) seasons in Alaska and the Yukon Territory. Resource selection was analyzed for each season using random forest models, which compared female caribou GPS collar locations (2012-2018) to available locations withinFatty Acid Composition of Polar Bear Adipose Tissue and Ringed and Bearded Seal Blubber Collected in the Chukchi Sea, 2008-2017
These data are the fatty acid compositions (in %) of adipose tissue samples collected from polar bears and of blubber samples collected from ringed and bearded seal killed by polar bears in the Chukchi Sea, 2008-2017. The dataset includes sex, age, and age class of the bears that were sampled. The data are provided as % of each fatty acid identified via nomenclature that describes the structure ofCounts and Abdominal Profile Indices of Wintering Emperor Geese (Anser canagicus) at Three Islands in Alaska, 2003 and 2015-2017
These data are in two tables related to surveys conducted on wintering Emperor Geese in Alaska. Surveys counting the number of wintering Emperor Geese were conducted on Shemya Island in 2003 and 2016, and on Adak Island in 2016-2017. Data on abdominal profile indices (body condition) of Emperor Geese were collected on Shemya Island in 2016, on Adak Island in 2016-2017, and on Kodiak Island in 2015Serum Urea and Creatinine Levels of Spring-Caught Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus) in the Southern Beaufort and Chukchi Seas
These data are serum urea nitrogen and creatinine levels for polar bears captured in the southern Beaufort Sea 1983-2016 and the Chukchi Sea 1987-1993 and 2008-2017. The dataset includes relevant information about the bears that were captured including the latitude and longitude of their capture location, capture date, age class and sex, the age and number of cubs accompanying an adult female, andSex and Age Composition of Walrus Groups Hauled Out on Ice Floes in the Bering and Chukchi Seas, 2013-2015
These data are in one table with age and sex composition counts of groups of walruses on ice floes in the northern Bering and Chukchi Seas. Counts were collected by visual observations from boats.Measurement Data of Polar Bears Captured in the Chukchi and Southern Beaufort Sea, 1981-2017
This dataset includes measures collected on polar bears captured in the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas, 1981-2017 by the U.S. Geological Survey and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Data collected include body length, body mass, axillary girth, skull width and tail lengths. Bears were also aged as described in the methods. For some bears, an adipose tissue sample was collected and percent lipid content wTracking data for Yellow-billed Loons (Gavia adamsii)
This metadata document describes the data contained in the "rawData" folder of this data package. This data package contains all data collected by the Argos System from 92 satellite transmitters attached to adult Yellow-billed Loons on their breeding range in Arctic Alaska and Canada, 2002-2017. Five data files are included in the "rawData" folder of this data package. Two data files (with identic - Multimedia
Below are multimedia items associated with this project.
Evaluation of Satellite Imagery Monitoring Pacific Walruses hauloutsEvaluation of Satellite Imagery Monitoring Pacific Walruses hauloutsThis is a graphical abstract for a publication by the USGS that evaluates satellite imagery for monitoring large Pacific walrus haulouts in northwestern Alaska.
This is a graphical abstract for a publication by the USGS that evaluates satellite imagery for monitoring large Pacific walrus haulouts in northwestern Alaska.
Aerial survey for Black Brant at Izembek Lagoon, AlaskaAerial survey for Black Brant at Izembek Lagoon, AlaskaExample of a photo from the USFWS fall aerial survey for geese at Izembek Lagoon. Inset shows a closer view of four Black Brant (bottom) with a Cackling Goose (top) foraging on eelgrass. Scientists from the USGS Alaska Science Center and the U.S.
Example of a photo from the USFWS fall aerial survey for geese at Izembek Lagoon. Inset shows a closer view of four Black Brant (bottom) with a Cackling Goose (top) foraging on eelgrass. Scientists from the USGS Alaska Science Center and the U.S.
USGS Employee Loading Helicopter At Gage 15955000 Canning River, AK.USGS Employee Loading Helicopter At Gage 15955000 Canning River, AK.USGS gage 15955000 Canning River above Staines River near Deadhorse, AK. Derek Frohbelter loading helicopter for return to Kavik.
USGS gage 15955000 Canning River above Staines River near Deadhorse, AK. Derek Frohbelter loading helicopter for return to Kavik.
Caribou Tracks Along Alaska's CoastThis photograph shows caribou tracks on ice-wedge polygons near Garry Creek in Alaska. Coastal erosion along the Arctic coast is chronic, widespread and potentially accelerating, posing threats to infrastructure important for defense and energy purposes, natural shoreline habitats and nearby Native communities.
This photograph shows caribou tracks on ice-wedge polygons near Garry Creek in Alaska. Coastal erosion along the Arctic coast is chronic, widespread and potentially accelerating, posing threats to infrastructure important for defense and energy purposes, natural shoreline habitats and nearby Native communities.
Spectacled Female Eider on NestYukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska.
Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska.
- Publications
Below are publications associated with this project.
Filter Total Items: 27A comparison of contemporary and historical hydrology and water quality in the foothills and coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Arctic Slope, northern Alaska
The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is a unique landscape in northern Alaska with limited water resources, substantial biodiversity of rare and threatened species, as well as oil and gas resources. The region has unique hydrology related to perennial springs, and the formation of large aufeis fields—sheets of ice that grow in the river channels where water reaches the surface in the winter and freAuthorsJoshua C. Koch, Heather Best, Carson Baughman, Charles Couvillion, Michael P. Carey, Jeff ConawaySeasonal and decadal subsurface thaw dynamics of an Aufeis feature investigated through numerical simulations
Aufeis (also known as icings) are large sheet-like masses of layered ice that form in river channels in arctic environments in the winter as groundwater discharges to the land surface and subsequently freezes. Aufeis are important sources of water for Arctic river ecosystems, bolstering late summer river discharge and providing habitat for caribou escaping insect harassment. The aim of this researAuthorsAlexi Lainis, Roseanna M. Neupauer, Joshua C. Koch, Michael GooseffRapid population decline in McKay's Bunting, an Alaskan endemic, highlights the species’ current status relative to international standards for vulnerable species
The McKay’s Bunting (Plectrophenax hyperboreus) is endemic to Alaska, breeds solely on the remote and uninhabited St. Matthew and Hall islands (332 km2) in the central Bering Sea, and is designated as a species of high conservation concern due to its small population size and restricted range. A previous hypothesized population estimate (~2,800—6,000 individuals) was greatly increased (~31,200 indAuthorsRachel M. Richardson, Courtney L. Amundson, James A. Johnson, Marc D. Romano, Audrey R. Taylor, Michael D. Fleming, Steven M. MatsuokaStatus of spectacled eiders (Somateria fischeri) on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska, 2022—Testing and updating predictive models
The nesting biology and demography of spectacled eiders (Somateria fischeri) along the lower Kashunuk River on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska, were studied from 1993 to 2002. This previous work demonstrated that the breeding population on the study area was declining, and demographic modeling predicted that the population would continue to decline from 2002 forward. The predicted decline was prAuthorsPaul L. FlintOptimizing surveys of fall-staging geese using aerial imagery and automated counting
Ocular aerial surveys allow efficient coverage of large areas and can be used to monitor abundance and distribution of wild populations. However, uncertainty around resulting population estimates can be large due to difficulty in visually identifying and counting animals from aircraft, as well as logistical challenges in estimating detection probabilities. Photographic aerial surveys can mitigateAuthorsEmily L. Weiser, Paul L. Flint, Dennis K Marks, Brad S Shults, Heather M. Wilson, Sarah J Thompson, Julian B. FischerEvaluating the efficacy of aerial infrared surveys to detect artificial polar bear dens
The need to balance economic development with impacts to Arctic wildlife has been a prominent subject since petroleum exploration began on the North Slope of Alaska, USA, in the late 1950s. The North Slope region includes polar bears (Ursus maritimus) of the southern Beaufort Sea subpopulation, which has experienced a long-term decline in abundance. Pregnant polar bears dig dens in snow drifts durAuthorsSusannah P Woodruff, Justin J Blank, Sheyna S Wisdom, Ryan H. Wilson, George M. Durner, Todd C. Atwood, Craig J Perham, Christina HM PohlEvaluation of satellite imagery for monitoring Pacific walruses at a large coastal haulout
Pacific walruses (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) are using coastal haulouts in the Chukchi Sea more often and in larger numbers to rest between foraging bouts in late summer and autumn in recent years, because climate warming has reduced availability of sea ice that historically had provided resting platforms near their preferred benthic feeding grounds. With greater numbers of walruses hauling outAuthorsAnthony S. Fischbach, David C. DouglasNegligible evidence for detrimental effects of Leucocytozoon infections among Emperor Geese (Anser canagicus) breeding on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska
Emperor Geese (Anser canagicus) are iconic waterfowl endemic to Alaska and adjacent areas of northeastern Russia that are considered to be near threatened by the International Union for Conservation. This species has been identified as harboring diverse viruses and parasites which have, at times, been associated with disease in other avian taxa. To better assess if disease represents a vulnerabiliAuthorsAndrew M. Ramey, Raymond Bucheit, Brian D. Uher-Koch, John Reed, M. Andreina Pacheco, Ananias Escalante, Joel SchmutzSpring phenology drives range shifts in a migratory Arctic ungulate with key implications for the future
Annual variation in phenology can have profound effects on the behavior of animals. As climate change advances spring phenology in ecosystems around the globe, it is becoming increasingly important to understand how animals respond to variation in the timing of seasonal events and how their responses may shift in the future. We investigated the influence of spring phenology on the behavior of migrAuthorsJohn P. Severson, Heather E. Johnson, Stephen M. Arthur, William Leacock, Michael J. SuitorSeal body condition and atmospheric circulation patterns influence polar bear body condition, recruitment, and feeding ecology in the Chukchi Sea
Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are experiencing loss of sea ice habitats used to access their marine mammal prey. Simultaneously, ocean warming is changing ecosystems that support marine mammal populations. The interactive effects of sea ice and prey are not well understood yet may explain spatial‐temporal variation in the response of polar bears to sea ice loss. Here, we examined the potential comAuthorsKaryn D. Rode, Eric V. Regehr, Jeffrey F. Bromaghin, Ryan H. Wilson, Michelle St. Martin, Justin A. Crawford, Lori T. QuakenbushShifts in the wintering distribution and abundance of Emperor Geese in Alaska
For wildlife species that winter at northern latitudes, harsh overwinter conditions can play an important role in population dynamics. Recent changes in global temperatures have resulted in distributional shifts of wildlife species, as well as amelioration of winter climates in northern landscapes. The emperor goose (Anser canagicus), an endemic migratory bird of the Bering Sea region, winters acrAuthorsBrian D. Uher-Koch, Raymond M. Buccheit, Charles R. Eldermire, Heather M. Wilson, Joel A. SchmutzEvidence of prevalent heat stress in Yukon River Chinook salmon
Migrating adult Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) are sensitive to warm water (>18 °C), with a range of consequences from decreased spawning success to early mortality. We examined the proportion of Yukon River Chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha) exhibiting evidence of heat stress to assess the potential that high temperatures contribute to freshwater adult mortality in a northern Pacific salmon popuAuthorsVanessa R. von Biela, Lizabeth Bowen, Stephen D. McCormick, Michael P. Carey, Daniel S. Donnelly, Shannon C. Waters, Amy M. Regish, Sarah M. Laske, Randy J Brown, Sean Larson, Stan Zuray, Christian E. Zimmerman - News
Below are news stories associated with this project.