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Bird and Terrestrial Species Conservation

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Fish and Aquatic Species Conservation

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Pollinator Conservation

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Fish and Wildlife Disease Investigation and Surveillance

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Freshwater and Coastal Ecology

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Eastern Ecological Science Center

In 2020, the USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center and Leetown Science Center merged to create the Eastern Ecological Science Center (EESC). Our goals are to align our scientific capabilities with the most pressing conservation and management challenges; establish an engaged workforce that fosters high relationship trust with employees, partners and the public.

Decision Science Support for SARS-CoV-2 Risk to North American Bats

Cluster of little brown bats in crevice outside a cave

The Eastern Ecological Science Center is working closely with federal, state, and tribal partners to help inform decisions that reduce the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission from humans to North American wildlife, including bats.

Read more

Endocrine Disrupting Compounds in the Chesapeake

Smallmouth Bass Underwater

Findings from US Geological Survey studies on sources, occurrence, effects and risk of contaminants throughout the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

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EESC Quick Links

Enjoy these quick links to the most requested information about EESC!

News

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Sound Waves Newsletter - November-December 2021

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Amateur and Professional Bird Watchers Collaborate for 80th Annual Winter Bird Survey at Patuxent Research Refuge

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BBL’s Fall Migration Station Wrap-up for the 2021 Season

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Publications

Highly pathogenic avian influenza is an emerging disease threat to wild birds in North America

Prior to the emergence of the A/goose/Guangdong/1/1996 (Gs/GD) H5N1 influenza A virus, the long-held and well-supported paradigm was that highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreaks were restricted to poultry, the result of cross-species transmission of precursor viruses from wild aquatic birds that subsequently gained pathogenicity in domestic birds. Therefore, management agencies typicall
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Ecosystems, Alaska Science Center, National Wildlife Health Center, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Eastern Ecological Science Center

Optimization of salt marsh management at the Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge, Maine, through use of structured decision making

Structured decision making is a systematic, transparent process for improving the quality of complex decisions by identifying measurable management objectives and feasible management actions; predicting the potential consequences of management actions relative to the stated objectives; and selecting a course of action that maximizes the total benefit achieved and balances tradeoffs among objective
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Ecosystems, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Eastern Ecological Science Center

Effects of stream intermittency on minnow (Leuciscidae) and darter (Percidae) trophic dynamics in an agricultural watershed

Stream intermittency is predicted to increase where water withdrawals and climate warming are increasing. In regions coupled with high fish diversity, understanding how intermittency influences fish trophic ecology is critical for informing ecosystem function. This study compared fish diets across seasons in perennial and intermittent streams to estimate the immediate and cumulative effects of str
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Ecosystems, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Eastern Ecological Science Center
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Science

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Endangered Rusty Patched Bumblebee (Bumbus affinis)

Native Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab

The USGS Native Bee Inventory and Monitoring Program designs and develops large and small scale surveys for native bees. As part of that program we also develop identification tools and keys for native bee species. One aspect of creating those tools is creating accurate and detailed pictures of native bees and the plants and insects they interact with.
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Ecosystems, Status and Trends Program, Wildlife Program, Eastern Ecological Science Center
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Native Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab

The USGS Native Bee Inventory and Monitoring Program designs and develops large and small scale surveys for native bees. As part of that program we also develop identification tools and keys for native bee species. One aspect of creating those tools is creating accurate and detailed pictures of native bees and the plants and insects they interact with.
Learn More
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USGS Research Hyrologist Neil Terry preparing for resistivity surveys in Northern Minnesota

Time marches on, but do factors driving instream habitat and biology remain consistent?

Issue: Stream ecosystems are affected by a complex set of interacting terrestrial and aquatic stressors. With many streams experiencing degraded conditions that often correspond with increased anthropogenic activities, an important outcome of the Chesapeake Bay Program is to improve stream health. The USGS is conducting research to better understand the complex factors affecting stream health...
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Chesapeake Bay Activities, Eastern Ecological Science Center
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Time marches on, but do factors driving instream habitat and biology remain consistent?

Issue: Stream ecosystems are affected by a complex set of interacting terrestrial and aquatic stressors. With many streams experiencing degraded conditions that often correspond with increased anthropogenic activities, an important outcome of the Chesapeake Bay Program is to improve stream health. The USGS is conducting research to better understand the complex factors affecting stream health...
Learn More
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Close up of hibernating bats in a Vermont cave

Decision Science Support for SARS-CoV-2 Risk to North American Bats

The Eastern Ecological Science Center is working closely with federal, state, and tribal partners to help inform decisions that reduce the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission from humans to North American wildlife, including bats.
By
Ecosystems, Wildlife Program, Eastern Ecological Science Center
link

Decision Science Support for SARS-CoV-2 Risk to North American Bats

The Eastern Ecological Science Center is working closely with federal, state, and tribal partners to help inform decisions that reduce the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission from humans to North American wildlife, including bats.
Learn More
View All