Publications
FORT scientists have produced more than 2000 peer reviewed publications that are registered in the USGS Publications Warehouse, along with many others prior to their work at the USGS or in conjunction with other government agencies.
Filter Total Items: 2402
U.S. Geological Survey Science for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative: 2012 annual report U.S. Geological Survey Science for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative: 2012 annual report
Southwest Wyoming contains abundant energy resources, wildlife, habitat, open spaces, and outdoor recreational opportunities. Although energy exploration and development have been taking place in the region since the late 1800s, the pace of development for fossil fuels and renewable energy increased significantly in the early 2000s. This and the associated urban and exurban development...
Authors
Zachary H. Bowen, Cameron L. Aldridge, Patrick J. Anderson, Timothy J. Assal, Carleton R. Bern, Laura Biewick, Gregory K. Boughton, Natasha B. Carr, Anna D. Chalfoun, Geneva W. Chong, Melanie L. Clark, Bradford C. Fedy, Katharine Foster, Steven L. Garman, Steve Germaine, Matthew G. Hethcoat, Collin G. Homer, Matthew J. Kauffman, Douglas Keinath, Natalie Latysh, Daniel J. Manier, Robert R. McDougal, Cynthia P. Melcher, Kirk A. Miller, Jessica Montag, Christopher J. Potter, Spencer Schell, Sarah L. Shafer, David B. Smith, Michael J. Sweat, Anna B. Wilson
The economics of roadside bear viewing The economics of roadside bear viewing
Viewing bears along roadside habitats is a popular recreational activity in certain national parks throughout the United States. However, safely managing visitors during traffic jams that result from this activity often requires the use of limited park resources. Using unique visitor survey data, this study quantifies economic values associated with roadside bear viewing in Yellowstone...
Authors
Leslie Richardson, Tatjana Rosen, Kerry Gunther, Chuck Schwartz
Roadside bear viewing opportunities in Yellowstone National Park: characteristics, trends, and influence of whitebark pine Roadside bear viewing opportunities in Yellowstone National Park: characteristics, trends, and influence of whitebark pine
Opportunities for viewing grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) and American black bears (U. americanus) from roadways in Yellowstone National Park (YNP) have increased in recent years. Unlike the panhandling bears common prior to the 1970s, current viewing usually involves bears feeding on natural foods. We define roadside bear viewing opportunities that cause traffic congestion as ‘‘bear-jams.’...
Authors
Mark A. Haroldson, Kerry Gunther
Collaborative socioeconomic tool development to address management and planning needs Collaborative socioeconomic tool development to address management and planning needs
Public lands and resources managed by the National Park Service (NPS) and other land management agencies provide a wide range of social and economic benefits to both nearby local communities and society as a whole, ranging from job creation, to access to unique recreational opportunities, to subsistence and tribal uses of the land. Over the years, there has been an increased need to...
Authors
Leslie A. Richardson, Christopher Huber, Catherine Cullinane Thomas, Elizabeth Donovan, Lynne M. Koontz
Review and bibliometric analysis of published literature citing data produced by the Gap Analysis Program (GAP) Review and bibliometric analysis of published literature citing data produced by the Gap Analysis Program (GAP)
The Gap Analysis Program (GAP) of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) produces geospatial datasets providing information on land cover, predicted species distributions, stewardship (ownership and conservation status), and an analysis dataset which synthesizes the other three datasets. The intent in providing these datasets is to support the conservation of biodiversity. The datasets are...
Authors
Joan M. Ratz, Shannon J. Conk
Landsat and water: case studies of the uses and benefits of landsat imagery in water resources Landsat and water: case studies of the uses and benefits of landsat imagery in water resources
The Landsat program has been collecting and archiving moderate resolution earth imagery since 1972. The number of Landsat users and uses has increased exponentially since the enactment of a free and open data policy in 2008, which made data available free of charge to all users. Benefits from the information Landsat data provides vary from improving environmental quality to protecting...
Authors
Larisa O. Serbina, Holly M. Miller
Selenium and mercury concentrations in harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) from central California: Health implications in an urbanized estuary Selenium and mercury concentrations in harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) from central California: Health implications in an urbanized estuary
We measured total selenium and total mercury concentrations ([TSe] and [THg]) in hair (n = 138) and blood (n = 73) of harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) from California to assess variation by geography and sex, and inferred feeding relationships based on carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur stable isotopes. Harbor seals from Hg-contaminated sites had significantly greater [THg], and lesser [TSe] and...
Authors
Elizabeth A. McHuron, James T. Harvey, J. Margaret Castellini, Craig A. Stricker, Todd M. O'Hara
Hierarchical spatial genetic structure in a distinct population segment of greater sage-grouse Hierarchical spatial genetic structure in a distinct population segment of greater sage-grouse
Greater sage-grouse ( Centrocercus urophasianus) within the Bi-State Management Zone (area along the border between Nevada and California) are geographically isolated on the southwestern edge of the species’ range. Previous research demonstrated that this population is genetically unique, with a high proportion of unique mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplotypes and with significant...
Authors
Sara J. Oyler-McCance, Michael L. Casazza, Jennifer A. Fike, Peter S. Coates
Estimating sample size for landscape-scale mark-recapture studies of North American migratory tree bats Estimating sample size for landscape-scale mark-recapture studies of North American migratory tree bats
Concern for migratory tree-roosting bats in North America has grown because of possible population declines from wind energy development. This concern has driven interest in estimating population-level changes. Mark-recapture methodology is one possible analytical framework for assessing bat population changes, but sample size requirements to produce reliable estimates have not been...
Authors
Laura E. Ellison, Paul M. Lukacs
The historical distribution of Gunnison Sage-Grouse in Colorado The historical distribution of Gunnison Sage-Grouse in Colorado
The historical distribution of Gunnison Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus minimus) in Colorado is described based on published literature, observations, museum specimens, and the known distribution of sagebrush (Artemisia spp.). Historically, Gunnison Sage-Grouse were widely but patchily distributed in up to 22 counties in south-central and southwestern Colorado. The historical distribution of...
Authors
Clait E. Braun, Sara J. Oyler-McCance, Jennifer A. Nehring, Michelle L. Commons, Jessica R. Young, Kim M. Potter
Continental-scale, seasonal movements of a heterothermic migratory tree bat Continental-scale, seasonal movements of a heterothermic migratory tree bat
Long-distance migration evolved independently in bats and unique migration behaviors are likely, but because of their cryptic lifestyles, many details remain unknown. North American hoary bats (Lasiurus cinereus cinereus) roost in trees year-round and probably migrate farther than any other bats, yet we still lack basic information about their migration patterns and wintering locations...
Authors
Paul M. Cryan, Craig A. Stricker, Michael B. Wunder
Associations of wintering birds with habitat in semidesert and plains grasslands in Arizona Associations of wintering birds with habitat in semidesert and plains grasslands in Arizona
We studied associations with winter habitat for seven species of birds, one species-group (eastern and western meadowlarks combined), and total sparrows at seven sites in the semidesert and plains grasslands of southeastern Arizona from 1999–2001, sampling with mist-nets and survey-transects. We measured structure and composition of vegetation, assessing vegetative differences among...
Authors
Janet M. Ruth, Thomas R. Stanley, Caleb E. Gordon