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: 2379
Status of greater sage-grouse in the Bi-State Distinct Population Segment—An evaluation of population trends, habitat selection, and efficacy of conservation actions Status of greater sage-grouse in the Bi-State Distinct Population Segment—An evaluation of population trends, habitat selection, and efficacy of conservation actions
Preface This study was completed to provide timely scientific information regarding greater sage-grouse population trends, habitat selection, and the efficacy of previous conservation actions implemented to benefit the Bi-State Distinct Population Segment (DPS). Specifically, we provide these analyses to inform the current (2024) status review and pending listing decision for the DPS...
Authors
Peter S. Coates, Megan C. Milligan, Brian G. Prochazka, Brianne E. Brussee, Shawn T. O’Neil, Carl G. Lundblad, Sarah C. Webster, Cali L. Weise, Steven R. Mathews, Michael P. Chenaille, Cameron L. Aldridge, Michael S. O’Donnell, Shawn P. Espinosa, Amy C. Sturgill, Kevin E. Doherty, John C. Tull, Katherine Miller, Lief A. Wiechman, Steve Abele, John Boone, Heather Stone, Michael L. Casazza
Evolutionary ecology of masting: Mechanisms, models, and climate change Evolutionary ecology of masting: Mechanisms, models, and climate change
Many perennial plants show mast seeding, characterized by synchronous and highly variable reproduction across years. We propose a general model of masting, integrating proximate factors (environmental variation, weather cues, and resource budgets) with ultimate drivers (predator satiation and pollination efficiency). This general model shows how the relationships between masting and...
Authors
Michal Bogdziewicz, Dave Kelly, Davide Ascoli, Thomas Caignard, Francesco Chianucci, Elizabeth E. Crone, Emilie Fleurot, Jessie Foest, Georg Gratzer, Tomika Hagiwara, Qingmin Han, Valentin Journe, Lea Keurinck, Katarzyna Kondrat, Ryan McClory, Jalene M. LaMontagne, Ignacio A. Mundo, Anita Nussbaumer, Iris Oberklammer, Misuzu Ohno, Ian Pearse, Mario B. Pesendorfer, Giulia Resente, Akiko Satake, Mitsue Shibata, Rebecca Snell, Jakub Szymkowiak, Laura Touzot, Rafal Zwolak, Magdalena Zywiec, Andrew Hacket-Pain
Bird community response to one decade of riparian restoration along the Colorado River delta in Mexico Bird community response to one decade of riparian restoration along the Colorado River delta in Mexico
We assessed the response of breeding birds to one decade of riparian restoration in the Colorado River delta including active vegetation management since 2010 and various environmental water deliveries since 2014. Bird surveys were conducted from 2002 to 2021 at 230 bird count stations distributed along five river reaches with different hydrogeomorphic characteristics, across 7 routes in...
Authors
Eduardo Gonzalez-Sargas, Timothy D Meehan, Osvel Hinojosa-Huerta, Steffany Villagomez-Palma, Alejandra Calvo-Fonseca, Christopher Dodge, Martha Gomez-Sapiens, Patrick B. Shafroth
Valuing wildlife sightings at the species-wide and individual animal levels: An approach and application to bear viewing in Yellowstone National Park Valuing wildlife sightings at the species-wide and individual animal levels: An approach and application to bear viewing in Yellowstone National Park
Wildlife viewing is a popular recreation activity in parks and protected areas around the world, yet information on the nonmarket value that visitors derive from viewing specific species, and how that value is affected by small-scale population changes, is lacking. We devised an approach to fill the gap. First, we applied the travel cost method to obtain the value of a wildlife viewing...
Authors
Leslie Richardson, Aaron Joey Enriquez
Avian communities respond to plant and landscape composition in actively revegetated floodplains of the Colorado River delta in Mexico Avian communities respond to plant and landscape composition in actively revegetated floodplains of the Colorado River delta in Mexico
We examined the influence of local habitat factors such as plant community composition and species cover, and landscape habitat factors (e.g., land cover types) on the composition of the avian community in an arid-region large river delta (Colorado River). This 106 river km-long study area has experienced restoration through environmental water deliveries and active management of...
Authors
Eduardo Gonzalez-Sargas, Martha Gomez-Sapiens, Osvel Hinojosa-Huera, Steffany Villagomez-Palma, Alejandra Calvo-Fonseca, Joanna Grand, Timothy D. Meehan, Christopher Dodge, Pamela L. Nagler, Carlos Restrepo-Giraldo, Carlos Nieblas, Angela Melendez, Roberto Real Rangel, Patrick B. Shafroth
A genomic hotspot of diversifying selection and structural change in the hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus) A genomic hotspot of diversifying selection and structural change in the hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus)
Background Previous work found that numerous genes positively selected within the hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus) lineage are physically clustered in regions of conserved synteny. Here I further validate and expand on those finding utilizing an updated L. cinereus genome assembly and additional bat species as well as other tetrapod outgroups.Methods A chromosome-level assembly was...
Authors
Robert S. Cornman
Effects of telemetry collars on two free-roaming feral equid species Effects of telemetry collars on two free-roaming feral equid species
There are two species of free-roaming feral equids in North America: horses (Equus caballus) and donkeys or “burros” (E. asinus). Both species were introduced as domestic animals to North America in the early 1500s and currently inhabit rangelands across the western United States, Canada, and all continents except Antarctica. Despite their global distribution, little is known about their...
Authors
Kathryn A. Schoenecker, Sarah King, Jacob D. Hennig, Mary C. Cole, J. Derek Scasta, Jeffrey L. Beck
Best practices for genetic and genomic data archiving Best practices for genetic and genomic data archiving
Genetic and genomic data are collected for a vast array of scientific and applied purposes. Despite mandates for public archiving, data are typically used only by the generating authors. The reuse of genetic and genomic datasets remains uncommon because it is difficult, if not impossible, due to non-standard archiving practices and lack of contextual metadata. But as the new field of...
Authors
Deborah M. Leigh, Amy G. Vandergast, Margaret Hunter, Eric D. Crandall, W. Chris Funk, Colin J Garroway, Sean M. Hoban, Sara J. Oyler-McCance, Christian Rellstab, Gernot Segelbacher, Chloe Schmidt, Ella Vazquez-Dominguez, Ivan Paz-Vinas
Quantifying intraspecific variation in host resistance ad tolerance to a lethal pathogen Quantifying intraspecific variation in host resistance ad tolerance to a lethal pathogen
Testing for intraspecific variation for host tolerance or resistance in wild populations is important for informing conservation decisions about captive breeding, translocation, and disease treatment. Here, we test the importance of tolerance and resistance in multiple populations of boreal toads (Anaxyrus boreas boreas) against Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), the amphibian fungal...
Authors
B. Hardy, Erin L. Muths, W. C. Funk, L. L. Bailey
Accuracy, accessibility, and institutional capacity shape the utility of habitat models for managing and conserving rare plants on western public lands Accuracy, accessibility, and institutional capacity shape the utility of habitat models for managing and conserving rare plants on western public lands
Public lands are often managed for multiple uses ranging from energy development to rare plant conservation. Habitat models can help land managers assess and mitigate potential effects of projects on rare plants, but it is unclear how models are currently being used. Our goal was to better understand how staff in the Bureau of Land Management currently use habitat models to inform their...
Authors
Ella M. Samuel, Jennifer K. Meineke, Laine E. McCall, Lea B. Selby, Alison C. Foster, Zoe M. Davidson, Carol A. Dawson, Catherine S. Jarnevich, Sarah K. Carter
Living with wildfire in Stemilt Basin, Chelan County, Washington: 2022 Data report Living with wildfire in Stemilt Basin, Chelan County, Washington: 2022 Data report
Homeowner wildfire risk mitigation and preparedness are important components of community wildfire readiness. This report presents data collected via rapid wildfire risk assessments to describe the parcel-level wildfire risk of properties within the Stemilt basin, Chelan County, Washington study area. The report also describes household survey data collected from homeowners in the study...
Authors
Julia Goolsby, Patricia A. Champ, Suzanne Wittenbrink, Colleen Donovan, Hilary Heard, Hannah Brenkert-Smith, James Meldrum, Christopher M. Barth, Carolyn Wagner, Chiara Forrester
Assessing bridges, culverts, and tunnels for bat presence and use Assessing bridges, culverts, and tunnels for bat presence and use
No abstract available.
Authors
Andrea Nichole Schuhmann, Bethany Straw, Frank Tousley, Haley Price, Katrina M. Morris, Laci Pattavina, Robin McWilliams, Brian Reichert