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
Paired stated preference methods for valuing management of white pine blister rust: order effects and outcome uncertainty Paired stated preference methods for valuing management of white pine blister rust: order effects and outcome uncertainty
The literature on nonmarket valuation includes many examples of stated and revealed preference comparisons. However, comparisons within stated preference methods are sparse. Specifically, the literature provides few examples of pairing both a discrete choice experiment (CE) and a contingent valuation (CV) question within a single survey. This paper presents results of a nonmarket...
Authors
James Meldrum, Patricia A. Champ, Craig A. Bond, Anna Schoettle
Fire history across forest types in the southern Beartooth Mountains, Wyoming Fire history across forest types in the southern Beartooth Mountains, Wyoming
Fire is a critical ecosystem process that has played a key role in shaping forests throughout the Beartooth Mountains in northwestern Wyoming. The highly variable topography of the area provides ideal conditions to compare fire regimes across contiguous forest types, yet pyro-dendrochronological research in this area is limited. We reconstructed fire frequency, tree age structure, and...
Authors
Sabrina R. Brown, Ashley Baysinger, Peter M. Brown, Justin L. Cheek, Jeffrey M. Diez, Christopher M. Gentry, Thomas A. Grant, Jeannine-Marie St-Jacques, David A. Jordan, Morgan L. Leef, Mary K. Rourke, James H. Speer, Carrie E. Spradlin, Jens Stevens, Jeffery R. Stone, Brian Van Winkle, Nickolas E. Zeibig-Kichas
Estimating detection probability for Burmese Pythons with few detections and zero recapture events Estimating detection probability for Burmese Pythons with few detections and zero recapture events
Detection has been a long-standing challenge to monitoring populations of cryptic herpetofauna, which often have detection probabilities that are closer to zero than one. Burmese Pythons (Python bivittatus =Python molurus bivittatus), a recent invader in the Greater Everglades Ecosystem of Florida, are cryptic snakes that have long periods of inactivity. In addition, management actions...
Authors
Melia G. Nafus, Frank J. Mazzotti, Robert Reed
The transformative impact of genomics on sage-grouse conservation and management The transformative impact of genomics on sage-grouse conservation and management
For over two decades, genetic studies have been used to assist in the conservation and management of both Greater Sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) and Gunnison Sage-grouse (C. minimus), addressing a wide variety of topics including taxonomy, parentage, population connectivity, and demography. The field of conservation genetics has been transformed by dramatic improvements in...
Authors
Sara J. Oyler-McCance, Kevin P Oh, Shawna J Zimmerman, Cameron L. Aldridge
Use of visual surveys and radiotelemetry reveals sources of detection bias for a cryptic snake at low densities Use of visual surveys and radiotelemetry reveals sources of detection bias for a cryptic snake at low densities
Transect surveys are frequently used to estimate distribution and abundance of species across a landscape, yet a proportion of individuals present will be missed because either they were out of view and unavailable for detection or they were available but not detected because the surveyors missed them. These situations lead to availability and perception bias, respectively, and can...
Authors
SM Boback, Melia G. Nafus, Amy A. Yackel Adams, Robert Reed
Co-occurence of Chiricahua leopard frogs (Lithobates chiricahuensis) with sunfish (Lepomis) Co-occurence of Chiricahua leopard frogs (Lithobates chiricahuensis) with sunfish (Lepomis)
Invasive species are a major threat to the persistence of native species, particularly in systems where ephemeral aquatic habitats have been replaced by permanent water and predators, such as fish, have been introduced. Within the Altar Valley, Arizona, the invasive American bullfrog, Lithobates catesbeianus (formerly Rana catesbeianus), has been successfully eradicated to help recover...
Authors
Paige E. Howell, Brent H. Sigafus, Blake R. Hossack, Erin L. Muths
Economic impacts of Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative Conservation projects in Wyoming Economic impacts of Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative Conservation projects in Wyoming
Executive Summary This report estimates the economic impacts on the Wyoming economy from investments made by the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative (WLCI) on conservation and restoration projects. The WLCI has been working in southwestern Wyoming since 2007 to coordinate science and management decisions among government and private entities that invest in conservation projects...
Authors
Christopher Huber, Matthew Flyr, Catherine Cullinane Thomas
Sustaining Environmental Capital Initiative summary report Sustaining Environmental Capital Initiative summary report
Federal agencies need credible scientific information to determine the production and value of ecosystem services in an efficient and timely manner. The U.S. Geological Survey addresses this scientific information need through the Sustaining Environmental Capital Initiative project. The project has relied on U.S. Geological Survey expertise related to water, fisheries, advanced modeling...
Authors
Christopher Huber, James Meldrum, Rudy Schuster, Zachary H. Ancona, Kenneth J. Bagstad, Scott M. Beck, Daren M. Carlisle, Peter R. Claggett, Fabiano Franco, Heather S. Galbraith, Michelle Haefele, Kristin R Hoelting, Dianna M. Hogan, Kristina G. Hopkins, Tim Kern, Collin B. Lawrence, Stacy Lischka, John B. Loomis, Julie M. Mueller, Gregory E. Noe, Emily Pindilli, Brian Quay, Darius J. Semmens, Wilson Sinclair, Daniel E. Spooner, Brian Voigt, Barabara St. John White
Juvenile Coho and Chinook salmon growth, size, and condition linked to watershed-scale salmon spawner abundance Juvenile Coho and Chinook salmon growth, size, and condition linked to watershed-scale salmon spawner abundance
Anadromous Pacific salmon Oncorhynchus spp. are semelparous, and resource subsidies from spawning adult salmon (marine-derived nutrients [MDN]) benefit juvenile salmonids while they rear in freshwater. However, it is unclear if juvenile salmon populations respond predictably to the abundance of spawning salmon at the watershed scale. To address whether hypothesized benefits to rearing...
Authors
Philip J. Joy, Craig A. Stricker, Renae Ivanoff, Shiao Y. Wang, Mark S. Wipfli, Andrew C. Seitz, Jiaqi Huang, Mathew B. Tyers
Identifying characteristics of actionable science for drought planning and adaptation: Final report to the North Central Climate Adaptation Science Center Identifying characteristics of actionable science for drought planning and adaptation: Final report to the North Central Climate Adaptation Science Center
Changing climate conditions can make water management planning and drought preparedness decisions more complicated than ever before. Resource managers can no longer rely solely on historical data and trends to base their actions, and are in need of science that is relevant to their specific needs and can directly inform important planning decisions. Questions remain, however, regarding...
Authors
Adam Wilke, Amanda E. Cravens
Economic effects of wildfire risk reduction and source water protection projects in the Rio Grande River Basin in northern New Mexico and southern Colorado Economic effects of wildfire risk reduction and source water protection projects in the Rio Grande River Basin in northern New Mexico and southern Colorado
Investments in landscape-scale restoration and fuels management projects can protect publicly managed trusts, enhance public health and safety, and help to preserve the many environmental goods and services enjoyed by the public. These investments can also support jobs and generate business sales activities within nearby local economies. This report investigates how investments made by...
Authors
Christopher Huber, Catherine Cullinane Thomas, James Meldrum, Rachel Meier, Steven Bassett