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: 2380
Grazing effects on aboveground primary production and root biomass of early-seral, mid-seral, and undisturbed semiarid grassland Grazing effects on aboveground primary production and root biomass of early-seral, mid-seral, and undisturbed semiarid grassland
Annual/perennial and tall/short plant species differentially dominate early to late successional shortgrass steppe communities. Plant species can have different ratios of above-/below-ground biomass distributions and this can be modified by precipitation and grazing. We compared grazing effects on aboveground production and root biomass in early- and mid-seral fields and undisturbed...
Authors
D.G. Milchunas, M.W. Vandever
Grazing effects on plant community succession of early- and mid-seral seeded grassland compared to shortgrass steppe Grazing effects on plant community succession of early- and mid-seral seeded grassland compared to shortgrass steppe
Questions: Grazing may speed or slow secondary succession, and the direction may depend on seral stage and relative tolerance of native perennial grasses compared with annual invasive species. How does grazing affect succession where undisturbed communities have a long evolutionary history of grazing by native herbivores and are tolerant to livestock grazing? Location: Shortgrass steppe...
Authors
Daniel G. Milchunas, Mark W. Vandever
Symposium 9: Rocky Mountain futures: preserving, utilizing, and sustaining Rocky Mountain ecosystems Symposium 9: Rocky Mountain futures: preserving, utilizing, and sustaining Rocky Mountain ecosystems
In 2002 we published Rocky Mountain Futures, an Ecological Perspective (Island Press) to examine the cumulative ecological effects of human activity in the Rocky Mountains. We concluded that multiple local activities concerning land use, hydrologic manipulation, and resource extraction have altered ecosystems, although there were examples where the “tyranny of small decisions” worked in...
Authors
Jill S. Baron, Timothy Seastedt, Daniel B. Fagre, Jeffrey A. Hicke, Diana Tomback, Elizabeth Garcia, Zachary H. Bowen, Jesse A. Logan
Fort Collins Science Center Ecosystem Dynamics branch--interdisciplinary research for addressing complex natural resource issues across landscapes and time Fort Collins Science Center Ecosystem Dynamics branch--interdisciplinary research for addressing complex natural resource issues across landscapes and time
The Ecosystem Dynamics Branch of the Fort Collins Science Center offers an interdisciplinary team of talented and creative scientists with expertise in biology, botany, ecology, geology, biogeochemistry, physical sciences, geographic information systems, and remote-sensing, for tackling complex questions about natural resources. As demand for natural resources increases, the issues...
Authors
Zachary H. Bowen, Cynthia P. Melcher, Juliette T. Wilson
Elevated CO2 does not offset greater water stress predicted under climate change for native and exotic riparian plants Elevated CO2 does not offset greater water stress predicted under climate change for native and exotic riparian plants
In semiarid western North American riparian ecosystems, increased drought and lower streamflows under climate change may reduce plant growth and recruitment, and favor drought‐tolerant exotic species over mesic native species. We tested whether elevated atmospheric CO2 might ameliorate these effects by improving plant water‐use efficiency.We examined the effects of CO2 and water...
Authors
Laura G. Perry, Patrick B. Shafroth, Dana M. Blumenthal, Jack A. Morgan, Daniel R. LeCain
Contraception can lead to trophic asynchrony between birth pulse and resources Contraception can lead to trophic asynchrony between birth pulse and resources
Abiotic inputs such as photoperiod and temperature can regulate reproductive cyclicity in many species. When humans perturb this process by intervening in reproductive cycles, the ecological consequences may be profound. Trophic mismatches between birth pulse and resources in wildlife species may cascade toward decreased survival and threaten the viability of small populations. We...
Authors
Jason I. Ransom, N. Thompson Hobbs, Jason Bruemmer
Assessing ongoing sources of dissolved-phase polychlorinated biphenyls in a contaminated stream Assessing ongoing sources of dissolved-phase polychlorinated biphenyls in a contaminated stream
Few studies assess the potential of ongoing sources of “fresh” polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) to aquatic systems when direct discharge to the environment has been eliminated. In the present study, the authors used single-layered, low-density polyethylene samplers (PEs) to measure total PCB concentrations, congener profiles, and enantiomeric fractions (EFs) in a contaminated stream and...
Authors
Viet D. Dang, David M. Walters, Cindy M. Lee
U.S. Geological Survey science for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative: 2011 annual report U.S. Geological Survey science for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative: 2011 annual report
This is the fourth report produced by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative (WLCI) to detail annual work activities. In FY2011, there were 37 ongoing, completed, or new projects conducted under the five major multi-disciplinary science and technical-assistance activities: (1) Baseline Synthesis, (2) Targeted Monitoring and Research, (3) Data...
Authors
Zachary H. Bowen, Cameron L. Aldridge, Patrick J. Anderson, Timothy J. Assal, Laura Biewick, Steven W. Blecker, Gregory K. Boughton, Natasha B. Carr, Anna D. Chalfoun, Geneva W. Chong, Melanie L. Clark, Jay E. Diffendorfer, Bradley C. Fedy, Katharine Foster, Steven L. Garman, Stephanie Germaine, Matthew G. Hethcoat, JoAnn Holloway, Collin G. Homer, Matthew J. Kauffman, Douglas Keinath, Natalie Latysh, Daniel J. Manier, Robert R. McDougal, Cynthia P. Melcher, Kirk A. Miller, Jessica Montag, Edward M. Olexa, Christopher J. Potter, Spencer Schell, Sarah L. Shafer, David B. Smith, Lisa L. Stillings, Michael J. Sweat, Michele L. Tuttle, Anna B. Wilson
A comparison of bats and rodents as reservoirs of zoonotic viruses: are bats special? A comparison of bats and rodents as reservoirs of zoonotic viruses: are bats special?
Bats are the natural reservoirs of a number of high-impact viral zoonoses. We present a quantitative analysis to address the hypothesis that bats are unique in their propensity to host zoonotic viruses based on a comparison with rodents, another important host order. We found that bats indeed host more zoonotic viruses per species than rodents, and we identified life-history and...
Authors
Angela D. Luis, David T.S. Hayman, Thomas J. O'Shea, Paul M. Cryan, Amy T. Gilbert, Juliet R.C. Pulliam, James N. Mills, Mary E. Timonin, Craig K. R. Willis, Andrew A. Cunningham, Anthony R. Fooks, Charles E. Rupprecht, James L.N. Wood, Colleen T. Webb
Modeling sediment accumulation in North American playa wetlands in response to climate change, 1940-2100 Modeling sediment accumulation in North American playa wetlands in response to climate change, 1940-2100
Playa wetlands on the west-central Great Plains of North America are vulnerable to sediment infilling from upland agriculture, putting at risk several important ecosystem services as well as essential habitats and food resources of diverse wetland-dependent biota. Climate predictions for this semi-arid area indicate reduced precipitation which may alter rates of erosion, runoff, and...
Authors
Lucy Burris, Susan K. Skagen
Vegetation classification and mapping, Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi Vegetation classification and mapping, Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi
Executive Summary The National Park Service (NPS) Gulf Coast Inventory and Monitoring Network, with the support of the National Park Service Vegetation Inventory completed vegetation classification and mapping for Vicksburg National Military Park (VICK), in Warren County, Mississippi, from 2004 to 2010. VICK is one of more than 250 NPS units to be covered by the Vegetation Inventory...
Authors
Chris Lea, Robert G. Waltermire, Carl Nordman
Factors influencing survival and mark retention in postmetamorphic boreal chorus frogs Factors influencing survival and mark retention in postmetamorphic boreal chorus frogs
The ability to track individual animals is crucial in many field studies and often requires applying marks to captured individuals. Toe clipping has historically been a standard marking method for wild amphibian populations, but more recent marking methods include visual implant elastomer and photo identification. Unfortunately, few studies have investigated the influence and...
Authors
Jennifer E. Swanson, Larissa L. Bailey, Erin L. Muths, W. Chris Funk