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The Seamless Integrated Geologic Mapping (SIGMa) extension to the Geologic Map Schema (GeMS) The Seamless Integrated Geologic Mapping (SIGMa) extension to the Geologic Map Schema (GeMS)

Geologic maps are the fundamental building blocks of surface and subsurface three-dimensional geologic framework models of the Earth’s crust. However, as the production and availability of geologic map databases continues to increase, inconsistent data models and the lack of synthesized, national geologic map data at scales appropriate for informed decision making negatively affect the...
Authors
Kenzie J. Turner, Jeremiah B. Workman, Joseph P. Colgan, Amy K. Gilmer, Margaret E. Berry, Samuel Johnstone, Kathleen F. Warrell, Marieke Dechesne, D. Paco VanSistine, Ren A. Thompson, Adam M. Hudson, Kristine L. Zellman, Donald S. Sweetkind, Chester A. Ruleman

Can we avert an Amazon tipping point? The economic and environmental costs Can we avert an Amazon tipping point? The economic and environmental costs

The Amazon biome is being pushed by unsustainable economic drivers towards an ecological tipping point where restoration to its previous state may no longer be possible. This degradation is the result of self-reinforcing interactions between deforestation, climate change and fire. We assess the economic, natural capital and ecosystem services impacts and trade-offs of scenarios...
Authors
Onil Banerjee, Martin Cicowiez, Marcia N. Macedo, Ziga Malek, Peter H. Verburg, Sean Goodwin, Renato Vargas, Ludmila Rattis, Kenneth J. Bagstad, Paulo M. Brando, Michael T. Coe, Christopher Neill, Octavio Damiani Marti, Josue Avila Murillo

Hydroclimate and fire paleorecords across the southern Rockies and Colorado Plateau over the common era Hydroclimate and fire paleorecords across the southern Rockies and Colorado Plateau over the common era

The southwestern US has been experiencing a severe drought and increased fire activity over the past two decades, affecting people’s health, homes, and businesses. Many individual fires occurring in the Southwest are the most severe in recorded history both in terms of dollars of damages as well as in fire extent. It is essential to be able to place the present drought and fires into the...
Authors
Natalie M. Kehrwald, Rebecca Lynn Brice

Geologic setting and geomorphic history of La Botica and surrounding area Geologic setting and geomorphic history of La Botica and surrounding area

La Botica is located on the gently east-dipping marginal area between the high San Juan Mountains to the west and the San Luis Basin to the east in south-central Colorado. The site is positioned on a topographic bench perched about 70 to 80 m above La Jara Creek (figure 2.1), a tributary to the Rio Grande. The unique floral assemblage at La Botica has resulted in intermittent occupation...
Authors
Kenzie J. Turner, Chester A. Ruleman, Shannon A. Mahan

GCPs free photogrammetry for estimating tree height and crown diameter in Arizona cypress plantation using UAV-Mounted GNSS RTK GCPs free photogrammetry for estimating tree height and crown diameter in Arizona cypress plantation using UAV-Mounted GNSS RTK

One of the main challenges of using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in forest data acquisition is the implementation of Ground Control Points (GCPs) as a mandatory step, which is sometimes impossible for inaccessible areas or within canopy closures. This study aimed to test the accuracy of a UAV-mounted GNSS RTK (real-time kinematic) system for calculating tree height and crown height...
Authors
Morteza Pourreza, Fardin Moradi, Mohammad Khosravi, Azade Deljouei, Melanie K. Vanderhoof

Geochemical evidence for diachronous uplift and synchronous collapse of the high elevation Variscan hinterland Geochemical evidence for diachronous uplift and synchronous collapse of the high elevation Variscan hinterland

Competing end-member models for the late Paleozoic Variscan orogeny (ca. 360-290 Ma) alternatively suggest moderate 2-3 km elevations underlain by relatively thin crust (
Authors
Ian William Hillenbrand, Michael L. Williams

Contemporary (1984–2020) fire history metrics for the conterminous United States and ecoregional differences by land ownership Contemporary (1984–2020) fire history metrics for the conterminous United States and ecoregional differences by land ownership

Background: Remotely sensed burned area products are critical to support fire modelling, policy, and management but often require further processing before use. Aim: We calculated fire history metrics from the Landsat Burned Area Product (1984–2020) across the conterminous U.S. (CONUS) including (1) fire frequency, (2) time since last burn (TSLB), (3) year of last burn, (4) longest fire...
Authors
Melanie K. Vanderhoof, Todd Hawbaker, Casey Teske, Joe Noble, Jim Smith

Geologic map of the Mount Blue Sky (formerly Mount Evans) quadrangle, Clear Creek and Park Counties, Colorado Geologic map of the Mount Blue Sky (formerly Mount Evans) quadrangle, Clear Creek and Park Counties, Colorado

The Mount Blue Sky (formerly Mount Evans) 7.5’ quadrangle lies in Park and Clear Creek counties, Colorado, about 60 km west of Denver. The highest elevation in the quadrangle is 14,265 ft (4,348 m) at the top of Mount Blue Sky. The lowest is at about 9,200 ft (2,804 m) on Guanella Pass Road at the southern edge of the quadrangle. Bedrock directly underlies most of the map area, with...
Authors
Logan Powell, Asha A. Mahatma, Yvette Kuiper, Chester A. Ruleman

A multiscale approach for monitoring groundwater discharge to headwater streams by the U.S. Geological Survey Next Generation Water Observing System Program—An example from the Neversink Reservoir watershed, New York A multiscale approach for monitoring groundwater discharge to headwater streams by the U.S. Geological Survey Next Generation Water Observing System Program—An example from the Neversink Reservoir watershed, New York

Groundwater-stream connectivity across mountain watersheds is critical for supporting streamflow during dry times and keeping streams cool during warm times, yet U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) stream measurements are often sparse in headwaters. Starting in 2019, the USGS Next Generation Water Observing System Program developed a multiscale methods and technology testbed approach to...
Authors
Martin A. Briggs, Christopher L. Gazoorian, Daniel H. Doctor, Douglas A. Burns

Tectonic subsidence modeling of diachronous transition from backarc to retroarc basin development and uplift during Cordilleran orogenesis, Patagonian-Fuegian Andes Tectonic subsidence modeling of diachronous transition from backarc to retroarc basin development and uplift during Cordilleran orogenesis, Patagonian-Fuegian Andes

Backstripped tectonic basin subsidence histories are critical for interpreting phases of lithospheric deformation and paleoenvironmental change from the stratigraphic record. This study presents new subsidence modeling of the Rocas Verdes Backarc Basin (RVB) and Magallanes-Austral retroarc foreland basin (MAB) of southernmost South America to evaluate along-strike changes in tectonic...
Authors
Rebecca A. VanderLeest, Julie C. Fosdick, Matthew A. Malkowski, Brian W. Romans, Matias C. Ghiglione, Theresa Maude Schwartz, Zachary T. Sickmann

Holocene paleohydrology from alpine lake sediment, Emerald Lake, Wasatch Plateau of central Utah, USA Holocene paleohydrology from alpine lake sediment, Emerald Lake, Wasatch Plateau of central Utah, USA

Holocene sediments at Emerald Lake in central Utah (3090 m asl) document the paleohydroclimatic history of the western Upper Colorado River headwater region. Multi-proxy analyses of sediment composition, mineralogy, and stable isotopes of carbonate (δ18O and δ13C) show changes in effective moisture for the past ca. 10,000 years at millennial to decadal timescales. Emerald Lake originated...
Authors
Lesleigh Anderson, Gary L. Skipp, Laura E. Strickland, Jeffrey S. Honke, Jeremy C. Havens, D. Paco Van Sistine

Seasonality of precipitation in the southwestern United States during the late Pleistocene inferred from stable isotopes in herbivore tooth enamel Seasonality of precipitation in the southwestern United States during the late Pleistocene inferred from stable isotopes in herbivore tooth enamel

The late Pleistocene was a climatically dynamic period, with abrupt shifts between cool-wet and warm-dry conditions. Increased effective precipitation supported large pluvial lakes and long-lived spring ecosystems in valleys and basins throughout the western and southwestern U.S., but the source and seasonality of the increased precipitation are debated. Increases in the proportions of...
Authors
Matthew J. Kohn, Kathleen B. Springer, Jeffrey S. Pigati, Linda Reynard, Amanda E. Drewicz, Justin Crevier, Eric Scott
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