Ecosystems
Ecosystems
Powell Center working groups rarely are just one USGS Mission Area and are sorted into these areas by the groups themselves. Projects may be relevant to additional areas.
Rapid butterfly declines across the United States during the 21st century
Rapid butterfly declines across the United States during the 21st century
Numerous declines have been documented across insect groups, and the potential consequences of insect losses are dire. Butterflies are the most surveyed insect taxa, yet analyses have been limited in geographic scale or rely on data from a single monitoring program. Using records of 12.6 million individual butterflies from >76,000 surveys across 35 monitoring programs, we
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Synthesizing methane fluxes, isotopes, and microbiomes to better understand the dynamics and consequences of permafrost thaw in a sensitive and strategic Arctic
This interdisciplinary working group will bring together leading experts in microbial ecology, biogeochemistry, isotope science, remote sensing, and ecosystem modeling to synthesize how Arctic ecosystems are responding to changes in microbial and landscape processes.
Towards an integrated multi-scale understanding of dryland plant traits with application to land management
This proposed project brings together scientists, federal agencies, and land managers to improve the monitoring and management of dryland ecosystems in the western United States.
A spatially explicit framework to assess the risk of aquatic contaminants to insectivorous birds
Aquatic contamination can reduce both the quantity and quality of nutritionally important aquatic insect prey and has been implicated in global declines of insectivorous birds. Yet hotspots of risk and the relative importance of quantity (that is, prey limitation) versus quality (that is, prey toxicity) remain poorly resolved across the landscape.
Effects of global change on alpine and subalpine ecosystems
Atmospheric nitrogen deposition, changing environmental patterns, and recreation are rapidly altering high elevation ecosystems. This project will evaluate long-term biogeochemical, hydrological, and ecological trends in Rocky Mountain National Park to understand the causes and rates of change in alpine and subalpine waters, soils, and vegetation. Resource managers of high-elevation, protected...
Critical zone as a mediator of hydroclimate-ecosystem asynchrony
Most regions across the continental United States are experiencing shifts in hydroclimate, such as snow transitioning to rain and changes in streamflow regimes, driven by rising air temperatures.
Identifying root causes of thiamine deficiency complex in global aquatic ecosystems
Thiamine deficiency complex (TDC) is considered one of the top threats to global wildlife, yet we have a poor understanding of the drivers or extent of TDC or the reason(s) why it appears to be increasing in frequency.
Quantifying the drivers of ecological stability
The accelerating impact of climate-driven perturbations have led to unprecedented levels of mass-mortality events worldwide. Given the impacts that these events could have on ecological function and the provisioning of ecosystem services, understanding the mechanisms underpinning ecological stability is among the most urgent conservation challenges of our time.
Beyond waves and shifting sand: considering ecosystem processes in forecasts of coastal landscape change
Sea-level rise and storms cause major changes on coastal landscapes, including shifts in elevation, ecosystem type (for example, dunes and tidal wetlands), soils, and plant communities. Because these changes can have impacts on human communities, the local economy, and ecosystems, understanding how, when, and why these changes occur can be important for informing policy and natural...
Renewable Resilience: City-Scale Geothermal Energy Everywhere
Despite the proven efficacy of geothermal energy as a city-scale heating and cooling resource, the relative newness of most city-scale applications using diverse technologies has resulted in limited widespread adoption. We aim to develop authoritative information suitable for city-managers and other decision-makers. Geothermal resources are ubiquitous and diverse, with technologies...
Synthesizing patterns and drivers of changes in lake zooplankton community dynamics worldwide
Despite the critical services freshwater systems provide, freshwater communities have been vastly under-studied compared to terrestrial and marine biomes. In fact, systematic compilations of freshwater zooplankton are surprisingly rare despite the critical roles zooplankton play in regulating and supporting ecosystem services, serving as key indicator species, and consequently...
Towards an Integrated Understanding of Terrestrial Evapotranspiration
Terrestrial evapotranspiration (ET), the second-largest component of the terrestrial water cycle, links water, energy, and carbon cycles and influences the productivity and health of our ecosystems. Despite the importance of ET, the dynamics of ET across a spectrum of spatiotemporal scale and their controls are uncertain. During an international ET workshop held in November 2021 by...
Using a network of networks for high-frequency multi-depth soil moisture observations to infer spatial and temporal drivers of subsurface preferential flow
Subsurface preferential flow (PF = water bypassing the soil matrix) provides rapid flowpaths for water and any substances transported with it, thereby profoundly impacting the recharge of aquifers, the spreading of contaminants, the health of the soil, and the functioning of ecosystems. It involves a complexity of processes that are poorly understood to the degree that current science...