Publications
Below is a list of available NOROCK peer reviewed and published science. If you are in search of a specific publication and cannot find it below or through a search, please contact twojtowicz@usgs.gov.
Filter Total Items: 1334
Beyond presence mapping: Predicting fractional cover of non-native vegetation in Sentinel-2 imagery using an ensemble of MaxEnt models Beyond presence mapping: Predicting fractional cover of non-native vegetation in Sentinel-2 imagery using an ensemble of MaxEnt models
Non-native species maps are important tools for understanding and managing biological invasions. We demonstrate a novel approach to extend presence modeling to map fractional cover (FC) of non-native yellow sweet clover Melilotus officinalis in the Northern Great Plains, USA. We used ensembles of MaxEnt models to map FC across landscapes from satellite imagery trained from regional...
Authors
Todd M. Preston, Aaron N. Johnston, Kyle Gregory Ebenhoch, Robert H. Diehl
Enhancements to population monitoring of Yellowstone grizzly bears Enhancements to population monitoring of Yellowstone grizzly bears
In the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, counts of female grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) with cubs-of-the-year (females with cubs) from systematic aerial surveys and opportunistic ground sightings are combined with demographic data to derive annual population estimates. We addressed 2 limitations to the monitoring approach. As part of a rule set, a conservative distance of >30 km currently is...
Authors
Frank T. van Manen, Michael Ebinger, Cecily M. Costello, Daniel D. Bjornlie, Justin Clapp, Daniel Thompson, Mark A. Haroldson, Kevin L. Frey, Curtis Hendricks, Jeremy M. Nicholson, Kerry A. Gunther, Katharine R. Wilmot, Hilary Cooley, Jennifer Fortin-Noreus, Pat Hnilicka, Daniel B. Tyers
Wind-energy development alters pronghorn migration at multiple scales Wind-energy development alters pronghorn migration at multiple scales
Migration is a critical behavioral strategy necessary for population persistence and ecosystem functioning, but migration routes have been increasingly disrupted by anthropogenic activities, including energy development. Wind energy is the world's fastest growing source of electricity and represents an important alternative to hydrocarbon extraction, but its effects on migratory species...
Authors
Megan C. Milligan, Aaron N. Johnston, Jeffery L. Beck, Kaitlyn L. Taylor, Embere Hall, Lee Knox, Teal Cufaude, Cody F. Wallace, Geneva W. Chong, Matthew J. Kauffman
Insects in high-elevation streams: Life in extreme environments imperiled by climate change Insects in high-elevation streams: Life in extreme environments imperiled by climate change
Climate change is altering conditions in high-elevation streams worldwide, with largely unknown effects on resident communities of aquatic insects. Here, we review the challenges of climate change for high-elevation aquatic insects and how they may respond, focusing on current gaps in knowledge. Understanding current effects and predicting future impacts will depend on progress in three...
Authors
Jackson H. Birrell, Alisha A. Shah, Scott Hotaling, J. Joseph Giersch, Craig E. Williamson, Dean Jacobsen, H. Arthur Woods
Cryptic declines of small, cold-water specialists highlight potential vulnerabilities of headwater streams as climate refugia Cryptic declines of small, cold-water specialists highlight potential vulnerabilities of headwater streams as climate refugia
Increasing temperatures and climate-driven disturbances like wildfire are a growing threat to many species, including cold-water specialists. Montane areas and cold streams are often considered climate refugia that buffer communities against change. However, climate refugia are often species-specific, and despite growing awareness that life histories and habitat requirements shape...
Authors
Blake R. Hossack, Michael LeMoine, Emily Oja, Lisa A Eby
Genetic architecture and evolution of color variation in American black bears Genetic architecture and evolution of color variation in American black bears
Color variation is a frequent evolutionary substrate for camouflage in small mammals, but the underlying genetics and evolutionary forces that drive color variation in natural populations of large mammals are mostly unexplained. The American black bear, Ursus americanus (U. americanus), exhibits a range of colors including the cinnamon morph, which has a similar color to the brown bear...
Authors
E. Puckett, I. S. Davis, D. C. Harper, K. Wakamatsu, G. Battu, J. L. Belant, D. E. Beyer, C. Carpenter, A. P. Crupi, M. Davidson, C. S. DePerno, N. Forman, N. L. Fowler, D. L. Garshelis, N. Gould, K. Gunther, Mark A. Haroldson, S. Ito, David. M Kocka, C. Lackey, R. Leahy, C. Lee-Roney, T. Lewis, A. Lutto, K. McGowan, C. Olfenbuttel, M. Orlando, A. Platt, M. D. Pollard, M. Ramaker, Heather Reich, Jaime L. Sajecki, S. K. Sell, J. Strules, S. Thompson, Frank T. van Manen, Craig Whitman, R. Williamson, F. Winslow, C. B. Kaelin, M. S. Marks, G. S. Barsh
Tooth wear and the apparent consumption of human foods among American black bears (Ursus americanus) in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, USA Tooth wear and the apparent consumption of human foods among American black bears (Ursus americanus) in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, USA
Stable isotope analyses of hair have been used to estimate the consumption of human foods by American black bears (Ursus americanus). Consumption of human foods influences body mass and reproductive success of bears. However, the underlying factors that cause some bears to become conflict bears and resort to consuming human foods as a portion of their diet are not fully understood. We...
Authors
Kent A. Hatch, Kimberly A. Kester, Amanda Loveless, Beverly L. Roeder, Frank T. van Manen
Assessing the seasonal evolution of snow depth spatial variability and scaling in complex mountain terrain Assessing the seasonal evolution of snow depth spatial variability and scaling in complex mountain terrain
Dynamic natural processes govern snow distribution in mountainous environments throughout the world. Interactions between these different processes create spatially variable patterns of snow depth across a landscape. Variations in accumulation and redistribution occur at a variety of spatial scales, which are well established for moderate mountain terrain. However, spatial patterns of...
Authors
Zachary Miller, Erich H. Peitzsch, Eric A. Sproles, Karl W. Birkeland, Ross T. Palomaki
Empirical evidence for effects of invasive American Bullfrogs on occurrence of native amphibians and emerging pathogens Empirical evidence for effects of invasive American Bullfrogs on occurrence of native amphibians and emerging pathogens
Invasive species and emerging infectious diseases are two of the greatest threats to biodiversity. American Bullfrogs (Rana [Lithobates] catesbeiana), which have been introduced to many parts of the world, are often linked with declines of native amphibians via predation and spreading emerging pathogens such as amphibian chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis [Bd]) and...
Authors
Blake R. Hossack, Emily B Oja, Audrey K Owens, David L. Hall, Cassidi Cobos, Catherine L. Crawford, Caren S. Goldberg, Shaula Hedwell, Paige E. Howell, Julio A. Lemos-Espinal, Susan K MacVean, Magnus McCaffery, Cody Mosley, Erin L. Muths, Brent H. Sigafus, Micahel J Sredl, James C. Rorabaugh
Historical Structure from Motion (HSfM): Automated processing of historical aerial photographs for long-term topographic change analysis Historical Structure from Motion (HSfM): Automated processing of historical aerial photographs for long-term topographic change analysis
Precisely measuring the Earth’s changing surface on decadal to centennial time scales is critical for many science and engineering applications, yet long-term records of quantitative landscape change are often temporally and geographically sparse. Archives of scanned historical aerial photographs provide an opportunity to augment these records with accurate elevation measurements that...
Authors
Friedrich Knuth, David Shean, Shashank Bhushan, Eli Schwat, Oleg Alexandrov, Christopher J. McNeil, Amaury Dehecq, Caitlyn Florentine, Shad O'Neel
Appendix K: Louisiana black bear post-delisting monitoring report Appendix K: Louisiana black bear post-delisting monitoring report
No abstract available.
Authors
Joseph D. Clark, Robert Greco, Monica Sikes
Understanding local adaptation to prepare populations for climate change Understanding local adaptation to prepare populations for climate change
Adaptation within species to local environments is widespread in nature. Better understanding this local adaptation is critical to conserving biodiversity. However, conservation practices can rely on species’ trait averages or can broadly assume homogeneity across the range to inform management. Recent methodological advances for studying local adaptation provide the opportunity to fine...
Authors
Mariah H. Meek, Erik A. Beever, Soraia Barbosa, Sarah W. Fitzpatrick, Nicholas K. Fletcher, Cinnamon S. Mittan-Moreau, Brendan N. Reid, Shane C. Campbell-Staton, Nancy Green, Jessica J. Hellmann