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: 1316
Improved conventional PCR assay for detecting Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae DNA in fish tissues Improved conventional PCR assay for detecting Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae DNA in fish tissues
Conventional PCR is an established method to detect Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonaeDNA in fish tissues and to confirm diagnosis of proliferative kidney disease (PKD) caused by T. bryosalmonae. However, the commonly used PKX5f‐6r primers were designed with the intention of obtaining sequence information and are suboptimal for determining parasite DNA presence. A new PCR assay to detect T
Authors
Patrick R. Hutchins, Adam J. Sepulveda, Renee M. Martin, Lacey R. Hopper
Book review: BILL SHIPLEY. Cause and correlation in biology: A user's guide to path analysis, structural equations and causal inference with R, 2nd ed. United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press. Book review: BILL SHIPLEY. Cause and correlation in biology: A user's guide to path analysis, structural equations and causal inference with R, 2nd ed. United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press.
No abstract available.
Authors
Kathryn M. Irvine
Improving geographically extensive acoustic survey designs for modeling species occurrence with imperfect detection and misidentification Improving geographically extensive acoustic survey designs for modeling species occurrence with imperfect detection and misidentification
Acoustic recording units (ARUs) enable geographically extensive surveys of sensitive and elusive species. However, a hidden cost of using ARU data for modeling species occupancy is that prohibitive amounts of human verification may be required to correct species identifications made from automated software. Bat acoustic studies exemplify this challenge because large volumes of...
Authors
Katharine M. Banner, Kathryn M. Irvine, Thomas J. Rodhouse, Wilson J. Wright, Rogelio M. Rodriguez, Andrea R. Litt
Adaptive population divergence and directional gene flow across steep elevational gradients in a climate‐sensitive mammal Adaptive population divergence and directional gene flow across steep elevational gradients in a climate‐sensitive mammal
The American pika is a thermally sensitive, alpine lagomorph species. Recent climate-associated population extirpations and genetic signatures of reduced population sizes range-wide indicate the viability of this species is sensitive to climate change. To test for potential adaptive responses to climate stress, we sampled pikas along two elevational gradients (each ~470 to 1640 m) and...
Authors
Matthew D. Waterhouse, Liesl P. Erb, Erik A. Beever, Michael A. Russello
Placing the Common Era in a Holocene context: Millennial to centennial patterns and trends in the hydroclimate of North America over the past 2000 years Placing the Common Era in a Holocene context: Millennial to centennial patterns and trends in the hydroclimate of North America over the past 2000 years
A synthesis of 93 hydrologic records from across North and Central America, and adjacent tropical and Arctic islands, reveals centennial to millennial trends in the regional hydroclimates of the Common Era (CE; past 2000 years). The hydrological records derive from materials stored in lakes, bogs, caves, and ice from extant glaciers, which have the continuity through time to preserve low...
Authors
Bryan Shuman, Cody C. Routson, Nicholas P. McKay, Sherilyn Fritz, Darrell S. Kaufman, Matthew Kirby, Connor Nolan, Gregory T. Pederson, Jeannine-Marie St. Jacques
Trout in hot water: A call for global action Trout in hot water: A call for global action
Trout are one of the most culturally, economically, and ecologically important taxonomic groups of freshwater fishes worldwide (1). Native to all continents in the Northern Hemisphere, trout are a taxonomically diverse group of fishes belonging to 7 genera (Oncorhynchus, Salvelinus, Salmo, Hucho, Parahucho, Brachymystax, and Salvethymus) distributed across 52 countries. These coldwater...
Authors
Clint C. Muhlfeld, Daniel C. Dauwalter, Ryan Kovach, Jeffrey L. Kershner, Jack E. Williams, John Epifanio
Examining speed versus selection in connectivity models using elk migration as an example Examining speed versus selection in connectivity models using elk migration as an example
Context Landscape resistance is vital to connectivity modeling and frequently derived from resource selection functions (RSFs). RSFs estimate relative probability of use and tend to focus on understanding habitat preferences during slow, routine animal movements (e.g., foraging). Dispersal and migration, however, can produce rarer, faster movements, in which case models of movement speed...
Authors
Angela Brennan, Ephraim M. Hanks, Jerod Merkle, Eric K. Cole, Sarah Dewey, Alyson B. Courtemanch, Paul C. Cross
U.S. Geological Survey science for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative—2016 annual report U.S. Geological Survey science for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative—2016 annual report
This is the ninth annual report highlighting U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) science and decision-support activities conducted for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative (WLCI). The activities address specific management needs identified by WLCI partner agencies. In fiscal year (FY) 2016, there were 26 active USGS WLCI science-based projects. Of these 26 projects, one project was...
Authors
Zachary H. Bowen, Ellen Aikens, Cameron L. Aldridge, Patrick J. Anderson, Timothy J. Assal, Anna D. Chalfoun, Geneva W. Chong, Cheryl A. Eddy-Miller, Steven L. Garman, Steve Germaine, Collin G. Homer, Aaron N. Johnston, Matthew J. Kauffman, Daniel J. Manier, Cynthia P. Melcher, Kirk A. Miller, Annika W. Walters, Jerrod D. Wheeler, Daniel J. Wieferich, Anna B. Wilson, Teal B. Wyckoff, Linda Zeigenfuss
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Water Resources Mission Area, Science Synthesis, Analysis, and Research Program, Land Management Research Program, Science Analytics and Synthesis (SAS), Species Management Research Program, Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center , Fort Collins Science Center, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center
Effects of brine contamination from energy development on wetland macroinvertebrate community structure in the Prairie Pothole Region Effects of brine contamination from energy development on wetland macroinvertebrate community structure in the Prairie Pothole Region
Wetlands in the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) of North America support macroinvertebrate communities that are integral to local food webs and important to breeding waterfowl. Macroinvertebrates in PPR wetlands are primarily generalists and well adapted to within and among year changes in water permanence and salinity. The Williston Basin, a major source of U.S. energy production...
Authors
Todd M. Preston, Michael J. Borgreen, Andrew M. Ray
Atmospheric and surface climate associated with 1986–2013 wildfires in North America Atmospheric and surface climate associated with 1986–2013 wildfires in North America
We analyze climate simulations conducted with the RegCM3 regional climate model on 50‐ and 15‐km model grids to diagnose the dependence of wildfire incidence and area burned variations on monthly climate long‐term means and anomalies over North America for the period 1986–2013. We created a new wildfire database by merging the Fire Program Analysis Fire‐Occurrence Database, the National
Authors
Steven W. Hostetler, Patrick J. Bartlein, Jay R. Alder
Genetic structure in Elk persists after translocation Genetic structure in Elk persists after translocation
Elk (Cervus canadensis) translocation success is thought to be facilitated by high post‐release herd cohesion and limited movements; both should ensure genetic mixing following release. Such mixing is important to reduce potential effects of inbreeding or genetic drift, which can be especially important in small founding populations. We had a natural experiment where we could evaluate...
Authors
Lisa I Muller, Jennifer L. Murrow, Jason L. Lupardus, Joseph D. Clark, Joseph G. Yarkovich, William H. Stiver, E. Kim Delozier, Brittany L. Slabach, John L. Cox, Bradley F. Miller
Status of the threatened Chiricahua Leopard Frog and conservation challenges in Sonora, Mexico, with notes on other ranid frogs and non-native predators Status of the threatened Chiricahua Leopard Frog and conservation challenges in Sonora, Mexico, with notes on other ranid frogs and non-native predators
In North America, ranid frogs (Ranidae) have experienced larger declines than any other amphibian family, particularly species native to the southwestern USA and adjacent Mexico; however, our knowledge of their conservation status and threats is limited in Mexico. We assessed the status of the federally listed as threatened (USA) Chiricahua Leopard Frog (Lithobates chiricahuensis) in...
Authors
James C. Rorabaugh, Blake R. Hossack, Erin L. Muths, Brent H. Sigafus, Julio A. Lemos-Espinal