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Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Welcome to the Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center (UMESC). We are proud to be one of the leading research centers conducting ecological research to support the Department of the Interior's and other local, state and federal resource agencies management of natural resources, fish, and wildlife.

News

Inaugural USGS Wildlife Health Awareness Day - April 25, 2025

Inaugural USGS Wildlife Health Awareness Day - April 25, 2025

USGS deploys equipment to measure waves in Upper Mississippi River’s Pool 13

USGS deploys equipment to measure waves in Upper Mississippi River’s Pool 13

Hunter survey available for Green Bay and Lake Michigan

Hunter survey available for Green Bay and Lake Michigan

Publications

Additional common milkweed would help Canada meet its share of the trinational eastern migratory monarch butterfly recovery target

The eastern migratory monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) population has declined by ∼84% between 1993 and 2024. Population recovery in the Midwestern United States is limited by the availability of the monarch's main host plant for egg laying—common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca). The extent to which common milkweed availability is limiting in other breeding regions is unknown. Our...
Authors
Greg W. Mitchell, Patrick Kirby, Jason Duffe, Lenore Fahrig, Judith Girard, Mark K. Johnston, Maxim Larrivee, Amanda E. Martin, Iman Momeni-Dehaghi, Jon Pasher, Elizabeth Rezek, Elisabeth Shapiro, Wayne E. Thogmartin, Darren Pouliot

Managing for tomorrow—A climate adaptation decision framework

Climate change presents new and compounding challenges to natural resource management. With changing climate patterns, managers are confronted with difficult decisions on how to minimize climate effects on habitats, infrastructure, and wildlife populations. To support climate adaptation decision making, we first conceptualized an approach that integrates the principles of the resist...
Authors
Kristen L. Bouska, Joshua Booker, Suzi Clark, John Delaney, Josh Eash, Max Post van der Burg, Heidi Roop

Sediment nutrient dynamics in selected Milwaukee metropolitan area streams, Wisconsin, 2022

The U.S. Geological Survey and Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District in Wisconsin have an ongoing partnership to monitor water quality in streams in the Milwaukee metropolitan area and to assess the effects of stream restoration on habitat and water quality. Because sediment nutrient dynamics can improve or further impair water quality, we measured sediment nitrogen and phosphorus...
Authors
Rebecca M. Kreiling, Lynn A. Bartsch, Kenna J. Gierke, Patrik M. Perner, Faith A. Fitzpatrick, Hayley T. Olds

Science

Developing and evaluating a point-of-use environmental DNA test for rapid field detection of highly invasive brown treesnakes

New terrestrial environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling techniques are sensitive tools for early detection of the highly invasive brown treesnakes (BTS). In a new collaborative research effort involving four USGS science centers, scientists have initiated the development of an innovative point-of-use (POU) assay for BTS. POU assays are tests that can be run in the field with minimal equipment and no...
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Developing and evaluating a point-of-use environmental DNA test for rapid field detection of highly invasive brown treesnakes

New terrestrial environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling techniques are sensitive tools for early detection of the highly invasive brown treesnakes (BTS). In a new collaborative research effort involving four USGS science centers, scientists have initiated the development of an innovative point-of-use (POU) assay for BTS. POU assays are tests that can be run in the field with minimal equipment and no...
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Decoding Harmful Algal Blooms: Unraveling the Mystery

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are a significant environmental concern due to their potential effects on health, ecosystems, and economies. Algal toxins, which are toxic compounds produced by certain species of cyanobacteria and algae, are commonly linked to these blooms. It's important to note that algal toxins can still be present even when a bloom is not visible, highlighting the need for ongoing...
link

Decoding Harmful Algal Blooms: Unraveling the Mystery

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are a significant environmental concern due to their potential effects on health, ecosystems, and economies. Algal toxins, which are toxic compounds produced by certain species of cyanobacteria and algae, are commonly linked to these blooms. It's important to note that algal toxins can still be present even when a bloom is not visible, highlighting the need for ongoing...
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Evaluation of a BioAcoustic Fish Fence at Barkley Lock and Dam

Barkley Lock and Dam, on the Cumberland River near Grand Rivers, Kentucky, has been identified as a strategic pinch-point navigational dam for controlling invasive carps including bighead carp ( Hypophthalmichthys nobilis), silver carp ( H. molitrix), grass carp ( Ctenopharyngodon Idella), and black carp ( Mylopharyngodon piceus). Fish must pass through the Barkley lock chamber to get upstream of...
link

Evaluation of a BioAcoustic Fish Fence at Barkley Lock and Dam

Barkley Lock and Dam, on the Cumberland River near Grand Rivers, Kentucky, has been identified as a strategic pinch-point navigational dam for controlling invasive carps including bighead carp ( Hypophthalmichthys nobilis), silver carp ( H. molitrix), grass carp ( Ctenopharyngodon Idella), and black carp ( Mylopharyngodon piceus). Fish must pass through the Barkley lock chamber to get upstream of...
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