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Browse more than 150,000 publications authored by our scientists over the past 100+ year history of the USGS.  Publications available are: USGS-authored journal articles, series reports, book chapters, other government publications, and more.

Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center Publications

Filter Total Items: 3204

Assessment of three methods to evaluate the distribution of submersed aquatic vegetation in western Lake Erie

Submersed aquatic vegetation (SAV) plays an important role in ecosystems. Inventories of SAV spatial distribution and composition are important for monitoring changes in SAV. In this study, we compared three common SAV sampling methods to quantify SAV in western Lake Erie. Aerial imagery of near-shore areas in western Lake Erie was classified using object-based image analysis (OBIA) and evaluated
Authors
Nicole R. King, Jenny L. Hanson, Travis J. Harrison, Patrick M. Kocovsky, Christine M. Mayer

22 years of aquatic plant spatiotemporal dynamics in the upper Mississippi River

Macrophyte (aquatic plant) recovery has occurred in rivers worldwide, but assemblage patterns and habitat requirements are generally not well understood. We examined patterns of species composition and macrophyte abundance in the Upper Mississippi River (UMR), spanning 22 years of monitoring and a period of vegetation recovery. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) ordination revealed a gradi
Authors
Alicia Carhart, Jason J. Rohweder, Danelle M. Larson

Diverse portfolios: Investing in tributaries for restoration of large river fishes in the Anthropocene

Rehabilitation of large Anthropocene rivers requires engagement of diverse stakeholders across a broad range of sociopolitical boundaries. Competing objectives often constrain options for ecological restoration of large rivers whereas fewer competing objectives may exist in a subset of tributaries. Further, tributaries contribute toward building a “portfolio” of river ecosystem assets through phys
Authors
Kristen L. Bouska, Brian Daniel Healy, Michael James Moore, Corey Garland Dunn, Jonathan J Spurgeon, Craig Paukert

Further bacteriological analysis of annual Pheasantshell (Actinonaias pectorosa) mussel mortality events in the Clinch River (Virginia/Tennessee), USA, reveals a consistent association with Yokenella Regensburgei

Pheasantshell (Actinonaias pectorosa) mussels in the Clinch River (Tennessee/Virginia, USA) have declined dramatically in recent years. The bacterium Yokenella regensburgei was first isolated with high prevalence from Pheasantshells during the peak of a 2017 mortality event, but it was not identified after mortality subsided a few months later. Since 2017, Pheasantshell mortality in the Clinch Riv
Authors
Eric Leis, Sara Dziki, Jordan Richard, Rose Agbalog, Diane L. Waller, Joel G. Putnam, Susan Knowles, Tony Goldberg

Aquatic vegetation types identified during early and late phases of vegetation recovery in the Upper Mississippi River

Assemblage patterns and processes of aquatic vegetation in most large floodplain rivers are not well understood, particularly after plant recovery. Identifying vegetation types, which are recurring plant groupings based on species composition, diversity, and abundances, can describe plant assembly patterns and environmental drivers that aid conservation planning and management. We used a 22-year d
Authors
Danelle M. Larson, Alicia Carhart, Eric Lund

An assessment of the relation between metal contaminated sediment and freshwater mussel populations in the Big River, Missouri

The Big River in southeast Missouri drains the largest historical lead mining area in the United States. Ongoing releases of metal contaminated sediments into this river are well documented and are suspected of suppressing freshwater mussel populations. We characterized the spatial extent of metal contaminated sediments and evaluated its relationship with mussel populations in the Big River. Musse
Authors
Andrew D Roberts, John M. Besser, Josh Hundley, Dave Mosby, Amanda E. Rosenberger, Kristen L. Bouska, Bryan Simmons, Stephen E. McMurray, Scott Faiman, Leslie Lueckenhoff

Assembly methods for an external acoustic transmitter attachment device for fish telemetry studies

The purpose of this report is to describe the assembly methods for an external acoustic transmitter attachment device that can be used during fish telemetry studies. External attachment is a simple procedure that can limit handling and reduce recovery times on fish. This report provides step-by-step directions to assemble devices; this assembly method can be used for telemetry studies where extern
Authors
Justin R. Smerud, Kim T. Fredricks, Mark P. Gaikowski, Aaron R. Cupp

Efficacy of florfenicol and oxytetracycline administered in feed to control cisco mortality associated with Aeromonas salmonicida infections

Two medications (one with florfenicol and one with oxytetracycline) that are approved in the United States to control mortality due to furunculosis associated with Aeromonas salmonicida were assessed to determine their efficacy in medicated feeds to treat A. salmonicida-infected Cisco (also known as Lake Herring) Coregonus artedi. Cisco were subjected to static infection baths containing A. salmon
Authors
Aaron R. Cupp, Maren T. Tuttle-Lau, Eric Leis, Samantha Lea Wolfe, Justin Smerud, John W. Oliver, Richard A. Erickson, Austin Hannah, Aaron Johnson, Rachel Grace Nelson, Isaac Standish, Joel Wils, Mark P. Gaikowski

Dissolved organic matter transformations in a freshwater rivermouth

River-to-lake transitional areas are biogeochemically active ecosystems that can alter the amount and composition of dissolved organic matter (DOM) as it moves through the aquatic continuum. However, few studies have directly measured carbon processing and assessed the carbon budget of freshwater rivermouths. We compiled measurements of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and DOM in several water colum
Authors
Nolan J.T. Pearce, James H. Larson, Mary Anne Evans, Sean Bailey, Paul C. Frost, William F. James, Marguerite A. Xenopoulos

Simulation of monthly mean and monthly base flow of streamflow using random forests for the Mississippi River Alluvial Plain, 1901 to 2018

Improved simulations of streamflow and base flow for selected sites within and adjacent to the Mississippi River Alluvial Plain area are important for modeling groundwater flow because surface-water flows have a substantial effect on groundwater levels. One method for simulating streamflow and base flow, random forest (RF) models, was developed from the data at gaged sites and, in turn, was used t
Authors
Benjamin J. Dietsch, William H. Asquith, Brian K. Breaker, Stephen M. Westenbroek, Wade H. Kress

Laboratory and field comparisons of TFM bar formulations used to treat small streams for larval sea lamprey

A solid formulation of the pesticide TFM (4-nitro-3-(trifluoromethyl)-phenol) was developed in the 1980s for application in small tributaries during treatments to control invasive sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus Linnaeus, 1758). Several initial inert ingredients were discontinued and substituted, culminating with an interim formulation that unacceptably softens and rapidly decays in warm condition
Authors
James A. Luoma, Justin Schueller, Nicholas A. Schloesser, Todd Johnson, Courtney A Kirkeeng

Data summary report: Unregulated contaminants monitoring project

The Drinking Water Protection Section of the Minnesota Department of Health conducted reconnaissance monitoring of selected public water systems in Minnesota. Funding was obtained primarily from the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund. Sampling was conducted in 2019 and 2021. Laboratory analysis of samples was conducted for a variety of different contaminants of emerging concern (CECs), i
Authors
Jane de Lambert, Alycia Overbo, Steve Robertson, Sarah M. Elliott