Publications
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: 3291
PESTools – A Python toolkit for processing PEST-related information PESTools – A Python toolkit for processing PEST-related information
PESTools is an open-source Python package for processing and visualizing information associated with the parameter estimation software PEST and PEST++. While PEST output can be reformatted for post- processing in spreadsheets or other menu-driven software packages, that approach can be error-prone and time-consuming. Managing information from highly parameterized models with thousands of
Authors
Evan Christianson, Andrew T. Leaf
Automated lidar-derived canopy height estimates for the Upper Mississippi River System Automated lidar-derived canopy height estimates for the Upper Mississippi River System
Land cover/land use (LCU) classifications serve as important decision support products for researchers and land managers. The LCU classifications produced by the U.S. Geological Survey’s Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center (UMESC) include canopy height estimates that are assigned through manual aerial photography interpretation techniques. In an effort to improve upon these...
Authors
Enrika Hlavacek
River chloride trends in snow-affected urban watersheds: increasing concentrations outpace urban growth rate and are common among all seasons River chloride trends in snow-affected urban watersheds: increasing concentrations outpace urban growth rate and are common among all seasons
Chloride concentrations in northern U.S. included in this study have increased substantially over time with average concentrations approximately doubling from 1990 to 2011, outpacing the rate of urbanization in the northern U.S. Historical data were examined for 30 monitoring sites on 19 streams that had chloride concentration and flow records of 18 to 49 years. Chloride concentrations...
Authors
Steven R. Corsi, Laura A. De Cicco, Michelle A. Lutz, Robert M. Hirsch
A stage-structured, spatially explicit migration model for Myotis bats: mortality location affects system dynamics A stage-structured, spatially explicit migration model for Myotis bats: mortality location affects system dynamics
Bats are ecologically and economically important species because they consume insects, transport nutrients, and pollinate flowers. Many species of bats, including those in the Myotis genus, are facing population decline and increased extinction risk. Despite these conservation concerns, few models exist for providing insight into the population dynamics of bats in a spatially explicit...
Authors
Richard A. Erickson, Wayne E. Thogmartin, Robin E. Russell, James E. Diffendorfer, Jennifer A. Szymanski
Geomorphological Fieldwork Geomorphological Fieldwork
Geomorphological Fieldwork addresses a topic that always remains popular within the geosciences and environmental science. More specifically, the volume conveys a growing legacy of field-based learning for young geomorphologists that can be used as a student book for field-based university courses and postgraduate research requiring fieldwork or field schools. The editors have much...
Authors
Mary J Thornbush, Casey D Allen, Faith A. Fitzpatrick
Relationships between land cover and dissolved organic matter change along the river to lake transition Relationships between land cover and dissolved organic matter change along the river to lake transition
Dissolved organic matter (DOM) influences the physical, chemical, and biological properties of aquatic ecosystems. We hypothesized that controls over spatial variation in DOM quantity and composition (measured with DOM optical properties) differ based on the source of DOM to aquatic ecosystems. DOM quantity and composition should be better predicted by land cover in aquatic habitats with
Authors
James H. Larson, Paul C. Frost, Marguerite A. Xenopoulos, Clayton J. Williams, Ana M. Morales-Williams, Jonathan M. Vallazza, J. C. Nelson, William B. Richardson
Characterizing phosphorus dynamics in tile-drained agricultural fieldsof eastern Wisconsin Characterizing phosphorus dynamics in tile-drained agricultural fieldsof eastern Wisconsin
Artificial subsurface drainage provides an avenue for the rapid transfer of phosphorus (P) from agricultural fields to surface waters. This is of particular interest in eastern Wisconsin, where there is a concentrated population of dairy farms and high clay content soils prone to macropore development. Through collaboration with private landowners, surface and tile drainage was measured...
Authors
Allison Madison, Matthew Ruark, Todd D. Stuntebeck, Matthew J. Komiskey, Laura W. Good, Nancy Drummy, Eric Cooley
Intrinsic variability in shell and soft tissue growth of the freshwater mussel Lampsilis siliquoidea Intrinsic variability in shell and soft tissue growth of the freshwater mussel Lampsilis siliquoidea
Freshwater mussels are ecologically and economically important members of many aquatic ecosystems, but are globally among the most imperiled taxa. Propagation techniques for mussels have been developed and used to boost declining and restore extirpated populations. Here we use a cohort of propagated mussels to estimate the intrinsic variability in size and growth rate of Lampsilis...
Authors
James H. Larson, Nathan L. Eckert, Michelle Bartsch
Persistence of DNA in carcasses, slime and avian feces may affect interpretation of environmental DNA data Persistence of DNA in carcasses, slime and avian feces may affect interpretation of environmental DNA data
The prevention of non-indigenous aquatic invasive species spreading into new areas is a goal of many resource managers. New techniques have been developed to survey for species that are difficult to capture with conventional gears that involve the detection of their DNA in water samples (eDNA). This technique is currently used to track the invasion of bigheaded carps (silver carp and...
Authors
Christopher M. Merkes, S. Grace McCalla, Nathan R. Jensen, Mark P. Gaikowski, Jon J. Amberg
From streets to streams: assessing the toxicity potential in urban sediment From streets to streams: assessing the toxicity potential in urban sediment
No abstract available.
Authors
William R. Selbig
Confocal microscopy as a useful approach to describe gill rakers of Asian species of carp and native filter-feeding fishes of the upper Mississippi River system Confocal microscopy as a useful approach to describe gill rakers of Asian species of carp and native filter-feeding fishes of the upper Mississippi River system
To better understand potential diet overlap among exotic Asian species of carp and native species of filter-feeding fishes of the upper Mississippi River system, microscopy was used to document morphological differences in the gill rakers. Analysing samples first with light microscopy and subsequently with confocal microscopy, the three-dimensional structure of gill rakers in...
Authors
Liza R. Walleser, D.R. Howard, Mark B. Sandheinrich, Mark P. Gaikowski, Jon J. Amberg
Pharmaceutical compounds in shallow groundwater in non-agricultural areas of Minnesota: study design, methods, and data, 2013 Pharmaceutical compounds in shallow groundwater in non-agricultural areas of Minnesota: study design, methods, and data, 2013
The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, completed a study on the occurrence of pharmaceutical compounds and other contaminants of emerging concern in shallow groundwater in non-agricultural areas of Minnesota during 2013. This report describes the study design and methods for the study on the occurrence of pharmaceuticals and other...
Authors
Sarah M. Elliott, Melinda L. Erickson