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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: 3332

Formation of nanocolloidal metacinnabar in mercury-DOM-sulfide systems Formation of nanocolloidal metacinnabar in mercury-DOM-sulfide systems

Direct determination of mercury (Hg) speciation in sulfide-containing environments is confounded by low mercury concentrations and poor analytical sensitivity. Here we report the results of experiments designed to assess mercury speciation at environmentally relevant ratios of mercury to dissolved organic matter (DOM) (i.e.,
Authors
Chase A. Gerbig, Christopher S. Kim, John P. Stegemeier, Joseph N. Ryan, George R. Aiken

Occurrence and fate of the herbicide glyphosate and its degradate aminomethylphosphonic acid in the atmosphere Occurrence and fate of the herbicide glyphosate and its degradate aminomethylphosphonic acid in the atmosphere

This is the first report on the ambient levels of glyphosate, the most widely used herbicide in the United States, and its major degradation product, aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), in air and rain. Concurrent, weekly integrated air particle and rain samples were collected during two growing seasons in agricultural areas in Mississippi and Iowa. Rain was also collected in Indiana in a...
Authors
Feng-Chih Chang, M.F. Simcik, P. D. Capel

Characterizing climate-change impacts on the 1.5-yr flood flow in selected basins across the United States: a probabilistic approach Characterizing climate-change impacts on the 1.5-yr flood flow in selected basins across the United States: a probabilistic approach

The U.S. Geological Survey Precipitation-Runoff Modeling System (PRMS) model was applied to basins in 14 different hydroclimatic regions to determine the sensitivity and variability of the freshwater resources of the United States in the face of current climate-change projections. Rather than attempting to choose a most likely scenario from the results of the Intergovernmental Panel on...
Authors
John F. Walker, Lauren E. Hay, Steven L. Markstrom, Michael D. Dettinger

Summer nitrate uptake and denitrification in an upper Mississippi River backwater lake: The role of rooted aquatic vegetation Summer nitrate uptake and denitrification in an upper Mississippi River backwater lake: The role of rooted aquatic vegetation

In-stream nitrogen processing in the Mississippi River has been suggested as one mechanism to reduce coastal eutrophication in the Gulf of Mexico. Aquatic macrophytes in river channels and flood plain lakes have the potential to temporarily remove large quantities of nitrogen through assimilation both by themselves and by the attached epiphyton. In addition, rooted macrophytes act as...
Authors
Rebecca Kreiling, William B. Richardson, J.C. Cavanaugh, Lynn Bartsch

Swallows as a sentinel species for contaminant exposure and effect studies Swallows as a sentinel species for contaminant exposure and effect studies

Tree swallows are an important model species to study the effects of contaminants in wild bird populations and have been used extensively in studies across North America. The advantages of swallows compared to other avian species are detailed. Three case histories are provided where swallows have been successfully used in Natural Resource Damage and Ecological Risk Assessments. The final...
Authors
Christine M. Custer

The evaluation of a rake method to quantify submersed vegetation in the Upper Mississippi River The evaluation of a rake method to quantify submersed vegetation in the Upper Mississippi River

A long-handled, double-headed garden rake was used to collect submersed aquatic vegetation (SAV) and compared to in-boat visual inspection to record species presence at 67 individual sites. Six rake subsamples were taken at each site and a rake density rating was given to each species collected in the subsamples. Presence at the site, frequency of occurrence in the six rake samples, and...
Authors
Yao Yin, Rebecca M. Kreiling

Response in the trophic state of stratified lakes to changes in hydrology and water level: potential effects of climate change Response in the trophic state of stratified lakes to changes in hydrology and water level: potential effects of climate change

To determine how climate-induced changes in hydrology and water level may affect the trophic state (productivity) of stratified lakes, two relatively pristine dimictic temperate lakes in Wisconsin, USA, were examined. Both are closed-basin lakes that experience changes in water level and degradation in water quality during periods of high water. One, a seepage lake with no inlets or...
Authors
Dale M. Robertson, William J. Rose

Mercury export from the Yukon River Basin and potential response to a changing climate Mercury export from the Yukon River Basin and potential response to a changing climate

We measured mercury (Hg) concentrations and calculated export and yield from the Yukon River Basin (YRB) to quantify Hg flux from a large, permafrost-dominated, high-latitude watershed. Exports of Hg averaged 4400 kg Hg yr–1. The average annual yield for the YRB during the study period was 5.17 μg m–2 yr–1, which is 3–32 times more than Hg yields reported for 8 other major northern...
Authors
P. F. Schuster, Robert G. Striegl, G. R. Aiken, David P. Krabbenhoft, J. F. Dewild, K. Butler, B. Kamark, M. Dornblaser

Pathogenic bacteria and microbial-source tracking markers in Brandywine Creek Basin, Pennsylvania and Delaware, 2009-10 Pathogenic bacteria and microbial-source tracking markers in Brandywine Creek Basin, Pennsylvania and Delaware, 2009-10

The City of Wilmington, Delaware, is in the downstream part of the Brandywine Creek Basin, on the main stem of Brandywine Creek. Wilmington uses this stream, which drains a mixed-land-use area upstream, for its main drinking-water supply. Because the stream is used for drinking water, Wilmington is in need of information about the occurrence and distribution of specific fecally derived...
Authors
Joseph W. Duris, Andrew G. Reif, Leif E. Olson, Heather E. Johnson

An evaluation of the Bayesian approach to fitting the N-mixture model for use with pseudo-replicated count data An evaluation of the Bayesian approach to fitting the N-mixture model for use with pseudo-replicated count data

The N-mixture model proposed by Royle in 2004 may be used to approximate the abundance and detection probability of animal species in a given region. In 2006, Royle and Dorazio discussed the advantages of using a Bayesian approach in modelling animal abundance and occurrence using a hierarchical N-mixture model. N-mixture models assume replication on sampling sites, an assumption that...
Authors
S.G. Toribo, B. R. Gray, S. Liang

Mercury export from the Yukon River Basin and potential response to a changing climate Mercury export from the Yukon River Basin and potential response to a changing climate

We measured mercury (Hg) concentrations and calculated export and yield from the Yukon River Basin (YRB) to quantify Hg flux from a large, permafrost-dominated, high-latitude watershed. Exports of Hg averaged 4400 kg Hg yr-1. The average annual yield for the YRB during the study period was 5.17 μg m-2 yr-1, which is 3–32 times more than Hg yields reported for 8 other major northern...
Authors
Paul F. Schuster, Robert G. Striegl, George R. Aiken, David P. Krabbenhoft, John F. DeWild, Kenna D. Butler, Ben Kamark, Mark Dornblaser
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