The majority of ecological research conducted at the Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center (UMESC) supports Department of the Interior (DOI) issues and lands in the Upper Midwest. UMESC also coordinates its research with other U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Science Centers, to broadly address ecological and population concerns throughout the Nation's heartland.
Development of a Climate Change Vulnerability Map for Bodies of Water
The Northeast CASC-funded research, carried out in collaboration with land managers, helps prioritize locations needing support for adaptation planning with a focus on riparian systems.
Midwest Climate Adaptation Science Center (MWCASC) workshop - “Nature-based Solutions to Reduce Impacts from Extreme Precipitation Events in the Upper Mississippi River Basin”
The USGS National and Regional Climate Adaptation Science Centers (CASCs) is a partnership-driven program that teams scientists with natural and cultural resource managers and local communities to help fish, wildlife, water, land, and people adapt to a changing climate.
Science Topics
FAQs
Can you predict earthquakes?
No. Neither the USGS nor any other scientists have ever predicted a major earthquake. We do not know how, and we do not expect to know how any time in the foreseeable future. USGS scientists can only calculate the probability that a significant earthquake will occur (shown on our hazard mapping) in a specific area within a certain number of years. An earthquake prediction must define 3 elements: 1...
Can animals predict earthquakes?
The earliest reference we have to unusual animal behavior prior to a significant earthquake is from Greece in 373 BC. Rats, weasels, snakes, and centipedes reportedly left their homes and headed for safety several days before a destructive earthquake. Anecdotal evidence abounds of animals, fish, birds, reptiles, and insects exhibiting strange behavior anywhere from weeks to seconds before an...
Why are we having so many earthquakes? Has naturally occurring earthquake activity been increasing? Does this mean a big one is going to hit? OR We haven't had any earthquakes in a long time; does this mean that the pressure is building up for a big one?
A temporary increase or decrease in seismicity is part of the normal fluctuation of earthquake rates. Neither an increase nor decrease worldwide is a positive indication that a large earthquake is imminent. The ComCat earthquake catalog contains an increasing number of earthquakes in recent years--not because there are more earthquakes, but because there are more seismic instruments and they are...