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Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

The Western Ecological Research Center (WERC) is a USGS Ecosystems Mission Area operation serving primarily California and Nevada. WERC scientists work closely with Federal, State, academic, and other collaborators to address a diverse array of high-profile topics. Topics include research on effects of wildfire, sea level rise, drought, energy development and more on federal Trust species.

News

Perspective: California’s Coastal Challenges Amid Climate Change

Perspective: California’s Coastal Challenges Amid Climate Change

New research estimates the effectiveness of sagebrush restoration treatments across the sagebrush biome

New research estimates the effectiveness of sagebrush restoration treatments across the sagebrush biome

Special Issue of Rangeland Ecology and Management features USGS science in support of the Sagebrush Conservation Design

Special Issue of Rangeland Ecology and Management features USGS science in support of the Sagebrush Conservation Design

Publications

Distribution, abundance, breeding activities, and habitat use of the Least Bell's Vireo at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California—2023 annual report

Executive SummaryThe purpose of this report is to provide the Marine Corps with an annual summary of abundance, breeding activity, demography, and habitat use of endangered Least Bell’s Vireos (Vireo bellii pusillus) at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California (MCBCP or Base). Surveys for the Least Bell's Vireo were completed at MCBCP between April 11 and July 20, 2023. Core survey areas and a
Authors
Suellen Lynn, Barbara E. Kus

Surveying waterfowl broods in wetlands using aerial drones

Effective waterfowl management relies on the collection of relevant demographic data to inform land management decisions; however, some types of data are difficult to obtain. For waterfowl, brood surveys are difficult to conduct because wetland habitats often obscure ducklings from being visually assessed. Here, we used Unoccupied Aerial Systems (UAS) to assess what wetland habitat characteristics
Authors
Desmond Alexander Mackell, Michael L. Casazza, Cory T. Overton, Kevin Buffington, Chase M. Freeman, Josh T. Ackerman, Karen M. Thorne

Bird habitat value and management priorities of the California Winter Rice Habitat Incentive Program

Flooding rice (Oryza sativa) agricultural fields during winter to facilitate rice straw decomposition has mitigated the loss of some of the natural wetlands in California’s Central Valley. We conducted bird surveys in 253 rice checks (2,158 ha) within 177 rice fields in the Sacramento Valley during the fall and winter of 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 to evaluate factors influencing bird use of winter-fl
Authors
Sarah H. Peterson, Josh T. Ackerman, Carley R. Schacter, C. Alex Hartman, Mark P. Herzog

Science

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Coastal Wetland Vulnerability to Climate Change and Sea-Level Rise: Understanding Ecological Thresholds and Ecosystem Transformations

Eighteen USGS coastal scientists from all four coasts of the conterminous United States are working together to advance the understanding of climate change and sea-level rise impacts to coastal wetlands.
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Greater Sage-Grouse Population Monitoring Framework: Cheat Sheet

The Greater Sage-grouse Population Monitoring Framework fills a prominent information gap to help inform current assessments of sage-grouse population trends at nested spatial and temporal scales. It is centered on four objectives: (1) create a standardized database of lek counts; (2) develop spatial population structures by clustering leks; (3) estimate spatial trends at different temporal...
link

Greater Sage-Grouse Population Monitoring Framework: Cheat Sheet

The Greater Sage-grouse Population Monitoring Framework fills a prominent information gap to help inform current assessments of sage-grouse population trends at nested spatial and temporal scales. It is centered on four objectives: (1) create a standardized database of lek counts; (2) develop spatial population structures by clustering leks; (3) estimate spatial trends at different temporal...
Learn More

Greater Sage-Grouse Population Monitoring Framework: Targeted Annual Warning System Information Sheet

The Greater Sage-grouse Population Monitoring Framework fills a prominent information gap to aid current assessments of sage-grouse population trends across spatial and temporal scales. It centers on four objectives: 1) create a standardized database of lek counts; 2) cluster leks to develop spatial population structures; 3) estimate spatial trends across temporal extents; and 4) develop a system...
link

Greater Sage-Grouse Population Monitoring Framework: Targeted Annual Warning System Information Sheet

The Greater Sage-grouse Population Monitoring Framework fills a prominent information gap to aid current assessments of sage-grouse population trends across spatial and temporal scales. It centers on four objectives: 1) create a standardized database of lek counts; 2) cluster leks to develop spatial population structures; 3) estimate spatial trends across temporal extents; and 4) develop a system...
Learn More
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