Where we WERC
Our scientists conduct studies from the deserts of the Mojave to the diverse ecosystems of the Great Basin
Our scientists conduct studies from the deserts of the Mojave to the diverse ecosystems of the Great Basin
Our Scientists at WERC
Ecologists collecting field samples to detect contaminants in the environment
Ecologists collecting field samples to detect contaminants in the environment
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.
WERC Quick Links
WERC Quick Links
Check out our most up-to-date data, events and science.
News
Publications
A dataset of amphibian species in U.S. National Parks
National parks and other protected areas are important for preserving landscapes and biodiversity worldwide. An essential component of the mission of the United States (U.S.) National Park Service (NPS) requires understanding and maintaining accurate inventories of species on protected lands. We describe a new, national-scale synthesis of amphibian species occurrence in the NPS system. Many park u
Differential heat shock protein responses in two species of Pacific salmon and their utility in identifying heat stress
Rapid and accelerating warming of salmon habitat has the potential to lower productivity of Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus species) populations. Heat stress biomarkers can indicate where warming is most likely affecting fish populations; however, we often lack clear classifications that separate individuals with and without heat stress needed to make these tools operational. We conducted a heat expo
Chromosome-level genome assembly of the blacktail brush lizard, Urosaurus nigricaudus, reveals dosage compensation in an endemic lizard
Urosaurus nigricaudus is a phrynosomatid lizard endemic to the Baja California Peninsula in Mexico. This work presents a chromosome-level genome assembly and annotation from a male individual. We used PacBio long reads and HiRise scaffolding to generate a high-quality genomic assembly of 1.87 Gb distributed in 327 scaffolds, with an N50 of 279 Mb and an L50 of 3. Approximately 98.4% of the genome
Science
Assessing heat stress in migrating Yukon River Chinook Salmon
We will examine evidence of heat stress in Yukon River Chinook salmon ( Oncorhynchus tshawytscha ) using heat shock proteins and gene expression.
Understanding Population Trends for the Gunnison Sage-Grouse to Inform Adaptive Management
In partnership with the Bureau of Land Management and Colorado Parks and Wildlife, scientists from USGS Fort Collins Science Center and Western Ecological Research Center are applying a hierarchical monitoring framework to Gunnison sage-grouse ( Centrocercus minimus ) to evaluate population trends and inform adaptive management.
Using simulation models to project and evaluate post-fire success in restoring sage-grouse habitat over large landscapes
Wildfires are increasingly destroying wildlife habitat in sagebrush ( Artemisia species) ecosystems, and managers need approaches to scope the pace and degree to which post-fire restoration actions can re-create habitat in dynamic landscapes. Sagebrush recovery takes a long time, and it can be difficult to anticipate restoration outcomes over large, diverse landscapes that have experienced decades...