Western Ecological Research Center
Publications
Below is a list of WERC's peer-reviewed publications. If you are searching for a specific publication and cannot find it in this list, please contact werc_web@usgs.gov
U.S. Geological Survey wildland fire science strategic plan, 2021–26
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Wildland Fire Science Strategic Plan defines critical, core fire science capabilities for understanding fire-related and fire-responsive earth system processes and patterns, and informing management decision making. Developed by USGS fire scientists and executive leadership, and informed by conversations with...
Steblein, Paul F.; Loehman, Rachel A.; Miller, Mark P.; Holomuzki, Joseph R.; Soileau, Suzanna C.; Brooks, Matthew L.; Drane-Maury, Mia; Hamilton, Hannah M.; Kean, Jason W.; Keeley, Jon E.; Mason, Robert R.; McKerrow, Alexa J.; Meldrum, James R.; Molder, Edmund B.; Murphy, Sheila F.; Peterson, Birgit; Plumlee, Geoffrey S.; Shinneman, Douglas J.; van Mantgem, Phillip J.; York, Alison
Mangrove species’ response to sea-level rise across Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia
Mangrove forests are likely vulnerable to accelerating sea-level rise; however, we lack the tools necessary to understand their future resilience. On the Pacific island of Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia, mangroves are habitat to endangered species and provide critical ecosystem services that support local communities. We developed a...
Buffington, Kevin J.; MacKenzie, Richard A.; Carr, Joel A.; Apwong, Maybeleen; Krauss, Ken W.; Thorne, Karen M.
Multi-taxa database data dictionary
The conservation of biological resources relies on the successful management of ecological and physiological research data. The Western Ecological Research Center of the U.S. Geological Survey is working with researchers, land managers, and decision makers from non-government organizations and city, county, state, and federal resource agencies to...
Watson, Elise; Rochester, Carlton J.; Brown, Chris W.; Holmes, Donn A.; Hathaway, Stacie A.; Fisher, Robert N.
Using high resolution satellite and telemetry data to track flooded habitats, their use by waterfowl, and evaluate effects of drought on waterfowl and shorebird bioenergetics in California
Wetland managers in the Central Valley of California, a dynamic hydrological landscape, require information regarding the amount and location of existing wetland habitat to make decisions on how to best use water resources to support multiple wildlife objectives, particularly during drought. Scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey Western...
Matchett, Elliott L.; Reiter, Matthew; Overton, Cory T.; Jongsomjit, Dennis; Casazza, Michael L.
Contrasting prescription burning and wildfires in California Sierra Nevada national parks and adjacent national forests
History of prescription burning and wildfires in the three Sierra Nevada National Park Service (NPS) parks and adjacent US Forest Service (USFS) forests is presented. Annual prescription (Rx) burns began in 1968 in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, followed by Yosemite National Park and Lassen Volcanic National Park. During the last third...
Keeley, Jon; Pfaff, Anne Hopkins; Caprio, Anthony C. Body condition of wintering Pacific greater white-fronted geese
Extreme changes to key waterfowl habitats in the Klamath Basin (KB) on the Oregon–California border and the Sacramento Valley (SV) in California, USA, have occurred since 1980. The spatial distribution of Pacific greater white‐fronted geese (Anser albifrons sponsa; geese) has likewise changed among these areas and population size has grown from 79...
Skalos, Daniel A; Eadie, John M.; Yparraguirre, Daniel R; Weaver, Melanie L; Oldenburger, Shaun L.; Ely, Craig R.; Yee, Julie L.; Fleskes, Joseph P.
Distribution and abundance of Least Bell's Vireos and Southwestern Willow Flycatchers on the middle San Luis Rey River, San Diego County, southern California—2020 data summary
We surveyed for Least Bell’s Vireos (Vireo bellii pusillus; vireo) and Southwestern Willow Flycatchers (Empidonax traillii extimus; flycatcher) along the San Luis Rey River, between College Boulevard in Oceanside and Interstate 15 in Fallbrook, California (middle San Luis Rey River), in 2020. Surveys were conducted from April 13 to July 13 (vireo...
Allen, Lisa D.; Kus, Barbara E.
Modeling Least Bell’s Vireo habitat suitability in current and historic ranges in California
We developed a habitat suitability model for the federally endangered Least Bell’s Vireo (Vireo bellii pusillus) across its current and historic range in California. The vireo disappeared from most of its range by the 1980s, remaining only in southern California and northern Baja California, Mexico. This decline was due to habitat loss and...
Preston, Kristine L.; Kus, Barbara E.; Perkins, Emily Habitat features predict carrying capacity of a recovering marine carnivore
The recovery of large carnivore species from over‐exploitation can have socioecological effects; thus, reliable estimates of potential abundance and distribution represent a valuable tool for developing management objectives and recovery criteria. For sea otters (Enhydra lutris), as with many apex predators, equilibrium abundance is not constant...
Tinker, M. Tim; Yee, Julie L.; Laidre, Kristin L.; Hatfield, Brian; Harris, Michael D.; Tomoleoni, Joseph; Bell, Tom W.; Saarman, Emily; Carswell, Lilian P; Miles, A. Keith Seed production patterns of surviving Sierra Nevada conifers show minimal change following drought
Reproduction is a key component of ecological resilience in forest ecosystems, so understanding how seed production is influenced by extreme drought is key to understanding forest recovery trajectories. If trees respond to mortality-inducing drought by preferentially allocating resources for reproduction, the recovery of the stand to pre-drought...
Wright, Micah Charles; van Mantgem, Phillip J.; Stephenson, Nathan L.; Das, Adrian; Keeley, Jon Exposure to domoic acid is an ecological driver of cardiac disease in southern sea otters
Harmful algal blooms produce toxins that bioaccumulate in the food web and adversely affect humans, animals, and entire marine ecosystems. Blooms of the diatom Pseudo-nitzschia can produce domoic acid (DA), a toxin that most commonly causes neurological disease in endothermic animals, with cardiovascular effects that were first...
Moriarty, Megan E; Tinker, M Tim; Miller, Melissa; Tomoleoni, Joseph; Staedler, Michelle M.; Fujii, Jessica A.; Batac, Francesca I.; Dodd, Erin M.; Kudela, Raphael M.; Zubkousky-White, Vanessa; Johnson, Christine K. Effects of postfire climate and seed availability on postfire conifer regeneration
Large, severe fires are becoming more frequent in many forest types across the western United States and have resulted in tree mortality across tens of thousands of hectares. Conifer regeneration in these areas is limited because seeds must travel long distances to reach the interior of large burned patches and establishment is jeopardized by...
Stewart, Joseph A E; van Mantgem, Phillip J.; Young, Derek J N; Shive, Kristen L.; Preisler, Haiganoush K.; Das, Adrian; Stephenson, Nathan L.; Keeley, Jon; Safford, Hugh D.; Wright, Micah Charles; Welch, Kevin R; Thorne, James H.