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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

Filter Total Items: 3743

Parasites of the African clawed frog, Xenopus laevis, in southern California, U.S.A Parasites of the African clawed frog, Xenopus laevis, in southern California, U.S.A

A total of 230 feral African clawed frogs, Xenopus laevis, from 3 localities in southern California were examined for parasites. The following species were found: 3 species of Protozoa, Nyctotherussp., Balantidium xenopodis, Protoopalina xenopodus; 2 species of Monogenea, Protopolystoma xenopodis, Gyrdicotylus gallieni; 1 species of Digenea, Clinostomum sp. (as metacercariae); 1 species...
Authors
Boris I. Kuperman, Victoria E. Matey, Richard N. Fisher, Edward L. Ervin, Manna L. Warburton, Ludmila Bakhireva, Cynthia A. Lehman

Complex trophic interactions in kelp forest ecosystems Complex trophic interactions in kelp forest ecosystems

The distributions and abundances of species and populations change almost continuously. Understanding the processes responsible is perhaps ecology’s most fundamental challenge. Kelp-forest ecosystems in southwest Alaska have undergone several phase shifts between alga- and herbivore-dominated states in recent decades. Overhunting and recovery of sea otters caused the earlier shifts...
Authors
J. A. Estes, E.M. Danner, D.F. Doak, B. Konar, A.M. Springer, P.D. Steinberg, M. Tim Tinker, T. M. Williams

The elusive baseline of marine disease: Are diseases in ocean ecosystems increasing? The elusive baseline of marine disease: Are diseases in ocean ecosystems increasing?

Disease outbreaks alter the structure and function of marine ecosystems, directly affecting vertebrates (mammals, turtles, fish), invertebrates (corals, crustaceans, echinoderms), and plants (seagrasses). Previous studies suggest a recent increase in marine disease. However, lack of baseline data in most communities prevents a direct test of this hypothesis. We developed a proxy to...
Authors
Jessica R. Ward, Kevin D. Lafferty

Habitat of endangered white abalone, Haliotis sorenseni Habitat of endangered white abalone, Haliotis sorenseni

Surveys with a submersible at offshore islands and banks in southern California found that white abalone were most abundant at depths between 43 and 60 m. This is deeper than estimates taken when white abalone were more abundant. Densities were highest at sites far from fishing ports. Controlling for depth and site found that white abalone were significantly more abundant in areas with...
Authors
Kevin D. Lafferty, M.D. Behrens, G.E. Davis, P.L. Haaker, D.J. Kushner, D. V. Richards, I. K. Taniguchi, M. J. Tegner

Does terrestrial epidemiology apply to marine systems? Does terrestrial epidemiology apply to marine systems?

Most of epidemiological theory has been developed for terrestrial systems, but the significance of disease in the ocean is now being recognized. However, the extent to which terrestrial epidemiology can be directly transferred to marine systems is uncertain. Many broad types of disease-causing organism occur both on land and in the sea, and it is clear that some emergent disease problems...
Authors
Hamish I. McCallum, Armand M. Kuris, C. Drew Harvell, Kevin D. Lafferty, Garriet W. Smith, James Porter

Prefire risk assessment and fuels mapping Prefire risk assessment and fuels mapping

No abstract available at this time
Authors
J. W. van Wagtendonk, Z. Zhu, E.L. Lile

The future of fire in California ecosystems The future of fire in California ecosystems

This chapter reviews the concepts developed in the book and challenges Californians to accept the fact that they live in fire-prone ecosystems. California’s variety of fire regimes are products of its wide diversity of vegetation, climate, topography, and ignitions. The role fire plays in an ecosystem is characterized by the fire regime attributes that describe the pattern of fire...
Authors
N. G. Sugihara, J. W. van Wagtendonk, J. Fites-Kaufman, K. E. Shaffer, A. E. Thode
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