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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

Grasses, mallows, desert vine, and more: Diet of the desert tortoise in Arizona and Sonora Grasses, mallows, desert vine, and more: Diet of the desert tortoise in Arizona and Sonora

No abstract available.
Authors
T. R. Van Devender, B. E. Martin, R. C. Averill-Murray, T. C. Esque, P. A. Holm, V. M. Dickinson, C.R. Schwalbe, E. B. Wirt, S. L. Barrett

Continuously recording body temperature in terrestrial chelonians Continuously recording body temperature in terrestrial chelonians

The degree of interaction between mercury and cholinesterase inhibiting pesticides was determined by comparing enzyme responses to sublethal dosages of parathion or carbofuran in quail fed 0.05, 0.5, or 5.0 ppm morsodren for 18 weeks. A statistically significant interaction was defined as greater brain cholinesterase inhibition in morsodren-fed than in clean-fed birds following pesticide...
Authors
K.E. Nussear, T. C. Esque, C.R. Tracy

The use of geographic information for fire management planning in Yosemite National Park The use of geographic information for fire management planning in Yosemite National Park

Fire has played a critical role in the ecosystems of Yosemite National park for millennia. Before the advent of Euro-Americans, lightning fires and fires set by Native Americans burned freely across the landscape. These fires burned periodically, with the interval between fires dependent on the availability of ignition sources, adequate fuels, and weather conducive to burning. As a...
Authors
Jan W. Van Wagtendonk, Kent A. van Wagtendonk, Joseph B. Meyer, Kara J. Paintner

Pesticides and amphibian population declines in California, USA Pesticides and amphibian population declines in California, USA

Several species of anuran amphibians have undergone drastic population declines in the western United States over the last 10 to 15 years. In California, the most severe declines are in the Sierra Mountains east of the Central Valley and downwind of the intensely agricultural San Joaquin Valley. In contrast, coastal and more northern populations across from the less agrarian Sacramento...
Authors
Donald W. Sparling, Gary M. Fellers, Laura L. McConnell

Leaf conductance decreased under free-air CO2 enrichment (FACE) for three perennials in the Nevada desert Leaf conductance decreased under free-air CO2 enrichment (FACE) for three perennials in the Nevada desert

A common response of plants to elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration (CO2) is decreased leaf conductance. Consequently, leaf temperature is predicted to increase under elevated CO2. Diurnal patterns of leaf conductance and temperature were measured for three desert perennials, the C3 shrub Larrea tridentata, C3 tussock grass Achnatherum hymenoides and C4 tussock grass Pleuraphis rigida...
Authors
R.S. Nowak, D.N. Jordan, L.A. DeFalco, C. Wilcox, J.S. Coleman, J.R. Seemann, S.D. Smith

Sex differences in territorial behavior exhibited by the spotted hyena (Hyaenidae, Crocuta crocuta) Sex differences in territorial behavior exhibited by the spotted hyena (Hyaenidae, Crocuta crocuta)

Spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) are gregarious carnivores that defend group territories against encroachment by neighboring conspecifics. Here we monitored the behavior of members of one clan of free-ranging spotted hyenas during border patrols, ‘wars’ with neighboring clans, and other interactions with alien intruders, to document differences between the sexes in territorial behavior...
Authors
Erin E. Boydston, Toni Lyn Morelli, Kay E. Holekamp

Mapping wildland fuels for fire management across multiple scales: integrating remote sensing, GIS, and biophysical modeling Mapping wildland fuels for fire management across multiple scales: integrating remote sensing, GIS, and biophysical modeling

Fuel maps are essential for computing spatial fire hazard and risk and simulating fire growth and intensity across a landscape. However, fuel mapping is an extremely difficult and complex process requiring expertise in remotely sensed image classification, fire behavior, fuels modeling, ecology, and geographical information systems (GIS). This paper first presents the challenges of...
Authors
Robert E. Keane, Robert E. Burgan, Jan W. Van Wagtendonk
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