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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

Population genetic structure of a California endemic Branchiopod, Branchinecta sandiegonensis Population genetic structure of a California endemic Branchiopod, Branchinecta sandiegonensis

Branchinecta sandiegonensis (Crustacea: Anostraca) is a narrow range endemic fairy shrimp discontinuously distributed in ephemeral pools on coastal mesas in San Diego County, USA. Ten populations across the range of the species were subjected to allozyme analysis for eleven loci. The species exhibits low variability (P95 =9.1–45.5) and one third of the loci tested did not conform to...
Authors
Cathleen P. Davies, Marie A. Simovich, Stacie A. Hathaway

Biological control of marine pests Biological control of marine pests

Biological control, as used in terrestrial systems, may hold promise for use against exotic marine species. We first review some marine pests, displaying their diversity, the damage they cause, and possible controls. We then contrast approaches for marine and terrestrial pest control, providing guidelines for adapting terrestrial controls to the marine environment. Although several of...
Authors
Kevin D. Lafferty, Armand M. Kuris

Spatial scaling of allometry among terrestrial, mammalian carnivores Spatial scaling of allometry among terrestrial, mammalian carnivores

A regression slope of −0.75 between log10 density and log10 body mass is thought to express equivalence of energy conversion among species' populations of similar taxonomic and trophic status. Using larger sample sizes than the usual 1–3 density estimates per species, we estimated a regression slope of −0.71 for terrestrial mammalian carnivores. We investigated the sampling variation in...
Authors
K. Shawn Smallwood, G. Jones, C. Schonewald

Scaling population density and spatial pattern for terrestrial, mammalian carnivores Scaling population density and spatial pattern for terrestrial, mammalian carnivores

A large part of ecological theory has been developed with the assumption that intra- and inter-specific patterns of density and spatial distribution can be consistently and reliably compared, and that these patterns have represented populations across nonstudied landscapes. These assumptions are erroneous. We found that log10 population density estimates consistently decreased linearly...
Authors
K. Shawn Smallwood, C. Schonewald

Use of a deterministic fire growth model to test fuel treatments Use of a deterministic fire growth model to test fuel treatments

Fuel treatments are necessary in many vegetated areas of the Sierra Nevada to mitigate the effects of decades of fire suppression and land-management activities on fuel accumulations and understory canopies. Treating fuels will reduce the severity of wildfires and, as a result, the threat to human lives, the destruction of property and valuable resources, and the alteration of natural...
Authors
J. W. van Wagtendonk

An overview of fire in the Sierra Nevada An overview of fire in the Sierra Nevada

Fire, ignited by lightning and Native Americans, was common in the Sierra Nevada prior to 20th century suppression efforts. Presettlement fire return intervals were generally less than 20 years throughout a broad zone extending from the foothills through the mixed conifer forests. In the 20th century, the areal extent of fire was greatly reduced. This reduction in fire activity, coupled...
Authors
K.S. McKelvey, C.N. Skinner, C. Chang, D.C. Erman, S.J. Husari, D.J. Parsons, J. W. van Wagtendonk, C.P. Weatherspoon

Mediterranean-type ecosystems: the influence of biodiversity on their functioning Mediterranean-type ecosystems: the influence of biodiversity on their functioning

Ecosystems in the Mediterranean-climate regions of the world have served as a unit for comparative ecological studies for over two decades. The cohesiveness of research in this set of widely distributed regions rests on the similarity of the climates where they occur, and the identifiable convergence in elements of their vegetation structure (Di Castri and Mooney 1973). In this chapter...
Authors
George W. Davis, David M. Richardson, Jon E. Keeley, Richard J. Hobbs
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