Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Western Geographic Science Center

The WGSC is responsible for research and applications to understand coupled human-environmental systems in the face of land change and delivering pertinent information to decision makers on the vulnerability and resilience of these systems.  WGSC scientists collaborate with partners to advance the goals of the USGS Core Science Systems and Ecosystems Mission Areas and their programs. 

News

Intensified Coastal Hazards from Climate Change on U.S. Southeast Coast

Intensified Coastal Hazards from Climate Change on U.S. Southeast Coast

LP DAAC Releases LGRIP30 Version 2 Data Products!

LP DAAC Releases LGRIP30 Version 2 Data Products!

Dr Laura Norman wins the 2024 Farouk El-Baz Award

Dr Laura Norman wins the 2024 Farouk El-Baz Award

Publications

Federal lands greenhouse gas emissions and sequestration in the United States: Estimates for 2005–22

In 2016, the Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior requested that the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) produce a publicly available and annually updated database of estimated greenhouse gas emissions associated with the extraction and use of fossil fuels from Federal lands. The first report in this series included emissions estimates from 2005 to 2014 and were reported for 29...
Authors
Matthew D. Merrill, Benjamin M. Sleeter, Philip A. Freeman

Soil cover heterogeneity associated with biocrusts predicts patch-level plant diversity patterns

ContextSoil resource heterogeneity drives plant species diversity patterns at local and landscape scales. In drylands, biocrusts are patchily distributed and contribute to soil resource heterogeneity important for plant establishment and growth. Yet, we have a limited understanding of how such heterogeneity may relate to patterns of plant diversity and community structure.ObjectivesWe...
Authors
Caroline A. Havrilla, Miguel L. Villarreal

Machine learning and new-generation spaceborne hyperspectral data advance crop type mapping

Hyperspectral sensors provide near-continuous spectral data that can facilitate advancements in agricultural crop classification and characterization, which are important for addressing global food and water security issues. We investigated two new-generation hyperspectral sensors, Germany’s Deutsches Zentrum für Luft‐ und Raumfahrt Earth Sensing Imaging Spectrometer (DESIS) and Italy’s...
Authors
Itiya Aneece, Prasad Thenkabail, Richard L. McCormick, Alifu Haireti, Daniel Foley, Adam Oliphant, Pardhasaradhi Teluguntla

Science

link

Coastal Wetland Vulnerability to Climate Change and Sea-Level Rise: Understanding Ecological Thresholds and Ecosystem Transformations

Eighteen USGS coastal scientists from all four coasts of the conterminous United States are working together to advance the understanding of climate change and sea-level rise impacts to coastal wetlands.
Learn More

Impacts of Anthropogenic Land Cover Changes on Wildlife Bioenergetics and Landscape Connectivity

In order to maintain viable populations, wildlife require not only contiguous habitat but also the bodily ability to move through the landscape. The spatial expansion of human development can block or slow the movement of wildlife.
link

Impacts of Anthropogenic Land Cover Changes on Wildlife Bioenergetics and Landscape Connectivity

In order to maintain viable populations, wildlife require not only contiguous habitat but also the bodily ability to move through the landscape. The spatial expansion of human development can block or slow the movement of wildlife.
Learn More

Global Crop Water Productivity and Savings through waterSMART (GCWP)

The waterSMART (Sustain and Manage America’s Resources for Tomorrow) project places technical information and tools in the hands of stakeholders that allow them to answer pertinent questions regarding water availability. Two goals of waterSMART are to 1) establish water availability and its use based on an understanding of the past and present water users and to 2) project water availability and...
link

Global Crop Water Productivity and Savings through waterSMART (GCWP)

The waterSMART (Sustain and Manage America’s Resources for Tomorrow) project places technical information and tools in the hands of stakeholders that allow them to answer pertinent questions regarding water availability. Two goals of waterSMART are to 1) establish water availability and its use based on an understanding of the past and present water users and to 2) project water availability and...
Learn More
Was this page helpful?