Images

USGS biologists collecting biological information from a grizzly bear they have captured. Biologists collect hair samples for genetic analysis, weigh the bear, and gather numerous measurements of the body, such as the head, paws, claws, teeth, etc. Overall condition of the bear is assessed as well, including a body fat measurement.

View of geologists pointing to fault in a trench dug across one of the ruptures from the 2014 South Napa earthquake. From front to rear: Alexandra Pickering, Suzanne Hecker, Aaron Page (all USGS). Trench located approximately 3 miles NW of downtown Napa, CA.

Picturesque rivers of the Texas Hill Country can turn into raging torrents in the part of Texas known as Flash Flood Alley when storms drop many inches of rain in the river watersheds. This image shows a damaged street sign and flood debris left behind by record flood waters of the Blanco River near Martindale, TX on Memorial weekend, 2015.

Pallid sturgeon larvae at 14 days post hatch. On agerage, pallid sturgeon transition to active feeding at approximately 16 to 18 millimeters (about 0.7 inch).

Pallid sturgeon free embryo at 2 days post hatch.  At two days after hatching the free embryos are generally 9 to 11 millimeters (0.35 to 0.45 inch).

Tony Trease, USGS Hydrologic Technician, measuring streamflow in the South Platte River outside of Denver, Colo.

Tony Trease, USGS Hydrologic Technician, measuring streamflow in the South Platte River outside of Denver, Colo.

Night sky at USGS streamgage 06408650, Cheyenne River near Scenic, SD.

Pallid sturgeon eggs become adhesive minutes after fertilization.  Scientists are working to understand the factors that influence the adhesiveness of sturgeon eggs.

A Ph.D. student setting up a trap to capture bees.

Acoustic telemetry transmitter used to monitor shovelnose sturgeon and pallid sturgeon during spawning in specially constructed ponds at the Columbia Environmental Research Center.

A large giant African land snail sitting on a gloved hand.  The snail is approximately 8 inches long and covers the entire hand.  

A Megachile bee on a primrose flower.

Researchers emptying a set of traps. The team uses a hand-net to capture larger bees observed along the transects. The same approach is used in the non-powerline land cover types to survey bees in those land covers.

Underwater image of a wave breaking over a coral reef on Kwajalein Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. This image shows how the high hydrodynamic roughness of live, healthy corals causes friction that induces breaking of waves over coral reefs, reducing wave energy at the shoreline that can cause flooding and island overwash.

Powerline sites with the  trap arrangement (small bowls with soapy water hanging from a frame; the bees are attracted to and get entrapped in the water).

Scientist surgically implants an acoustic transmitter in a shovelnose sturgeon to monitor spawning behavior during controlled experiments.

On April 29, hydrologic technicians Anthony Underwood and Jeremiah Pomerleau visited the USGS gaging station on the St. John River at Ninemile Bridge and found a sea of broken up, dirty ice left behind by a recent ice jam.

According to Anthony, photos don't do the size and scale of the ice chunks any justice.

Researchers count out 800 eight-day old, free embryo lake sturgeon for studies of downstream dispersal in experimental streams.

Lake sturgeon free embryos at 3 days post hatch.  Free embryos at this stage have only a rudimentary mouth, their pectoral fins are only beginning to develop, and they rely on a large yolk sac for food. 

USGS research geographer Ben Jones is dressed warmly as he stands next to portable core-drilling device in a snow-covered area.