Images

Dart Poison Frogs are commonly found in Central and South America and are from the Dendrobatidae family.

Over the past several days, the lava surface within the vent in Halema'uma'u has occasionally, and temporarily, reached to within about 115 m (375 ft) below the floor of Halema'uma'u Crater, as seen in this photo. During these high-lava stands, the gas plume is generally fairly wispy, providing the rare naked-eye view of the lava surface.

Panorama of Pu'u 'O 'o crater from the south rim of Pu'u 'O 'o cone. Active lava flows (light gray) cover much of the crater floor and are erupting from the degassing vent at the far left.

Close-up view of the erupting vent in Pu'u 'O 'o crater. Lava is not visible because it is going directly into tubes beneath the crusted surface to the right and feeding small lava flows near the flow front.

Great Lakes water availability studies conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey aim to help characterize how much water the Basin has now, how water availability is changing, and how much water it can expect to have in the future.

Drought and climate change are causing extensive forest dieback in the U.S. West as well as worldwide. These photos show dead ponderosa pines in the Jemez Mountains of New Mexico killed by a combination of drought stress and attacks by bark beetles on weakened trees.

Souris River above Minot, North Dakota.

This is an image of a gas drilling rig in Colorado.

Diatoms are algae that reflect the biotic condition of streams, lakes and estuaries. Diatoms are important indicator organisms because they are sensitive to natural and human impacts, and monitoring their condition provides information about ecosystem health. A large, living Pleurosira laevis cell has many disc shaped chloroplasts.

Biologist holding a flathead catfish caught by trammel net in the Lower Missouri River.

Hydrogeologists examining the Garber-Wellington aquifer and Hennessey Shale confining unit contact near Arcadia Lake, Oklahoma.

Retrieving a trotline on the Lower Missouri River in March 2011.

An ultrasound is used to determine the reproductive condition of female pallid sturgeon.

Open weir at Apple Creek near Menoken, North Dakota. Flow is 36.7 cubic feet per second.

Blood samples from pallid sturgeon are taken to assess hormone levels and reproductive condition. 

Increase flow in the Des Lacs River and warmer temperatures probably
caused instability in the area of the ice spikes causing them to disappear.

An American alligator and a Burmese python locked in a struggle to prevail in Everglades National Park. This python appears to be losing, but snakes in similar situations have apparently escaped unharmed, and in other situations pythons have eaten alligators.

Demonstration wetland at Henderson, Nevada, where vegetated hummocks were built into the wastewater treatment wetland to improve its effectiveness and sustainability, as well as provide quality wildlife habitat.

Launching a cabin boat outfitted with telemetry tracking equipment during high water on the Missouri River from the Hartsburg, Missouri, boat ramp. 

Acoustic receivers detect and process the acoustic signal from the telemetry tags telling the tracking crew which direction to go to find the fish, and even which fish it is.

A gator relaxes in the shade underneath our station’s dock.