Images

Many bumble bee species have declined in recent decades due to changes in habitat, climate, and pressures from pathogens, pesticides and introduced species. The western bumble bee, once common throughout western North America, is a species of concern and is being considered for listing by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under the Endangered Species Act.

Yellow Creek near Oak Grove, IN

A modern coral reef in Dry Tortugas National Park. There is little living coral and high rates of bioerosion. Photo taken under research permit number DRTO-2018-SCI-0005. Credit: Lauren Toth, USGS

A group of USGS and National Park Service scientists above Granite Gorge on route for 56 miles and 20,000 vertical feet along the south rim of the Grand Canyon to collect groundwater samples from three springs. 

Scientists in this photo (left to right) are Christina Bryant, Kim Beisner, John Solder and Kate Wilkins.

 

USGS scientist Nick Voichick rafted about 150 miles in nine days on the Grand Canyon portion of the Colorado River to collect groundwater samples from springs in remote locations. 

 

USGS scientist Joel Unema hikes to National Canyon Spring to collect groundwater samples from a remote location near the south rim of the Grand Canyon. Joel Unema was part of a group of USGS and National Park Service scientists that rafted 150 miles in nine days to better understand natural resources.

USGS scientists Tom Porter and Joel Unema warm up in the sun as the scientific expedition moves downstream to the next sample location.

USGS scientists Kim Besiner, John Solder and Kate Wilkins collect groundwater samples at Grapevine Main Spring. 

Scientists traveled to the remote locations along the south rim of the Grand Canyon to assess the potential effects of mining along the Coconino Plateau and groundwater withdrawals associated with increasing populations.

A black carp collected from a lake in the middle Mississippi River in Alexander County, Illinois. Credit: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

An animated GIF showing lava bubbling out of fissure 8 at Kīlauea Volcano, Hawaii. Clip is taken from the full b-roll video listed as the source.

Map as of 10:00 a.m. HST, June 15, 2018.

U.S. Geological Survey laboratory technician at the Baton Rouge Sediment Laboratory processing a water sample with the modified riffle splitter used to analyze cooperative program samples (photograph by Aimee Downs, U.S. Geological Survey).

SIR 2018-5147

Sam Parker and Kevin Molongoski, USGS scientists, transfer American shad from the study area to a tank on a fish truck before being released in the Connecticut River following a shad fishway entrance gate study at the S.O. Conte Research Laboratory in Turners Falls, Massachusetts, June 1, 2018. USGS photo by Andrea Miehls.

Sam Parker, Kevin Molongoski and Steve Walk, USGS scientists, use nets to guide American shad into a study area during a shad fishway entrance gate study at the S.O. Conte Research Laboratory in Turners Falls, Massachusetts, June 1, 2018. USGS photo by Andrea Miehls.

This long thin, strand of volcanic glass is called Pele's hair. Named for Pele, the Hawaiian goddess of fire, Pele's hair is formed from lava fountains and rapidly moving lava flows. This strand of Pele’s hair was found on Kupono Street in Leilani Estates, Hawaii, during the Kīlauea volcano eruption.

USGS scientist in the Lower East Rift Zone documenting the spectacular ~50 m tall fissure 7 lava fountain to the east which had lit up the sky in a red hue.

U.S. Geological Survey Volcanologist Matthew Patrick photographs and observes a lava fountain in the Leilani Estates near Hilo, Hawai`i on Sunday, May 27, 2018. 

 

A root cookie and the place in the root where it was cut. Root cookies can be used to estimate rates of stream bank erosion.

Lava fountains from Fissure 20 cover residential neighborhoods and farmland in Kīlauea Volcano's lower East Rift Zone (Hawaii). The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory tracked eruptive activity and provided updates to emergency officials. Photo taken May 19, 2018, by Elise Rumpf.

5/12/18, 12:57 p.m. HST - Lava was slowly advancing from fissure 16.

5/12/18, 08:27 a.m. HST - An aerial view of fissure 16, located about 1.3 km (0.8 miles) northeast of fissure 15 (top left). The fissure is located 500 m northeast of the Puna Geothermal Venture site (top right). Photograph courtesy of Hawai`i County Fire Department.