Publications
This list of publications includes peer-review journal articles, official USGS publications series, reports and more authored by scientists in the Ecosystems Mission Area. A database of all USGS publications, with advanced search features, can be accessed at the USGS Publications Warehouse.
Filter Total Items: 42773
A new method for bioassessment of ecosystems with complex communities and environmental gradients A new method for bioassessment of ecosystems with complex communities and environmental gradients
Bioassessment of complex and heterogeneous ecosystems is a challenge when there are multiple, strong, natural environmental gradients; unknown, or spatially varying, mixtures of stressors; and large numbers of taxa with unknown responses to both the environmental gradients and the stressors. Current methods of bioassessment are not designed for use under this set of constraints. To...
Authors
Donald Schoolmaster, Valerie A. Partridge
PCB concentrations in riparian spiders (Tetragnathidae) consistently reflect concentrations in water and aquatic macroinvertebrates, but not sediment: Analysis of a seven-year field study PCB concentrations in riparian spiders (Tetragnathidae) consistently reflect concentrations in water and aquatic macroinvertebrates, but not sediment: Analysis of a seven-year field study
Tetragnathid spiders have been used as sentinels to study the biotransport of contaminants between aquatic and terrestrial environments because a significant proportion of their diet consists of adult aquatic insects. A key knowledge gap in assessing tetragnathid spiders as sentinels is understanding the consistency of the year-to-year relationship between contaminant concentrations in...
Authors
Ryan R. Otter, Marc A. Mills, Ken M. Fritz, James M. Lazorchak, Dalon P. White, Gale B. Beaubien, David Walters
Elevated temperature and nutrients lead to increased N2O emissions from salt marsh soils from cold and warm climates Elevated temperature and nutrients lead to increased N2O emissions from salt marsh soils from cold and warm climates
Salt marshes can attenuate nutrient pollution and store large amounts of ‘blue carbon’ in their soils, however, the value of sequestered carbon may be partially offset by nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions. Global climate and land use changes result in higher temperatures and inputs of reactive nitrogen (Nr) into coastal zones. Here, we investigated the combined effects of elevated...
Authors
Sophie A. Comer-Warner, Sami Ullah, Arunabha Dey, Camille Stagg, Tracy Elsey-Quirk, Christopher M. Swarzenski, Fotis Sgouridis, Stefan Krause, Gail L. Chmura
Inundation tolerance, rather than drought tolerance, predicts riparian plant distributions along a local hydrologic gradient Inundation tolerance, rather than drought tolerance, predicts riparian plant distributions along a local hydrologic gradient
Riparian vegetation varies along hydrologic gradients, along which inundation and drought tend to be inversely correlated. Differentiating effects of inundation and drought on plant distributions is critical for predicting impacts of changes to baseflows and designing flow patterns to achieve vegetation objectives in regulated river systems. To this end, we conducted a greenhouse...
Authors
Bradley J. Butterfield, Emily C. Palmquist
Forest age is a primary trait filter for saproxylic beetles in the southeastern United States Forest age is a primary trait filter for saproxylic beetles in the southeastern United States
Many forests throughout the world consist of regenerating mature stands. Although these forests differ in many respects from old-growth (with a history of minimal human disturbance), they typically develop similar structural attributes over time. As a result, older mature forests may be of particular conservation value if they contain resources and microhabitats benefitting saproxylic...
Authors
Clayton Richard Traylor, Michael D. Ulyshen, Joseph V. McHugh, Ryan C. Burner
Unprecedented distribution data for Joshua trees (Yucca brevifolia and Y. jaegeriana) reveal contemporary climate associations of a Mojave Desert icon Unprecedented distribution data for Joshua trees (Yucca brevifolia and Y. jaegeriana) reveal contemporary climate associations of a Mojave Desert icon
Introduction: Forecasting range shifts in response to climate change requires accurate species distribution models (SDMs), particularly at the margins of species' ranges. However, most studies producing SDMs rely on sparse species occurrence datasets from herbarium records and public databases, along with random pseudoabsences. While environmental covariates used to fit SDMS are...
Authors
Todd Esque, Daniel F. Shryock, Gabrielle A. Berr, Felicia Chen, Lesley A. DeFalco, Sabrina Mae Lewicki, Brent Lee Cunningham, Eddie J. Gaylord, Caitlin Shannon Poage, Gretchen Elizabeth Gantz, Ross Adrian Van Gaalen, Benjamin O Gottsacker, Amanda Marie Mcdonald, J.B. Yoder, C.I. Smith, K.E. Nussear
Identifying invasive species threats, pathways, and impacts to improve biosecurity Identifying invasive species threats, pathways, and impacts to improve biosecurity
Managing invasive species with prevention and early-detection strategies can avert severe ecological and economic impacts. Horizon scanning, an evidence-based process combining risk screening and consensus building to identify threats, has become a valuable tool for prioritizing invasive species management and prevention. We assembled a working group of experts from academic, government...
Authors
Deah Lieurance, Susan Canavan, Donald C. Behringer, Amy E. Kendig, Carey R. Minteer, Lindsey S. Reisinger, Christina M. Romagosa, S. Luke Flory, Julie L. Lockwood, Patti J. Anderson, Shirley M. Baker, Jamie Bojko, Kristen E. Bowers, Kim Canavan, Kelly Carruthers, Wesley M. Daniel, Doria R. Gordon, Jeffrey E. Hill, Jennifer G. Howeth, Basil V. Iannone, Lucas Jennings, Lyn A. Gettys, Eutychus M. Kariuki, John M. Kunzer, H. Dail Laughinghouse, Nicholas E. Mandrak, Sara McCann, Tolulope Morawo, Cayla R. Morningstar, Matthew Neilson, Tabitha Petri, Ian Pfingsten, Robert Reed, Linda J. Walters, Christian Wanamaker
Rangeland pitting for revegetation and annual weed control Rangeland pitting for revegetation and annual weed control
On the GroundSoil pitting is an ancient technique for concentrating soil moisture to enable plant establishment and promote plant growth. It is especially effective in arid areas where plant establishment is limited by water availability.Pits created by digging and mounding action have been shown to be effective. Small pits made by soil compression are not very durable. Larger pits last...
Authors
Danielle Bilyeu Johnston, Rebecca K. Mann
Prairie dog responses to vector control and vaccination during an initial Yersinia pestis invasion Prairie dog responses to vector control and vaccination during an initial Yersinia pestis invasion
We evaluated the invasion of plague bacteria Yersinia pestis into a population of black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus; BTPDs) in South Dakota. We aimed to ascertain if Y. pestis invaded slowly or rapidly, and to determine if vector (flea) control or vaccination of BTPDs assisted in increasing survival rates. We sampled BTPDs in 2007 (before Y. pestis documentation), 2008...
Authors
David A. Eads, Dean E. Biggins, Shantini Ramakrishnan, Amanda R. Goldberg, Samantha L. Eads, Tonie E. Rocke
Saproxylic beetles' morphological traits and higher trophic guilds indicate boreal forest naturalness Saproxylic beetles' morphological traits and higher trophic guilds indicate boreal forest naturalness
Forests contribute to numerous ecosystem functions and services and contain a large proportion of terrestrial biodiversity, but they are being negatively impaced by anthropogenic activities. Forests that have never been clear-cut and have old growth characteristics, termed “near-natural,” often harbor different and richer species assemblages than managed forests. Alternative management...
Authors
Ross Wetherbee, Tone Birkemoe, Ryan C. Burner, Anne Sverdrup-Thygeson
Assessing the use of long-term lek survey data to evaluate the effect of landscape characteristics and wind facilities on sharp-tailed grouse lek dynamics in North Dakota and South Dakota Assessing the use of long-term lek survey data to evaluate the effect of landscape characteristics and wind facilities on sharp-tailed grouse lek dynamics in North Dakota and South Dakota
The contribution of renewable energy to meet worldwide demand continues to grow. In the United States, wind energy is one of the fastest growing renewable energy sectors. Throughout the Great Plains of the United States, wind facilities often are placed in open landscapes of high-elevation grasslands, and those same habitats support sharp-tailed grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus), a...
Authors
Jill A. Shaffer, Deborah A. Buhl, Wesley E. Newton
Delineating spatial units for coregonine conservation, restoration, and stewardship Delineating spatial units for coregonine conservation, restoration, and stewardship
No abstract available.
Authors
Amanda Susanne Ackiss, Ralph Grundel, Jory L. Jonas, Naomi Jones, Trevor J. Krabbenhoft, Ryan Lauzon, Nicholas E. Mandrak, Brian O’Malley, Devon Pearse, Thomas C. Pratt, Breanna Redford, Mark Ridgway, Jason Smith, Andrew M. Muir