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: 42719
Sources and chemical stability of soil organic carbon in natural and created coastal marshes of Louisiana Sources and chemical stability of soil organic carbon in natural and created coastal marshes of Louisiana
Coastal marshes are globally important for sequestering carbon, yet sea-level rise and anthropogenic stressors can reduce their capacity as carbon sinks. Marsh restoration can offset a portion of carbon loss through the degradation of natural marshes, but potential differences in the sources and stability of soil organic carbon (SOC) between created and natural marshes may affect their...
Authors
Megan Kelsall, Tracy Quirk, Carol Wilson, Gregg Snedden
Validating a non-lethal method of aging endangered juvenile Lost River and Shortnose Suckers Validating a non-lethal method of aging endangered juvenile Lost River and Shortnose Suckers
Populations of imperiled Lost River Deltistes luxatus and Shortnose Chasmistes brevirostris suckers in Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, are experiencing long-term decreases in abundance due to limited recruitment of juvenile suckers into the adult populations. Researchers use estimated ages based on fin rays to study environmental factors affecting year-class formation, generate annual...
Authors
Barbara A. Martin, Summer M. Burdick, Rachael Katelyn Paul-Wilson, Ryan J Bart
Wind-energy development alters pronghorn migration at multiple scales Wind-energy development alters pronghorn migration at multiple scales
Migration is a critical behavioral strategy necessary for population persistence and ecosystem functioning, but migration routes have been increasingly disrupted by anthropogenic activities, including energy development. Wind energy is the world's fastest growing source of electricity and represents an important alternative to hydrocarbon extraction, but its effects on migratory species...
Authors
Megan C. Milligan, Aaron N. Johnston, Jeffery L. Beck, Kaitlyn L. Taylor, Embere Hall, Lee Knox, Teal Cufaude, Cody F. Wallace, Geneva W. Chong, Matthew Kauffman
Sound-side inundation and seaward erosion of a barrier island during hurricane landfall Sound-side inundation and seaward erosion of a barrier island during hurricane landfall
Barrier islands are especially vulnerable to hurricanes and other large storms, owing to their mobile composition, low elevations, and detachment from the mainland. Conceptual models of barrier-island evolution emphasize ocean-side processes that drive landward migration through overwash, inlet migration, and aeolian transport. In contrast, we found that the impact of Hurricane Dorian...
Authors
Christopher R. Sherwood, Andrew C. Ritchie, Jin-Si R. Over, Christine J. Kranenburg, Jonathan A. Warrick, Jenna A. Brown, Wayne Wright, Alfredo Aretxabaleta, Sara Zeigler, Phillipe Alan Wernette, Daniel D. Buscombe, Christie Hegermiller
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Southwest Biological Science Center, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center, Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Recovery Activities
Simulating post-dam removal effects of hatchery operations and disease on juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) production in the Lower Klamath River, California Simulating post-dam removal effects of hatchery operations and disease on juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) production in the Lower Klamath River, California
Executive Summary The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has been considering the approval to breach four dams on lower Klamath River in southern Oregon and northern California. Approval of this application would allow for Strikeouts indicate text deletion hereafter. decommissioning and dam removal, beginning as early as 2023. This action would affect Klamath River salmon (Oncorhynchus...
Authors
Russell W. Perry, John M. Plumb, Michael J. Dodrill, Nicholas A. Som, H. Eve Robinson, Nicholas J. Hetrick
Skinks of Oceania, New Guinea, and Eastern Wallacea: An underexplored biodiversity hotspot Skinks of Oceania, New Guinea, and Eastern Wallacea: An underexplored biodiversity hotspot
Context: Skinks comprise the dominant component of the terrestrial vertebrate fauna in Oceania, New Guinea, and Eastern Wallacea (ONGEW). However, knowledge of their diversity is incomplete, and their conservation needs are poorly understood. Aims: To explore the diversity and threat status of the skinks of ONGEW and identify knowledge gaps and conservation needs. Methods: We compiled a...
Authors
Alex Slavenko, Allen Allison, Christopher C. Austin, Aaron Bauer, Rafe M. Brown, Robert N. Fisher, Ivan Ineich, Bulisa Iova, Benjamin R. Karin, Frederick Kraus, Sven Mecke, Shai Meiri, Clare Morrison, Paul M. Oliver, Mark O'Shea, Jonathan Q. Richmond, Glenn M. Shea, Oliver J. S. Tallowin, David G. Chapple
Out of the frying pan and into the fire: Effects of volcanic heat and other stressors on the conservation of a critically endangered plant in Hawaiʻi Out of the frying pan and into the fire: Effects of volcanic heat and other stressors on the conservation of a critically endangered plant in Hawaiʻi
Loss of local biodiversity resulting from abrupt environmental change is a significant environmental problem throughout the world. Extinctions of plants are particularly important yet are often overlooked. Drawing from a case in Hawai‘i, a global hotspot for plant and other extinctions, we demonstrate an effort to better understand and determine priorities for the management of an...
Authors
Nathan S. Gill, Jeff Stallman, Linda Pratt, Jennifer L. Lewicki, Tamar Elias, Patricia A. Nadeau, Stephanie G. Yelenik
Round goby detection in Lakes Huron and Michigan— An evaluation of eDNA and fish catches Round goby detection in Lakes Huron and Michigan— An evaluation of eDNA and fish catches
Aquatic surveys for fish in large water bodies (e.g., Laurentian Great Lakes of North America) often require a flexible approach using multiple methods, surveying different depths, and sampling across seasons, especially when the target species is elusive in its natural habitat. The round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) is an invasive, bottom-dwelling fish inhabiting rocky areas of all...
Authors
Katarzyna Przybyla-Kelly, Ashley M. Spoljaric, Meredith B. Nevers
Comparison of community practitioner and clinical educator expectations of veterinary graduates Comparison of community practitioner and clinical educator expectations of veterinary graduates
One goal of veterinary curricular development and revision is to ensure graduating veterinarians meet entry-level competencies to perform successfully in their community. Most curricula are developed by clinical educators in a university setting; therefore, we must determine whether clinical educators can predict community practitioner expectations. This article evaluates practitioners’
Authors
Amy Nichelason, Nathan Roy Bollig, Tom Bach, Molly Harris, Peggy Schmidt
Lethal effects on flea larvae of fipronil in host feces: Potential benefits for plague mitigation Lethal effects on flea larvae of fipronil in host feces: Potential benefits for plague mitigation
Plague, caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, is a zoonotic disease of mammalian hosts and flea vectors. Fipronil baits have been used to suppress adult fleas for plague mitigation. The degree and duration of flea control may increase if fipronil also kills other stages in the flea life cycle. We fed grain treated with 0.005% fipronil by weight, or nontreated grain, to black-tailed...
Authors
David A. Eads, Tyler Tretten, John P. Hughes, Dean E. Biggins
High female desert tortoise mortality in the western Sonoran Desert during California’s epic 2012–2016 drought High female desert tortoise mortality in the western Sonoran Desert during California’s epic 2012–2016 drought
We conducted population surveys for desert tortoises Gopherus agassizii at 2 nearby sites in the western Sonoran Desert of California, USA, from 2015-2018, during the driest ongoing 22 yr period (2000-2021) in the southwestern USA in over 1200 yr. We hypothesized that drought-induced mortality would be female-biased due to water and energy losses attributable to egg production during...
Authors
Jeffrey E. Lovich, Michele R. Puffer, Kristy L. Cummings, Terence R. Arundel, Michael S. Vamstad, Kathleen D. Brundige
Guide for benthic invertebrate studies in support of Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration Guide for benthic invertebrate studies in support of Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration
This guide is intended to assist with characterizing injury to freshwater benthic macroinvertebrates (BMIs) in Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration (NRDAR) cases. The contents are narrowly focused on insects, crustaceans, snails, and other invertebrate fauna that are typically considered part of BMI communities and are not intended to address studies of injury to larger...
Authors
David J. Soucek, Aida M. Farag, John M. Besser, Jeffery A. Steevens