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: 42765
Riverine complexity and life history inform restoration in riparian environments in the southwestern U.S. Riverine complexity and life history inform restoration in riparian environments in the southwestern U.S.
Riparian habitat in the southwestern USA has undergone substantial degradation over the past century, prompting extensive management and restoration of these critical ecosystems. Most restoration efforts, however, do not account for life history traits or riverine complexity that may influence genetic diversity and structure. Here, we use simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers in four...
Authors
Emily C. Palmquist, Gerald J Allan, Kiona Ogle, Thomas G. Whitham, Bradley J. Butterfield, Patrick B. Shafroth
Sagebrush recovery patterns after fuel treatments mediated by disturbance type and plant functional group interactions Sagebrush recovery patterns after fuel treatments mediated by disturbance type and plant functional group interactions
Fire and fuel management is a high priority in North American sagebrush ecosystems where the expansion of piñon and juniper trees and the invasion of nonnative annual grasses are altering fire regimes and resulting in loss of sagebrush species and habitat. We evaluated 10-yr effects of woody fuel treatments on sagebrush recruitment and plant functional group interactions using Sagebrush...
Authors
Jeanne C. Chambers, Alexandra K. Urza, David I. Board, Richard F. Miller, David A. Pyke, Bruce A. Roundy, Eugene W. Schupp, Robin J. Tausch
Microbial ecology of coral-dominated reefs in the Federated States of Micronesia Microbial ecology of coral-dominated reefs in the Federated States of Micronesia
Microorganisms are central to the functioning of coral reef ecosystems, but their dynamics are unstudied on most reefs. We examined the microbial ecology of shallow reefs within the Federated States of Micronesia. We surveyed 20 reefs surrounding 7 islands and atolls (Yap, Woleai, Olimarao, Kosrae, Kapingamarangi, Nukuoro, and Pohnpei), spanning 875053 km2. On the reefs, we found...
Authors
Amy Apprill, Henry Holm, Alyson E. Santoro, Cynthia Becker, Matthew Neave, Konrad Hughen, Angela Richards Dona, Greta Aeby, Thierry M. Work, Laura Weber, Sean McNally
Authors’ reply to letter to the editor: Continued improvement to genetic diversity indicator for CBD Authors’ reply to letter to the editor: Continued improvement to genetic diversity indicator for CBD
We appreciate the encouraging response to our call for indicators for genetic diversity within the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework of the Convention on Biological Diversity, CBD (Laikre et al. 2020; Hoban et al. 2020). In agreement with us, Frankham (2021) highlights the urgent necessity for the CBD to include an indicator that tracks the maintenance of genetic diversity within...
Authors
Linda Laikre, Paul A. Hohenlohe, Fred W. Allendorf, Laura D. Bertola, Martin F Breed, Michael W. Bruford, W. Chris Funk, Gonzalo Gajardo, Antonio Gonzalez-Rodriguez, Catherine E. Grueber, Philip W Hedrick, Myriam Heuertz, Margaret Hunter, Kerstin Johannesson, Libby Liggins, Anna J. MacDonald, Joachim Mergeay, Farideh Moharrek, David O’Brien, Rob Ogden, Pablo Orozco-terWengel, Clarisse Palma-Silva, Jennifer Pierson, Ivan Paz-Vinas, Isa-Rita M Russo, Nils Ryman, Genot Segelbacher, Per Sjogren-Gulve, Lisette P Waits, Cristiano Vernesi, Sean M. Hoban
Priority species lists to restore desert tortoise and pollinator habitats in Mojave Desert shrublands Priority species lists to restore desert tortoise and pollinator habitats in Mojave Desert shrublands
Mojave Desert shrublands are home to unique plants and wildlife and are experiencing rapid habitat change due to unprecedented large-scale disturbances; yet, established practices to effectively restore disturbed landscapes are not well developed. A priority species list of native plant taxa was developed to guide seed collectors, commercial growers, resource managers, and restoration
Authors
Todd Esque, Lesley A. DeFalco, Gayle Loren Tyree, K. Kristina Drake, Kenneth E. Nussear, Joseph S Wilson
Field-level exposure of bumble bees to fungicides applied to a commercial cherry orchard Field-level exposure of bumble bees to fungicides applied to a commercial cherry orchard
Bumble bees, Bombus spp. (Apidae), are important native pollinators; however, populations of some species are declining in North America and agricultural chemicals are a potential cause. Fungicides are generally not highly toxic to bees, but little is known about sublethal or synergistic effects. This study evaluates bumble bee exposure to fungicides by quantifying concentrations of...
Authors
Kathryn M. Kuivila, Houston Judd, Michelle L. Hladik, James P. Strange
Blue sucker habitat use in a regulated Texas river: Implications for conservation and restoration Blue sucker habitat use in a regulated Texas river: Implications for conservation and restoration
Species conservation requires a clear understanding of habitat availability and subsequent use of those habitats. In cases where species declines have occurred and gone undetected by conservation managers, habitat alteration, fragmentation, and loss are often the largest contributors. River fragmentation often results in altered flow regimes, subsequently impacting the availability of...
Authors
Matthew Ross Acre, Timothy B. Grabowski, Daniel J. Leavitt, Nathan G. Smith, Allison A. Pease, Jessica E. Pease
Economic effects assessment approaches: US National Parks approach Economic effects assessment approaches: US National Parks approach
This chapter discusses the data and methods used by the US National Park Service to estimate the economic effects of National Park visitor spending to local and regional economies. Topics covered include a summary of economic effects analyses, required data for analysis (visitor count data, trip characteristics and spending patterns, and regional economic multipliers) and how these data...
Authors
Catherine Cullinane Thomas, Lynne Koontz
8,000 years of climate, vegetation, fire and land-use dynamics in the thermo-mediterranean vegetation belt of northern Sardinia (Italy) 8,000 years of climate, vegetation, fire and land-use dynamics in the thermo-mediterranean vegetation belt of northern Sardinia (Italy)
Knowledge about the vegetation history of Sardinia, the second largest island of the Mediterranean, is scanty. Here, we present a new sedimentary record covering the past ~ 8,000 years from Lago di Baratz, north-west Sardinia. Vegetation and fire history are reconstructed by pollen, spores, macrofossils and charcoal analyses and environmental dynamics by high-resolution element...
Authors
Tiziana Pedrotta, Erika Gobet, Christoph Schworer, Giorgia Beffa, Christoph Butz, Paul D. Henne, Cesar Morales-Molino, Salvatore Pasta, Jacqueline Van Leeuwen, Hendrik Vogel, Elias Zwimpfer, Flavio Anselmetti, Martin Grosjean, Willy Tinner
EverForecast—A near-term forecasting application for ecological decision support EverForecast—A near-term forecasting application for ecological decision support
The Everglades Forecasting application (EverForecast) provides decision makers with a support tool to examine optimal allocations of water across the managed landscape while explicitly quantifying the conflicting needs of multiple species. Covering the Greater Everglades (a vast, subtropical wetland ecosystem in South Florida), EverForecast provides 6-month forecasts of daily projected...
Authors
Saira M. Haider, Stephanie S. Romañach, Mark McKelvy, Kevin J. Suir, Leonard Pearlstine
Resistance, resilience, and recovery of dryland soil bacterial communities across multiple disturbances Resistance, resilience, and recovery of dryland soil bacterial communities across multiple disturbances
Dryland ecosystems are sensitive to perturbations and generally slow to recover post disturbance. The microorganisms residing in dryland soils are especially important as they contribute to soil structure and nutrient cycling. Disturbance can have particularly strong effects on dryland soil structure and function, yet the natural resistance and recovery of the microbial components of...
Authors
Blaire Steven, Michala Lee Phillips, Jayne Belnap, La Verne Gallegos-Graves, Cheryl R. Kuske, Sasha C. Reed
The scope and severity of white-nose syndrome on hibernating bats in North America The scope and severity of white-nose syndrome on hibernating bats in North America
Assessing the scope and severity of threats is necessary for evaluating impacts on populations to inform conservation planning. Quantitative threat assessment often requires monitoring programs that provide reliable data over relevant spatial and temporal scales, yet such programs can be difficult to justify until there is an apparent stressor. Leveraging efforts of wildlife management...
Authors
Tina L. Cheng, Jonathan D. Reichard, Jeremy T.H. Coleman, Ted Weller, Wayne E. Thogmartin, Brian Reichert, Alyssa Bennett, Hugh G. Broders, Joshua Campbell, Katherine Etchison, Daniel J. Feller, Richard Geboy, Traci Hemberger, Carl Herzog, Alan C. Hicks, Sandra Houghton, Jessica Humber, Joseph A. Kath, Andrew L. King, Susan C. Loeb, Ariane Masse, Katrina M. Morris, Holly Niederriter, Gerd E. Nordquist, Roger W. Perry, Rick Reynolds, David Blake Sasse, Michael R. Scafini, Richard C. Stark, Craig W. Stihler, Steven C. Thomas, Gregory G. Turner, Shevenell Webb, Bradley Westrich, Winifred F. Frick