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: 42871
Quantifying animal movement for caching foragers: the path identification index (PII) and cougars, Puma concolor Quantifying animal movement for caching foragers: the path identification index (PII) and cougars, Puma concolor
Relocation studies of animal movement have focused on directed versus area restricted movement, which rely on correlations between step-length and turn angles, along with a degree of stationarity through time to define behavioral states. Although these approaches may work well for grazing foraging strategies in a patchy landscape, species that do not spend a significant amount of time...
Authors
Kirsten E. Ironside, David J. Mattson, Tad Theimer, Brian Jansen, Brandon Holton, Terence R. Arundel, Michael Peters, Joseph O. Sexton, Thomas C. Edwards
Comment on linking the sex difference in PCB concentrations of fish to release of eggs at spawning: Time to jettison the dogma Comment on linking the sex difference in PCB concentrations of fish to release of eggs at spawning: Time to jettison the dogma
For the past 20 years or so, a commonly used explanation in the scientific literature for higher polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) concentrations in male fish than in female fish has been that females lose a high proportion of their PCB body burden by releasing eggs at spawning time, and therefore the females undergo a substantial decrease in their PCB concentration immediately after...
Authors
Charles P. Madenjian
Rapid 3-week transition from migration to incubation in a female Roseate Tern (Sterna dougallii) Rapid 3-week transition from migration to incubation in a female Roseate Tern (Sterna dougallii)
A female Roseate Tern that staged in Puerto Rico on 10 May 2008 on its migration north was first observed in the nesting area at Bird Island, Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts on 21 May. It was incubating a complete clutch of two eggs by 1 June and likely had initiated laying within 20 days of having been in Puerto Rico.
Authors
Jeffrey A. Spendelow
Status and conservation of Yellowstone cutthroat trout in the Greater Yellowstone Area Status and conservation of Yellowstone cutthroat trout in the Greater Yellowstone Area
No abstract available.
Authors
Robert K. Al-Chokhachy, Bradley Shepard, Jason Burckhardt, Scott Opitz, Dan Garren, Todd M. Koel, Lee M. Nelson
Sea turtles, light pollution, and citizen science: A preliminary report Sea turtles, light pollution, and citizen science: A preliminary report
Sea turtles are an important ecological resource for Gulf Islands National Seashore’s (Gulf Islands) waters and shorelines. Regionally, sea turtles face anthropogenic threats from situations such as entanglement in fishing gear and ingestion of marine debris, as well as possible changes in sex ratios due to increasing temperatures related to human-induced global warming. Locally, light...
Authors
Heather Afford, Susan Teel, Mark Nicholas, Thomas R. Stanley, Jeremy White
Possible behavioural, energetic and demographic effects of displacement of red-throated divers Possible behavioural, energetic and demographic effects of displacement of red-throated divers
This report comprises the main points of discussion and agreement during a workshop, held in Edinburgh in May 2017, to discuss how displacement might affect individuals and the Red-throated diver population; with additional information added by the scientists following the workshop.
Authors
Volker Dierschke, Robert W. Furness, Carrie E. Gray, Ib Krag Petersen, Joel A. Schmutz, Ramunas Zydelis, Francis Daunt
Developing a translational ecology workforce Developing a translational ecology workforce
We define a translational ecologist as a professional ecologist with diverse disciplinary expertise and skill sets, as well as a suitable personal disposition, who engages across social, professional, and disciplinary boundaries to partner with decision makers to achieve practical environmental solutions. Becoming a translational ecologist requires specific attention to obtaining...
Authors
Mark W. Schwartz, J. Kevin Hiers, Frank W. Davis, Gregg Garfin, Stephen T. Jackson, Adam J. Terando, Connie A. Woodhouse, Toni Lyn Morelli, Matthew A. Williamson, Mark W. Brunson
Interactions among invasive plants: Lessons from Hawai‘i Interactions among invasive plants: Lessons from Hawai‘i
Most ecosystems have multiple-plant invaders rather than single-plant invaders, yet ecological studies and management actions focus largely on single invader species. There is a need for general principles regarding invader interactions across varying environmental conditions, so that secondary invasions can be anticipated and managers can allocate resources toward pretreatment or...
Authors
Carla M. D’Antonio, Rebecca Ostertag, Susan Cordell, Stephanie G. Yelenik
Forecasting consequences of changing sea ice availability for Pacific walruses Forecasting consequences of changing sea ice availability for Pacific walruses
The accelerating rate of anthropogenic alteration and disturbance of environments has increased the need for forecasting effects of environmental change on fish and wildlife populations. Models linking projections of environmental change with behavioral responses and bioenergetic effects can provide a basis for these forecasts. There is particular interest in forecasting effects of...
Authors
Mark S. Udevitz, Chadwick V. Jay, Rebecca L. Taylor, Anthony S. Fischbach, William S. Beatty, Shawn R. Noren
Overview of avian toxicity studies for the Deepwater Horizon Natural Resource Damage Assessment Overview of avian toxicity studies for the Deepwater Horizon Natural Resource Damage Assessment
The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 establishes liability for injuries to natural resources because of the release or threat of release of oil. Assessment of injury to natural resources resulting from an oil spill and development and implementation of a plan for the restoration, rehabilitation, replacement or acquisition of natural resources to compensate for those injuries is accomplished...
Authors
Steven J. Bursian, C. R. Alexander, Dave Cacela, Fred L. Cunningham, Karen M. Dean, Brian S. Dorr, Christine K. Ellis, Celine A.J. Godard-Codding, Christopher G. Guglielmo, Katie C. Hanson-Dorr, Kendall E. Harr, Katherine A. Healy, Michael J. Hooper, Katherine E. Horak, John P. Isanhart, Lisa V. Kennedy, Jane E. Link, Ivan Maggini, John K. Moye, Christina R. Perez, Chris A. Pritsos, Susan A. Shriner, Kinberly A. Trust, Peter L. Tuttle
Water guns affect abundance and behavior of bigheaded carp and native fish differently Water guns affect abundance and behavior of bigheaded carp and native fish differently
Water guns have shown the potential to repel nuisance aquatic organisms. This study examines the effects of exposure to a 1966.4 cm3 seismic water gun array (two guns) on the abundance and behavior of Bighead Carp Hypophthalmichthys nobilis, Silver Carp H. molitrix (collectively referred to as bigheaded carp) and native fishes (e.g., Smallmouth Buffalo Ictiobus bubalus). Water guns were...
Authors
Jose Rivera, David C. Glover, Patrick Kocovsky, James E. Garvey, Mark P. Gaikowski, Nathan R. Jensen, Ryan F. Adams
Genetic implications of bottleneck effects of differing severities on genetic diversity in naturally recovering populations: An example from Hawaiian coot and Hawaiian gallinule Genetic implications of bottleneck effects of differing severities on genetic diversity in naturally recovering populations: An example from Hawaiian coot and Hawaiian gallinule
The evolutionary trajectory of populations through time is influenced by the interplay of forces (biological, evolutionary, and anthropogenic) acting on the standing genetic variation. We used microsatellite and mitochondrial loci to examine the influence of population declines, of varying severity, on genetic diversity within two Hawaiian endemic waterbirds, the Hawaiian coot and...
Authors
Sarah A. Sonsthagen, Robert E. Wilson, Jared G. Underwood