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: 42999
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
Sand pulses and sand patches on the Colorado River in Grand Canyon Sand pulses and sand patches on the Colorado River in Grand Canyon
Alluvial sandbars occur in lateral recirculation zones (eddies) along the Colorado River in Grand Canyon National Park (Schmidt, 1990). Resource managers periodically release controlled floods from the upstream Glen Canyon Dam to rebuild these bars (Grams et al., 2015), which erode during fluctuating dam releases, and by hillslope runoff and wind deflation (Hazel et al., 2010). Because...
Authors
Paul E. Grams, Daniel D. Buscombe, David J. Topping, Erich R. Mueller
Serrasalmidae — Piranhas and Pacus Serrasalmidae — Piranhas and Pacus
The family Serrasalmidae is a morphologically and ecologically diverse group of South American freshwater fishes consisting of 16 genera and about 91 valid species. This chapter is a summary of the current state of knowledge on serrasalmid taxonomy, species richness, and ecology, and provides an identification key to the genera and references to relevant literature for species-level
Authors
Leo Nico, Michel Jegu, Marcelo C Andrade
Rehabilitating sea otters: Feeling good versus being effective Rehabilitating sea otters: Feeling good versus being effective
This chapter examines the complexities of assessing the merits and drawbacks of wildlife rehabilitation. Wildlife rehabilitation is often costly, and the resulting benefits differ depending on whether one’s interest is in the welfare of individual animals or conserving populations. Two examples of this dilemma include the rehabilitation of oiled sea otters following the Exxon Valdez...
Authors
James A. Estes, M. Tim Tinker
Energetic requirements of green sturgeon (Acipenser medirostris) feeding on burrowing shrimp (Neotrypaea californiensis) in estuaries: importance of temperature, reproductive investment, and residence time Energetic requirements of green sturgeon (Acipenser medirostris) feeding on burrowing shrimp (Neotrypaea californiensis) in estuaries: importance of temperature, reproductive investment, and residence time
Habitat use can be complex, as tradeoffs among physiology, resource abundance, and predator avoidance affect the suitability of different environments for different species. Green sturgeon (Acipenser medirostris), an imperiled species along the west coast of North America, undertake extensive coastal migrations and occupy estuaries during the summer and early fall. Warm water and...
Authors
Joshua M. Borin, Mary L. Moser, Adam G. Hansen, David A. Beauchamp, Stephen C. Corbett, Brett R. Dumbauld, Casey Pruitt, Jennifer L. Ruesink, Cinde Donoghue
Ad hoc instrumentation methods in ecological studies produce highly biased temperature measurements Ad hoc instrumentation methods in ecological studies produce highly biased temperature measurements
In light of global climate change, ecological studies increasingly address effects of temperature on organisms and ecosystems. To measure air temperature at biologically relevant scales in the field, ecologists often use small, portable temperature sensors. Sensors must be shielded from solar radiation to provide accurate temperature measurements, but our review of 18 years of ecological
Authors
Adam J. Terando, Elsa Youngsteadt, Emily K. Meineke, Sara G. Prado
Genomics of Arctic cod Genomics of Arctic cod
The Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida) is an abundant marine fish that plays a vital role in the marine food web. To better understand the population genetic structure and the role of natural selection acting on the maternally-inherited mitochondrial genome (mitogenome), a molecule often associated with adaptations to temperature, we analyzed genetic data collected from 11 biparentally...
Authors
Robert E. Wilson, George K. Sage, Sarah A. Sonsthagen, Megan C. Gravley, Damian M. Menning, Sandra L. Talbot
Spatial mismatch between sea lamprey behaviour and trap location explains low success at trapping for control Spatial mismatch between sea lamprey behaviour and trap location explains low success at trapping for control
Crucial to the management of invasive species is understanding space use and the environmental features affecting space use. Improved understanding of space use by invasive sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) could help researchers discern why trap success in large rivers is lower than needed for effective control. We tested whether manipulating discharge nightly could increase trap success...
Authors
Andrew M. Rous, Adrienne R. McLean, Jessica Barber, Gale Bravener, Theodore Castro-Santos, Christopher M. Holbrook, Istvan Imre, Thomas C. Pratt, Robert L. McLaughlin
Foundations of translational ecology Foundations of translational ecology
Ecologists who specialize in translational ecology (TE) seek to link ecological knowledge to decision making by integrating ecological science with the full complement of social dimensions that underlie today's complex environmental issues. TE is motivated by a search for outcomes that directly serve the needs of natural resource managers and decision makers. This objective distinguishes...
Authors
Carolyn A. F. Enquist, Stephen T. Jackson, Gregg M. Garfin, Frank W. Davis, Leah R. Gerber, Jeremy S. Littell, Jennifer L. Tank, Adam Terando, Tamara U. Wall, Benjamin S. Halpern, J. Kevin Hiers, Toni L. Morelli, Elizabeth McNie, Nathan L. Stephenson, Matthew A. Williamson, Connie A. Woodhouse, Laurie Yung, Mark W. Brunson, Kimberly R. Hall, Lauren M. Hallett, Dawn M. Lawson, Max A. Moritz, Koren R. Nydick, Amber Pairis, Andrea J. Ray, Claudia M. Regan, Hugh D. Safford, Mark W. Schwartz, M. Rebecca Shaw
Reviews and syntheses: Field data to benchmark the carbon cycle models for tropical forests Reviews and syntheses: Field data to benchmark the carbon cycle models for tropical forests
For more accurate projections of both the global carbon (C) cycle and the changing climate, a critical current need is to improve the representation of tropical forests in Earth system models. Tropical forests exchange more C, energy, and water with the atmosphere than any other class of land ecosystems. Further, tropical-forest C cycling is likely responding to the rapid global warming
Authors
Deborah A. Clark, Shinichi Asao, Rosie A. Fisher, Sasha C. Reed, Peter B. Reich, Michael G. Ryan, Tana E. Wood, Xiaojuan Yang
Characters in Arctostaphylos taxonomy Characters in Arctostaphylos taxonomy
There is value in understanding the past and how it has affected the present. Science focuses on empirical findings, and we know that our prior experiences and those of our predecessors play important roles in determining how we interpret the present. We learn from accomplishments and foibles of predecessors and appreciate the real life experiences we have gone through. In our studies of...
Authors
Jon E. Keeley, V. Thomas Parker, Michael C. Vasey
Building translational ecology communities of practice: insights from the field Building translational ecology communities of practice: insights from the field
Translational ecology (TE) prioritizes the understanding of social systems and decision contexts in order to address complex natural resource management issues. Although many practitioners in applied fields employ translational tactics, the body of literature addressing such approaches is limited. We present several case studies illustrating the principles of TE and the diversity of its
Authors
Dawn M. Lawson, Kimberly R. Hall, Laurie Yung, Carolyn A. F. Enquist