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: 42888
Distribution of yellow crazy ants (Anoplolepis gracilipes) and notes on other ant species at Wake Atoll, 6-21 October, 2023 Distribution of yellow crazy ants (Anoplolepis gracilipes) and notes on other ant species at Wake Atoll, 6-21 October, 2023
Wake Atoll, located in the central Pacific Ocean, is a tropical coral atoll comprised of three islands totaling 696 ha of emergent land. Wake Atoll supports at least 17 species of non-native ants, but one species, the yellow crazy ant (Anoplolepis gracilipes), is especially harmful to ecosystems, including seabirds, which are federally protected species and nest throughout Wake Atoll...
Authors
Sheldon M. Plentovich, Robert W. Peck, Elyse Sachs
Early detection of wildlife disease pathogens using CRISPR-Cas system methods Early detection of wildlife disease pathogens using CRISPR-Cas system methods
Wildlife diseases are a considerable threat to human health, conservation, and the economy. Surveillance is a critical component to mitigate the impact of animal diseases in these sectors. To monitor human diseases, CRISPR-Cas (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-CRISPR-associated protein) biosensors have proven instrumental as diagnostic tools capable of detecting...
Authors
Adam Alberto Perez, Guelaguetza Vazquez-Meves, Margaret Hunter
Patterns and drivers of cottonwood mortality in the middle Rio Grande, New Mexico, USA Patterns and drivers of cottonwood mortality in the middle Rio Grande, New Mexico, USA
Riparian ecosystems are some of the most valuable and vulnerable on the planet. Riparian tree mortality is increasing in the western United States, where altered streamflows are combining with warming climate. Between 2011 and 2013, one third of an extensive stand of Populus deltoides var. wislizeni (Rio Grande cottonwood) died along the middle Rio Grande on the Pueblo of Santa Ana in...
Authors
Hannah Varani, Ellis Q. Margolis, Esteban H. Muldavin, William T. Pockman
Density estimation using spatial capture-recapture analyses: Application to vaccination of prairie dogs against sylvatic plague Density estimation using spatial capture-recapture analyses: Application to vaccination of prairie dogs against sylvatic plague
Prairie dogs are notoriously difficult to enumerate, with previously methods including visual counts, mark-resight, burrow counts, and catch per unit effort. Unlike those methods, spatial capture-recapture (SCR) analyses allow for formal estimation of density along with associated estimates of uncertainty, detection probability, and the size of the average area over which an individual...
Authors
Robin E. Russell, Dan W. Tripp, Katherine Richgels, Tonie E. Rocke
Examining inter-regional and intra-seasonal differences in wintering waterfowl landscape associations among Pacific and Atlantic flyways Examining inter-regional and intra-seasonal differences in wintering waterfowl landscape associations among Pacific and Atlantic flyways
The Central Valley of California (CVC) and Mid-Atlantic (MA) in the U.S. are both critical sites for nationwide food security (California Poultry Federation 2016, Prosser et al. 2017), and many waterfowl species annually, especially during the winter, providing feeding and roosting locations for a variety of species. Mapping waterfowl distributions, using NEXRAD, may aid in the adaptive...
Authors
Matthew J. Hardy, Christopher K. Williams, Brian S. Ladman, Maurice E. Pitesky, Cory T. Overton, Michael L. Casazza, Elliott Matchett, Diann J. Prosser, Jeffrey J. Buler
Identifying and filling critical knowledge gaps can optimize financial viability of blue carbon projects in tidal wetlands Identifying and filling critical knowledge gaps can optimize financial viability of blue carbon projects in tidal wetlands
One of the world’s largest “blue carbon” ecosystems, Louisiana’s tidal wetlands on the US Gulf of Mexico coast, is rapidly being lost. Louisiana’s strong legal, regulatory, and monitoring framework, developed for one of the world’s largest tidal wetland systems, provides an opportunity for a programmatic approach to blue carbon accreditation to support restoration of these ecologically...
Authors
Tim J.B. Carruthers, S. Beaux Jones, Megan K. Terrell, Jonathan F. Scheibly, Brendan J. Player, Valerie A. Black, Justin R. Ehrenwerth, Patrick D. Biber, Rod M. Connolly, Steve Crooks, Jason P. Curole, Kelly M. Darnell, Alyssa M. Dausman, Allison L. DeJong, Shawn M. Doyle, Christopher R. Esposito, Daniel A. Friess, James W. Fourqurean, Ioannis Y. Georgiou, Gabriel D. Grimsditch, Songjie He, Eva R. Hillmann, Guerry O. Holm, Jennifer Howard, Hoonshin Jung, Stacy D. Jupiter, Erin P. Kiskaddon, Ken Krauss, Paul S. Lavery, Bingqing Liu, Catherine E. Lovelock, Sarah K. Mack, Peter I. Macreadie, Karen J. McGlathery, J. Patrick Megonigal, Brian J. Roberts, Scott Settelmyer, Lorie W. Staver, Hilary J. Stevens, Ariana Eileen Sutton-Grier, Jorge A. Villa, John R. White, Michelle Waycott
A systematic review of laboratory investigations into the pathogenesis of avian influenza viruses in wild avifauna of North America A systematic review of laboratory investigations into the pathogenesis of avian influenza viruses in wild avifauna of North America
The lack of consolidated information regarding the response of wild bird species to infection with avian influenza virus (AIV) is a challenge to both conservation managers and researchers alike, with related sectors also impacted, such as public health and commercial poultry. Using two independent searches, we reviewed published literature for studies describing wild bird species...
Authors
Matthew Brandon Gonnerman, Christina Leyson, Jeffery D. Sullivan, Mary J. Pantin-Jackwood, Erica Spackman, Jennifer M. Mullinax, Diann Prosser
Intraspecific trait variability in wild populations predicts neither variability nor performance in a common garden Intraspecific trait variability in wild populations predicts neither variability nor performance in a common garden
Dryland restoration requires plant materials capable of performing well despite difficult growing conditions. Selecting plant materials with higher intraspecific trait variability (ITV) may support successful outcomes by enhancing the performance of those materials in restoration settings. However, maintaining ITV from wild populations is not well understood and requires further...
Authors
Ella M. Samuel, Rachel M. Mitchell, Daniel E. Winkler, Zoe M. Davidson, Shannon Joy Lencioni, Robert Massatti
Inventorying ponds through novel size-adaptive object mapping using Sentinel-1/2 time series Inventorying ponds through novel size-adaptive object mapping using Sentinel-1/2 time series
Ponds are an important source of greenhouse gases (GHGs) to the atmosphere, yet evaluating their role in global biogeochemical cycling is currently hampered by limitations in quantifying their global distribution. Existing satellite-derived estimates of lake distributions have difficulty identifying small lakes (5–10 ha) and ponds (
Authors
Denghong Liu, Xioalin Zhu, Meredith Holgerson, Sheel Bansal, Xiangtao Xu
Effects of noise from oil and gas development on raptors and songbirds—A science synthesis to inform National Environmental Policy Act analyses Effects of noise from oil and gas development on raptors and songbirds—A science synthesis to inform National Environmental Policy Act analyses
The U.S. Geological Survey is working with Federal land management agencies to develop a series of science syntheses to support environmental effects analyses that agencies conduct to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). This report synthesizes science information about the potential effects of noise from oil and gas development on North American raptors, songbirds...
Authors
Logan M. Maxwell, Tait K. Rutherford, Nathan J. Kleist, Elisabeth C. Teige, Richard J. Lehrter, Megan A. Gilbert, David J.A. Wood, Aaron N. Johnston, John C. Tull, Travis S. Haby, Sarah K. Carter
Multi-decadal trophic shifts in Lake Erie yellow perch Perca flavescens Multi-decadal trophic shifts in Lake Erie yellow perch Perca flavescens
In Lake Erie, yellow perch Perca flavescens support vast commercial and recreational fisheries, yet populations have recently declined. Using N = 5889 yellow perch stomachs collected from 1997 to 2021, we explored trends in the feeding ecology and trophic level of yellow perch with generalized additive models. Models revealed a significant decrease in yellow perch trophic level (−0.15...
Authors
Joseph Schmitt, Ann Marie Gorman, Carey Knight, Mark Richard Dufour, James Roberts, Travis Hartman
Cooperative conservation actions improve sage-grouse population performance within the Bi-State Distinct Population Segment Cooperative conservation actions improve sage-grouse population performance within the Bi-State Distinct Population Segment
Developing a robust monitoring framework that integrates efficacy assessments of cooperative conservation and restoration actions in relation to population viability is critical for successful long-term recovery of target ecosystems and species. However, often it is difficult to quantify conservation action efficacy because of the complex, dynamic nature of ecosystem processes and...
Authors
Peter S. Coates, Brian G. Prochazka, Sarah C. Webster, Cali L. Weise, Cameron L. Aldridge, Michael S. O’Donnell, Lief A. Wiechman, Kevin E. Doherty, John C. Tull