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
Genetic and environmental indicators of climate change vulnerability for desert bighorn sheep Genetic and environmental indicators of climate change vulnerability for desert bighorn sheep
Assessments of organisms’ vulnerability to potential climatic shifts are increasingly common. Such assessments are often conducted at the species level and focused primarily on the magnitude of anticipated climate change (i.e., climate exposure). However, wildlife management would benefit from population-level assessments that also incorporate measures of local or regional potential for...
Authors
Tyler G. Creech, Clinton W. Epps, John D. Wehausen, Rachel S. Crowhurst, Jef R. Jaeger, Kathleen Longshore, Brandon Holton, William B. Sloan, Ryan J. Monello
Acute and chronic toxicity of nickel and zinc to a laboratory cultured mayfly (Neocloeon triangulifer) in aqueous but fed exposures Acute and chronic toxicity of nickel and zinc to a laboratory cultured mayfly (Neocloeon triangulifer) in aqueous but fed exposures
Aquatic insects are poorly represented in water quality criteria, and previous studies have suggested a lack of sensitivity in acute toxicity tests despite observational studies demonstrating the contrary. Our objectives were to determine the toxicity of nickel (Ni) and zinc (Zn) to the mayfly Neocloeon triangulifer in fed acute (96-h) and chronic exposures to estimate aqueous effect
Authors
David J. Soucek, Amy Dickinson, Christan E. Schlekat, Eric Van Genderen, Edward J. Hammer
Spatial ecology and resource selection of eastern box turtles Spatial ecology and resource selection of eastern box turtles
Eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina) are widely distributed throughout the eastern United States. Although once common throughout much of its distribution, the species has experienced declines in local populations. Understanding resource selection is important for the conservation of this species; however, few data exist on resource selection for eastern box turtles in the
Authors
Katie A Harris, Joseph D. Clark, R. Dwayne Elmore, Craig A. Harper
Impact of smallmouth bass predation on subyearling fall Chinook salmon over a broad river continuum Impact of smallmouth bass predation on subyearling fall Chinook salmon over a broad river continuum
Smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) predation on subyearling fall Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) was examined in the Snake River (USA) to identify seasonal and habitat-related changes in bass diets, and associated subyearling consumption and loss in various riverine and impounded reaches. Smallmouth bass diets reflected opportunistic foraging that at times showed predation...
Authors
Kenneth Tiffan, John M Erhardt, Rulon J. Hemingway, Brad Bickford, Tobyn Rhodes
High‐resolution dynamically downscaled rainfall and temperature projections for ecological life zones within Puerto Rico and for the U.S. Virgin Islands High‐resolution dynamically downscaled rainfall and temperature projections for ecological life zones within Puerto Rico and for the U.S. Virgin Islands
The weather research and forecasting (WRF) model and a combination of the regional spectral model (RSM) and the Japanese Meteorological Agency Non‐Hydrostatic Model (NHM) were used to dynamically downscale selected CMIP5 global climate models to provide 2‐km projections with hourly model output for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Two 20‐year time slices were downscaled for...
Authors
Jared H. Bowden, Adam J. Terando, Vasu Misra, Adrienne Wootten, Amit Bhardwaj, Ryan Boyles, William A. Gould, Jaime A. Collazo, Tanya Spero
2,200-Year tree-ring and lake-sediment based snowpack reconstruction for the northern Rocky Mountains highlights the historic magnitude of recent snow drought 2,200-Year tree-ring and lake-sediment based snowpack reconstruction for the northern Rocky Mountains highlights the historic magnitude of recent snow drought
In recent decades, Rocky Mountain accumulated snowpack levels have experienced rapid declines, yet long-term records of snowpack prior to the installation of snowpack observation stations in the early and mid 20th century are limited. To date, a small number of tree-ring based reconstructions of April 1 Snow Water Equivalent (SWE) in the northern Rocky Mountains have extended modern...
Authors
Spruce W. Schoenemann, Justin Martin, Gregory T. Pederson, David B. McWethy
Identifying sustainable winter habitat for whooping cranes Identifying sustainable winter habitat for whooping cranes
The only self-sustaining population of endangered whooping cranes (Grus americana) requires a network of conservation lands for wintering along the Texas Gulf Coast (USA), so that this increasing population can reach downlisting under the Endangered Species Act (1,000 birds). We identify locations providing the highest quality and most sustainable wintering habitat for these whooping...
Authors
Kristine L. Metzger, Sarah E. Lehnen, Steven Sesnie, Matthew J Butler, Aaron T. Pearse, Grant Harris
Cortisol regulates insulin-like growth-factor binding protein (igfbp) gene expression in Atlantic salmon parr Cortisol regulates insulin-like growth-factor binding protein (igfbp) gene expression in Atlantic salmon parr
The growth hormone (Gh)/insulin-like growth-factor (Igf)/Igf binding protein (Igfbp) system regulates growth and osmoregulation in salmonid fishes, but how this system interacts with other endocrine systems is largely unknown. Given the well-documented consequences of mounting a glucocorticoid stress response on growth, we hypothesized that cortisol inhibits anabolic processes by...
Authors
Jason P. Breves, R.H. Springer-Miller, D A Chenoweth, A L Paskavitz, A Y H Chang, Amy M. Regish, I E Einarsdottir, Bjorn Bjornsson, Stephen D. McCormick
Winter severity, fish community, and availability to traps explain most of the variability in estimates of adult sea lamprey in Lake Superior Winter severity, fish community, and availability to traps explain most of the variability in estimates of adult sea lamprey in Lake Superior
Animal populations are assessed to estimate rates of artificial and natural mortality at ecologically relevant spatial and temporal scales to develop exploitation quotas. But how the population’s natural mortality rate and how the ability to observe the population changes through time are poorly understood in most invasive fishes, despite efforts to control their populations. By...
Authors
Nicholas S. Johnson, Jean V. Adams, Gale Bravener, Jessica Barber, Ted Treska, Michael J Siefkes
Status of the major aquaculture carps of China in the Laurentian Great Lakes Basin Status of the major aquaculture carps of China in the Laurentian Great Lakes Basin
There is concern of economic and environmental damage occuring if any of the four major aquacultured carp species of China, black carp Mylopharyngodon piceus, bighead carp Hypophthalmichthys nobilis, silver carp H. molitrix, or grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idella, were to establish in the Laurentian Great Lakes. All four are reproducing in the Mississippi River Basin. We review the status...
Authors
Duane Chapman, Amy J. Benson, Holly S. Embke, Nicole R. King, Patrick Kocovsky, Teresa D. Lewis, Nicholas E. Mandrak
Mangrove blue carbon in the face of deforestation, climate change, and restoration Mangrove blue carbon in the face of deforestation, climate change, and restoration
Coastal wetlands have disproportionately high carbon densities, known as blue carbon, compared to most terrestrial ecosystems. Mangroves and their blue carbon stocks are at risk globally from land‐use and land‐cover change (LULCC) activities such as aquaculture, alongside biophysical disturbances such as sea‐level rise and cyclones. Global estimates of carbon emissions from mangrove loss...
Authors
Daniel A. Friess, Ken Krauss, Pierre Taillardat, Maria Fernanda Adame, Erik S. Yando, Clint Cameron, Sigit D. Sasmito, Meriadec Sillanpaa
Evaluation of visible light as a cue for guiding downstream migrant juvenile Sea Lamprey Evaluation of visible light as a cue for guiding downstream migrant juvenile Sea Lamprey
Light can modify orientation and locomotory behaviors in fish and has been applied to attract or repel migrant fish by inducing positive or negative phototaxis. Here, recently metamorphosed downstream‐migrating Sea Lamprey Petromyzon marinus were exposed to light cues in several orientations and intensities at night under controlled flowing‐water conditions in a laboratory flume...
Authors
Alexander Haro, Scott M. Miehls, Nicholas S. Johnson, C. Michael Wagner