Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

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: 42710

Short- and long-term responses of riparian cottonwoods (Populus spp.) to flow diversion: Analysis of tree-ring radial growth and stable carbon isotopes Short- and long-term responses of riparian cottonwoods (Populus spp.) to flow diversion: Analysis of tree-ring radial growth and stable carbon isotopes

Long duration tree-ring records with annual precision allow for the reconstruction of past growing conditions. Investigations limited to the most common tree-ring proxy of ring width can be difficult to interpret, however, because radial growth is affected by multiple environmental processes. Furthermore, studies of living trees may miss important effects of drought on tree survival and...
Authors
Derek M. Schook, Jonathan M. Friedman, Craig A. Stricker, Adam Z. Csank, David J. Cooper

Evaluation of the impacts of radio-marking devices on feral horses and burros in a captive setting Evaluation of the impacts of radio-marking devices on feral horses and burros in a captive setting

Radio-collars and other radio-marking devices have been invaluable tools for wildlife managers for >40 years. These marking devices have improved our understanding of wildlife spatial ecology and demographic parameters and provided new data facilitating model development for species conservation and management. Although these tools have been used on virtually all North American ungulates...
Authors
Kathryn A. Schoenecker, Sarah R. B. King, Gail C. Collins

Decision analysis for managing public natural resources Decision analysis for managing public natural resources

Examples like the Grand Canyon story are becoming more common—agencies and stakeholders are increasingly using decision tools to help navigate complex decisions regarding natural resources. Several books and many papers have made the case for the use of decision analysis in natural resource management settings and have described the tools available (Conroy and Peterson 2013; Gregory et...
Authors
Michael C. Runge, Ellen A Bean

Using remotely sensed data to map Joshua Tree distributions at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, California, 2018 Using remotely sensed data to map Joshua Tree distributions at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, California, 2018

Species distribution models (SDMs) that are derived through inference have been used to provide important insights toward species distributions. Their inferences can be robust in relation to known presences, but SDMs have error rates that cannot be quantified with certainty. For large plant species with unique signatures and in sparsely vegetated habitats, object-oriented satellite image
Authors
Todd Esque, Patrick E. Baird, Felicia C. Chen, David C. Housman, Tom J. Holton

Morphological, elemental, and boron isotopic insights into pathophysiology of diseased coral growth anomalies Morphological, elemental, and boron isotopic insights into pathophysiology of diseased coral growth anomalies

Growth anomalies (GAs) impact both coral skeleton and soft tissues and are detrimental to reef health. This tumor-like disease is increasingly found throughout the tropics and is commonly associated with high human population density, yet little is known about the etiology, pathology, or calcification behavior of the disease. Here, we investigate potential mechanisms involved in the...
Authors
Erik Andersson, Joseph A. E. Stewart, Thierry M. Work, Cheryl M. Woodley, Tracey B. Schock, Russell D. Day

Local to landscape-level controls of water fluxes through Hawaiian forests: Effects of invasive animals and plants on soil infiltration capacity across substrate and moisture gradients Local to landscape-level controls of water fluxes through Hawaiian forests: Effects of invasive animals and plants on soil infiltration capacity across substrate and moisture gradients

Given the potential effect of invasive plants and animals to water fluxes through forests, the invasive-driven degradation of native ecosystems is a topic of great concern for many downstream land and water managers. The infiltration rate determines the partitioning between runoff and infiltration into soil in Hawaiian forests and beyond. Thus, to explore the ecohydrological effects of...
Authors
Lucas B. Fortini, Christina Leopold, Kimberlie Perkins, Oliver A. Chadwick, Stephanie G. Yelenik, James D. Jacobi, Kaiena Bishaw, Makani Gregg, Sarah N. Rosa

Joint seasonality in geographic and ecological spaces, illustrated with a partially migratory bird Joint seasonality in geographic and ecological spaces, illustrated with a partially migratory bird

As most species live in seasonal environments, considering varying conditions is essential to understand species dynamics in both geographic and ecological spaces. Both resident and migratory species need to contend with seasonality and balance settling in favorable areas with tracking favorable environmental conditions during the year. We present an exploratory framework to jointly...
Authors
Mathieu Basille, James I. Watling, Stephanie Romanach, Rena R. Borkhataria

Specialized meltwater biodiversity persists despite widespread deglaciation Specialized meltwater biodiversity persists despite widespread deglaciation

Glaciers are important drivers of environmental heterogeneity and biological diversity across mountain landscapes. Worldwide, glaciers are receding rapidly due to climate change, with important consequences for biodiversity in mountain ecosystems. However, the effects of glacier loss on biodiversity have never been quantified across a mountainous region, primarily due to a lack of...
Authors
Clint C. Muhlfeld, Timothy Joseph Cline, J. Joseph Giersch, Erich Peitzsch, Caitlyn Florentine, Dean Jacobsen, Scott Hotaling

Louisiana Barrier Island Comprehensive Monitoring Program: Mapping habitats in beach, dune, and intertidal environments along the Louisiana Gulf of Mexico shoreline, 2008 and 2015–16 Louisiana Barrier Island Comprehensive Monitoring Program: Mapping habitats in beach, dune, and intertidal environments along the Louisiana Gulf of Mexico shoreline, 2008 and 2015–16

Barrier islands, headlands, and coastal shorelines provide numerous valuable ecosystem goods and services, including storm protection and erosion control for the mainland, habitat for fish and wildlife, salinity regulation in estuaries, carbon sequestration in marshes, and areas for recreation and tourism. These coastal features are dynamic environments because of their position at the...
Authors
Nicholas M. Enwright, William M. SooHoo, Jason L. Dugas, Craig P. Conzelmann, Claudia Laurenzano, Darin M. Lee, Kelly Mouton, Spencer J. Stelly

Natural and anthropogenic processes affecting radon releases during mining and early stage reclamation activities, Pinenut uranium mine, Arizona, USA Natural and anthropogenic processes affecting radon releases during mining and early stage reclamation activities, Pinenut uranium mine, Arizona, USA

Radon (Rnair) was monitored in open air in publicly accessible areas surrounding the Pinenut uranium (U) mine during mining and reclamation activities in 2015–16 to address concerns about mining related effects to areas surrounding Grand Canyon National Park (GCNP) in Arizona, USA. During July 2015, Rnair concentrations associated with the ore storage pile monitoring site were larger...
Authors
David L. Naftz, Katherine Walton-Day, W. Payton Gardner, Michael C. Duniway, Donald J. Bills

Red Knot (Calidris canutus) research—Preliminary results and future opportunities Red Knot (Calidris canutus) research—Preliminary results and future opportunities

The Red Knot, Calidris canutus, is a highly migratory shorebird with a cosmopolitan distribution. Six subspecies have been identified, two of which occur regularly in North America (C.c. rufa and C.c. roselaari). Given their long-distance migrations through many jurisdictions and conservation status, tools are needed to reliably distinguish the subspecies when captured away from their...
Authors
David C. Kazyak, Aaron W. Aunins, Robin L. Johnson
Was this page helpful?