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
Twenty-first century California, USA, wildfires: Fuel-dominated vs. wind-dominated fires Twenty-first century California, USA, wildfires: Fuel-dominated vs. wind-dominated fires
Since the beginning of the twenty-first century California, USA, has experienced a substantial increase in the frequency of large wildfires, often with extreme impacts on people and property. Due to the size of the state, it is not surprising that the factors driving these changes differ across this region. Although there are always multiple factors driving wildfire behavior, we believe...
Authors
Jon Keeley, Alexandra D. Syphard
Connectivity in the Crown: Highway 2 wildlife crossings Connectivity in the Crown: Highway 2 wildlife crossings
This report summarizes data collected to inform decisions on how to best mitigate the effects on wildlife migration from increasing traffic, development, and recreation along US highway 2. The highway, railway, and river split the Crown of the Continent Ecosystem. This data addresses SO 3362 by providing information on major wildlife trails, observed wildilfe crossings and road kills...
Authors
John S. Waller, Tabitha A. Graves, Brad Anderson, Brandon Kittson, Sarah Mccrimmon Gaulke
Soil texture and precipitation seasonality influence plant community structure in North American temperate shrub steppe Soil texture and precipitation seasonality influence plant community structure in North American temperate shrub steppe
In drylands, the coexistence of grasses and woody plants has been attributed to soil‐water resource partitioning. Soil texture and precipitation seasonality can influence the amount and distribution of water in the soil, and their interaction may play an important role in determining the relative importance of grasses and woody plants. We investigated the influence of this interaction on...
Authors
Rachel R. Renne, John B. Bradford, Ingrid C. Burke, William K. Lauenroth
FLUXNET-CH4 synthesis activity: Objectives, observations, and future directions FLUXNET-CH4 synthesis activity: Objectives, observations, and future directions
This paper describes the formation of, and initial results for, a new FLUXNET coordination network for ecosystem-scale methane (CH4) measurements at 60 sites globally, organized by the Global Carbon Project in partnership with other initiatives and regional flux tower networks. The objectives of the effort are presented along with an overview of the coverage of eddy covariance (EC) CH4...
Authors
Sara H. Knox, Robert B. Jackson, Benjamin Poulter, Gavin McNicol, Etienne Fluet-Chouinard, Zhen Zhang, Gustaf Hugelius, Philippe Bousquet, Josep G Canadell, Marielle Saunois, Dario Papale, Housen Chu, Trevor F. Keenan, Dennis Baldocchi, Margaret S. Torn, Ivan Mammarella, Carlo Trotta, Mika Aurela, Gil Bohrer, David I. Campbell, Alessandro Cescatti, Samuel D. Chamberlain, Jiquan Chen, Weinan Chen, Sigrid Dengel, Ankur R. Desai, Eugenie S. Euskirchen, Thomas Friborg, Daniele Gasbarra, Ignacio Goded, Mathias Goeckede, Martin Heimann, Manuel Helbig, Takashi Hirano, David Y. Hollinger, Hiroki Iwata, Minseok Kang, Janina Klatt, Ken Krauss, Lars Kutzbach, Annalea Lohila, Bhaskar Mitra, Timothy H Morin, Mats B. Nilsson, Shuli Niu, Asko Noormets, Walter C. Oechel, Matthias Peichl, Olli Peltola, Michele L. Reba, Andrew D. Richardson, Benjamin R. K. Runkle, Youngryel Ryu, Torsten Sachs, Karina V R Schafer, Hans Peter Schmid, Narasinha Shurpali, Oliver Sonnentag, Angela C I Tang, Masahito Ueyama, Rodrigo Vargas, Timo Vesala, Eric Ward, Lisamarie Windham-Myers, Georg Wohlfahrt, Donatella Zona
The Aleutian Low – Beaufort Sea Anticyclone: A climate index for predicting the timing of springtime melt in the Pacific Arctic cryosphere The Aleutian Low – Beaufort Sea Anticyclone: A climate index for predicting the timing of springtime melt in the Pacific Arctic cryosphere
Early and late extremes in the timing of snowmelt have recently been observed in the Pacific Arctic. Subseasonal-to-seasonal forecasts of this timing are important for industry, environmental management and Arctic communities. In northern Alaska, the timing is influenced by the advection of marine air from the north Pacific by the Aleutian Low, modulated by high pressure centered in the...
Authors
Christopher J. Cox, Robert S. Stone, David C. Douglas, Diane Stanitski, Michael Gallagher
Individual behaviour and resource use of thermally stressed brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis portend the conservation potential of thermal refugia Individual behaviour and resource use of thermally stressed brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis portend the conservation potential of thermal refugia
Individual aggression and thermal refuge use were monitored in brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis in a controlled laboratory to determine how fish size and personality influence time spent in forage and thermal habitat patches during periods of thermal stress. On average, larger and more exploratory fish initiated more aggressive interactions and across all fish there was decreased...
Authors
Shannon L. White, B.C. Kline, Nathaniel Hitt, Tyler Wagner
Application of multiple-population viability analysis to evaluate species recovery alternatives Application of multiple-population viability analysis to evaluate species recovery alternatives
Population viability analysis (PVA) is a powerful conservation tool, but one that remains unapproachable for many species. This is particularly true for species with multiple, broadly-distributed populations for which collecting suitable data can be challenging. A recently-developed method of multiple population viability analysis (MPVA), however, addresses many limitations of...
Authors
Helen M. Neville, Douglas R. Leasure, Daniel C. Dauwalter, Jason B. Dunham, Robin Bjork, Kurt A. Fesenmyer, Nathan Chelgren, Mary M. Peacock, Charles H. Luce, Daniel J. Isaak, Lee Ann Carranza, Jon Sjoberg, Seth J. Wenger
Influences of potential oil and gas development and future climate on Sage-grouse declines and redistribution Influences of potential oil and gas development and future climate on Sage-grouse declines and redistribution
Multiple environmental stressors impact wildlife populations, but we often know little about their cumulative and combined influences on population outcomes. We generally know more about past effects than potential future impacts, and direct influences such as changes of habitat footprints than indirect, long-term responses in behavior, distribution, or abundance. Yet, an understanding...
Authors
Julie A. Heinrichs, Michael S. O’Donnell, Cameron L. Aldridge, Steven L. Garman, Collin G. Homer
Spatial capture-recapture reveals age- and sex-specific survival and movement in stream amphibians Spatial capture-recapture reveals age- and sex-specific survival and movement in stream amphibians
Life history information sets the foundation for our understanding of ecology and conservation requirements. For many species, this information is lacking even for basic demographic rates such as survival and movement. When survival and movement estimates are available, they are often derived from mixed demographic groups and do not consider differences among life stages or sexes, which...
Authors
R. Ken Honeycutt, Justin M Garwood, Winsor H. Lowe, Blake R. Hossack
Biocrust science and global change Biocrust science and global change
Global environmental changes such as climate and land‐use change affect ecosystems worldwide, and this New Phytologist Virtual Issue brings together fundamental research questions and novel approaches associated with the study of biological soil crusts in the context of such shifts. In a changing world, organisms can display a limited set of responses that will determine their...
Authors
Sasha C. Reed, Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo, Scott Ferrenberg
Age truncation of alewife in Lake Michigan Age truncation of alewife in Lake Michigan
Empirical evidence has shown increased variability in harvest and recruitment of exploited fish populations, which can result directly from exploitation or indirectly from interactions between external drivers and the internal dynamics of age-structured populations. We investigated whether predation in a freshwater system could affect a prey fish population, in the same way fishing...
Authors
T. Vidal, Brian J. Irwin, Charles P. Madenjian, S. J. Wenger
Environmental DNA assays for invasive populations of the Black Carp, Mylopharyngodon piceus, in North America Environmental DNA assays for invasive populations of the Black Carp, Mylopharyngodon piceus, in North America
The Black Carp, Mylopharyngodon piceus, is an increasingly widespread invasive species in North America that threatens freshwater mussel populations. We developed four qPCR assays for detecting environmental DNA (eDNA) from these Black Carp populations. Assays were designed to target four mitochondrial DNA loci and were based on 34 complete mitochondrial genome sequences, including 29...
Authors
Xin Guan, E.M. Monroe, K.D. Bockrath, Erica L. Mize, C.B. Rees, Denise L. Lindsay, Kelly L. Baerwaldt, Leo Nico, Richard F. Lance