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: 42701
Bioclimatic envelopes for individual demographic events driven by extremes: Plant mortality from drought and warming Bioclimatic envelopes for individual demographic events driven by extremes: Plant mortality from drought and warming
The occurrence of plant species across the globe is largely constrained by climate. Ecologists use plant-climate relationships such as bioclimatic envelopes and related niche models to determine potential environmental conditions promoting probable species occurrence. Traditionally bioclimatic envelopes either exclude disturbance explicitly, or only include disturbance as infrequent and...
Authors
Darin J. Law, Henry D. Adams, David D. Breshears, Neil S. Cobb, John B. Bradford, Chris B. Zou, Jason P. Field, Alfonso A. Gardea, A. Park Williams, Travis E. Huxman
Tag retention and survival of juvenile bighead carp implanted with a dummy acoustic tag at three temperatures Tag retention and survival of juvenile bighead carp implanted with a dummy acoustic tag at three temperatures
Bighead carp Hypophthalmichthys nobilis and silver carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix(together, the bigheaded carps) are invasive fishes in North America that have resulted in substantial negative effects on native fish communities and aquatic ecosystems. Movement and behavior of adult bigheaded carps has been studied previously using telemetry, while similar studies with juvenile...
Authors
Curtis G. Byrd, Duane Chapman, Emily K. Pherigo, Jeffrey C. Jolley
Extreme value-based methods for modeling elk yearly movements Extreme value-based methods for modeling elk yearly movements
Species range shifts and the spread of diseases are both likely to be driven by extreme movements, but are difficult to statistically model due to their rarity. We propose a statistical approach for characterizing movement kernels that incorporate landscape covariates as well as the potential for heavy-tailed distributions. We used a spliced distribution for distance travelled paired...
Authors
Dhanushi A. Wijeyakulasuriya, Ephraim M. Hanks, Benjamin A. Shaby, Paul C. Cross
Influence of climate, post‐treatment weather extremes, and soil factors on vegetation recovery after restoration treatments in the southwestern US Influence of climate, post‐treatment weather extremes, and soil factors on vegetation recovery after restoration treatments in the southwestern US
Aims Understanding the conditions associated with dryland vegetation recovery after restoration treatments is challenging due to a lack of monitoring data and high environmental variability over time and space. Tracking recovery trajectories with satellite‐based vegetation indices can strengthen predictions of restoration outcomes across broad areas with varying environmental conditions...
Authors
Stella M. Copeland, Seth M. Munson, John B. Bradford, Bradley J. Butterfield
Trophic implications of a phenological paradigm shift: Bald eagles and salmon in a changing climate Trophic implications of a phenological paradigm shift: Bald eagles and salmon in a changing climate
Climate change influences apex predators in complex ways, due to their important trophic position, capacity for resource plasticity, and sensitivity to numerous anthropogenic stressors. Bald eagles, an ecologically and culturally significant apex predator, congregate seasonally in high densities on salmon spawning rivers across the Pacific Northwest. One of the largest eagle...
Authors
Madeleine A. Rubenstein, Roger Christophersen, Jason I. Ransom
Examining forest structure with terrestrial lidar: Suggestions and novel techniques based on comparisons between scanners and forest treatments Examining forest structure with terrestrial lidar: Suggestions and novel techniques based on comparisons between scanners and forest treatments
Terrestrial laser scanners (TLSs) provide a tool to assess and monitor forest structure across forest landscapes. We present TLS methods, suggestions, and mapped guidelines for planning TLS acquisitions at varying scales and forest densities. We examined rates of point‐density decline with distance from two TLS that acquire data at relatively high and low point density and found that the...
Authors
Jonathon J. Donager, Temuulen T. Sankey, Joel B. Sankey, Andrew J. Sanchez Meadorc, Abraham E. Springer, John D. Bailey
Migratory coupling between predators and prey Migratory coupling between predators and prey
Animal migrations act to couple ecosystems and are undertaken by some of the world’s most endangered taxa. Predators often exploit migrant prey, but the movements taken by these consumers are rarely studied or understood. We define such movements, where migrant prey induce large-scale movements of predators, as migratory coupling. Migratory coupling can have ecological consequences for...
Authors
Nathan B. Furey, Jonathan B. Armstrong, David A. Beauchamp, Scott G. Hinch
Modeling water quality in the Anthropocene: Directions for the next-generation aquatic ecosystem models Modeling water quality in the Anthropocene: Directions for the next-generation aquatic ecosystem models
“Everything changes and nothing stands still” (Heraclitus). Here we review three major improvements to freshwater aquatic ecosystem models — and ecological models in general — as water quality scenario analysis tools towards a sustainable future. To tackle the rapid and deeply connected dynamics characteristic of the Anthropocene, we argue for the inclusion of eco-evolutionary, novel...
Authors
Wolf M. Mooij, Dianneke van Wijk, Arthur H.W. Beusen, Robert J. Brederveld, Manqi Chang, Marleen Cobben, Donald L. DeAngelis, Andrea S. Downing, Pamela Green, Alena S. Gsell, Inese Huttunen, Jan H. Janse, Annette B. G. Janssen, Geerten M. Hengeveld, Xiangzhen Kong, Lilith Kramer, Jan J. Kuiper, Simon J. Langan, Bart A. Nolet, Rascha J. M. Nuijten, Maryna Strokal, Tineke A. Troost, Anne A. van Dam, Sven Teurlincx
Reconnaissance of mixed organic and inorganic chemicals in private and public supply tapwaters at selected residential and workplace sites in the United States Reconnaissance of mixed organic and inorganic chemicals in private and public supply tapwaters at selected residential and workplace sites in the United States
Safe drinking water at the point-of-use (tapwater, TW) is a United States public health priority. Multiple lines of evidence were used to evaluate potential human health concerns of 482 organics and 19 inorganics in TW from 13 (7 public supply, 6 private well self-supply) home and 12 (public supply) workplace locations in 11 states. Only uranium (61.9 μg L–1, private well) exceeded a...
Authors
Paul M. Bradley, Dana W. Kolpin, Kristin M. Romanok, Kelly L. Smalling, Michael J. Focazio, Juliane B. Brown, Mary C. Cardon, Kurt D. Carpenter, Steven R. Corsi, Laura A. DeCicco, Julie E. Dietze, Nicola Evans, Edward T. Furlong, Carrie E. Givens, James L. Gray, Dale W. Griffin, Christopher P. Higgins, Michelle L. Hladik, Luke R. Iwanowicz, Celeste A. Journey, Kathryn Kuivila, Jason R. Masoner, Carrie A. McDonough, Michael T. Meyer, James L. Orlando, Mark J. Strynar, Christopher P. Weis, Vickie S. Wilson
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Water Resources Mission Area, Contaminant Biology, Environmental Health Program, Toxic Substances Hydrology, Central Plains Water Science Center, California Water Science Center, Central Midwest Water Science Center, Colorado Water Science Center, Eastern Ecological Science Center, New Jersey Water Science Center, Oregon Water Science Center, South Atlantic Water Science Center (SAWSC), St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center, National Water Quality Laboratory
The Pothole Hydrology-Linked Systems Simulator (PHyLiSS)—Development and application of a systems model for prairie-pothole wetlands The Pothole Hydrology-Linked Systems Simulator (PHyLiSS)—Development and application of a systems model for prairie-pothole wetlands
The North American Prairie Pothole Region covers about 770,000 square kilometers of the United States and Canada (including parts of 5 States and 3 provinces: North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Minnesota, Iowa, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Alberta). The Laurentide Ice Sheet shaped the landscape of the region about 12,000 to 14,000 years ago. The retreat of the ice sheet left behind low
Authors
Owen P. McKenna, David M. Mushet, Eric J. Scherff, Kyle McLean, Christopher T. Mills
Quantitative acoustic differentiation of cryptic species illustrated with King and Clapper rails Quantitative acoustic differentiation of cryptic species illustrated with King and Clapper rails
Reliable species identification is vital for survey and monitoring programs. Recently, the development of digital technology for recording and analyzing vocalizations has assisted in acoustic surveying for cryptic, rare, or elusive species. However, the quantitative tools that exist for species differentiation are still being refined. Using vocalizations recorded in the course of...
Authors
Lydia L. Stiffler, Katie M. Schroeder, James T. Anderson, Susan B. McRae, Todd E. Katzner
Insect communities in big sagebrush habitat are altered by wildfire and post‐fire restoration seeding Insect communities in big sagebrush habitat are altered by wildfire and post‐fire restoration seeding
Natural resource managers sow grass, forb, and shrub seeds across millions of hectares of public lands in the western United States to restore sagebrush‐steppe ecosystems burned by wildfire. The effects of post‐fire vegetation treatments on insect communities in these ecosystems have not been investigated.We conducted the first investigation of insect community responses to post‐fire...
Authors
Ashley T. Rohde, David S. Pilliod, Stephen J. Novak