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: 42702
Effects of leg flags on nest survival of four species of Arctic‐breeding shorebirds Effects of leg flags on nest survival of four species of Arctic‐breeding shorebirds
Marking wild birds is an integral part of many field studies. However, if marks affect the vital rates or behavior of marked individuals, any conclusions reached by a study might be biased relative to the general population. Leg bands have rarely been found to have negative effects on birds and are frequently used to mark individuals. Leg flags, which are larger, heavier, and might...
Authors
Emily L. Weiser, Richard B. Lanctot, Stephen C. Brown, H. River Gates, Rebecca L. Bentzen, Megan L. Boldenow, Jenny A. Cunningham, Andrew C. Doll, Tyrone F. Donnelly, Willow B. English, Samantha E. Franks, Kristen Grond, Patrick Herzog, Brooke L. Hill, Steve J. Kendall, Eunbi Kwon, David B. Lank, Joseph R. Liebezeit, Jennie Rausch, Sarah T. Saalfeld, Audrey R. Taylor, David H. Ward, Paul F. Wood, Brett K. Sandercock
Local factors associated with on‐host flea distributions on prairie dog colonies Local factors associated with on‐host flea distributions on prairie dog colonies
Outbreaks of plague, a flea‐vectored bacterial disease, occur periodically in prairie dog populations in the western United States. In order to understand the conditions that are conducive to plague outbreaks and potentially predict spatial and temporal variations in risk, it is important to understand the factors associated with flea abundance and distribution that may lead to plague...
Authors
Robin E. Russell, Rachel C. Abbott, Daniel W. Tripp, Tonie E. Rocke
Temperature regimes, growth, and food consumption for female and male adult walleye in Lake Huron and Lake Erie: a bioenergetics analysis Temperature regimes, growth, and food consumption for female and male adult walleye in Lake Huron and Lake Erie: a bioenergetics analysis
Bioenergetics modeling was used to assess the relative importance of food availability and water temperature in determining walleye (Sander vitreus) growth. Temperature regimes experienced by both female and male adult walleye in three basins of Lake Huron and in Lake Erie were determined by use of surgically implanted temperature loggers and acoustic telemetry. Temperatures experienced...
Authors
Charles P. Madenjian, Todd A. Hayden, Tyler B. Peat, Christopher Vandergoot, David G. Fielder, Ann Marie Gorman, Steven A. Pothoven, John M. Dettmers, Steven J. Cooke, Yingming Zhao, Charles C. Krueger
Variation in the vital rates of an Antarctic marine predator: the role of individual heterogeneity Variation in the vital rates of an Antarctic marine predator: the role of individual heterogeneity
Variation in life‐history traits such as lifespan and lifetime reproductive output is thought to arise, in part, due to among‐individual differences in the underlying probabilities of survival and reproduction. However, the stochastic nature of demographic processes can also generate considerable variation in fitness‐related traits among otherwise‐identical individuals. An improved...
Authors
J. Terrill Paterson, Jay J. Rotella, William A. Link, Robert A. Garrott
Drivers of chaparral type conversion to herbaceous vegetation in coastal Southern California Drivers of chaparral type conversion to herbaceous vegetation in coastal Southern California
Aim In Southern California, native woody shrublands known as chaparral support exceptional biodiversity. However, large‐scale conversion of chaparral into largely exotic herbaceous cover is a major ecological threat and serious conservation concern. Due to substantial uncertainty regarding the causes and extent of this vegetation change, we aimed to quantify the primary drivers of and...
Authors
Alexandra D. Syphard, Teresa J. Brennan, Jon E. Keeley
Carbon storage potential in a recently created brackish marsh in eastern North Carolina, USA Carbon storage potential in a recently created brackish marsh in eastern North Carolina, USA
Carbon (C) sequestration through accumulated plant biomass and storage in soils can potentially make wetland ecosystems net C sinks. Here, we collected GHG flux, plant biomass, and litter decomposition data from three distinct vegetation zones (Spartinaalterniflora, Juncus roemerianus and Spartina patens) on a 7-year-old created brackish marsh in North Carolina, USA, and integrate these...
Authors
Yo-Jin Shiau, Michael R. Burchell, Ken W. Krauss, Stephen W. Broome, Francois Birgand
A causal partition of trait correlations: using graphical models to derive statistical models from theoretical language A causal partition of trait correlations: using graphical models to derive statistical models from theoretical language
Recent studies hypothesize various causes of species‐level trait covariation, namely size (e.g., metabolic theory of ecology and leaf economics spectrum), pace‐of‐life (e.g., slow‐to‐fast continuum; lifestyle continuum), evolutionary history (e.g., phylogenetic conservatism), and ecological conditions (e.g., stabilizing selection). Various methods have been used in attempts to partition...
Authors
James P. Cronin, Donald Schoolmaster
Plant production responses to precipitation differ along an elevation gradient and are enhanced under extremes Plant production responses to precipitation differ along an elevation gradient and are enhanced under extremes
The sensitivity of plant production to precipitation underlies the functioning of ecosystems. Studies that relate long-term mean annual precipitation and production across multiple sites(spatial relationship) or examine interannual linkages within a site (temporal relationship) can reveal biophysical controls over ecosystem function but have limited ability to infer responses to extreme...
Authors
Seth M. Munson, Erin L. Bunting, John B. Bradford, Bradley J. Butterfield, Jennifer R. Gremer
Burn severity controls on postfire Araucaria‐Nothofagus regeneration in the Andean Cordillera Burn severity controls on postfire Araucaria‐Nothofagus regeneration in the Andean Cordillera
Aim The aim of the study was to investigate postfire regeneration patterns of Araucaria‐Nothofagus forests on the west slope of the Andes; to evaluate the relationship between remotely sensed burn severity and forest mortality; and to assess controls of burn severity on forest response at local spatio‐temporal scales. Location Araucanía region in the western Andean Range of south‐central...
Authors
Timothy J. Assal, Mauro E. Gonzalez, Jason S. Sibold
Mangrove forests in a rapidly changing world: Global change impacts and conservation opportunities along the Gulf of Mexico coast Mangrove forests in a rapidly changing world: Global change impacts and conservation opportunities along the Gulf of Mexico coast
Mangrove forests are highly-productive intertidal wetlands that support many ecosystem goods and services. In addition to providing fish and wildlife habitat, mangrove forests improve water quality, provide seafood, reduce coastal erosion, supply forest products, support coastal food webs, minimize flooding impacts, and support high rates of carbon sequestration. Despite their tremendous...
Authors
Michael J. Osland, Laura C. Feher, Jorge Lopez-Portillo, Richard H. Day, Daniel O. Suman, Jose Manuel Guzman Menendez, Victor H. Rivera-Monroy
Serum proteins in healthy and diseased Florida manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris) Serum proteins in healthy and diseased Florida manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris)
A major goal of this study was to determine whether serum protein fractions of healthy Florida manatees differ with age, sex, or living environments (wild versus housed). A second goal was to determine which serum protein fractions vary in diseased versus healthy manatees. Serum protein fractions were determined using agarose gel electrophoresis. Healthy adults had slightly higher total...
Authors
John W. Harvey, Kendall E. Harr, David Murphy, Michael T. Walsh, Martina deWit, Charles J. Deutsch, Robert K. Bonde
Genetic analyses of Astragalus sect. Humillimi (Fabaceae) resolve taxonomy and enable effective conservation Genetic analyses of Astragalus sect. Humillimi (Fabaceae) resolve taxonomy and enable effective conservation
Premise of the Study Astragalus sect. Humillimi is distributed across the southwestern United States and contains two endangered taxa, A. cremnophylax var. cremnophylax and A. humillimus. The former was originally described from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Analysis of individuals discovered on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon yielded some evidence that the population represented...
Authors
Robert Massatti, Matthew Belus, Shahed Dowlatshahi, Gerard J. Allan