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
Life history characteristics may be as important as climate projections for defining range shifts: An example for common tree species in the intermountain western US Life history characteristics may be as important as climate projections for defining range shifts: An example for common tree species in the intermountain western US
Aim Predictions of future suitable habitat for plant species with climate change are known to be affected by uncertainty associated with statistical approaches, climate models and occurrence records. However, life history characteristics related to dispersal and establishment processes as well as sensitivity to barriers created by land‐use may also play important roles in shaping future
Authors
Stella M. Copeland, John B. Bradford, Michael C. Duniway, Bradley J. Butterfield
STEPWAT2: An individual‐based model for exploring the impact of climate and disturbance on dryland plant communities STEPWAT2: An individual‐based model for exploring the impact of climate and disturbance on dryland plant communities
The combination of climate change and altered disturbance regimes is directly and indirectly affecting plant communities by mediating competitive interactions, resulting in shifts in species composition and abundance. Dryland plant communities, defined by low soil water availability and highly variable climatic regimes, are particularly vulnerable to climatic changes that exceed their...
Authors
Kyle A. Palmquist, John B. Bradford, Trace E. Martin, Daniel R. Schlaepfer, William K. Lauenroth
Increasing connectivity between metapopulation ecology and landscape ecology Increasing connectivity between metapopulation ecology and landscape ecology
Metapopulation ecology and landscape ecology aim to understand how spatial structure influences ecological processes, yet these disciplines address the problem using fundamentally different modeling approaches. Metapopulation models describe how the spatial distribution of patches affects colonization and extinction, but often do not account for the heterogeneity in the landscape between...
Authors
Paige E. Howell, Erin L. Muths, Blake Hossack, Brent Sigafus, Richard Chandler
Amendments fail to hasten biocrust recovery or soil stability at a disturbed dryland sandy site Amendments fail to hasten biocrust recovery or soil stability at a disturbed dryland sandy site
In most drylands, biological soil crusts (biocrusts), an assemblage of lichens, bryophytes, fungi, green algae, and cyanobacteria, are critical to healthy ecosystem function. However, they are extremely sensitive to disturbance and attempts to facilitate their recovery have had variable success. In this study, we applied soil amendments designed to improve soil surface stability and...
Authors
David G. Chandler, Natalie K. Day, Matthew D. Madsen, Jayne Belnap
Biocrusts: The living skin of the Earth Biocrusts: The living skin of the Earth
Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) form a “living skin” at the soil surface in many low productivity ecosystems around the world including water- and cold-limited environments, and early successional seres (Belnap et al. 2003). They may be composed of any configuration of soil surface-dwelling cyanobacteria, eukaryotic algae, lichens, mosses or liverworts, and support assemblages of...
Authors
Matthew A. Bowker, Sasha C. Reed, Fernando T. Maestre, David J. Eldridge
Beyond traditional ecological restoration on the Colorado Plateau Beyond traditional ecological restoration on the Colorado Plateau
The Colorado Plateau is one of North America's five major deserts, encompassing 340,000 km2 of the western U.S., and offering many opportunities for restoration relevant to researchers and land managers in drylands around the globe. The Colorado Plateau is comprised of vast tracts of public land managed by local, state, and federal agencies that oversee a wide range of activities (e.g...
Authors
Daniel E. Winkler, Dana M. Backer, Jayne Belnap, John B. Bradford, Bradley J. Butterfield, Stella M. Copeland, Michael C. Duniway, Akasha M. Faist, Stephen E. Fick, Scott L. Jensen, Andrea T. Kramer, Rebecca Mann, Robert Massatti, Molly L. McCormick, Seth M. Munson, Peggy Olwell, Steve D. Parr, Alix Pfennigwerth, Adrienne M. Pilmanis, Bryce A. Richardson, Ella Samuel, Kathy See, Kristina E. Young, Sasha C. Reed
Effects of urbanization, and habitat composition on site occupancy of two snake species using regional monitoring data from southern California Effects of urbanization, and habitat composition on site occupancy of two snake species using regional monitoring data from southern California
Detection data from a regional, reptile-monitoring program conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey were analyzed to understand the effects of urbanization and habitat composition on site occupancy of the coachwhip (Masticophis flagellum) and striped racer (M. lateralis) in coastal southern California. Likelihood-based occupancy models indicated striped racers responded to habitat...
Authors
Milan J. Mitrovich, James E. Diffendorfer, Cheryl S. Brehme, Robert N. Fisher
Quantifying functional connectivity: The role of breeding habitat, abundance, and landscape features on range‐wide gene flow in sage‐grouse Quantifying functional connectivity: The role of breeding habitat, abundance, and landscape features on range‐wide gene flow in sage‐grouse
Functional connectivity, quantified using landscape genetics, can inform conservation through the identification of factors linking genetic structure to landscape mechanisms. We used breeding habitat metrics, landscape attributes, and indices of grouse abundance, to compare fit between structural connectivity and genetic differentiation within five long‐established Sage‐Grouse Management...
Authors
Jeffery R. Row, Kevin E. Doherty, Todd B. Cross, Michael K. Schwartz, Sara J. Oyler-McCance, Dave E. Naugle, Steven T. Knick, Bradley C. Fedy
Ratio of mercury concentration to PCB concentration varies with sex of white sucker (Catostomus commersonii) Ratio of mercury concentration to PCB concentration varies with sex of white sucker (Catostomus commersonii)
The whole-fish total mercury (Hg) concentrations were determined in 25 mature female and 26 mature male white suckers (Catostomus commersonii) caught during their spawning run in the Kewaunee River, a tributary to Lake Michigan. The age of each fish was estimated using thin-sectioned otoliths, and total length (TL) and weight were determined for each fish. When adjusted for the effect of...
Authors
Charles P. Madenjian, Andrew L. Stevens, Martin A. Stapanian, David P. Krabbenhoft, John F. DeWild, Jacob M. Ogorek, William H. Edwards, Lynn M. Ogilvie, Peter B. McIntyre
Hatchery strain contributions to emerging wild lake trout populations in Lake Huron Hatchery strain contributions to emerging wild lake trout populations in Lake Huron
Recent assessments indicate the emergence of naturally produced lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) recruitment throughout Lake Huron in the North American Laurentian Great Lakes (>50% of fish
Authors
Kim T. Scribner, Iyob Tsehaye, Travis O. Brenden, Wendylee Stott, Jeannette Kanefsky, James R. Bence
Development of an aerial population survey method for elk (Cervus elaphus) in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado Development of an aerial population survey method for elk (Cervus elaphus) in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
Executive Summary Since the early 1990s, substantial effort and funding have been expended to conduct research to guide development of a 20-year Elk and Vegetation Management Plan for Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) in Colorado. One goal of the plan is to maintain the elk (Cervus elaphus) population size at the lower end of the natural range of variation. To implement management...
Authors
Kathryn A. Schoenecker, Bruce C. Lubow, Therese L. Johnson
Social attraction used to establish Caspian tern (Hydroprogne caspia) nesting colonies on modified islands at the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, California—Final report Social attraction used to establish Caspian tern (Hydroprogne caspia) nesting colonies on modified islands at the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, California—Final report
To address the 2008/2010 and Supplemental 2014 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries Biological Opinion for operation of the Federal Columbia River Power System, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) developed and began implementation of Caspian tern (Hydroprogne caspia) management plans. This implementation includes...
Authors
C. Alex Hartman, Joshua T. Ackerman, Mark P. Herzog, Cheryl Strong, David Trachtenbarg, Crystal A. Shore