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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: 42994

The gold tegu, Tupinambis teguixin (Linnaeus, 1758) sensu lato (Squamata: Teiidae): evidence for an established population in Florida The gold tegu, Tupinambis teguixin (Linnaeus, 1758) sensu lato (Squamata: Teiidae): evidence for an established population in Florida

Gold tegus, Tupinambis teguixin (Linnaeus, 1758), are generalist predators from South America and are ecologically similar to Argentine black and white tegus (Salvator merianae), a successful invader in Florida. We trapped gold tegus in Broward and Miami-Dade counties, Florida, USA. In Miami-Dade County, collection occurred from 2008 through 2016. We combined new trapping records with...
Authors
Jake R. Edwards, Jennifer K. Ketterlin, Michael R. Rochford, Rodney Irwin, Kenneth L. Krysko, James G. Duquesnel, Frank J. Mazzotti, Robert Reed

Identity, reproductive potential, distribution, ecology and management of invasive Pomacea maculata in the southern United States Identity, reproductive potential, distribution, ecology and management of invasive Pomacea maculata in the southern United States

Established populations of introduced Pomacea maculata, a highly fecund, large species of apple snail native to South America, now occur throughout southeast Asia, in Spain and extensively across the southern United States. Substantial research on nonnative apple snails takes place in Southeast Asia and has frequently identified apple snails as P. canaliculata. That these Asian...
Authors
Romi L. Burks, Jennifer Bernatis, James E. Byers, Jacoby Carter, Charles M. Martin, William G. McDowell, Jess Van Dyke

Changes in movements of Chinook Salmon between lakes Huron and Michigan after Alewife population collapse Changes in movements of Chinook Salmon between lakes Huron and Michigan after Alewife population collapse

Alewives Alosa pseudoharengus are the preferred food of Chinook Salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha in the Laurentian Great Lakes. Alewife populations collapsed in Lake Huron in 2003 but remained comparatively abundant in Lake Michigan. We analyzed capture locations of coded-wire-tagged Chinook Salmon before, during, and after Alewife collapse (1993–2014). We contrasted the pattern of tag...
Authors
Richard D. Clark, James R. Bence, Randall M. Claramunt, John A. Clevenger, Matthew S. Kornis, Charles R. Bronte, Charles P. Madenjian, Edward F. Roseman

Alternative pathways to landscape transformation: Invasive grasses, burn severity and fire frequency in arid ecosystems Alternative pathways to landscape transformation: Invasive grasses, burn severity and fire frequency in arid ecosystems

Arid ecosystems are often vulnerable to transformation to invasive-dominated states following fire, but data on persistence of these states are sparse. The grass/fire cycle is a feedback process between invasive annual grasses and fire frequency that often leads to the formation of alternative vegetation states dominated by the invasive grasses. However, other components of fire regimes...
Authors
Robert C. Klinger, Matthew L. Brooks

Osmoregulation and muscle water control in vitro facing salinity stress of the Amazon fish Oscar Astronotus ocellatus (Cichlidae) Osmoregulation and muscle water control in vitro facing salinity stress of the Amazon fish Oscar Astronotus ocellatus (Cichlidae)

Specimens of Oscar Astronotus ocellatus from a fish farm were abruptly submitted to salt stress of 14 ppt and 20 ppt, for 3 and 8 h to determine their plasma osmolality. Muscle wet body mass change in vitro was analyzed from control freshwater animals. Fish in 14 ppt presented no osmolality distress even after 8 h. In 20 ppt, a slight increase (10%) in plasma osmolality was observed for...
Authors
Silvia M. M. Gutierre, Jessica M. Schulte, Pamela J. Schofield, Viviane Prodocimo

Candoia Bibroni (Pacific Boa). Diet Candoia Bibroni (Pacific Boa). Diet

No abstract available.
Authors
Adam G. Clause, Mark J. Fraser, Sarah Pene, Nunia Thomas-Moko, Robert N. Fisher

High altitude flights by ruddy shelduck Tadorna ferruginea during trans-Himalayan migrations High altitude flights by ruddy shelduck Tadorna ferruginea during trans-Himalayan migrations

Birds that migrate across high altitude mountain ranges are faced with the challenge of maintaining vigorous exercise in environments with limited oxygen. Ruddy shelducks are known to use wintering grounds south of the Tibetan Plateau at sea level and breeding grounds north of Himalayan mountain range. Therefore, it is likely these shelducks are preforming high altitude migrations. In...
Authors
N. Parr, S. Bearhop, David C. Douglas, J.Y. Takekawa, Diann J. Prosser, S.H. Newman, W.M. Perry, S. Balachandran, M.J. Witt, Y. Hou, Z. Lu, L.A. Hawkes

Crotalus oreganus lutosus (Great Basin Rattlesnake). Defensive behavior/head hiding and tongue display Crotalus oreganus lutosus (Great Basin Rattlesnake). Defensive behavior/head hiding and tongue display

A variety of snake species employ head hiding as defensive behavior (Greene 1973. J. Herpetol. 7:143–161), but such behavior seems to be rarely observed in rattlesnakes. A recent report (Medica 2009. Herpetol. Rev. 40:95–97) presented observations on Crotalus scutulatus scutulatus and cited cases of similar behavior involving C. atrox, C. ruber, and C. viridis viridis. Here we report an...
Authors
Alexander K. Johnson, Phil A. Medica

Demographic and temporal variations in immunity and condition of polar bears (Ursus maritimus) from the southern Beaufort Sea Demographic and temporal variations in immunity and condition of polar bears (Ursus maritimus) from the southern Beaufort Sea

Assessing the health and condition of animals in their natural environment can be problematic. Many physiological metrics, including immunity, are highly influenced by specific context and recent events to which researchers may be unaware. Thus, using a multifaceted physiological approach and a context-specific analysis encompassing multiple time scales can be highly informative...
Authors
Lorin Neuman-Lee, Patricia Terletzky, Todd C. Atwood, Eric Gese, Geoffrey Smith, Sydney Greenfield, John Pettit, Susannah French

The Pleurobemini (Bivalvia: Unionida) revisited: Molecular species delineation using a mitochondrial DNA gene reveals multiple conspecifics and undescribed species The Pleurobemini (Bivalvia: Unionida) revisited: Molecular species delineation using a mitochondrial DNA gene reveals multiple conspecifics and undescribed species

The Pleurobemini (Bivalvia: Unionida) represent approximately one-third of freshwater mussel diversity in North America. Species identification within this group is challenging due to morphological convergence and phenotypic plasticity. Accurate species identification, including characterisation of currently unrecognised taxa, is required to develop effective conservation strategies...
Authors
Kentaro Inoue, David M. Hayes, John L. Harris, Nathan A. Johnson, Cheryl L. Morrison, Michael S. Eackles, Tim King, Jess W. Jones, Eric M. Hallerman, Alan D. Christian, Charles R. Randklev

Temporal complexity of southern Beaufort Sea polar bear diets during a period of increasing land use Temporal complexity of southern Beaufort Sea polar bear diets during a period of increasing land use

From 2000 to 2013, use of land as a seasonal habitat by polar bears (Ursus maritimus) of the southern Beaufort Sea (SB) subpopulation substantially increased. This onshore use has been linked to reduced spatial and temporal availability of sea ice, as well as to the availability of subsistence‐harvested bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus) bone piles. Here, we evaluated the role of climate
Authors
Melissa A. McKinney, Todd C. Atwood, Sara J. Iverson, Elizabeth L. Peacock
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