Publications
Below is a list of WERC's peer-reviewed publications. If you are searching for a specific publication and cannot find it in this list, please contact werc_web@usgs.gov
Filter Total Items: 3710
Are diseases increasing in the ocean? Are diseases increasing in the ocean?
Many factors (climate warming, pollution, harvesting, introduced species) can contribute to disease outbreaks in marine life. Concomitant increases in each of these makes it difficult to attribute recent changes in disease occurrence or severity to any one factor. For example, the increase in disease of Caribbean coral is postulated to be a result of climate change and introduction of...
Authors
Kevin D. Lafferty, James W. Porter, Susan E. Ford
The rising tide of ocean diseases: Unsolved problems and research priorities The rising tide of ocean diseases: Unsolved problems and research priorities
New studies have detected a rising number of reports of diseases in marine organisms such as corals, molluscs, turtles, mammals, and echinoderms over the past three decades. Despite the increasing disease load, microbiological, molecular, and theoretical tools for managing disease in the world's oceans are under-developed. Review of the new developments in the study of these diseases...
Authors
Drew Harvell, Richard Aronson, Nancy Baron, Joseph Connell, Andrew P. Dobson, Steve Ellner, Leah R. Gerber, Kiho Kim, Armand M. Kuris, Hamish McCallum, Kevin D. Lafferty, Bruce McKay, James Porter, Mercedes Pascual, Garriett Smith, Katherine Sutherland, Jessica Ward
Parasites of the African clawed frog, Xenopus laevis, in southern California, U.S.A Parasites of the African clawed frog, Xenopus laevis, in southern California, U.S.A
A total of 230 feral African clawed frogs, Xenopus laevis, from 3 localities in southern California were examined for parasites. The following species were found: 3 species of Protozoa, Nyctotherussp., Balantidium xenopodis, Protoopalina xenopodus; 2 species of Monogenea, Protopolystoma xenopodis, Gyrdicotylus gallieni; 1 species of Digenea, Clinostomum sp. (as metacercariae); 1 species...
Authors
Boris I. Kuperman, Victoria E. Matey, Richard N. Fisher, Edward L. Ervin, Manna L. Warburton, Ludmila Bakhireva, Cynthia A. Lehman
Complex trophic interactions in kelp forest ecosystems Complex trophic interactions in kelp forest ecosystems
The distributions and abundances of species and populations change almost continuously. Understanding the processes responsible is perhaps ecology’s most fundamental challenge. Kelp-forest ecosystems in southwest Alaska have undergone several phase shifts between alga- and herbivore-dominated states in recent decades. Overhunting and recovery of sea otters caused the earlier shifts...
Authors
J. A. Estes, E.M. Danner, D.F. Doak, B. Konar, A.M. Springer, P.D. Steinberg, M. Tim Tinker, T. M. Williams
The elusive baseline of marine disease: Are diseases in ocean ecosystems increasing? The elusive baseline of marine disease: Are diseases in ocean ecosystems increasing?
Disease outbreaks alter the structure and function of marine ecosystems, directly affecting vertebrates (mammals, turtles, fish), invertebrates (corals, crustaceans, echinoderms), and plants (seagrasses). Previous studies suggest a recent increase in marine disease. However, lack of baseline data in most communities prevents a direct test of this hypothesis. We developed a proxy to...
Authors
Jessica R. Ward, Kevin D. Lafferty
Habitat of endangered white abalone, Haliotis sorenseni Habitat of endangered white abalone, Haliotis sorenseni
Surveys with a submersible at offshore islands and banks in southern California found that white abalone were most abundant at depths between 43 and 60 m. This is deeper than estimates taken when white abalone were more abundant. Densities were highest at sites far from fishing ports. Controlling for depth and site found that white abalone were significantly more abundant in areas with...
Authors
Kevin D. Lafferty, M.D. Behrens, G.E. Davis, P.L. Haaker, D.J. Kushner, D. V. Richards, I. K. Taniguchi, M. J. Tegner
Science support for salt pond restoration and management in south San Francisco Bay Science support for salt pond restoration and management in south San Francisco Bay
No abstract available.
Authors
Kathleen M. Swanson, Gregory Shellenbarger, Kathleen D. Henderson, Jeanne S. DiLeo, David H. Schoellhamer
Habitat use and spatial structure of a barking frog (Eleutherodactylus augusti) population in southeastern Arizona Habitat use and spatial structure of a barking frog (Eleutherodactylus augusti) population in southeastern Arizona
Barking Frogs (Eleutherodactylus augusti) are the northernmost ranging member of the large tropical family Leptodactylidae. We investigated the ecology of this saxicolous species at the northern edge of its range in a canyon in southern Arizona. We captured 54 frogs on discontinuous rock outcrops; eight of nine females and 39 of 45 males were on limestone outcrops. The remaining frogs...
Authors
C.S. Goldberg, C.R. Schwalbe
Prefire risk assessment and fuels mapping Prefire risk assessment and fuels mapping
No abstract available at this time
Authors
J. W. van Wagtendonk, Z. Zhu, E.L. Lile
The fire and fire surrogate study in the Sierra Nevada: Evaluating restoration treatments at Blodgett Experimental Forest and Sequoia National Park, The fire and fire surrogate study in the Sierra Nevada: Evaluating restoration treatments at Blodgett Experimental Forest and Sequoia National Park,
No abstract available at this time
Authors
E. E. Knapp, S.L. Stephens, J.D. Mciver, J.J. Moghaddas, Jon E. Keeley
The future of fire in California ecosystems The future of fire in California ecosystems
This chapter reviews the concepts developed in the book and challenges Californians to accept the fact that they live in fire-prone ecosystems. California’s variety of fire regimes are products of its wide diversity of vegetation, climate, topography, and ignitions. The role fire plays in an ecosystem is characterized by the fire regime attributes that describe the pattern of fire...
Authors
N. G. Sugihara, J. W. van Wagtendonk, J. Fites-Kaufman, K. E. Shaffer, A. E. Thode