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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: 3707

Common raven juvenile survival in a human-augmented landscape Common raven juvenile survival in a human-augmented landscape

Anthropogenic resource subsidies have contributed to the dramatic increase in the abundance of Common Ravens (Corvus corax) in the western Mojave Desert, California, during the past 30 years. To better understand the effects of these subsidies on raven demography, we examined whether survival to juvenile departure from the natal territory could be predicted by a set of environmental and
Authors
William C. Webb, William I. Boarman, John T. Rotenberry

At-sea activity and diving behavior of a radio-tagged Marbled Murrelet in central California At-sea activity and diving behavior of a radio-tagged Marbled Murrelet in central California

Radio-telemetry was used to continuously monitor the at-sea activity of an adult Marbled Murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus) nesting in Santa Cruz County, California. From 05.39 h on 28 May 1997, to 05.14 h on 29 May 1997, the murrelet was followed by tracking teams at Año Nuevo Bay. Between 05.44 h and 20.19 h on 28 May, the bird engaged in eleven dive bouts, with a mean duration of 18...
Authors
Laird A. Henkel, Esther E. Burkett, John Y. Takekawa

Plant functional traits in relation to fire in crown-fire ecosystems Plant functional traits in relation to fire in crown-fire ecosystems

Disturbance is a dominant factor in many ecosystems, and the disturbance regime is likely to change over the next decades in response to land-use changes and global warming. We assume that predictions of vegetation dynamics can be made on the basis of a set of life-history traits that characterize the response of a species to disturbance. For crown-fire ecosystems, the main plant traits...
Authors
Juli G. Pausas, Ross A. Bradstock, David A. Keith, Jon E. Keeley

Effects of invasive alien plants on fire regimes Effects of invasive alien plants on fire regimes

Plant invasions are widely recognized as significant threats to biodiversity conservation worldwide. One way invasions can affect native ecosystems is by changing fuel properties, which can in turn affect fire behavior and, ultimately, alter fire regime characteristics such as frequency, intensity, extent, type, and seasonality of fire. If the regime changes subsequently promote the...
Authors
M.L. Brooks, C. M. D’Antonio, D.M. Richardson, J.M. DiTomaso, J.B. Grace, R.J. Hobbs, Jon E. Keeley, M. Pellant, D. Pyke

Stable foraging areas and variable chick diet in Cassin's auklets (Ptychoramphus aleuticus) off southern California Stable foraging areas and variable chick diet in Cassin's auklets (Ptychoramphus aleuticus) off southern California

Planktivorous seabirds readily respond to changes in marine ecosystems and have the ability to integrate information regarding variability in abundance, availability, and community composition of key prey resources. We studied the foraging and breeding ecology of the Cassin's auklet, Ptychoramphus aleuticus (Pallas, 1811), off southern California during three breeding seasons (1999-2001)...
Authors
Josh Adams, John Y. Takekawa, Harry R. Carter

Effects of an introduced pathogen and fire exclusion on the demography of sugar pine Effects of an introduced pathogen and fire exclusion on the demography of sugar pine

An introduced pathogen, white pine blister rust (Cronartium ribicola), has caused declines in five-needled pines throughout North America. Simultaneously, fire exclusion has resulted in dense stands in many forest types, which may create additional stress for these generally shade-intolerant pines. Fire exclusion also allows fuels to accumulate, and it is unclear how affected populations...
Authors
Phillip J. van Mantgem, Nathan L. Stephenson, MaryBeth Keifer, Jon E. Keeley

Waterfowl migration on Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuges 1953-2001 Waterfowl migration on Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuges 1953-2001

The Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) complex, located in northeastern California and southern Oregon, is situated on a major Pacific Flyway migration corridor connecting waterfowl breeding grounds in the north with major wintering grounds in California and Mexico. The complex comprises five waterfowl refuges including Lower Klamath NWR, Tule Lake NWR, Upper Klamath NWR...
Authors
David S. Gilmer, Julie L. Yee, David M. Mauser, James M. Hainline

Sierra Nevada bioregion Sierra Nevada bioregion

This chapter addresses the immediately south of the Cascades in the Sierra Nevada bioregion, extending nearly half the length of the state of California. This bioregion is one of the most striking features of the state of California, extending from the southern Cascade Mountains in the north to the Tehachapi Mountains and Mojave Desert 700 km to the south. Moreover, the fire responses of...
Authors
J. W. van Wagtendonk, J. Fites-Kaufman
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