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: 42700
Incorporating uncertainty and risk into decision making to reduce nitrogen inputs to impaired waters Incorporating uncertainty and risk into decision making to reduce nitrogen inputs to impaired waters
This article aims to understand decision making under uncertainty and risk, with a case study on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Decision makers need to consider imperfect information on the cost and effectiveness of advanced nitrogen-removing on-site wastewater treatment systems as options to mitigate water quality degradation. Research included modeling nitrogen load reduction to impaired...
Authors
David M. Martin, Fred Johnson
Diet predictions of Lake Ontario salmonines based on fatty acids and correlations between their fat content and thiamine concentrations Diet predictions of Lake Ontario salmonines based on fatty acids and correlations between their fat content and thiamine concentrations
Thiamine Deficiency Complex (TDC) limits early life stage survival of salmonines. Consuming fatty prey has been hypothesized as a cause of thiamine deficiency; however, this relationship has not been evaluated in the Laurentian Great Lakes where TDC occurs. We found that alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) have higher lipid content than other common Lake Ontario prey fish. In addition...
Authors
Matthew H. Futia, Michael J. Connerton, Brian Weidel, Jacques Rinchard
Elevated heterozygosity in adults relative to juveniles provides evidence of viability selection on eagles and falcons Elevated heterozygosity in adults relative to juveniles provides evidence of viability selection on eagles and falcons
Viability selection yields adult populations that are more genetically variable than those of juveniles, producing a positive correlation between heterozygosity and survival. Viability selection could be the result of decreased heterozygosity across many loci in inbred individuals and a subsequent decrease in survivorship resulting from the expression of the deleterious alleles...
Authors
Jacqueline M. Doyle, Janna R Willoughby, Douglas A. Bell, Peter H. Bloom, Evgeny A. Bragin, Nadia B. Fernandez, Todd E. Katzner, Kolbe Leonard, J Andrew DeWoody
Predicting persistence of Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout populations in an uncertain future Predicting persistence of Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout populations in an uncertain future
The Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout Oncorhynchus clarkii virginalis (RGCT ) occupies just 12% of its ancestral range. As the southernmost subspecies of Cutthroat Trout, we expect a warming climate to bring additional stressors to RGCT populations, such as increased stream temperatures, reduced streamflows, and increased incidence of wildfire. We developed a Bayesian network (BN ) model using...
Authors
Mathew P. Zeigler, Kevin B. Rogers, James Roberts, Andrew Todd, Kurt D. Fausch
Social attraction used to establish Caspian tern nesting colonies in San Francisco Bay Social attraction used to establish Caspian tern nesting colonies in San Francisco Bay
Conservation of colonial waterbird breeding populations often includes restoring historic nesting habitat or establishing new nesting habitat in protected areas. However, colonization of new or restored nesting habitat may be hindered by the lack of social cues from nesting conspecifics to attract prospecting birds. Social attraction, whereby decoys and colony sound recordings are used...
Authors
C. Alex Hartman, Joshua T. Ackerman, Mark P. Herzog, Cheryl Strong, David A Trachtenbarg
Relevance of individual and environmental drivers of movement of Golden Eagles Relevance of individual and environmental drivers of movement of Golden Eagles
An animal's movement is expected to be governed by an interplay between goals determined by its internal state and energetic costs associated with navigating through the external environment. Understanding this ecological process is challenging when an animal moves in two dimensions and even more difficult for birds that move in a third dimension. To understand the dynamic interaction...
Authors
Maitreyi Sur, Adam E. Duerr, Doug A. Bell, Robert N. Fisher, Jeff A. Tracey, Peter H. Bloom, Trish Miller, Todd E. Katzner
Global positioning system tracking devices can decrease Greater Sage-Grouse survival Global positioning system tracking devices can decrease Greater Sage-Grouse survival
Reliable demographic estimates hinge on the assumption that marking animals does not alter their behavior, reproduction, or survival. Violations can bias inference and are especially egregious for species of high conservation concern. Global positioning system (GPS) devices represent a recent technological advancement that has contributed greatly to avian ecological studies compared with
Authors
John P. Severson, Peter S. Coates, Brian G. Prochazka, Mark A. Ricca, Michael L. Casazza, David J Delahunty
Current state of knowledge on biological effects from contaminants on arctic wildlife and fish Current state of knowledge on biological effects from contaminants on arctic wildlife and fish
Since the last Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) effort to review biological effects of the exposure to organohalogen compounds (OHCs) in Arctic biota, there has been a considerable number of new Arctic effect studies. Here, we provide an update on the state of the knowledge of OHC, and also include mercury, exposure and/or associated effects in key Arctic marine and...
Authors
Rune Dietz, Robert J. Letcher, Jean-Pierre Desforges, Igor Eulaers, Christian Sonne, Simon Wilson, Emilie Andersen-Ranberg, Niladri Basu, Benjamin D. Barst, Jan Ove Bustnes, Jenny Bytingsvik, Tomasz M. Ciesielski, Paul E. Drevnick, Geir W. Gabrielsen, Ane Haarr, Ketil Hylland, Bjorn Munro Jenssen, Milton Levin, Melissa A. McKinney, Rasmus Dyrmose Norregaard, Kathrine E. Pedersen, Jennifer Provencher, Bjarne Styrishave, Sabrina Tartu, Jon Aars, Joshua T. Ackerman, Aqqalu Rosing-Asvid, Rob Barrett, Anders Bignert, Erik W. Born, Marsha Branigan, Birgit Braune, Colleen E. Bryan, Maria Dam, Collin A. Eagles-Smith, Marlene S. Evans, Thomas J. Evans, Aaron T. Fisk, Mary Gamberg, Kim Gustavson, C. Alex Hartman, Bjorn Helander, Mark P. Herzog, Paul F. Hoekstra, Magali Houde, Katrin Hoydal, Allyson K. Jackson, John Kucklick, Elisabeth Lie, Lisa Loseto, Mark L. Mallory, Cecilie Miljeteig, Anders Mosbech, Derek C.G. Muir, Sanna Tuni Nielsen, Elizabeth Peacock, Sara Pedro, Sarah H. Peterson, Anuschka Polder, Frank F. Riget, Pat Roach, Halvor Saunes, Mikkel-Holger S. Sinding, Janneche U. Skaare, Jens Sondergaard, Garry Stenson, Gary Stern, Gabriele Treu, Stacy S. Schuur, Gisli Vikingsson
Adding invasive species bio-surveillance to the U.S. Geological Survey streamgage network Adding invasive species bio-surveillance to the U.S. Geological Survey streamgage network
The costs of invasive species in the United States alone are estimated to exceed US$100 billion per year so a critical tactic in minimizing the costs of invasive species is the development of effective, early-detection systems. To this end, we evaluated the efficacy of adding environmental (e)DNA surveillance to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) streamgage network, which consists of > 8...
Authors
Adam J. Sepulveda, Christian Schmidt, Jon Amberg, Patrick R. Hutchins, Christian Stratton, Christopher A. Mebane, Matthew Laramie, David S. Pilliod
A generically parameterized model of lake eutrophication (GPLake) that links field-, lab- and model-based knowledge A generically parameterized model of lake eutrophication (GPLake) that links field-, lab- and model-based knowledge
Worldwide, eutrophication is threatening lake ecosystems. To support lake management numerous eutrophication models have been developed. Diverse research questions in a wide range of lake ecosystems are addressed by these models. The established models are based on three key approaches: the empirical approach that employs field surveys, the theoretical approach in which models based on...
Authors
Manqi Chang, Sven Teurlincx, Donald L. DeAngelis, Jan H. Janse, Tineke A. Troost, Dianneke van Wijk, Wolf M. Mooij, Annette B. G. Janssen
Epidemic growth rates and host movement patterns shape management performance for pathogen spillover at the wildlife-livestock interface Epidemic growth rates and host movement patterns shape management performance for pathogen spillover at the wildlife-livestock interface
Managing pathogen spillover at the wildlife–livestock interface is a key step towards improving global animal health, food security and wildlife conservation. However, predicting the effectiveness of management actions across host–pathogen systems with different life histories is an on-going challenge since data on intervention effectiveness are expensive to collect and results are...
Authors
K.R. Manlove, L. Sam, B. Borremans, E. Frances Cassirer, R. S. Miller, K. Pepin, T. E. Besser, Paul Cross
Geophysical mapping of plume discharge to surface water at a crude oil spill site: Inversion versus machine learning Geophysical mapping of plume discharge to surface water at a crude oil spill site: Inversion versus machine learning
The interpretation of geophysical survey results to answer hydrologic, engineering, and geologic questions is critical to diverse problems for management of water, energy, and mineral resources. Although geophysical images provide valuable qualitative insight into subsurface architecture and conditions, translating geophysical images into quantitative information (e.g., saturation...
Authors
Neil Terry, Frederick D. Day-Lewis, John W. Lane, Jared J. Trost, Barbara A. Bekins