Images

In streams affected by acid mine drainage, inflows of diffuse groundwater (nearly invisible to the eye) can substantially control metal mobility, such as in this photo where copper minerals are precipitating along a reach of stream where groundwater with a distinctive composition flows into the stream. 

Mineral precipitates in mine tunnels, such as the copper-rich minerals in this mine in Oregon, may provide information on the paths of groundwater that discharge into the tunnels, informing strategies for metal recovery and potential remediation. 

Laboratory research: Bioelectrochemical system for critical mineral recovery from mining by-products.

Tailings piles at abandoned mine sites can be reprocessed to recover critical minerals and rare earth elements. 

Albert Klein (University of Arizona) shows the pollinator garden designed and installed by University of Arizona students at the Santa Rita Experimental Range. Photo by Laura Shriver (USGS).

Underside of Bell Jet Helicopter with thermal infrared and true-color image sensors and JN and M.D. The helicopter is used for airborne surveys of river reaches to capture temperature values of water-surfaces.

USGS Biological Science Technician Claudia Dimartini poses with a long camelthorn (Alhagi maurorum) rhizome (underground root structure from which new plants can propagate that was exposed in a wash at the Deadman Wash Confluence Area. Photo by Laura Shriver (USGS).

Sarah Costanzo (USGS) collects soil stability data prior to installing RestoreNet version 2.0 treatments at Canyonlands Research Center near Moab, UT. Photo by Laura Shriver (USGS).

Laura Shriver at the soil and restoration science booth at the USGS Flagstaff Science Center Open House. The booth included native seeds, biocrusts, a soil texturing activity, and science brief handouts.

Montana is known for its fishing opportunities, especially its cold-water trout fishing. Here, someone is fishing in Big Hole River, Montana. 

The Ruby River is a tributary of the Beaverhead River and anglers enjoy trout fishing here.  

From left to right, Ember Bradbury (Colorado State University), Sarah Costanzo (USGS), Sonoma Brill (USGS), and Laura Shriver (USGS) celebrate installing a RestoreNet site at Canyonlands Research Center near Moab, UT.

Orange streams are increasingly common in the Brooks Range of northern Alaska. The orange stream color reflects oxidized iron, but also often indicates elevated heavy metal concentrations. Our ongoing study aims to document these occurrences and the timing of their onset.

Orange streams are increasingly common in the Brooks Range of northern Alaska. The orange stream color reflects oxidized iron, but also often indicates elevated heavy metal concentrations. Our ongoing study aims to document these occurrences and the timing of their onset.

Orange streams are increasingly common in the Brooks Range of northern Alaska. The orange stream color reflects oxidized iron, but also often indicates elevated heavy metal concentrations. Our ongoing study aims to document these occurrences and the timing of their onset.

This house wren was banded during the fall migration banding activities at EESC's Bird Banding Laboratory in Laurel, MD. 

Hunter Tyler Coleman holds two harvested ducks that have been banded. Coleman believes all hunter should report bands. 

Preacher, a Boykin spaniel, holds a harvest duck in his mouth. He belongs to longtime waterfowl hunter Tyler Coleman. The duck has bird bands on its legs. 

This is a photo of the fisheries scientist, Paul Hershberger, fishing for salmon predators in Lake Washington.

Photographs from a mountainous star coral (Montastraea cavernosa) losing tissue to disease in Florida, USA.  (A) Colony in situ showing bare white, recently denuded skeleton with no turf algae growth (arrowheads) with dark discoloration along the active tissue loss margins (arrows).

Photomicrographs from a mountainous star coral (Montastraea cavernosa) in Florida, USA. (A) A large cluster of filamentous bacteria are within the gastrovascular space and gastrodermis (asterisk) and extending through mesoglea (arrow) with necrosis and loss of the surface gastrodermis (arrowheads). H&E stain.  Scale bar 200 μm.