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: 42702
Trends in nonindigenous aquatic species richness in the United States reveal shifting spatial and temporal patterns of species introductions Trends in nonindigenous aquatic species richness in the United States reveal shifting spatial and temporal patterns of species introductions
Understanding the spatial and temporal dynamics underlying the introduction and spread of nonindigenous aquatic species (NAS) can provide important insights into the historical drivers of biological invasions and aid in forecasting future patterns of nonindigenous species arrival and spread. Increasingly, public databases of species observation records are being used to quantify changes...
Authors
Michael J. Mangiante, Amy J. S. Davis, Stephanie Panlasigui, Matthew E. Neilson, Ian Pfingsten, Pam Fuller, John A. Darling
Testing the potential role of brine reflux in the formation of sedimentary exhalative (Sedex) ore deposits Testing the potential role of brine reflux in the formation of sedimentary exhalative (Sedex) ore deposits
Sedimentary exhalative (sedex) ore deposits are the world’s largest Zn-Pb deposits. While the geologic processes that formed these deposits are generally well understood, the fundamental hydrologic processes that drove these massive hydrothermal systems remain an area of debate. We use numerical modeling to test an emerging hypothesis, supported by recent ore genesis research and sedex...
Authors
Andrew H. Manning, Poul Emsbo
Barred owl research needs and prioritization in California Barred owl research needs and prioritization in California
Barred owls (Strix varia) have reached high densities within the range of the northern spotted owl (S. occidentalis caurina) and are rapidly increasing in number within the range of the California spotted owl (S. o. occidentalis). Encroaching populations of barred owls pose a significant competitive threat to the viability of both spotted owl subspecies in California. In response, the...
Authors
Zach Peery, David Wiens, Robin Bown, Peter C. Carlson, Katie Dugger, Jack Dumbacher, Alan B. Franklin, Keith A. Hamm, Mark Higley, John J. Keane
Modeling resource selection of bobcats (Lynx rufus) and vertebrate species distributions in Orange County, southern California Modeling resource selection of bobcats (Lynx rufus) and vertebrate species distributions in Orange County, southern California
For nature reserves in urban settings, wildlife and wildlife habitats may be affected by recreational activities and intensive, adjacent development. Sustaining biodiversity in such reserves is a challenge for land and natural resource managers, but identification of core areas and key resources for wildlife species may help in planning for current and emerging threats. To help identify...
Authors
Erin E. Boydston, Jeff A. Tracey
Trends and traditions: Overview and synthesis Trends and traditions: Overview and synthesis
This paper provides an overview by the editors of a collection of 25 papers for the Studies of Western Birds, to be published in a single volume by Western Field Ornithologists. The title of the volume is: "Trends and traditions: Avifaunal change in western North America."
Authors
W David Shuford, Robert E. Gill, Colleen M. Handel
Spatial decision‐support tools to guide restoration and seed‐sourcing in the Desert Southwest Spatial decision‐support tools to guide restoration and seed‐sourcing in the Desert Southwest
Altered disturbance regimes and shifting climates have increased the need for large‐scale restoration treatments across the western United States. Seed‐sourcing remains a considerable challenge for revegetation efforts, particularly on public lands where policy favors the use of native, locally sourced plant material to avoid maladaptation. An important area of emphasis for public...
Authors
Daniel F. Shryock, Lesley A. DeFalco, Todd Esque
California Gull population growth and ecological impacts in the San Francisco Bay estuary, 1980–2016 California Gull population growth and ecological impacts in the San Francisco Bay estuary, 1980–2016
The breeding population of California Gulls (Larus californicus) in the San Francisco Bay estuary increased from 24 individuals in 1980 to a peak of over 53,000 in 2014, then declined to 38,040 in 2016. The expansion of the breeding population may be related to the availability of suitable nesting sites in close proximity to anthropogenic food subsidies at landfills. Telemetry data...
Authors
Catherine E. Burns, Joshua T. Ackerman, Natalie B. Washburn, Jill Bluso-Demers, Caitlin Robinson-Nilsen, Cheryl Strong
Grounding simulation models with qualitative case studies: Toward a holistic framework to make climate science usable for US public land management Grounding simulation models with qualitative case studies: Toward a holistic framework to make climate science usable for US public land management
Policies directing agencies and public land managers to incorporate climate change into management face several barriers. These stem, in part, from a disconnect between the information that is produced and the information needs of local resource managers. A disproportionate focus on the natural and physical sciences in climate vulnerability and adaptation assessment obscure...
Authors
Tyler A. Beeton, Shannon M. McNeeley, Brian W. Miller, Dennis S. Ojima
An underwater observation dataset for fish classification and fishery assessment An underwater observation dataset for fish classification and fishery assessment
Using Dual-Frequency Identification Sonar (DIDSON), fishery acoustic observation data was collected from the Ocqueoc River, a tributary of Lake Huron in northern Michigan, USA. Data were collected March through July 2013 and 2016 and included the identification, via technology or expert analysis, of eight fish species as they passed through the DIDSON’s field of view. A set of short...
Authors
Erin L. McCann, Liling Li, Kevin Pangle, Nicholas S. Johnson, Jesse Eickholt
Assessment of chronic low‐dose elemental and radiological exposures of biota at the Kanab North uranium mine site in the Grand Canyon watershed Assessment of chronic low‐dose elemental and radiological exposures of biota at the Kanab North uranium mine site in the Grand Canyon watershed
High‐grade U ore deposits are in various stages of exploitation across the Grand Canyon watershed, yet the effects of U mining on ecological and cultural resources are largely unknown. We characterized the concentrations of Al, As, Bi, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Pb, Hg, Mo, Ni, Se, Ag, Tl, Th, U, and Zn, gross alpha and beta activities, and U and Th radioisotopes in soil, vegetation (Hesperostipa...
Authors
Danielle M. Cleveland, Jo Ellen Hinck, Julia S. Lankton
Thiamine deficiency in fishes: Causes, consequences, and potential solutions Thiamine deficiency in fishes: Causes, consequences, and potential solutions
Thiamine deficiency complex (TDC) is a disorder resulting from the inability to acquire or retain thiamine (vitamin B1) and has been documented in organisms in aquatic ecosystems ranging from the Baltic Sea to the Laurentian Great Lakes. The biological mechanisms leading to TDC emergence may vary among systems, but in fishes, one common outcome is high mortality among early life stages...
Authors
Avril M. Harder, William R. Ardren, Allison N. Evans, Matthew H. Futia, Clifford E. Kraft, J. Ellen Marsden, Catherine A. Richter, Jacques Rinchard, Donald E. Tillitt, Mark R. Christie
Improving confidence by embracing uncertainty: A meta-analysis of U.S. hunting values for benefit transfer Improving confidence by embracing uncertainty: A meta-analysis of U.S. hunting values for benefit transfer
Recreational hunting in the United States has traditional and cultural importance, and generates substantial economic benefits to individual hunters themselves. This paper conducts a meta-analysis of existing nonmarket valuation estimates for hunting in the United States to explore sources and implications of variation and uncertainty in these estimates. A multi-level meta-regression...
Authors
Christopher Huber, James Meldrum, Leslie Richardson