Publications
Browse publications authored by our scientists. Publications available are: USGS-authored journal articles, series reports, book chapters, other government publications, and more.
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
Filter Total Items: 5083
Weather, habitat area, connectivity, and number of patches influence breeding ecology of ring-necked pheasants Weather, habitat area, connectivity, and number of patches influence breeding ecology of ring-necked pheasants
Understanding habitat selection is critical in habitat prioritization for species of conservation and management concern. Information on habitat selection is particularly important for grassland bird species whose populations have suffered steep declines over the last few decades. We assessed ring-necked pheasants' (Phasianus colchicus) habitat selection in a dynamic agricultural...
Authors
Sprih Harsh, Robert Charles Lonsinger, Hilary R. Kauth, Andrew J. Gregory
Triangulating habitat suitability for the locally extirpated California grizzly bear Triangulating habitat suitability for the locally extirpated California grizzly bear
Reintroducing locally extirpated wildlife species is often necessary to meet recovery goals. However, because current field data cannot be gathered about these species, efforts to identify suitable habitat are often complicated and controversial. Here we present a case study examining a novel approach for identifying suitable habitat for the locally extirpated brown bear, known as the...
Authors
Michael C Mcinturff, Peter S. Alagona, Scott D. Cooper, Kaitlyn M. Gaynor, Sarah E. Anderson, Elizabeth S. Forbes, Robert Heilmayr, Elizabeth H.T. Hiroyasu, Bruce E. Kendall, Alexis M. Mychajliw, Molly Hardesty-Moore
Ungulate migrations of the Western United States, volume 5 Ungulate migrations of the Western United States, volume 5
Many ungulates migrate between distinct summer and winter ranges to take advantage of spatially and temporally variable food sources and avoid threats such as predators and deep snow. In 2018, the U.S. Department of the Interior established Secretarial Order 3362, which provided Federal support to expand existing research efforts to study ungulate populations and conserve their...
Authors
Matthew Kauffman, Blake Lowrey, Jennifer L. McKee, Travis Allen, Chloe Beaupre, Jeffrey L. Beck, Scott Bergen, Justin Binfet, Shelly Blair, James W. Cain, Peyton Carl, Todd Cornish, Michelle Cowardin, Rachel Curtis, Melia DeVivo, Jennifer Diamond, Katie Dugger, Orrin Duvuvuei, C.J. Ellingwood, Darby Finely, Jessica Fort, Eric Freeman, Ian Freeman, Jeff Gagnon, Emily Gelzer, Jacob Gray, Evan Greenspan, Curtis Hendricks, Valerie Hinojoza-Rood, Matthew Jeffress, Carolyn A. Kyle, Zack Lockyer, Cody McKee, Jerod Merkle, Jerrod Merrell, Matthew Mumma, Jake Powell, Craig Reddell, Adele K. Reinking, Robert Ritson, Sierra Robatcek, Benjamin S. Robb, Brianna M. Russo, Hall Sawyer, Cody Schroeder, Elissa Slezak, Scott Sprague, Erik Steiner, Alethea Steingisser, Tom Stephenson, Nicole Tatman, Kaitlyn L. Taylor, Don Whittaker, Travis Zaffarano
Confluence of time and space: An innovation for quantifying dynamics of hydrologic floodplain connectivity with remote sensing and GIS Confluence of time and space: An innovation for quantifying dynamics of hydrologic floodplain connectivity with remote sensing and GIS
Hydrologic connectivity is a crucial determinant of aquatic ecosystem services, governing the exchange of nutrients, sediments, chemicals, and biota. Various indices and metrics exist for quantifying hydrologic connectivity across diverse environments and scales. However, existing methodologies often fail to adequately capture lateral connectivity between floodplain lakes and streams...
Authors
Hafez Ahmad, Leandro E. Miranda, Corey Garland Dunn, Melanie R. Boudreau, Michael E. Colvin, Padmanava Dash
Impoundments facilitate upstream invasion and introgression: Case studies of fluvial black basses (Micropterus spp.) in the southeastern USA Impoundments facilitate upstream invasion and introgression: Case studies of fluvial black basses (Micropterus spp.) in the southeastern USA
Impoundment construction has resulted in the alternation and loss of fluvial habitats, threatening the persistence of many native fishes. Compounding this threat, non-native species stocked into impoundments often invade interconnected fluvial habitats, where they may negatively affect native species. Black basses (genus Micropterus) are popular sportfishes with divergent ecologies: some...
Authors
A.T. Taylor, M.D. Tringali, James M. Long
Water depth, position within the nesting colony, and nearest neighbor density affect nest survival in Aechmophorus occidentalis (Western Grebe) Water depth, position within the nesting colony, and nearest neighbor density affect nest survival in Aechmophorus occidentalis (Western Grebe)
Aechmophorus occidentalis (Western Grebe) are colonial nesting waterbirds that have experienced population declines. We located and monitored 709 grebe nests using a drone within Lake Cascade, the largest grebe breeding colony in Idaho. We conducted 6 flights between June 20, 2018 and July 11, 2018 and used the photographs from each flight to create an orthomosaic image that we then...
Authors
Deo A. Lachman, Courtney J. Conway, Kerri T. Vierling, Ty Matthews
Determining the effects of reduced water availability on seed germination of five bottomland hardwood tree species Determining the effects of reduced water availability on seed germination of five bottomland hardwood tree species
Globally, floodplain forests are experiencing shifts in species composition associated with drier conditions and disruptions of flood pulse hydrology. The specific processes behind these shifts in composition are not fully understood, but differential effects of drought on regeneration processes such as seed germination may be partially responsible. To determine how reduced water...
Authors
Charles J. Pell, Sammy L. King, Tracy S. Hawkins, Matt Symmank
Mammalian predator co‐occurrence affected by prey and habitat more than competitor presence at multiple time scales Mammalian predator co‐occurrence affected by prey and habitat more than competitor presence at multiple time scales
The behavior and abundance of sympatric predators can be affected by a complex dominance hierarchy. The strength of antagonistic interactions in predator communities is difficult to study and remains poorly understood for many predator assemblages. Predators directly and indirectly influence the broader ecosystem, so identifying the relative importance of competition, prey, and habitat...
Authors
Sarah B. Bassing, David Edward Ausband, Matthew A. Mumma, Sarah Thompson, Mark A. Hurley, Matthew Richard Falcy
Integration of Indigenous Research Methodologies, Traditional Ecological Knowledge and molecular scatology in an assessment of mesocarnivore presence, diet and habitat use on Yurok Ancestral Lands. Integration of Indigenous Research Methodologies, Traditional Ecological Knowledge and molecular scatology in an assessment of mesocarnivore presence, diet and habitat use on Yurok Ancestral Lands.
Partnerships between Tribes and researchers in wildlife monitoring and application of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) have taken a variety of forms, and some scholars have noted a need for culturally sensitive approaches. Guided by Indigenous Research Methodologies, this research is coupled with Yurok TEK, or hlkelonah 'ue-megetohl ('to take care of the earth'), enabling an...
Authors
Seafha C. Ramos, Melanie Culver
Prion gene sequencing in Florida panthers (Puma concolor coryi) suggests no differential susceptibility to transmissible spongiform encephalopathy Prion gene sequencing in Florida panthers (Puma concolor coryi) suggests no differential susceptibility to transmissible spongiform encephalopathy
Transmissible spongiform encephalopathy, or prion disease, poses a serious threat to wildlife; however, the susceptibility of apex predators is still being assessed. We investigated variation in the prion protein gene in Florida panthers (Puma concolor coryi) and found that admixture from Central American pumas probably introduced a novel, albeit benign, prion allele.
Authors
Elizabeth Sharkey, David P. Onorato, Melody E. Roelke-Parker, Alexander Ochoa, Melanie Culver, Robert R. Fitak
Reproductive contribution of lake sturgeon transferred upstream of dams on a Great Lakes tributary Reproductive contribution of lake sturgeon transferred upstream of dams on a Great Lakes tributary
Dam construction contributes to declines in the distribution and abundance of many fishes. Increasing connectivity through adult transfer can be demographically and genetically beneficial, but assessing the effects resulting from transfer can be difficult if resident fish exist upstream. Genotypes of adult and larval lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) were used to quantify...
Authors
Patrick S. Forsythe, Nicholas M. Sard, Stefan Tucker, Lexi Atler, Jeannette Kanefsky, Jennifer Johnson, Daniel A. Isermann, Robert F. Elliott, Michael Donofrio, Kim T. Scribner
Infection by the marine cestode Hepatoxylon trichiuri in returning Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) spawners in Patagonia: Implications for a novel fishery Infection by the marine cestode Hepatoxylon trichiuri in returning Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) spawners in Patagonia: Implications for a novel fishery
Parasitological information may be useful for managing economically important fisheries by providing insights into population dynamics and health effects. The Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), an invasive species with high socio-ecological importance in South America, supports recreational and incipient artisanal fisheries. In Southern Chile, the recent approval of coastal...
Authors
Guillermo Figueroa-Munoz, Patricio Torres, J. Marcos Rodriguez, Christina Amy Murphy