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.
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Accounting for multiple climate components when estimating climate change exposure and velocity Accounting for multiple climate components when estimating climate change exposure and velocity
The effect of anthropogenic climate change on organisms will likely be related to climate change exposure and velocity at local and regional scales. However, common methods to estimate climate change exposure and velocity ignore important components of climate that are known to affect the ecology and evolution of organisms.We develop a novel index of climate change (climate overlap) that
Authors
Christopher P. Nadeau, Angela K. Fuller
Effects of the light goose conservation order on non-target waterfowl distribution during spring migration Effects of the light goose conservation order on non-target waterfowl distribution during spring migration
The Light Goose Conservation Order (LGCO) was initiated in 1999 to reduce mid-continent populations of light geese (lesser snow geese Chen caerulescens and Ross's geese C. rossi). However, concern about potential for LGCO activities (i.e. hunting activities) to negatively impact non-target waterfowl species during spring migration in the Rainwater Basin (RWB) of Nebraska prompted agency...
Authors
Andrew J. Dinges, Elisabeth B. Webb, Mark P. Vrtiska
Application of science-based restoration planning to a desert river system Application of science-based restoration planning to a desert river system
Persistence of many desert river species is threatened by a suite of impacts linked to water infrastructure projects that provide human water security where water is scarce. Many desert rivers have undergone regime shifts from spatially and temporally dynamic ecosystems to more stable systems dominated by homogenous physical habitat. Restoration of desert river systems could aid in...
Authors
Brian G. Laub, Justin Jimenez, Phaedra Budy
Recent changes in annual area burned in interior Alaska: The impact of fire management Recent changes in annual area burned in interior Alaska: The impact of fire management
The Alaskan boreal forest is characterized by frequent extensive wildfires whose spatial extent has been mapped for the past 70 years. Simple predictions based on this record indicate that area burned will increase as a response to climate warming in Alaska. However, two additional factors have affected the area burned in this time record: the Pacific decadal oscillation (PDO) switched...
Authors
M.P. Calef, Anna Varvak, A. David McGuire, F. S. Chapin, K. B. Reinhold
Incidental captures of Eastern Spotted Skunk in a high-elevation Red Spruce forest in Virginia Incidental captures of Eastern Spotted Skunk in a high-elevation Red Spruce forest in Virginia
Spilogale putorius (Eastern Spotted Skunk) is considered rare in the southern Appalachian Mountains and throughout much of its range. We report incidental captures of 6 Eastern Spotted Skunks in a high-elevation Picea rubens (Red Spruce) forest in southwestern Virginia during late February and March 2014. At 1520 m, these observations are the highest-elevation records for Eastern Spotted...
Authors
Corinne A. Diggins, David S. Jachowski, Jay Martin, W. Mark Ford
Testing hypotheses on distribution shifts and changes in phenology of imperfectly detectable species Testing hypotheses on distribution shifts and changes in phenology of imperfectly detectable species
With ongoing climate change, many species are expected to shift their spatial and temporal distributions. To document changes in species distribution and phenology, detection/non-detection data have proven very useful. Occupancy models provide a robust way to analyse such data, but inference is usually focused on species spatial distribution, not phenology.We present a multi-season...
Authors
Thierry A. Chambert, William L. Kendall, James E. Hines, James D. Nichols, Paolo Pedrini, J. Hardin Waddle, Giacomo Tavecchia, Susan C. Walls, Simone Tenan
A formalized approach to making effective natural resource management decisions for Alaska National Parks A formalized approach to making effective natural resource management decisions for Alaska National Parks
A fundamental goal of the National Park Service (NPS) is the long-term protection and management of resources in the National Park System. Reaching this goal requires multiple approaches, including the conservation of essential habitats and the identification and elimination of potential threats to biota and habitats. To accomplish these goals, the NPS has implemented the Alaska Region...
Authors
Margaret C. MacCluskie, Angela Romito, James T. Peterson, James P. Lawler
Roost selection by Rafinesque’s big-eared bats (Corynorhinus rafinesquii) in a pristine habitat at three spatial scales Roost selection by Rafinesque’s big-eared bats (Corynorhinus rafinesquii) in a pristine habitat at three spatial scales
Although several studies have described roost use by Rafinesque's big-eared bats (Corynorhinus rafinesquii), few studies have examined roost selection. We examined roost use and selection by Rafinesque's big-eared bat at the tree, stand, and landscape scales during the maternity season in pristine old-growth habitat in the Coastal Plain of South Carolina. We located 43 roosts (14...
Authors
Jessica S. Lucas, Susan C. Loeb, Patrick G.R. Jodice
Reach-scale stream restoration in agricultural streams of southern Minnesota alters structural and functional responses of macroinvertebrates Reach-scale stream restoration in agricultural streams of southern Minnesota alters structural and functional responses of macroinvertebrates
Recent studies suggest that stream restoration at the reach scale may not increase stream biodiversity, raising concerns about the utility of this conservation practice. We examined whether reach-scale restoration in disturbed agricultural streams was associated with changes in macroinvertebrate community structure (total macroinvertebrate taxon richness, total macroinvertebrate density
Authors
Christine L. Dolph, Susan L. Eggert, Joe Magner, Leonard C. Ferrington, Bruce C. Vondracek
Fall spawning of Atlantic sturgeon in the Roanoke River, North Carolina Fall spawning of Atlantic sturgeon in the Roanoke River, North Carolina
In 2012, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) declared Atlantic Sturgeon Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus to be threatened or endangered throughout its range in U.S. waters. Restoration of the subspecies will require much new information, particularly on the location and timing of spawning. We used a combination of acoustic telemetry and sampling with anchored...
Authors
Joseph A. Smith, Joseph E. Hightower, H. Jared Flowers
Effectiveness of two commercial rotenone formulations in the eradication of virile crayfish Orconectes virillis Effectiveness of two commercial rotenone formulations in the eradication of virile crayfish Orconectes virillis
The virile or northern crayfish Orconectes virilis is an invasive species throughout much of the USA, damaging aquatic communities where it is introduced. Therefore, identification of effective methods for its eradication from areas in which it is unwanted is important. We studied the effectiveness of two commercial formulations of rotenone, Chem Fish Regular and CFT Legumine, for virile...
Authors
Matthew S. Recsetar, Scott A. Bonar
Initiation of migration and movement rates of Atlantic salmon smolts in fresh water Initiation of migration and movement rates of Atlantic salmon smolts in fresh water
Timing of ocean entry is critical for marine survival of both hatchery and wild Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) smolts. Management practices and barriers to migration such as dams may constrain timing of smolt migrations resulting in suboptimal performance at saltwater entry. We modeled influences of stocking location, smolt development, and environmental conditions on (i) initiation of...
Authors
Daniel S. Stich, Michael T. Kinnison, John F. Kocik, Joseph D. Zydlewski