Mission Areas
Ecosystems
Mission Areas L2 Landing Page Tabs
The USGS Ecosystems Mission Area, the biological research arm of the Department of the Interior (DOI), provides science to help America achieve sustainable management and conservation of its biological resources. This work is done within the broader mission of the USGS to serve the Nation with science that advances understanding of our natural resources and inform land and water stewardship.
Collaborative Conservation
What do gray wolves, manatees and bears have in common? They are just a few of the species that are part of important USGS research that informs U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service decisions for endangered and threatened species.
Find out moreOutstanding in the Field
An Ecosystems Mission Area original podcast series that tells stories about our science, our adventures, and our efforts to better understand fish and wildlife and the ecosystems that support them.
Ep 2-Citizen ScienceWhere's our Science?
Find out where Ecosystems Science Centers, Field Stations, and Cooperative Research Units are located.
Browse by LocationNews
WaterWords–Hydrothermal Vent
Keep up to speed with our Falkor research cruise with this latest seafloor syntax!
Test your bee and other pollinator knowledge!
It’s pollinator week and USGS is providing science to better understand the status of pollinator species. Here’s the chance to test your knowledge about bees and other pollinators, with our pollinator week quiz! And let us know on FB or Twitter how you did!
WaterWords–Continental Margin
Keep up to speed with our Falkor research cruise with this latest seafloor syntax!
Publications
Evaluating the sustainability of a Cisco Fishery in Thunder Bay, Ontario under alternate harvest control rules
Sustainable management of fish stocks is promoted through the application of Management Strategy Evaluations, providing information to managers on the relative performance of alternative management approaches (strategies) while accounting for uncertainty. In this study, we developed a simplified management strategy evaluation of a cisco, Coregonus...
Fisch, Nicholas C; Bence, James R.; Myers, Jared T.; Berglund, Eric K.; Yule, Daniel Is barotrauma an important factor in the discard mortality of Yellow Perch?
In physoclistous fishes, barotrauma caused by rapid decompression during capture may be an important source of fishing mortality that is unquantified for some fisheries. We developed a predictive logistic model for barotrauma incidence in Yellow Perch Perca flavescens and applied this model to Ohio's recreational and commercial fisheries in Lake...
Knight, Carey; Kraus, Richard T.; Panos, Demetra; Gorman, Ann Marie; Leonhardt, Benjamin; Robinson, Jason; Thomas, Michael J. Aquatic vegetation and invertebrate communities of Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge
Observed degradation of aquatic systems at Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge, located in west-central Minnesota, have been associated with sediment-laden inflows from riverine systems. To support management, a study was conducted during 2013–2014 with overall goals of characterizing the aquatic invertebrate and vegetation communities of the Big...
Tangen, Brian; Finocchiaro, Raymond; Newton, Wesley E.; Dahl, Charles F.The Ecosystems Mission Area provides impartial science information and tools to the Nation’s natural resource managers, with particular focus on the science needs of the Department of the Interior (DOI) and DOI bureaus to manage species, lands and priority ecosystems; fulfill treaty obligations; respond to and reduce threats to natural resources; and manage mineral and energy resources.
Check out our Cool Tools for Hot Topics!
Expanding Distribution of Chronic Wasting Disease
Chronic wasting disease (CWD) has been detected in 26 US states and three Canadian provinces in free-ranging cervids and/or commercial captive cervid facilities. CWD has been detected in free-ranging cervids in 24 states and two provinces and in captive cervid facilities in 17 states and three provinces.
GCMRC Online Maps
The Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center maintains an enterprise GIS platform built upon ESRI ArcGIS Server and Portal applications. This enterprise system allows for spatial data, maps and analytical tools to be served through online applications. The Geospatial Science and Technology project provides access to this content through different avenues. Online maps can be accessed...
GCMRC Data Applications
The Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center develops and collaborates with other science centers to create online data applications that provide access to project data as it becomes available to the public. Some of these applications provide data in near real-time, while other project data are updated at some regular interval (annually, quarterly).
Content listed here include...
GCMRC Data Releases
Data releases made available by GCMRC can be found here as they are published via the USGS Fundamental Science Practices (FSPs). Individual science product links will take users to the USGS ScienceBase website for each entry.
Click on Data and Tools Tab to see list of Data Releases.
Connectivity of Coral Ecosystems in the Northwestern Gulf of Mexico
Connectivity among coral communities influences the probability of speciation and contributes to their ability to adapt to natural and anthropogenic stressors. Results from this study will enhance our understanding of Gulf of Mexcio ecosystems with regional conservation initiatives to inform the restoration of degraded deepwater coral communities and preserve long-term viability of coastal...
EXPRESS: Expanding Pacific Research and Exploration of Submerged Systems
EXPRESS is a multi-year, multi-institution cooperative research campaign in deep sea areas of California, Oregon, and Washington, including the continental shelf and slope. EXPRESS data and information are intended to guide wise use of living marine resources and habitats, inform ocean energy and mineral resource decisions, and improve offshore hazard assessments.
Modeling Spatial Habitat Quality for the Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow
The Joint Ecosystem Modeling (JEM) team will develop species distribution models that incorporate hydrologic and habitat variables known to influence Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow occurrence.
Cheatgrass and Medusahead
Invasive annual grasses, such as cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) and medusahead (Taeniatherum caput-medusae), are one of the most significant stressors to rangeland ecosystems in the western U.S. Their expansion and dominance across this area are the most damaging ecosystem agents on this iconic landscape.
Ecological Modeling in Support of the Western Everglades Restoration Project
Joint Ecosystem Modeling (JEM) provides ecological models tailored to address specific management issues, for example, the Western Everglades Restoration Project.
Assessing native fish restoration potential in Catoctin Mountain Park
Native species conservation is a fundamental purpose of National Parks. Catoctin Mountain Park (CATO) in Maryland supports a prized trout fishery and a healthy community of native fishes, with one exception: native Blue Ridge Sculpin (Cottus caeruleomentum) appear to have been extirpated from Big Hunting Creek above Cunningham Falls. Infection by a fungal-like protist ...
Spatio-Temporal Statistical Models for Forecasting Climate Change Effects on Bird Distribution
Ecological indicators of climate change are needed to measure concurrent changes in ecological systems, inform management decisions, and forecast the consequences of climate change. We seek to develop robust bird-based, climate-change indicators using North American Breeding Bird Survey data.
Evaluating Ecological Vulnerabilities of the Greater Everglades Ecosystem to Provide Decision Support for Restoration
USGS scientists develop decision support tools to help inform management and restoration of the Greater Everglades Ecosystem.
GCMRC GIS Base Map Viewer 2.0
The Geospatial team of the Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center maintains an enterprise GIS system built upon ESRI ArcGIS Server and Portal applications. This web application provides access to many of the most commonly used GIS layers and base data information used by GCMRC in support of on-going science projects.
Click here to launch the Base Map Viewer (2.0) in a separate...
GCMRC REST Services Page
The Geospatial team of Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center maintains an enterprise GIS system built upon ESRI ArcGIS Server and Portal applications. From this platform, geospatial content can be consumed in a variety of forms, from custom-built web applications to content hosted on ESRI's ArcGIS Online to direct access of web map services provided here on our REST services page.
Amphibian capture mark-recapture
These data represent capture mark recapture data along with associated disease status for boreal toads (Anaxyrus boreas) from Wyoming and Montana from 2004-2016 and four frog species (Rana draytonii, R. muscosa, R. pretiosa, R. sierrae) from 2001-2016.
Predicted Shorelines for High Flows on the Colorado River Application
This application highlights modeled flows of the Colorado River for a discharge of 41,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) that is approximate to recent (2012 - 2018) and future anticipated water releases associated with a High Flow Experiments conducted from Glen Canyon Dam near Page, Arizona. These data are to help visualize the water levels during High Flow Events in relation to other map...
Virally-vectored vaccine candidates against white-nose syndrome induce anti-fungal immune response in little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus)
White-nose syndrome (WNS) caused by the fungus, Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd) has killed millions of North American insect-eating bats. Currently, methods to prevent the disease are limited. We conducted two trials to assess potential WNS vaccine candidates in wild-caught Myotis lucifugus. In a pilot study, we immunized bats with one of four vaccine treatments or PBS as a control and...
Sandbar Monitoring Sites - Remote Camera Photographs Application
GCMRC and Northern Arizona University have engaged in long-term monitoring of 45 sandbar sites along the Colorado River in Grand Canyon for close to three decades. Remote cameras have been established to monitor sandbar changes in between site surveys that occur every Fall. This application provides access to thousands of photos, with an option to view photos around specific high flow...
Plague positive mouse fleas on mice prior to plague outbreaks in black-tailed and white-tailed prairie dogs
In 2013, a large blinded, paired placebo-controlled field trial for the prairie dog oral sylvatic plague vaccine started in the Western US. On 17 paired plots, vaccine and placebo plots, small rodents were trapped annually for 3-5 consecutive nights (when weather allowed) and high elevation Utah plots where plague was active were more frequently trapped in 2014 and 2015. In the dataset the...
DATA RELEASE - Predictive maps of 2D and 3D surface soil properties and associated uncertainty for the Upper Colorado River Basin, USA
Raster datasets are maps of soil surface properties that were used in analyzing different approaches for digital soil mapping. They include maps of soil pH, electrical conductivity, soil organic matter, and soil summed fine and very fine sand contents that were created using 2D and 3D modeling strategies. For each property a map was created using 2D and 3D approaches to compare the mapped...
Pathology and bacteriology of 178 tadpoles with histologically confirmed Severe Perkinsea Infections: Data
(i) This dataset presents macroscopic and microscopic pathological findings and bacteriology of 178 tadpoles diagnosed with Severe Perkinsea Infections. (ii) Specimen were collected and submitted to the NWHC as part of mortality investigations and collection of specimen from apparently healthy populations as part of ongoing amphibian health monitoring. (iii) Necropsies and gross evaluation of...
LEAN-Corrected San Francisco Bay Digital Elevation Model, 2018
Lidar-derived digital elevation models often contain a vertical bias due to vegetation. In areas with tidal influence the amount of bias can be ecologically significant, for example, by decreasing the expected inundation frequency. We generated a corrected digital elevation mode (DEM) for tidal marsh areas around San Francisco Bay using the Lidar Elevation Adjustment with NDVI (LEAN) technique...
Floodplain data from the Elwha River in Olympic National Park, 1939-2013
Floodplain characteristics were quantified for the Elwha River in Olympic National Park, Washington, USA, using orthophoto imagery taken between 1939-2013.
Raster data files for “Prioritizing conserved areas threatened by wildfire for monitoring and management."
The data set consists of 12 input data rasters that cover San Diego County, California. These input rasters represent criteria used in a Pareto ranking algorithm in the manuscript. These include three rasters related to fire threats, three rasters related to habitat fragmentation threats, four rasters related to species biodiversity, and two rasters related to genetic biodiversity. (see the...
Chronic Wasting Disease Map
Reported distribution of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in North America.
White-Nose Syndrome Occurrence Map
View current and archived maps of white-nose syndrome occurrence by county/district.
Grand Canyon Poster Map (Low Res)
This is a low resolution poster map of the Grand Canyon region provided by the Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center (U.S. Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center). The poster map was exported from ESRI ArcGIS Desktop as a 36-inch by 24-inch output at 96 dots per inch (dpi). This map is provided for general reference only and should be used for navigational purposes.
Grand Canyon Poster Map (GCMRC)
The Grand Canyon Shaded Relief base map is provided by the Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research (Southwest Biological Science Center) as a resource for identifying and locating important places of interest along the Colorado River and across the Grand Canyon region.
Wildlife Health Information Sharing Partnership – event reporting system (WHISPers)
The NWHC developed the Wildlife Health Information Sharing Partnership – event reporting system (WHISPers) to increase public awareness of wildlife disease events and promote collaboration and data sharing among wildlife professionals. It is a partner driven tool that provides a dynamic, timely, searchable web-based system for visualizing and accessing data on wildlife disease events nationwide.
Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Quagga Mussel Sightings Map
Interactive map of the distribution of quagga mussels in North America. This map is provided by the USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species program.
Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Zebra Mussel Sightings Map
Interactive map of the distribution of zebra mussels in North America. This map is provided by the USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species program.
USGS Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units: 2017 Year In Review
In September 1960, the 86th Congress passed Public Law 86-686 to facilitate cooperation between the Federal government, colleges and universities, the States, and private organizations for Cooperative Unit Programs of research and education relating to fish and wildlife, and for other purposes. The Cooperative Research Units originated in the U.S. Department of Agriculture in the mid 1930s
Sea Star Wasting Syndrome Map
The map includes information from Pacific Rocky Intertidal Monitoring surveys as well as information from logs submitted by other researchers, divers, and the general public.
Movement Maps for Suisun Marsh Waterfowl and Waterbird Studies
Suisun Marsh is a critical habitat for wintering and breeding waterbirds in California. USGS is working with the California DWR to examine the trends in bird decline and to assess the habitat factors driving long-term survival of waterfowl, rails, and other birds in this important area.
Map of USGS WERC Locations
WERC headquarters, field stations, and sub-stations strategically located in or near California and Nevada bioregions, form the core of the WERC science program.
Re-establishing Waterbird Breeding Colonies in San Francisco Bay
This U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Western Ecological Research Center (WERC) story map details how partners are using science and management to maintain and establish new bird nesting colonies in support of the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project. Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
Evaluating the sustainability of a Cisco Fishery in Thunder Bay, Ontario under alternate harvest control rules
Sustainable management of fish stocks is promoted through the application of Management Strategy Evaluations, providing information to managers on the relative performance of alternative management approaches (strategies) while accounting for uncertainty. In this study, we developed a simplified management strategy evaluation of a cisco, Coregonus...
Fisch, Nicholas C; Bence, James R.; Myers, Jared T.; Berglund, Eric K.; Yule, Daniel Is barotrauma an important factor in the discard mortality of Yellow Perch?
In physoclistous fishes, barotrauma caused by rapid decompression during capture may be an important source of fishing mortality that is unquantified for some fisheries. We developed a predictive logistic model for barotrauma incidence in Yellow Perch Perca flavescens and applied this model to Ohio's recreational and commercial fisheries in Lake...
Knight, Carey; Kraus, Richard T.; Panos, Demetra; Gorman, Ann Marie; Leonhardt, Benjamin; Robinson, Jason; Thomas, Michael J. Aquatic vegetation and invertebrate communities of Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge
Observed degradation of aquatic systems at Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge, located in west-central Minnesota, have been associated with sediment-laden inflows from riverine systems. To support management, a study was conducted during 2013–2014 with overall goals of characterizing the aquatic invertebrate and vegetation communities of the Big...
Tangen, Brian; Finocchiaro, Raymond; Newton, Wesley E.; Dahl, Charles F. Geographic variation in the intensity of warming and phenological mismatch between Arctic shorebirds and invertebrates
Responses to climate change can vary across functional groups and trophic levels, leading to a temporal decoupling of trophic interactions or ‘phenological mismatches.’ Despite a growing number of single-species studies that identified phenological mismatches as a nearly universal consequence of climate change, we have a limited understanding of...
Kwon, Enubi; Weiser, Emily L.; Lanctot, Richard B.; Brown, Stephen C.; Gates, H. River; Gilchrist, H. Grant; Kendall, Steve J.; David B. Lank; Joseph R. Liebezeit; McKinnon, Laura; Erica Nol; Payer, David C.; Jennie Rausch; Saalfeld, Sarah T.; Rinella, Daniel J.; Senner, Nathan R.; Smith, Paul A.; Ward, David; Wissman, Robert C.; Sandercock, Brett K. Statistical power of dynamic occupancy models to identify temporal change: Informing the North American Bat Monitoring Program
Dynamic occupancy models provide a flexible framework for estimating and mapping species occupancy patterns over space and time for large-scale monitoring programs (e.g., the North American Bat Monitoring Program (NABat), the Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative). Challenges for designing surveys using the dynamic occupancy modeling...
Banner, Katherine; Irvine, Kathryn M.; Rodhouse, Tom J; Donner, Deahn M.; Litt, Andrea R. Biota dose assessment of small rodents sampled near breccia pipe uranium mines in the Grand Canyon watershed
The biotic exposure and uptake of radionuclides and potential health effects due to breccia pipe uranium mining in the Grand Canyon watershed are largely unknown. This paper describes the use of the RESRAD-BIOTA dose model to assess exposure of small rodents (n = 11) sampled at three uranium mine sites in different stages of ore production (active...
Minter, Kelsey M.; Jannik, Timothy; Hinck, Jo Ellen; Cleveland, Danielle; Kubilius, Walter P.; Kuhne, Wendy W. Nonlinearities in transmission dynamics and efficient management of vector-borne pathogens
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is an approach to minimizing economic and environmental harm caused by pests, and Integrated Vector Management (IVM) uses similar methods to minimize pathogen transmission by vectors. The risk of acquiring a vector-borne infection is often quantified using the density of infected vectors. The relationship between...
Ginsberg, Howard S.; Couret, Jannelle Genetic tagging in the Anthropocene: Scaling ecology from alleles to ecosystems
The Anthropocene is an era of marked human impact on the world. Quantifying these impacts 51 has become central to understanding the dynamics of coupled human-natural systems, resource52 dependent livelihoods, and biodiversity conservation. Ecologists are facing growing pressure to 53 quantify the size, distribution, and trajectory of wild...
Clayton T Lamb; Adam T Ford; Michael Proctor; Royle, Andy; Garth Mowat Effect of amphibian chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) on apparent survival of frogs and toads in the western USA
Despite increasing interest in determining the population-level effects of emerging infectious diseases on wildlife, estimating effects of disease on survival rates remains difficult. Even for a well-studied disease such as amphibian chytridiomycosis (caused by the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis [Bd]), there are few estimates of...
Russell, Robin E.; Halstead, Brian J.; Mosher, Brittany; Muths, Erin L.; Adams, Michael J.; Campbell Grant, Evan H.; Fisher, Robert N.; Kleeman, Patrick M.; Backlin, Adam R.; Pearl, Christopher; Honeycutt, R. Ken; Hossack, Blake R. Integrating behavior and physiology into strategies for amphibian conservation
The amphibian decline crisis has been challenging to address because of the complexity of factors—and their multitude of interactive effects—that drive this global issue. Dissecting such complexity could benefit from strategies that integrate multiple disciplines and address the mechanistic underpinnings of population declines and extirpations. We...
Walls, Susan; Gabor, Caitlin R
Distribution of adult Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in relation to water temperatures, Lake Scanewa, Cowlitz River, Washington, 2012
A trap-and-haul program is operated to move anadromous Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) around dams and reservoirs in the Cowlitz River basin, Washington. The primary release site for adult fish is in Lake Scanewa, a small reservoir created by Cowlitz Falls Dam, the uppermost dam in the basin. Releases in the reservoir are terminated when...
Kock, Tobias J.; Ekstrom, Brian K.; Liedtke, Theresa L. Contemporary human impacts on alpine ecosystems: the direct and indirect effects of human-induced climate change and land use
Alpine ecosystems account for ca. 3 % of terrestrial habitats yet, along with adjacent mountain systems, provide water resources to nearly half of the world’s human population. Approximately 20 % of humans live in or near mountain areas, making it inherently important to understand current impacts on these systems. Here, I review literature...
Winkler, Daniel E.
GenEst - A Generalized Estimator of Mortality
GenEst, a generalized estimator of wildlife mortality at renewable energy facilities.
SSR_pipeline: Computer Software for the Identification of Microsatellite Sequences from Paired-End Illumina High-Throughput DNA Sequence Data
SSR_pipeline is a flexible set of programs designed to efficiently identify simple sequence repeats (SSRs; for example, microsatellites) from paired-end high-throughput Illumina DNA sequencing data.
fatalityCMR
Capture-recapture software to correct raw counts of wildlife fatalities using trial experiments for carcass detecition probability and persistence time.
Evidence of Absence (EoA) Software and User's Guide
Software to Estimate Bird and Bat Fatality at Wind Farms
AquaPathogen X: A Template Database for Tracking Field Isolates of Aquatic Pathogens
Aquatic Pathogen Template Database (AquaPathogen X)
Wildlife Software and Models
A suite of software tools and models developed by Colorado State University and the USGS Colorado Cooperative Fish And Wildlife Research Unit.
monitoR: Acoustic template detection in R
Tools for automated acoustic monitoring of nature.
Fishery Information and Technology Software
Software from the American Fisheries Society
R for Fisheries and Wildlife Applications
FW599: An introduction to data management and R for Fisheries and Wildlife applications--- a lighthearted look
InVEST: 18 different models for ecosystem services
The InVEST tool allows researchers to evaluate relationships between land management actions and wild bee populations.
Fatality Estimator Software
Tool to Evaluate Wildlife Fatalities at Wind-Power Facilities
CloseTest
CloseTest is a Windows program for testing capture-recapture data
Grass carp larvae
These images show grass carp larvae from the Maumee River. Characteristics of larval grass carp include overall length (left), skeletal muscle development (center) and presence of an eye spot that lacks pigmentation (right; pigment starting to develop on lower eye).
USA-NPN Pheno Forecast of emerald ash borer adult emergence.
USA-NPN Pheno Forecast of emerald ash borer adult emergence. Yellow areas indicate locations that will have reached the accumulated temperature requirements for adult emergence as of April 1, 2019.
GCMRC sediment monitoring application landing page
Image screen shot of GCMRC sediment monitoring application
Recording data during a flight
Biological Technician, Laura (Laney) White records data on Beaufort sea state and environmental conditions during a flight.
The Seabird Studies Team at the USGS Western Ecological Research Center is conducting aerial photographic surveys of the ocean off central and southern California to create comprehensive maps of seabird and marine mammal distributions.
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Acoustic Telemetry Used to Track Fish
Staff from the USGS Great Lakes Science Center gaze at the Mackinac Bridge rising above the mist in the Straits of Mackinac, Michigan. The lines they are holding are attached to grappling hooks being used to retrieve acoustic telemetry equipment anchored on the bottom of the straits. The equipment is used to track fish movements in the Great Lakes and was deployed as part
...
Hill at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area 9 Months After Fire
Vegetation has begun to regrow in Whiskeytown National Recreation Area 9 months after summer 2018's Carr Fire near Redding, California, where USGS WERC researchers are studying fire impacts, post-fire vegetation recovery, and post-fire erosion and debris flows.
...
Landscape at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area 9 Months After Fire
Vegetation has begun to regrow in Whiskeytown National Recreation Area 9 months after summer 2018's Carr Fire near Redding, California, where USGS WERC researchers are studying fire impacts, post-fire vegetation recovery, and post-fire erosion and debris flows.
...
Landscape at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area 9 Months After Fire
Vegetation has begun to regrow in Whiskeytown National Recreation Area 9 months after summer 2018's Carr Fire near Redding, California, where USGS WERC researchers are studying fire impacts, post-fire vegetation recovery, and post-fire erosion and debris flows.
...
Hillside at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area 9 Months After Fire
Vegetation has begun to regrow in Whiskeytown National Recreation Area 9 months after summer 2018's Carr Fire near Redding, California, where USGS WERC researchers are studying fire impacts, post-fire vegetation recovery, and post-fire erosion and debris flows.
...
Congressman Charlie Crist visits the SPCMSC
On May 6, 2019, Congressman Charlie Crist (13th district, FL) and Operations and Outreach Director Mr. Kendrick Lewis will visit the St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center (SPCMSC). Congressman Crist requested this visit because he is interested to learn more about the Center and to discuss needs/priorities that we may have. (First row, left to right:
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Under Ice Habitat in Canning River Delta
In the Arctic, rivers are often thought to freeze completely during winter. Since fish need liquid water to survive, there are few places where they can live. Fish usually inhabit deep river channels and areas where springwater enters a stream. However, this video shows that winter habitat occurs in places we didn't expect, below the ice in the delta of a shallow river.
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View of the ocean from above during an aerial photographic survey
Camera set-up and pyrometer collecting sea surface temperature measurements during a survey Fall 2018.
The Seabird Studies Team at the USGS Western Ecological Research Center is conducting aerial photographic surveys of the ocean off central and southern California to create comprehensive maps of seabird and marine mammal distributions.
WaterWords–Hydrothermal Vent
Keep up to speed with our Falkor research cruise with this latest seafloor syntax!
Test your bee and other pollinator knowledge!
It’s pollinator week and USGS is providing science to better understand the status of pollinator species. Here’s the chance to test your knowledge about bees and other pollinators, with our pollinator week quiz! And let us know on FB or Twitter how you did!
WaterWords–Continental Margin
Keep up to speed with our Falkor research cruise with this latest seafloor syntax!
The Secret Life of Bubbles
GEOMAR experts Jens Greinert and Tim Weiss provide a more complete picture of undersea bubbles than you ever thought possible.
WaterWords–Methanotroph
Keep up to speed with our Falkor research cruise with this latest seafloor syntax!
WaterWords–Methanogen
Keep up to speed with our Falkor research cruise with this latest seafloor syntax!
Spinning a Food Web Nearly Three Thousand Feet Underwater
USGS Scientists Jennie McClain-Counts and Amanda Demopoulos explain how this cruise will shed light on the relationships between living things thousands of feet beneath the ocean’s surface.
WaterWords–Methanogenesis
Keep up to speed with our Falkor research cruise with this latest seafloor science syntax!
WaterWords–Methane Seep
Keep up to speed with our Falkor research cruise with this latest seafloor science syntax!
Seeking the Seeps
We're setting sail onboard the R/V Falkor for 21 days of deepsea science. Lead scientist Amanda Demopoulos shares what she's excited about as we head out into the Pacific.
Vaccination May Help Protect Bats from Deadly Disease
A new study shows that vaccination may reduce the impact of white-nose syndrome in bats, marking a milestone in the international fight against one of the most destructive wildlife diseases in modern times.
After Hurricane Devastation, Sea Turtle Scientists Rebound, Help Rebuild
Seven months after their home base in the Florida Panhandle was demolished by Hurricane Michael, U.S. Geological Survey sea turtle researchers are headed back into the field on May 1, the start of nesting season for Florida's sea turtles.
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Locations
U.S. Geological Survey Headquarters
Cooperative Research Units Program Headquarters
Phone: (703) 648 - 4260
Fax: (703) 648 - 4269
Fort Collins Science Center
Phone: 970-226-9100
Fax: 970-226-9230
Wetland and Aquatic Research Center - Gainesville, FL
Phone: 352-378-8181
Fax: 352-378-4956
FRESC Headquarters
fresc_outreach@usgs.gov
Phone: 541-750-1030
Fax: 541-750-1069
NOROCK Headquarters
Phone: 406-994-7544
Fax: 406-994-6556
Western Ecological Research Center - Headquarters
Phone: (916) 278-9485
Fax: (916) 278-9475
Western Fisheries Research Center (WFRC)
Phone: (206) 526-6282
Fax: (206) 526-6654
Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center
Phone: (808) 985-6420
Fax: (808) 967-8568
Columbia Environmental Research Center
Phone: 573-875-5399
Great Lakes Science Center
Phone: 734-994-3331
Fax: 734-994-8780
National Wildlife Health Center
Phone: 608-270-2400
Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
Phone: 701-253-5500
Fax: 701-253 5553
Alaska Science Center
Phone: (907) 786-7000
Fax: (907) 786-7020
Leetown Science Center
Phone: 304 724-4400
Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
webmaster@patuxent.usgs.gov
Phone: 301 497-5500
Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center
Phone: (608) 783-6451
Southwest Biological Science Center - Flagstaff, AZ, Research Station
Phone: 928-556-7094
Fax: 928-556-7092
Contacts
Ecosystems provides scientific information and decision support to meet Interior’s shared responsibility to manage land and species, fulfill treaty obligations, develop energy and mineral resources on Interior lands, and supply water for irrigation and other human needs. Our main Interior Department partners are listed below. Additional partners are listed throughout our web pages.
