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Ecosystems Science at USGS

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USGS Landscape Science Strategy

Science informing decision making on public lands and across all of our Nation’s landscapes.

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USGS Wildland Fire Science

USGS science helps understand the causes, consequences, and benefits of wildfire and helps prevent and manage larger, catastrophic events.

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DISCOVRE

Diversity, Systematics and Connectivity of Vulnerable Reef Ecosystems

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The USGS Ecosystems Mission Area

Learn more about us through a visual Geo-Narrative

Our Story

Ecosystems

The USGS Ecosystems Mission Area provides science to help America achieve sustainable management and conservation of biological resources in wild and urban spaces, and places in between.

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Newsletter - EcoNews

Native westslope cutthroat trout swim in the north fork of the Flathead River in northwestern Montana.

This quarterly newsletter highlights ecosystems science and activities coming out of our Science Centers and Cooperative Research Units across the Nation. 

EcoNews Issues

Webinar - Friday's Findings

Colorado Aspen with mountains in the background

A public webinar series meant to offer our audience an opportunity to discover the Ecosystems science capacity within the USGS.

Upcoming Webinars

Where's our Science?

Ecosystems Mission Area Locations

Find out where Ecosystems Science Centers, Field Stations, Climate Adaptation Science Centers, and Cooperative Research Units are located.

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News

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Biologists Address Wind Energy Impact to Bats

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Friday's Findings - January 28 2022

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The Hidden Cost of Disease for Bighorn Sheep—Smaller Horns

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Publications

Winter habitat selection and efficacy of telemetry to aid Grass Carp removal efforts in a large reservoir

Grass Carp Ctenopharyngodon idella were introduced in North America to control aquatic vegetation in small, closed systems. However, when they escape into larger systems in which they can reproduce, they have the potential to cause significant declines and alterations in aquatic vegetation communities. These alterations can in turn affect native species that are dependent on aquatic vegetation. In
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Ecosystems, Columbia Environmental Research Center

The effects of management practices on grassland birds—Greater Prairie-Chicken (Tympanuchus cupido pinnatus)

The keys to Greater Prairie-Chicken (Tympanuchus cupido pinnatus) management are maintaining expansive grasslands; preventing populations of Greater Prairie-Chickens from becoming small and isolated; managing grasslands to maintain proper grassland height, density, and vigor; and reducing woody plant invasion and excessive litter buildup. Within these grasslands, areas should contain short herbace
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Ecosystems, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center

Distribution and abundance of Least Bell’s Vireos (<i>Vireo bellii pusillus</i>) and Southwestern Willow Flycatchers (Empidonax traillii extimus) at the Mojave River Dam, San Bernardino County, California—2021 Data summary

Executive SummaryWe surveyed for Least Bell’s Vireos (Vireo bellii pusillus; vireo) and Southwestern Willow Flycatchers (Empidonax traillii extimus; flycatcher) at the Mojave River Dam study area near Hesperia, California, in 2021. Four vireo surveys were conducted between April 16 and July 16, 2021, and three flycatcher surveys were conducted between May 27 and July 16, 2021.We detected four terr
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Ecosystems, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
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Science

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Diagram showing per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) movement in the environment.

Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Integrated Science Team

Increasing scientific and public awareness of the widespread distribution of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in U.S. drinking-water supplies, aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, wildlife, and humans has raised many public health and resource management questions that U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) science can inform. The USGS Environmental Health Program's PFAS Integrated Science Team...
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Ecosystems, Contaminant Biology, Environmental Health Program, Toxic Substances Hydrology
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Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Integrated Science Team

Increasing scientific and public awareness of the widespread distribution of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in U.S. drinking-water supplies, aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, wildlife, and humans has raised many public health and resource management questions that U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) science can inform. The USGS Environmental Health Program's PFAS Integrated Science Team...
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Two small birds at a bird house

PFAS Transport, Exposure, and Effects

The team is determining the movement and behavior of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from their sources in the environment, as they move through exposure pathways in ecosystems including watersheds and aquifers, their incorporation into food webs, and molecular to population scale effects on fish and wildlife. These studies are accomplished at a variety of spatial scales from regional...
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Ecosystems, Contaminant Biology, Environmental Health Program, Toxic Substances Hydrology
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PFAS Transport, Exposure, and Effects

The team is determining the movement and behavior of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from their sources in the environment, as they move through exposure pathways in ecosystems including watersheds and aquifers, their incorporation into food webs, and molecular to population scale effects on fish and wildlife. These studies are accomplished at a variety of spatial scales from regional...
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Map of North America showing locations where chronic wasting disease has been detected.

Expanding Distribution of Chronic Wasting Disease

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) has been detected in 28 US states and four Canadian provinces in free-ranging cervids and/or commercial captive cervid facilities. CWD has been detected in free-ranging cervids in 27 states and three provinces and in captive cervid facilities in 18 states and three provinces.
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Ecosystems, Fish & Wildlife Disease, National Wildlife Health Center
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Expanding Distribution of Chronic Wasting Disease

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) has been detected in 28 US states and four Canadian provinces in free-ranging cervids and/or commercial captive cervid facilities. CWD has been detected in free-ranging cervids in 27 states and three provinces and in captive cervid facilities in 18 states and three provinces.
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