Images

American Avocet are a bird that relies heavily on the Saline Lakes ecosystem during their spring migration periods. Over 50% of these birds exist here. Part of their use includes using the terminal lakes there to breed. 

A rainbow emerges from an evening shower in the Chukchi Sea.  USGS and the U.S.

Pottery by Kaili Gregory, Georgia and Florida Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units. Western pond turtles were recently split into two species the southwestern pond turtle and the northwestern pond turtles. Both species have exhibited substantial population declines and range contractions in recent decades.

Orange streams are increasingly common in the Brooks Range of northern Alaska. The orange stream color reflects oxidized iron, but also often indicates elevated heavy metal concentrations. Our ongoing study aims to document these occurrences and the timing of their onset.

Orange streams are increasingly common in the Brooks Range of northern Alaska. The orange stream color reflects oxidized iron, but also often indicates elevated heavy metal concentrations. Our ongoing study aims to document these occurrences and the timing of their onset.

Orange streams are increasingly common in the Brooks Range of northern Alaska. The orange stream color reflects oxidized iron, but also often indicates elevated heavy metal concentrations. Our ongoing study aims to document these occurrences and the timing of their onset.

A quadcopter drone rests on the orange landing pad, ready to fly over Rapid and Other Methods for Assessment and Monitoring (ROAM) plots to collect data that will be used to generate cover and density estimates.

A large quadcopter drone rests on the tailgate of a truck waiting to fly with hyperspectral imagery to estimate vegetation cover. 

A picture of Glacier National Park with native plants, including Indian paintbrushes in the foreground, confiders in the midground, and snowy mountains in the background. Photo by Linsday Dose, USGS contractor.

Specimens from a USGS Lepidoptera Research Collection stored at the Kansas WSC Organic Geochemistry Reseearch Laboratory. Specimens are received as part of a Citizen Science effort to establish a collection to further insect research. 

USGS researchers acquire imagery from unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) synchronous with high-resolution imagery from satellites to map sagebrush across North Dakota and South Dakota. 

Smallmouth Bass are good indicators of methylmercury exposure to humans and wildlife because they are a common, popular sport fish and eat a variety of food during their lifetime. Juvenile Smallmouth Bass – smaller than 150mm in length - eat zooplankton, or microscopic animals.

Drawing showing climate change impacts to each life cycle stage of monarchs: 1) Butterflies lay fewer eggs in wetter conditions, 2) Warmer temperatures reduce milkweed growth, leaving caterpillars hungry, 3) Erratic winters freeze overwintering pupae, 4) Shifting seasons disrupt migrations.

Image of pipettors used in the laboratory. Pipettes are stored on charging docking stations. 

Scientists survey prairie potholes in Wells County, North Dakota. 

The Prairie Pothole Region extends across the central United States and Canada, providing wetland and grassland habitat to thousands of species, including critical breeding habitat for migratory waterbirds. 

Eared grebes in a courtship behavior in the Great Salt Lake. They are one of many migratory birds in the Great Basin that rely on terminal lakes and wetlands in the area to stop rest and feed. 

Screenshot of the USGS Wildfire Hazard and Risk Assessment Clearinghouse. The clearinghouse provides a description and information about the spatial extent, resolution, fire modeling approach, values considered (assets and resources), and vintage of LANDFIRE and fire dat

Northern Arizona University graduate students monitor seedling emergence in a northern Arizona RestoreNet site. Photo by Laura Shriver.

Image shows equipment for analysis of targeted and non-targeted organic contaminants at the OGRL located at the KS WSC. 

Northern Arizona University graduate student Ri Corwin collects soil for greenhouse inoculation experiments. Photo by Laura Shriver.

Kaupapaloʻi o Kaʻamola