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See our science through the images below.
Low clouds over land, but clears skies over the ocean during a test flight in March 2019.
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.
Low clouds over land, but clears skies over the ocean during a test flight in March 2019.
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.
Photograph of museum specimens of the Rusty Patched Bumble Bee, Bombus affinis
Photograph of museum specimens of the Rusty Patched Bumble Bee, Bombus affinis
Camera set-up in the plane before belly port doors are opened for an aerial photographic survey.
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.
Camera set-up in the plane before belly port doors are opened for an aerial photographic survey.
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.
Scientists collect carcasses at a wind energy facility to estimate total wildlife mortality at a site.
Scientists collect carcasses at a wind energy facility to estimate total wildlife mortality at a site.
Mount with black-out curtain used to hold a wireless monitor. This set-up allows technicians to interface with four mini-PCs in real time, allowing them to check data and image quality, and make adjustments when necessary.
Mount with black-out curtain used to hold a wireless monitor. This set-up allows technicians to interface with four mini-PCs in real time, allowing them to check data and image quality, and make adjustments when necessary.
Blended photo of a wind and solar energy facilities.
Blended photo of a wind and solar energy facilities.
Preparing the Partenavia aircraft to leave Oxnard Airport for a survey.
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.
Preparing the Partenavia aircraft to leave Oxnard Airport for a survey.
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.
Biological Technician Laura (Laney) White and Research Biologist, Josh Adams install a newly modified camera mount for in flight testing. This mount tilts forward and back to minimize glare and improve image quality.
Biological Technician Laura (Laney) White and Research Biologist, Josh Adams install a newly modified camera mount for in flight testing. This mount tilts forward and back to minimize glare and improve image quality.
USGS field biologist Andrea Mott displays a recently marked Lesser Snow Goose.
USGS field biologist Andrea Mott displays a recently marked Lesser Snow Goose.
There are two juvenile golden eagles. Golden eagles are one of the largest birds in North America. They have a wingspan from 72.8 to 86.6 inches.
There are two juvenile golden eagles. Golden eagles are one of the largest birds in North America. They have a wingspan from 72.8 to 86.6 inches.
Two young golden eagles fight in the snow. In the winter, eagles tend to scavenge for food as prey become scarce.
Two young golden eagles fight in the snow. In the winter, eagles tend to scavenge for food as prey become scarce.
A Basic II bald eagle on the left fights with a golden eagle. A Basic IV bald eagle flies away.
A Basic II bald eagle on the left fights with a golden eagle. A Basic IV bald eagle flies away.
This is a young golden eagle in its third winter. Golden eagles generally don't reach adulthood until about their fifth year.
This is a young golden eagle in its third winter. Golden eagles generally don't reach adulthood until about their fifth year.
Who's who? These are print casts of front and back paw prints of a grizzly bear (top) and black bear (bottom). The casts on the right are the front paws of each species; the casts on the left are the back. How do you tell?
Who's who? These are print casts of front and back paw prints of a grizzly bear (top) and black bear (bottom). The casts on the right are the front paws of each species; the casts on the left are the back. How do you tell?
After Hurricane Michael obliterated Fish Inn, the sea turtle research team's field station, team members salvaged some of the building's floor tiles and made this sea turtle mosaic, which they plan to eventually install in a new field station.
After Hurricane Michael obliterated Fish Inn, the sea turtle research team's field station, team members salvaged some of the building's floor tiles and made this sea turtle mosaic, which they plan to eventually install in a new field station.
Root nodules are a symbiotic relationship between a plant and nitrogen-fixing bacteria. A symbiotic relationship is one where both organisms benefit. Nitrogen-fixing bacteria change inorganic nitrogen from the air into ammonia, a form of nitrogen most organisms can use.
Root nodules are a symbiotic relationship between a plant and nitrogen-fixing bacteria. A symbiotic relationship is one where both organisms benefit. Nitrogen-fixing bacteria change inorganic nitrogen from the air into ammonia, a form of nitrogen most organisms can use.
Miriam Jones holding a peat core that was extracted from a thawed permafrost bog at the Alaska Permafrost Experiment (APEX) site at Bonanza Creek LTER, Alaska. The boundary between the formerly frozen permafrost plateau and thawed bog is visible in the peat stratigraphy, with the light-colored peat indicated thawed bog.
Miriam Jones holding a peat core that was extracted from a thawed permafrost bog at the Alaska Permafrost Experiment (APEX) site at Bonanza Creek LTER, Alaska. The boundary between the formerly frozen permafrost plateau and thawed bog is visible in the peat stratigraphy, with the light-colored peat indicated thawed bog.
Hexagon-based aerial survey design with transects overlaid. The EPA 40 km2 hexagons (White et al. 2018) were overlaid across the entirety of the northern Gulf of Mexico. Sampled hexagons were then selected using a Generalized Random Tesselation Stratified (GRTS) sampling scheme.
Hexagon-based aerial survey design with transects overlaid. The EPA 40 km2 hexagons (White et al. 2018) were overlaid across the entirety of the northern Gulf of Mexico. Sampled hexagons were then selected using a Generalized Random Tesselation Stratified (GRTS) sampling scheme.
Map of Alaska showing probability (%) of change occurrence. Insets show fire boundaries from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Large Fire Database and Landsat 8 imagery (bottom right; 2016) north of Fairbanks, Alaska.
Map of Alaska showing probability (%) of change occurrence. Insets show fire boundaries from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Large Fire Database and Landsat 8 imagery (bottom right; 2016) north of Fairbanks, Alaska.
Photograph of the flowers of Dakota wild buckwheat (Eriogonum visheri).
It is native to the Great Plains in the United States, where it is known from North Dakota, South Dakota, and Montana.
Photograph of the flowers of Dakota wild buckwheat (Eriogonum visheri).
It is native to the Great Plains in the United States, where it is known from North Dakota, South Dakota, and Montana.
USGS wildlife biologists holding a juvenile salt marsh harvest mouse (Reithrodontomys raviventris). The species is listed as "endangered" under the Endangered Species Act of 1973.
USGS wildlife biologists holding a juvenile salt marsh harvest mouse (Reithrodontomys raviventris). The species is listed as "endangered" under the Endangered Species Act of 1973.