Publications
This list of publications includes peer-review journal articles, official USGS publications series, reports and more authored by scientists in the Ecosystems Mission Area. A database of all USGS publications, with advanced search features, can be accessed at the USGS Publications Warehouse.
Filter Total Items: 42991
Continuous and high-resolution longitudinal profiles of the water surface and riverbed elevation for 282 miles of the Colorado River from Lees Ferry to Pearce Ferry, Arizona, 2021 Continuous and high-resolution longitudinal profiles of the water surface and riverbed elevation for 282 miles of the Colorado River from Lees Ferry to Pearce Ferry, Arizona, 2021
Longitudinal profiles of water surface and riverbed elevations capture key geomorphic characteristics that can be affected by water infrastructure and natural processes. Continuous water surface profiles of the Colorado River in Grand Canyon, a river influenced by two of the largest dams in the United States, have been measured infrequently. The water surface profile was first measured...
Authors
Shannon L. Sartain, Matthew A. Kaplinski, Keith Kohl, Katherine A. Chapman, Nathaniel D. Bransky, Joel B. Sankey, Paul E. Grams
Rearing method has limited effect on post-release movement of reintroduced age-0 Lake Sturgeon Rearing method has limited effect on post-release movement of reintroduced age-0 Lake Sturgeon
Overfishing, habitat loss, and pollution caused the extirpation of Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) throughout much of the Great Lakes. A Lake Sturgeon reintroduction program using two rearing strategies began in 2018 in the Maumee River, a tributary of Lake Erie. We assessed the movement of streamside or traditionally reared age-0 Lake Sturgeon using acoustic telemetry to determine...
Authors
Jorden R. McKenna, Justin A. Chiotti, Christopher S. Vandergoot, Richard Kraus, Matthew D. Faust, Zak J. Slagle, Eric J. Weimer, Matthew D. Cross, William D. Hintz
Ecology of reintroduced Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep in Dinosaur National Monument Ecology of reintroduced Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep in Dinosaur National Monument
Translocations have been widely used to restore and conserve bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) populations in North America. Some translocations have been successful, but many populations remain small and genetically isolated. Population structure can influence the viability and long-term success of reintroductions. Social ungulates often function as interconnected subpopulations...
Authors
Sarah Louise Carroll, Elizabeth P Flesch, Salix Scoresby, Emily Spencer, Rachel S. Crowhurst, Clinton W. Epps, Nathan L. Galloway, William Michael Janousek, Tabitha A. Graves
Whatever it takes— Shaping the L&O Letters Early Career Publication Honor to deliver true benefit Whatever it takes— Shaping the L&O Letters Early Career Publication Honor to deliver true benefit
There are clear advantages for those who openly share their research. Publishing Open Access (OA) articles can increase author visibility (McCabe and Snyder 2014), improve productivity metrics (i.e., more diverse and higher citation rates; Huang et al. 2024; Piwowar et al. 2018), widen collaborative networks (Tai and Robinson 2018), and help secure future funding and/or comply with...
Authors
Rita M. Franco-Santos, Bridget Deemer, Laura J. Falkenberg, Mary R. Gradoville, Scott Hotaling, Erin K. Peck
Bird migration and energetics simulations incorporating oil spill effects Bird migration and energetics simulations incorporating oil spill effects
Oil spills are well-known for causing acute mortality of birds, but sublethal and delayed impacts are less understood. Focusing on the mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), we used simulation modeling to explore how sublethal oiling may affect avian survival and breeding ground body condition. We used empirically informed migration and energetics simulations to model hypothetical spills...
Authors
Benjamin M West, Mark L. Wildhaber, Wayne E. Thogmartin, Michael J. Hooper
Distribution, abundance, breeding activities, and restoration efforts for the Southwestern Willow Flycatcher at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California—2025 Annual Report Distribution, abundance, breeding activities, and restoration efforts for the Southwestern Willow Flycatcher at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California—2025 Annual Report
Executive Summary The purpose of this report is to provide the Marine Corps with an annual summary of the distribution, abundance, and breeding activity of the endangered Southwestern Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii extimus; flycatcher) and to present results of management actions implemented to attract flycatchers and enhance flycatcher habitat at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton...
Authors
Suellen Lynn, Scarlett L. Howell, Barbara E. Kus
Spawning habitat suitability models for Lake Erie cisco (Coregonus artedi) during the historical period of pre- and post-population declines 1877–1957 Spawning habitat suitability models for Lake Erie cisco (Coregonus artedi) during the historical period of pre- and post-population declines 1877–1957
Coregonine fishes play a key role in the food webs and fisheries of the Laurentian Great Lakes and are a major focus of basin-wide conservation efforts. In Lake Erie, management goals prioritize rebuilding spawning populations of cisco (Coregonus artedi). However, the historical distribution of cisco spawning habitat and the environmental conditions that influence early life-stage...
Authors
Katelyn King, Cory Brant, Arthur Cooper, Gust Annis, Matthew Herbert, Karen M Alofs
Practical guidance for engaging end-users and experts in developing scientific tools Practical guidance for engaging end-users and experts in developing scientific tools
This report provides actionable guidance for scientists developing scientific tools that inform on-the-ground decision making. Scientific tools, in the context of this report, are technology or protocols that help practitioners collect and analyze their own data, and information products and web tools that practitioners could use to inform decisions. Engaging end-users and fellow experts...
Authors
Kaylin R. Clements, James J. English, Emily J. Wilkins, Megan A. Moore, Rudy Schuster
Timing, uncertainty, and opportunity cost: Lessons for ecosystem modification on the Colorado River Timing, uncertainty, and opportunity cost: Lessons for ecosystem modification on the Colorado River
While conservation goals have long been pursued through traditional species-augmenting actions, a broader set of episodic ecosystem modification (EEM) actions, such as hydropower dam releases, prescribed fire, and beach nourishment, is garnering attention. EEM actions face several implementation challenges stemming from high opportunity costs, delayed effect mechanisms, reliance on...
Authors
Pierce Donovan, Lucas Bair, Matthew N. Reimer, Michael R. Springborn, Charles B. Yackulic
Integrating mark-recapture, catch, and expert habitat assessments to quantify recent increases in humpback chub abundance over a 200 km long river segment of the Colorado River in western Grand Canyon Integrating mark-recapture, catch, and expert habitat assessments to quantify recent increases in humpback chub abundance over a 200 km long river segment of the Colorado River in western Grand Canyon
Humpback chub, Gila cypha, were historically distributed throughout large portions of the Colorado River basin and were federally listed in 1967. In the Grand Canyon segment of the Colorado River, located below Glen Canyon Dam, chub abundances continued to decline through the early 2000s. Recently, catch has increased substantially, especially in the western Grand Canyon. Here, we...
Authors
Maria C. Dzul, David R. Van Haverbeke, Kirk Young, Charles B. Yackulic, Pilar Rinker, Michael D. Yard
Not so fatal attraction: Captive female Burmese Python lures do not improve wild python detection Not so fatal attraction: Captive female Burmese Python lures do not improve wild python detection
The ongoing invasion of Python bivittatus (Burmese Python; henceforth, Python) across the Greater Everglades Ecosystem (GEE) has led to near total collapse of the affected mammal community over the past few decades. Management efforts to eliminate Pythons and control their spread have been hampered by the Python's low detectability, which may be improved by using a lure. In controlled...
Authors
Alex D. Potash, Maggie Jones, Michael Kirkland, Jenna Cole, Kristen Hart, Robert A. McCleery
Accounting for emigration reveals high survival and bimodal size at departure from a loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) foraging area Accounting for emigration reveals high survival and bimodal size at departure from a loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) foraging area
The life history of hard-shelled sea turtles includes several ontogenetic shifts in habitat use and these complex permanent emigration patterns can impact estimates of stage-specific population rates, including survival. We developed several multistate mark recapture models to estimate survival of adult and juvenile loggerhead turtles from a coastal bay in the northern Gulf of America...
Authors
Caroline M. Blommel, Margaret Lamont, William L. Kendall