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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: 42702

Summer Diet of Juvenile Lake Sturgeon Reintroduced into the Genesee and St. Regis Rivers, New York USA Summer Diet of Juvenile Lake Sturgeon Reintroduced into the Genesee and St. Regis Rivers, New York USA

The restoration of threatened species involves understanding multiple aspects of the life history and ecology of the target species. One important consideration in the restoration of threatened species is feeding ecology. We examined the summer diet of reintroduced juvenile lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) in the Genesee (n = 119, ages 1 and 2) and the St. Regis rivers (n = 40, ages...
Authors
Dawn E. Dittman, Marc Chalupnicki

Lampropeltis californiae (California kingsnake) behavior, male-male combat Lampropeltis californiae (California kingsnake) behavior, male-male combat

There are few published descriptions of male-male combat in Lampropeltis spp. under natural conditions. Shaw (1951. Herpetologica 7:149-168) briefly described aggressive interactions between two captive male L. annulata (Mexican Milksnakes) that appeared to be associated with feeding, and Moehn (1967. Copeia 1967:480–481) described the "combat dance" between two male L. calligaster...
Authors
S. Starr, Charles A. Drost, A.T. Holycross

Recent recovery and expansion of Guam’s locally endangered Såli (Micronesian Starling) Aplonis opaca population in the presence of the invasive brown treesnake Recent recovery and expansion of Guam’s locally endangered Såli (Micronesian Starling) Aplonis opaca population in the presence of the invasive brown treesnake

Assessing the impacts of invasive predators on the demography and distribution of native species is critical for understanding mechanisms of species persistence and informing the design of recovery programmes. On the oceanic island of Guam, the introduction of the predatory brown treesnake Boiga irregularis after World War II caused the near-total loss of the native forest avifauna...
Authors
Henry Pollock, Martin Kastner, Gary Wiles, Hugo Thierry, Laura Duenas, Eben H. Paxton, Nicole Suckow, Jeff Quitugua, Haldre Rogers

Avoidance of cold-, cool-, and warm-water fishes to Zequanox® exposure Avoidance of cold-, cool-, and warm-water fishes to Zequanox® exposure

Zequanox® is a biopesticide registered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and the Canadian Pest Management Regulatory Agency for controlling dreissenid mussels with demonstrated selective toxicity. However, some research has indicated that Zequanox may impact the body condition and survival of some non-target species. We assessed avoidance behaviors of two species of...
Authors
Matthew Barbour, James A. Luoma, Todd J. Severson, Jeremy K. Wise, Barbara Bennie

The influence of species life history and distribution characteristics on species responses to habitat fragmentation in an urban landscape The influence of species life history and distribution characteristics on species responses to habitat fragmentation in an urban landscape

Fragmentation within urbanized environments often leads to a loss of native species diversity; however, variation exists in responses among-species and among-populations within species.We aimed to identify patterns in species biogeography in an urbanized landscape to understand anthropogenic effects on vertebrate communities and identify species that are more sensitive or resilient to...
Authors
Staci M. Amburgey, David A. W. Miller, Carlton J. Rochester, Katy S. Delaney, Seth P. D. Riley, Cheryl S. Brehme, Stacie A. Hathaway, Robert N. Fisher

Rock gnome lichen (Gymnoderma lineare) monitoring assessment, southern Appalachian Mountains, 1983–2008 Rock gnome lichen (Gymnoderma lineare) monitoring assessment, southern Appalachian Mountains, 1983–2008

Rock gnome lichen (Gymnoderma lineare [Evans] Yoshimura and Sharp) was listed as a federally endangered species in 1995. It is endemic to the southern Appalachian Mountains, with most known populations occurring in North Carolina, where it grows on vertical rock faces in the fog zone above an elevation of 1,525 meters or in humid, deep river gorges. Threats to the species include...
Authors
Andrea Woodward

Seal body condition and atmospheric circulation patterns influence polar bear body condition, recruitment, and feeding ecology in the Chukchi Sea Seal body condition and atmospheric circulation patterns influence polar bear body condition, recruitment, and feeding ecology in the Chukchi Sea

Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are experiencing loss of sea ice habitats used to access their marine mammal prey. Simultaneously, ocean warming is changing ecosystems that support marine mammal populations. The interactive effects of sea ice and prey are not well understood yet may explain spatial‐temporal variation in the response of polar bears to sea ice loss. Here, we examined the...
Authors
Karyn D. Rode, Eric V. Regehr, Jeffrey F. Bromaghin, Ryan H. Wilson, Michelle St. Martin, Justin A. Crawford, Lori T. Quakenbush

Composition and distribution of fish environmental DNA in an Adirondack watershed Composition and distribution of fish environmental DNA in an Adirondack watershed

Background Environmental DNA (eDNA) surveys are appealing options for monitoring aquatic biodiversity. While factors affecting eDNA persistence, capture and amplification have been heavily studied, watershed-scale surveys of fish communities and our confidence in such need further exploration.Methods We characterized fish eDNA compositions using rapid, low-volume filtering with replicate...
Authors
Robert S. Cornman, James E. McKenna, Jennifer A. Fike

Feral horse space use and genetic characteristics from fecal DNA Feral horse space use and genetic characteristics from fecal DNA

Feral horses (Equus ferus caballus) in the western United States are managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and United States Forest Service in designated areas on public lands with a goal of maintaining populations in balance with multiple uses of the landscape. Small, isolated populations can be at risk of extirpation from stochastic events and deleterious genetic effects...
Authors
Sarah R. B. King, Kathryn A. Schoenecker, Jennifer A. Fike, Sara J. Oyler-McCance

Status of Cisco in Lake Superior in 2017 Status of Cisco in Lake Superior in 2017

This report describes the status of fish species and their habitat in Lake Superior during the reporting period of 2012-2016 in response to achievement of fish community objectives (FCOs) established by fishery managers for the lake. The overarching goal for the FCOs continued to be met as the fish community remained diverse, self-regulating, dominated by indigenous species, and able to...
Authors
Cory Goldsworthy, Daniel L. Yule

State of Lake Superior ecosystem in 2017 State of Lake Superior ecosystem in 2017

This report describes the status of fish species and their habitat in Lake Superior during the reporting period of 2012-2016 in response to achievement of fish community objectives (FCOs) established by fishery managers for the lake. The overarching goal for the FCOs continued to be met as the fish community remained diverse, self-regulating, dominated by indigenous species, and able to...
Authors
Bryan G. Matthias, Thomas R. Hrabik, Joel C. Hoffman, Owen Gorman, Mike J Seider, Michael E. Sierszen, Mark Vinson, Daniel L. Yule, Peder M. Yurista
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