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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: 42773

Improving Landsat predictions of rangeland fractional cover with multitask learning and uncertainty Improving Landsat predictions of rangeland fractional cover with multitask learning and uncertainty

Operational satellite remote sensing products are transforming rangeland management and science. Advancements in computation, data storage and processing have removed barriers that previously blocked or hindered the development and use of remote sensing products. When combined with local data and knowledge, remote sensing products can inform decision‐making at multiple scales.We used...
Authors
Brady W. Allred, Brandon T. Bestelmeyer, Chad S. Boyd, Christopher Brown, Kirk W. Davies, Michael C. Duniway, Lisa M. Ellsworth, Tyler A. Erickson, Samuel D. Fuhlendorf, Timothy V. Griffiths, Vincent Jansen, Matthew O. Jones, Jason W. Karl, Anna C. Knight, Jeremy D. Maestas, Jonathan J. Maynard, Sarah E. McCord, David E. Naugle, Heath D. Starns, Dirac Twidwell, Daniel R. Uden

Forecasting community reassembly using climate-linked spatio-temporal ecosystem models Forecasting community reassembly using climate-linked spatio-temporal ecosystem models

Ecosystems are increasingly impacted by human activities, altering linkages among physical and biological components. Spatial community reassembly occurs when these human impacts modify the spatial overlap between system components, and there is need for practical tools to forecast spatial community reassembly at landscape scales using monitoring data. To illustrate a new approach, we...
Authors
James Thorson, Mayumi L. Arimitsu, Lewis Barnett, Wei Cheng, Lisa Eisner, Alan Haynie, Albert Hermann, Kirsten Holsman, David Kimmel, Michael Lomas, Jon Richar, Elizabeth Siddon

Stream restoration is influenced by details of engineered habitats at a headwater mine site Stream restoration is influenced by details of engineered habitats at a headwater mine site

A lack of information regarding which ecological factors influence restoration success or failure has hindered scientifically based restoration decision-making. We focus on one headwater site to examine factors influencing divergent ecological outcomes of two post-mining stream restoration projects designed to improve instream conditions following 70 years of mining impacts. One project...
Authors
Robert S. Arkle, David S. Pilliod

Great expectations: Deconstructing the process pathways underlying beaver-related restoration Great expectations: Deconstructing the process pathways underlying beaver-related restoration

Beaver-related restoration is a process-based strategy that seeks to address wide-ranging ecological objectives by reestablishing dam building in degraded stream systems. Although the beaver-related restoration has broad appeal, especially in water-limited systems, its effectiveness is not yet well documented. In this article, we present a process-expectation framework that links beaver...
Authors
Caroline Nash, Gordon E. Grant, Susan Charnley, Jason B. Dunham, Hannah Gosnell, Mark B. Hausner, David S. Pilliod, Jimmy D. Taylor

Variability of lipids and fatty acids in Pacific walrus blubber Variability of lipids and fatty acids in Pacific walrus blubber

The variability of lipid content and fatty acid (FA) composition across blubber depth and body sites are important considerations for condition and diet studies of marine mammals. We investigated lipid and FA variability among inner and outer blubber layers, three body sites, four study years, and lactation status of adult female Pacific walruses (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) using...
Authors
Chadwick V. Jay, Sara J. Iverson, Anthony S. Fischbach

Field evaluation of a compact, polarizing topo‐bathymetric lidar across a range of river conditions Field evaluation of a compact, polarizing topo‐bathymetric lidar across a range of river conditions

This paper summarizes field trials to evaluate the performance of a prototype compact topo‐bathymetric lidar sensor for surveying rivers. The sensor uses a novel polarization technique to distinguish between laser returns from the water surface and streambed and its size and weight permit deployment from a small unmanned aerial system (sUAS) or a boat. Field testing was designed to...
Authors
Paul J. Kinzel, Carl J. Legleiter, Paul E. Grams

Modeling Least Bell’s Vireo habitat suitability in current and historic ranges in California Modeling Least Bell’s Vireo habitat suitability in current and historic ranges in California

We developed a habitat suitability model for the federally endangered Least Bell’s Vireo (Vireo bellii pusillus) across its current and historic range in California. The vireo disappeared from most of its range by the 1980s, remaining only in southern California and northern Baja California, Mexico. This decline was due to habitat loss and introduction of brood parasitic brown-headed...
Authors
Kristine L. Preston, Barbara E. Kus, Emily Perkins

Native American fire management at an ancient wildland–urban interface in the Southwest United States Native American fire management at an ancient wildland–urban interface in the Southwest United States

The intersection of expanding human development and wildland landscapes—the “wildland–urban interface” or WUI—is one of the most vexing contexts for fire management because it involves complex interacting systems of people and nature. Here, we document the dynamism and stability of an ancient WUI that was apparently sustainable for more than 500 y. We combine ethnography, archaeology...
Authors
Christopher Roos, Thomas W. Swetnam, T. J. Ferguson, Matthew J. Liebmann, Rachel A. Loehman, John Welch, Ellis Q. Margolis, Christopher H. Guiterman, William Hockaday, Michael Aiuvalasit, Jenna Battillo, Joshua Farella, Christopher Kiahtipes

Laboratory maintenance and culture of Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the fungus that causes bat white-nose syndrome Laboratory maintenance and culture of Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the fungus that causes bat white-nose syndrome

Pseudogymnoascus destructans is a fungal pathogen that causes white‐nose syndrome, an emerging and fatal disease of North American bats that has led to unprecedented population declines. As a psychrophile, P. destructans is adapted to infect bats during winter hibernation, when host metabolic activity and core body temperature are greatly reduced. The ability to maintain and cultivate...
Authors
David S. Blehert, Jeffrey M. Lorch

Advancing the national fish, wildlife, and plants climate adaptation strategy into a new decade Advancing the national fish, wildlife, and plants climate adaptation strategy into a new decade

No abstract available.
Authors
Joe Burns, Whisper Camel-Means, Nikki Cooley, Karen Cozzetto, Rob Croll, Aimee Delach, Maggie Ernest Johnson, Roger Griffis, Michael A Langston, Dara Marks-Marino, Tracy Melvin, Rachael Novak, Robert Newman, Madeleine A. Rubenstein, Ted Weber

Why disease ecology needs life-history theory: A host perspective Why disease ecology needs life-history theory: A host perspective

When facing an emerging infectious disease of conservation concern, we often have little information on the nature of the host‐parasite interaction to inform management decisions. However, it is becoming increasingly clear that the life‐history strategies of host species can be predictive of individual‐ and population‐level responses to infectious disease, even without detailed knowledge...
Authors
Andres Valenzuela-Sanchez, Mark Q. Wilber, Stefano Canessa, Leonardo Bacigalupe, Erin L. Muths, Benedikt R. Schmidt, Andrew A Cunningham, Arpat Ozgul, Pieter Johnson, Hugo Cayuela

Human activities and weather drive contact rates of wintering elk Human activities and weather drive contact rates of wintering elk

Wildlife aggregation patterns can influence disease transmission. However, limited research evaluates the influence of anthropogenic and natural factors on aggregation. Many managers would like to reduce wildlife contact rates, driven by aggregation, to limit disease transmission. We develop a novel analytical framework to quantify how management activities such as supplemental feeding...
Authors
William Michael Janousek, Tabitha A. Graves, Ethan Berman, Geneva W. Chong, Eric K Cole, Sarah Dewey, Aaron N. Johnston, Paul C. Cross
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