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: 42876
Denitrification in the river network of a mixed land use watershed: Unpacking the complexities Denitrification in the river network of a mixed land use watershed: Unpacking the complexities
River networks have the potential to permanently remove nitrogen through denitrification. Few studies have measured denitrification rates within an entire river network or assessed how land use affect rates at larger spatial scales. We sampled 108 sites throughout the network of the Fox River watershed, Wisconsin, to determine if land use influence sediment denitrification rates, and to...
Authors
Rebecca Kreiling, William B. Richardson, Lynn A. Bartsch, Martin C. Thoms, Victoria G. Christensen
Global virtual water trade and the hydrological cycle: Patterns, drivers, and socio-environmental impacts Global virtual water trade and the hydrological cycle: Patterns, drivers, and socio-environmental impacts
The increasing global demand for farmland products is placing unprecedented pressure on the global agricultural system and its water resources. Many regions of the world, that are affected by a chronic water scarcity relative to their population, strongly depend on the import of agricultural commodities and associated embodied (or virtual) water. The globalization of water through...
Authors
Paolo D’Odorico, Joel A. Carr, Carole Dalin, Jampel Dell’Angelo, Megan Konar, Francesco Laio, Luca Ridolfi, Lorenzo Rosa, Samir Suweis, Stefania Tamea, Marta Tuninetti
Changing climates and challenges to Charadrius plover success throughout the annual cycle Changing climates and challenges to Charadrius plover success throughout the annual cycle
The Arctic tundra, as well as coastal and inland mudflats and beaches occupied by the 63 Charadrius plover species and subspecies around the world encompass some of the habitats most threatened by current climatic challenges. The migratory habits of most plover species further intensifies these effects as the birds occupy more than one major biome during the annual cycle. And yet there...
Authors
Susan M. Haig
Future challenges for Charadruis Plovers Future challenges for Charadruis Plovers
No abstract available.
Authors
Susan M. Haig, Mark A Colwell
Reducing sampling uncertainty in aeolian research to improve change detection Reducing sampling uncertainty in aeolian research to improve change detection
Measurements of aeolian sediment transport support our understanding of mineral dust impacts on Earth and human systems and assessments of aeolian process sensitivities to global environmental change. However, sample design principles are often overlooked in aeolian research. Here, we use high‐density field measurements of sediment mass flux across land use and land cover types to...
Authors
Nicholas P. Webb, Adrian Chappell, Brandon L. Edwards, Sarah E. McCord, Justin W. Van Zee, Bradley F. Cooper, Ericha M. Courtright, Michael C. Duniway, Brenton Sharratt, Negussie H Tedela, David Toledo
Case studies in groundwater contaminant fate and transport Case studies in groundwater contaminant fate and transport
A case study of groundwater contamination is a detailed study of a single site contaminated with a chemical or mixture that is known to be a problem at many sites. The goal of case studies is to provide insights into the physical, chemical, and biological processes controlling migration, natural attenuation, or remediation of common groundwater contaminants. Ideally, processes occurring...
Authors
Barbara A. Bekins
Factors affecting prey availability and habitat usage of nonbreeding piping plovers (Charadrius melodus) in coastal Louisiana Factors affecting prey availability and habitat usage of nonbreeding piping plovers (Charadrius melodus) in coastal Louisiana
The Gulf of Mexico is home to a large proportion of the wintering population of the threatened piping plover (Charadrius melodus), but little is known about the bird's ecology in this region. In Louisiana, the majority of nonbreeding piping plovers are found on the state's rapidly eroding barrier islands. Between August 2013 and May 2014, surveys were conducted to assess the abundance...
Authors
Jessica L. Schulz, Paul Leberg
2018 National Park visitor spending effects: Economic contributions to local communities, states, and the nation 2018 National Park visitor spending effects: Economic contributions to local communities, states, and the nation
No abstract available.
Authors
Catherine Cullinane Thomas, Lynne Koontz, Egan Cornachione
Cloud cover and delayed herbivory relative to timing of spring onset interact to dampen climate change impacts on net ecosystem exchange in a coastal Alaskan wetland Cloud cover and delayed herbivory relative to timing of spring onset interact to dampen climate change impacts on net ecosystem exchange in a coastal Alaskan wetland
Rapid warming in northern ecosystems over the past four decades has resulted in earlier spring, increased precipitation, and altered timing of plant–animal interactions, such as herbivory. Advanced spring phenology can lead to longer growing seasons and increased carbon (C) uptake. Greater precipitation coincides with greater cloud cover possibly suppressing photosynthesis. Timing of...
Authors
Josh Leffler, Karen H. Beard, Katharine C. Kelsey, Ryan T. Choi, Joel A. Schmutz, Jeffrey Welker
Geomorphic change and biogeomorphic feedbacks in a dryland river: The Little Colorado River, Arizona, USA Geomorphic change and biogeomorphic feedbacks in a dryland river: The Little Colorado River, Arizona, USA
The Little Colorado River in Arizona, U.S.A. has undergone substantial geomorphic change since the early 1900s. We analyzed hydrologic and geomorphic data at different spatial and temporal scales to determine the type, magnitude, and rate of geomorphic change that has occurred since the early 20th century. Since the 1920s, there have been 4 alternating periods of high and low total...
Authors
David J. Dean, David J. Topping
Modeling barrier island habitats using landscape position information Modeling barrier island habitats using landscape position information
Barrier islands are dynamic environments because of their position along the marine–estuarine interface. Geomorphology influences habitat distribution on barrier islands by regulating exposure to harsh abiotic conditions. Researchers have identified linkages between habitat and landscape position, such as elevation and distance from shore, yet these linkages have not been fully leveraged...
Authors
Nicholas Enwright, Lei Wang, Hongqing Wang, Michael Osland, Laura Feher, Sinéad M. Borchert, Richard Day
Monitoring annual trends in abundance of eelgrass (Zostera marina) at Izembek National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska, 2018 Monitoring annual trends in abundance of eelgrass (Zostera marina) at Izembek National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska, 2018
A lagoon-wide, point-sampling survey of eelgrass (Zostera marina) abundance was conducted in Izembek Lagoon, Alaska, August 7–16, 2018, the ninth year of annual surveys (2007–11, 2015–18). Mean predicted aboveground biomass of eelgrass across 116 sampled points was 238 grams per square meter (g m-2) (95 percent confidence interval: 203–278 g m-2) in 2018, an increase of 240 percent from...
Authors
David H. Ward, Courtney L. Amundson