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: 42884
Impact of prey occupancy and other ecological and anthropogenic factors on Tiger distribution in Thailand’s Western Forest Complex Impact of prey occupancy and other ecological and anthropogenic factors on Tiger distribution in Thailand’s Western Forest Complex
Despite conservation efforts, large mammals such as tigers (Panthera tigris) and their main prey, gaur (Bos gaurus), banteng (Bos javanicus), and sambar (Rusa unicolor), are highly threatened and declining across their entire range. The only large viable source population of tigers in mainland Southeast Asia occurs in Thailand's Western Forest Complex (WEFCOM), an approximately 19,000 km...
Authors
Somphot Duangchatrasiri, Pornkamol Jornburom, Sitthichai Jinamoy, Anak Pattanvibool, James E. Hines, Todd W. Arnold, John Fieberg, James L D Smith
Water column nutrient processing rates in rivermouths of Green Bay (Lake Michigan) Water column nutrient processing rates in rivermouths of Green Bay (Lake Michigan)
Understanding the quantity and form of nutrient loads to large lakes is necessary to understand controls over primary production, phytoplankton community composition and the production of phytotoxins. Nutrient loading estimates to large lakes are primarily made at stream gages that are deliberately placed outside the direct influence of lake processes, but these estimates cannot take...
Authors
James H. Larson, Mary Anne Evans, Faith A. Fitzpatrick, Paul C. Frost, Sean Bailey, Robert J. Kennedy, William F. James, William B. Richardson, Paul C. Reneau
Description of disparate responses of two indoor feral bee colonies Description of disparate responses of two indoor feral bee colonies
As is sometimes the case, field research does not always go according to plan. This is especially true when the research involves free-ranging animals. We recently conducted a preliminary field study that involved placing a beehive in a tent and individually releasing marked honey bees (Apis mellifera) outdoors to study their ability to locate sugar water rewards by following olfactory...
Authors
Nimish B. Vyas, Amanda D. Plunkett
Simulating demography, genetics, and spatially explicit processes to inform reintroduction of a threatened char Simulating demography, genetics, and spatially explicit processes to inform reintroduction of a threatened char
The success of species reintroductions can depend on a combination of environmental, demographic, and genetic factors. Although the importance of these factors in the success of reintroductions is well‐accepted, they are typically evaluated independently, which can miss important interactions. For species that persist in metapopulations, movement through and interaction with the...
Authors
Meryl C. Mims, Casey C. Day, Jacob J. Burkhart, Matthew R. Fuller, Jameson Hinkle, Andrew Bearlin, Jason B. Dunham, Patrick W. DeHaan, Zachary A. Holden, Erin L. Landguth
River‐valley morphology, basin size, and flow‐event magnitude interact to produce wide variation in flooding dynamics River‐valley morphology, basin size, and flow‐event magnitude interact to produce wide variation in flooding dynamics
Inundation dynamics are a key driver of ecosystem form and function in river‐valley bottoms. Inundation itself is an outcome of multi‐scalar interactions and can vary strongly within and among river reaches. As a result, establishing to what degree and how inundation dynamics vary spatially both within and among river reaches can be challenging. The objective of this study was to...
Authors
Molly Van Appledorn, Matthew E. Baker, Andrew J. Miller
Research priorities for freshwater mussel conservation assessment Research priorities for freshwater mussel conservation assessment
Freshwater mussels are declining globally, and effective conservation requires prioritizing research and actions to identify and mitigate threats impacting mussel species. Conservation priorities vary widely, ranging from preventing imminent extinction to maintaining abundant populations. Here, we develop a portfolio of priority research topics for freshwater mussel conservation...
Authors
Noe Ferreira-Rodriguez, Yoshihiro B. Akiyama, Olga V. Aksenova, M. Christopher Barnhart, Yulia V. Bespalaya, Arthur E. Bogan, Ivan N Bolotov, Prem B. Budha, Cristhian Clavijo, Susan J. Clearwater, Gustavo Darrigran, Van Tu Do, Karel Douda, Elsa Froufe, Clemens Gumpinger, Lennart Henrikson, Chris L. Humphrey, Nathan A. Johnson, Olga Klishko, Michael W. Klunzinger, Satit Kovitvadhi, Uthaiwan Kovitvadhi, Jasna Lajtner, Manuel Lopes-Lima, Evelyn A. Moorkens, Shigeya Nagayama, Karl-Otto Nagel, Mitsunori Nakano, Junjiro N. Negishi, Paz Ondina, Panu Oulasvirta, Vincent Prie, Nicoletta Riccardi, Mudite Rudzite, Fran Sheldon, Ronaldo Sousa, David L. Strayer, Motoi Takeuchi, Jouni Taskinen, Amilcar Teixeira, Jeremy S. Tiemann, Maria Urbanska, Simone Varandas, Maxim V. Vinarski, Barry J. Wicklow, Tadeusz Zajac, Caryn C. Vaughn
Evaluation of genetic change from translocation among Gunnison Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus minimus) populations Evaluation of genetic change from translocation among Gunnison Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus minimus) populations
Maintenance of genetic diversity is important for conserving species, especially those with fragmented habitats or ranges. In the absence of natural dispersal, translocation can be used to achieve this goal, although the success of translocation can be difficult to measure. Here we evaluate genetic change following translocation in Gunnison Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus minimus), a species...
Authors
Shawna J Zimmerman, Cameron L. Aldridge, Anthony D. Apa, Sara J. Oyler-McCance
Burmese Python (Python bivittatus) Burmese Python (Python bivittatus)
No abstract available.
Authors
Kenneth L. Krysko, Robert Reed, Michael R. Rochford, Leroy P. Nunez, Kevin M. Enge
Population connectivity of pelagic megafauna in the Cuba-Mexico-United States triangle Population connectivity of pelagic megafauna in the Cuba-Mexico-United States triangle
The timing and extent of international crossings by billfishes, tunas, and sharks in the Cuba-Mexico-United States (U.S.) triangle was investigated using electronic tagging data from eight species that resulted in >22,000 tracking days. Transnational movements of these highly mobile marine predators were pronounced with varying levels of bi- or tri-national population connectivity...
Authors
Jay R. Rooker, Michael A. Dance, R. J. David Wells, Matthew J. Ajemian, Barbara A. Block, Michael R. Castleton, J. Marcus Drymon, Brett J. Falterman, James S. Franks, Neil Hammerschlag, Jill M. Hendon, Eric R. Hoffmayer, Richard T. Kraus, Jennifer A. McKinney, David H. Secor, Gregory W. Stunz, John F. Walter
Economical environmental sampler designs for detecting airborne spread of fungi responsible for Rapid `Ōhi`a Death Economical environmental sampler designs for detecting airborne spread of fungi responsible for Rapid `Ōhi`a Death
We designed two new samplers for monitoring airborne particulates that rely on either natural wind currents (Passive Environmental Sampler) or a battery-operated fan (Active Environmental Sampler). Both samplers are significantly less expensive than commercial devices such as Rotorod® and Burkard Samplers that are used in the agricultural and health science industries. They are...
Authors
Carter T. Atkinson, Kylle Roy, Carolina Granthon
Application of multistate modeling to estimate salmonid survival and movement in relation to spatial and temporal variation in metal exposure in a large mining-impacted river Application of multistate modeling to estimate salmonid survival and movement in relation to spatial and temporal variation in metal exposure in a large mining-impacted river
We used telemetry and multistate modeling to estimate survival and movement of brown trout Salmo trutta and westslope cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarkii lewisi in relation to dissolved copper concentrations in 189 km of the upper Clark Fork River, Montana, a mining-impacted river in western Montana. Annual survival estimates for both brown trout (range, 0.27-0.53) and westslope...
Authors
Mariah P. Mayfield, Thomas E. McMahon, Jay J. Rotella, Robert E. Gresswell, Trevor M. Selch, Patrick Saffle, Jason Lindstrom, Brad Liermann
Habitat overlap of juvenile and adult lake trout of Great Bear Lake: Evidence for lack of a predation gradient? Habitat overlap of juvenile and adult lake trout of Great Bear Lake: Evidence for lack of a predation gradient?
A range of organisms, from plankton to fish, commonly shift their habitat distributions horizontally or vertically due to predation risk. Juvenile lake trout, Salvelinus namaycush, are generally viewed as occupying deep areas of lakes to decrease predation pressure from adults. In contrast, we found that juvenile lake trout from Great Bear Lake, NT, Canada, occupied a variety of habitats...
Authors
Louise Chavarie, Kim L Howland, Les N. Harris, Michael J. Hansen, C P Gallagher, W J Harford, W M Tonn, Andrew M. Muir, Charles C. Krueger