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: 42871
Feedbacks: A new synthesis of causal loops across ecology Feedbacks: A new synthesis of causal loops across ecology
Feedbacks are the basic linkages of living systems. In organisms, they regulate the processes of growth and homeostasis, as well as their interactions with their world. Feedback, which Judson (1980) called ‘one of the chief themes of scientific understanding,' is equally important in ecological systems. The ecological literature is rich in papers dealing with the role of feedback in...
Authors
Donald L. DeAngelis, Linhao Xu
Predictor importance in habitat suitability models for invasive terrestrial plants Predictor importance in habitat suitability models for invasive terrestrial plants
Aim Due to the socioeconomic and environmental damages caused by invasive species, predicting the distribution of invasive plants is fundamental for effectively targeting management efforts. A habitat suitability model (HSM) is a powerful tool to predict potential habitat of invasive species to help guide the early detection of invasive plants. Despite numerous studies of the predictors...
Authors
Demetra A. Williams, Keana S. Shadwell, Ian S. Pearse, Janet S. Prevey, Peder Engelstad, Grace C. Henderson, Catherine S. Jarnevich
Experimental assessment of egg mat gear retention and collection efficacy Experimental assessment of egg mat gear retention and collection efficacy
Assessment of egg deposition is widely used to provide an index of spawning efforts for lithophilic spawning fishes. However, little is known about the collection efficacy and bias of fish egg collection methods. We conducted a two-phased study consisting of a simulated-river flume study (two-part design), and a field study (an egg drift comparison with capture on mats) to assess egg...
Authors
Madeline Grace Tomczak, Robin L. DeBruyne, Brian Schmidt, Dustin Bowser, Jason L. Fischer, Gregory W. Kennedy, Nicole R. King, Christine M. Mayer, Edward F. Roseman
Multi-decadal vegetation transformations of a New Mexico ponderosa pine landscape after severe fires and aerial seeding Multi-decadal vegetation transformations of a New Mexico ponderosa pine landscape after severe fires and aerial seeding
Wildfires and climate change are having transformative effects on vegetation composition and structure, and post-fire management may have long-lasting impacts on ecosystem reorganization. Post-fire aerial seeding treatments are commonly used to reduce runoff and soil erosion, but little is known about how seeding treatments affect native vegetation recovery over long periods of time...
Authors
Andreas Paul Wion, Jens T. Stevens, Kay Beeley, Rebecca Oertel, Ellis Q. Margolis, Craig D. Allen
Stability concepts in ecology Stability concepts in ecology
The term stability, as applied to ecological systems, whether populations, communities, or ecosystems, means the tendency either to stay either close to some initial state, or to stay within certain bounds, or to persist in the face of environmental disturbances or changes. Here, a historical overview of stability concepts in ecology is outlined and measures of stability are discussed...
Authors
Donald L. DeAngelis, Linhao Xu
Using mobile acoustic monitoring and false-positive N-mixture models to estimate bat abundance and population trends Using mobile acoustic monitoring and false-positive N-mixture models to estimate bat abundance and population trends
Estimating the abundance of unmarked animal populations from acoustic data is challenging due to the inability to identify individuals and the need to adjust for observation biases including detectability (false negatives), species misclassification (false positives), and sampling exposure. Acoustic surveys conducted along mobile transects were designed to avoid counting individuals more...
Authors
Bradley James Udell, Bethany R. Straw, Susan C. Loeb, Kathryn Irvine, Wayne E. Thogmartin, Cori Lausen, Jonathan D. Reichard, Jeremy T.H. Coleman, Paul M. Cryan, Winifred F. Frick, Brian E. Reichert
The effects of flow extremes on native and non-native stream fishes in Puerto Rico The effects of flow extremes on native and non-native stream fishes in Puerto Rico
Globally, freshwater fishes are among the taxa most vulnerable to climate change but are generally understudied in tropical island ecosystems where climate change is predicted to alter the intensity, frequency and duration of extreme flow events. These changes may impact stream ecosystems and native and non-native biota in complex ways.We compiled an extensive dataset of fish assemblages...
Authors
B. J. E. Myers, A. C. Engman, A. Ramírez, A. Torres-Molinari, Abigail Lynch, Mitchell J. Eaton, P. B. Cooney, T. J. Kwak
Tire-derived contaminants 6PPD and 6PPD-Q: Analysis, sample handling, and reconnaissance of United States stream exposures Tire-derived contaminants 6PPD and 6PPD-Q: Analysis, sample handling, and reconnaissance of United States stream exposures
The environmental ubiquity of tire and road wear particles (TRWP) underscores the need to understand the occurrence, persistence, and environmental effects of tire-related chemicals in aquatic ecosystems. One such chemical is 6PPD-quinone (6PPD-Q), a transformation product of the tire antioxidant 6PPD. In urban stormwater runoff 6PPD-Q can exceed acute toxicity thresholds for several...
Authors
Rachael F. Lane, Kelly Smalling, Paul M. Bradley, Justin Blaine Greer, Stephanie E. Gordon, John D. Hansen, Dana W. Kolpin, Andrew R. Spanjer, Jason R. Masoner
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Ecosystems Mission Area, Central Plains Water Science Center, Central Midwest Water Science Center, New Jersey Water Science Center, Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center, Washington Water Science Center, Western Fisheries Research Center, South Atlantic Water Science Center (SAWSC)
Interactive effects of salinity and hydrology on radial growth of bald cypress (Taxodium distichum (L.) Rich.) in coastal Louisiana, USA Interactive effects of salinity and hydrology on radial growth of bald cypress (Taxodium distichum (L.) Rich.) in coastal Louisiana, USA
Tidal freshwater forests are usually located at or above the level of mean high water. Some Louisiana coastal forests are below mean high water, especially bald cypress (Taxodium distichum (L.) Rich.) forests because flooding has increased due to the combined effects of global sea level rise and local subsidence. In addition, constructed channels from the coast inland act as conduits for...
Authors
Richard Day, Andrew From, Darren Johnson, Ken Krauss
Mitigating risk: Predicting H5N1 avian influenza spread with an empirical model of bird movement Mitigating risk: Predicting H5N1 avian influenza spread with an empirical model of bird movement
Understanding timing and distribution of virus spread is critical to global commercial and wildlife biosecurity management. A highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIv) global panzootic, affecting ~600 bird and mammal species globally and over 83 million birds across North America (Dec 2023), poses a serious global threat to animals and public health. We combined a large, long-term...
Authors
Fiona McDuie, Cory T. Overton, Austen Lorenz, Elliott Matchett, Andrea Mott, Desmond Alexander Mackell, Joshua T. Ackerman, Susan E.W. De La Cruz, Vijay P. Patil, Diann Prosser, John Y. Takekawa, Dennis L. Orthmeyer, Maurice E. Pitesky, Samuel L. Diaz-Munoz, Brock M. Riggs, Joseph Gendreau, Eric T. Reed, Mark J. Petrie, Chris K. Williams, Jeffrey J. Buler, Matthew J. Hardy, Brian S. Ladman, Pierre Legagneux, Joel Bety, Philippe J. Thomas, Jean Rodrigue, Josee Lefebvre, Michael L. Casazza
Challenges of implementing a multi-agency monitoring and adaptive management strategy for federally threatened Chinook salmon and steelhead trout during and after dam removal in the Elwha River Challenges of implementing a multi-agency monitoring and adaptive management strategy for federally threatened Chinook salmon and steelhead trout during and after dam removal in the Elwha River
Adaptive management, a process of planning, implementing, and evaluating management strategies, is often recommended for monitoring ecological systems. However, few examples of successful implementation and retrospective case studies exist. We provide a case study of adaptively managing hatchery-assisted protection and recovery for Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and winter...
Authors
Roger J. Peters, Joseph H. Anderson, Jeffrey J. Duda, Michael L. McHenry, George Pess, Samuel J. Brenkman, Jeffery R. Johnson, Martin C. Liermann, Keith Denton, Matthew M. Beirne, Patrick Crain, Heidi A. Connor
Biodiversity promotes urban ecosystem functioning Biodiversity promotes urban ecosystem functioning
The proportion of people living in urban areas is growing globally. Understanding how to manage urban biodiversity, ecosystem functions, and ecosystem services is becoming more important. Biodiversity can increase ecosystem functioning in non-urban systems. However, few studies have reviewed the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in urban areas, which differ in...
Authors
Sarah R. Weiskopf, Susannah B. Lerman, Forest Isbell, Toni Lyn Morelli