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: 42765
Variation in gene expression across infection status and elevation in a Hawaiian honeycreeper Variation in gene expression across infection status and elevation in a Hawaiian honeycreeper
Introduced pathogens exert novel selection on hosts, and although many host species have experienced drastic population declines in the absence of adaptation, some hosts have adapted to highly virulent pathogens. For instance, mosquitoes and Plasmodium relictum introduced to the Hawaiian Islands have resulted in extinctions and catastrophic population declines due to avian malaria...
Authors
Loren Cassin-Sackett, Katherine Maria McClure, Taylor Callicrate, Eben H. Paxton, Robert C. Fleischer
Impacts of lake elevation decline on spawning habitat of a critical, native forage species Impacts of lake elevation decline on spawning habitat of a critical, native forage species
Objective Lake elevation decline is a global phenomenon with pronounced effects in arid regions that changes the characteristics of nearshore habitat area available to lacustrine spawners, potentially impacting recruitment and whole-lake food web dynamics. Our objective was to understand the potential effects of lake elevation decline on spawning habitat for the Tui Chub Siphateles...
Authors
Sarah Barnes, Robert Al-Chokhachy, Phaedra Budy
Manipulation of the Symbiodiniaceae microbiome confers multigenerational impacts on symbioses and reproductive ecology of its Exaiptasia diaphana host Manipulation of the Symbiodiniaceae microbiome confers multigenerational impacts on symbioses and reproductive ecology of its Exaiptasia diaphana host
Symbiodiniaceae-associated microbiota strongly influence cnidarian symbioses. We systematically reduced the bacterial and fungal communities associated with Symbiodiniaceae to study potential effects on the cnidarian holobiont Exaiptasia diaphana (Aiptasia). Clonal anemones were inoculated with xenic Breviolum minutum (SSB01) and microbiome-manipulated cultures after antibacterial or...
Authors
Mark Mccauley, Federica Montesanto, Samuel A. Bedgood, Cody Miner, Keyla Plichon, Virginia M. Weis, Sandra Loesgen
Satellite tracking reveals heavy use of local MPAs by green turtles (Chelonia mydas) nesting in southeast Florida, USA Satellite tracking reveals heavy use of local MPAs by green turtles (Chelonia mydas) nesting in southeast Florida, USA
Florida hosts a regionally important nesting aggregation of green turtles (Chelonia mydas) in the North Atlantic, yet internesting and post-nesting movements for this rookery remain poorly understood. Here, we used satellite telemetry to track 23 green turtles nesting on southeast Florida beaches from 2017 to 2021 to investigate their spatial ecology and use of marine protected areas...
Authors
Glenn D. Goodwin, Kristen Hart, Abby C. Evans, Derek A. Burkholder
Fish composition in a complex freshwater estuary: Environmental DNA metabarcoding versus capture surveys Fish composition in a complex freshwater estuary: Environmental DNA metabarcoding versus capture surveys
Objective The potential for environmental DNA (eDNA) to disperse widely from source organisms enables high detection efficiency but raises questions about eDNA's ability to differentiate fine-scale spatial patterns relative to conventional fish capture data.Methods We evaluate these questions in the St. Louis River estuary—a hydrologically and spatially complex coastal system within Lake...
Authors
Anett S Trebitz, Joel C. Hoffman, Gregory S. Peterson, Chelsea I. Hatzenbuhler, Erik M. Pilgrim, Sara L. Okum, W. Lindsay Chadderton, Andrew J. Tucker, Nicholas Bogyo, Jared Thomas Myers
Assessing diet and genotyping success of goat pellet surveys from 2019 in Glacier National Park Assessing diet and genotyping success of goat pellet surveys from 2019 in Glacier National Park
Fecal pellets contain genetic information and can be used to identify individuals, their diet, and more. Individual identification can be useful in understanding movements of individuals, developing population estimates, assessing vital rates, genetic diversity and structure, and evaluating trends over time (e.g., Epps et al 2024). Successful genotyping depends on the quality of the...
Authors
Salix Scoresby, Lindsay M Dose, Jami Belt, Tabitha A. Graves
Newly released Grand Canyon flash flood incident report Newly released Grand Canyon flash flood incident report
No abstract available.
Authors
Erica Paige Byerley
Living with wildfire in Estes Valley Fire Protection District, Larimer County, Colorado: 2023 Data report Living with wildfire in Estes Valley Fire Protection District, Larimer County, Colorado: 2023 Data report
Homeowner wildfire risk mitigation and preparedness are critical components of community wildfire readiness. This report describes the data collected through two efforts conducted in the Estes Valley Fire Protection District of Larimer County, Colorado, study area: (1) parcel-level rapid wildfire risk assessments performed by trained assessors and (2) homeowner surveys in which...
Authors
Colleen Donovan, Patricia A. Champ, Suzanne Wittenbrink, Wilynn Formeller, Christine Taniguchi, Jon Landkamer, Hannah Brenkert-Smith, James Meldrum, Christopher M. Barth, Carolyn Wagner
Perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) disrupts immune regulation via the toll-like receptor signaling pathway in zebrafish Perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) disrupts immune regulation via the toll-like receptor signaling pathway in zebrafish
As there are a growing number of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) alternative substitutes applied globally, it remains paramount to characterize their potential health risks. Perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) is the most common alternative PFAS detected in the environment; however, its toxic effects and underlying mechanism of action to aquatic biota remains unclear. In this study...
Authors
Jiazhen Wang, Di Fang, Jason Tyler Magnuson, Bentuo Xu, Chunmiao Zheng, Liang Tang, Wenhui Qiu
National Park Service staff perspectives on how climate change affects visitor use National Park Service staff perspectives on how climate change affects visitor use
1. Many public lands, including those managed by the U.S. National Park Service(NPS), have the purpose of conserving natural and cultural resources and providing opportunities for visitors to recreate in and enjoy these areas. Achieving this mission becomes more challenging as drought, flooding, increasing temperatures and other climatic change effects are impacting NPS lands and...
Authors
Sarah Lynn Rappaport Keener, Emily J. Wilkins, Wylie Carr, Samantha G. Winder, Julianne Reas, Daniela B. Daniele, Spencer A. Wood
The Benefits Knowledges Learning Framework: A tool for learning across diverse knowledge systems in ecosystem valuation The Benefits Knowledges Learning Framework: A tool for learning across diverse knowledge systems in ecosystem valuation
Sustainable and just environmental management depends on meaningful consideration of the plural values of nature, as they arise in association with diverse worldviews and understandings of well-being. To achieve value pluralism in decision-making, we must also attend to knowledge pluralism, in terms of recognizing the validity and decision relevance of a broader suite of knowledge forms...
Authors
Kristin R. Hoelting, Doreen E. Martinez, Lucas Bair, Rudy Schuster, Michael C. Gavin
Dispersal and survival of sea lamprey in Lake Erie and connected waterways Dispersal and survival of sea lamprey in Lake Erie and connected waterways
Invasive sea lamprey inhabiting the North American Laurentian Great Lakes are the target of the world’s longest running vertebrate invasive species control program. However, metapopulation dynamics comprising survival and dispersal during the sea lampreys’ lake-resident life stages are poorly understood. We applied acoustic telemetry and continuous-time multistate capture-recapture...
Authors
Sean Alois Lewandoski, Christopher Holbrook