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: 42702
Long-term effects of prescribed fire on large tree growth in mixed conifer forests at Lassen Volcanic National Park, California Long-term effects of prescribed fire on large tree growth in mixed conifer forests at Lassen Volcanic National Park, California
Prescribed fire in dry coniferous forests of the western U.S. is used to reduce fire hazards. How large, old trees respond to these treatments is an important management consideration. Growth is a key indicator of residual tree condition, which can be predictive of mortality and response to future disturbance. Using a combination of long-term plot records and dendrochronological samples...
Authors
Zachary Wenderott, Phillip J. van Mantgem, Micah Wright, Calvin A. Farris, Rosemary L. Sherriff
Quantifying the conservation status and abundance trends of wildlife communities with detection-nondetection data Quantifying the conservation status and abundance trends of wildlife communities with detection-nondetection data
Effective conservation requires understanding species' abundance patterns and demographic rates across space and time. Ideally, such knowledge should be available for whole communities, as variation in species' dynamics can elucidate factors leading to biodiversity losses. However, collecting data to simultaneously estimate abundance and demographic rates is often prohibitively time...
Authors
Matthew T Farr, Timothy O O’Brien, Charles Yackulic, Elise F. Zipkin
Hybrid enrichment of adaptive variation revealed by genotype-environment associations in montane sedges Hybrid enrichment of adaptive variation revealed by genotype-environment associations in montane sedges
The role of hybridization in diversification is complex and may result in many possible outcomes. Not only can hybridization produce new lineages, but those lineages may contain unique combinations of adaptive genetic variation derived from parental taxa that allow hybrid-origin lineages to occupy unique environmental space relative to one (or both) parents. We document such a case of
Authors
Richard G.J. Hodel, Robert Massatti, L Lacey Knowles
Leading change with diverse stakeholders Leading change with diverse stakeholders
The shift to holistic approaches to managing wildlife health, and the complex landscape of partners and stakeholders, has led to a focus on the development of leadership skills in addition to technical expertise. This chapter introduces key elements and core skills for successful cross-sectoral and transdisciplinary leadership that will help wildlife health practitioners effectively lead...
Authors
Catherine Machalaba, Jonathan M. Sleeman
Flight characteristics forecast entry by eagles into rotor-swept zones of wind turbines Flight characteristics forecast entry by eagles into rotor-swept zones of wind turbines
Operators of wind power facilities can mitigate wildlife mortality by slowing or stopping wind turbines (hereafter ‘curtail’) when birds are at an increased risk of collision. Some facility operators curtail when individual birds have flight characteristics (e.g. altitude, distance or relative bearing of a bird's flight path) that exceed some threshold value, but thresholds currently in...
Authors
Brian W. Rolek, Melissa A. Braham, Tricia A. Miller, Adam E. Duerr, Todd E. Katzner, Jennifer D. McCabe, Leah Dunn, Christopher J.W. McClure
Pollution and wildlife health Pollution and wildlife health
Pollution is a pervasive and growing threat to wildlife health. This chapter discusses two broad groups of pollution, those whose abatement could have immediate beneficial effects including light, air, and noise pollution, and those that will take relatively longer to address due to their environmental persistence or their continuing discharge. Whilst we are very good at detecting the...
Authors
Thierry M. Work
Estimating occupancy from autonomous recording unit data in the presence of misclassifications and detection heterogeneity Estimating occupancy from autonomous recording unit data in the presence of misclassifications and detection heterogeneity
1. Autonomous Recording Units (ARUs) are now widely used to survey communities of species. These surveys generate spatially and temporally replicated counts of unmarked animals, but such data typically include false negatives and misclassified detections, both of which may vary across sites in proportion to abundance. These data challenges can bias estimates of occupancy, and the typical...
Authors
Matt Clement, Andy Royle, Ronald Mixan
Fuel reduction treatments reduce modeled fire intensity in the sagebrush steppe Fuel reduction treatments reduce modeled fire intensity in the sagebrush steppe
Increased fire size and frequency coupled with annual grass invasion pose major challenges to sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) ecosystem conservation, which is currently focused on protecting sagebrush community composition and structure. A common strategy for mitigating potential fire is to use fuel treatments that alter the structure and amount of burnable material, thus reducing fire...
Authors
Lisa M. Ellsworth, Beth A. Newingham, Scott Shaff, C. F. Rick Williams, Eva K. Strand, Matt Reeves, David A. Pyke, Eugene W. Schupp, Jeanne C. Chambers
The researcher's lament: Why do they ignore my science? The researcher's lament: Why do they ignore my science?
The researcher's lament is shared by many environmental and conservation scientists who complain about the little support they receive for their research proposals during the review and selection process. Understandably, any hopes of having their anticipated scientific findings applied toward the formulation of environmental management decisions or natural resource policy action are...
Authors
Gustavo A. Bisbal
Quantitative method development to determine feed consumption using a dye Quantitative method development to determine feed consumption using a dye
Although there are many methods to determine ingestion and absorption of aquafeeds, none exist that are simple, cost-effective, and quantitative and that can mark fish with a long-lasting, visible indicator. In addition to aquafeed development, selective baits are needed that can be used for aquatic invasive species removal efforts, including for Grass Carp Ctenopharyngodon idella. Bait
Authors
James J. Wamboldt, Justine Nelson, Linnea M Thomas, J. Nolan Steiner, Jillian Hebert, Richard A. Erickson, Joel G. Putnam
Trophic interactions and feedbacks maintain intact and degraded states of Hawaiian tropical forests Trophic interactions and feedbacks maintain intact and degraded states of Hawaiian tropical forests
Feedbacks within ecosystems can lead to internal reinforcement of the current state providing ecosystem resilience. Often, multiple biotic interactions across trophic levels play a role in such feedbacks, yet these are generally studied independently, obscuring the relative importance of interactions among different factors. We look at various potential feedbacks in intact and degraded...
Authors
Stephanie G. Yelenik, Eli T. Rose, Eben H. Paxton
Marine mammal hotspots across the circumpolar Arctic Marine mammal hotspots across the circumpolar Arctic
Aim Identify hotspots and areas of high species richness for Arctic marine mammals.Location Circumpolar Arctic.Methods A total of 2115 biologging devices were deployed on marine mammals from 13 species in the Arctic from 2005 to 2019. Getis-Ord Gi* hotspots were calculated based on the number of individuals in grid cells for each species and for phylogenetic groups (nine pinnipeds, three...
Authors
Charmain Hamilton, Christian Lydersen, Jon Aars, Mario Acquarone, Todd C. Atwood, Alastair Baylis, Martin Biuw, Andrei N. Boltunov, Erik W. Born, Peter L. Boveng, Tanya M. Brown, Michael Cameron, John J. Citta, Justin A. Crawford, Rune Dietz, Jim Elias, Steven H. Ferguson, Aaron T. Fisk, Lars P. Folkow, Kathryn J. Frost, Dmitri M. Glazov, Sandra M. Granquist, Rowenna Gryba, Lois A. Harwood, Tore Haug, Mads Peter Heide-Jorgensen, Nigel E. Hussey, Jimmy Kalinek, Kristin L. Laidre, Dennis I. Litovka, Josh M. London, Lisa Loseto, Shannon MacPhee, Marianne Marcoux, Cory J. D. Matthews, Kjell J Nilssen, Erling S. Nordoy, Greg O’Corry-Crowe, Nils Oien, Morten Tange Olsen, Lori T. Quakenbush, Aqqalu Rosing-Asvid, Varvara Semenova, Kim E. W. Shelden, Olga V. Shpak, Garry Stenson, Luke Storrie, Signe Sveegaard, Jonas Teilmann, Fernando Ugarte, Andrew L. Von Duyke, Cortney Watt, Oystein Wiig, Ryan R. Wilson, David J. Yurkowski, Kit M. Kovacs