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
Invader removal triggers competitive release in a threatened avian predator Invader removal triggers competitive release in a threatened avian predator
Invasive species can cause extinctions of native species and widespread biodiversity loss. Invader removal is a common management response, but the use of long-term field experiments to characterize effectiveness of removals in benefitting impacted native species is rare. We used a large-scale removal experiment to investigate the demographic response of a threatened native species, the...
Authors
David Wiens, Katie Dugger, J. Mark Higley, Damon B. Lesmeister, Alan B. Franklin, Keith A. Hamm, Gary C. White, Krista E. Dilione, David C. Simon, Robin R. Bown, Peter C. Carlson, Charles Yackulic, James D. Nichols, James E. Hines, Raymond J. Davis, David W. Lamphear, Christopher McCafferty, Trent L. McDonald, Stan G. Sovern
Post-wildfire hydrologic recovery in Mediterranean climates: A systematic review and case study to identify current knowledge and opportunities Post-wildfire hydrologic recovery in Mediterranean climates: A systematic review and case study to identify current knowledge and opportunities
Post-fire hydrologic research typically focuses on the first few years after a wildfire, leading to substantial uncertainty regarding the longevity of impacts. The time needed for hydrologic function to return to pre-fire conditions is critical information for post-fire land and water management decisions. This is particularly true in Mediterranean climates, where water is scarce and in...
Authors
Joseph W. Wagenbrenner, Brian A. Ebel, Kevin D. Bladon, Alicia M. Kinoshita
Forest area to support landbird population goals for the Mississippi Alluvial Valley Forest area to support landbird population goals for the Mississippi Alluvial Valley
Historically, the Mississippi Alluvial Valley (MAV) (Partners in Flight Bird Conservation Region #26) was predominantly bottomland hardwood forest, but natural vegetation has been cleared from about 80 percent of this ecoregion and converted primarily to agriculture. Because most bird species that are of conservation concern in this region are dependent on forested wetlands, bottomland...
Authors
Daniel J. Twedt, Anne Mini
Chronic exposure to glyphosate in Florida manatee Chronic exposure to glyphosate in Florida manatee
Florida manatees depend on freshwater environments as a source of drinking water and as warm-water refuges. These freshwater environments are in direct contact with human activities were glyphosate-based herbicides are being used. Glyphosate is the most used herbicide worldwide and it is intensively used in Florida as a sugarcane ripener and to control invasive aquatic plants. The...
Authors
Maite De María, Cecilia Silva-Sanchez, Kevin J. Kroll, Michael T. Walsh, Mohammad-Zaman Nouri, Margaret E. Hunter, Monica Ross, Tonya M. Clauss, Nancy D. Denslow
Research, monitoring, and evaluation of emerging issues and measures to recover the Snake River Fall Chinook salmon ESU Research, monitoring, and evaluation of emerging issues and measures to recover the Snake River Fall Chinook salmon ESU
The portion of the Snake River fall Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha evolutionary significant unit (ESU) that spawns upstream of Lower Granite Dam transitioned from low to high abundance during 1992–2020 in response to U.S. Endangered Species Act recovery efforts and other federally mandated actions. This annual report focuses on changes in population abundance and habitat use by...
Authors
Kenneth Tiffan, Peter H. Barry, Dalton Hance, John Plumb, Brad Bickford, Tobyn Rhodes, Dalton Dirk Lebeda, Rulon J. Hemingway, Kenneth G. King, John Hargrove
Coastal observations of alligator snapping turtles in the Florida Panhandle Coastal observations of alligator snapping turtles in the Florida Panhandle
The genus Macrochelys (alligator snapping turtles) inhabits river systems that empty into the Gulf of Mexico from Florida to Texas and contains the largest freshwater turtles in North America (Pritchard 2006). This paper details observations of Macrochelys on the coast and barrier islands in Franklin and Gulf counties, Florida, that contribute to our knowledge of their movements in...
Authors
Kevin M. Enge, Bradley S. Smith, Brooke L. Talley, Terri Cannon, Travis M. Thomas, Daniel J. Catizone
Modeling at-sea density of marine birds to support renewable energy planning on the Pacific outer continental shelf of the contiguous United States Modeling at-sea density of marine birds to support renewable energy planning on the Pacific outer continental shelf of the contiguous United States
This report describes the at-sea spatial distributions of marine birds in Pacific OCS waters off the contiguous U.S. (Figure 1.1) to inform marine spatial planning in the region. The goal was to estimate long-term average spatial distributions for marine bird species using all available science-quality transect survey data and numerous bathymetric, oceanographic, and atmospheric...
Authors
Jeffery Leirness, Josh Adams, Lisa T Ballance, Michael Coyne, Jonathan J. Felis, Trevor Joyce, David M. Pereksta, Arliss J Winship, Christopher F G Jeffrey, David G. Ainley, Donald Croll, Joseph R. Evenson, Jaime Jahncke, William McIver, Peter I Miller, Scott Pearson, Craig Strong, William J. Sydeman, Jeannette E Waddell, Jeannette E. Zamon, John D. Christensen
Simulating the effort necessary to detect changes in northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis caurina) populations using passive acoustic monitoring Simulating the effort necessary to detect changes in northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis caurina) populations using passive acoustic monitoring
Passive acoustic monitoring is a promising method for monitoring rare and nocturnal species, and for tracking changes in forest wildlife biodiversity. We conducted simulations to compare and evaluate various passive acoustic sampling designs effectiveness for monitoring spotted owl (Strix occidentalis caurina) population trends. We found that each design was effective for detecting a...
Authors
Damon B. Lesmeister, Cara L. Appel, Raymond J. Davis, Charles Yackulic, Zachary J. Ruff
New amphibian and reptile parish records from Louisiana, USA New amphibian and reptile parish records from Louisiana, USA
Dundee and Rossman (1989) published distribution maps of Louisiana herpetofaunal species in The Amphibians and Reptiles of Louisiana over 30 years ago. Since then many records have been published, mostly in Herpetological Review, documenting additions to these original maps. Though many are single species additions, several compilations of new Louisiana records have been published...
Authors
Brad Glorioso
Range-wide population genetic analysis of Seaside Sparrows (Ammospiza maritima) supports at least five distinct population segments that do not align with current subspecies descriptions Range-wide population genetic analysis of Seaside Sparrows (Ammospiza maritima) supports at least five distinct population segments that do not align with current subspecies descriptions
As an obligate salt marsh species, Seaside Sparrows (Ammospiza maritima) are vulnerable to numerous threats including climate change, coastal erosion, sea-level rise, and both natural and anthropogenic disasters. Of the 9 recognized subspecies, 2 are extinct and 1 is endangered. Previous genetic analyses of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and microsatellite loci showed that current taxonomy...
Authors
Kathryn E.C. Davis, Amie E. Settlecowski, Mackenzie R. Roeder, Carolyn Enloe, Thomas Virzi, Margaret Hunter, Stefan Woltmann, Sabrina S. Taylor
Registration and application of sea lamprey pheromones for sea lamprey control in the United States and Canada Registration and application of sea lamprey pheromones for sea lamprey control in the United States and Canada
Since the identification of 3-trifluoromethyl-4-nitrophenol as a lampricide in the 1950s, control of sea lamprey populations in the Great Lakes has largely relied on lampricides, barriers, and traps. Lampricide treatments target larval lampreys in tributaries of the Great Lakes. The Great Lakes Fishery Commission oversees sea lamprey control efforts and has invested in technologies that...
Authors
Kim T. Fredricks, Nicholas S. Johnson, Terrance Hubert, Mike Siefkes
Physiological consequences of consuming low-energy foods: Herbivory coincides with a stress response in Yellowstone bears. Physiological consequences of consuming low-energy foods: Herbivory coincides with a stress response in Yellowstone bears.
Meat, fruit, seeds and other high-energy bear foods are often highly localized and briefly available and understanding which factors influence bear consumption of these foods is a common focus of bear conservation and ecology. However, the most common bear foods, graminoids and forbs, are more widespread but of lower quality. We poorly understand how herbage consumption impacts bear...
Authors
David A Christianson, Tyler H Coleman, Quint Doan, Mark A. Haroldson