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: 43313
First record of Najas marina (Hydrocharitaceae) for Montana and an update on the North American distribution First record of Najas marina (Hydrocharitaceae) for Montana and an update on the North American distribution
Three recent collections of Najas marina (spiny water-nymph) from Missoula County, Montana are documented and illustrated. These collections are the first records for Montana and for the Pacific Northwest region. The occurrence of N. marina in Montana reflects a significant northward expansion of this species in the Mountain West. The North American distribution of this species is also...
Authors
Scott L. Freeman, Ian Pfingsten
Foraging behavior in a generalist snake (brown treesnake, Boiga irregularis) with implications for avian reintroduction and recovery Foraging behavior in a generalist snake (brown treesnake, Boiga irregularis) with implications for avian reintroduction and recovery
Broad foraging classifications, such as generalist or specialist forager, are generally beneficial for population management in defining expectations of typical behavior. However, better understanding as to how individual variance in behavior interfaces with management actions, such as control of an invasive predator (such as brown treesnakes; Boiga irregularis) responsible for...
Authors
Melia G. Nafus, Peter X. Xiong, Eben H. Paxton, Amy A. Yackel Adams, Scott Michael Goetz
Estimating catch curve mortality based on relative return rates of coded wire tagged lake trout in US waters of Lake Huron Estimating catch curve mortality based on relative return rates of coded wire tagged lake trout in US waters of Lake Huron
We estimated total mortality using catch curves based on relative return rates (RRs) of coded wire tagged lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) in US waters of Lake Huron. RR was calculated as age-specific CPUE per million of fish stocked. Annual mortality for the late 1990s through early 2000s was estimated as 38% from the 1991–1995 year classes, with an effective age range of 5–10 years...
Authors
Ji X. He, Mark P. Ebener, Richard D. Clark, James R. Bence, Charles P. Madenjian, Kevin N. McDonnell, Matthew S. Kornis, Charles R. Bronte
Understanding grass invasion, fire severity, and Acacia koa regeneration for forest restoration in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park Understanding grass invasion, fire severity, and Acacia koa regeneration for forest restoration in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park
With invasive grasses increasing wildfire occurrence worldwide, a better understanding of the relationships between native plants, fire, and invasive grass is needed to help restoration plans facilitate ecosystem resilience. Invasive grasses are particularly problematic for altering fire regimes in the tropics, yet in Hawaiʻi, restoration sites are often planted with monocultures of the...
Authors
Hamilton Natalia, Stephanie G. Yelenik, Tara Durboraw, Robert Cox, Nathan S. Gill
Thermal stability of an adaptable, invasive ectotherm: Argentine giant tegus in the Greater Everglades ecosystem, USA Thermal stability of an adaptable, invasive ectotherm: Argentine giant tegus in the Greater Everglades ecosystem, USA
Invasive species globally threaten biodiversity and economies, but the ecophysiological mechanisms underlying their success are often understudied. For those alien species that also exhibit high phenotypic plasticity, such as habitat generalists, adaptations in response to environmental pressures can take place relatively quickly. The Argentine giant tegu (Salvator merianae; tegu) is a...
Authors
Andrea Faye Currylow, Michelle Collier, Emma B. Hanslowe, Bryan G. Falk, Brian S. Cade, Sarah E. Moy, Alejandro Grajal-Puche, Frank N. Ridgley, Robert Reed, Amy A. Yackel Adams
The application of metacommunity theory to the management of riverine ecosystems The application of metacommunity theory to the management of riverine ecosystems
River managers strive to use the best available science to sustain biodiversity and ecosystem function. To achieve this goal requires consideration of processes at different scales. Metacommunity theory describes how multiple species from different communities potentially interact with local-scale environmental drivers to influence population dynamics and community structure. However...
Authors
Christopher J. Patrick, Kurt E. Anderson, Brown L. Brown, Charles P. Hawkins, Anya N. Metcalfe, Parsa Saffarinia, Tadeu Siqueira, Christopher M. Swan, Jonathan D. Tonkin, Lester L. Yuan
Intraspecific variation mediates density dependence in a genetically diverse plant species Intraspecific variation mediates density dependence in a genetically diverse plant species
Interactions between neighboring plants are critical for biodiversity maintenance in plant populations and communities. Intraspecific trait variation and genome duplication are common in plant species and can drive eco-evolutionary dynamics through genotype-mediated plant–plant interactions. However, few studies have examined how species-wide intraspecific variation may alter...
Authors
Andrii Zaiats, Matthew J. Germino, Marcelo D. Serpe, Bryce Richardson, Trevor Caughlin
Pedigree accumulation analysis: Combining methods from community ecology and population genetics for breeding adult estimation Pedigree accumulation analysis: Combining methods from community ecology and population genetics for breeding adult estimation
Estimates of the number of successfully breeding adults (NS) in a population can predict levels of recruitment. However, assessments of NS are often difficult to obtain because encounters with adults are limited due to life-history characteristics, low abundance or other constraints associated with access to critical habitats. Alternatively, efforts to sample individuals at earlier...
Authors
Nicholas M. Sard, Robert D. Hunter, Edward F. Roseman, Daniel B. Hayes, Robin L . DeBruyne, Kim T Scribner
Post-fire temporal trends in soil-physical and -hydraulic properties and simulated runoff generation: Insights from different burn severities in the 2013 Black Forest Fire, CO, USA Post-fire temporal trends in soil-physical and -hydraulic properties and simulated runoff generation: Insights from different burn severities in the 2013 Black Forest Fire, CO, USA
Burn severity influences on post-fire recovery of soil-hydraulic properties controlling runoff generation are poorly understood despite the importance for parameterizing infiltration models. We measured soil-hydraulic properties of field-saturated hydraulic conductivity (Kfs), sorptivity (S), and wetting front potential (ψf) for four years after the 2013 Black Forest Fire, Colorado, USA...
Authors
Brian A. Ebel, John A. Moody, Deborah A. Martin
Evidence for interannual persistence of infectious influenza A viruses in Alaska wetlands Evidence for interannual persistence of infectious influenza A viruses in Alaska wetlands
Influenza A viruses (IAVs) deposited by wild birds into the environment may lead to sporadic mortality events and economically costly outbreaks among domestic birds. There is a paucity of information, however, regarding the persistence of infectious IAVs within the environment following deposition. In this investigation, we assessed the persistence of 12 IAVs that were present in the...
Authors
Andrew M. Ramey, Andrew B. Reeves, Benjamin Joel Lagasse, Vijay P. Patil, Laura E. Hubbard, Dana W. Kolpin, R. Blaine McCleskey, Deborah A. Repert, David E. Stallknecht, Rebecca L. Poulson
A protocol for modelling generalised biological responses using latent variables in structural equation models A protocol for modelling generalised biological responses using latent variables in structural equation models
In this paper we consider the problem of how to quantitatively characterize the degree to which a study object exhibits a generalized response. By generalized response, we mean a multivariate response where numerous individual properties change in concerted fashion due to some internal integration. In latent variable structural equation modeling (LVSEM), we would typically approach this...
Authors
James B. Grace, Magdalena Steiner
Instrumental variable methods in structural equation models Instrumental variable methods in structural equation models
Instrumental variable regression (RegIV) provides a means for detecting and correcting parameter bias in causal models. Widely used in economics, recently several papers have highlighted its potential utility for ecological applications. Little attention has thus far been paid to the fact that IV methods can also be implemented within structural equation models (SEMIV). In this paper I...
Authors
James Grace