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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

Reduced quality and synchronous collapse of forage species disrupts trophic transfer during a prolonged marine heatwave Reduced quality and synchronous collapse of forage species disrupts trophic transfer during a prolonged marine heatwave

The Gulf of Alaska forage fish community includes a few key species that differ markedly in their timing of spawning, somatic growth and lipid storage, and in their migration behavior. This diversity in life history strategies facilitates resilience in marine food webs because it buffers predators against the naturally high variance in abundance of pelagic forage fish populations by...
Authors
Mayumi L. Arimitsu, John F. Piatt, Scott Hatch, Rob Suryan, Sonia Batten, Mary Anne Bishop, Rob Campbell, Heather Coletti, Dan Cushing, Kristen Gorman, Stormy Haught, Russell Hopcroft, Kathy Kuletz, Caitlin Elizabeth Marsteller, Caitlin McKinstry, David McGowan, John Moran, R. Scott Pegau, Anne Schaefer, Sarah K. Schoen, Jan Straley, Vanessa R. von Biela

A study of marine temperature variations in the northern Gulf of Alaska across years of marine heatwaves and cold spells A study of marine temperature variations in the northern Gulf of Alaska across years of marine heatwaves and cold spells

We use over 100 in situ and remotely sensed temperature datasets to investigate thermal variability within and across the intertidal nearshore, coastal and offshore waters of the northern Gulf of Alaska. For the years 1970 through 2019 we document a warming trend of 0.24±0.10 °C per decade for the coastal northern shelf (0-250 m depth average) and a Gulf-wide sea surface temperature (SST...
Authors
Seth L. Danielson, Tyler D. Hennon, Daniel Monson, Rob M. Suryan, Rob W. Campbell, Steven J. Baird, Kristine Holderied, Thomas Weingartner

A bright spot analysis of inland recreational fisheries in the face of climate change: Learning about adaptation from small successes A bright spot analysis of inland recreational fisheries in the face of climate change: Learning about adaptation from small successes

Inland recreational fisheries have social, economic, and ecological importance worldwide but these fisheries are increasingly challenged by the diverse effects of climate change. Coupled with other anthropogenic stressors, climate change has contributed to declines in freshwater biodiversity of greater severity than those observed across marine or terrestrial taxa. At a macro level...
Authors
A. L. Jeanson, Abigail Lynch, J. D. Thiem, W. M. Potts, T. Haapasalo, A. J. Danylchuk, Beard, R. Arlinghaus, L. Hunt, N. Young, S. J. Cooke

‘Unscrambling’ the drivers of egg production in Agassiz’s desert tortoise: Climate and individual attributes predict reproductive output ‘Unscrambling’ the drivers of egg production in Agassiz’s desert tortoise: Climate and individual attributes predict reproductive output

ABSTRACT: The ‘bet hedging’ life history strategy of long-lived iteroparous species reduces short-term reproductive output to minimize the risk of reproductive failure over a lifetime. For desert-dwelling ectotherms living in variable and unpredictable environments, reproductive output is further influenced by precipitation and temperature via effects on food availability and limits on...
Authors
Corey I. Mitchell, Derek Friend, Lauren T. Phillips, Elizabeth A. Hunter, Jeffrey E. Lovich, Mickey Agha, Shellie R. Puffer, Kristy L. Cummings, Philip A. Medica, Todd Esque, Kenneth E. Nussear, Kevin T. Shoemaker

A chemical and bio‐herbicide mixture increased exotic invaders, both targeted and non‐targeted, across a diversely invaded landscape after fire A chemical and bio‐herbicide mixture increased exotic invaders, both targeted and non‐targeted, across a diversely invaded landscape after fire

Questions Invasive‐plant treatments often target a single or few species, but many landscapes are diversely invaded. Exotic annual grasses (EAGs) increase wildfires and degrade native perennial plant communities in cold‐desert rangelands, and herbicides are thus sprayed to inhibit EAG germination and establishment. We asked how EAG target and non‐target species responded to an herbicide...
Authors
Brynne E. Lazarus, Matthew J. Germino

Sagebrush conservation strategy—Challenges to sagebrush conservation Sagebrush conservation strategy—Challenges to sagebrush conservation

The sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) biome, its wildlife, and the services and benefits it provides people and local communities are at risk. Development in the sagebrush biome, for many purposes, has resulted in multiple and often cumulative negative impacts. These impacts, ranging from simple habitat loss to complex, interactive changes in ecosystem function, continue to accelerate even as...
Authors
Thomas E. Remington, Patricia A. Deibert, Steve E. Hanser, Dawn M. Davis, Leslie A. Robb, Justin L. Welty

Performance of the GenEst Mortality Estimator Compared to The Huso and Shoenfeld Estimators Performance of the GenEst Mortality Estimator Compared to The Huso and Shoenfeld Estimators

The impacts of wind power development on bat and bird populations are commonly assessed by estimating the number of fatalities at wind power facilities through post-construction monitoring (PCM) studies. Standard methodology involves periodic carcass searches on plots beneath turbines (Strickland et al. 2011, US Fish and Wildlife Service 2012). The resulting counts are adjusted to...
Authors
Paul Rabie, Daniel Riser-Espinoza, Jared Studyvin, Daniel Dalthorp, Manuela Huso

Seasonal movements of muskellunge in the St. Clair – Detroit River System: Implications for multi-jurisdictional fisheries management Seasonal movements of muskellunge in the St. Clair – Detroit River System: Implications for multi-jurisdictional fisheries management

The St. Clair-Detroit River System contains a world-class Great Lakes muskellunge (Esox masquinongy) fishery that has avoided the declines observed in many Great Lakes muskellunge populations. Muskellunge are an upper trophic level predator, and therefore a naturally low-density species. Limited fishery-independent data exist on which to base management decisions. To remedy this, we...
Authors
Jan-Michael Hessenauer, Cleyo Harris, Stephen Marklevitz, Matthew D. Faust, Michael W. Thorn, Brad Utrup, Darryl W. Hondorp

Inclusion of pesticide transformation products is key to estimating pesticide exposures and effects in small U.S. streams Inclusion of pesticide transformation products is key to estimating pesticide exposures and effects in small U.S. streams

Improved analytical methods can quantify hundreds of pesticide transformation products (TPs), but understanding of TP occurrence and potential toxicity in aquatic ecosystems remains limited. We quantified 108 parent pesticides and 116 TPs in more than 3 700 samples from 442 small streams in mostly urban basins across five major regions of the United States. TPs were detected nearly as...
Authors
Barbara Mahler, Lisa H. Nowell, Mark W. Sandstrom, Paul M. Bradley, Kristin M. Romanok, Christopher Konrad, Peter Van Metre

Argentine Black and White Tegu (Salvator merianae) can survive the winter under semi-natural conditions well beyond their current invasive range Argentine Black and White Tegu (Salvator merianae) can survive the winter under semi-natural conditions well beyond their current invasive range

The Argentine Black and White Tegu (Salvator merianae, formerly Tupinambis merianae) is a large lizard from South America. Now established and invasive in southern Florida, and it poses threats to populations of many native species. Models suggest much of the southern United States may contain suitable temperature regimes for this species, yet there is considerable uncertainty regarding...
Authors
Scott Michael Goetz, David A. Steen, Melissa A. Miller, Craig Guyer, Jack Kottwitz, John F. Roberts, Emmett Blankenship, Phillip R. Pearson, Daniel A. Warner, Robert Reed

Efficacy of detection canines for avian botulism surveillance and mitigation Efficacy of detection canines for avian botulism surveillance and mitigation

Hawai'i's endangered waterbirds have experienced epizootics caused by ingestion of prey that accumulated a botulinum neurotoxin produced by the anaerobic bacterium Clostridium botulinum (avian botulism; Type C). Waterbird carcasses, necrophagous flies, and their larvae initiate and spread avian botulism, a food-borne paralytic disease lethal to waterbirds. Each new carcass has potential...
Authors
Michelle H Reynolds, Kyoko N Johnson, Eleni Schvaneveldt, Dan L Dewy, Kim J Uyehara, Steven C. Hess

Probabilities of detecting submersed aquatic vegetation species using a rake method may vary with biomass Probabilities of detecting submersed aquatic vegetation species using a rake method may vary with biomass

Levels of submersed aquatic vegetation (SAV) are commonly assessed using a modified garden rake. However, the utility of the rake sampling method relative to methods that are typically viewed as more definitive (and expensive) such as snorkeling and coring remains a matter of debate. This study explores whether probabilities of species detections for four SAV species varied among...
Authors
Brian R. Gray
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