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: 42712
Changes in physiology and microbial diversity in larval ornate chorus frogs are associated with habitat quality Changes in physiology and microbial diversity in larval ornate chorus frogs are associated with habitat quality
Environmental change associated with anthropogenic disturbance can lower habitat quality, especially for sensitive species such as many amphibians. Variation in environmental quality may affect an organism’s physiological health and, ultimately, survival and fitness. Using multiple health measures can aid in identifying populations at increased risk of declines. Our objective was to...
Authors
Cory B. Goff, Susan Walls, David Rodriguez, Caitlin S. Gabor
Effects of barrier island salt marsh restoration on marsh bird occurrence in the Northern Gulf of Mexico Effects of barrier island salt marsh restoration on marsh bird occurrence in the Northern Gulf of Mexico
In the Northern Gulf of Mexico, salt marshes are threatened by sea level rise, erosion, and loss of protective barrier islands. These barrier islands provide critical habitat for wildlife, including globally significant populations of marsh and shorebirds. We investigated salt marsh restoration on two Louisiana barrier islands using presence of 8 marsh bird species as an index to...
Authors
Paige A. Byerly, Hardin Waddle, Alexis R. Premeaux, Paul L. Leberg
Annual adult survival drives trends in Arctic-breeding shorebirds but knowledge gaps in other vital rates remain Annual adult survival drives trends in Arctic-breeding shorebirds but knowledge gaps in other vital rates remain
Conservation status and management priorities are often informed by population trends. Trend estimates can be derived from population surveys or models, but both methods are associated with sources of uncertainty. Many Arctic-breeding shorebirds are thought to be declining based on migration and/or overwintering population surveys, but data are lacking to estimate the trends of some...
Authors
Emily L. Weiser, Richard B. Lanctot, Stephen C. Brown, H. River Gates, Joel Bety, Megan L. Boldenow, Rodney W. Brook, Glen S. Brown, Willow B. English, Scott A. Flemming, Samantha E. Franks, H. Grant Gilchrist, Marie-Andree Giroux, Andrew C. Johnson, Steve Kendall, Lisa V. Kennedy, Laura Koloski, Eunbi Kwon, Jean-Francois Lamarre, David B. Lank, Christopher J. Latty, Nicolas Lecomte, Joseph R. Liebezeit, Rebecca L McGuire, Laura McKinnon, Erica Nol, David C. Payer, Johanna Perz, Jennie Rausch, Martin D. Robards, Sarah T. Saalfeld, Nathan R. Senner, Paul A. Smith, Mikhail Soloviev, Diana V Solovyeva, David H. Ward, Paul F. Wood, Brett K. Sandercock
Proposed species extinction target fails to capture the diversity in biodiversity Proposed species extinction target fails to capture the diversity in biodiversity
We believe the 20 species extinction metric is a retrograde proposal, which does not adequately consider the lessons learnt from the 2020 Aichi Biodiversity Targets. Whilst having a single simple overarching target is appealing, we believe a positively-framed target will garner support, rather than one that aims to, at best, limit negative impacts. The Convention on Biological Diversity...
Authors
David O'Brien, Margaret Hunter, Martin Breed, Laura Bertola, Rob Ogden, Clarisse Palma da Silva, Ivan Paz-Vinas, Gernot Segelbacher, Sean M. Hoban, Rodolfo Jaffe
Historical museum collections and contemporary population studies implicate roads and introduced predatory bullfrogs in the decline of western pond turtles Historical museum collections and contemporary population studies implicate roads and introduced predatory bullfrogs in the decline of western pond turtles
The western pond turtle (WPT), recently separated into two paripatrically distributed species (Emys pallida and Emys marmorata), is experiencing significant reductions in its range and population size. In addition to habitat loss, two potential causes of decline are female-biased road mortality and high juvenile mortality from non-native predatory bullfrogs (Rana catesbeiana). However
Authors
E. Griffin Nicholson, Stephanie Manzo, Zachary Devereux, Thomas Morgan, Robert N. Fisher, Christopher W. Brown, Rosi Dagit, Peter A Scott, H. Bradley Shaffer
Yellowstone Lake ecosystem restoration: A case study for invasive fish management Yellowstone Lake ecosystem restoration: A case study for invasive fish management
Invasive predatory lake trout Salvelinus namaycush were discovered in Yellowstone Lake in 1994 and caused a precipitous decrease in abundance of native Yellowstone cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarkii bouvieri. Suppression efforts (primarily gillnetting) initiated in 1995 did not curtail lake trout population growth or lakewide expansion. An adaptive management strategy was developed in...
Authors
Todd M. Koel, Jeffrey L. Arnold, Patricia E. Bigelow, Travis O. Brenden, Jeffery D. Davis, Colleen R. Detjens, Philip D. Doepke, Brian D. Ertel, Hayley C. Glassic, Robert E. Gresswell, Christopher S Guy, Drew J. MacDonald, Michael E. Ruhl, Todd J. Stuth, David P. Sweet, John M. Syslo, Nathan A. Thomas, Lusha M. Tronstad, Patrick J. White, Alexander V. Zale
Increased drought severity tracks warming in the United States’ largest river basin Increased drought severity tracks warming in the United States’ largest river basin
Across the Upper Missouri River Basin, the recent drought of 2000 to 2010, known as the “turn-of-the-century drought,” was likely more severe than any in the instrumental record including the Dust Bowl drought. However, until now, adequate proxy records needed to better understand this event with regard to long-term variability have been lacking. Here we examine 1,200 y of streamflow...
Authors
Justin Martin, Gregory T. Pederson, Connie A. Woodhouse, Edward R. Cook, Gregory J. McCabe, Kevin J. Anchukaitis, Erika K. Wise, Patrick Erger, Larry S. Dolan, Marketa McGuire, Subhrendu Gangopadhyay, Katherine J. Chase, Jeremy Littell, Stephen Gray, Scott St. George, Jonathan M. Friedman, David J. Sauchyn, Jeannine-Marie St. Jacques, John C. King
Juvenile Lost River and shortnose sucker year-class formation, survival, and growth in Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, and Clear Lake Reservoir, California—2018 monitoring report Juvenile Lost River and shortnose sucker year-class formation, survival, and growth in Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, and Clear Lake Reservoir, California—2018 monitoring report
Executive Summary Populations of federally endangered Lost River (Deltistes luxatus) and shortnose suckers (Chasmistes brevirostris) in Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, and Clear Lake Reservoir (hereinafter Clear Lake), California, are experiencing long-term decreases in abundance. Upper Klamath Lake populations are decreasing not only because of adult mortality, which is relatively low, but...
Authors
Ryan J. Bart, Summer M. Burdick, Marshal S. Hoy, Carl O. Ostberg
Asymmetric benefits of a heterospecific breeding association vary with habitat, conspecific abundance and breeding stage Asymmetric benefits of a heterospecific breeding association vary with habitat, conspecific abundance and breeding stage
Heterospecific breeding associations may benefit individuals by mitigating predation risk but may also create costs if they increase competition for resources or are more easily detectable by predators. Our understanding of the interactions among hetero‐ and conspecifics is often lacking in mixed species colonies. Here, we test how the presence of hetero‐ and conspecifics influence nest...
Authors
Rose J. Swift, Michael J. Anteau, Erin A. Roche, Mark H. Sherfy, Dustin L. Toy, Megan M. Ring
Quantifying the contribution of habitats and pathways to a spatially structured population facing environmental change Quantifying the contribution of habitats and pathways to a spatially structured population facing environmental change
The consequences of environmental disturbance and management are difficult to quantify for spatially structured populations because changes in one location carry through to other areas as a result of species movement. We develop a metric, G, for measuring the contribution of a habitat or pathway to network-wide population growth rate in the face of environmental change. This metric is...
Authors
Christine Sample, Joanna A. Bieri, Benjamin L. Allen, Yulia Dementieva, Alyssa Carson, Connor Higgins, Sadie Piatt, Shirley Qiu, Summer Stafford, Brady J. Mattsson, Darius J. Semmens, James E. Diffendorfer, Wayne E. Thogmartin
Potential for recreational restrictions to reduce grizzly bear–caused human injuries Potential for recreational restrictions to reduce grizzly bear–caused human injuries
In 2011, 2 hikers were killed by grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) in separate incidents on backcountry trails in Hayden Valley, Yellowstone National Park, USA (YNP). Hayden Valley provides prime habitat for grizzly bears and is known to have high densities of bears. During 1970–2017, 23% (10 of 44) of all backcountry grizzly bear–inflicted human injuries and fatalities in YNP occurred in the...
Authors
Kerry A. Gunther, Mark A. Haroldson
Land use effects on sediment nutrient processes in a heavily modified watershed using structural equation models Land use effects on sediment nutrient processes in a heavily modified watershed using structural equation models
Contemporary land use can affect sediment nutrient processes in rivers draining heavily modified watersheds; however, studies linking land use to sediment nutrient processes in large river networks are limited. In this study, we developed and evaluated structural equation models (SE models) for denitrification and phosphorus retention capacity to determine direct and indirect linkages...
Authors
Rebecca M. Kreiling, Martin C. Thoms, Lynn A. Bartsch, James H. Larson, Victoria Christensen