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
2019 National park visitor spending effects: Economic contributions to local communities, states, and the nation 2019 National park visitor spending effects: Economic contributions to local communities, states, and the nation
The National Park Service (NPS) manages the Nation’s most iconic destinations that attract millions of visitors from across the Nation and around the world. Trip-related spending by NPS visitors generates and supports economic activity within park gateway communities. This report summarizes the annual economic contribution analysis that measures how NPS visitor spending cycles through...
Authors
Catherine Cullinane Thomas, Lynne Koontz
Effects of flow diversion on Snake Creek and its riparian cottonwood forest, Great Basin National Park Effects of flow diversion on Snake Creek and its riparian cottonwood forest, Great Basin National Park
Snake Creek flows east from the southern Snake Range in Nevada over complex lithology before leaving Great Basin National Park. The river travels over a section of karst limestone where some surface water naturally recharges the groundwater flow system. In 1961 a water diversion pipeline was constructed by downstream water users to transport surface water through the groundwater recharge...
Authors
Derek M. Schook, David J. Cooper, Jonathan M. Friedman, Steven E. Rice, Jamie D. Hoover, Richard D. Thaxton
Vegetation affects timing and location of wetland methane emissions Vegetation affects timing and location of wetland methane emissions
Common assumptions about how vegetation affects wetland methane (CH) flux include acting as conduits for CH release, providing carbon substrates for growth and activity of methanogenic organisms, and supplying oxygen to support CH oxidation. However, these effects may change through time, especially in seasonal wetlands that experience drying and re-wetting, or change across space...
Authors
Sheel Bansal, Olivia Johnson, Jacob Meier, Zhu Xiaoyan
Fisheries research and monitoring activities of the Lake Erie Biological Station, 2019 Fisheries research and monitoring activities of the Lake Erie Biological Station, 2019
A comprehensive understanding of fish populations and their interactions is the cornerstone of modern fishery management and the basis for Fish Community Goals and Objectives for Lake Erie (Ryan et al. 2003). This report is responsive to U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) obligations via Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Great Lakes Council of Lake Committees (CLC) to provide...
Authors
Kevin R. Keretz, Patrick Kocovsky, Richard Kraus, Joseph Schmitt
Research in the refuge constraints to restoring diverse forest ecosystems at Hakalau Research in the refuge constraints to restoring diverse forest ecosystems at Hakalau
No abstract available.
Authors
Stephanie G. Yelenik, Eli T. Rose, Eben H. Paxton, Evan M Rehm, Carla M. D'Antonio
Parsing complex terrain controls on mountain glacier response to climate forcing Parsing complex terrain controls on mountain glacier response to climate forcing
Glaciers are a key indicator of changing climate in the high mountain landscape. Glacier variations across a mountain range are ultimately driven by regional climate forcing. However, changes also reflect local, topographically driven processes such as snow avalanching, snow wind-drifting, and radiation shading as well as the initial glacier conditions such as hypsometry and ice...
Authors
Caitlyn Elizabeth Florentine, Joel T. Harper, Daniel B. Fagre
Green turtle mitochondrial microsatellites indicate finer-scale natal homing to isolated islands than to continental nesting sites Green turtle mitochondrial microsatellites indicate finer-scale natal homing to isolated islands than to continental nesting sites
In highly mobile philopatric species, defining the scale of natal homing is fundamental to characterizing population dynamics and effectively managing distinct populations. Genetic tools have provided evidence of regional natal philopatry in marine turtles, but extensive sharing of maternally inherited mitochondrial control region (CR) haplotypes within regions (
Authors
Brian M. Shamblin, Kristen Hart, Kelly J. Martin, Simona A. Ceriani, Dean A. Bagley, Katherine L. Mansfield, Llewellyn M. Ehrhart, Campbell J. Nairn
Use of strong habitat–abundance relationships in assessing population status of cryptic fishes: An example using the Harlequin Darter Use of strong habitat–abundance relationships in assessing population status of cryptic fishes: An example using the Harlequin Darter
Understanding trends in abundance is important to fisheries conservation, but techniques for estimating streamwide abundance of cryptic fishes with strong habitat–abundance relationships are not well established and need further development. We developed techniques for addressing this need using the Harlequin Darter Etheostoma histrio, a small, cryptic freshwater fish associated with...
Authors
Kathryn M Holcomb, Paul Schueller, Howard L. Jelks, John R Knight, Micheal S Allen
Comparison of underwater video with electrofishing and dive‐counts for stream fish abundance estimation Comparison of underwater video with electrofishing and dive‐counts for stream fish abundance estimation
Advances in video technology enable new strategies for stream fish research. We compared juvenile (age‐0) and adult (age 1+) Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis abundance estimates from underwater video with backpack electrofishing and dive‐count methods across a series of stream pools in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia (n = 41). Video methods estimated greater mean abundance of adult...
Authors
Nathaniel P. Hitt, Karli M. Rogers, Craig D. Snyder, C. Andrew Dolloff
Fostering real-time climate adaptation: Analyzing past, current, and forecast temperature to understand the dynamic risk to Hawaiian honeycreepers from avian malaria Fostering real-time climate adaptation: Analyzing past, current, and forecast temperature to understand the dynamic risk to Hawaiian honeycreepers from avian malaria
Various vector control options are increasingly being considered to safeguard forest birds in their natural habitats from avian malaria transmission. However, vector control options require localized deployment that is not logistically, ethically, ecologically, nor economically viable everywhere and all the time. Based on thermal tolerances of the sporogonic stages of avian malaria...
Authors
Lucas B. Fortini, Lauren R. Kaiser, Dennis Lapointe
Longitudinal, lateral, vertical, and temporal thermal heterogeneity in a large impounded river: Implications for cold-water refuges Longitudinal, lateral, vertical, and temporal thermal heterogeneity in a large impounded river: Implications for cold-water refuges
Dam operations can affect mixing of the water column, thereby influencing thermal heterogeneity spatially and temporally. This occurs by restricting or eliminating connectivity in longitudinal, lateral, vertical, and temporal dimensions. We examined thermal heterogeneity across space and time and identified potential cold-water refuges for salmonids in a large impounded river in inland
Authors
Francine H. Mejia, Christian E. Torgersen, Eric K Berntsen, Joseph R Maroney, J M Connor, Aimee H. Fullerton, Joseph L. Ebersole, Mark L Lorang
Discovery of a reproducing wild population of the swamp eel Amphipnous cuchia (Hamilton, 1822) in North America Discovery of a reproducing wild population of the swamp eel Amphipnous cuchia (Hamilton, 1822) in North America
We report discovery of an established population of the Asian swamp eel Amphipnous cuchia (Hamilton, 1822) in Bayou St. John, an urban waterway in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. This fish, commonly referred to as cuchia (kuchia), is a member of the family Synbranchidae and is native to southern and southeastern Asia. Recently-used synonyms include Monopterus cuchia and Ophichthys cuchia...
Authors
Frank Jordan, Leo Nico, Krystal Huggins, Peter J. Martinat, Dahlia A. Martinez, Victoria L. Rodrigues