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: 42773
Hurricane Sandy impacts on coastal wetland resilience Hurricane Sandy impacts on coastal wetland resilience
The goal of this research was to evaluate the impacts of Hurricane Sandy on surface elevation trends in estuarine marshes located across the northeast region of the United States from Virginia to Maine using data from an opportunistic (in other words, not strategic) and collaborative network (from here on, an opportunistic network) of surface elevation table-marker horizon (SET-MH)...
Authors
Donald R. Cahoon, Jennifer H. Olker, Alice G. Yeates, Glenn R. Guntenspergen, James B. Grace, Susan C. Adamowicz, Shimon C. Anisfeld, Andrew H. Baldwin, Nels Barrett, Leah Beckett, Alice Benzecry, Linda K. Blum, David M. Burdick, William Crouch, Marci Cole Ekberg, Sarah Fernald, Kristin Wilson Grimes, Joseph Grzyb, Ellen Kracauer Hartig, Danielle A. Kreeger, Marit Larson, Scott Lerberg, James C. Lynch, Nicole Maher, Martha Maxwell-Doyle, Laura R. Mitchell, Jordan Mora, Victoria O’Neill, Angela Padeletti, Diann J. Prosser, Tracy Quirk, Kenneth B. Raposa, William G. Reay, Drexel Siok, Christopher Snow, Adam Starke, J. Court Stevenson, Lorie Staver, Vincent Turner
Implementation of an occupancy-based monitoring protocol for a wide-spread and cryptic species, the New England cottontail Sylvilagus transitionalis Implementation of an occupancy-based monitoring protocol for a wide-spread and cryptic species, the New England cottontail Sylvilagus transitionalis
Designing effective long-term monitoring strategies is essential for managing wildlife populations. Implementing a cost-effective, practical monitoring program is especially challenging for widespread but locally rare species. Early successional habitat preferred by the New England cottontail (NEC) has become increasingly rare and fragmented, resulting in substantial declines from their...
Authors
Colin P. Shea, Mitchell J. Eaton, Darryl I. MacKenzie
Annual survival, site fidelity, and longevity in the eastern coastal population of the Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris) based on a 20-year mark-recapture/resighting study Annual survival, site fidelity, and longevity in the eastern coastal population of the Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris) based on a 20-year mark-recapture/resighting study
A long-term study of annual survival, longevity, and site fidelity in the eastern coastal population of the Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris) during the breeding season was conducted from 1999 through 2018 in the outer coastal plain of the southeastern Atlantic coast of the United States. Painted Buntings were uniquely color-banded from 1999 through 2003 at 40 study sites that were...
Authors
Paul W. Sykes, Mary Freeman, Joan J. Sykes, John T. Seginak, M. David Oleyar, Joshua P. Egan
Optimizing historical preservation under climate change—An overview of the optimal preservation model and pilot testing at Cape Lookout National Seashore Optimizing historical preservation under climate change—An overview of the optimal preservation model and pilot testing at Cape Lookout National Seashore
Adapting cultural resources to climate-change effects challenges traditional cultural resource decision making because some adaptation strategies can negatively affect the integrity of cultural resources. Yet, the inevitability of climate-change effects—even given the uncertain timing of those effects—necessitates that managers begin prioritizing resources for climate-change adaptation
Authors
Erin Seekamp, Max Post van der Burg, Sandra Fatoric, Mitchell J. Eaton, Xiao Xiao, Allie McCreary
Revisiting the avian Eco-SSL for lead: Recommendations for revision Revisiting the avian Eco-SSL for lead: Recommendations for revision
The avian ecological soil screening level (Eco-SSL) for lead (11 mg/kg) is within soil background concentrations for >90% of the US. Consequently, its utility as a soil screening level is limited. Site-specific ecological risk-based remedial goals for lead are frequently many times greater. Toxicity reference values (TRVs) play a major role in defining Eco-SSLs. The lead Eco-SSL TRV is...
Authors
Bradley Sample, W. Nelson Beyer, Randall Wentsel
Regional protocol framework for the inventory and monitoring of breeding Atlantic Coast Piping Plovers Regional protocol framework for the inventory and monitoring of breeding Atlantic Coast Piping Plovers
This regional protocol provides a framework for quantifying the number of breeding pairs and productivity of Atlantic Coast piping plover (Charadrius melodus) populations during the breeding season. A primary purpose of this protocol is to standardize piping plover monitoring during the breeding season. The survey techniques described herein involve repeated visual counts of adults...
Authors
Erin King, Rachel A. Katz, Kate E. Iaquinto, Kevin J. Suir, M.J. Baldwin, A. Hecht
Sampling designs for landscape-level eDNA monitoring programs using three-level occurrence models Sampling designs for landscape-level eDNA monitoring programs using three-level occurrence models
Resource managers conduct landscape-level monitoring using environmental DNA (eDNA). These managers must contend with imperfect detection in samples and sub-samples (i.e., molecular analyses). This imperfect detection impacts their ability to both detect species and estimate occurrence. Although occurrence (synonymously occupancy) models can estimate these probabilities, most models and...
Authors
Richard A. Erickson, Christopher M. Merkes, Erica L. Mize
Future directions to escalate benefits of stepping-stone approach for conservation translocations Future directions to escalate benefits of stepping-stone approach for conservation translocations
Through a reintroduction case study on the critically endangered Vancouver Island marmot (Marmota vancouverensis), we introduced a ‘stepping-stone’ approach which utilizes the transition of released individuals among populations to maximize demographic growth potential (Lloyd et al. 2019). We greatly appreciate and hereby reflect on the thoughtful commentaries by Chauvenet (2019)...
Authors
N.A. Lloyd, N.J. Hostetter, C.L. Jackson, Sarah J. Converse, A. Moehrenschlager
Skin and fin diseases Skin and fin diseases
Fish are critically important to the welfare of this planet and its occupants, the health of both wild and captive fish populations paramount to our survival. This book presents the gross pathology of the most commonly encountered diseases and syndromes of fish in an organ system-based approach. It provides an overview of the diseases and disorders of tropical, ornamental, bait and food...
Authors
Pedro Smith, Diane Elliott, David W Bruno, Stephen A Smith
Bisphenol A and 17 alpha-ethinylestradiol-induced transgenerational differences in expression of osmoregulatory genes in the gill of medaka (Oryzias latipes) Bisphenol A and 17 alpha-ethinylestradiol-induced transgenerational differences in expression of osmoregulatory genes in the gill of medaka (Oryzias latipes)
Embryonic bisphenol A (BPA) and 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) exposure can have far reaching health effects in fish, including adult onset transgenerational reproductive abnormalities, anxiety, and cardiac disorders. It is unknown whether these two environmental estrogens can induce transgenerational abnormalities in the gill. The present study examined transgenerational effects of BPA or...
Authors
Xuegeng Wang, Diamond Hill, Donald E. Tillitt, Ramji K. Bhandari
Coelomic disorders of fishes Coelomic disorders of fishes
Dropsy is a commonly applied term for coelomic distention due to ascites, or the effusion and collection of fluid freely throughout the coelomic cavity. Dropsy, or ascites, is generally a sign of another ongoing disease process, oftentimes one that is multisystemic and impacting coelomic organs and tissues. Dropsy may be caused by a variety of potential etiological agents, both...
Authors
Christine L. Densmore
Changes in genetic diversity and differentiation in Red‐cockaded woodpeckers (Dryobates borealis) over the past century Changes in genetic diversity and differentiation in Red‐cockaded woodpeckers (Dryobates borealis) over the past century
Red‐cockaded woodpeckers (RCW; Dryobates borealis) declined after human activities reduced their fire‐maintained pine ecosystem to
Authors
Mark P. Miller, Julia T. Vilstrup, Thomas D. Mullins, Will McDearmon, Jeffrey R. Walters, Susan M. Haig