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
Which trees die during drought? The key role of insect host-tree selection Which trees die during drought? The key role of insect host-tree selection
1. During drought, the tree subpopulations (such as size or vigor classes) that suffer disproportionate mortality can be conceptually arrayed along a continuum defined by the actions of biotic agents, particularly insects. At one extreme, stress dominates: insects are absent or simply kill the most physiologically stressed trees. At the opposite extreme, host selection dominates...
Authors
Nathan L. Stephenson, Adrian J. Das, Nicholas J. Ampersee, Beverly M Bulaon, Julie L. Yee
Changes in breeding population sizes of double-crested Cormorants Phalacrocorax auritus in the Humboldt Bay area, California, 1924–2017 Changes in breeding population sizes of double-crested Cormorants Phalacrocorax auritus in the Humboldt Bay area, California, 1924–2017
To better understand recent population growth of the Double-crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus along the Pacific coast of North America, we assessed long-term breeding population trends in the Humboldt Bay area, California, using aerial photographic survey data collected since 1989 as well as available prior data. The earliest documentations of breeding (but without nest counts) are...
Authors
Phillip J. Capitolo, Harry R. Carter, Julie L. Yee, Gerard J. McChesney, Michael W Parker, Richard J Young, Richard T. Golightly, W Breck Tyler
Anatomical physiology of fishes Anatomical physiology of fishes
This chapter highlights the major consistencies and differences that are evident in the anatomy and physiology of those fish most likely to be encountered by the veterinarian or biologist working in the realm of aquatic animal health. It describes teleost fish, members of the infraclass Teleostei that includes bony fish with protrusible upper jaws, as these represent the majority of...
Authors
Christine L. Densmore
Disentangling effects of invasive species and habitat while accounting for observer error in a long-term amphibian study Disentangling effects of invasive species and habitat while accounting for observer error in a long-term amphibian study
The invasive American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus) and a variety of non‐native sport fish commonly co‐occur in lowland lentic habitats of the western United States. Both invasive taxa are implicated in declines of native amphibians in this region, but few long‐term studies of communities exist. Further, field studies of invasive–native interactions are complicated by confounding...
Authors
Jennifer Rowe, Adam Duarte, Christopher Pearl, Brome McCreary, Stephanie Galvan, James T. Peterson, Michael J. Adams
Potential sea level rise for the Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana Potential sea level rise for the Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana
Situated in the Mississippi Alluvial Plain of the Gulf Coast Prairie Landscape Conservation Cooperative (GCP LCC), the Chitimacha Tribe is one of four federally recognized tribes in Louisiana. The Tribal seat, trust lands/ reservation, and adjacent Tribal owned lands are located near Charenton, Louisiana, totaling nearly 1,000 acres. The Chitimacha, with a population of approximately 1...
Authors
Kathryn A. Spear, William Jones, Kereen Griffith, Blair E. Tirpak, Kimberly Walden
Restoration affects sexual reproductive capacity in a salt marsh Restoration affects sexual reproductive capacity in a salt marsh
Plant sexual reproduction is an important driver of plant community maintenance, dispersal, and recovery from disturbance. Despite this, sexual reproduction in habitats dominated by clonally spreading perennial species, such as salt marshes, is often ignored. Communities dominated by long-lived perennial species can still depend on sexual reproduction for recolonizing large disturbed...
Authors
Scott F. Jones, Erik S. Yando, Camille Stagg, Courtney T. Hall, Mark W. Hester
Functional variation at an expressed MHC class IIß locus associates with Ranavirus infection intensity in larval anuran populations Functional variation at an expressed MHC class IIß locus associates with Ranavirus infection intensity in larval anuran populations
Infectious diseases are causing catastrophic losses to biodiversity globally. Iridoviruses in the genus Ranavirus are among the leading causes of amphibian disease-related mortality. Polymorphisms in major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes are significantly associated with variation in amphibian susceptibility to pathogens. MHC genes encode diverse cell-surface molecules that can...
Authors
Anna E. Savage, Carly R. Muletz-Wolz, Evan H. Campbell Grant, Robert C. Fleischer, Kevin P. Mulder
Spatial capture–recapture for categorically marked populations with an application to genetic capture–recapture Spatial capture–recapture for categorically marked populations with an application to genetic capture–recapture
Recently introduced unmarked spatial capture–recapture (SCR), spatial mark–resight (SMR), and 2‐flank spatial partial identity models (SPIMs) extend the domain of SCR to populations or observation systems that do not always allow for individual identity to be determined with certainty. For example, some species do not have natural marks that can reliably produce individual identities...
Authors
Ben C. Augustine, J. Andrew Royle, Sean M. Murphy, Richard B. Chandler, John J. Cox, Marcella Kelly
Living with wildfire in Montezuma County, Colorado: 2015 data report Living with wildfire in Montezuma County, Colorado: 2015 data report
Residents in the wildland-urban interface (WUI) can play an important role in reducing wildfire’s negative effects by performing wildfire risk mitigation on their property. This report offers insight into the wildfire risk mitigation activities and related considerations, such as attitudes, experiences, and concern about wildfire, for people with homes in select communities in Montezuma...
Authors
Hannah Brenkert-Smith, James Meldrum, Pamela Wilson, Patricia A. Champ, Christopher M. Barth, Angela Boag
Individual based modelling of fish migration in a 2-D river system: Model description and case study Individual based modelling of fish migration in a 2-D river system: Model description and case study
Context: Diadromous fish populations in the Pacific Northwest face challenges along their migratory routes from declining habitat quality, harvest, and barriers to longitudinal connectivity. These stressors complicate the prioritization of proposed management actions intended to improve conditions for migratory fishes including anadromous salmon and trout. Objectives: We describe a multi...
Authors
Marcia N. Snyder, Nathan H. Schumaker, Joseph E Ebersole, Jason B. Dunham, Randy Comeleo, Matthew Keefer, Peter Leinenbach, Allen Brookes, Ben Cope, Jennifer Wu, John Palmer, Druscilla Keenan
Early career climate communications and networking Early career climate communications and networking
The Department of the Interior and the U.S. Geological Survey have made it a priority to train the next generation of scientists and resource managers. The Climate Adaptation Science Centers (CSC) and consortium institutions are working to contribute to this initiative by supporting and building a network of students across the U.S. interested in the climate sciences and climate...
Authors
Ezra Markowitz, Michelle D. Staudinger
Energetic costs of aquatic locomotion in a subadult polar bear Energetic costs of aquatic locomotion in a subadult polar bear
Most marine mammals rely on swimming as their primary form of locomotion. These animals have evolved specialized morphologies, physiologies, and behaviors that have enabled them to efficiently move through an aquatic environment (Williams 1999). Such adaptations include body streamlining, modified plantar surfaces for propulsion, and abilities to remain submerged for extended durations...
Authors
Anthony M. Pagano, Amy Cutting, Nicole Nicassio-Hiskey, Amy Hash, Terrie M. Williams