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: 42884
In situ evaluation of benthic suffocation methods for suppression of invasive Lake Trout embryos in Yellowstone Lake In situ evaluation of benthic suffocation methods for suppression of invasive Lake Trout embryos in Yellowstone Lake
Suppression of invasive Lake Trout Salvelinus namaycush is an important management tool to use in native fish and ecosystem conservation throughout the U.S. Intermountain West. Lake Trout suppression, primarily by gill netting, has been ongoing in Yellowstone Lake, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, since 1995. Additional methods that cause mortality of Lake Trout embryos could be used
Authors
Nathan A. Thomas, Christopher S. Guy, Todd M. Koel, Alexander V. Zale
Response to “Prepublication communication of research results”: The need for a coordinated wildlife disease surveillance laboratory network Response to “Prepublication communication of research results”: The need for a coordinated wildlife disease surveillance laboratory network
In “Prepublication Communication of Research Results”, Adams et al. (2018) outline the importance of timeliness in providing scientific results with consequential implications for wildlife management to responsible government agencies. The authors discuss various impediments to sharing of scientific results and provide well-reasoned arguments why scientists should not fear that sharing...
Authors
Jonathan M. Sleeman, David S. Blehert, Katherine L. D. Richgels, C. LeAnn White
Demographic responses of least terns and piping plovers to the 2011 Missouri River flood—A large-scale case study Demographic responses of least terns and piping plovers to the 2011 Missouri River flood—A large-scale case study
A catastrophic flood event on the Missouri River system in 2011 led to substantial changes in abundance and distribution of unvegetated sand habitat. This river system is a major component of the breeding range for interior Least terns (Sternula antillarum; “terns”) and piping plovers (Charadrius melodus; “plovers”), both of which are Federally listed ground-nesting birds that prefer...
Authors
Michael J. Anteau, Mark H. Sherfy, Terry L. Shaffer, Rose J. Swift, Dustin L. Toy, Colin M. Dovichin
Explaining harvests of wild-harvested herbaceous plants: American ginseng as a case study Explaining harvests of wild-harvested herbaceous plants: American ginseng as a case study
Wild-harvested plants face increasing demand globally. As in many fisheries, monitoring the effect of harvesting on the size and trajectory of resource stocks presents many challenges given often limited data from disparate sources. Here we analyze American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L.) harvests from 18 states in the eastern U.S. 1978–2014 to infer temporal patterns and evidence of...
Authors
John Paul Schmidt, Jennifer Cruse-Sanders, James L. Chamberlain, Susana Ferreira, John A. Young
Mercury isotopes reveal an ontogenetic shift in habitat use by walleye in lower Green Bay of Lake Michigan Mercury isotopes reveal an ontogenetic shift in habitat use by walleye in lower Green Bay of Lake Michigan
In general, fish residing in rivers differ from fish residing in lakes in their mercury (Hg) isotope ratios. Specifically, fish residing in lakes typically show enriched values for the isotope ratios of δ202Hg (mass-dependent fractionation of isotope 202Hg) and Δ199Hg (mass-independent fractionation of isotope 199Hg) compared with fish residing in rivers, because photochemical effects...
Authors
Charles P. Madenjian, Sarah E. Janssen, Ryan F. Lepak, Jacob M. Ogorek, Tylor J. Rosera, John F. DeWild, David P. Krabbenhoft, Stewart F. Cogswell, Mark E. Holey
Effects of flood inundation, invasion by Phalaris arundinacea, and nitrogen enrichment on extracellular enzyme activity in an Upper Mississippi River floodplain forest Effects of flood inundation, invasion by Phalaris arundinacea, and nitrogen enrichment on extracellular enzyme activity in an Upper Mississippi River floodplain forest
The community structures and ecosystem functions of floodplains are primarily driven by variation in flood inundation. However, global changes, such as invasive species and nutrient enrichment, may alter the effects of flooding in these systems. We added nitrogen (N) to correspond with twice the annual atmospheric deposition rate of the south-west Wisconsin, USA region within mature...
Authors
Nathan R. De Jager, Whitney Swanson, Daniel L. Hernandez, Julia Reich, Richard A. Erickson, Eric A. Strauss
Ecological consequences of anomalies in atmospheric moisture and snowpack Ecological consequences of anomalies in atmospheric moisture and snowpack
Although increased frequency of extreme‐weather events is one of the most secure predictions associated with contemporary climate change, effects of such events on distribution and abundance of climate‐sensitive species remain poorly understood. Montane ecosystems may be especially sensitive to extreme weather because of complex abiotic and biotic interactions that propagate from climate...
Authors
Aaron N. Johnston, Jason E. Bruggeman, Roger Christophersen, Aidan Beers, Erik A. Beever, Jason I. Ransom
Pathology and case definition of Severe Perkinsea Infections of frogs Pathology and case definition of Severe Perkinsea Infections of frogs
Severe Perkinsea infection (SPI) is an emerging disease of frogs responsible for mass mortalities of tadpoles across the United States. It is caused by protozoa belonging to the phylum Perkinsozoa that form a distinct group referred to as the Pathogenic Perkinsea Clade of frogs. In this work, we provide detailed description of gross and histologic lesions from 178 naturally infected...
Authors
Marcos Isidoro Ayza, Daniel A. Grear, Aurelie Chambouvet
Phenology and species diversity in a Lake Huron ichthyoplankton community: Ecological implications of invasive species dominance Phenology and species diversity in a Lake Huron ichthyoplankton community: Ecological implications of invasive species dominance
Ichthyoplankton communities are dynamic and vary spatiotemporally based on factors such as wind, water currents, and phenology. Nonetheless, ichthyoplankton are an indicator of spawning success in fish populations and examining their community diversity and composition can serve to provide information on ecosystem integrity. Although some ichthyoplankton species may be transient...
Authors
Timothy P. O’Brien, Stacey Ireland, Edward F. Roseman, Andrew S Briggs, William W. Taylor
A vision for documenting and sharing knowledge in conservation A vision for documenting and sharing knowledge in conservation
As editors, we mark the launch of Conservation Science and Practice, a journal of the Society for Conservation Biology (SCB), with the following remarks framing the purpose and aspirations of the journal. Our aim is to share scholarship on and experiences of the practice of conservation. We define conservation practice as the application of conservation principles or theory across...
Authors
Mark W. Schwartz, Dyhia Belhabib, Duan Biggs, Carly N. Cook, James Fitzsimmons, Anthony J. Giordano, Louise Glew, Sara Gottlieb, Gustavo Kattan, Andrew T. Knight, Carolyn J. Lundquist, Antony J. Lynam, Yuta J. Masuda, Tuyeni H. Mwampamba, Ana Nuno, Andrew J. Plumptre, Justina C. Ray, Sheila M. Reddy, Michael C. Runge
U.S. Geological Survey science for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative—2017 annual report U.S. Geological Survey science for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative—2017 annual report
The Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative (WLCI) was established in 2008 to address the scientific and conservation questions associated with land use changes because of energy development and other factors in southwest Wyoming. Over the past decade, partners from U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), State and Federal land management agencies, universities, and the public have collaborated...
Authors
Linda Zeigenfuss, Ellen Aikens, Cameron L. Aldridge, Patrick J. Anderson, Timothy J. Assal, Zachary H. Bowen, Anna D. Chalfoun, Geneva W. Chong, Cheryl A. Eddy-Miller, Stephen S. Germaine, Tabitha A. Graves, Collin G. Homer, Christopher Huber, Aaron N. Johnston, Matthew J. Kauffman, Daniel J. Manier, Ryan R. McShane, Kirk A. Miller, Adrian P. Monroe, Anna Ortega, Annika W. Walters, Teal B. Wyckoff
Heightened immune system function in polar bears using terrestrial habitats Heightened immune system function in polar bears using terrestrial habitats
Climate change is altering the distribution of some wildlife species while warming temperatures are facilitating the northward expansion of pathogens, potentially increasing disease risk. Melting of Arctic sea ice is causing polar bears (Ursus maritimus) of the Southern Beaufort Sea (SBS) to increasingly spend summer on land, where they may encounter novel pathogens. Here, we tested...
Authors
John P. Whiteman, Henry J. Harlow, George M. Durner, Eric V. Regehr, Steven C. Amstrup, Merav Ben-David