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: 42905
Selective occupancy of a persistent yet variable coastal river plume by two seabird species Selective occupancy of a persistent yet variable coastal river plume by two seabird species
Advances in telemetry and modeling of physical processes expand opportunities to assess relationships between marine predators and their dynamic habitat. The Columbia River plume (CRP) attracts sooty shearwaters Ardenna grisea and common murres Uria aalge, but how seabirds respond to variability in plume waters is unknown. We characterized seabird distributions in relation to hourly...
Authors
Elizabeth M. Phillips, John K. Horne, Josh Adams, Jeannette E. Zamon
Nestling development and aging of Arizona Grasshopper Sparrow Nestling development and aging of Arizona Grasshopper Sparrow
We studied breeding Arizona Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum ammolegus) status and distribution, natural and life history, habitat use, and nest survival from 2004 through 2014 in southeastern Arizona. In this paper we present descriptions and photographs of known-age nestlings that will assist field biologists to identify Arizona Grasshopper Sparrow nestlings to species, more...
Authors
Janet M. Ruth, Jason Kitting
Reproductive response of Arizona Grasshopper Sparrows to weather patterns and habitat structure Reproductive response of Arizona Grasshopper Sparrows to weather patterns and habitat structure
Avian species endemic to desert grasslands of North America contend with significant ecological challenges, including monsoonal rains, droughts, and variable temperatures. These birds have evolved physiological and behavioral means of coping with such extremes, but ongoing changes to temperature and precipitation patterns are affecting their breeding phenology, reproductive success, and...
Authors
Janet M. Ruth, Susan K. Skagen
Salinity tolerance among three freshwater mussels (Bivalvia: Unionidae) from Gulf Coastal Plain drainages Salinity tolerance among three freshwater mussels (Bivalvia: Unionidae) from Gulf Coastal Plain drainages
An important physiological constraint influencing distributions of coastal freshwater organisms is their tolerance for saline conditions. We experimentally evaluated salinity tolerance for three freshwater mussel species (Utterbackia imbecillis, Elliptio jayensis, and Glebula rotundata). Mussels were transferred abruptly from well water to one of five treatments (0 [control], 6, 12, 18...
Authors
Nathan A. Johnson, Pamela J. Schofield, James D. Williams, James D. Austin
Examination of multiple working hypotheses to address reproductive failure in reintroduced Whooping Cranes Examination of multiple working hypotheses to address reproductive failure in reintroduced Whooping Cranes
Understanding multiple challenges that restrict conservation success is a central task of applied ecology, especially when resources are limited and actions are expensive, such as with reintroduction programs. Simultaneous consideration of multiple hypotheses can expedite identification of factors that most limit conservation success. Since 2001, reintroduction of a migratory population...
Authors
Jeb A. Barzen, Sarah J. Converse, Peter H. Adler, Anne E Lacy, Elmer Gray, Andrew Gossens
Broad‐scale occurrence of a subsidized avian predator: reducing impacts of ravens on sage‐grouse and other sensitive prey Broad‐scale occurrence of a subsidized avian predator: reducing impacts of ravens on sage‐grouse and other sensitive prey
Expanding human enterprise across remote environments impacts numerous wildlife species. Anthropogenic resources provide subsidies for generalist predators that can lead to cascading effects on prey species at lower trophic levels. A fundamental challenge for applied ecologists is to disentangle natural and anthropogenic influences on species occurrence, and subsequently develop...
Authors
Shawn T. O’Neil, Peter S. Coates, Brianne E. Brussee, Pat J. Jackson, Kristy B. Howe, Ann M. Moser, Lee J. Foster, David J. Delehanty
Seasonal streamflow extremes are key drivers of Brook Trout young‐of‐the‐year abundance Seasonal streamflow extremes are key drivers of Brook Trout young‐of‐the‐year abundance
To manage ecosystems in the context of climate change, we need to understand the relationship between extreme events and population dynamics. Floods and droughts are projected to occur more frequently, but how aquatic species will respond to these extreme events remains uncertain. Based on counts of Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) collected over 28 yr at 115 sites in Shenandoah...
Authors
Annalise G. Blum, Yoichiro Kanno, Benjamin H. Letcher
A new tool for studying waterfowl immune and metabolic responses: Molecular level analysis using kinome profiling A new tool for studying waterfowl immune and metabolic responses: Molecular level analysis using kinome profiling
Here, we describe the design of an Anas‐specific kinome peptide array that can be used to study the immunometabolic responses of mallard and American black duck to pathogens, contaminants, and environmental stress. The peptide arrays contain 2,642 unique phosphorylate‐able peptide sequences representing 1,900 proteins. These proteins cover a wide array of metabolic and immunological...
Authors
Giovanni Pagano, Casey Johnson, Caldwell Hahn, Ryan J. Arsenault
Next‐generation conservation genetics and biodiversity monitoring Next‐generation conservation genetics and biodiversity monitoring
This special issue of Evolutionary Applications consists of 10 publications investigating the use of next‐generation tools and techniques in population genetic analyses and biodiversity assessment. The special issue stems from a 2016 Next Generation Genetic Monitoring Workshop, hosted by the National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis (NIMBioS) in Tennessee, USA. The...
Authors
Margaret E. Hunter, Sean M. Hoban, Michael W. Bruford, Gernot Segelbacher, Louis Bernatchez
Nymphoides humboldtiana (Menyanthaceae) in Florida (U.S.A.) verified by DNA data Nymphoides humboldtiana (Menyanthaceae) in Florida (U.S.A.) verified by DNA data
Certain Nymphoides populations in Florida, U.S.A., previously identified as the non-native N. indica (L.) Kuntze, are actually N. humboldtiana (Kunth) Kuntze, as verified using nuclear and plastid DNA data. These new records of N. humboldtiana in Florida are the only known localities in the U.S.A. outside of Uvalde County, Texas. Nymphoides humboldtiana is native to Texas, México, the...
Authors
Beth A. Middleton, Evelyn R. Anemaet, Tracy Elsey Quirk, Nicholas P. Tippery
Density estimation of sound-producing terrestrial animals using single automatic acoustic recorders and distance sampling Density estimation of sound-producing terrestrial animals using single automatic acoustic recorders and distance sampling
Obtaining accurate information on the distribution, density, and abundance of animals is an important first step toward their conservation. Methodological approaches using automatic acoustic recorders for species that communicate acoustically are gaining increased interest because of their advantages over traditional sampling methods. In this study, we created and evaluated a protocol to...
Authors
Esther Sebastian-Gonzalez, Richard J. Camp, Ann M. Tanimoto, Priscilla Monteiro de Oliveira, Bruna Barreto Lima, Tiago A. Marques, Patrick J. Hart
The influence of spatiotemporally decoupled land use on honey bee colony health and pollination service delivery The influence of spatiotemporally decoupled land use on honey bee colony health and pollination service delivery
Societal dependence on insects for pollination of agricultural crops has risen amidst concerns over pollinator declines. Habitat loss and lack of forage have been implicated in the decline of both managed and native pollinators. Land use changes in the Northern Great Plains of the US, a region supporting over 1 million honey bee colonies annually, have shifted away from historical...
Authors
Matthew Smart, Clint Otto, Benjamin Carlson, Cali L. Roth