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
Infrared heater system for warming tropical forest understory plants and soils Infrared heater system for warming tropical forest understory plants and soils
The response of tropical forests to global warming is one of the largest uncertainties in predicting the future carbon balance of Earth. To determine the likely effects of elevated temperatures on tropical forest understory plants and soils, as well as other ecosystems, an infrared (IR) heater system was developed to provide in situ warming for the Tropical Responses to Altered Climate...
Authors
Bruce A. Kimball, Aura M. Alonso-Rodriguez, Molly A. Cavaleri, Sasha C. Reed, Grizelle Gonzalez, Tana E. Wood
A guide to calculating habitat-quality metrics to inform conservation of highly mobile species A guide to calculating habitat-quality metrics to inform conservation of highly mobile species
Many metrics exist for quantifying the relative value of habitats and pathways used by highly mobile species. Properly selecting and applying such metrics requires substantial background in mathematics and understanding the relevant management arena. To address this multidimensional challenge, we demonstrate and compare three measurements of habitat quality: graph-, occupancy-, and...
Authors
Joanna A. Bieri, Christine Sample, Wayne E. Thogmartin, James E. Diffendorfer, Julia E. Earl, Richard A. Erickson, Paula Federico, D. T. Tyler Flockhart, Sam Nicol, Darius J. Semmens, T. Skraber, Ruscena Wiederholt, Brady J. Mattsson
Snake fungal disease in North America: U.S. Geological Survey updates Snake fungal disease in North America: U.S. Geological Survey updates
Snake fungal disease (SFD) results from a skin infection that has been documented only in snakes. Historically, reports of snakes with skin infections of unknown origin have been sporadic. Recently, the number of reported cases of skin infections in snakes has increased substantially. This emerging infectious disease, confirmed in numerous species of snakes, is caused by the fungus...
Authors
Noelle E. Thompson, Emily W. Lankau, Gail Moede Rogall
International migration patterns of Red-throated Loons (Gavia stellata) from four breeding populations in Alaska International migration patterns of Red-throated Loons (Gavia stellata) from four breeding populations in Alaska
Identifying post-breeding migration and wintering distributions of migratory birds is important for understanding factors that may drive population dynamics. Red-throated Loons (Gavia stellata) are widely distributed across Alaska and currently have varying population trends, including some populations with recent periods of decline. To investigate population differentiation and the...
Authors
Sarah E. McCloskey, Brian D. Uher-Koch, Joel A. Schmutz, Thomas F. Fondell
Managing individual nests promotes population recovery of a top predator Managing individual nests promotes population recovery of a top predator
Threatened species are managed using diverse conservation tactics implemented at multiple scales ranging from protecting individuals, to populations, to entire species. Individual protection strives to promote recovery at the population‐ or species‐level, although this is seldom evaluated.After decades of widespread declines, bald eagles, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, are recovering...
Authors
Jennyffer Cruz, Steve K. Windels, Wayne E. Thogmartin, Shawn M. Crimmins, Leland Grim, Benjamin Zuckerberg
Isotopic evidence that nitrogen enrichment intensifies nitrogen losses to the atmosphere from subtropical mangroves Isotopic evidence that nitrogen enrichment intensifies nitrogen losses to the atmosphere from subtropical mangroves
Nitrogen (N) enrichment can have large effects on mangroves’ capacity to provide critical ecosystem services by affecting fundamental functions such as N cycling and primary productivity. However, our understanding of excess N input effects on N cycling in mangroves remains quite limited. To advance our understanding of how N enrichment via water or air pollution affects mangroves, we...
Authors
Carla Roberta Goncalves Reis, Sasha C. Reed, Rafael Silva Oliveira, Gabriela Bielefeld Nardoto
Use of real-time dust monitoring and surface condition to evaluate success of unpaved road treatments Use of real-time dust monitoring and surface condition to evaluate success of unpaved road treatments
Fugitive dust from unpaved roads creates human health hazards, degrades road surfaces, and increases the cost of road maintenance. As a result, many different chemical treatments are applied to unpaved roads in an attempt to control dust and stabilize the wearing course. However, investigations of the effectiveness of these treatments have often been poorly planned or executed. The...
Authors
Bethany K. Kunz, Nicholas S. Green, Janice L. Albers, Mark L. Wildhaber, Edward E. Little
Effects of environmental conditions on reproductive effort and nest success of Arctic‐breeding shorebirds Effects of environmental conditions on reproductive effort and nest success of Arctic‐breeding shorebirds
The Arctic is experiencing rapidly warming conditions, increasing predator abundance, and diminishing population cycles of keystone species such as lemmings. However, it is still not known how many Arctic animals will respond to a changing climate with altered trophic interactions. We studied clutch size, incubation duration and nest survival of 17 taxa of Arctic‐breeding shorebirds at...
Authors
Emily L. Weiser, Stephen C. Brown, Richard B. Lanctot, H. River Gates, Kenneth F. Abraham, Rebecca L. Bentzen, Joel Bety, Megan L. Boldenow, Rodney W. Brook, Tyrone F. Donnelly, Willow B. English, Scott A. Flemming, Samantha E. Franks, H. Grant Gilchrist, Marie-Andree Giroux, Andrew C. Johnson, Steve Kendall, Lisa V. Kennedy, Laura Koloski, Eunbi Kwon, Jean-Francois Lamarre, David B. Lank, Christopher J. Latty, Nicolas Lecomte, Joseph R. Liebezeit, Laura McKinnon, Erica Nol, Johanna Perz, Jennie Rausch, Martin D. Robards, Sarah T. Saalfeld, Nathan R. Senner, Paul A. Smith, Mikhail Soloviev, Diana V. Solovyeva, David H. Ward, Paul F. Wood, Brett K. Sandercock
Barataria and Terrebonne Bays: Chapter F in Emergent wetlands status and trends in the northern Gulf of Mexico: 1950-2010 Barataria and Terrebonne Bays: Chapter F in Emergent wetlands status and trends in the northern Gulf of Mexico: 1950-2010
The study area included in the Barataria and Terrebonne Bays vignette of southeastern Louisiana spans eastward from Terrebonne Bay to Barataria Bay (Figure 1) and includes portions of Terrebonne, Lafourche, St. Charles, Jefferson, Orleans, Plaquemines, and St. Bernard Parishes. This area falls between the Mississippi River on the east and northeast, extends down through the western shore...
Authors
Lawrence Handley, Kathryn A. Spear, Mirka Zapletal, Cindy A. Thatcher, William R. Jones, Scott A. Wilson
Preface: The wetland book, I: Structure and function, management, and methods Preface: The wetland book, I: Structure and function, management, and methods
The Wetland Book is a hard copy and online production that provides an unparalleled collation of information on wetlands. It is global in scope and contains 462 chapters prepared by leading wetland researchers and managers. The wide disciplinary and geographic scope is a unique feature and differentiates The Wetland Book from the existing wetland literature. The editors have compiled The...
Authors
C. Max Finlayson, Mark Everard, Kenneth Irvine, Robert J. McInnes, Beth A. Middleton, Anne A. Van Dam, Nick C. Davidson
Yellowstone grizzly bear investigations — Annual report of the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team 2017 Yellowstone grizzly bear investigations — Annual report of the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team 2017
This Annual Report summarizes results of grizzly bear (Ursus arctos) monitoring and research conducted in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) by the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team (IGBST) during 2017. This report also contains a summary of grizzly bear management actions to address conflict situations. Annual reports of the IGBST summarize annual data collection. Because...
Data quality from a community-based, water-quality monitoring project in the Yukon River basin Data quality from a community-based, water-quality monitoring project in the Yukon River basin
This paper examines the quality of data collected by the Indigenous Observation Network, a community-based water-quality project in the Yukon River Basin of Alaska and Canada. The Indigenous Observation Network relies on community technicians to collect surface-water samples from as many as fifty locations to achieve their goals of monitoring the quality of the Yukon River and major...
Authors
Nicole M. Herman-Mercer, Ronald C. Antweiler, Nicole J. Wilson, Edda A. Mutter, Ryan C. Toohey, Paul F. Schuster