Reports
Science Quality and Integrity
The USGS provides unbiased, objective, and impartial scientific information upon which our audiences, including resource managers, planners, and other entities, rely.
The USGS provides unbiased, objective, and impartial scientific information upon which our audiences, including resource managers, planners, and other entities, rely.
Browse more than 82,000 reports authored by our scientists over the past 100+ year history of the USGS and refine search by topic, location, year, and advanced search.
Filter Total Items: 84723
Elk monitoring in Mount Rainier and Olympic National Parks: 2008-2017 synthesis report Elk monitoring in Mount Rainier and Olympic National Parks: 2008-2017 synthesis report
In 2008, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) began collaborating with the National Park Service (NPS)-North Coast and Cascades Network (NCCN), the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe (MIT), Puyallup Tribe of Indians (PTOI), and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) to develop a standard survey protocol for monitoring long-term changes in the abundance, distribution, and population...
Authors
Kurt Jenkins, B. C. Lubow, P. J. Happe, K. Braun, J. Boetsch, W. Baccus, T. Chestnut, D. J. Vales, B. J. Moeller, M. Tirhi, E. Holman, P. C. Griffin
Wetlands Wetlands
During the last decades, soil organic carbon (SOC) attracted the attention of a much wider array of specialists beyond agriculture and soil science, as it was proven to be one of the most crucial components of the earth’s climate system, which has a great potential to be managed by humans. Soils as a carbon pool are one of the key factors in several Sustainable Development Goals, in...
Authors
Brian Tangen, Sheel Bansal
National Park Service Vegetation Mapping Inventory Program: Great Smoky Mountains National Park vegetation mapping project National Park Service Vegetation Mapping Inventory Program: Great Smoky Mountains National Park vegetation mapping project
The National Park Service (NPS) Vegetation Mapping Inventory (VMI) Program is an effort to classify, describe, and map existing vegetation communities in national park units throughout the United States. The NPS VMI Program is managed by the NPS Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Inventory and Monitoring Program and provides baseline vegetation information to natural resource...
Authors
Kevin D. Hop, Andrew C. Strassman, Stephanie Sattler, Rickie White, Milo Pyne, Tom Govus, Jennifer Dieck
Alaska Landbird Conservation Plan Alaska Landbird Conservation Plan
Alaska is a land of extremes. The diversity of its avifauna reflects the heterogeneity of its landscape, with more than 500 species of birds recorded in the state. Species inhabiting primarily terrestrial habitats, known collectively as landbirds, constitute the largest and most ecologically diverse component of the Alaska avifauna. Habitats used by landbirds range from temperate...
Authors
Travis L. Booms, Melissa N. Cady, Cheryl A. Carrothers, Lucas H. DeCicco, Maureen L. de Zeeuw, Melanie J. Flamme, Julie Hagelin, Colleen M. Handel, James A. Johnson, Matthew D. Kirchoff, Michelle L. Kissling, Stephen B. Lewis, Steven M. Matsuoka, Debora A. Nigro, Deborah E. Perkins, Heather M. Renner, Susan E. Savage, Kristine M. Sowl, Susan M. Sharbaugh, Iain J Stenhouse, Caroline R. Van Hemert
Knowledge synthesis of Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow science Knowledge synthesis of Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow science
This report represents a literature review of science conducted on the Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow (Ammospiza maritima mirabilis, hereafter “CSSS” or “spar-row”). This information can be used as a foundation for the upcoming Species Status Assessment and for updating the CSSS Recovery Plan. This report focuses on areas of interest relative to CSSS management such as habitat, hydrology...
Authors
Allison Benscoter, Saira M. Haider, Kelly G. Guilbeau, Stephanie Romanach
Climate change scenario planning for resource stewardship at Wind Cave National Park Climate change scenario planning for resource stewardship at Wind Cave National Park
This report explains scenario planning as a climate change adaptation tool in general, then describes how it was applied to Wind Cave National Park as the second part of a pilot project to dovetail climate change scenario planning with National Park Service (NPS) Resource Stewardship Strategy development. In the orientation phase, Park and regional NPS staff, other subject-matter experts...
Authors
Amber N. Runyon, Gregor W. Schuurman, Brian W. Miller, Amy Symstad, Amanda Hardy
Bottom trawl assessment of benthic preyfish community in Lake Ontario Bottom trawl assessment of benthic preyfish community in Lake Ontario
Since 1978, the Lake Ontario benthic preyfish survey has provided information on the status and trends of the benthic preyfish community related to Lake Ontario Fish Community Objectives that include understanding preyfish population dynamics and community diversity. Beginning in 2015, the benthic preyfish survey expanded from US-only to incorporate lake-wide sampling sites which...
Authors
Brian O’Malley, Jessica Goretzke, Jeremy P. Holden
Borehole sampling of surficial sediments in Northern Virginia and Southern Maryland Borehole sampling of surficial sediments in Northern Virginia and Southern Maryland
From 2014 to 2017, the U.S. Geological Survey’s Florence Bascom Geoscience Center (FBGC) entered into an inter-agency agreement with the Federal Highway Administration’s Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center (TFHRC) to assist in field site selection and auger drilling fieldwork. The TFHRC was developing a device to measure the erosional properties of clay-rich sediments to be used for...
Authors
Peter G. Chirico, Jessica D. DeWitt, Sarah E. Bergstresser
Literature review for candidate chemical control agents for nonnative crayfish Literature review for candidate chemical control agents for nonnative crayfish
Nonnative crayfish are an immediate and pervasive threat to aquatic environments and their biodiversity. Crayfish control can be achieved by physical methods, water chemistry modification, biological methods, biocidal application, and application of crayfish physiology modifiers. The purpose of this report is to identify suitable candidates for potential control of nonnative crayfish...
Authors
Justin R. Schueller, Justin R. Smerud, Kim T. Fredricks, Joel G. Putnam
Geologic and geophysical maps of the Newfoundland Mountains and part of the adjacent Wells 30' x 60' quadrangles, Box Elder County, Utah Geologic and geophysical maps of the Newfoundland Mountains and part of the adjacent Wells 30' x 60' quadrangles, Box Elder County, Utah
The Newfoundland Mountains map area (Newfoundland Mountains and adjacent part of Wells 30' x 60' quadrangles) is located in Box Elder County, northwestern Utah. The map encompasses broad expanses of the Great Salt Lake Desert as well as several picturesque mountain ranges (figures 1, 2, and 3). The geology of the area was last mapped and summarized by Doelling (1980). Since that landmark...
Authors
David M. Miller, Tracey J. Felger, Victoria E. Langenheim
Toward improved decision-support tools for Delta Smelt management actions Toward improved decision-support tools for Delta Smelt management actions
The Collaborative Science and Adaptive Management Program (CSAMP) has endorsed a goal of reversing the recent downward trajectory of the Delta Smelt population within 5-10 generations, with the long-term aim of establishing a self-sustaining population. An ambitious agenda of management actions is planned, and more management actions are being considered. This White Paper furthers one of...
Authors
Denise Reed, Shawn Acuna, Eli Ateljevich, Larry R. Brown, Ben Geske, Edward Gross, Jim Hobbs, Wim J. Kimmerer, Lisa Lucas, Matthew Nobriga, Kenneth A Rose
Appendix E. Water quality and hydrology of Green Lake, Wisconsin, and the response in its near-surface water-quality and metalimnetic dissolved oxygen minima to changes in phosphorus loading Appendix E. Water quality and hydrology of Green Lake, Wisconsin, and the response in its near-surface water-quality and metalimnetic dissolved oxygen minima to changes in phosphorus loading
Green Lake is the deepest natural inland lake in Wisconsin, USA, with a maximum depth of about 72 meters (m). In the early 1900’s, the lake was believed to have very good water quality (low nutrient concentrations and good water clarity), with low dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations only in the deepest part of the lake. Because of increased phosphorus (P) inputs from anthropogenic...
Authors
Dale M. Robertson, Benjamin J. Siebers, Robert Ladwig, David P. Hamilton, Paul Reneau, Cory P. McDonald, Stephanie Prellwitz, Richard C Lathrop