Articles

Site response in sedimentary basins is influenced by complex three-dimensional (3D) features, including trapping of seismic waves, focusing of seismic energy and basin resonance. Current ground motion models (GMMs) incorporate basin effects using one-dimensional parameters like VS30 and shear wave velocity isosurface depths, which are limited in capturing lateral and 3D effects. To...

Models of the spatiotemporal evolution of earthquake slip, termed finite-fault models, are a critical component of rapid earthquake and tsunami response, earthquake forecasting, seismic ground-motion estimates, and studies of earthquake kinematics. Here, we detail a newly released finite-fault modeling software, Wavelet Inversion for SliP (WISP), in use at the U.S. Geological Survey’s...

The American kestrel (Falco sparverius, hereafter referred to as kestrel) has declined across much of its North American range since at least the mid-1960s. Kestrel population dynamics have been explored through a multitude of local studies and two broad reviews of available data. Across large geographic extents, however, the demographic cause(s) of kestrel population declines remain(s)...

Monitoring suspended-sediment concentration (SSC) is essential to better understand how sediment transport could adversely affect water availability for human communities and ecosystems. Aquatic remote sensing methods are increasingly utilized to estimate SSC and turbidity in rivers; however, an evaluation of their quantitative performance is limited. This study evaluates the performance...

Little is understood of lake browning (due to increased dissolved organic carbon; DOC) in large lakes such as the Laurentian Great Lakes. Lake browning can alter whole lake ecosystems, including decreasing exposure to damaging ultraviolet radiation (UV-B) which is strongly and selectively attenuated by DOC more so than photosynthetically active radiation (PAR). We compared the changes in...

The increasing uncertainty with global change often stifles action and results in calls for more data before moving beyond status quo environmental decisions (Mahapatra & Ratha 2017; Ripple et al. 2017; Montefalcone et al. 2025). Advancing science and collecting more data is crucial; however, science alone (i.e., “western” or “positivist” science, as described in Fuller, 2001; Reid et al...

Anthropogenic nitrogen (N) pollution has been emphasized as a cause of eutrophication globally. However, several recent datasets have suggested widespread oligotrophication may be occurring in some ecosystems, which is suggested to be a response to rising atmospheric carbon dioxide (eCO2). Plant δ15N chronologies have served as primary evidence for oligotrophication, however, there has...

Snow avalanches pose considerable hazards to people and infrastructure in alpine environments. Traditional avalanche monitoring relies on meteorological data and visual observations, which can be limited in scope and timeliness. Infrasound offers a promising complementary monitoring tool by detecting the low-frequency sound waves generated by avalanches. Here, we present infrasound and...

Aim Aims of the study are to examine patterns of range-wide genetic differentiation and population structure in a headwater obligate salamander living in a geologically rich region, to identify genetically distinct populations and areas of gene flow between them.Location Oregon and Washington in the Pacific Northwest, United States of America.Time Period Tissue samples were collected in...

Due to a lack of management operations data, hydrological models may represent reservoirs as natural lakes, leading to poor discharge predictions in regulated basins. To parse seasonal operational signatures, we compare the dynamics of natural lake and reservoir systems across North America using Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite observations and derived discharge...

The decimation of reefs from stony coral tissue loss disease prompted the use of a topical amoxicillin treatment to prevent coral mortality. Application of this treatment led to concerns about unintentional impacts such as potential alteration of the coral microbiome and possible spread of antibiotic resistance. We used three different methodologies—microbial RNA sequencing, 16S rRNA...

We sought to assess bridle shiner (Notropis bifrenatus) habitat associations at local and regional scales across southern Maine and New Hampshire. We used local habitat data at 95 Maine sites to predict occupancy with classification and regression trees (CART). We then used ensemble species distribution models (SDMs) to model the historical (1898–2008) and current (2009–2022) ranges of...