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Publications

Browse more than 160,000 publications authored by our scientists over the past 100+ year history of the USGS.  Publications available are: USGS-authored journal articles, series reports, book chapters, other government publications, and more.

Filter Total Items: 175006

Evaluating hydrologic model performance for characterizing streamflow drought in the conterminous United States Evaluating hydrologic model performance for characterizing streamflow drought in the conterminous United States

Hydrologic models are the primary tools that are used to simulate streamflow drought and assess impacts. However, there is little consensus about how to evaluate the performance of these models, especially as hydrologic modeling moves toward larger spatial domains. This paper presents a comprehensive multi-objective approach to systematically evaluating the critical features in...
Authors
Caelan Simeone, Sydney Foks, Erin Towler, Timothy O. Hodson, Thomas M. Over

Transfer learning with convolutional neural networks for hydrological streamline delineation Transfer learning with convolutional neural networks for hydrological streamline delineation

Hydrological streamline delineation is critical for effective environmental management, influencing agriculture sustainability, river dynamics, watershed planning, and more. This study develops a novel approach to combining transfer learning with convolutional neural networks that capitalize on image-based pre-trained models to improve the accuracy and transferability of streamline...
Authors
Nattapon Jaroenchai, Shaowen Wang, Larry Stanislawski, Ethan J. Shavers, Zhe Jiang, Vasit Sagan, E. Lynn Usery

The potential for species distribution models to distinguish source populations from sinks The potential for species distribution models to distinguish source populations from sinks

1. While species distribution models (SDM) are frequently used to predict species occurrences to help inform conservation management, there is limited evidence evaluating whether habitat suitability can reliably predict intrinsic growth rates or distinguish source from sink populations. Filling this knowledge gap is critical for conservation science, as applications of SDMs for...
Authors
Bilgecan Sen, Christian Joseph Che-Castaldo, H. Resit Akcakaya

No evidence hunting bait increases American black bear population growth in Maine, USA No evidence hunting bait increases American black bear population growth in Maine, USA

American black bear (Ursus americanus) populations are increasing throughout much of North America. Use of multiple harvest methods, including hunting over bait, is intended to increase harvest success rates to meet harvest and population management objectives. However, black bear population growth can be influenced by food availability, and some speculate the use of bait may...
Authors
Dana J. Morin, Jennifer H. Vashon, Matthew O’Neal, Nathan J. Hostetter, Elizabeth A. Flaherty

Leveraging extensive soil, vegetation, fire, and land treatment data to inform restoration across the sagebrush biome Leveraging extensive soil, vegetation, fire, and land treatment data to inform restoration across the sagebrush biome

Context Widespread ecological degradation has prompted calls for massive global investments in ecological restoration, yet limited resources necessitate efficient application of restoration efforts. In western North America, altered fire regimes are increasing the scale of restoration needed to preserve the sagebrush (Artemisia species) biome but prioritizing and implementing effective...
Authors
Bryan C. Tarbox, Adrian P. Monroe, Michelle I. Jeffries, Justin L. Welty, Michael S. O’Donnell, Robert Arkle, David S. Pilliod, Peter S. Coates, Julie A. Heinrichs, Daniel Manier, Cameron L. Aldridge

What do we know without the catalog? Eliciting prior beliefs from experts for aftershock models What do we know without the catalog? Eliciting prior beliefs from experts for aftershock models

Fitting parametric seismological models to earthquake catalogs often comes with numerical challenges, especially when catalogs are small. An alternative way to quantify parameter values for a seismic region is by eliciting expert opinions on the seismological characteristics that each parameter corresponds to. For instance, expert beliefs on aftershock patterns can be formulated into...
Authors
Max Schneider, Peter Guttorp

Produced water geochemistry from hydraulically stimulated Niobrara Formation petroleum wells: Origin of salinity and temporal perspectives on treatment and reuse Produced water geochemistry from hydraulically stimulated Niobrara Formation petroleum wells: Origin of salinity and temporal perspectives on treatment and reuse

Produced water (i.e., a mixture of returned injection fluids and geologic formation brines) represents the largest volumetric waste stream associated with petroleum production in the United States. As such, produced water has been the focus of intense study with emphasis on understanding the geologic origin of the fluids, environmental impacts of unintended or intentional release...
Authors
Aaron M. Jubb, Jenna L. Shelton, Bonnie McDevitt, Kaela K. Amundson, Amanda Sha Herzberg, Jessica Chenault, Andrew Laurence Masterson, Matthew S. Varonka, Glenn D. Jolly, Christina A. DeVera, Elliott P. Barnhart, Michael J. Wilkins, Madalyn S. Blondes

New occurrences of the rare, REE minerals daqingshanite, törnebohmite, biraite, sahamalite, and ferriperbøeite from the Sheep Creek area, Montana, USA New occurrences of the rare, REE minerals daqingshanite, törnebohmite, biraite, sahamalite, and ferriperbøeite from the Sheep Creek area, Montana, USA

Over 30 small, discontinuous, tabular carbonatite bodies are located in the Sheep Creek area, Ravalli County, southwest Montana. The age and origin of these REE-Nb-rich deposits are currently being investigated. The purpose of this paper is to document the occurrence of several rare minerals, including daqingshanite, törnebohmite, biraite, sahamalite, and ferriperbøeite, in two of the...
Authors
Christopher H. Gammons, Sarah Risedorf, Gary Wyss, Heather A. Lowers

Testing spatial out-of-sample area of influence for grain forecasting models Testing spatial out-of-sample area of influence for grain forecasting models

We examine the factors that determine if a grain forecasting model fit to one region can be transferred to another region. Prior research has proposed examining the area of applicability (AoA) of a model based on structurally similar characteristics in the Earth Observation predictors and weights based on the model derived feature importance. We expand on and evaluate this approach in...
Authors
Frank Davenport, Donghoon Lee, Shraddhanand Shukla, Greg Husak, W. Chris Funk, Michael Budde, James Rowland

Glucocorticoid and glycemic responses to immune challenge in a viviparous snake afflicted with an emerging mycosis Glucocorticoid and glycemic responses to immune challenge in a viviparous snake afflicted with an emerging mycosis

Disease may be both a cause and consequence of stress, and physiological responses to infectious disease may involve stress coping mechanisms that have important fitness consequences. For example, glucocorticoid and glycemic responses may affect host fitness by altering resource allocation and use in hosts, and these responses may be affected by competing stressors. To better understand...
Authors
Craig M. Lind, Joseph Agugliaro, Jason Ortega, Jenna N. Palmisano, Jeffrey M. Lorch, Tran Truong, Terence M. Farrell

Distributed volcanism—Characteristics, processes, and hazards Distributed volcanism—Characteristics, processes, and hazards

Introduction Distributed volcanism is defined by regions of dominantly, but not exclusively, monogenetic eruptive vents that are commonly mafic. Volcanic eruptions within distributed fields can range in composition from basalt to rhyolite and produce all types of volcanoes in all tectonic environments. This diversity in eruption composition and style reflects complex and varied magma...

Temporal, spatial, and chemical evolution of Quaternary high-silica rhyolites in the Mineral Mountains, Utah Temporal, spatial, and chemical evolution of Quaternary high-silica rhyolites in the Mineral Mountains, Utah

The Mineral Mountains in southwestern Utah are a structurally controlled core complex at the confluence of the Colorado Plateau and the Basin and Range physiographic provinces. Aside from hosting Utah’s largest batholith, the Mineral Mountains host some of the State’s youngest high-silica rhyolites, which have been linked to a magma source that is presently being utilized as an enhanced...
Authors
Tiffany A. Rivera, Brian R. Jicha, Stefan Kirby, Hannah B. Peacock
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