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.
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Mission Area Publications
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A hierarchical approach for finding undiscovered populations of an endangered bumble bee A hierarchical approach for finding undiscovered populations of an endangered bumble bee
Understanding the distributions of rare species is necessary to guide monitoring and inform species recovery efforts. The rusty patched bumble bee (RPBB; Bombus affinis, Cresson) is an endangered species with an extant, known distribution centered around urban areas of the Midwestern United States. We tested a novel approach for finding undocumented RPBBs outside of urban centers and...
Authors
Clint R.V. Otto, Alma Christa Schrage, Audrey Claire Lothspeich, Larissa L. Bailey, Tamara Smith, Robert Planman, Judy Cardin, Kristen S. Ellis, Bethany Dennis, Ralph Grundel
A hybrid approach for revealing headwater hydrology A hybrid approach for revealing headwater hydrology
Coordinated work to compile existing data and apply models pairing physical understanding with machine learning could substantially improve streamflow predictions for little-known headwater basins.
Authors
John C. Hammond, Jay R. Christensen, Kristin Jaeger, Roy Sando, Jacob Aaron Zwart
A matter of timing: Sagebrush steppe restoration seeding outcomes altered by species responses to warmer spring temperatures and interannual weather variation A matter of timing: Sagebrush steppe restoration seeding outcomes altered by species responses to warmer spring temperatures and interannual weather variation
Introduction
Authors
Stella M Copeland, Jonathan D Bates, Kirk W Davies, Matthew Germino
A method to implement natural flow regimes for regulated rivers A method to implement natural flow regimes for regulated rivers
Rivers throughout the world have been dammed for flood control, irrigation, hydropower, and water storage for centuries. Dams service the economic and development needs of societies, but degrade the ecology of rivers. To conserve diminishing aquatic species and their habitats, methods are needed to help managers implement flow releases with timescales and patterns that are relevant to...
Authors
Nicholas A Som, Seth W. Naman
A mid-Holocene age for Monte Verde challenges the timeline of human colonization of South America A mid-Holocene age for Monte Verde challenges the timeline of human colonization of South America
Our understanding of the timing of the human colonization of South America has been anchored by the Monte Verde II site in Chile, reported to date to ~14,500 years before the present (B.P.) and regarded as one of the most secure pre-Clovis archeological sites. We report the first independent investigation of Monte Verde in the nearly 50 years since initial excavations. We argue that...
Authors
Todd A. Surovell, César Méndez, Juan Luis García, Christopher Lüthgens, Jay M. Thompson, Claudio Latorre
A multi-species, multi-season evaluation of body condition effects on fish survival in a coolwater stream A multi-species, multi-season evaluation of body condition effects on fish survival in a coolwater stream
Objective Body condition is often used as a surrogate of individual fitness in fisheries ecology and management, but empirical data demonstrating this linkage are few. Here, we investigated whether weight at length (i.e., body condition) explained individual variation in survival.Methods We conducted a mark–recapture survey of three native fishes subseasonally (every 2 months) over 28...
Authors
Bijoya Paul, Kasey Celene Pregler, Seoghyun Kim, Yoichiro Kanno
A new inventory and conservation assessment of United States islands A new inventory and conservation assessment of United States islands
To support conservation-focused research and management we developed a new 30-m resolution polygon data layer of the nonlacustrine and nonriverine islands of the United States, with associated attributes describing key physical and conservation geography characteristics. Islands were grouped into a three-tiered hierarchy of island regions (twelve), island provinces (twenty-eight), and...
Authors
Roger Sayre, Madeline T. Martin, Nadia Naji, Kelly B. Sides, Jill Janene Cress, Kevin Butler, Keith Van Graafeiland, Deniz Karagulle, Charlie Frye, Sean Breyer, Dawn Wright, John Klavitter, Dena Spatz, David Will, Gregg Howald, Alex Wegmann, Charlotte K. Stanley, Nick Holmes
A novel drive-point multilevel system to investigate PFAS and other contaminants of global concern in the hyporheic zone of a wastewater effluent dominated stream A novel drive-point multilevel system to investigate PFAS and other contaminants of global concern in the hyporheic zone of a wastewater effluent dominated stream
Contaminants found in treated wastewater discharged to streams, including pharmaceuticals and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), are of global concern due to their deleterious effects on aquatic ecosystems and potential impacts to human health. Hyporheic zones have strong potential for contaminant attenuation. Assessing this potential requires collection of physical and...
Authors
J. R. Meyer, A. L. Mianecki, E. Occhi, Dana W. Kolpin, G. H. LeFevre
A post-restoration evaluation of fish spawning on Coreyon Reef in Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron A post-restoration evaluation of fish spawning on Coreyon Reef in Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron
Habitat diversity is important to fisheries for promoting resiliency to interannual environmental variation. Historical land use change resulting in increased sedimentation has impaired fish rock reef habitats in Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron. Pursuant to the recovery of Saginaw Bay’s walleye population, and to benefit other species, came the decision to restore the offshore habitat Coreyon...
Authors
Scott T. Koenigbauer, Dave G. Fielder, Justin R. Meyer, Kevin M. Keeler, Paris D. Collingsworth, Tomas O Höök
A practical decision tool for marine bird mortality assessments A practical decision tool for marine bird mortality assessments
Given the rise in anthropogenic, environmental, and disease events contributing to marine bird mortality, there is a critical need to improve the rigor of mortality assessments. Deficits in data collection and mortality estimation can hinder a manager’s ability to document the scale of events and assess population level impacts. Therefore, to inform decisions required during activities...
Authors
Johanna Harvey, Andrew M. Ramey, Stephanie Avery-Gomm, Gregory J. Robertson, Marc D. Romano, Jennifer M Mullinax, Megan L Boldenow, Philip W. Atkinson, Diann J. Prosser
A practical framework for identifying genetic subpopulations and ESUs: Insights for IUCN assessments and broader management A practical framework for identifying genetic subpopulations and ESUs: Insights for IUCN assessments and broader management
Species conservation assessments evaluate extinction risk, and recovery potential, advancing species persistence through guiding resource prioritization and planning. Assessment frameworks, including the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List and Green Status of Species, typically focus on species as a whole. Importantly, they do not routinely account for genetically...
Authors
Julia C. Geue, Laura D. Bertola, Paulette Bloomer, Anna Bruniche-Olsen, Jessica M. da Silva, J. Andrew DeWoody, Ancuta Fedorca, José A. Godoy, Catherine E. Grueber, Margaret Hunter, Christina Hvilsom, Evelyn L. Jensen, Alexander Kopatz, Anna J. MacDonald, Silvia Pérez-Espona, Antoinette J. Piaggio, Jennifer Pierson, Isa-Rita M. Russo, Helen Senn, Gernot Segelbacher, Paul Sunnucks, Cock van Oosterhout, Deborah M. Leigh
A regional simulation modeling framework for evaluating invasive annual grass management across the sagebrush biome A regional simulation modeling framework for evaluating invasive annual grass management across the sagebrush biome
Invasive annual grasses (IAG) continue to spread within the sagebrush biome of the western United States, degrading plant communities and wildlife habitat, decreasing forage for ranching livelihoods, and heightening wildfire risk. Effective management of IAGs requires action and long-term strategic planning across the sagebrush biome, but the cumulative effects of IAG treatments over...
Authors
Elizabeth Kari Orning, Bryan C. Tarbox, Catherine S. Jarnevich, Lindy Garner, James R. Meldrum, Cameron L. Aldridge