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The USGS provides unbiased, objective, and impartial scientific information upon which our audiences, including resource managers, planners, and other entities, rely.
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Sprinting performance and behavior of adult shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum) Sprinting performance and behavior of adult shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum)
Swimming ability and performance are central to the ecology of aquatic species and to the design of structures intended to promote access to habitat. This is particularly important for migratory species traveling over significant distances. Here, we present results of a study of swimming behaviors of adult shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum). Sturgeon were presented with velocity
Authors
Theodore Castro-Santos, Micah Kieffer, Elsa Goerig
Length-weight relationships of native and non-native fishes in the lower Red River catchment, USA Length-weight relationships of native and non-native fishes in the lower Red River catchment, USA
Length-weight relationships are useful for stock assessments and modeling alternative conservation and management strategies for both native and non-native fishes. We developed length-weight relationships for 18 native and non-native riverine fishes in the lower Red River catchment. Fishes were sampled in the summer and autumn seasons between May 2021 and March 2024 via electrofishing...
Authors
Mariaguadalupe Vilchez, John Dattilo, Shannon K. Brewer
Framework for mapping liquefaction hazard–Targeted design ground motions Framework for mapping liquefaction hazard–Targeted design ground motions
Liquefaction-induced ground failure poses substantial challenges to geotechnical earthquake engineering design. Current approaches for designing against liquefaction hazards, as specified in most seismic provisions, focus on estimating a liquefaction factor of safety (𝐹𝑆𝐿) and typically characterize earthquake loading using design parameters based on probabilistic or deterministic...
Authors
Andrew James Makdisi, Steven L. Kramer
Marshes to mangroves: Residential surveys reveal perceived wetland trade-offs for ecosystem services Marshes to mangroves: Residential surveys reveal perceived wetland trade-offs for ecosystem services
Coastal landscapes are rapidly changing due to both climate change and the decisions of waterfront landowners. For instance, the climate-driven encroachment of woody mangrove species into grassy marshland areas is predicted to impact coastal ecosystems, with consequences for the ecosystem services these landscapes provide to people. However, there is a dearth of knowledge concerning...
Authors
Savannah H. Swinea, A. Randall Hughes, Michael Osland, Christine C. Shepard, Kalaina B. Thorne, Jahson B. Alemu I, Remi Bardou, Steven B. Scyphers
Transdisciplinary research supports the sustainability of barrier island systems threatened by climate change Transdisciplinary research supports the sustainability of barrier island systems threatened by climate change
The management of developed barrier islands is often piece-meal and reactionary despite the complex, dynamic nature of these systems, and sustainable practices will become increasingly difficult due to heightened pressures of climate change. Adaptation actions, including nature-based solutions, need to be thoroughly evaluated prior to implementation to understand system-wide impacts and...
Authors
Patrick L. Barnard, Davina Passeri
Trace organic contaminants in U.S. national park surface waters: Prevalence and ecological context☆ Trace organic contaminants in U.S. national park surface waters: Prevalence and ecological context☆
Surface water samples were collected from 264 sites across 46 U.S national parks during the period of 2009–2019. The number of sites within each park ranged from 1 to 31 and the number of samples collected within each park ranged from 1 to 201. Samples were analyzed for up to 340 trace organic contaminants (TrOCs), including pharmaceuticals, personal care products, pesticides, and...
Authors
Sarah M. Elliott, Kerensa A. King, Aliesha L. Krall, David D. VanderMeulen
Vegetation community recovery on restored bottomland hardwood forests in northeast Indiana, USA Vegetation community recovery on restored bottomland hardwood forests in northeast Indiana, USA
Vegetation communities in restored bottomland hardwood forests in northeast Indiana were studied 6–21 years after restoration to assess progress toward restoration objectives. The study focused on four sites that were restored to compensate for resource injuries after contaminant releases. The restored sites were compared with four reference-site conditions, including crops...
Authors
Matthew Struckhoff, Keith Grabner, Janice L. Albers, Michael J. Hooper
Beyond the wedge: Impact of tidal streams on salinization of groundwater in a coastal aquifer stressed by pumping and sea-level rise Beyond the wedge: Impact of tidal streams on salinization of groundwater in a coastal aquifer stressed by pumping and sea-level rise
Saltwater intrusion (SWI) is a well-studied phenomenon that threatens the freshwater supplies of coastal communities around the world. The development and advancement of numerical models has led to improved assessment of the risk of salinization. However, these studies often fail to include the impact of surface waters as potential sources of aquifer salinity and how they may impact SWI...
Authors
Mary C. Hingst, R.M. Housego, C. He, Burke J. Minsley, Lyndsay B. Ball, Holly A. Michael
True metabolizable energy of foods consumed by lesser scaup (Aythya affinis) True metabolizable energy of foods consumed by lesser scaup (Aythya affinis)
The energy derived from available foods is an important factor used in conservation planning for migratory species. Estimating true metabolizable energy (TME) of available foods has become a common method for resource managers to increase reliability in energetic carrying-capacity estimates. Lesser scaup (Aythya affinis; hereafter scaup), have experienced a population decline concurrent...
Authors
Lauren Larson, Christopher Jacques, Joseph D. Lancaster, Heath Hagy, Michael J. Anteau, Auriel M. V. Fournier
The value of hyperparameter optimization in phase-picking neural networks The value of hyperparameter optimization in phase-picking neural networks
The effectiveness of using neural networks for picking seismic phase arrival times has been demonstrated through several case studies, and seismic monitoring programs are starting to adopt the technology into their workflows. However, published models were designed and trained using rather arbitrary choices of hyperparameters, limiting their performance. In this study, we use phase picks...
Authors
Yongsoo Park, David R. Shelly
Stream nitrate dynamics driven primarily by discharge and watershed physical and soil characteristics at intensively monitored sites: Insights from deep learning Stream nitrate dynamics driven primarily by discharge and watershed physical and soil characteristics at intensively monitored sites: Insights from deep learning
We developed a suite of models using deep learning to make hindcast predictions of the 7‐day average backward‐looking nitrate concentration at 46 predominantly agricultural sites across the midwestern and eastern United States. The models used daily observations of discharge and meteorological variables and watershed attributes describing anthropogenic modification to hydrology, nitrogen
Authors
Galen Gorski, Laurel Larsen, Jordan Wingenroth, Liang Zhang, Dino Bellugi, Alison P. Appling
A framework for estimating economic impacts of ecological restoration A framework for estimating economic impacts of ecological restoration
Ecological restoration projects are designed to improve natural and cultural resources. Spending on restoration also stimulates economic impacts to the restoration economy through the creation or support of jobs and business activity. This paper presents accessible methods for quantifying the economic impacts supported by restoration spending and is written to be a guide and toolbox for...
Authors
Catherine Cullinane Thomas, Christopher Huber, Kristin E. Skrabis, Timothy B. Hoelzle