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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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Birdwatching preferences reveal synergies and tradeoffs among recreation, carbon, and fisheries ecosystem services in Pacific Northwest estuaries, USA Birdwatching preferences reveal synergies and tradeoffs among recreation, carbon, and fisheries ecosystem services in Pacific Northwest estuaries, USA
Coastal ecosystems provide multiple ecosystem services that are valued in diverse ways. The Nisqually River Delta (the Delta), an estuary in Puget Sound, Washington, U.S.A., is co-managed by the Nisqually Indian Tribe and the Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge. In an ecosystem services assessment, we used different service-appropriate methods including citizen science...
Authors
Kristin B. Byrd, Isa Woo, Laurie Anne Hall, Emily Pindilli, Monica Moritsch, Anthony Good, Susan E.W. De La Cruz, Melanie J. Davis, Glynnis Nakai
Event classification, seismicity, and eruption forecasting at Great Sitkin Volcano, Alaska: 1999–2023 Event classification, seismicity, and eruption forecasting at Great Sitkin Volcano, Alaska: 1999–2023
The frequency content of volcanogenic seismicity is often used to classify events and their spatial and temporal progression is then used to map subsurface volcanic processes. The progression of volcano-seismic events and associated source processes also plays a critical role in eruption forecasting. Here we develop and evaluate a computerized methodology for characterizing volcano...
Authors
John Power, Diana Roman
Design, development, and implementation of IsoBank: A centralized repository for isotopic data Design, development, and implementation of IsoBank: A centralized repository for isotopic data
Stable isotope data have made pivotal contributions to nearly every discipline of the physical and natural sciences. As the generation and application of stable isotope data continues to grow exponentially, so does the need for a unifying data repository to improve accessibility and promote collaborative engagement. This paper provides an overview of the design, development, and...
Authors
Oliver N. Shipley, Anna J. Dabrowski, Gabriel J. Bowen, Brian Hayden, Jonathan N. Pauli, Christopher Jordan, Lesleigh Anderson, Adriana Bailey, Clement P. Bataille, Carla Cicero, Hilary G. Close, Craig Cook, Joseph A. Cook, Ankur R. Desai, Jaivime Evaristo, Tim R. Filley, Christine France, Sora Lee Kim, Sebastian H. Kopf, Julie Loisel, Philip J. Manlick, Jamie M. McFarlin, Bailey C. McMeans, Tamsin C. O’Connel, Brice X. Semmens, Chris Stantis, Paul Szejner, Suzanne E. Pilaar Birch, Annie L. Putman, Craig A. Stricker, Tara L.E. Trammell, Mark D. Uhen, Samantha Weintraub-Leff, Matthew J. Wooller, John W. Williams, Christopher T. Yarnes, Hanna B. Vander Zanden, Seth D. Newsome
Functional turnover in a prairie-river fish community over 130 years Functional turnover in a prairie-river fish community over 130 years
Objective In many Great Plains rivers, functional turnover—the change in proportional dominance of members in biological communities that fill certain ecological roles—has occurred due to impoundment and habitat alteration. The Powder River of Montana and Wyoming remains one of the few unregulated prairie rivers, but long-term monitoring is limited, so we analyzed changes over time at...
Authors
Niall G. Clancy, Jonathan A. McFarland, Megan G. Ahern, Annika W. Walters
Aspects of the demography of a relict population of southwestern pond turtles (Actinemys pallida) in a West Mojave Desert stream in California Aspects of the demography of a relict population of southwestern pond turtles (Actinemys pallida) in a West Mojave Desert stream in California
We studied Actinemys pallida (Southwestern Pond Turtle) in Amargosa Creek, near Palmdale, CA, from 1997 to 2023. The population in the upper creek was the focus of a mark–recapture study from 1997 to 2003 during monitoring required by a road-construction project. An estimated 193 (95% CI = 142–256) turtles were present in 1997 or recruited to the upper creek population between 1997 and...
Authors
David Muth, Jeffrey E. Lovich, Rodrigo Macip-Rios, Doug Gomez, Kristy L. Cummings, Michele R. Puffer, Charles B. Yackulic
Testing food web theory in a large lake: The role of body size in habitat coupling in Lake Michigan Testing food web theory in a large lake: The role of body size in habitat coupling in Lake Michigan
The landscape theory of food web architecture (LTFWA) describes relationships among body size, trophic position, mobility, and energy channels that serve to couple heterogenous habitats, which in turn promotes long-term system stability. However, empirical tests of the LTFWA are rare and support differs among terrestrial, freshwater, and marine systems. Further, it is unclear whether the...
Authors
Bryan M. Maitland, Harvey A. Bootsma, Charles R. Bronte, David Bunnell, Zachary S. Feiner, Kari Fenske, William Fetzer, Carolyn Foley, Brandon Gerig, Austin Happell, Tomas O. Hook, Friedrich W. Keppeler, Matthew Kornis, Ryan F. Lepak, Andrew McNaught, Brian Roth, Ben Turschak, Joel C. Hoffman, Olaf P. Jensen
Updated distribution for two freshwater mussel species of conservation concern in Oklahoma Updated distribution for two freshwater mussel species of conservation concern in Oklahoma
Qualitative and quantitative sampling efforts in the Verdigris River, OK (upstream of Lake Oologah), yielded new distributional records of 2 freshwater mussel species of conservation need: Cyprogenia aberti (Western Fanshell) and Ptychobranchus occidentalis (Ouachita Kidneyshell). The Ouachita Kidneyshell has not been documented alive during a scientific survey in the Oklahoma portion of...
Authors
Hunter M. Torolski, James M. Long, Robert Charles Lonsinger, Lindsey Bruckerhoff
Processing time and precision of aging structures for Bighead Carp and Silver Carp in the lower Red River catchment in the southern Great Plains Processing time and precision of aging structures for Bighead Carp and Silver Carp in the lower Red River catchment in the southern Great Plains
Objective Population demographics of invasive species are commonly evaluated to better develop management actions that are useful for reducing their abundance or controlling the population. Bighead Carp Hypophthalmichthys nobilis and Silver Carp H. molitrix are emblematic invaders in the United States, where they continue to expand their range. There is currently no consensus about which...
Authors
Barton Birdsall, J. Dattilo, Z. Fuqua, Shannon K. Brewer
Combining storm flood water level and topography to prioritize inter-basin transfer of non-native aquatic species in the United States Combining storm flood water level and topography to prioritize inter-basin transfer of non-native aquatic species in the United States
Flooded areas can create temporary connections between adjacent drainages and are a relatively understudied pathway for the spread of aquatic invasive species. The Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database’s Flood and Storm Tracker maps were developed to help natural resource managers with post-storm aquatic invasive species detection and assessment efforts. As of the summer of 2023, 16...
Authors
Ian Pfingsten, Kristen M. Reaver, Emily Marie Dean, Matthew Neilson, Bogdan Chivoiu, Wesley Daniel
A novel surface energy balance method for thermal inertia studies of terrestrial analogs A novel surface energy balance method for thermal inertia studies of terrestrial analogs
Surface thermal inertia derived from satellite imagery offers a valuable tool for remotely mapping the physical structure and water content of planetary regolith. Efforts to quantify thermal inertia using surface temperatures on Earth, however, have consistently yielded large uncertainties and suffered from a lack of reproducibility. Unlike dry or airless bodies, Earth's abundant water...
Authors
Ari Koeppel, Christopher S. Edwards, Lauren A. Edgar, Scott A Nowicki, Kristen A. Bennett, Amber L. Gullikson, Sylvain Piqueux, Helen A. Eifert, Daphne Chapline, A. Deanne Rogers
Reply to “comment on ‘an evaluation of the timing accuracy of global and regional seismic stations and networks’ by Yang et al. (2021)” by Xin Zhang and Lianxing Wen Reply to “comment on ‘an evaluation of the timing accuracy of global and regional seismic stations and networks’ by Yang et al. (2021)” by Xin Zhang and Lianxing Wen
The finding of Yang et al. (2021; hereafter, YSR21) casts fundamental doubts on all the previous studies on the temporal changes of the inner core (IC) surface that are based on absolute arrival times, including Wen (2006; hereafter, WEN06) and its follow‐up studies. The reports of small time shifts of the IC‐reflected phase (PKiKP) likely misinterpreted station‐related issues (clock...
Authors
Yi Yang, Xiaodong Song, Adam T. Ringler
Chronic effects of metal releases from historical mining on threatened crayfish in Madison County Missouri, USA Chronic effects of metal releases from historical mining on threatened crayfish in Madison County Missouri, USA
The Little St. Francis River and its tributaries drain metals-contaminated areas of the Madison County Mines National Priority List Superfund site (MCM) which was designated in 2003 to facilitate remediation of metals contamination within the MCM. One concern for natural resource trustees in the MCM is the potential effects of elevated metals concentrations on the federally threatened St...
Authors
Ann Allert, Danielle M. Cleveland, Robert J. DiStefano, Mark L. Wildhaber, Leslie K. Lueckenhoff