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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.
Browse more than 65,000 articles authored by our scientists over the past 100+ year history of the USGS and refine search by topic, location, year, and advanced search.
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Potential for continental scientific drilling to inform fault mechanics and earthquake science Potential for continental scientific drilling to inform fault mechanics and earthquake science
Our understanding of fault mechanics and earthquake processes remains limited, largely due to minimal direct observations near active faults at seismogenic depths. This lack of data restricts our ability to accurately assess and mitigate both natural and human-induced seismic hazards. However, recent advancements in drilling capabilities and downhole sensing technologies offer an...
Authors
Elizabeth S. Cochran, Natalia Zakharova, Brett Carpenter, Folarin Kolawole, Nicholas W. Hayman, Hiroki Sone, Douglas R. Schmitt, Peter Eichhubl, William Ellsworth, Yves Guglielmi, Stephen H. Hickman, Harold J. Tobin
Cosmic dust reveals dynamic shifts in central Arctic sea-ice coverage over the past 30,000 years Cosmic dust reveals dynamic shifts in central Arctic sea-ice coverage over the past 30,000 years
Arctic sea-ice loss affects biological productivity, sustenance in coastal communities, and geopolitics. Forecasting these impacts requires mechanistic understanding of how Arctic sea ice responds to climate change, but this is limited by scarce long-term records. We present continuous 30,000-year reconstructions of sea-ice coverage from the Arctic Ocean based on measurements of two...
Authors
Frank J. Pavia, Jesse Farmer, Laura Gemery, Thomas M. Cronin, Jonathan Treffkorn, Kenneth A. Farley
Occurrence and surface availability of Siskiyou Mountains Salamanders (Plethodon stormi) and Scott Bar Salamanders (P. asupak) in northern California Occurrence and surface availability of Siskiyou Mountains Salamanders (Plethodon stormi) and Scott Bar Salamanders (P. asupak) in northern California
Estimating the distributions of cryptic species is essential for conservation, yet our understanding is hampered by animal behavior and imperfect detection. We developed and implemented a multiscale occupancy survey protocol to estimate the probability of occurrence, probability of being active on the surface, and detection probability of two range-restricted terrestrial salamanders...
Authors
Brian J. Halstead, Daniel Antonio Macias, Casey D. Moss, Patrick M. Kleeman, Jonathan P. Rose
Spatial distribution and relative biomass of bigheaded carps in Lake Balaton, Hungary estimated from an environmental DNA survey Spatial distribution and relative biomass of bigheaded carps in Lake Balaton, Hungary estimated from an environmental DNA survey
Silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis), bighead carp (H. molitrix) and their hybrids, collectively known as bigheaded carps, have been introduced to Lake Balaton, Hungary. The current stock sizes are difficult to assess. We investigated environmental DNA (eDNA) techniques targeted for bigheaded carps, assessed the spatial distribution of eDNA in Lake Balaton, compared eDNA...
Authors
Nora Boross, Ardo Laszlo, Duane C. Chapman, Gergely Boros, Zoltán Vitál, Viktor Tóth, Nathan Thompson, Katy E. Klymus, Catherine A. Richter
Development of genomic markers for monitoring and research on plethodontid salamanders Development of genomic markers for monitoring and research on plethodontid salamanders
Despite the importance of plethodontid salamanders and their vulnerability to ongoing environmental change, they are inherently difficult to monitor due to their cryptic nature. Recent advances in genomics have created new opportunities for monitoring of populations and their responses to environmental perturbations. In this study, we developed a new target capture-based genomic panel...
Authors
Benjamin M. Fitzpatrick, Kara Suzanne Jones, Aaron W. Aunins, Michael S. Eackles, David C. Kazyak
Global recreational consumption of non-native inland fish: Higher economic benefits, but lower nutritional value and climate resilience Global recreational consumption of non-native inland fish: Higher economic benefits, but lower nutritional value and climate resilience
Inland recreational fisheries are globally significant leisure pursuits, with well-documented benefits to human health and well-being, but also one of the principal drivers of non-native fish introductions to enhance fishing opportunities, whether for sport or sustenance. In this study, we assess the relative reliance of global inland recreational fisheries on non-native versus native...
Authors
Marco Milardi, Louisa E. Wood, Elizabeth A. Nyboer, Holly Susan Embke, Sui C. Phang, Abigail J. Lynch
U.S. Geological Survey geomagnetic variometer data: Capitalizing on seismic infrastructure U.S. Geological Survey geomagnetic variometer data: Capitalizing on seismic infrastructure
The U.S. Geological Survey’s Geomagnetism Program is collaborating with the Earthquake Hazards Program and Global Seismographic Network Program to densify magnetic field observations. This collaboration focuses on the installation of magnetometers, or magnetic variometers, at existing seismic stations. Along with improving the density of space weather observations for hazard monitoring...
Authors
Adam T. Ringler, Andrew Holcomb, E. Joshua Rigler, Spencer Wilbur, C. Balch, Corey Beutel, Brendan Ryan Geels, J. Guerra, A. Horton, Edward Kromer, Kristen A. Lewis, Jeffrey J. Love, Yolando Root, Claudia Kristina Rossavik, N. Shavers, John Spritzer, Tyler Storm, Alexandra Nicole Wernle, David C. Wilson
Imaging hyporheic exchange by integrating deep learning and physics-informed inversion of time-lapse self-potential data Imaging hyporheic exchange by integrating deep learning and physics-informed inversion of time-lapse self-potential data
Self-potential (SP) monitoring is increasingly used for subsurface flow characterization due to its sensitivity to hydrogeological and geochemical processes. However, SP inversion remains challenging due to its ill-posed nature, sparse data coverage, and strong transient noise. This study proposes a hybrid framework to image hyporheic exchange using a time-lapse SP data set monitored...
Authors
Huichao Yin, Scott Ikard, Dale F. Rucker, Scott C. Brooks, Zhenxue Dai, Kenneth C. Carroll
Missing data in ecology: Syntheses, clarifications, and considerations Missing data in ecology: Syntheses, clarifications, and considerations
In ecology and related sciences, missing data are common and occur in a variety of different contexts. When missing data are not handled properly, subsequent statistical estimates tend to be biased, inefficient, and lack proper confidence interval coverage. Missing data are often grouped into three categories: missing completely at random (MCAR), missing at random (MAR), and missing not...
Authors
Michael Dumelle, Rob Trangucci, Amanda M. Nahlik, Anthony R Olsen, Kathryn Irvine, Karen A. Blocksom, Jay Ver Hoef, Claudio Fuentes
Too hot for comfort: Elevated temperatures influence gene expression and exceed thermal tolerance of bigmouth shiners, Ericymba dorsalis Too hot for comfort: Elevated temperatures influence gene expression and exceed thermal tolerance of bigmouth shiners, Ericymba dorsalis
Environmental and associated ecosystem change may affect the persistence of fish species based on their ability to adapt to changing conditions, including decreasing flows and rising water temperatures. Exceeding the thermal tolerances of stream fish will likely result in a loss of ability to maintain metabolic processes. We evaluated the critical thermal maximum (CTmax) of bigmouth...
Authors
Ella K. Humphrey, Jonathan J. Spurgeon, Lizabeth Bowen, Robert E. Wilson, Shannon C. Waters-Dynes, Braxton M. Newkirk, Sarah A. Sonsthagen
Spring weather influences breeding propensity, the most important productivity component for Arctic-nesting lesser snow geese Spring weather influences breeding propensity, the most important productivity component for Arctic-nesting lesser snow geese
Animal reproduction is composed of several stages, which collectively determine overall productivity. Yet, it is not fully understood how different productivity components contribute to population change. To bridge this gap, we leveraged integrated population modelling and transient life-table response experiments, together with population-level data on lesser snow geese (Anser...
Authors
Antti Piironen, Joshua L. Dooley, Vasiliy V. Baraynyuk, Jeffrey M. Knetter, Kyle A. Spragens, Alexander R. Schindler, Vijay P. Patil, Eric T. Reed, Adam C. Behney, Megan V. Ross, Todd A. Sanders, Mark J. Petrie, Mitch D. Weegman
Refined chronology of late Quaternary eruptions at Harrat Khaybar, Saudi Arabia, with implications for magma dynamics and regional volcanic history Refined chronology of late Quaternary eruptions at Harrat Khaybar, Saudi Arabia, with implications for magma dynamics and regional volcanic history
Determining accurate and precise ages for Quaternary volcanic centers is essential for reconstructing volcanic field histories, understanding magmatic processes, and assessing potential hazards or risk. Harrat Khaybar, western Saudi Arabia, is one of the youngest and potentially most active volcanic fields on the Arabian plate, has been active since ca. 1.7 Ma, and is characterized by a...
Authors
Abdullah Aohali, Shanaka L. de Silva, Alejandro Cisneros de Leon, Charles Lewis, Axel K. Schmitt, Martin Danišík, Mark E. Stelten, Sujoy Mukhopadhyay, Robert Duncan, Frank C. Ramos