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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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From start to stop: Simple methods for mapping susceptibility to landslide runout and debris-flow inundation From start to stop: Simple methods for mapping susceptibility to landslide runout and debris-flow inundation
Landslide runout and debris-flow inundation can disrupt areas well beyond their initial sources, causing widespread damage and extensive fatalities. Understanding where they start and how far they might travel is essential in many locations worldwide. However, most landslide susceptibility maps focus on initiation areas and fail to incorporate runout areas. Furthermore, hazards vary...
Authors
Mark E. Reid, Corina Cerovski-Darriau, Dianne L. Brien, Isaac Henry Leb, Andrew J. Cyr
Streamflow and surface-water presence data availability across the conterminous United States: A review for headwater systems Streamflow and surface-water presence data availability across the conterminous United States: A review for headwater systems
Water is essential for life on Earth, supporting ecosystems, human health, and economic activities. Hydrology relies on observational data, and this paper discusses regional and national datasets for the conterminous United States (CONUS) publicly available as of 2023, focusing on headwaters, defined as first- and second-order streams at 1:24000 scale. It identifies 72 primary and...
Authors
Roy Sando, Kristin Jaeger, Christa Kelleher, John C. Hammond, Jay R. Christensen, Catalina Segura, Heather E. Golden, Frederick Y. Cheng, Admin Husic, C. Nathan Jones, Charles R. Lane, Li Li, D. Tyler Mahoney, Hillary McMillan, Adam N. Price, Erin C. Seybold, Adam Ward, Margaret Zimmer, Steven James Pestana
Understanding co-invading species’ ecological strategies and interactions with causal inference and simple dynamic models: Bighead (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis) and Silver carp (H. molitrix) in the Illinois River, USA Understanding co-invading species’ ecological strategies and interactions with causal inference and simple dynamic models: Bighead (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis) and Silver carp (H. molitrix) in the Illinois River, USA
Species interactions among multiple invasive species can present hidden challenges for management and eradication efforts. Bighead and Silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis and H. molitrix, respectively) are closely related species that have co-invaded the Mississippi River and many of its tributaries, including the Illinois River. We used a combination of causal inference and dynamic...
Authors
Donald R. Schoolmaster, James E. Garvey, Richard A. Erickson, Benjamin J. Mareck, David P. Coulter
An overview of the NASA Adaptation and Response in Drylands field experiment scoping study An overview of the NASA Adaptation and Response in Drylands field experiment scoping study
Drylands cover 41% of Earth’s land surface, support 36% of the global population, and contribute 60% of global food production. Despite these ecosystems’ importance and high vulnerability to droughts and heatwaves, drylands remain some of the most understudied systems on Earth. Monitoring drylands is challenging due to their complex ecosystem structure of visible soil mixed with diverse...
Authors
Andrew F. Feldman, Sasha C. Reed, Konrad Wessels, Dennis S. Ojima, David J.P. Moore, William K. Smith, Niall P. Hanan, Cibele Amaral, Flurin Babst, Joel A. Biederman, Marcy Litvak, Natasha MacBean, Benjamin Poulter, Russell L. Scott, Alicja Babst-Kostecka, Julia K. Green, Raymond F. Kokaly, Ryan Pavlick, Robert Swap, Shawn P. Serbin, Compton J. Tucker, Lixin Wang, Jennifer D. Watts, Alejandro Flores, James Rattling Leaf Sr., Robert A. Washington-Allen, Karen Prentice, Emily Kachergis, Julian Reyes, Jasmine Ryan, Michael D. SanClements, Henry W. Loescher, Allison K Leidner, Tyson Swetnam
Growth and erosion of volcanic islands since 1963 analyzed by multi-sensor satellite data and historical records Growth and erosion of volcanic islands since 1963 analyzed by multi-sensor satellite data and historical records
Most volcanic activity is taking place in the oceans. Depending on water depth, eruption recurrence times and volumes, a new island can form. The power of erosional forces, the type of erupted material and the efficiency of secondary processes determine the island’s lifetime. Since the famous eruption of Surtsey (Iceland) in 1963, at least another 23 volcanic islands have appeared. Some...
Authors
Simon Plank, Ronni Grapenthin, Hannah R. Dietterich, Ulrich Küeppers, Francesco Marchese, Nicola Pergola, Emanuele Ciancia, Nicola Genzano, Franz J. Meyer, Sandro Martinis, Hannes Taubenböck, Tobias Ullmann, Thomas J. Walter
PFAS mixture composition and internal exposure profiles shape biological responses under field-realistic exposure PFAS mixture composition and internal exposure profiles shape biological responses under field-realistic exposure
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) occur as complex mixtures, yet mixture-dependent biological effects under environmentally realistic exposure conditions remain poorly understood. We conducted multiyear (2018, 2019, 2021) continuous-flow, field-based exposures of male fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) using a low-PFAS reference well (REF; sum of measured PFAS (∑PFAS) 0.1–0.2...
Authors
Alan M. Vajda, Jill Jenkins, David Bertolatus, Denis R. LeBlanc, Christopher J. Martyniuk, Zachary Ryan Hopkins, Andrea K. Tokranov, A. R. Dethloff, Joseph C. Tucker, Rainer Lohmann, Larry B. Barber
Environmental and demographic mechanisms underlying population dynamics provide relative stability in an island songbird Environmental and demographic mechanisms underlying population dynamics provide relative stability in an island songbird
Understanding demographic and ecological mechanisms underlying population dynamics is a key goal in population ecology and can inform effective conservation and management. Species may be well adapted to persist under normal ranges of environmental conditions, but increasingly novel conditions due to climate change may strain their demographic buffering mechanisms. Small isolated...
Authors
James C. Mouton, Mario B. Pesendorfer, Nathan J. Hostetter, Scott A. Morrison, T. Scott Sillett
Effects of warming on growth and leaf colonization by litter mat-forming fungi in a wet tropical forest in Puerto Rico Effects of warming on growth and leaf colonization by litter mat-forming fungi in a wet tropical forest in Puerto Rico
Wet tropical forests are experiencing rising temperatures and increased frequency and intensity of extreme climatic events, such as cyclones, which can increase rates of soil erosion and surface runoff. Fungal litter mats, formed by agaric decomposer fungi, play a crucial role in stabilizing slopes, preventing erosion, and aiding nutrient cycling; however, little is known about how...
Authors
Ari E. Puentes, D. Jean Lodge, Deyaneira A. Ortiz-Iglesias, Tatiana Barreto-Vélez, Laura C. Rubio-Lebrón, Hieu P. Chu, Christine S. O'Connell, Sasha C. Reed, Tana E. Wood
Lowland tropical forests remain a methane sink under warming and long-term hurricane disturbance recovery Lowland tropical forests remain a methane sink under warming and long-term hurricane disturbance recovery
Methane (CH4) is a potent greenhouse gas, and tropical forests account for roughly one–third of global atmospheric CH4 uptake by soils. Projected warming and more frequent hurricanes in these ecosystems may alter soil CH4 sink strength, as warmer and wetter soils enhance methanogenesis activity. We measured soil CH4 and CO2 efflux during the calendar summer months of 2023 and 2024...
Authors
Gabriele Larocca Conte, Lucia Zuvela, Rachel Cruz-Perez, Tatiana Barreto-Vélez, Nibia Becerra-Santillan, Sophia F. Campbell, Hieu P. Chu, Trung Dam, Iana F. Grullón-Penkova, Miriam Kleit, Deyaneira A. Ortiz-Iglesias, Laura C. Rubio-Lebrón, Molly A. Cavaleri, Sasha C. Reed, Debjani Sihi, Tana E. Wood, Christine S. O'Connell
Putting weight to work: A review and examples of weight-based indicators in freshwater fish stock assessment Putting weight to work: A review and examples of weight-based indicators in freshwater fish stock assessment
Despite being a direct measure of biomass and central to fisheries management, weight-based metrics remain underutilized in freshwater fish stock assessment. Here, we present a concise review of the application of weight in evaluating freshwater fish populations. We examine the historical use of weighing, assess how weight is applied across subdisciplines of freshwater fish science...
Authors
Leandro E. Miranda, Mirtha A. Angulo-Valencia, Camren E. Fraser
Colonization of southern flying squirrels (Glaucomys volans) to urban Nebraska: Range expansion or human assisted translocation? Colonization of southern flying squirrels (Glaucomys volans) to urban Nebraska: Range expansion or human assisted translocation?
Southern flying squirrels (Glaucomys volans; Linnaeus 1758) were first observed in Lincoln, Nebraska, in 2018, 80 km north of their described range. Given that southern flying squirrels are a species of concern within Nebraska, determining the origin of this new population (natural expansion or pet-trade) garnered interest from state biologists. Further, the recent colonization of...
Authors
Jennifer Wettschreck, James A. Wilson, Robert E. Wilson, Abby May, Megan Cary, Jeffrey Huebschman, Sarah A. Sonsthagen
Biochar modulates the dynamics of legacy nutrients in enhancing soil health and crop productivity Biochar modulates the dynamics of legacy nutrients in enhancing soil health and crop productivity
Most major crops in agricultural soils exhibit relatively low nutrient use efficiency for nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K), often necessitating supplemental nutrient inputs to achieve sustainable yields. Furthermore, the increasing use of biowastes such as compost, manure, and biosolids, which frequently have nutrient ratios that do not match crop requirements, has...
Authors
Manish Kumar, Shiv Bolan, Rakesh Kumar, Juhi Gupta, Dingjiang Chen, Hao Wu, Sarah M. Stackpoole, Nitika Chandel, Santanu Mukherjee, Manoj Chandra Garg, Srinithi Mayilswami, Kadambot H. Siddique, Nanthi Bolan