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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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Estimating the probability of export restrictions to inform mineral criticality Estimating the probability of export restrictions to inform mineral criticality
To assess risks associated with advanced technologies’ supply chain disruptions, governmental agencies and others have developed mineral “criticality” assessments, with criticality described using the economic impact and probability of supply chain disruptions. Previous work developed subjective supply risk indicators to approximate this probability, typically combining several factors...
Authors
John W. Ryter, Nedal T. Nassar
Population demographics of invasive Silver Carp in a Great Plains river network Population demographics of invasive Silver Carp in a Great Plains river network
Objective Knowledge of invasive Silver Carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix population demographics and distributions may inform estimates of efforts necessary to achieve reductions in abundance and identify locations to conduct removal. Although extensively studied in other parts of their invasive range (e.g., Mississippi and Illinois rivers), less is known regarding Silver Carp population
Authors
Blake Logan, Mark Pegg, Kirk D. Steffensen, Jonathan J. Spurgeon
Quantitative PCR detection of endangered diamond darter Crystallaria Cincotta in environmental DNA: Employing locked nucleic acids and blocking probe for specificity Quantitative PCR detection of endangered diamond darter Crystallaria Cincotta in environmental DNA: Employing locked nucleic acids and blocking probe for specificity
This study presents a quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay for the detection of the endangered diamond darter Crystallaria cincotta from environmental DNA (eDNA) in water samples. The assay design is based on an alignment of mitochondrial cytochrome b DNA sequences from 58 individuals representing 25 percid species. Leveraging genetic differences, a species-specific qPCR assay was designed...
Authors
Andrew P. Kinziger, Cameron M. Layne, Stuart A. Welsh
Performance analysis of oil recovery and CO2 retention in a greenfield residual oil zone: CO2-EOR in Tall Cotton Field (Permian Basin, West Texas, USA) Performance analysis of oil recovery and CO2 retention in a greenfield residual oil zone: CO2-EOR in Tall Cotton Field (Permian Basin, West Texas, USA)
Residual oil zones (ROZs) can offer significant oil resources via enhanced oil recovery (EOR) as well as subsurface carbon dioxide (CO2) retention during injection. If injected CO2 is anthropogenic, the ROZs can offer a substantial geologic storage potential. The ROZs below the oil/water contact (OWC) of main pay zones (MPZ) in conventional reservoirs or brownfields, are more commonly...
Authors
C. Özgen Karacan
DeepFaune New England: A species classification model for trail camera images in northeastern North America DeepFaune New England: A species classification model for trail camera images in northeastern North America
The DeepFaune New England model classifies wildlife species in trail camera images, identifying 24 taxa from northeastern North America with high (97%) accuracy. The model was adapted from the DeepFaune model for identifying European wildlife, demonstrating the practicality of transfer learning across continents. The majority of training data is openly licensed, and the model itself is...
Authors
Laurence A. Clarfeld, Katherine D. Gieder, Angela K. Fuller, Zhongqi Miao, Alexej P.K. Sirén, Shevenell M. Webb, Toni Lyn Morelli, Jillian R. Kilborn, Catherine B. Callahan, Leighlan S. Prout, Rachel Cliché, Riley K. Patry, Christopher Bernier, Susan Staats, Therese M. Donovan
Applying geological unit distribution and chemical weathering indices to evaluate potential lithological sources of Al, As and Pb to the San Juan River, Four Corners region, USA Applying geological unit distribution and chemical weathering indices to evaluate potential lithological sources of Al, As and Pb to the San Juan River, Four Corners region, USA
In arid to semi-arid landscapes, sporadic monsoonal events, varying widely in scale and distribution, can generate overland flow resulting in streamflow in ephemeral channels. These channels may contain metal-laden sediments that are a by-product of the weathering and erosion of local geological units. To evaluate the potential for local geology to contribute aluminium (Al), arsenic (As)...
Authors
Christina L. Ferguson, Johanna Blake, C.A. Van Zante, Rachel Lynn Mixon, Douglas Yager
Reply to the discussion by Pilfold “Polar bear mass change confirms hyperphagia follows ringed seal whelping” Reply to the discussion by Pilfold “Polar bear mass change confirms hyperphagia follows ringed seal whelping”
The spring is a critical period when polar bears (Ursus maritimus Phipps, 1774) are thought to have peak access to seals and acquire the majority of their annual energy requirements during a period of hyperphagia. Pagano et al. (Pagano A.M., Atkinson S.N., and Archer L.C. 2025. Arctic Science.11:1-14. doi:10.1139/as-2024-0051) examined the intra-seasonal changes in body mass of 31 polar...
Authors
Anthony M. Pagano, Stephen N. Atkinson, Louise C. Archer
Rapid increase in antibodies to influenza A virus H5 and N1 in Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis) following the introduction of 2.3.4.4B H5N1 into North America Rapid increase in antibodies to influenza A virus H5 and N1 in Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis) following the introduction of 2.3.4.4B H5N1 into North America
Clade 2.3.4.4b Eurasian-origin H5N1 entered North America in late 2021 and spread across the continent. While studies have characterized the antibody response mounted by dabbling ducks following exposure, little data are available for diving ducks. This study sought to identify influenza A virus (IAV) infection and antibodies in Lesser and Greater Scaup captured in Maryland, Illinois...
Authors
Jeffery D. Sullivan, Rebecca L. Poulson, Glenn H. Olsen, Alicia Berlin, Zijing Cao, Deborah Carter, Josh Homyack, Jennifer Kilburn, Scott R. McWilliams, Joshua Osborn, Tori Mezebish Quinn, Hannah Schley, Matthew M. Weegman, Christopher A. Williams, David E. Stallknecht, Diann J. Prosser
Sensitive environmental DNA methods for low-risk surveillance of at-risk bumble bees Sensitive environmental DNA methods for low-risk surveillance of at-risk bumble bees
Terrestrial environmental DNA (eDNA) techniques have been proposed as a means of sensitive, non-lethal pollinator monitoring. To date, however, no studies have provided evidence that eDNA methods can achieve detection sensitivity on par with traditional pollinator surveys. Using a large-scale dataset of eDNA and corresponding net surveys, we show that eDNA methods enable sensitive...
Authors
Rodney T. Richardson, Grace Avalos, Cameron J. Garland, Regina Trott, Olivia Hager, Mark J. Hepner, Clayton D. Raines, Karen Goodell
Land change, fire, and climate weaken carbon sink in the conterminous U.S. Land change, fire, and climate weaken carbon sink in the conterminous U.S.
The land carbon sink of the conterminous United States was evaluated using a bottom-up modeling framework and 30-meter land change data from 1985 to 2020. This cross-scale, cross-landscape, and cross-system approach tracked fractional land cover changes and applied regional model calibration. Results show average terrestrial and aquatic carbon sinks of +110 ± 37 and +19 ± 0.5 teragrams...
Authors
Jinxun Liu, Benjamin M. Sleeter, Zhiliang Zhu, Mark A. Cochrane, Qiang Zhou, Bin Wang, Grant Domke, Paul C. Selmants, Lisamarie Windham-Myers, Qiuan Zhu, Tamara Wilson, Kristin B. Byrd, Eric Ward, Terry Sohl, Todd J. Hawbaker, Zhen Zhang, Christopher E. Soulard, Kimberly Wickland, Robert G. Striegl
Morphometric and geological characterization with statistical correlations for 33 tributary drainage basins of the San Juan River watershed in the Four Corners region, USA Morphometric and geological characterization with statistical correlations for 33 tributary drainage basins of the San Juan River watershed in the Four Corners region, USA
Basin morphometry, climate and geology control how a hydrological network evolves over time, controlling the efficiency of weathering of elements from geological materials, and ultimately the input of sediment and dissolved constituents to river systems. Exceedances to the Navajo Nation surface water quality standards for trace metals have been reported in the San Juan River watershed...
Authors
K. E. Miltenberger, Zachary Shephard, Rachel Lynn Mixon, Johanna Blake, Shaleene Chavarria, Douglas Yager
A hidden heelsplitter: Distribution of an undescribed endemic freshwater mussel in the Barrens Plateau A hidden heelsplitter: Distribution of an undescribed endemic freshwater mussel in the Barrens Plateau
Malacologists generally acknowledge that the Alasminota holstonia (Tennessee Heelsplitter) populations in the Caney Fork, Elk, and Duck river drainages in the Barrens Plateau region of middle Tennessee likely represent a closely related, but distinct, species, collectively referred to as Alasminota sp. (Barrens Heelsplitter). Recent surveys indicate that the species persists in at least...
Authors
Kristin I. Womble, Amanda E. Rosenberger, Andrew R. Henderson