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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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A benchmark dataset and workflow for landslide susceptibility zonation A benchmark dataset and workflow for landslide susceptibility zonation
Landslide susceptibility shows the spatial likelihood of landslide occurrence in a specific geographical area and is a relevant tool for mitigating the impact of landslides worldwide. As such, it is the subject of countless scientific studies. Many methods exist for generating a susceptibility map, mostly falling under the definition of statistical or machine learning. These models try...
Authors
Massimiliano Alvioli, Marco Loche, Liesbet Jacobs, Carlos H. Grohmann, Minu Treesa Abraham, Kunal Gupta, Neelima Satyam, Gianvito Scaringi, Txomin Bornaetxea, Mauro Rossi, Ivan Marchesini, Luigi Lombardo, Mateo Moreno, Stefan Steger, Corrado Camera, Greta Bajni, Guruh Samodra, Erwin Eko Wahyudi, Nanang Susyanto, Marko Sincic, Sanja Bernat Gazibara, Flavius Sirbu, Jewgenij Torizin, Nick Schussler, Benjamin B. Mirus, Jacob Bryson Woodard, Hector Aguilera, Jhonatan Steven Rivera-Rivera
Survey effort and targeted landbird community metrics at Indiana lowland forest restoration sites Survey effort and targeted landbird community metrics at Indiana lowland forest restoration sites
Many sampling and analytical methods can estimate the abundance, distributions, and diversity of birds and other wildlife. However, challenges with sample size and analytical capacity can make these methods difficult to implement for resource-limited monitoring programs. To apprise efficient and attainable sampling designs for landbird monitoring programs with limited observational data...
Authors
Benjamin M West, Mark L. Wildhaber, Nicholas S. Green, John P. Isanhart, M. Victoria McDonald, Michael J. Hooper
Free-roaming horses exceeding appropriate management levels affect multiple vital rates in greater sage-grouse Free-roaming horses exceeding appropriate management levels affect multiple vital rates in greater sage-grouse
Since the passage of the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971, federal agencies have been responsible for managing free-roaming equids in the United States. Over the last 20 years, management has been hampered by direct opposition from advocacy groups, budget limitations, and a decline in the public’s willingness to adopt free-roaming horses (Equus caballus). As a result, free...
Authors
Jeffrey L. Beck, Megan C. Milligan, Kurt T. Smith, Phillip A. Street, Aaron C. Pratt, Christopher P. Kirol, Caitlyn P. Wanner, Jacob D. Hennig, Jonathan B. Dinkins, J. Derek Scasta, Peter S. Coates
Large eddy simulation of cross-shore hydrodynamics under random waves in the inner surf and swash zones Large eddy simulation of cross-shore hydrodynamics under random waves in the inner surf and swash zones
A 3D large eddy simulation coupled with a free surface tracking scheme was used to simulate cross-shore hydrodynamics as observed in a large wave flume experiment. The primary objective was to enhance the understanding of wave-backwash interactions and the implications for observed morphodynamics. Two simulation cases were carried out to elucidate key processes of wave-backwash...
Authors
Benjamin Tsai, Tian-Jian Hsu, Seok-Bong Lee, Maria Pontiki, Jack A. Puleo, Meagan E. Wengrove
Ambient flow and transport in long-screened, sand-packed wells: Insights into cross contamination and wellbore flow Ambient flow and transport in long-screened, sand-packed wells: Insights into cross contamination and wellbore flow
The presence of long-screened wells with a surrounding sand pack can have a major effect on the redistribution of contaminants in groundwater, particularly when the wells are set in low-hydraulic conductivity aquifers. Such redistribution, or cross contamination, can occur through vertical flow and advective transport or by in-well mixing via multiple non-advective transport processes. A...
Authors
Philip Harte, Christopher Palumbo Ely, Nicholas F. Teague, Nicole C. Fenton, Anthony A. Brown
Estimating ungulate migration corridors from sparse movement data Estimating ungulate migration corridors from sparse movement data
Many ungulates migrate between distinct summer and winter ranges, and identifying, mapping, and conserving these migration corridors have become a focus of local, regional, and global conservation efforts. Brownian bridge movement models (BBMMs) are commonly used to empirically identify these seasonal migration corridors; however, they require location data sampled at relatively frequent...
Authors
Jennifer L. McKee, Julien Fattebert, Ellen O. Aikens, Jodi Berg, Scott Bergen, Eric K. Cole, Holly E. Copeland, Alyson B. Courtemanch, Sarah Dewey, Mark Hurley, Blake Lowrey, Jerod A. Merkle, Arthur D. Middleton, Tristan A. Nuñez, Hall Sawyer, Matthew J. Kauffman
Quantifying aspect-dependent snowpack response to high-elevation wildfire in the southern Rocky Mountains Quantifying aspect-dependent snowpack response to high-elevation wildfire in the southern Rocky Mountains
Increasing wildfire frequency and severity in high-elevation seasonal snow zones presents a considerable water resource management challenge across the western United States (U.S.). Wildfires can affect snowpack accumulation and melt patterns, altering the quantity and timing of runoff. While prior research has shown that wildfire generally increases snow melt rates and advances snow...
Authors
Wyatt Reis, Daniel McGrath, Kelly Elder, Stephanie Kampf, David M. Rey
Climate, hydrology, and nutrients control the seasonality of Si concentrations in rivers Climate, hydrology, and nutrients control the seasonality of Si concentrations in rivers
The seasonal behavior of fluvial dissolved silica (DSi) concentrations, termed DSi regime, mediates the timing of DSi delivery to downstream waters and thus governs river biogeochemical function and aquatic community condition. Previous work identified five distinct DSi regimes across rivers spanning the Northern Hemisphere, with many rivers exhibiting multiple DSi regimes over time...
Authors
Keira Johnson, Kathi Jo Jankowski, Joanna C. Carey, Lienne R. Sethna, Sidney A. Bush, Diane M. McKnight, William H. McDowell, Adam S. Wymore, Pirkko Kortelainen, Jeremy B. Jones, Nicholas Lyon, Hjalmar Laudon, Amanda Poste, Pamela L. Sullivan
Debris-flow monitoring on volcanoes via a novel usage of a laser rangefinder Debris-flow monitoring on volcanoes via a novel usage of a laser rangefinder
Mount Rainier has had at least 11 large lahars over the last 6,000 years, including one occurring without evidence of eruptive activity. This prompted the creation of a lahar detection system that uses a combination of seismic, infrasound, and tripwires. We test a laser rangefinder placed on a river channel bank for detecting and confirming mass movements flowing past a station as an...
Authors
Alexandra M. Iezzi, Emily H Bryant, Weston Thelen, Craig Gabrielson, Seth C. Moran, Matthew R. Patrick, Edward F. Younger, Maciej K. Obryk
Genomic characterization of highly pathogenic H5 avian influenza viruses from Alaska during 2022 provides evidence for genotype-specific trends of spatiotemporal and interspecies dissemination Genomic characterization of highly pathogenic H5 avian influenza viruses from Alaska during 2022 provides evidence for genotype-specific trends of spatiotemporal and interspecies dissemination
The ongoing panzootic of highly pathogenic H5 clade 2.3.4.4b avian influenza (HPAI) spread to North America in late 2021, with detections of HPAI viruses in Alaska beginning in April 2022. HPAI viruses have since spread across the state, affecting many species of wild birds as well as domestic poultry and wild mammals. To better understand the dissemination of HPAI viruses...
Authors
Christina A. Ahlstrom, Mia Kim Torchetti, Julianna B. Lenoch, Kimberlee Beckmen, Megan Boldenow, Evan J Buck, Bryan Daniels, Krista Dilione, Robert Gerlach, Kristina Lantz, Angela Matz, Rebecca L. Poulson, Laura Celeste Scott, Gay Sheffield, David R. Sinnett, David E. Stallknecht, Raphaela Stimmelmayr, Eric B. Taylor, Alison R. Williams, Andrew M. Ramey
Nitrogen fixation and fertilization have similar effects on biomass allocation in nitrogen-fixing plants Nitrogen fixation and fertilization have similar effects on biomass allocation in nitrogen-fixing plants
Plants adjust their allocation to different organs based on nutrient supply. In some plant species, symbioses with nitrogen-fixing bacteria that live in root nodules provide an alternate pathway for nitrogen acquisition. Does access to nitrogen-fixing bacteria modify plants' biomass allocation? We hypothesized that access to nitrogen-fixing bacteria would have the same effect on...
Authors
DNL Menge, A. P. Wolfe, J. Funk, Steven S. Perakis, K.A. Carreras Pereira
Quantifying the importance of ontogeny and prey type in modeling top-down and bottom-up effects of an ectothermic predator Quantifying the importance of ontogeny and prey type in modeling top-down and bottom-up effects of an ectothermic predator
Dietary decisions by predators can affect prey abundance and overall food web dynamics. Many predators do not forage on the same prey at the same frequency throughout their lives. Ontogenetic shifts in prey preference are not, however, often accounted for when modeling food web relationships, despite growing literature that suggests that stage specific dietary relationships may be an...
Authors
Melia Gail Nafus, Levi Gray