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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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Does daily activity overlap of seven mesocarnivores vary based on human development? Does daily activity overlap of seven mesocarnivores vary based on human development?
Many species of wildlife alter their daily activity patterns in response to co-occurring species as well as the surrounding environment. Often smaller or subordinate species alter their activity patterns to avoid being active at the same time as larger, dominant species to avoid agonistic interactions. Human development can complicate interspecies interactions, as not all wildlife...
Authors
Leah McTigue, Ellery V. Lassiter, Mike Shaw, Emily Johansson, Ken Wilson, Brett Alexander DeGregorio
A test of the frost wave hypothesis in a temperate ungulate A test of the frost wave hypothesis in a temperate ungulate
Growing evidence supports the hypothesis that temperate herbivores surf the green wave of emerging plants during spring migration. Despite the importance of autumn migration, few studies have conceptualized resource tracking of temperate herbivores during this critical season. We adapted the frost wave hypothesis (FWH), which posits that animals pace their autumn migration to reduce...
Authors
Anna C. Ortega, Jerod A. Merkle, Hall Sawyer, Kevin L. Monteith, Patrick Lionberger, Miguel Valdez, Matthew J. Kauffman
Duck hunters and difficulty complying with harvest regulations Duck hunters and difficulty complying with harvest regulations
Due to the steady decline of duck hunter participation, several studies have investigated means to bolster the duck hunter population. Researchers and wildlife professionals have assumed that simpler regulations would attract new and unconfident hunters to participate in duck hunting. In light of this, we sought to identify what portion of the duck-hunting population had difficulty...
Authors
Matthew P. Gruntorad, Mark P. Vrtiska, Christopher J. Chinzinski, Jennie N. Duberstein, David C. Fulton, Howard W. Harshaw, Andrew H. Raedeke, Jason Spaeth
Pollen in polar ice implies eastern Canadian forest dynamics diverged from climate after European settlement Pollen in polar ice implies eastern Canadian forest dynamics diverged from climate after European settlement
Rapid warming and human exploitation threaten boreal forests. Understanding links among vegetation, climate, and people in this vast biome requires highly resolved long-term records that integrate regional inputs. We developed an 850-year pollen-based record of supraregional vegetation change using a southern Greenland ice core and atmospheric modeling that identified the boreal and...
Authors
Sandra O. Brugger, Nathan J. Chellman, Andreas Plach, Paul D. Henne, Andreas Stohl, Joseph R. McConnell
Evolution of a lake margin recorded in the Sutton Island member of the Murray formation, Gale crater, Mars Evolution of a lake margin recorded in the Sutton Island member of the Murray formation, Gale crater, Mars
This study uses data from the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover to document the facies of the Sutton Island member of the Murray formation, interpret paleoenvironments, and establish key stratigraphic transitions at Gale crater. Two facies associations were identified: Facies Association 1 (FA1) and Facies Association 2 (FA2). Individual facies in FA1 include planar-laminated...
Authors
Samantha Gwizd, Christopher M. Fedo, John P. Grotzinger, Steve G. Banham, Frances Rivera-Hernandez, Sanjeev Gupta, Kathryn M. Stack, Lauren A. Edgar, Ashwin R. Vasavada, Joel M. Davis, Linda C. Kah
Stable isotopes reveal intertidal fish and crabs use bivalve farms as foraging habitat in Puget Sound, Washington Stable isotopes reveal intertidal fish and crabs use bivalve farms as foraging habitat in Puget Sound, Washington
Bivalves such as oysters and clams have been farmed in intertidal zones across the Puget Sound region of the Salish Sea for thousands of years. The variety of gear types used on bivalve farms creates complex vertical structure and attachment points for aquatic epiphytes and invertebrates which increases habitat structural complexity, but may alter eelgrass cover in areas where bivalve...
Authors
Karl Veggerby, Mark David Scheuerell, Beth Sanderson, Peter M. Kiffney
Comparing single and multiple objective constrained optimization algorithms for tuning a groundwater remediation system Comparing single and multiple objective constrained optimization algorithms for tuning a groundwater remediation system
Groundwater flow and particle tracking models are critical tools to simulate the natural system, contaminant fate and transport, and effects of remediation. Constrained optimization uses models to systematically explore the interplay between remedial design and contaminant fate, considering uncertainty. Sequential Linear Programming (SLP) provides a design alternative addressing a single...
Authors
Michael N. Fienen, Nicholas Corson-Dosch, Kalle Jahn, Jeremy T. White
Quantifying effectiveness and best practices for bumblebee identification from photographs Quantifying effectiveness and best practices for bumblebee identification from photographs
Understanding pollinator networks requires species level data on pollinators. New photographic approaches to identification provide avenues to data collection that reduce impacts on declining bumblebee species, but limited research has addressed their accuracy. Using blind identification of 1418 photographed bees, of which 561 had paired specimens, we assessed identification and...
Authors
Anne Colgan, Richard G. Hatfield, Amy Dolan, Wendy Velman, Rebecca Newton, Tabitha A. Graves
Polar paleoenvironmental perspectives on modern climate change Polar paleoenvironmental perspectives on modern climate change
In today’s rapidly changing climate, society needs a better understanding of climate impacts on sea level, ice sheets and glaciers, sea ice, ocean circulation, ecosystems, biodiversity, and other aspects of planet Earth. Paleoenvironmental records provide a unique and invaluable source of insight into these complex issues, and place recent observations into a broader historical context...
Authors
Laura Gemery, Adrian Lopez-Quiros
How well do existing surveys track fish community performance measures in the St. Clair-Detroit River System? How well do existing surveys track fish community performance measures in the St. Clair-Detroit River System?
The St. Clair-Detroit River System (SCDRS) connects Lake Huron to Lake Erie and provides important habitats for many fishes of economic and ecological importance. Portions of the SCDRS are designated as Great Lakes Areas of Concern and fish production and conservation may be compromised. Efforts to address beneficial use impairments have focused on restoring habitat for native fishes and...
Authors
Corbin David Hilling, M. L. Belore, J. Boase, Justin A. Chiotti, Robin L. DeBruyne, Susan E. Doka, Richard Drouin, Christine M. Mayer, Jeff T. Tyson, T. Wills, Edward F. Roseman
Flash drought: A state of the science review Flash drought: A state of the science review
In the two decades, since the advent of the term “flash drought,” considerable research has been directed toward the topic. Within the scientific community, we have actively forged a new paradigm that has avoided a chaotic evolution of conventional drought but instead recognizes that flash droughts have distinct dynamics and, particularly, impacts. We have moved beyond the initial debate...
Authors
Jordan Christian, Mike Hobbins, Andrew Hoell, Jason Otkin, Trenton W. Ford, Amanda E. Cravens, Kathryn Powlen, Hailan Wang, Vimal Mishra
Machine learning approaches to identify lithium concentration in petroleum produced waters Machine learning approaches to identify lithium concentration in petroleum produced waters
Prices for battery-grade lithium have increased substantially since 2020, which is propelling the search for additional sources of this important element. Battery-grade lithium is predominately recovered from continental brines. Most crude oil and natural gas wells recover briny formation water, which may represent an additional source. Chemical analysis of these waters has been shown to...
Authors
Emil Attanasi, Timothy Coburn, Philip A. Freeman