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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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Improving the operational simplified surface energy balance evapotranspiration model using the forcing and normalizing operation Improving the operational simplified surface energy balance evapotranspiration model using the forcing and normalizing operation
Actual evapotranspiration modeling is providing useful information for researchers and resource managers in agriculture and water resources around the world. The performance of models depends on the accuracy of forcing inputs and model parameters. We developed an improved approach to the parameterization of the Operational Simplified Surface Energy Balance (SSEBop) model using the...
Authors
Gabriel B. Senay, Gabriel Edwin Lee Parrish, Matthew Schauer, MacKenzie Friedrichs, Kul Bikram Khand, Olena Boiko, Stefanie Kagone, Ray Dittmeier, Saeed Arab, Lei Ji
Vulnerable waters are essential to watershed resilience Vulnerable waters are essential to watershed resilience
Watershed resilience is the ability of a watershed to maintain its characteristic system state while concurrently resisting, adapting to, and reorganizing after hydrological (for example, drought, flooding) or biogeochemical (for example, excessive nutrient) disturbances. Vulnerable waters include non-floodplain wetlands and headwater streams, abundant watershed components representing...
Authors
Charles R. Lane, Irena F. Creed, Heather E. Golden, Scott G. Leibowitz, David M. Mushet, Mark C. Rains, Qiusheng Wu, Ellen D’Amico, Laurie C. Alexander, Genevieve A. Ali, Nandita B. Basu, Micah G. Bennett, Jay R. Christensen, Matthew J. Cohen, Tim P. Covino, Ben DeVries, Ryan A. Hill, Kelsey G. Jencso, Megan W. Lang, Daniel L. McLaughlin, Donald O. Rosenberry, Jennifer Rover, Melanie K. Vanderhoof
A review of the ecology and conservation biology of Sali (Micronesian Starling, Aplonis opaca guami) on Guam A review of the ecology and conservation biology of Sali (Micronesian Starling, Aplonis opaca guami) on Guam
The accidental introduction of the Brown Treesnake (BTS, Boiga irregularis) to Guam following World War II led to the extinction, extirpation, or severe decline of most of Guam’s native avifauna. One forest bird species that managed to persist is the cavity-nesting Såli (Micronesian Starling, Aplonis opaca guami), a once-ubiquitous native omnivore whose current Guam distribution is...
Authors
Andre Van Nguyen, Martin Kastner, Gary Wiles, Christopher Wagner, Henry S. Pollock, Haldre S. Rogers, Laura Duenas, Evan C. Fricke, Evan M. Rehm, Robert M. McElderry, Shane R. Siers, Eben H. Paxton
Alaska terrestrial and marine climate trends, 1957–2021 Alaska terrestrial and marine climate trends, 1957–2021
Some of the largest climatic changes in the Arctic have been observed in Alaska and the surrounding marginal seas. Near-surface air temperature (T2m), precipitation (P), snowfall, and sea ice changes have been previously documented, often in disparate studies. Here, we provide an updated, long-term trend analysis (1957–2021; n = 65 years) of such parameters in ERA5, NOAA U.S. Climate...
Authors
Thomas J. Ballinger, Uma S. Bhatt, Peter A. Bieniek, Brian Brettschneider, Rick T. Lader, Jeremy S. Littell, Richard L. Thoman, Christine F. Waigl, John E. Walsh, Melinda A. Webster
An assessment of fish herding techniques: Management implications for mass removal and control of silver carp An assessment of fish herding techniques: Management implications for mass removal and control of silver carp
We assessed the effectiveness of herding techniques on adult Silver Carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix in a tributary to the Missouri River. Sites (600 m) were contained using block nets and treated with one of five herding techniques: (1) a method commonly used by commercial fishers in the United States (commercial technique), (2) pulsed-DC electrofishing (electric technique), (3)...
Authors
Josey Lee Ridgway, Katelyn M. Lawson, Stephen August Shier, Robin D. Calfee, Duane Chapman
Anthropogenic landcover impacts fluvial dissolved organic matter composition in the Upper Mississippi River Basin Anthropogenic landcover impacts fluvial dissolved organic matter composition in the Upper Mississippi River Basin
Landcover changes have altered the natural carbon cycle; however, most landcover studies focus on either forest conversion to agriculture or urban, rarely both. We present differences in dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations and dissolved organic matter (DOM) molecular composition within Upper Mississippi River Basin low order streams and rivers draining one of three dominant...
Authors
Derrick R. Vaughn, Anne M. Kellerman, Kimberly Wickland, Robert G. Striegl, David C. Podgorski, Jon R. Hawkings, Jaap Nienhuis, Mark Dornblaser, Edward G. Stets, Robert G. M. Spencer
Characterization of fish assemblages in eleven multi-use reservoirs from North Carolina, USA Characterization of fish assemblages in eleven multi-use reservoirs from North Carolina, USA
Managing impounded river systems is a recurring challenge for aquatic resource professionals because reservoirs serve multiple functions with different ecological and socioeconomic outcomes. However, research on fishes in reservoirs has disproportionally focused on recreationally and economically important species, with less attention directed toward fish assemblages despite the...
Authors
Stephen W. Parker, Tyler Steven Coleman, Andrew Kenneth Carlson, Jesse R. Fischer
Delayed incubation leads to hatching failure of a Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia) nest Delayed incubation leads to hatching failure of a Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia) nest
Birds face strong selective pressures to complete individual nesting attempts as quickly as possible to minimize exposure of nests to predators and weather, maximize renesting potential, and maximize hatching success. As a result, the duration of developmental periods and of overall nest periods are often relatively constant within species. However, birds may sometimes be subject to...
Authors
Carl G. Lundblad, Courtney J. Conway
Fish community characterization of mid-shelf and shelf-edge mesophotic coral ecosystems in the expanded Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary Fish community characterization of mid-shelf and shelf-edge mesophotic coral ecosystems in the expanded Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary
The mid to outer continental shelf in the northern Gulf of Mexico is composed of a patchy distribution of coral and rock reefs designated high priority for marine protection. To better understand the influence of deepwater habitat on fish community dynamics and conservation needs, we compared altiphotic-mesophotic transition (20– 40 m), upper mesophotic (40–60 m), and middle mesophotic...
Authors
Phillip J. Sanchez, Michael A. Dance, Richard Kraus, Ronald L. Hill, Jay R. Rooker
Forest bird populations at the Big Island National Wildlife Refuge Complex, Hawai'i Forest bird populations at the Big Island National Wildlife Refuge Complex, Hawai'i
Endemic Hawaiian forest birds have experienced dramatic population declines. The Big Island National Wildlife Refuge Complex (Refuge Complex) was established for the conservation of endangered forest birds and their habitats. Surveys have been conducted at two units of the Refuge Complex to monitor forest bird populations and their response to management actions. We analyzed survey data...
Authors
Steven J. Kendall, Rachel A. Rounds, Richard J. Camp, Ayesha Genz, Thomas Cady, Donna L. Ball
Gene flow influences the genomic architecture of local adaptation in six riverine fish species Gene flow influences the genomic architecture of local adaptation in six riverine fish species
Understanding how gene flow influences adaptive divergence is important for predicting adaptive responses. Theoretical studies suggest that when gene flow is high, clustering of adaptive genes in fewer genomic regions would protect adaptive alleles from recombination and thus be selected for, but few studies have tested it with empirical data. Here, we used restriction site-associated...
Authors
Yue Shi, Kristen L. Bouska, Garrett J. McKinney, William Dokai, Andrew Bartels, Megan V. McPhee, Wesley Larson
Grass carp reproduction in small tributaries of Truman Reservoir, Missouri: Implications for establishment in novel habitats Grass carp reproduction in small tributaries of Truman Reservoir, Missouri: Implications for establishment in novel habitats
Substantial work has been conducted to estimate the river length required for recruitment of invasive Grass Carp Ctenopharyngodon idella and bigheaded carps (Bighead Carp Hypophthalmichthys nobilis and Silver Carp H. molitrix); however, the distance upstream and size of stream required for spawning remain unclear. Adult Grass Carp are regularly captured in Harry S. Truman Reservoir...
Authors
Cari-Ann Hayer, Michael F. Bayless, Cathy A. Richter, Amy E. George, Duane Chapman