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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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Satellite tracking of Galapagos Petrel Pterodroma phaeopygia reveals distribution and movements during chick rearing Satellite tracking of Galapagos Petrel Pterodroma phaeopygia reveals distribution and movements during chick rearing
We tracked 19 adult Galapagos Petrels Pterodroma phaeopygia during the chick-rearing seasons in 2009 and 2010 (Santa Cruz Island [n = 16] and Floreana Island [n = 3]) in the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador. Eight petrels performed 27 complete foraging trips lasting 0.6 to 18.8 days. Short trips (3.2 ± 2.1 days; 785 km; max displacement 671 km) and long trips (10.8 ± 3.9 days; 2,856 km; max...
Authors
Carolina B. Proaño, Sebastian M. Cruz, Josh Adams, Martin Wikelski
A post-restoration evaluation of fish spawning on Coreyon Reef in Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron A post-restoration evaluation of fish spawning on Coreyon Reef in Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron
Habitat diversity is important to fisheries for promoting resiliency to interannual environmental variation. Historical land use change resulting in increased sedimentation has impaired fish rock reef habitats in Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron. Pursuant to the recovery of Saginaw Bay’s walleye population, and to benefit other species, came the decision to restore the offshore habitat Coreyon...
Authors
Scott T. Koenigbauer, Dave G. Fielder, Justin R. Meyer, Kevin M. Keeler, Paris D. Collingsworth, Tomas O Höök
Drought resistance is greater in montane conifers compared to coastal conifers in northern California Drought resistance is greater in montane conifers compared to coastal conifers in northern California
Frequent and intense droughts are rapidly altering stand dynamics in western North American forests. The ecological and geographical diversity of northern California provides a unique opportunity to measure these responses across species, habitat types, and levels of competitive pressure. This study used dendrochronological techniques and linear mixed-effects models to assess growth...
Authors
Gabriel J. Roletti, Rosemary L. Sherriff, Lucy P. Kerhoulas, Wallis Robinson, Jill J. Beckmann, Phillip J. van Mantgem
Long-term monotonic trends in water budget components in the contiguous United States: Insights from two hydrologic models Long-term monotonic trends in water budget components in the contiguous United States: Insights from two hydrologic models
Characterizing changes to water availability for domestic, industrial, agricultural, and other uses is essential to support water management. To better quantify these changes, the U.S. Geological Survey and National Science Foundation National Center for Atmospheric Research produced two hydrologic models simulating water budget components from 1980 to 2021 over the contiguous United...
Authors
Phillip J. Goodling, Sydney Foks, Jessica Ayers
Spatially referenced watershed models for the binational Red–Assiniboine River Basin: Bayesian vs frequentist comparison Spatially referenced watershed models for the binational Red–Assiniboine River Basin: Bayesian vs frequentist comparison
Excess nutrient loading remains a leading cause of declining water quality in lakes, estuaries, and coastal waters worldwide, with global economic costs of US$200 billion – US$2 trillion annually from impacts on fisheries, tourism, freshwater resources, and water treatment. Our study focuses on total phosphorus (TP) in Lake Winnipeg and its binational Red-Assiniboine River Basin, where...
Authors
E. Agnes Blukacz-Richards, Felix Ouellet, Alex Neumann, Dale M. Robertson, Glenn A. Benoy, George B Arhonditsis, David A. Saad
An ecosystem-scale model of PFAS dynamics in stream-to-riparian food webs An ecosystem-scale model of PFAS dynamics in stream-to-riparian food webs
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widespread contaminants in aquatic ecosystems, where they bioaccumulate and trophically transfer through food webs. We derived an ecosystem-scale model assessing Σ12PFAS partitioning, bioaccumulation by larval aquatic insects, bioamplification by adult aquatic insects, and trophic transfer from aquatic insects to riparian spiders using data...
Authors
Kaitlin S. Campbell, Jeff S. Wesner, David Walters, Helton. Ashley M., Alison M. Baranovic, Anika Agrawal, Craig A. Stricker, Anthony Provatas, Johanna M. Kraus, Martin Briggs, Jessica E. Brandt
Deep groundwater total dissolved solids mapping in the Dakota Group, Williston Basin, USA Deep groundwater total dissolved solids mapping in the Dakota Group, Williston Basin, USA
Growing concern about the quantity of available freshwater around the world has led to interest in surveying groundwater total dissolved solids (TDS) below water well depths. Deep TDS has not been systematically mapped, and there is much to learn about the distribution and controls on deeper groundwater. In sedimentary basins across the United States, groundwater resources often overlie
Authors
Michael J. Stephens, Bennett Eugene Hoogenboom, Lyndsay B. Ball, Will Chang
The 2025 Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands U.S. National Seismic Hazard Model Update: Ground motion model selection and comparison The 2025 Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands U.S. National Seismic Hazard Model Update: Ground motion model selection and comparison
We evaluate, select, and describe the ground-motion models (GMMs) used in the 2025 update of the U.S. National Seismic Hazard Model (NSHM) for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands (PRVI). We identify the most appropriate models that align with GMM selection criteria for use in the PRVI region to improve the accuracy of seismic hazard assessments. The update incorporates globally...
Authors
Kyle B. Withers, Morgan P. Moschetti, Brad T. Aagaard, Peter M. Powers, Jason M. Altekruse, Sanaz Rezaeian
Opportunities and challenges for incorporating lithium-ion batteries into geophysical power systems Opportunities and challenges for incorporating lithium-ion batteries into geophysical power systems
Batteries play a critical role at seismic and other geophysical stations in ensuring that the equipment receives uninterrupted power to make continuous observations of the Earth. Often sited in remote environments under a wide range of environmental conditions, these stations have almost ubiquitously used conventional lead‐acid batteries. However, recent advances in rechargeable lithium...
Authors
Robert E. Anthony, Scott Dalton, Jay Helmericks, Douglas Bloomquist, Jeremy Todd De Armond
Excessive phosphorus loading contributes to future vulnerability of mangrove ecosystems by reducing net ecosystem exchange of carbon Excessive phosphorus loading contributes to future vulnerability of mangrove ecosystems by reducing net ecosystem exchange of carbon
J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge (DDNWR) is located on Sanibel Island along the southwestern coast of Florida, USA. There, eutrophication attributed to agricultural discharge along the Caloosahatchee River has affected the area’s aquatic habitat. In anticipation of additional nutrient loading, we experimentally fertilized mangrove forests with nitrogen (+N; NH4) and...
Authors
Ken W. Krauss, Jeremy R. Conrad, Jamie A. Duberstein, Eric J. Ward, Judith Z. Drexler, Kevin J. Buffington, Brian W. Benscoter, Haley Jane Miller, Natalie T. Faron, Sergio Merino, Andrew From, Elitsa I. Peneva-Reed, Zhiliang Zhu, Karen M. Thorne, Ilka C. Feller
Geochemical disequilibrium at the brittle-ductile transition Geochemical disequilibrium at the brittle-ductile transition
We investigate the microtextural, microchemical, and isotopic effects of late-stage ductile deformation in quartzite mylonites and kyanite–muscovite–quartz veins from the Raft River shear zone (Utah). Quartz microstructures record pervasive disequilibrium, expressed by unannealed features including undulatory extinction, deformation lamellae, and poorly defined fabrics, typical of waning
Authors
Raphael Gottardi, Ryan J. McAleer, Gabriele Casale, Martin Wong
Earthquake ground-motion model adjustments for the San Francisco Bay area Earthquake ground-motion model adjustments for the San Francisco Bay area
We develop adjustments to ergodic ground‐motion models (GMMs) to improve their performance in the San Francisco Bay Area (SFBA). GMMs are widely used in hazard assessments to estimate characteristics of ground shaking based on known properties of the source, path, and site. Such models are often developed using datasets containing records from various regions, resulting in models that...
Authors
Tara Ashley Nye, Grace Alexandra Parker, Annemarie S. Baltay