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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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Improved calculation of hydraulic conductivity for small-disk tension infiltrometers Improved calculation of hydraulic conductivity for small-disk tension infiltrometers

Because tension infiltrometers apply water through a disk of finite size, the infiltrated water moves laterally as well as downward. Only the vertical component of this flow is indicative of the hydraulic conductivity K, so the algorithm for computing K must include a way of isolating that component from the total flow. Some commonly used formulas correct for the multidimensional effects...
Authors
John R. Nimmo, Paige R. Voss

Distribution of northern long-eared bat summer-habitat derived from historical data collected on the Monongahela National Forest, West Virginia, USA Distribution of northern long-eared bat summer-habitat derived from historical data collected on the Monongahela National Forest, West Virginia, USA

Species distribution models enable resource managers to avoid and mitigate impacts to, or enhance habitat of, target species at the landscape level. Persistent declines of northern long-eared bats (Myotis septentrionalis) due to white-nose syndrome have made acquisition of contemporary data difficult. Therefore, use of legacy data may be necessary for creation of species distribution...
Authors
J.L. De La Cruz, W. Mark Ford, S. Beaux Jones, J.R. Johnson, A. Silvis

Using public litigation records to identify priority science needs for managing public lands Using public litigation records to identify priority science needs for managing public lands

Relevant science is essential for effective natural resource decision making, including on public lands managed by the United States Department of the Interior (DOI) Bureau of Land Management (BLM), that cover 1/10th of the United States. Most of the BLM’s management decisions require analyses under the National Environmental Policy Act, and the use of science in these decisions is often
Authors
Alison C. Foster, Sarah K. Carter, Travis S. Haby, Leigh Espy, Malia K. Barton

Maximum likelihood estimator and nightly acoustic count values as weight of evidence of bat maternity activity Maximum likelihood estimator and nightly acoustic count values as weight of evidence of bat maternity activity

Since the spread of white-nose syndrome in North America, several bat species have shown precipitous declines in abundance and distribution. With lower netting detection probabilities for the currently threatened but proposed endangered northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis) and endangered Indiana bats (Myotis sodalis), determination of presence or absence for regulatory...
Authors
W. Mark Ford, Emily D. Thorne, Alexander Silvis, Elaine L. Barr, Michael P. Armstrong, R. Andrew King

Size structure, age, growth, and mortality of flathead catfish in the Robert C. Byrd Pool of the Ohio and Kanawha Rivers Size structure, age, growth, and mortality of flathead catfish in the Robert C. Byrd Pool of the Ohio and Kanawha Rivers

Flathead catfish (Pylodictis olivaris) were sampled in the Robert C. Byrd Pool of the Ohio and Kanawha rivers, West Virginia, to inform management decisions based on population characteristics of size structure, age, growth, and mortality. Sampling was conducted with low-frequency boat electrofishing during late May to early June over a four-year period (2017–2020). We examined size...
Authors
Joseph V Siegel, Stuart A. Welsh, Nate D. Taylor, Quinton Phelps

Influences of water hardness on chronic toxicity of potassium chloride to a unionid mussel (Lampsilis siliquoidea) Influences of water hardness on chronic toxicity of potassium chloride to a unionid mussel (Lampsilis siliquoidea)

Elevated concentrations of potassium (K) often occur in effluents from wastewater treatment plants, oil and gas production operations, mineral extraction processes, and from other anthropogenic sources. Previous studies have demonstrated that freshwater mussels are highly sensitive to K in acute and chronic exposures, and acute toxicity of K decreases with increasing water hardness...
Authors
Ning Wang, Rebecca A. Dorman, James L. Kunz, Danielle M. Cleveland, Jeffery A. Steevens, Suzanne Dunn, David Martinez

Identification of seismo-volcanic regimes at Whakaari/White Island (New Zealand) via systematic tuning of an unsupervised classifier Identification of seismo-volcanic regimes at Whakaari/White Island (New Zealand) via systematic tuning of an unsupervised classifier

We present an algorithm based on Self-Organizing Maps (SOM) and k-means clustering to recognize patterns in a continuous 12.5-year tremor time series recorded at Whakaari/White Island volcano, New Zealand (hereafter referred to as Whakaari). The approach is extendable to a variety of volcanic settings through systematic tuning of the classifier. Hyperparameters are evaluated by...
Authors
B. Steinke, A.D. Jolly, R. Carniel, D.E. Dempsey, S.J. Cronin

Thematic accuracy assessment of the NLCD 2019 land cover for the conterminous United States Thematic accuracy assessment of the NLCD 2019 land cover for the conterminous United States

The National Land Cover Database (NLCD), a product suite produced through the MultiResolution Land Characteristics (MRLC) consortium, is an operational land cover monitoring program. Starting from a base year of 2001, NLCD releases a land cover database every 2–3-years. The recent release of NLCD2019 extends the database to 18 years. We implemented a stratified random sample to collect...
Authors
James Wickham, Stephen V. Stehman, Daniel G. Sorenson, Leila Gass, Jon Dewitz

Decision science as a framework for combining geomorphological and ecological modeling for the management of coastal systems Decision science as a framework for combining geomorphological and ecological modeling for the management of coastal systems

The loss of ecosystem services due to climate change and coastal development is projected to have significant impacts on local economies and conservation of natural resources. Consequently, there has been an increase in coastal management activities such as living shorelines, oyster reef restoration, marsh restoration, beach and dune nourishment, and revegetation projects. Coastal...
Authors
Julien Martin, Matthew S. Richardson, Davina L. Passeri, Nicholas Enwright, Simeon Yurek, James Flocks, Mitchell J. Eaton, Sara L. Zeigler, Hadi Charkhgard, Bradley James Udell, Elise R. Irwin

Unravelling the influence of landscape alteration from flow alteration on benthic macroinvertebrate assemblage response in the Delaware River Basin Unravelling the influence of landscape alteration from flow alteration on benthic macroinvertebrate assemblage response in the Delaware River Basin

Quantifying the effects of streamflow alteration on assemblage response is central to understanding the role humans play in shaping aquatic environments. These changes represent a level of complexity that impedes developing quantitative links between flow and ecological response because stream hydrology is strongly intertwined with natural and anthropogenic factors. Better management...
Authors
Jonathan G. Kennen, Thomas F. Cuffney

Large increases in methane emissions expected from North America’s largest wetland complex Large increases in methane emissions expected from North America’s largest wetland complex

Natural methane (CH4) emissions from aquatic ecosystems may rise because of human-induced climate warming, although the magnitude of increase is highly uncertain. Using an exceptionally large CH4 flux dataset (~19,000 chamber measurements) and remotely sensed information, we modeled plot- and landscape-scale wetland CH4 emissions from the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR), North America’s...
Authors
Sheel Bansal, Max Post van der Burg, Rachel Fern, John W. Jones, Rachel Lo, Owen P. McKenna, Brian Tangen, Zhen Zhang, Robert A. Gleason
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