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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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Earthquakes in the shadows: Why aftershocks occur at surprising locations Earthquakes in the shadows: Why aftershocks occur at surprising locations

For decades there has been a debate about the relative effects of dynamic versus static stress triggering of aftershocks. According to the static Coulomb stress change hypothesis, aftershocks should not occur in stress shadows—regions where static Coulomb stress has been reduced. We show that static stress shadows substantially influence aftershock occurrence following three M ≥ 7...
Authors
Jeanne L. Hardebeck, Ruth A. Harris

Socioeconomic resilience to climatic extremes in a freshwater fishery Socioeconomic resilience to climatic extremes in a freshwater fishery

Heterogeneity is a central feature of ecosystem resilience, but how this translates to socioeconomic resilience depends on people’s ability to track shifting resources in space and time. Here, we quantify how climatic extremes have influenced how people (fishers) track economically valuable ecosystem services (fishing opportunities) across a range of spatial scales in rivers of the...
Authors
Timothy Joseph Cline, Clint C. Muhlfeld, Ryan P. Kovach, Robert Al-Chokhachy, David Schmetterling, Diane Whited, Abigail J. Lynch

Using a vegetation index to assess wetland condition in the Prairie Pothole Region of North America Using a vegetation index to assess wetland condition in the Prairie Pothole Region of North America

Wetlands deliver a suite of ecosystem services to society. Anthropogenic activities, such as wetland drainage, have resulted in considerable wetland loss and degradation, diminishing the intrinsic value of wetland ecosystems worldwide. Protecting remaining wetlands and restoring degraded wetlands are common management practices to preserve and reclaim wetland benefits to society...
Authors
Brian Tangen, Sheel Bansal, Seth Jones, Cami S. Dixon, Amanda M. Nahlik, Edward S. DeKeyser, Christina L. M. Hargiss, David M. Mushet

Using machine learning techniques with incomplete polarity datasets to improve earthquake focal mechanism determination Using machine learning techniques with incomplete polarity datasets to improve earthquake focal mechanism determination

Earthquake focal mechanisms are traditionally produced using P‐wave first‐motion polarities and commonly require well‐recorded seismicity. A recent approach that is less dependent on high signal‐to‐noise exploits similar waveforms to produce relative polarity measurements between earthquake pairs. Utilizing these relative polarity measurements, it is possible to produce composite focal...
Authors
Robert Skoumal, David R. Shelly, Jeanne L. Hardebeck

Long-term apparent survival of a cold-stunned subpopulation of juveniles green turtles Long-term apparent survival of a cold-stunned subpopulation of juveniles green turtles

Understanding the effects of extreme weather on animal populations is fundamental to ecological and conservation sciences and species management. Climate change has resulted in both warm and cold temperature extremes, including an increased frequency of severe cold snaps at middle latitudes in North America. These unusually cold air masses cause rapid declines in nearshore ocean...
Authors
Robert Michael Mollenhauer, Margaret Lamont, Allen M. Foley

Predation probabilities and functional responses: How piscivorous waterbirds respond to pulses in fish abundance Predation probabilities and functional responses: How piscivorous waterbirds respond to pulses in fish abundance

How predators respond to changes in prey abundance (i.e., functional responses) is foundational to consumer–resource interactions, predator–prey dynamics, and the stability of predator–prey systems. Predation by piscivorous waterbirds on out-migrating juvenile steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) is considered a factor affecting the recovery of multiple Endangered Species Act-listed...
Authors
Nathan J. Hostetter, Q. Payton, D.D. Roby, K. Collis, A.F. Evans

A late Cenozoic kinematic model for fault motion within greater Cascadia A late Cenozoic kinematic model for fault motion within greater Cascadia

Widely accepted tectonic reconstructions indicate at least 100 km of coast-parallel northwestward translation of the Sierra Nevada block of California and 15–20° clockwise rotation of most of Oregon since the current phase of Basin and Range extension began ∼17 Ma. These reconstructions require at least 100 km of convergence between the central Coast Range of Oregon and rigid North...
Authors
Douglas S. Wilson, Patricia A. McCrory

Temporal mismatch in space use by a sagebrush obligate species after large-scale wildfire Temporal mismatch in space use by a sagebrush obligate species after large-scale wildfire

The increase in size and frequency of wildfires in sagebrush steppe ecosystems has significant impacts on sagebrush obligate species. We modeled seasonal habitat use by female greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) in the Trout Creek Mountains of Oregon and Nevada, USA, to identify landscape characteristics that influenced sage-grouse habitat selection and to create predictive...
Authors
Elizabeth M. Schuyler, Christian A. Hagen, Christopher R. Anthony, Lee J. Foster, Katie M. Dugger

Quantitative SWOT analysis: A structured and collaborative approach to reintroduction site selection for the endangered Pacific pocket mouse Quantitative SWOT analysis: A structured and collaborative approach to reintroduction site selection for the endangered Pacific pocket mouse

Species extinction and loss of biodiversity are major crises in the Anthropocene. Translocations of threatened and endangered species, the movement of individuals to augment existing or establish new populations, are increasingly important conservation tools, but have historically had limited success. Selection of a suitable receiver site is essential to translocation success, with poor...
Authors
Rachel Y. Chock, William B Miller, Shauna N D King, Cheryl S. Brehme, Robert N. Fisher, Hans Sin, Peggy Wilcox, Jill Terp, Scott Tremor, Matthew R Major, Korie Merrill, Wayne D Spencer, Sherri Sullivan, Deborah M Shier

Efficacy of secondary electric fences at preventing direct contact among white-tailed deer Efficacy of secondary electric fences at preventing direct contact among white-tailed deer

Free-ranging and captive cervid herds are at risk for chronic wasting disease transmission from direct contacts at fences, so we explored the use of a secondary electric fence to prevent contacts in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Using a captive herd of white-tailed deer in Pennsylvania, USA, we tested the efficacy of two electric fence designs (one three-strand and one six...
Authors
Renee M. Khouri, Donald C. Wagner, W. David Walter

A conceptual framework to integrate biodiversity, ecosystem function, and ecosystem service models A conceptual framework to integrate biodiversity, ecosystem function, and ecosystem service models

Global biodiversity and ecosystem service models typically operate independently. Ecosystem service projections thus may be overly optimistic because they do not account for the role of biodiversity in maintaining ecological functions underpinning their provision. We review models used in recent global model intercomparison projects and develop a novel model integration framework to more...
Authors
Sarah R. Weiskopf, Bonnie J.E. Myers, Maria Isabel Arce-Plata, Julia L. Blanchard, Simon Ferrier, Elizabeth A. Fulton, Mike Harfoot, Forest Isbell, Justin A. Johnson, Akira S. Mori, Ensheng Weng, Zuzana Harmáčková, Maria Cecilia Londono-Murcia, Brian W. Miller, Laura M. Pereira, Isabel M.D. Rosa
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