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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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Understanding rates of change: A case study using fossil pollen records from California to assess the potential for and challenges to a regional data synthesis Understanding rates of change: A case study using fossil pollen records from California to assess the potential for and challenges to a regional data synthesis
Insights into the rates at which ecosystems and vegetation respond to a changing climate is fundamental to anticipating impacts of projected climate change. Characterization of vegetation change over millennia to centuries has potential to make an important contribution toward this goal, and regional scale syntheses of fossil pollen data can provide the foundation for this understanding...
Authors
Lysanna Anderson, David Wahl, T. Bhattacharya
Using the TSS-RESTREND methodology to diagnose post-reclamation vegetation trends on the western slope of Colorado Using the TSS-RESTREND methodology to diagnose post-reclamation vegetation trends on the western slope of Colorado
We evaluated the use of the time series segmented residual trends (TSS-RESTREND) methodology to analyze plant community trends after oil and gas reclamation. We focused on reclaimed well pads managed by the Bureau of Land Management in northwestern Colorado. We assessed whether TSS-RESTREND could detect postreclamation changes in a plant community and if such changes corresponded with...
Authors
Sean Di Stéfano, Jason W. Karl, Michael C. Duniway
Water and endangered fish in the Klamath River Basin: Do Upper Klamath Lake surface elevation and water quality affect adult Lost River and Shortnose Sucker survival? Water and endangered fish in the Klamath River Basin: Do Upper Klamath Lake surface elevation and water quality affect adult Lost River and Shortnose Sucker survival?
In the western United States, water allocation decisions often incorporate the needs of endangered fish. In the Klamath River basin, an understanding of temporal variation in annual survival rates of Shortnose Suckers Chasmistes brevirostris and Lost River Suckers Deltistes luxatus and their relation to environmental drivers is critical to water management and sucker recovery. Extinction...
Authors
Jacob Richard Krause, Eric C. Janney, Summer M. Burdick, Alta C. Harris, Brian S. Hayes
Why let the dogs out? Exploring variables associated with dog confinement and general characteristics of the free-ranging owned-dog population in a peri-urban area Why let the dogs out? Exploring variables associated with dog confinement and general characteristics of the free-ranging owned-dog population in a peri-urban area
Free-ranging dogs (FRDs), are a problem in several countries, with impacts on humans, domestic animals, and wildlife, although increasing evidence suggests that most FRDs are owned. Therefore, understanding dog ownership on a fine scale is critical. The main objectives of this study were to explore dog management in rural localities from central Chile focusing on modeling owner-related...
Authors
Francisca Astorga, Daniela Alejandra Poo-Munoz, John F. Organ, Gonzalo Medina-Vogel
Efficacy of manipulating reproduction of common ravens to conserve sensitive prey species: Three case studies Efficacy of manipulating reproduction of common ravens to conserve sensitive prey species: Three case studies
Expansion of human enterprise across western North America has resulted in an increase in availability of anthropogenic resource subsidies for generalist species. This has led to increases in generalists’ population numbers across landscapes that were previously less suitable for their current demographic rates. Of particular concern are growing populations of common ravens (Corvus corax...
Authors
Corina A. Sanchez, Brianne E. Brussee, Peter S. Coates, Kerry L. Holcomb, Seth M. Harju, Timothy A. Shields, Mercy Vaughn, Brian G. Prochazka, Steven R. Mathews, Steffen Cornell, Chad V. Olson, David J. Delehanty
Synthesis of nest predation impacts of common ravens on sensitive avian species Synthesis of nest predation impacts of common ravens on sensitive avian species
Decades of mounting scientific evidence have revealed that common raven (Corvus corax; raven) population numbers have been increasing across nearly all regions of their geographic range in North America. Concomitantly, numerous native wildlife species have experienced elevated predation rates from ravens as populations have increased and expanded their range. Managers are concerned that...
Authors
Peter S. Coates, William C. Webb, Seth J. Dettenmaier, Seth M. Harju, David J. Delehanty
A desert tortoise-common raven viable conflict threshold A desert tortoise-common raven viable conflict threshold
Since 1966, common raven (Corvus corax; raven) abundance has increased throughout much of this species’ Holarctic distribution, fueled by an ever-expanding supply of anthropogenic resource subsidies (e.g., water, food, shelter, and nesting substrate) to ecoregion specific raven population carrying capacities. Consequently, ravens are implicated in declines of both avian and reptilian...
Authors
Kerry L. Holcomb, Peter S. Coates, Brian G. Prochazka, Timothy Shields, William I. Boarman
A rapid assessment function to estimate common raven population densities: Implications for targeted management A rapid assessment function to estimate common raven population densities: Implications for targeted management
Common raven (Corvus corax; raven) populations have increased over the past 5 decades within the western United States. Raven population increases have been largely attributed to growing resource subsidies from expansion of human enterprise. Concomitantly, managers are becoming increasingly concerned about elevated adverse effects on multiple sensitive prey species, damage to livestock...
Authors
Brianne E. Brussee, Peter S. Coates, Shawn T. O’Neil, Seth J. Dettenmaier, Pat J. Jackson, Kristy B. Howe, David J. Delehanty
Satellite solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence and near-infrared reflectance capture complementary aspects of dryland vegetation productivity dynamics Satellite solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence and near-infrared reflectance capture complementary aspects of dryland vegetation productivity dynamics
Mounting evidence indicates dryland ecosystems play an important role in driving the interannual variability and trend of the terrestrial carbon sink. Nevertheless, our understanding of the seasonal dynamics of dryland ecosystem carbon uptake through photosynthesis [gross primary productivity (GPP)] remains relatively limited due in part to the limited availability of long-term data and...
Authors
Xian Wang, Joel A. Biederman, John F. Knowles, Russell L. Scott, Alexander J Turner, Matthew P. Dannenberg, Philipp Kohler, Christian Frankenberg, Marcy E Litvak, Gerald N. Flerchinger, Beverly E. Law, Hyojung Kwon, Sasha C. Reed, William J Parton, Greg A. Barron-Gafford, William K. Smith
SMaRT: A science-based tiered framework for common ravens SMaRT: A science-based tiered framework for common ravens
Large-scale increases and expansion of common raven (Corvus corax; raven) populations are occurring across much of North America, leading to increased negative consequences for livestock and agriculture, human health and safety, and sensitive species conservation. We describe a science-based adaptive management framework that incorporates recent quantitative analyses and mapping products...
Authors
Seth J. Dettenmaier, Peter S. Coates, Cali L. Roth, Sarah C. Webster, Shawn T. O’Neil, Kerry L. Holcomb, John C. Tull, Pat J. Jackson
Estimating trends of common raven populations in North America, 1966—2018 Estimating trends of common raven populations in North America, 1966—2018
Over the last half century, common raven (Corvus corax; raven) populations have increased in abundance across much of North America. Ravens are generalist predators known to depredate the eggs and young of several sensitive species. Quantifying raven population increases at multiple spatial scales across North America will help wildlife resource managers identify areas where population...
Authors
Seth M. Harju, Peter S. Coates, Seth J. Dettenmaier, Jonathan B. Dinkins, Pat J. Jackson, Michael P. Chenaille
Aplicación de un modelo basado en procesos de patrones de sismicidad pre – eruptiva al volcán Ubinas, episodio eruptivo 2019 Aplicación de un modelo basado en procesos de patrones de sismicidad pre – eruptiva al volcán Ubinas, episodio eruptivo 2019
Using a volcanic monitoring data set from Ubinas volcano, we applied a process-based model of pre-eruptive seismic patterns to the 2019 eruptive episode with the goal of identifying possible seismic precursors in order to help forecast future eruptions. This conceptual model, based on geologic processes, is divided into four seismicity stages: Stage 1. Characterized by the occurrence of...
Authors
Mayra A. Ortega, Wendy McCausland, Randall A. White, Rosa M. Anccasi, Beto Ccallata