Articles
Science Quality and Integrity
The USGS provides unbiased, objective, and impartial scientific information upon which our audiences, including resource managers, planners, and other entities, rely.
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.
Filter Total Items: 77855
Parameterizing an aeolian erosion model for rangelands Parameterizing an aeolian erosion model for rangelands
Aeolian processes are fundamental to arid and semi-arid ecosystems, but modeling approaches are poorly developed for assessing impacts of management and environmental change on sediment transport rates over meaningful spatial and temporal scales. For model estimates to provide value, estimates of sediment flux that encapsulate intra- and inter-annual and spatial variability are needed...
Authors
Brandon L. Edwards, Nicholas P. Webb, Magda Galloza, Justin W. Van Zee, Ericha M. Courtright, Bradley F. Cooper, Loretta J Metz, Jeffrey E. Herrick, Gregory S Okin, Michael C. Duniway, John Tatarko, Negussie Tedala, Daniel N Moriasi, Beth A. Newingham, Frederick B Pierson, David Toledo, Scott Van Pelt
Birds not in flight: Using camera traps to observe ground use of birds at a wind-energy facility Birds not in flight: Using camera traps to observe ground use of birds at a wind-energy facility
Context: Camera trapping is increasingly used to collect information on wildlife occurrence and behaviour remotely. Not only does the technique provide insights into habitat use by species of interest, it also gathers information on non-target species. Aims: We implemented ground-based camera trapping to investigate the behaviours of ground-dwelling birds, a technique that has largely...
Authors
Shellie R. Puffer, Laura A. Tennant, Jeffrey E. Lovich, Mickey Agha, Amanda L. Smith, David Delaney, Terence R. Arundel, Leo J. Fleckenstein, Jessica Briggs, Andrew Walde, Joshua Ennen
Asynchronous flowering patterns in saguaro cacti (Carnegiea gigantea) Asynchronous flowering patterns in saguaro cacti (Carnegiea gigantea)
The saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea [Engelm.] Britton & Rose) is a keystone species endemic to the Sonoran Desert of northern Mexico and the southwestern United States. The saguaro produces large white flowers near its stem apex (crown) during April–June, which bloom at night and close the following day. In 1924, Duncan Johnson reported that saguaro floral buds are likely to have an
Authors
Theresa Foley, Don E. Swann, Guadalupe Sotelo, Nicholas Perkins, Daniel E. Winkler
Low occurrence of multi-antimicrobial and heavy metal resistance in Salmonella enterica from wild birds in the United States Low occurrence of multi-antimicrobial and heavy metal resistance in Salmonella enterica from wild birds in the United States
Wild birds are common reservoirs of Salmonella enterica. Wild birds carrying resistant S. enterica may pose a risk to public health as they can spread the resistant bacteria across large spatial scales within a short time. Here, we whole-genome sequenced 375 S. enterica strains from wild birds collected in 41 U.S. states during 1978–2019 to examine bacterial resistance to antibiotics and...
Authors
Yezhi Fu, Nkuchia M M’ikanatha, Chris A Whitehouse, Heather Tate, Andrea Ottensen, Jeffrey M. Lorch, David S. Blehert, Brenda M. Berlowski-Zier, Edward G. Dudley
Modern reporting methods for angler tag-return studies:Trends in data quality, choice of method, and future considerations Modern reporting methods for angler tag-return studies:Trends in data quality, choice of method, and future considerations
Angler tag-return studies are a cornerstone of fisheries research, providing insights into individual movements and estimates of exploitation, among many other applications. However, the data generated from these studies is dependent upon effective communication between anglers and scientists. As technological advances are adopted by anglers, little research has been directed at the...
Authors
A.T. Taylor, A.M. Pepper, B. Chapagain, O. Joshi, James M. Long
Identifying translocation sites for a climate relict population of Finescale Dace Identifying translocation sites for a climate relict population of Finescale Dace
Translocation is a management strategy that seeks to address threats to fish and wildlife populations by establishing new populations in ecologically suitable areas. Populations of Finescale Dace Chrosomus neogaeus in the Great Plains may benefit from translocation, as they exhibit a climate relict natural history that has led to a disjunct distribution and minimal dispersal...
Authors
Evan C.J. Booher, Annika W. Walters
Dispersal distance is driven by habitat availability and reproductive success in Northern Great Plains piping plovers Dispersal distance is driven by habitat availability and reproductive success in Northern Great Plains piping plovers
Background Dispersal is a critical life history strategy that has important conservation implications, particularly for at-risk species with active recovery efforts and migratory species. Both natal and breeding dispersal are driven by numerous selection pressures, including conspecific competition, individual characteristics, reproductive success, and spatiotemporal variation in habitat...
Authors
Rose J. Swift, Michael J. Anteau, Kristen S. Ellis, Megan M. Ring, Mark H. Sherfy, Dustin L. Toy
Influence of antecedent geology on the Holocene formation and evolution of Horn Island, Mississippi, USA Influence of antecedent geology on the Holocene formation and evolution of Horn Island, Mississippi, USA
Horn Island, one of the two most stable barriers along the Mississippi-Alabama chain (Cat, East and West Ship, Horn, West Petit Bois, Petit Bois, and Dauphin), provides critical habitat, helps regulate estuarine conditions in the Mississippi Sound, and reduces wave energy and storm surge before they reach the mainland shore. However, important details of the formation and evolution of...
Authors
Nina S Gal, Davin J Wallace, Michael Miner, Robert S Hollis, Clayton H Dike, James Flocks
The MODFLOW Application Programming Interface for simulationcontrol and software interoperability The MODFLOW Application Programming Interface for simulationcontrol and software interoperability
The MODFLOW API allows other programs to control MODFLOW and interactively change variables without having to modify the source code. The MODFLOW API is based on the Basic Model Interface (BMI), which is a set of conventions that define how to initialize a simulation, update the model state by advancing in time, and finalize the run. For many existing MODFLOW coupling applications, the...
Authors
Joseph D. Hughes, Martijn J. Russcher, Christian D. Langevin, Eric D. Morway, Richard R. McDonald
Experimental tree mortality does not induce marsh transgression in a Chesapeake Bay low-lying coastal forest Experimental tree mortality does not induce marsh transgression in a Chesapeake Bay low-lying coastal forest
Transgression into adjacent uplands is an important global response of coastal wetlands to accelerated rates of sea level rise. “Ghost forests” mark a signature characteristic of marsh transgression on the landscape, as changes in tidal inundation and salinity cause bordering upland tree mortality, increase light availability, and the emergence of tidal marsh species due to reduced...
Authors
David Walters, Joel A. Carr, Alyssa Hockaday, Joshua A Jones, Eliza McFarland, Katya Kovalenko, Matthew L. Kirwan, Donald R. Cahoon, Glenn R. Guntenspergen
A review of algal toxin exposures on reserved federal lands and among trust species in the United States A review of algal toxin exposures on reserved federal lands and among trust species in the United States
Associated health effects from algal toxin exposure are a growing concern for human and animal health. Algal toxin poisonings may occur from contact with or consumption of water supplies or from ingestion of contaminated animals. The U.S. Federal Government owns or holds in trust about 259 million hectares of land, in addition to the Trust species obligations. We completed the first...
Authors
Zachary R. Laughrey, Victoria Christensen, Robert J. Dusek, Sarena Senegal, Julia S. Lankton, Tracy Ziegler, Lee C. Jones, Daniel K. Jones, Brianna Williams, Stephanie E. Gordon, Gerald A. Clyde, Erich B Emery, Keith A. Loftin
Juvenile African clawed frogs (Xenopus laevis) express growth, metamorphosis, mortality, gene expression, and metabolic changes when exposed to thiamethoxam and clothianidin Juvenile African clawed frogs (Xenopus laevis) express growth, metamorphosis, mortality, gene expression, and metabolic changes when exposed to thiamethoxam and clothianidin
Neonicotinoids (NEO) represent the main class of insecticides currently in use, with thiamethoxam (THX) and clothianidin (CLO) primarily applied agriculturally. With few comprehensive studies having been performed with non-target amphibians, the aim was to investigate potential biomarker responses along an adverse outcome pathway of NEO exposure, whereby data were collected on multiple...
Authors
Jill Jenkins, Katherine R. Hartop, Ghadeer Bukhari, Debra E. Howton, Kelly L. Smalling, Scott Mize, Michelle L. Hladik, Darren Johnson, Rassa Dale, Bonnie L. Brown