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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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Can grazing by elk and bison stimulate herbaceous plant productivity in semiarid ecosystems? Can grazing by elk and bison stimulate herbaceous plant productivity in semiarid ecosystems?
Plant communities in rangeland ecosystems vary widely in the degree to which they can compensate for losses to herbivores. Ecosystem-level factors have been proposed to affect this compensatory capacity, including timing and intensity of grazing, and availability of soil moisture and nutrients. Arid ecosystems are particularly challenging to predict because of their high degree of...
Authors
Kathryn A. Schoenecker, Linda Zeigenfuss, David J. Augustine
On the potential for remote observations of coastal morphodynamics from surf-cameras On the potential for remote observations of coastal morphodynamics from surf-cameras
Recreational surf-cameras (surfcams) are ubiquitous along many coastlines, and yet are a largely untapped source of coastal morphodynamic observations. Surfcams offer broad spatial coverage and flexibility in data collection, but a method to remotely acquire ground control points (GCPs) and initial camera parameter approximations is necessary to better leverage this existing...
Authors
Matthew P. Conlin, Peter N. Adams, Margaret L. Palmsten
Results of the collaborative Lake Ontario bloater restoration stocking and assessment, 2012–2020 Results of the collaborative Lake Ontario bloater restoration stocking and assessment, 2012–2020
Bloater, Coregonus hoyi, are deepwater planktivores native to the Laurentian Great Lakes and Lake Nipigon. Interpretations of commercial fishery time series suggest they were common in Lake Ontario through the early 1900s but by the 1950s were no longer captured by commercial fishers. Annual bottom trawl surveys that began in 1978 and sampled extensively across putative bloater habitat...
Authors
Brian Weidel, Amanda Susanne Ackiss, Marc Chalupnicki, Michael Connerton, Steve Davis, John M. Dettmers, Timothy Drew, Aaron T. Fisk, Roger Gordon, S. Dale Hanson, Jeremy Holden, Mark E. Holey, James H. Johnson, Timothy B. Johnson, Colin Lake, Brian F. Lantry, Kevin Loftus, Gregg Mackey, James E. McKenna, Michael J. Millard, Scott P. Minihkeim, Brian O’Malley, Adam Rupnik, Andrew C. Todd, Steven Lapan
Biomarkers in the Precambrian: Earth’s ancient sedimentary record of life Biomarkers in the Precambrian: Earth’s ancient sedimentary record of life
The hydrocarbon remnants of biologically diagnostic lipids inform our understanding of Earth’s early ecosystems, particularly where morphological vestiges of biology are absent or ambiguous. Yet both the analysis and interpretation of ancient biomarkers require scrutinous approaches. Here, we describe the status quo of Precambrian biomarker geochemistry with four examples that highlight...
Authors
Christian Hallmann, Katherine L. French, Jochen J. Brocks
Elevating human dimensions of amphibian and reptile conservation, a USA perspective Elevating human dimensions of amphibian and reptile conservation, a USA perspective
Increasing threats to amphibian and reptile species raise the urgency of their conservation. However, relative to other vertebrate groups at risk, amphibians and reptiles have low and more variable social capital; they are not generally high-priority natural goods and services valued by people. Consequently, relative to other groups such as birds, mammals, and economically important fish...
Authors
Deanna H. Olson, David S. Pilliod
To catch a (marsh) predator: Modified trapping methods for breeding and wintering Northern Harriers (Circus hudsonius) To catch a (marsh) predator: Modified trapping methods for breeding and wintering Northern Harriers (Circus hudsonius)
Although there are a variety of methods available for trapping raptors, some species, such as Northern Harriers (Circus hudsonius), are not easily captured with standard methods. We tested several existing trapping methods and modified two of them based on Northern Harrier ecology and behavior across seasons in a study population in California. No previously successful methods described...
Authors
Shannon Skalos, Michael L. Casazza, Matthew J. Falcon, William Thein, Joshua M. Hull
In situ recording of Mars soundscape In situ recording of Mars soundscape
Prior to the Perseverance rover landing, the acoustic environment of Mars was unknown. Models predicted that: (i) atmospheric turbulence changes at centimeter scales or smaller at the point where molecular viscosity converts kinetic energy into heat1, (ii) the speed of sound varies at the surface with frequency2,3, and (iii) high frequency waves are strongly attenuated with distance in...
Authors
Sylvestre Maurice, Baptiste Chide, Naomi Murdoch, Ralph D. Lorenz, David Mimoun, Roger C. Wiens, Alexander E. Stott, X. Jacob, T. Bertrand, F. Montmessin, Nina L. Lanza, C. Alvarez-Llamas, S. M. Angel, M. Aung, J. Balaram, O. Beyssac, A. Cousin, G. Delory, O. Forni, T. Fouchet, Olivier Gasnault, H. Grip, M. Hecht, J. Hoffman, J. Laserna, J. Lasue, J. N. Maki, J. McClean, P. #NAME? Meslin, S. Le Mouélic, A. Munguira, C. E. Newman, J. A. Rodriguez Manfredi, J. Moros, A. Ollila, P. Pilleri, S.E. Schröder, M. de la Torre Juarez, T. Tzanetos, K. Stack, K. Farley, K. H. Williford, T. Acosta-Maeda, Ryan Anderson, D.M. Applin, G. Arana, M. Bassas-Portus, R. Beal, P.S.A. Beck, K. Benzerara, S. Bernard, P. Bernardi, Tanja Bosak, B. Bousquet, A.J. Brown, A. Cadu, P. Caïs, K. Castro, E. Clavé, S. M. Clegg, E. Cloutis, S. Connell, A. Debus, E. Dehouck, D. Delapp, C. Donny, A. Dorresoundiram, G. Dromart, B. Dubois, C. Fabre, A. Fau, W. F. Fischer, R. Francis, J. Frydenvang, Travis S.J. Gabriel, E. Gibbons, I. Gontijo, J. R. Johnson, H. Kalucha, E. Kelly, E. Knutsen, G. Lacombe, C. Legett, R. Leveille, E. Lewin, G. Lopez-Reyes, E. Lorigny, J. M. Madariaga, M. B. Madsen, S. Madsen, L. Mandon, N. Mangold, M. Mann, J.-A. Manrique, J. Martinez-Frias, L.E. Mayhew, F. Meunier, T. McConnochie, S. M. McLennan, G. Montagnac, V. Mousset, T. Nelson, R. T. Newell, Y. Parot, C. Pilorget, P. Pinet, G. Pont, C. Quantin-Nataf, B. Quertier, W. Rapin, A. Reyes-Newell, S. Robinson, L. Rochas, C. Royer, F. Rull, V. Sautter, S. Sharma, V. Shridar, A. Sournac, M. Toplis, I. Torre-Fdez, N. Turenne, A. Udry, M. Veneranda, D. Venhaus, D. Vogt, P. Willis
Post-fledging spatial dispersion and movement behaviour differs between cavity-nesting and open-cup nesting passerines Post-fledging spatial dispersion and movement behaviour differs between cavity-nesting and open-cup nesting passerines
Spatial dispersion and movement behaviour vary across animal taxa and can affect fitness. The reasons why species differ in movement behaviour of young and why some species form family groups and other species have dispersed young have been rarely addressed. We tested a hypothesis that spatial dispersion and movement behaviour of dependent young were influenced by their developmental...
Authors
Necmiye Sahin Arslan, Thomas E. Martin
Searching for refuge: A framework for identifying site factors conferring resistance to climate-driven vegetation change Searching for refuge: A framework for identifying site factors conferring resistance to climate-driven vegetation change
Climate change is occurring at accelerated rates in high latitude regions such as Alaska, causing alterations in woody plant growth and associated ecosystem patterns and processes. Our aim is to assess the magnitude and speed that climate-induced changes in woody plant distribution and volume may be reduced and/or slowed by relatively static landscape features like physical...
Authors
Ann M. Raiho, Henry R. Scharf, Carl A. Roland, David K. Swanson, Sarah E. Stehn, Mevin Hooten
Landscape geomorphology and local-riverine features influence Broad Whitefish (Coregonus nasus) spawning habitat suitability in Arctic Alaska Landscape geomorphology and local-riverine features influence Broad Whitefish (Coregonus nasus) spawning habitat suitability in Arctic Alaska
Landscape-level geomorphic processes influence the spatial and temporal arrangement of fish habitats in freshwater ecosystems and fishes move across riverscapes, selecting a suite of habitats to maximise fitness. Here, we explore the influence of geomorphology on stream channel attributes and assess Broad Whitefish (Coregonus nasus) spawning habitat potential in the Colville River in...
Authors
Jason C. Leppi, Jeffrey A. Falke, Daniel J. Rinella, Mark S. Wipfli, Andrew C. Seitz, Matthew S. Whitman
Resisting ecosystem transformation through an intensive whole-lake fish removal experiment Resisting ecosystem transformation through an intensive whole-lake fish removal experiment
Lake ecosystems are shifting due to many drivers including climate change and landscape-scale habitat disturbance, diminishing their potential to support some fisheries. Walleye Sander vitreus (Mitchill) populations, which support recreational and tribal fisheries across North America, have declined in some lakes. Climate change, harvest, invasive species and concurrent increases in warm...
Authors
Holly Susan Embke, Stephen R. Carpenter, Daniel A. Isermann, Giancarlo Coppola, T. Douglas Beard, Abigail J. Lynch, Greg. G Sass, Zachary S. Feiner, M. Jake Vander Zanden
Quantifying the relationship between prey density, livestock and illegal killing of leopards Quantifying the relationship between prey density, livestock and illegal killing of leopards
Many large mammalian carnivores are facing population declines due to illegal killing (e.g., shooting) and habitat modification (e.g., livestock farming). Illegal killing occurs cryptically and hence is difficult to detect. However, reducing illegal killing requires a solid understanding of its magnitude and underlying drivers, while accounting for the imperfect detection of illegal...
Authors
Mahmood Soofi, Ali T. Qashqaei, Marzieh Mousavi, Ehsan Hadipour, Marc Filla, Bahram H. Kiabi, Benjamin Bleyhl, Arash Ghoddousi, Niko Balkenhol, J. Andrew Royle, Chris R. Pavey, Igor Khorozyan, Matthias Waltert