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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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Impacts of flowering rush (Butomus umbellatus L.) on macrophyte diversity and composition in the Upper Mississippi River Impacts of flowering rush (Butomus umbellatus L.) on macrophyte diversity and composition in the Upper Mississippi River
Flowering rush (Butomus umbellatus L.), a perennial plant native to Eurasia, made a widespread appearance in the Upper Mississippi River in the United States in 2020, following extremely high river discharge during the previous year. Flowering rush expanded rapidly and was found at 1–10% of sites (n = 6,630 total sites) across a 400 km river reach within the first 4 years of invasion...
Authors
Alicia Carhart, Danelle M. Larson, Jennifer Froehly, Eric Lund, Stephanie Szura, Seth Fopma
Harmless tags or hazardous ads? Investigating the potential for ear tags to increase predation on neonatal ungulates Harmless tags or hazardous ads? Investigating the potential for ear tags to increase predation on neonatal ungulates
Studies involving individually marked animals provide insights predicated on the assumption marked individuals are accurate models of their unmarked counterparts. Taxa-specific and marker-specific examinations are needed to determine if marked animals are suitable models for the parameter(s) being measured. Our objective was to determine if brightly colored ear tags influenced the...
Authors
Matthew T. Turnley, W. Sue Fairbanks, Robert Charles Lonsinger, Michael J. Cherry, Marlin M. Dart, Randy W. DeYoung, Derek P. Hahn, Levi J. Heffelfinger, Celine M.J. Rickels, Evan P. Tanner, H. George Wang, M. Colter Chitwood
The American black bear (Ursus americanus) as an apex predator: Investigating the ecological role of the world’s most abundant large carnivore The American black bear (Ursus americanus) as an apex predator: Investigating the ecological role of the world’s most abundant large carnivore
Introduction American black bears (Ursus americanus) have been documented to have top-down effects, both consumptive (through predation) and nonconsumptive (through fear effects). However, their behavioural and dietary adaptability has led to uncertainty about the conditions under which these may occur.Objectives We aimed to (1) investigate when, where, and how often black bears...
Authors
John M. Nettles, Caroline M. Abramowitz, Wesley W. Boone, Stephen N. Harris, Chloe E. Horton, Meghan P. Keating, Dana L. Nelson, Samantha N. Smith, Katelyn N. Steen, Erin K. Buchholtz, David S. Jachowski
Using imaging spectroscopy and elevation in machine learning to estimate soil salinity in intermittently tidal wetlands Using imaging spectroscopy and elevation in machine learning to estimate soil salinity in intermittently tidal wetlands
Coastal soil salinization patterns are changing due to drought, sea level rise (SLR), and changing freshwater inflow. These changes are expected to impact coastal wetland plant health and ecosystem function, such as changes to biomass and productivity. These impacts have led to greater interest in how we monitor soil salinization across spatial and temporal scales. Remote sensing is a...
Authors
German Silva, Dar Roberts, Kristin B. Byrd, Dana Chadwick, Ian Walker, Jennifer King
A global dataset of terrestrial biological nitrogen fixation A global dataset of terrestrial biological nitrogen fixation
Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) is the main natural source of new nitrogen inputs in terrestrial ecosystems, supporting terrestrial productivity, carbon uptake, and other Earth system processes. We assembled a comprehensive global dataset of field measurements of BNF in all major N-fixing niches across natural terrestrial biomes derived from the analysis of 376 BNF studies. The...
Authors
Carla R. Reis Ely, Steven S. Perakis, Cory C. Cleveland, Duncan Menge, Sasha C. Reed, Sarah A. Batterman, Timothy E. Crews, Katherine A Dynarski, Maga G. Gei, Michael J. Gundale, Sarah E. Jovan, Sian Kou-Giesbrecht, Mark B. Peoples, Emilio Rodriguez-Caballero, Verity G. Salmon, Fiona M. Soper, Anika P. Staccone, Benton Taylor, Bettina Weber, Nina Wurzburger
Elk personality and anthropogenic food subsidy: Managing conflict and migration loss Elk personality and anthropogenic food subsidy: Managing conflict and migration loss
The continued decline of long-distance ungulate migrations threatens to decouple important ecological processes that increase biodiversity and wildlife abundance. Past research has focused on preserving migration paths where habitat fragmentation and loss disrupt movement corridors. However, shifting residency-migration trade-offs are the stronger driver of migration loss in some...
Authors
Gavin G. Cotterill, Eric K. Cole, Paul C. Cross, Sarah R. Dewey, Ben L. Wise, Tabitha A. Graves
Launching into societal benefits from the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission Launching into societal benefits from the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission
The 10th Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) Applications Meeting, held one year after the satellite's launch, highlighted significant milestones in mission progress and showcased the innovative work of SWOT Early Adopters (EA) using mission data products. Over 100 participants from diverse sectors convened to discuss operational applications leveraging SWOT's unprecedented water...
Authors
Margaret Srinivasan, Vardis Tsontos, Matthew Bonnema, Santiago Pena-Luque, Alexandre de Amorim-Teixiera, Alexandre Abdalla Araujo, Edward Beighley, Charon Birkett, Curtis Chen, Louise Croneborg-Jones, Cedric David, Shailen Desai, Alain Dib, Bradley Doorn, Robert W. Dudley, Bareerah Fatima, Luciana Fenoglio, Renato Prata de Moraes Frasson, Chandana Gangodagamage, Stephanie Granger, Isabel Houghton, Gregg Jacobs, Indu Jayaluxmi, Pierre-Yves Le Traon, Cassandra Nickles, Nicolas Picot, Guy Schumann, Babette Tchonang, Paula Torre Zaffaroni, Peter Van Oevelen, Jinbo Wang, Jerry Wegiel
Site response and wave propagation effects in the eastern United States Site response and wave propagation effects in the eastern United States
Fourier amplitude spectra from regional earthquakes in the eastern United States are used in a parametric inversion for source, path, and site effects. Five earthquakes are selected for analysis during the installation of the United States National Seismic Network (US), Earthscope’s USArray Transportable Array (TA), and other temporary arrays to maximize station coverage. A global search...
Authors
Stephen H. Hartzell, Luis B. Martinetti, Carlos Mendoza, Robert G. Schmitt
Contributions of Great Salt Lake playa- and industrially-sourced priority pollutant metals in dust contribute to possible health hazards in the communities of northern Utah Contributions of Great Salt Lake playa- and industrially-sourced priority pollutant metals in dust contribute to possible health hazards in the communities of northern Utah
Communities and ecosystems of northern Utah, USA receive particulate pollution from anthropogenic activity and dust emissions from sources including the Great Salt Lake (“the Lake”) playa. In addition to affecting communities, anthropogenic pollution is delivered to the Lake's playa sediments, which are eroded during dust events. Yet, spatial variability in dust flux and composition and...
Authors
Annie L. Putman, Molly A. Blakowski, Destry N. DiViesti, Diego P. Fernandez, Morgan C. McDonnell, Patrick C. Longley, Daniel K. Jones
High resolution mapping of submerged sediment size and suitable salmon spawning habitat using topo-bathymetric Lidar in the Santiam Basin, Oregon High resolution mapping of submerged sediment size and suitable salmon spawning habitat using topo-bathymetric Lidar in the Santiam Basin, Oregon
The distribution of river-bed grain sizes plays a foundational role in river morphology and ecology. River-bed grain size is a key driver of channel form and process, and has first order effects on aquatic macroinvertebrate assemblages, fish nesting, and biogeochemical processes. Despite this importance, tools to spatially quantify grain-size distributions, particularly submerged grain...
Authors
James White, Karen Michelle Bartelt, Brandon Overstreet, Jacob Ryan Kelley
Performance evaluation of natural and nature-based features for coastal protection and co-benefits Performance evaluation of natural and nature-based features for coastal protection and co-benefits
Built infrastructure, such as seawalls and levees, has long been used to reduce shoreline erosion and protect coastal properties from flood impacts. In contrast, natural and nature-based features (NNBF), including marshes, mangroves, oyster reefs, coral reefs, and seagrasses, offer not only coastal protection but also a range of valuable ecosystem services. There is no clear...
Authors
Matthew Reidenbach, Ming Li, Kenneth Rose, Tori Tomiczek, James Morris, Cindy M Palinkas, Lorie Staver, William Nardin, Matthew J. Gray, Serena Lee, Ariana Eileen Sutton-Grier, Amy Hruska
Vibrio pectenicida strain FHCF-3 is a causative agent of sea star wasting disease Vibrio pectenicida strain FHCF-3 is a causative agent of sea star wasting disease
More than 10 years following the onset of the sea star wasting disease (SSWD) epidemic, affecting over 20 asteroid species from Mexico to Alaska, the causative agent has been elusive. SSWD killed billions of the most susceptible species, sunflower sea stars (Pycnopodia helianthoides), initiating a trophic cascade involving unchecked urchin population growth and the widespread loss of...
Authors
Melanie B. Prentice, Grace Crandall, Amy M. Chan, Katherine M. Davis, Paul Hershberger, Jan F. Finke, Jason Hodin, Andrew McCracken, Colleen T. Kellogg, Rute Carvalho, Carolyn Prentice, Kevin X. Zhong, Drew Harvell, Curtis A. Suttle, Alyssa-Lois M. Gehman