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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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Aquatic-terrestrial linkages control metabolism and carbon dynamics in a mid-sized, urban stream influenced by snowmelt Aquatic-terrestrial linkages control metabolism and carbon dynamics in a mid-sized, urban stream influenced by snowmelt
Freshwater streams can exchange nutrients and carbon with the surrounding terrestrial environment through various mechanisms including physical erosion, flooding, leaf drop, and snowmelt. These aquatic-terrestrial interactions are crucial in carbon mobilization, transformation, ecosystem productivity, and have important implications for the role of freshwater ecosystems in the global...
Authors
Ariel P. Reed, Edward G. Stets, Sheila F. Murphy, Emily Mullins
Redefining the age of the lower Colorado River, southwestern United States: Comment Redefining the age of the lower Colorado River, southwestern United States: Comment
No abstract available.
Authors
Rebecca J. Dorsey, Gary J. Axen, Martin J. Grove, Bernard Housen, George Jefferson, Kristin McDougall-Reid, Lyndon Murray, Michael E. Oskin, Tom Peryam, Jolante W. van Wijk, Elaine Young
Field methods for translocating female greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) with their broods Field methods for translocating female greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) with their broods
Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) have experienced considerable range contraction and reduced abundance in response to habitat loss and degradation. Translocation is a conservation action that is often used to reintroduce extirpated populations or augment existing small populations. Translocations have had limited success in restoring viable populations of sage-grouse; a...
Authors
Mary Beth Meyerpeter, Kade D. Lazenby, Peter S. Coates, Mark A. Ricca, Steven R. Mathews, Scott C. Gardner, David K. Dahlgren, David J. Delehanty
Seasonal and age-related variation in daily travel distances of California Condors Seasonal and age-related variation in daily travel distances of California Condors
Despite a dramatic recovery from the brink of extinction, California Condors (Gymnogyps californianus) still face significant anthropogenic threats. Although condor movement patterns across large temporal scales are understood, less is known about their movements on a fine temporal scale. We used a trajectory-based analysis of GPS telemetry data gathered from condors during 2013 to 2018...
Authors
Jonathan C. Hall, Insu Hong, Sharon A. Poessel, Melissa A. Braham, Joseph Brandt, Joseph Burnett, Todd E. Katzner
Redefining the age of the lower Colorado River, southwestern United States: Reply Redefining the age of the lower Colorado River, southwestern United States: Reply
Crow et al. (2021) report new geochronologic and paleomagnetic data indicating that the lower Colorado River (CR) became integrated to the proto–Gulf of California (GOC) between 4.8 and 4.62 Ma instead of at ca. 5.3 Ma, as suggested by Dorsey et al. (2007, 2018). Dorsey et al. (2021) dispute this new chronology but offer no alternative explanation for one of the key data sets requiring...
Authors
Ryan S. Crow, Jonathan Schwing, Karl Karlstrom, Matt Heizler, Philip Pearthree, Kyle House, Shannon Dulin, Susane Janecke, Mark E. Stelten, Laurie Crossey
Meter-scale lithofacies cycle and controls on variations in oil saturation, Wolfcamp A, Delaware and Midland Basins Meter-scale lithofacies cycle and controls on variations in oil saturation, Wolfcamp A, Delaware and Midland Basins
Typical meter-scale lithofacies cycles from the Wolfcamp A in the Delaware and Midland Basins comprise basal carbonate facies overlain by calcareous or siliceous mudrocks. Siliceous mudstones are the most organic-rich facies with high total organic carbon (TOC > 3 wt. %), whereas thin carbonate beds have the lowest organic matter (OM) content among the lithofacies present (TOC TOC...
Authors
Tongwei Zhang, Qilong Fu, Xun Sun, Paul C. Hackley, Lucy Tingwei Ko, Deyong Shao
Strategic considerations for invasive species managers in the utilization ofenvironmental DNA (eDNA): Steps for incorporating this powerful surveillance tool Strategic considerations for invasive species managers in the utilization ofenvironmental DNA (eDNA): Steps for incorporating this powerful surveillance tool
Invasive species surveillance programs can utilize environmental DNA sampling and analysis to provide information on the presence of invasive species. Wider utilization of eDNA techniques for invasive species surveillance may be warranted. This paper covers topics directed towards invasive species managers and eDNA practitioners working at the intersection of eDNA techniques and invasive...
Authors
Jeffrey Morisette, Stanley Burgiel, Kelsey Brantley, Wesley M. Daniel, John Darling, Jeanette Davis, Thomas W. Franklin, Keith Gaddis, Margaret Hunter, Richard Lance, Tracy Leskey, Yale Passamaneck, Antoinette J. Piaggio, Brian G. Rector, Adam Sepulveda, Melissa Smith, Carol A Stepien, Taylor Wilcox
Developing bare-earth digital elevation models from structure-from-motion data on barrier islands Developing bare-earth digital elevation models from structure-from-motion data on barrier islands
Unoccupied aerial systems can collect aerial imagery that can be used to develop structure-from-motion products with a temporal resolution well-suited to monitoring dynamic barrier island environments. However, topographic data created using photogrammetric techniques such as structure-from-motion represent the surface elevation including the vegetation canopy. Additional processing is...
Authors
Nicholas Enwright, Christine J. Kranenburg, Brett Patton, P. Soupy Dalyander, Jenna A. Brown, Sarai Piazza, Wyatt C Cheney
Wetland availability and salinity concentrations for breeding waterfowl in Suisun Marsh, California Wetland availability and salinity concentrations for breeding waterfowl in Suisun Marsh, California
Availability of wetlands with low salinities during the breeding season can influence waterfowl reproductive success and population recruitment. Salinities as low as 2 ppt (3.6 mScm–1) can impair duckling growth and influence behavior, with mortality occurring above 9 ppt (14.8 mScm–1). We used satellite imagery to quantify the amount of available water, and sampled surface water...
Authors
Carley Rose Schacter, Sarah H. Peterson, Mark P. Herzog, C. Alex Hartman, Michael L. Casazza, Joshua T. Ackerman
Breeding waterbird populations have declined in south San Francisco Bay: An assessment over two decades Breeding waterbird populations have declined in south San Francisco Bay: An assessment over two decades
In south San Francisco Bay, former salt ponds now managed as wildlife habitat support large populations of breeding waterbirds. In 2006, the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project began the process of converting 50% to 90% of these managed pond habitats into tidal marsh. We compared American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana) and Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus) abundance in...
Authors
C. Alex Hartman, Joshua T. Ackerman, Carley Rose Schacter, Mark P. Herzog, Max Tarjan, Yiwei Wang, Cheryl Strong, Rachel Tertes, Nils Warnock
Critical aquifer overdraft accelerates degradation of groundwater quality in California’s Central Valley during drought Critical aquifer overdraft accelerates degradation of groundwater quality in California’s Central Valley during drought
Drought-induced pumpage has precipitated dramatic groundwater-level declines in California’s Central Valley over the past 30 years, but the impacts of aquifer overdraft on water quality are poorly understood. This study coupled over 160,000 measurements of nitrate from ∼6,000 public-supply wells with a 30-year reconstruction of groundwater levels throughout the Central Valley to evaluate...
Authors
Zeno F. Levy, Bryant C. Jurgens, Karen R. Burow, Stefan Voss, Kirsten Faulkner, Jose Alfredo Arroyo-Lopez, Miranda S. Fram
Hydrate formation on marine seep bubbles and the implications for water column methane dissolution Hydrate formation on marine seep bubbles and the implications for water column methane dissolution
Methane released from seafloor seeps contributes to a number of benthic, water column, and atmospheric processes. At seafloor seeps within the methane hydrate stability zone, crystalline gas hydrate shells can form on methane bubbles while the bubbles are still in contact with the seafloor or as the bubbles begin ascending through the water column. These shells reduce methane dissolution...
Authors
Xiaojing Fu, William F. Waite, Carolyn D. Ruppel