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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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Coral restoration can drive rapid increases in reef accretion potential Coral restoration can drive rapid increases in reef accretion potential

Coral-reef degradation is disrupting the balance between reef accretion and erosion and threatening the persistence of essential coral-reef habitats. In south Florida, most reefs are already net eroding, and without intervention, valuable ecosystem services may be lost. Coral restoration holds the potential to reverse those trends; however, typical restoration monitoring does not...
Authors
Lauren T. Toth, Selena Anne-Marie Johnson, Erin O. Lyons, Jason Spadaro, Anastasios Stathakopoulos, Sierra Kathleen Bloomer, Jennifer Mallon, Connor Monroe Jenkins, Sara D. Williams, Ian Combs, Zachary Craig, Erinn Muller

Shrinking channels, growing threats: Habitat degradation from channel narrowing and invasive vegetation in three dryland rivers Shrinking channels, growing threats: Habitat degradation from channel narrowing and invasive vegetation in three dryland rivers

Water development and the proliferation of invasive riparian vegetation have led to widespread habitat loss and simplification of rivers in the western United States, contributing to the imperilment of native fishes. Here, we quantify channel narrowing and vegetation encroachment, which are conspicuous indicators of riverine habitat alteration, along ∼400 km of three dryland tributaries...
Authors
Benjamin J. Miller, Mark C. McKinstry, Peter R. Wilcock, William W. Macfarlane, Steven Bassett, Phaedra E. Budy, Casey A. Pennock

Variable partitioning of lithium in rhyolitic melt during decompression and ascent Variable partitioning of lithium in rhyolitic melt during decompression and ascent

The partitioning behavior of Li in magmatic systems is increasingly being investigated due to the economic importance of Li in the transition to sustainable energy resources (e.g., batteries). However, at upper crustal pressures, it remains uncertain whether Li preferentially partitions into the vapor or liquid (brine) phase or remains in the silicate melt. This complicates our ability...
Authors
Madison Myers, Roberta Spallanzani, Darin Schwartz, Celestine N. Mercer, Behnaz Hosseini

Forecast, monitor, adapt: A multi-agency strategy to protect people from postfire debris flows Forecast, monitor, adapt: A multi-agency strategy to protect people from postfire debris flows

In 2020, a wildfire burned across Glenwood Canyon in Colorado, USA. A history of postfire debris flows in the region and a hazard assessment for the burn area indicated that potentially life-threatening debris flows could be triggered by rainfall within months of a wildfire. As a result, four government agencies evaluated strategies to help mitigate hazards, including the loss of human...
Authors
Francis K. Rengers, Jason W. Kean, Cory A. Williams, Mark F. Henneberg, John R. Banta, Eric Schroder, Cara Sponaugle, David Callery, Erin Walter, Todd Blake, Dennis M. Staley

Constraining landslide frequency across the United States to inform county-level risk reduction Constraining landslide frequency across the United States to inform county-level risk reduction

Informative landslide hazard estimates are needed to support landslide mitigation strategies to reduce landslide risk across the United States. Whereas existing national-scale landslide susceptibility products assess where landslides are likely to occur, they do not address how often, which is a critical element of landslide hazard and risk assessments. In particular, the U.S. Federal...
Authors
Lisa Victoria Luna, Jacob Woodard, Janice L. Bytheway, Gina Belair, Benjamin B. Mirus

A single nucleotide polymorphism panel for identifying North American species and hybrids in the genus Morone A single nucleotide polymorphism panel for identifying North American species and hybrids in the genus Morone

Four species of the fish genus Morone exist in North America and are often the focus of management actions, including propagation and stocking of their hybrids. We have developed an amplicon-based single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping panel that provides the ability to distinguish all four species and the commonly stocked M. chrysops x M. saxatilis hybrid using a set of 47 SNPs...
Authors
Jared Homola, Hadley I.A. Boehm, Paul Albosta, Craig Paukert

Representing 3-dimensional fuels for physics-based fire behavior models: A general framework and case study in a type-converted post-fire shrubfield Representing 3-dimensional fuels for physics-based fire behavior models: A general framework and case study in a type-converted post-fire shrubfield

Background Physics-based three-dimensional (3D) fire behavior models improve planning for prescribed fire application and wildfire mitigation, but require high spatial resolution 3D fuel models as inputs. While multiple methods and data sources for realistically representing 3D, heterogeneous fuels are available, no unifying framework exists to guide the use of these tools to create 3D...
Authors
Niko Tutland, Andreas Paul Wion, Carolina Jasmine May, Grant C. Hutchings, Hope Nowak, James R. Gattiker, J. Kevin Hiers, Rodman R. Linn, Scott M. Pokswinski, Ellis Q. Margolis

Evaluating trends using total impervious cover as a metric for degree of urbanisation Evaluating trends using total impervious cover as a metric for degree of urbanisation

Impervious cover (IC) is a common metric for assessing the degree of urbanisation in watersheds. However, there are different methods for determining IC, and use of IC correlation with urban watershed response to hydrologic and geochemical inputs can be strongly influenced by the end members (IC below 10% and above 40%). The resolution of the imagery (e.g., 1 m vs. 30 m) used to measure...
Authors
Laura Toran, Daniel Bain, Kristina G. Hopkins, Joel Moore, Emily May O'Donnell

Late Quaternary environmental change in eastern Beringia Late Quaternary environmental change in eastern Beringia

Eastern Beringia (Alaska and western Yukon) is an extensive, high-latitude region of North America that remained largely unglaciated throughout the Quaternary. Consequently, its sedimentary deposits preserve long-term environmental records that have intrigued scientists for nearly a century. Recent advances in palaeoecological proxies and dating methods have proved critical in addressing...
Authors
Alistair J. Monteath, Mary E. Edwards, Duane Froese, Lesleigh Anderson, Benjamin V. Gaglioti, Scott L. Cocker, Julie Brigham-Grette, Matthew J. Wooller, Bruce P. Finney, Mark B. Abbott

A systematic review and meta-analysis of post-fire seeding and herbicide treatment effectiveness for controlling exotic annual grasses in the sagebrush biome A systematic review and meta-analysis of post-fire seeding and herbicide treatment effectiveness for controlling exotic annual grasses in the sagebrush biome

Introduction Outcomes of ecological restoration treatments can be highly variable and challenging to generalize, even for the same treatment type applied in similar ecological communities at different times and places. Notable examples are the herbicide and seeding treatments that have been extensively applied across the perennial sagebrush steppe of the United States to reduce impacts...
Authors
Leland D Bennion, Christopher A Anthony, Scott N Zimmer, David Pilliod, Matthew Germino

Evidence for marine-driven, cyclical fluctuations in burrow-nesting seabird habitat on the Oregon Coast Evidence for marine-driven, cyclical fluctuations in burrow-nesting seabird habitat on the Oregon Coast

Seabirds are among the most threatened birds globally, with the loss or deterioration of coastal breeding habitats posing a severe threat. Natural and anthropogenic disturbances substantially influence coastal ecosystems through erosion and vegetation loss, altering habitat for the wildlife species that depend on them. In addition to these disturbances, oceanographic processes may play...
Authors
Carina M. Kusaka, Shawn Stephensen, James T. Peterson, Melanie J. Davis

Integrating the resist–accept–direct framework into natural resource decision-making processes for climate adaptation Integrating the resist–accept–direct framework into natural resource decision-making processes for climate adaptation

The resist–accept–direct (RAD) framework for climate adaptation is a useful tool, particularly when conservation practitioners know they need to address climate change but do not know where to start or when they struggle to implement conservation actions that are outside the status quo. Some conservation practitioners may view RAD as a decision process that will lead them through...
Authors
Amanda L. Sesser, Jennifer L. Wilkening, Wendy Beth Miles, Kelly G. Guilbeau, Abigail Lynch, Jeremy R. Conrad, Dawn Robin Magness
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