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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 5,500 book chapters 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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Succession in wetlands Succession in wetlands
Succession refers to the change in vegetation over time driven by disturbances and the maturation of plant species. In wetlands, these disturbances include water and salinity level changes along other factors that can alter vegetation. The historical view of succession (Clementsian) was that vegetation change represented the linear progression of through stages of vegetation toward a...
Authors
Beth A. Middleton
Tectonic tremor Tectonic tremor
Tectonic, non-volcanic tremor is a weak vibration of ground, which cannot be felt by humans but can be detected by sensitive seismometers. It is defined empirically as a low-amplitude, extended duration seismic signal associated with the deep portion (∼20–40 km depth) of some major faults. It is typically observed most clearly in the frequency range of 2–8 Hz and is depleted in energy at...
Authors
David R. Shelly
The Bear River's history and diversion: Constraints, unsolved problems, and implications for the Lake Bonneville record: Chapter 2 The Bear River's history and diversion: Constraints, unsolved problems, and implications for the Lake Bonneville record: Chapter 2
The shifting course of the Bear River has influenced the hydrologic balance of the Bonneville basin through time, including the magnitude of Lake Bonneville. This was first recognized by G.K. Gilbert and addressed in the early work of Robert Bright, who focused on the southeastern Idaho region of Gem Valley and Oneida Narrows. In this chapter, we summarize and evaluate existing knowledge...
Authors
Joel L. Pederson, Susanne U. Janecke, Marith C. Reheis, Darrell S. Kaufmann, Robert Q. Oaks
The biogeography of threatened insular iguanas and opportunities for invasive vertebrate management The biogeography of threatened insular iguanas and opportunities for invasive vertebrate management
Iguanas are a particularly threatened group of reptiles, with 61% of species at risk of extinction. Primary threats to iguanas include habitat loss, direct and indirect impacts by invasive vertebrates, overexploitation, and human disturbance. As conspicuous, charismatic vertebrates, iguanas also represent excellent flagships for biodiversity conservation. To assist planning for invasive...
Authors
Bernie R. Tershy, Kelly M. Newton, Dena R. Spatz, Kirsty Swinnerton, John B. Iverson, Robert N. Fisher, Peter S. Harlow, Nick D. Holmes, Donald A. Croll
The international scale of the groundwater issue The international scale of the groundwater issue
Throughout history, and throughout the world, groundwater has been a major source of water for sustaining human life. Use of this resource has increased dramatically over the last century. In many areas of the world, the balance between human and ecosystem needs is difficult to maintain. Understanding the international scale of the groundwater issue requires metrics and analysis at a...
Authors
Michael Fienen, Muhammad Arshad
The story of rising voices: Facilitating collaboration between indigenous and western ways of knowing The story of rising voices: Facilitating collaboration between indigenous and western ways of knowing
Indigenous community self-determination, cultures, and ways of life are at high risk from climate change impacts and ecological dispossession. Partnerships between experts with backgrounds in Indigenous and western knowledge may be productive and effective ways to reduce vulnerability and foster resilience. This chapter examines collaborations among scientific and Native American, Alaska...
Authors
Julie Maldonado, Heather Lazrus, Shiloh-Kay Bennett, Karletta Chief, Carla May Dhillon, Bob Gough, Linda Kruger, Jeffrey T. Morisette, Stefan Petrovic, Kyle P. Whyte
The value of earth observations: methods and findings on the value of Landsat imagery The value of earth observations: methods and findings on the value of Landsat imagery
Data from Earth observation systems are used extensively in managing and monitoring natural resources, natural hazards, and the impacts of climate change, but the value of such data can be difficult to estimate, particularly when it is available at no cost. Assessing the socioeconomic and scientific value of these data provides a better understanding of the existing and emerging research...
Authors
Holly M. Miller, Larisa O. Serbina, Leslie A. Richardson, Sarah J. Ryker, Timothy R. Newman
What are hierarchical models and how do we analyze them? What are hierarchical models and how do we analyze them?
In this chapter we provide a basic definition of hierarchical models and introduce the two canonical hierarchical models in this book: site occupancy and N-mixture models. The former is a hierarchical extension of logistic regression and the latter is a hierarchical extension of Poisson regression. We introduce basic concepts of probability modeling and statistical inference including...
Authors
J. Andrew Royle
Active-source electromagnetic methods: Chapter 11.10 Active-source electromagnetic methods: Chapter 11.10
No abstract available
Authors
David V. Fitterman
Alamo impact olistoliths in Antler orogenic foreland, Warm Springs–Milk Spring area, Hot Creek Range, central Nevada Alamo impact olistoliths in Antler orogenic foreland, Warm Springs–Milk Spring area, Hot Creek Range, central Nevada
The 45 km2 map area is situated at the south end of the Hot Creek Range in central Nevada, ~16 km east of the buried leading edge of the Mississippian Roberts Mountains thrust. Three eastward-trending left-slip faults divide the area into four structural blocks. The southernmost block is occupied solely by upper Oligocene volcanic rocks. The narrow northernmost block, now occupied...
Authors
Forrest G. Poole, Charles Sandberg
Biology and ecology of Neosho Smallmouth Bass and the genetically distinct Ouachita lineage Biology and ecology of Neosho Smallmouth Bass and the genetically distinct Ouachita lineage
We reviewed the published and gray literature associated with Neosho Smallmouth Bass and the genetically-distinct Ouachita lineage. Substantial inter-stream variation appears to occur among these populations, particularly related to age. The Neosho subspecies is more abundant, grows faster, and lives longer than the genetically-distinct Ouachita lineage. Recruitment is highly variable...
Authors
Shannon K. Brewer, James M. Long