Publications
Browse more than 160,000 publications authored by our scientists over the past 100+ year history of the USGS. Publications available are: USGS-authored journal articles, series reports, book chapters, other government publications, and more.
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Mission Area Publications
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Characterizing the scale of regional landslide triggering from storm hydrometeorology Characterizing the scale of regional landslide triggering from storm hydrometeorology
Rainfall strongly affects landslide triggering; however, understanding how storm characteristics relate to the severity of landslides at the regional scale has thus far remained unclear, despite the societal benefits that would result from defining this relationship. As mapped landslide inventories typically cover a small region relative to a storm system, here we develop a dimensionless...
Authors
Jonathan P. Perkins, Nina S. Oakley, Brian D. Collins, Skye C. Corbett, W. Paul Burgess
Assessing the effects of climate and visitor use on amphibian occupancy in a protected landscape with long-term data Assessing the effects of climate and visitor use on amphibian occupancy in a protected landscape with long-term data
Determining where animals are, and if they are persisting across protected landscapes, is necessary to implement appropriate management and conservation actions. For long-lived animals and those with boom-and-bust life histories, perspective across time contributes to discerning temporal trends in occupancy and persistence, and potentially in identifying mechanisms affecting those...
Authors
Amanda Marie Kissel, Mary Kay Watry, Evan Bredeweg, Erin L. Muths
Decadal-scale effects of a dam removal on channel geomorphology, sediment and large wood on the Elwha River, Washington, USA Decadal-scale effects of a dam removal on channel geomorphology, sediment and large wood on the Elwha River, Washington, USA
The removal of Glines Canyon Dam on the Elwha River in western Washington, USA, from 2011 to 2014 introduced a 20-Mt pulse of stored sediment and logs into the downstream channel. We used terrestrial laser scanning, high-resolution orthoimages, and surveys of large wood (LW) and sediment grain-size distribution to quantify changes to the channel and LW in four different geomorphic...
Authors
Lisa Ely, Alyssa DeMott, Bryon J. Free, Andrew C. Ritchie
U.S. Geological Survey Cooperative Research Units program U.S. Geological Survey Cooperative Research Units program
This fact sheet provides a 10-year overview of the U.S. Geological Survey Cooperative Research Units program. It highlights long term accomplishments for the program's mission of applied research, graduate education and technical assistance to the partners.
Authors
Elise R. Irwin, Tess M. McConnell, Donald E. Dennerline, Kevin L. Pope, Jonathan R. Mawdsley
Use of multi-resolution, three-dimensional hydrodynamic and water-quality models to assess response to nutrient load reductions in Barnegat Bay-Little Egg Harbor estuary, New Jersey, USA Use of multi-resolution, three-dimensional hydrodynamic and water-quality models to assess response to nutrient load reductions in Barnegat Bay-Little Egg Harbor estuary, New Jersey, USA
A coupled three-dimensional hydrodynamic water-quality model has been applied to Barnegat Bay-Little Egg Harbor Estuary, a shallow, back-barrier lagoon located along the central New Jersey coastline. The study aims to enhance understanding of phytoplankton dynamics and nutrient cycling and to quantify estuarine response to potential nutrient load management strategies. The model was...
Authors
Vincent T. DePaul
An accuracy assessment of satellite-derived rangeland fractional cover An accuracy assessment of satellite-derived rangeland fractional cover
Satellite-derived maps of vegetation cover provide detailed information about vegetation spatiotemporal patterns and are increasingly used to better understand and manage rangelands. Despite their utility, questions remain regarding the regional and site level accuracy for these maps, especially compared to field-collected data. We conducted an accuracy assessment of the Rangeland...
Authors
Georgia Harrison, Matthew B. Rigge, Timothy J. Assal, Cara Applestein, Darren K. James, Sarah E. McCord
Distribution and disturbances of ditches across salt marshes of the Northeast U.S. with implications for management and restoration Distribution and disturbances of ditches across salt marshes of the Northeast U.S. with implications for management and restoration
Effective management of valuable coastal systems, such as salt marshes requires an understanding of the complex stressors influencing their continued threat of drowning. However, efforts to determine the effects of one potential stressor, ditches, have produced diverging results complicating management efforts. Ditches (linear trenches dug to drain salt marshes for agriculture and...
Authors
Erin K. Peck, Julie E. Walker, Kate Ackerman, Joel A. Carr, Maureen D. Correll, Zafer Defne, Linda A. Deegan, Mitchell J. Eaton, Neil K. Ganju, Mitch Hartley, Catherine Johnson, Jason J Mercer, Katharine J. Ruskin, Jonathan D. Woodruff, Brian Yellen
Population vulnerability of residents, employees, and cruise-ship passengers to tsunami hazards of islands in complex seismic regions: A case study of the U.S. Virgin Islands Population vulnerability of residents, employees, and cruise-ship passengers to tsunami hazards of islands in complex seismic regions: A case study of the U.S. Virgin Islands
Reducing the potential for loss of life from tsunamis is challenging on islands located in complex seismic regions given the multiple sources that surround islands, differences among islands in the amount of time needed to evacuate before wave arrival, and the high number of residents, employees, and tourists in tsunami-hazard zones. We examine variations in population vulnerability in...
Authors
Nathan J. Wood, Jeff Peters, Christopher Moore
UAV-derived models of vegetation characteristics do not transfer to extreme drought and wet conditions across a northern Arizona landscape UAV-derived models of vegetation characteristics do not transfer to extreme drought and wet conditions across a northern Arizona landscape
Context Shifts in precipitation regimes due to climate change are significantly impacting dryland ecosystems, including vegetation composition and structure. Unoccupied aerial vehicles (UAVs) are widely used to monitor vegetation, but whether models built to predict changes in these characteristics are robust under extreme precipitation regimes is unclear. Objectives We aimed to predict...
Authors
Ryan C. Blackburn, Ginger R. H. Allington, Nicole Motzer, Seth M. Munson, Qiongyu Huang
Lunar grid systems, coordinate systems, and map projections for the Artemis missions and lunar surface navigation Lunar grid systems, coordinate systems, and map projections for the Artemis missions and lunar surface navigation
Foreward This document contains design specifications of a navigational standard for the Moon, including a Lunar Transverse Mercator system, a Lunar Polar Stereographic system, a Lunar Grid Reference System, and a unique coordinate structure, Artemis Condensed Coordinates, for Artemis mission navigation and lunar surface science. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)...
Authors
Mark T McClernan, Michael L. Dennis, Ike H. Theriot, Trent M. Hare, Brent A. Archinal, Lillian R. Ostrach, Marc A. Hunter, Matthew J. Miller, Ross A. Beyer, Andrew M. Annex, Samuel J. Lawrence
Rapid butterfly declines across the United States during the 21st century Rapid butterfly declines across the United States during the 21st century
Reports of declining insect populations have received widespread media attention, but evidence for declines has been variable across regions and taxonomic groups. Edwards et al. examined trends in the most surveyed taxon: butterflies (see the Perspective by Inouye). Combining data from 35 citizen science programs across the continental US, the authors found declines in overall butterfly...
Authors
Collin B. Edwards, Elise F. Zipkin, Erica H. Henry, Nick M. Haddad, Matthew L. Forister, Kevin J. Burls, Steven P. Campbell, Elizabeth E. Crone, Jay Diffendorfer, Margaret R. Douglas, Ryan G. Drum, Candace E. Fallon, Jeffrey Glassberg, Eliza M. Grames, Richard G. Hatfield, Shiran V. Hershcovich, Scott Hoffman-Black, Elise A. Larsen, Wendy Leuenberger, Mary J. Linders, Travis Longcore, Daniel A. Marschalek, James Michielini, Naresh Neupane, Leslie Ries, Arthur M. Shapiro, Ann B. Swengel, Scott R. Swengel, Douglas J. Taron, Braeden Van Deynze, Jerome Wiedmann, Wayne E. Thogmartin, Cheryl B. Schultz
Using plant invasions to compare occurrence- and abundance-based calculations of biotic homogenisation: Are results complementary or contradictory? Using plant invasions to compare occurrence- and abundance-based calculations of biotic homogenisation: Are results complementary or contradictory?
Aim Beta diversity quantifies the similarity of ecological assemblages. Its increase, known as biotic homogenisation, can be a consequence of biological invasions. However, species occurrence (presence/absence) and abundance-based analyses can produce contradictory assessments of the magnitude and direction of changes in beta diversity. Previous work indicates these contradictions should...
Authors
D.M. Buonaiuto, David Barnett, Dana M. Blumenthal, Andrea N. Nebhut, Ian Pearse, Helen Sofaer, Cascade J.B. Sorte, Jeffrey D. Corbin, Regan Early, Magda Garbowski, Ines Ibanez, Daniel C. Laughlin, Laís Petri, Montserrat Vilà, Bethany A. Bradley