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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A survey of mammal and fish genetic diversity across the global protected area network A survey of mammal and fish genetic diversity across the global protected area network
Global conservation targets aim to expand protected areas and maintain species’ genetic diversity. Whether protected areas capture genetic diversity is unclear. We examined this question using a global sample of nuclear population-level microsatellite data comprising genotypes from 2513 sites, 134,183 individuals, and 176 mammal and marine fish species. The genetic diversity and...
Authors
Chloe Schmidt, Eleana Karachaliou, Amy G. Vandergast, Eric D. Crandall, Jeff T. Falgout, Margaret Hunter, Francine Kershaw, Deborah M. Leigh, David O'Brien, Ivan Paz-Vinas, Gernot Segelbacher, Colin J. Garroway
Mercury speciation and stable isotopes in emperor penguins: First evidence for biochemical demethylation of methylmercury to mercury-dithiolate and mercury-tetraselenolate complexes Mercury speciation and stable isotopes in emperor penguins: First evidence for biochemical demethylation of methylmercury to mercury-dithiolate and mercury-tetraselenolate complexes
Apex marine predators, such as toothed whales and large petrels and albatrosses, ingest mercury (Hg) primarily in the form of methylmercury (MeHg) via prey consumption, which they detoxify as tiemannite (HgSe). One of the most intriguing current questions in Hg research is how more abundant lower trophic level predators detoxify MeHg, particularly in marine environments where tissue Hg...
Authors
Alain Manceau, Paco Bustamante, Etienne Richy, Yves Cherel, Sarah E. Janssen, Pieter Glatzel, Brett A. Poulin
Estimating agricultural irrigation water consumption for the High Plains aquifer region with integrated energy- and water-balance evapotranspiration modeling approaches Estimating agricultural irrigation water consumption for the High Plains aquifer region with integrated energy- and water-balance evapotranspiration modeling approaches
Estimation of irrigation water use provides essential information for the management and conservation of agricultural water resources. Conventionally, water use data are created based on reports and surveys from water users, whereas manual records may not be complete due to lacking flow meters, measurement gaps, inconsistent methods across regions, and time- and cost-consuming data...
Authors
Lei Ji, Gabriel B. Senay, MacKenzie Friedrichs, Stefanie Kagone
Cytotype and local adaptation drive phenotypic variation in two subspecies of big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) Cytotype and local adaptation drive phenotypic variation in two subspecies of big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata)
Big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) is a widespread and locally dominant shrub throughout many ecosystems in western North America. A. tridentata ssps. tridentata and wyomingensis are two subspecies whose populations occupy the warm-arid regions of the species range and whose trailing edge is threatened by climate change. Previous studies have presented conflicting results in relation...
Authors
Spencer R. Roop, Keith Reinhardt, Ken A. Aho, Matthew J. Germino, Bryce A. Richardson
Leveraging high-frequency sensor data and U.S. National Water Model output to forecast turbidity in a drinking water supply basin Leveraging high-frequency sensor data and U.S. National Water Model output to forecast turbidity in a drinking water supply basin
As high-frequency sensor networks increasingly enhance data-driven models of water quality, process-based models like the U.S. National Water Model (NWM) are generating accessible forecasts of streamflow at increasingly dense scales. There is now an opportunity to combine these products to construct actionable water quality forecasts. To that end, we couple streamflow forecasts from the...
Authors
John T. Kemper, Kristen L. Underwood, Scott Douglas Hamshaw, Dany Davis, Jason Siemion, James B. Shanley, Andrew W. Schroth
Prioritization of research on drought assessment in a changing climate Prioritization of research on drought assessment in a changing climate
Drought is a period of abnormally dry weather that leads to hydrological imbalance. Drought assessments determine the characteristics, severity, and impacts of a drought. Climate change adds conceptual and quantitative challenges to traditional drought assessments. This paper highlights the challenges of assessing drought in a climate made non-stationary by human activities or natural...
Authors
Joel Lisonbee, Britt Parker, Erica Fleishman, Trent Ford, R. Kyle Bocinsky, Gretel Follingstad, Abby G. Frazier, Zachary H. Hoylman, Amy R. Hudson, John W. Nielsen-Gammon, Natalie A. Umphlett, Elliot Wickham, Aparna Bamzai-Dodson, Royce Fontenot, Brian Fuchs, John C. Hammond, Jeffrey E. Herrick, Mike Hobbins, Andy Hoell, Jacob Jones, Erin Lane, Zack Leasor, Yongqiang Liu, Jason A. Otkin, Amanda Sheffield, Dennis Todey, Roger Pulwarty
The effects of unpaved roads on instream sediment: Patterns and challenges for monitoring The effects of unpaved roads on instream sediment: Patterns and challenges for monitoring
Despite > 700,000 km of unpaved roads in the western United States, our knowledge of how roads impact instream sediment is unclear. We combined two studies, including (1) a regional analysis linking stream habitat data from a large-scale monitoring program with road density data to identify generalizable relationships between roads and streambed sediment distributions and (2) a targeted...
Authors
Robert Al-Chokhachy, Geoffrey C. Poole, Cameron Thomas, Carl Saunders, Brett B. Roper, Shane Hendrickson, Cory Davis, Kyle Crapster, Eric Archer
Genetics of wild, whirling disease resistant rainbow trout populations in Colorado Genetics of wild, whirling disease resistant rainbow trout populations in Colorado
Introduction: Myxobolus cerebralis, the parasite responsible for salmonid whirling disease, was unintentionally introduced to and became established in Colorado in the 1990s. Mortality of young-of-year fish due to infection by M. cerebralis resulted in recruitment failure and subsequent significant declines in Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) populations. The complex multistage...
Authors
Brian W. Avila, Eric R. Fetherman, Dana L. Winkelman, Melinda R. Baerwald
Summary of results from monitoring the Geysers with continuous passive seismic and repeat magnetotelluric measurements (2021-2023) Summary of results from monitoring the Geysers with continuous passive seismic and repeat magnetotelluric measurements (2021-2023)
Understanding temporal variations in a geothermal field can support operators in decision making that pertains to optimizing production and mitigating hazards. Between 2021 and 2023, The Geysers geothermal field in northern California was monitored with an array of continuous passive seismic sensors and annual repeat magnetotelluric (MT) measurements. Each of these data sets were...
Authors
Jared R. Peacock, David Alumbaugh, Roland Gritto, Evan Um, Craig Ulrich, Michael A. Mitchell, Craig Hartline
Watershed hydrology assessment for the Nueces River basin--Appendix A, statistical hydrology. Watershed hydrology assessment for the Nueces River basin--Appendix A, statistical hydrology.
No abstract available.
Authors
David Wallace, Kara M. Watson
Preliminary depth to basement modeling at Salton Sea, California Preliminary depth to basement modeling at Salton Sea, California
The San Andreas Fault – Imperial Fault (SAF-IF) transtensional step-over zone along the southern margin of the Salton Sea hosts substantial geothermal production and lithium brine resources. Recent volcanism at the Salton Buttes and active seismicity along the SAFIF fault system highlight active tectonic and magmatic processes that pose natural hazards and may impact energy and mineral...
Authors
Jacob Elliott Anderson, Jonathan M.G. Glen, William D. Schermerhorn, Tait E. Earney, Benjamin Lyter Morbeck