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.
Science Quality and Integrity
Science Quality and Integrity
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Mission Area Publications
We are focused on some of the most significant issues society faces, and our science is making a substantial contribution to the well-being of the Nation and the world. Learn more about the major topics our research covers and the programs focused on those topics.
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The 3D Elevation Program—Supporting Utah’s economy The 3D Elevation Program—Supporting Utah’s economy
Introduction High-quality elevation data for Utah inform decision making to improve the State’s economy. Light detection and ranging (lidar) data are used to support infrastructure planning and management, assess natural resources, and improve resiliency to hazards. The expanding availability of current and more accurate lidar data helps to better support natural resource conservation...
Authors
Cynthia L. Ritmiller
Hydrogeomorphic history, hydrodynamic conditions, and simulations of water levels and velocities from varying lake levels and streamflow for the Sheboygan Rivermouth and area of concern, Wisconsin Hydrogeomorphic history, hydrodynamic conditions, and simulations of water levels and velocities from varying lake levels and streamflow for the Sheboygan Rivermouth and area of concern, Wisconsin
In 2011–13, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) conducted a study of the hydrogeomorphic setting and hydrodynamic conditions of the lower Sheboygan River and island complex within the backwater zone of Lake Michigan. Analyses of historical aerial photographs from 1938–2010 indicated that the Wildwood Islands complex had experienced mainly erosion and what was mainly one island in 1938 had...
Authors
Faith A. Fitzpatrick, Stephen, M. Westenbroek, Paul C. Reneau, James D. Blount
Impoundments facilitate upstream invasion and introgression: Case studies of fluvial black basses (Micropterus spp.) in the southeastern USA Impoundments facilitate upstream invasion and introgression: Case studies of fluvial black basses (Micropterus spp.) in the southeastern USA
Impoundment construction has resulted in the alternation and loss of fluvial habitats, threatening the persistence of many native fishes. Compounding this threat, non-native species stocked into impoundments often invade interconnected fluvial habitats, where they may negatively affect native species. Black basses (genus Micropterus) are popular sportfishes with divergent ecologies: some...
Authors
A.T. Taylor, M.D. Tringali, James M. Long
Fungal impacts on Earth’s ecosystems Fungal impacts on Earth’s ecosystems
Over the past billion years, the fungal kingdom has diversified to more than two million species, with over 95% still undescribed. Beyond the well-known macroscopic mushrooms and microscopic yeast, fungi are heterotrophs that feed on almost any organic carbon, recycling nutrients through the decay of dead plants and animals and sequestering carbon into Earth’s ecosystems. Human-directed
Authors
Nicola T. Case, Sarah J. Gurr, Matthew C. Fisher, David S. Blehert, Charles Boone, Arturo Casadevall, Anuradha Chowdhary, Christina A. Cuomo, Cameron R. Currie, David W. Denning, Iuliana V. Ene, Lillian K. Fritz-Laylin, Aleeza C. Gerstein, Neil A. R. Gow, Asiya Gusa, Iliyan D. Iliev, Timothy Y. James, Hailing Jin, Regine Kahmann, Bruce S. Klein, James W. Kronstad, Kyla S. Ost, Kabir G. Peay, Rebecca S. Shapiro, Donald C. Sheppard, Neta Shlezinger, Jason E. Stajich, Eva H. Stukenbrock, John W. Taylor, Gerard D. Wright, Leah E. Cowen, Joseph Heitman, Julia A. Segre
Cell penetrating peptide-mediated delivery of gene-silencing nucleic acids to the invasive common reed Phragmites australis via foliar application Cell penetrating peptide-mediated delivery of gene-silencing nucleic acids to the invasive common reed Phragmites australis via foliar application
As a popular tool for gene function characterization and gene therapy, RNA interference (RNAi)-based gene silencing has been increasingly explored for potential applications to control invasive species. At least two major hurdles exist when applying this approach to invasive plants: (1) the design and screening of species- and gene-specific biomacromolecules (i.e., gene-silencing agents...
Authors
Qing Ji, Kurt P. Kowalski, Edward M. Golenberg, Seung Ho Chung, Natalie D. Barker, Wesley A. Bickford, Ping Gong
The effects of imidacloprid and polyester microfibers on the larval development of the endangered sunflower star The effects of imidacloprid and polyester microfibers on the larval development of the endangered sunflower star
Sea star wasting syndrome (SSWS) has affected numerous species of sea star, with populations of Pycnopodia helianthoides (Brandt, 1835) left most at risk. As their populations are struggling to recover, it is important to gain a better understanding of the impacts that the multiple stressors in their habitats can have on their populations. Contaminant stressors in particular are of...
Authors
Alexandra G. Tissot, Elise F. Granek, Fiona Curliss, Augustin Kalytiak-Davis, Jason Hodin, Michelle L. Hladik
Systematic shifts in the variation among host individuals must be considered in climate-disease theory Systematic shifts in the variation among host individuals must be considered in climate-disease theory
To make more informed predictions of host–pathogen interactions under climate change, studies have incorporated the thermal performance of host, vector and pathogen traits into disease models to quantify effects on average transmission rates. However, this body of work has omitted the fact that variation in susceptibility among individual hosts affects disease spread and long-term...
Authors
Joseph R. Mihaljevic, David James Paez
Continuous stream discharge, salinity, and associated data collected in the lower St. Johns River and its tributaries, Florida, 2022 Continuous stream discharge, salinity, and associated data collected in the lower St. Johns River and its tributaries, Florida, 2022
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District, deepened the St. Johns River channel in Jacksonville, Florida, to accommodate larger, fully loaded cargo vessels. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, monitored stage, discharge, and (or) water temperature and salinity at 26 continuous data collection sites in the St. Johns River...
Authors
Jennifer N. Carson, Matthew T. Benacquisto
Uranium mining, the Grand Canyon region, and the science of an ecosystem Uranium mining, the Grand Canyon region, and the science of an ecosystem
Illustration of U.S. Geological Survey science at breccia pipe mines in the Grand Canyon region. The upper left portion shows a cross section of a breccia pipe and rock layers (far upper left) in a panoramic view of the Grand Canyon with upper right depicting rock pinnacles the Havasupai Tribe call Wi’i Gileeva. The right portion depicts a spring. The Colorado River bisects the...
Authors
Benjamin J. Siebers
Streamflow, water quality, and constituent loads and yields, Scituate Reservoir drainage area, Rhode Island, water year 2022 Streamflow, water quality, and constituent loads and yields, Scituate Reservoir drainage area, Rhode Island, water year 2022
As part of a long-term cooperative program to monitor water quality within the Scituate Reservoir drainage area, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Providence Water (formerly the Providence Water Supply Board), collected streamflow and water-quality data in tributaries to the Scituate Reservoir, Rhode Island. Streamflow and concentrations of chloride and sodium estimated...
Authors
Kirk Smith, Alana B. Spaetzel
Water depth, position within the nesting colony, and nearest neighbor density affect nest survival in Aechmophorus occidentalis (Western Grebe) Water depth, position within the nesting colony, and nearest neighbor density affect nest survival in Aechmophorus occidentalis (Western Grebe)
Aechmophorus occidentalis (Western Grebe) are colonial nesting waterbirds that have experienced population declines. We located and monitored 709 grebe nests using a drone within Lake Cascade, the largest grebe breeding colony in Idaho. We conducted 6 flights between June 20, 2018 and July 11, 2018 and used the photographs from each flight to create an orthomosaic image that we then...
Authors
Deo A. Lachman, Courtney J. Conway, Kerri T. Vierling, Ty Matthews
Video evidence of a Red-eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) preying upon a live Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) duckling in Louisiana Video evidence of a Red-eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) preying upon a live Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) duckling in Louisiana
Most animal matter in the diet of the omnivorous Trachemys scripta (Pond Slider) consists of invertebrate prey items such as insects, crustaceans, and mollusks, but often also includes fish and amphibians. Reptiles, birds, and mammals are less commonly reported, and even when found, it is usually unknown if they were captured alive, as Pond Sliders will certainly scavenge dead animals...
Authors
Brad Glorioso, Alex Landry, Gabrielle Mandill