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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Prion gene sequencing in Florida panthers (Puma concolor coryi) suggests no differential susceptibility to transmissible spongiform encephalopathy Prion gene sequencing in Florida panthers (Puma concolor coryi) suggests no differential susceptibility to transmissible spongiform encephalopathy
Transmissible spongiform encephalopathy, or prion disease, poses a serious threat to wildlife; however, the susceptibility of apex predators is still being assessed. We investigated variation in the prion protein gene in Florida panthers (Puma concolor coryi) and found that admixture from Central American pumas probably introduced a novel, albeit benign, prion allele.
Authors
Elizabeth Sharkey, David P. Onorato, Melody E. Roelke-Parker, Alexander Ochoa, Melanie Culver, Robert R. Fitak
Abundance of microplastics in a typical urban wetland in China: Association with occurrence and carbon storage Abundance of microplastics in a typical urban wetland in China: Association with occurrence and carbon storage
Microplastics (MPs) are gaining attention for their widespread presence and toxicity in ecosystems. However, their role as a carbon source in urban wetland carbon sinks is still unclear. In this study, the microplastic-carbon (MP-C) was firstly quantified based on the abundance and occurrence characteristics, including MP morphology, size and type in the Sanyang Wetland, a typical urban...
Authors
Haowen Zhang, Mengjie Pu, Ming Zheng, Bentuo Xu, Jason Tyler Magnuson, Qiqing Chen, Xiangrong Xu, Xiangyong Zheng, Ming Zhao, Wenhui Qiu
Refined mapping of subsurface water ice on Mars to support future missions Refined mapping of subsurface water ice on Mars to support future missions
Mars has an extensive yet poorly understood cryosphere. Nevertheless, both direct and indirect evidence indicates extensive buried ice across the midlatitudes, including locations where it is presently unstable. While much progress has been made in exploring the processes responsible for ice deposition and preservation during recent climatic fluctuations, a global assessment of the...
Authors
Gareth A Morgan, Nathaniel E Putzig, David M H Baker, Asmin E. Pathare, Colin M. Dundas, Megan Russell, Matthew R Perry, Matthew Chojnacki, Hanna G Sizemore, Ali M Bramson, Eric I Petersen, Stefano Nerozzi, Rachel H Hoover, Zachary M Bain
Myiasis infection by the toad fly (Lucilia bufonivora; Calliphoidae) in amphibians in Montana, USA Myiasis infection by the toad fly (Lucilia bufonivora; Calliphoidae) in amphibians in Montana, USA
Toad flies in the genus Lucilia (previously referred to as Bufolucilia spp.) parasitize and cause myiasis in several amphibian species in North America. From 2019 to 2022, we documented Lucilia bufonivora infections in post-metamorphic western toads (Anaxyrus boreas) during amphibian surveys in four wetlands in Glacier National Park, Montana, US. We found nine infected adult toads in...
Authors
Leah M. Fischer, Blake R. Hossack
Quantifying the effect of petrogenic carbon on SOC turnover for two Rocky Mountain soils: When are petrogenic carbon corrections required? Quantifying the effect of petrogenic carbon on SOC turnover for two Rocky Mountain soils: When are petrogenic carbon corrections required?
Petrogenic organic carbon (OCpetro), derived from sedimentary rocks, is an often overlooked and poorly quantified source of soil organic carbon (SOC), which may influence measured or modeled SOC composition, age, and stability. In this study, we exploited differences in thermochemical stability between OCpetro and biogenic SOC (OCbio) using stepped elemental analysis to quantify the...
Authors
Elizabeth Kellisha Williams, Corey Lawrence
Using machine learning in Minnesota’s StreamStats to predict fluvial sediment Using machine learning in Minnesota’s StreamStats to predict fluvial sediment
A thorough understanding of fluvial sediment transport is essential for addressing key environmental issues such as aquatic habitat degradation, flooding, excess nutrients, and challenges with river restoration. Fluvial sediment samples are valuable for addressing these concerns, but their collection is often impractical across all rivers and timeframes of interest. In addition...
Authors
Joel T. Groten, J. William Lund, Erin N. Coenen, Andrea Medenblik, Harper N. Wavra, Mike Kennedy, Gregory D. Johnson
Proceedings of the 2024 Asia-Pacific Wildlife Health Workshop—Collaborating against shared threats Proceedings of the 2024 Asia-Pacific Wildlife Health Workshop—Collaborating against shared threats
Emerging diseases of wildlife origin are increasingly transboundary (they spread rapidly across geographic regions and across continents). In recent years, examples include the rapid spread of African swine fever across Europe and Asia with negative effects on food security, and the near global spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza which has devastated wildlife populations, caused...
Shoreline seasonality of California’s beaches Shoreline seasonality of California’s beaches
We report on remote sensing techniques developed to characterize seasonal shoreline cycles from satellite-derived shoreline measurements. These techniques are applied to 22-yr of shoreline measurements for over 777 km of beach along California's 1,700-km coast, for which the general understanding is that shorelines exhibit winter-narrow and summer-recovery seasonality. We find that...
Authors
Jonathan A. Warrick, Daniel D. Buscombe, Kilian Vos, Hannah Kenyon, Andrew C. Ritchie, Mitchell D. Harley, Catherine N. Janda, Jess L'Heureux, Sean Vitousek
Detection of the Diadema antillarum scuticociliatosis Philaster clade on sympatric metazoa, plankton, and abiotic surfaces and assessment for its potential reemergence Detection of the Diadema antillarum scuticociliatosis Philaster clade on sympatric metazoa, plankton, and abiotic surfaces and assessment for its potential reemergence
A ciliate belonging to the Diadema antillarum scuticociliatosis (DaSc)-associated Philaster clade (DaScPc) caused catastrophic long-spined urchin mass mortality in spring and summer of 2022. The ciliate can be grown in culture in both the presence and absence of D. antillarum tissues, suggesting that it may persist outside its host by consuming microorganisms or dissolved organic...
Authors
Brayan Vilanova-Cuevas, Katherine Philipp, Ashley Altera, Amy Apprill, Cynthia C. Becker, Donald Behringer, Marilyn E. Brandt, Mya Breitbart, Kayla A. Budd, Christopher M. DeRito, Elizabeth Duermit-Moreau, James S. Evans, Maria Hopson-Fernandes, Julian Fleischer, Samuel Gittens, Michael Henson, Alwin Hylkema, Christina A. Kellogg, Andrew Maritan, Julie L. Meyer, Zoe A. Pratte, Isabella T. Ritchie, Moriah L. B. Sevier, Matthew Souza, Frank J. Stewart, Sietske Van Der Wal, Sarah VonHoehne, Ian Hewson
Surface-wave relocation and characterization of the October 2023 tsunamigenic seismic unrest near Sofugan volcano, Izu Islands, Japan Surface-wave relocation and characterization of the October 2023 tsunamigenic seismic unrest near Sofugan volcano, Izu Islands, Japan
A moderate-magnitude earthquake swarm occurred in the remote Izu Islands region of Japan between October 1 and 8, 2023. The swarm included 151 shallow earthquakes cataloged by the U.S. Geological Survey, which notably included a roughly 2.5-hr episode of 15 successive magnitude (M) 5.5 earthquakes. Origin times were coincident with regionally recorded tsunami waves, but tsunamigenesis...
Authors
Chanel Ashlie Deane, J.D. Pesicek, Stephanie Prejean, Paul S. Earle, David R. Shelly, William L. Yeck
Reproductive contribution of lake sturgeon transferred upstream of dams on a Great Lakes tributary Reproductive contribution of lake sturgeon transferred upstream of dams on a Great Lakes tributary
Dam construction contributes to declines in the distribution and abundance of many fishes. Increasing connectivity through adult transfer can be demographically and genetically beneficial, but assessing the effects resulting from transfer can be difficult if resident fish exist upstream. Genotypes of adult and larval lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) were used to quantify...
Authors
Patrick S. Forsythe, Nicholas M. Sard, Stefan Tucker, Lexi Atler, Jeannette Kanefsky, Jennifer Johnson, Daniel A. Isermann, Robert F. Elliott, Michael Donofrio, Kim T. Scribner
Mapping bedrock outcrops in the Sierra Nevada Mountains (California, USA) using machine learning Mapping bedrock outcrops in the Sierra Nevada Mountains (California, USA) using machine learning
Accurate, high-resolution maps of bedrock outcrops can be valuable for applications such as models of land–atmosphere interactions, mineral assessments, ecosystem mapping, and hazard mapping. The increasing availability of high-resolution imagery can be coupled with machine learning techniques to improve regional bedrock outcrop maps. In the United States, the existing 30 m U.S...
Authors
Apoorva Ramesh Shastry, Corina Cerovski-Darriau, Brian Coltin, Jonathan D. Stock