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
The USGS provides unbiased, objective, and impartial scientific information upon which our audiences, including resource managers, planners, and other entities, rely.
Mission Area Publications
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.
Filter Total Items: 175056
Threshold changes in winter temperature and precipitation drive threshold responses across nine global climate zones and associated biomes Threshold changes in winter temperature and precipitation drive threshold responses across nine global climate zones and associated biomes
Globally, winter temperatures are rising, and snowpack is shrinking or disappearing entirely. Despite previous research and published literature reviews, it remains unknown whether biomes across the globe will cross important thresholds in winter temperature and precipitation that will lead to significant ecological changes. Here, we combine the widely used Köppen–Geiger climate...
Authors
Alexandra R. Contosta, Kyle A. Arndt, Helen M. Baulch, Nora J. Casson, Adrian Harpold, Toni Lyn Morelli, Alexej P.K. Siren, Pamela H. Templer
eZ flow metrics: Using z-scores to estimate deviations from natural flow in the Colorado River below Glen Canyon Dam eZ flow metrics: Using z-scores to estimate deviations from natural flow in the Colorado River below Glen Canyon Dam
River flow patterns are primary drivers of lotic ecosystems, and hundreds of metrics have been developed to quantify flow attributes. Although existing metrics have been a powerful tool in designing environmental flows, they are often developed with specific resources in mind and are rarely directly comparable with each other (i.e., units are often different). Here, we focus on natural...
Authors
Emily C. Palmquist, Bridget Deemer, Anya Metcalfe, Theodore Kennedy, Lucas Bair, Helen C. Fairley, Paul E. Grams, Joel B. Sankey, Charles B. Yackulic
Shallow faulting and folding beneath south‐central Seattle, Washington State, from land‐based high‐resolution seismic‐reflection imaging Shallow faulting and folding beneath south‐central Seattle, Washington State, from land‐based high‐resolution seismic‐reflection imaging
The geologic framework of the Seattle fault zone (SFZ) has been extensively studied, but the structure and fault strand locations in the central portion of the fault zone through the city of Seattle have remained controversial. Much of what is known about the SFZ has come from light detection and ranging (lidar)‐topographic surveys and paleoseismic investigations of fault scarps...
Authors
William J. Stephenson, Jack K. Odum, Thomas L. Pratt
Dopaminergic and anti-estrogenic responses in juvenile steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) exposed to bifenthrin Dopaminergic and anti-estrogenic responses in juvenile steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) exposed to bifenthrin
The frequency of detection and concentrations of bifenthrin, a pyrethroid insecticide, in the waterways inhabited by the endangered species, steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), has become a significant concern for regulatory agencies. Endocrine disruption has been observed with estrogenic and anti-estrogenic responses in fish species at different life stages. Since several studies...
Authors
Jason Tyler Magnuson, Nathan D. Sy, Philip Tanabe, Chenyang Ji, Jay Gan, Daniel Schlenk
A literature review and hypsometric analysis to support decisions on trout management flows on the Colorado River downstream from Glen Canyon Dam A literature review and hypsometric analysis to support decisions on trout management flows on the Colorado River downstream from Glen Canyon Dam
Executive Summary Fish stranding has been studied in select rivers worldwide, often with the purpose of determining how to mitigate adverse effects of dam operations on highly valued salmon and trout populations. However, where a reduction in trout population size is desired by resource managers, as is the case downstream of the Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River, flow manipulations...
Authors
Mariah Giardina, Josh Korman, Michael D. Yard, Scott Wright, Matthew A. Kaplinski, Glenn Bennett
Assessing the risk of climate maladaptation for Canadian polar bears Assessing the risk of climate maladaptation for Canadian polar bears
The Arctic is warming four times faster than the rest of the world, threatening the persistence of many Arctic species. It is uncertain if Arctic wildlife will have sufficient time to adapt to such rapidly warming environments. We used genetic forecasting to measure the risk of maladaptation to warming temperatures and sea ice loss in polar bears (Ursus maritimus) sampled across the...
Authors
L. Ruth Rivkin, Evan Richardson, Joshua D. Miller, Todd C. Atwood, Steven Baryluk, Erik W. Born, Corey Davis, Marcus Dyck, Evelien de Greef, Kristin L. Laidre, Nick Lunn, Sarah McCarthy-Neumann, Martyn E. Obbard, Megan A. Owen, Nicholas Pilfold, Amelie Roberto-Charro, Oystein Wiig, Aryn Wilder, Colin J Garroway
Role of tributary cyanobacterial and nutrient transport and sediment processes on cyanobacterial bloom initiation in Lake Superior nearshore Role of tributary cyanobacterial and nutrient transport and sediment processes on cyanobacterial bloom initiation in Lake Superior nearshore
Watershed fluxes of suspended sediment (SS), nutrients, in particular phosphorus (P), and cyanobacteria may play a role in driving cyanobacterial blooms along the southwestern shore of oligotrophic Lake Superior. To understand how tributary loads contribute to nearshore blooms, we sampled two southwestern shore tributaries, Bois Brule and Siskiwit Rivers. We collected water-quality...
Authors
Rebecca M. Kreiling, Carrie E. Givens, Anna C. Baker, Richard L. Kiesling, Eric D. Dantoin, Patrik Mathis Perner, Shelby P. Sterner, Kenna J. Gierke, Paul Reneau
Asymmetric mate preference and reproductive interference mediate climate-induced changes in mate availability in a small mammal hybrid zone Asymmetric mate preference and reproductive interference mediate climate-induced changes in mate availability in a small mammal hybrid zone
Range expansion and contraction are among the most common biotic responses to changing environmental conditions, yet much is to be learned about the mechanisms that underlie range-edge population dynamics, especially when those areas are points of secondary contact between closely related species. Here, we present field-measured parentage data that document the reproductive outcomes of...
Authors
Marjorie D. Matocq, Elizabeth Ann Hunter, Peter J. Murphy, Casey L. Adkins, Kevin T. Shoemaker
The 2023 Alaska National Seismic Hazard Model The 2023 Alaska National Seismic Hazard Model
US Geological Survey (USGS) National Seismic Hazard Models (NSHMs) are used extensively for seismic design regulations in the United States and earthquake scenario development, as well as risk assessment and mitigation for both buildings and infrastructure. This 2023 update of the long-term, time-independent Alaska NSHM includes substantial changes to both the earthquake rupture forecast...
Authors
Peter M. Powers, Jason M. Altekruse, Andrea L. Llenos, Andrew J. Michael, Kirstie Lafon Haynie, Peter J. Haeussler, Adrian Bender, Sanaz Rezaeian, Morgan P. Moschetti, James Andrew Smith, Richard W. Briggs, Robert C. Witter, Charles Mueller, Yuehua Zeng, Demi Leafar Girot, Julie A. Herrick, Allison Shumway, Mark D. Petersen
Unforeseen plant phenotypic diversity in a dry and grazed world Unforeseen plant phenotypic diversity in a dry and grazed world
Earth harbours an extraordinary plant phenotypic diversity1 that is at risk from ongoing global changes2,3. However, it remains unknown how increasing aridity and livestock grazing pressure—two major drivers of global change4,5,6—shape the trait covariation that underlies plant phenotypic diversity1,7. Here we assessed how covariation among 20 chemical and morphological traits responds...
Authors
Nicholas Gross, Fernando T. Maestre, Pierre Liancourt, Miguel Berdugo, Raphael Martin, Beatriz Gozalo, Victoria Ochoa, Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo, Vincent Maire, Hugo Saiz, Santiago Soliveres, Enrique Valencia, David J. Eldridge, Emilio Guirado, Franck Jabot, Sergio Asensio, Juan J. Gaitan, Miguel García-Gómez, Paloma Martinez, Jaime Martinez-Valderrama, Betty J. Mendoza, Eduardo Moreno-Jimenez, David S. Pescador, Cesar Plaza, Ivan Santaolaria Pijuan, Mehdi Abedi, Rodrigo J. Ahumada, Fateh Amghar, Antonio I. Arroyo, Khadijeh Bahalkeh, Lydia Bailey, Farah Ben Salem, Niels Blaum, Bazartseren Boldgiv, Matthew A. Bowker, Cristina Branquinho, Liesbeth van den Brink, Chongfeng Bu, Rafaella Canessa, Andrea del P. Castillo-Monroy, Helena Castro, Patricio Castro-Quezada, Roukaya Chibani, Abel Augusto Conceicao, Anthony Darrouzet-Nardi, Yvonne C. Davila, Balazs Deak, David A. Donoso, Jorge Duran, Carlos I. Espinosa, Alex Fajardo, Mohammad Farzam, Daniela Ferrante, Jorgelina Franzese, Lauchlan H. Fraser, Sofia Laura Gonzalez, Elizabeth Gusman-Montalvan, Rosa Mary Hernandez-Hernandez, Norbert Holzel, Elisabeth Huber-Sannwald, Oswaldo Jadan, Florian Jeltsch, Anke Jentsch, Mengchen Ju, Kudzai F. Kaseke, Liana Kindermann, Peter C. le Roux, Anja Linstadter, Michelle A. Louw, Mancha Mabaso, Gillian Maggs-Kolling, Thulani P. Makhalanyane, Oumarou Malam Issa, Antonio J. Manzaneda, Eugene Marais, Pierre Margerie, Frederic Mendes Hughes, Joao Vitor S. Messeder, Juan P. Mora, Gerardo Moreno, Seth M. Munson, Alice Nunes, Gabriel Oliva, Gaston R. Onatibia, Guadalupe Peter, Yolanda Pueyo, R. Emiliano Quiroga, Elizabeth Ramirez-Iglesias, Sasha C. Reed, Pedro J. Rey, Víctor M. Reyes Gómez, Alexandra Rodriguez, Victor Rolo, Juan G. Rubalcaba, Jan C. Ruppert, Osvaldo E. Sala, Ayman Salah, Phokgedi Julius Sebei, Ilan Stavi, Colton R. A. Stephens, Alberto L. Teixido, Andrew D. Thomas, Heather L. Throop, Katja Tielborger, Samantha K. Travers, Sainbileg Undrakhbold, James Val, Orsolya Valko, Frederike Velbert, Wanyoike Wamiti, Lixin Wang, Deli Wang, Glenda M. Wardle, Peter Wolff, Laura Yahdjian, Reza Yari, Eli Zaady, Juan Manuel Zeberio, Yuanling Zhang, Xiaobing Zhou, Yoann Le Bagousse-Pinguet
Disentangling drivers of annual grass invasion: Abiotic susceptibility vs. fire-induced conversion to cheatgrass dominance in the sagebrush biome Disentangling drivers of annual grass invasion: Abiotic susceptibility vs. fire-induced conversion to cheatgrass dominance in the sagebrush biome
Invasive annual grasses are often facilitated by fire, yet they can become ecologically dominant in susceptible locations even in the absence of fire. We used an extensive vegetation plot database to model susceptibility to the invasive annual grass cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum L.) in the sagebrush biome as a function of climate and soil water availability variables. We built random...
Authors
Alexandra K. Urza, David I. Board, John B. Bradford, Jessi L. Brown, Daniel R. Chambers, Daniel Rodolphe Schlaepfer, Karen C. Short
Downstream decreases in water availability, tree height, canopy volume and growth rate in cottonwood forests along the Green River, southwestern USA Downstream decreases in water availability, tree height, canopy volume and growth rate in cottonwood forests along the Green River, southwestern USA
Hydrologic stress is increasing in Fremont cottonwood (Populus fremontii) forests across the southwestern United States because of increased temperature and streamflow diversion. The spatial variability of this stress is large yet poorly understood. Along the Yampa and Green Rivers in Colorado and Utah, vapour pressure deficit and flow diversions increase downstream. To investigate...
Authors
Richard D. Thaxton, Michael L. Scott, John T. Kemper, Sara L. Rathburn, Sabrina Butzke, Jonathan M. Friedman