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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.

Filter Total Items: 174960

Improving ecosystem health in highly altered river basins: A generalized framework and its application to the Mississippi-Atchafalaya River Basin Improving ecosystem health in highly altered river basins: A generalized framework and its application to the Mississippi-Atchafalaya River Basin

Continued large-scale public investment in declining ecosystems depends on demonstrations of “success”. While the public conception of “success” often focuses on restoration to a pre-disturbance condition, the scientific community is more likely to measure success in terms of improved ecosystem health. Using a combination of literature review, workshops and expert solicitation we propose...
Authors
Eileen L. McLellan, Kelly M. Suttles, Kristen L. Bouska, Jamelle Ellis, Joseph E. Flotemersch, Madison Goff, Heather E. Golden, Ryan A. Hill, Tara R. Hohman, Shamitha Keerthi, Richard F. Keim, Barbara A. Kleiss, Tyler J. Lark, Bryan P. Piazza, Alisha A. Renfro, Dale M. Robertson, Keith E. Schilling, Travis S. Schmidt, Ian R. Waite

Statistical perspective on the petrologic utility of polyphase groundmass compositions inferred via defocused beam electron probe microanalysis Statistical perspective on the petrologic utility of polyphase groundmass compositions inferred via defocused beam electron probe microanalysis

Polyphase groundmasses (micro-scale minerals with or without glass) are generated from silicate liquids during the cooling of natural lavas often alongside larger minerals formed long before eruption. Many researchers have posited that compositions gleaned from the analysis of groundmasses closely approximate the compositions of the melts they were derived from, and these have been used...
Authors
Daniel A. Coulthard, Yoshiyuki Iizuka, Georg F. Zellmer, Raimundo Brahm

Rupture jumping and seismic complexity in models of earthquake cycles for fault stepovers with off‐fault plasticity Rupture jumping and seismic complexity in models of earthquake cycles for fault stepovers with off‐fault plasticity

Fault stepovers are prime examples of geometric complexity in natural fault zones that may affect seismic hazard by determining whether an earthquake rupture continues propagating or abruptly stops. However, the long‐term pattern of seismicity near‐fault stepovers and underlying mechanisms of rupture jumping in the context of earthquake cycles are rarely studied. Leveraging a hybrid...
Authors
Shumon Mia, Mohamed Abdelmeguid, Ruth A. Harris, Ahmed E. Elbanna

Wildfire burn severity and stream chemistry influence aquatic invertebrate and riparian avian mercury exposure in forested ecosystems Wildfire burn severity and stream chemistry influence aquatic invertebrate and riparian avian mercury exposure in forested ecosystems

Terrestrial soils in forested landscapes represent some of the largest mercury (Hg) reserves globally. Wildfire can alter the storage and distribution of terrestrial-bound Hg via reemission to the atmosphere or mobilization in watersheds where it may become available for methylation and uptake into food webs. Using data associated with the 2007 Moonlight and Antelope Fires in California...
Authors
Garth Herring, Lora B. Tennant, James Willacker, Matthew Johnson, Rodney B. Siegel, Julie S. Polasik, Collin A. Eagles-Smith

Outcomes of control and monitoring of a widespread riparian invader (Tamarix spp.): A comparison of synthesis approaches Outcomes of control and monitoring of a widespread riparian invader (Tamarix spp.): A comparison of synthesis approaches

Effective ecological restoration requires empirical assessment to determine outcomes of projects, but conclusions regarding the effects of restoration treatments on the whole ecosystem remain rare. Control of invasive shrubs and trees in the genus Tamarix and associated riparian restoration in the American Southwest has been of interest to scientists and resource managers for decades...
Authors
Alexander R.B. Goetz, Eduardo Gonzalez-Sargas, Mayra C. Vidal, Patrick B. Shafroth, Annie L. Henry, Anna A. Sher

Geophysical constraints on continental rejuvenation in central China: Implications for outward growth of the Tibetan Plateau Geophysical constraints on continental rejuvenation in central China: Implications for outward growth of the Tibetan Plateau

Continental rejuvenation results from the tectonic reactivation of crustal structures and lithospheric reworking by mantle flow. Geochemical observations and field mapping have traditionally provided the primary evidence for the secular evolution of crustal composition and tectonic processes during continental rejuvenation. Nonetheless, the impact of continental rejuvenation on the...
Authors
Yi-Peng Zhang, Pei-Zhen Zhang, Richard O. Lease, Min-Juan Li, Renjie Zhou, Bin-Bin Xu, Si-Yuan Chen, Xu-Zhang Shen, Wen-Jun Zheng, Xiao-Hui He, Wei-Tao Wang, Yue-Jun Wang

Upper limits for post-wildfire floods and distinction from debris flows Upper limits for post-wildfire floods and distinction from debris flows

Upper magnitude limits and scaling with basin size for post-wildfire floods are unknown. An envelope curve was estimated defining post-wildfire flood upper limits as a function of basin area. We show the importance of separating peak flows by floods versus debris flows. Post-wildfire flood maxima are a constant 43 m3 s−1 km−2 for basins from 0.01 to 23 to 34 km2 and then declining with...
Authors
Brian A. Ebel

Tracking cycles of Phanerozoic opening and closing of ocean basins using detrital rutile and zircon geochronology and geochemistry Tracking cycles of Phanerozoic opening and closing of ocean basins using detrital rutile and zircon geochronology and geochemistry

Sedimentary basins provide a deep time archive of tectonic and Earth-surface processes that can be leveraged by detrital mineral U-Pb dating and geochemistry to track paleogeography, magmatism, and crustal evolution. Zircon preserves the long-term (billions of years) record of supercontinent cycles; however, it is biased toward preserving felsic crustal records. Detrital rutile...
Authors
Margaret L. Odlum, Tomas N. Capaldi, Kelly David Thomson, Daniel F. Stockli

Sex-specific recruitment rates contribute to male-biased sex ratio in Adélie penguins Sex-specific recruitment rates contribute to male-biased sex ratio in Adélie penguins

Sex-related differences in vital rates that drive population change reflect the basic life history of a species. However, for visually monomorphic bird species, determining the effect of sex on demographics can be a challenge. In this study, we investigated the effect of sex on apparent survival, recruitment, and breeding propensity in the Adélie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae), a...
Authors
Virginia Morandini, Katie Dugger, Annie Schmidt, Arvind Varsani, Amelie Lescroel, Grant Ballard, Phil O'B. Lyver, Kerry Barton, David Ainley

The 3D Elevation Program—Supporting Florida's economy The 3D Elevation Program—Supporting Florida's economy

Introduction Florida has the longest coastline of any State in the contiguous United States, and its coastal resources are one of the main drivers of its economic growth. High-quality elevation data are beneficial for use in emergency management, especially for hurricane response, recovery, and mitigation, as well as for coastal zone management, flood risk management, infrastructure...
Authors
Xan Fredericks, Chris Cretini

Conceptual risk framework—Havasupai perspective Conceptual risk framework—Havasupai perspective

The conceptual risk framework, previously developed by the U.S. Geological Survey, for uranium mining was updated to include indigenous knowledge components informed by the Havasupai Tribe perspective. This General Information Product was designed to show the contaminant risk framework from the Havasupai perspective.
Authors
Carletta Tilousi, Jo Ellen Hinck

Contaminant exposure framework—Havasupai perspective Contaminant exposure framework—Havasupai perspective

The conceptual risk framework, previously developed by the U.S. Geological Survey, for uranium mining was updated to include indigenous knowledge components informed by the Havasupai Tribe perspective. This General Information Product was designed to show the contaminant exposure framework from the Havasupai perspective.
Authors
Carletta Tilousi, Jo Ellen Hinck
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