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.
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.
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Utilizing hydrophones to detect streambed mobilization in the Wild and Scenic reach of the Rio Chama Utilizing hydrophones to detect streambed mobilization in the Wild and Scenic reach of the Rio Chama
This paper describes a study that deployed underwater acoustic sensors (hydrophones) to detect streambed mobilization in the Wild and Scenic reach of the Rio Chama, New Mexico. Fine sediment accumulation in the gravel‑cobble bed affects brown trout spawning habitat, and understanding incipient motion thresholds is essential for planning effective environmental flushing flows released...
Authors
Rebecca Braz, Mathieu D. Marineau, Christopher P. Ely
Home ranges of economically important reef fishes at North Carolina artificial reefs Home ranges of economically important reef fishes at North Carolina artificial reefs
Home range is a vital component to understanding animal ecology and can vary with factors like species, body size, and habitat. Artificial reefs are increasingly used to supplement or enhance habitat for reef fish. Quantifying reef fish home range sizes and the factors affecting home ranges is thus critical to understanding the efficacy of artificial reefs to sustain communities that...
Authors
Ryan M. Tharp, Nathan J. Hostetter, Jeffrey A. Buckel
Capturing the uncertainty of seismicity observations in earthquake rate estimates: Implications for probabilistic seismic hazard analysis and the USGS National Seismic Hazard Model Capturing the uncertainty of seismicity observations in earthquake rate estimates: Implications for probabilistic seismic hazard analysis and the USGS National Seismic Hazard Model
The rate of earthquakes in a region is a fundamental input to Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Analysis. We present a Monte Carlo method for computing that rate from seismicity catalogs while including a range of data and analysis uncertainties. This method is applied to regions for which the b value is assumed to be spatially invariant. Each region is broken down into epochs for which each...
Authors
Andrew J. Michael, Andrea L. Llenos
Neotectonic origins for the Meadow Bank scarp, Wabash Valley seismic zone USA Neotectonic origins for the Meadow Bank scarp, Wabash Valley seismic zone USA
The Meadow Bank scarp (MBS) in southeastern Illinois is a linear geomorphic expression, ∼10 km long and ∼8 m high above a relatively flat landscape. It parallels an underlying northeast‐oriented Late‐Precambrian–Early‐Cambrian structural fabric, called the Wabash Valley fault zone, and is within an area of modern, historic, and paleo seismicity, called the Wabash Valley seismic zone. In...
Authors
Edward W Woolery, William J. Stephenson, Kevin Woller, Alena L. Leeds, Noah Silas Lindberg, Jackson K. Odum, Cooper Cearley, Ron Counts
Effect of land cover type on 3D deformation recovery from synthetically deformed high-resolution satellite optical imagery Effect of land cover type on 3D deformation recovery from synthetically deformed high-resolution satellite optical imagery
The limits of detection for earthquake surface deformation in the spatial domain have improved with advances in remote sensing imagery data availability, resolution, and analysis. Sub-pixel correlation and digital elevation model (DEM) differencing from sub-meter, earthquake-spanning satellite optical imagery has enhanced surface rupture mapping and deformation measurements. However...
Authors
Catherine Elise Hanagan, Stephen B. DeLong, Nadine G. Reitman
Evaluating hydrologic data products for scientific and management applications related to potential future streamflow conditions in the Upper Mississippi and Illinois Rivers Evaluating hydrologic data products for scientific and management applications related to potential future streamflow conditions in the Upper Mississippi and Illinois Rivers
The hydrology of the Upper Mississippi and Illinois Rivers is a fundamental driver of ecosystem patterns and processes across a large portion of the United States. Quantitative hydrologic data for the main stems of these rivers underlie numerous scientific investigations, statistical models, and decision-making processes for local, State, and Federal agencies involved in the Upper...
Authors
Molly Van Appledorn, Lucie Sawyer, John T. Delaney, Chanel Mueller, Leigh Youngblood, Jane Harrell, Brian Breaker, Chris Frans
Natural source zone depletion of crude oil in the subsurface: Processes controlling mass losses of individual compounds Natural source zone depletion of crude oil in the subsurface: Processes controlling mass losses of individual compounds
At many petroleum hydrocarbon spill sites, residual spilled product forms a long-term source of groundwater contamination. The phrase source zone natural depletion is used to refer to the mass loss rates. Overall mass lost under environmental conditions was analyzed using conservative biomarker concentrations for a 1979 oil spill in northern Minnesota, USA. After 40–41 years, an average...
Authors
Barbara Bekins, William Herkelrath
Effect of passive integrated transponder tag size on survival, tag loss, and growth of Santa Ana Sucker Effect of passive integrated transponder tag size on survival, tag loss, and growth of Santa Ana Sucker
Objective The Santa Ana Sucker Pantosteus santaanae is endemic to southern California and is listed as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Seasonal limitations on conventional sampling and inconsistencies in survey methodologies have led to an incomplete understanding of population dynamics. Alternative sampling methods have the potential to fill important knowledge gaps in...
Authors
Jordan Mae-Jean Buxton, Marissa L. Wulff, Brock M. Huntsman, Kai Palenscar, Brett Mills, Kerwin Russell, Alicia Ruan, Tevin Bui
A comparative evaluation of bait types taken by brown treesnakes or other nontarget species, including ants A comparative evaluation of bait types taken by brown treesnakes or other nontarget species, including ants
Evaluating invasive species removal can help improve efficacy or application of control tools. Toxic baiting is a primary method used to suppress many invasive species, including the brown treesnake (Boiga irregularis) in Guam. Based on limited alternative approaches to assess tool efficacy in snake removal, bait take is often used as a proxy for snake removal, despite evidence that...
Authors
Melia G. Nafus, Amanda A Reyes, Bae S. Daria, Christiana-Jo Concepcion Quinata, Ross Miller
Pleistocene porcupine (Erethizontidae) records in arid southwestern North America and comparisons with the modern distribution of Erethizon dorsatum in southern California and Arizona Pleistocene porcupine (Erethizontidae) records in arid southwestern North America and comparisons with the modern distribution of Erethizon dorsatum in southern California and Arizona
he North American porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) is widely distributed throughout many ecosystems on the continent from northern Mexico to the Arctic Ocean, except for the southeastern portion of the United States. Habitats include the arid Desert Southwest region where modern records are generally sparse. The paleogeographic range in the Desert Southwest is not unlike the modern...
Authors
Jeffrey E. Lovich, George T. Jefferson
Moose survival and habitat‐associated risk of endoparasites Moose survival and habitat‐associated risk of endoparasites
Parasite-induced morbidity and mortality can alter the trajectories of incidental host populations. Yet, parasites rarely act in isolation and may be one of a multitude of biotic and abiotic stressors that collectively shape mortality risk in vertebrate populations. We quantified sources of mortality in a low-density population of moose (Alces alces) in New York State and investigated...
Authors
Jennifer A. Grauer, Jacqueline L. Frair, Krysten L. Schuler, Manigandan Lejeune, David W. Kramer, Angela K. Fuller
Status of Clear Lake Hitch in Lower Blue Lake, Lake County, California Status of Clear Lake Hitch in Lower Blue Lake, Lake County, California
No abstract available.
Authors
Jordan Mae-Jean Buxton, Marissa L. Wulff, Veronica L. Violette, Danielle L. Palm, Matthew J. Young, Frederick Feyrer