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
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Mission Area Publications
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Filter Total Items: 175006
What are the impacts of fracking operations on local water quality? What are the impacts of fracking operations on local water quality?
No abstract available.
Authors
Jennifer S. Harkness
Dynamic and context-dependent keystone species effects in kelp forests Dynamic and context-dependent keystone species effects in kelp forests
Sea otters are an iconic keystone predator that can maintain kelp forests by preying on grazing invertebrates such as sea urchins. However, the effects of sea otters on kelp forests vary over their geographic range. Here, we analyze two 30-y datasets on kelp forest communities during the reintroduction of sea otters along the west coast of Vancouver Island, BC, Canada, and around San...
Authors
Ryan E. Langendorf, James A. Estes, Jane C. Watson, Michael C. Kenner, Brian B. Hatfield, M. T. Tinker, Ellen Waddle, Megan L. DeMarche, Daniel F. Doak
METRIC: An interactive framework for integrated visualization and analysis of monitored and expected load reductions for nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment in the Chesapeake Bay watershed METRIC: An interactive framework for integrated visualization and analysis of monitored and expected load reductions for nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment in the Chesapeake Bay watershed
Reductions of nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment loads have been the focus of watershed restoration in many regions for improving water quality, including the Chesapeake Bay. Watershed models and riverine monitoring data can provide important information on the progress of load reductions but do not always generate consistent interpretations. A new framework for integrated visualization...
Authors
Qian Zhang, Gary W. Shenk, Gopal Bhatt, Isabella Bertani
Documenting, quantifying, and modeling a large glide avalanche in Glacier National Park, Montana, USA Documenting, quantifying, and modeling a large glide avalanche in Glacier National Park, Montana, USA
Glide avalanches present a significant and repetitive challenge to many operational forecasting programs, and they are likely to become more frequent. While the spatial location of glide release areas is extremely consistent, the onset of glide avalanche release is notoriously difficult to forecast, and their destructive potential can be immense. Thus, the timing and dynamics of glide...
Authors
James W. Dillon, Erich H. Peitzsch, Zachary Miller, Perry Bartelt, Kevin D. Hammonds
Spatial scale dependence of error in fractional component cover maps Spatial scale dependence of error in fractional component cover maps
Geospatial products such as fractional vegetation cover maps often report overall, pixel-wise accuracy, but decision-making with these products often occurs at coarser scales. As such, data users often desire guidance on the appropriate spatial scale to apply these data. We worked toward establishing this guidance by assessing RCMAP (Rangeland Condition Monitoring Assessment and...
Authors
Matthew B. Rigge, Brett Bunde, Sarah E. McCord, Georgia Harrison, Timothy J Assal, James L. Smith
Effect of copper mill waste material on benthic invertebrates and zooplankton diversity and abundance Effect of copper mill waste material on benthic invertebrates and zooplankton diversity and abundance
Copper (Cu) stamp mill mining in North America from the early 1900s produced a pulverized ore by-product now known as stamp sands (SS). In a mining operation near the city of Gay (Michigan, USA), SS were originally deposited near a Lake Superior beach, but erosion and wave action have moved many SS into beaches and reefs that are critical spawning and nursery areas for native fish (e.g...
Authors
James H. Larson, Michael R. Lowe, Sean Bailey, Amanda H. Bell, Danielle M. Cleveland
A survey of mammal and fish genetic diversity across the global protected area network A survey of mammal and fish genetic diversity across the global protected area network
Global conservation targets aim to expand protected areas and maintain species’ genetic diversity. Whether protected areas capture genetic diversity is unclear. We examined this question using a global sample of nuclear population-level microsatellite data comprising genotypes from 2513 sites, 134,183 individuals, and 176 mammal and marine fish species. The genetic diversity and...
Authors
Chloe Schmidt, Eleana Karachaliou, Amy G. Vandergast, Eric D. Crandall, Jeff T. Falgout, Margaret Hunter, Francine Kershaw, Deborah M. Leigh, David O'Brien, Ivan Paz-Vinas, Gernot Segelbacher, Colin J. Garroway
Mercury speciation and stable isotopes in emperor penguins: First evidence for biochemical demethylation of methylmercury to mercury-dithiolate and mercury-tetraselenolate complexes Mercury speciation and stable isotopes in emperor penguins: First evidence for biochemical demethylation of methylmercury to mercury-dithiolate and mercury-tetraselenolate complexes
Apex marine predators, such as toothed whales and large petrels and albatrosses, ingest mercury (Hg) primarily in the form of methylmercury (MeHg) via prey consumption, which they detoxify as tiemannite (HgSe). One of the most intriguing current questions in Hg research is how more abundant lower trophic level predators detoxify MeHg, particularly in marine environments where tissue Hg...
Authors
Alain Manceau, Paco Bustamante, Etienne Richy, Yves Cherel, Sarah E. Janssen, Pieter Glatzel, Brett A. Poulin
Estimating agricultural irrigation water consumption for the High Plains aquifer region with integrated energy- and water-balance evapotranspiration modeling approaches Estimating agricultural irrigation water consumption for the High Plains aquifer region with integrated energy- and water-balance evapotranspiration modeling approaches
Estimation of irrigation water use provides essential information for the management and conservation of agricultural water resources. Conventionally, water use data are created based on reports and surveys from water users, whereas manual records may not be complete due to lacking flow meters, measurement gaps, inconsistent methods across regions, and time- and cost-consuming data...
Authors
Lei Ji, Gabriel B. Senay, MacKenzie Friedrichs, Stefanie Kagone
Cytotype and local adaptation drive phenotypic variation in two subspecies of big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) Cytotype and local adaptation drive phenotypic variation in two subspecies of big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata)
Big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) is a widespread and locally dominant shrub throughout many ecosystems in western North America. A. tridentata ssps. tridentata and wyomingensis are two subspecies whose populations occupy the warm-arid regions of the species range and whose trailing edge is threatened by climate change. Previous studies have presented conflicting results in relation...
Authors
Spencer R. Roop, Keith Reinhardt, Ken A. Aho, Matthew J. Germino, Bryce A. Richardson
Leveraging high-frequency sensor data and U.S. National Water Model output to forecast turbidity in a drinking water supply basin Leveraging high-frequency sensor data and U.S. National Water Model output to forecast turbidity in a drinking water supply basin
As high-frequency sensor networks increasingly enhance data-driven models of water quality, process-based models like the U.S. National Water Model (NWM) are generating accessible forecasts of streamflow at increasingly dense scales. There is now an opportunity to combine these products to construct actionable water quality forecasts. To that end, we couple streamflow forecasts from the...
Authors
John T. Kemper, Kristen L. Underwood, Scott Douglas Hamshaw, Dany Davis, Jason Siemion, James B. Shanley, Andrew W. Schroth
Prioritization of research on drought assessment in a changing climate Prioritization of research on drought assessment in a changing climate
Drought is a period of abnormally dry weather that leads to hydrological imbalance. Drought assessments determine the characteristics, severity, and impacts of a drought. Climate change adds conceptual and quantitative challenges to traditional drought assessments. This paper highlights the challenges of assessing drought in a climate made non-stationary by human activities or natural...
Authors
Joel Lisonbee, Britt Parker, Erica Fleishman, Trent Ford, R. Kyle Bocinsky, Gretel Follingstad, Abby G. Frazier, Zachary H. Hoylman, Amy R. Hudson, John W. Nielsen-Gammon, Natalie A. Umphlett, Elliot Wickham, Aparna Bamzai-Dodson, Royce Fontenot, Brian Fuchs, John C. Hammond, Jeffrey E. Herrick, Mike Hobbins, Andy Hoell, Jacob Jones, Erin Lane, Zack Leasor, Yongqiang Liu, Jason A. Otkin, Amanda Sheffield, Dennis Todey, Roger Pulwarty