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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Mission Area Publications
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Timing, uncertainty, and opportunity cost: Lessons for ecosystem modification on the Colorado River Timing, uncertainty, and opportunity cost: Lessons for ecosystem modification on the Colorado River
While conservation goals have long been pursued through traditional species-augmenting actions, a broader set of episodic ecosystem modification (EEM) actions, such as hydropower dam releases, prescribed fire, and beach nourishment, is garnering attention. EEM actions face several implementation challenges stemming from high opportunity costs, delayed effect mechanisms, reliance on...
Authors
Pierce Donovan, Lucas Bair, Matthew N. Reimer, Michael R. Springborn, Charles B. Yackulic
Water table rise sustains carbon release from soils in wetland-dominated landscapes: An intact soil core study Water table rise sustains carbon release from soils in wetland-dominated landscapes: An intact soil core study
Wetland-dominated landscapes influence carbon cycling through their potential to act as both carbon sinks and sources. Wetlands in low-relief landscapes have dynamic terrestrial-aquatic interfaces that change seasonally with variable surface water and groundwater levels. However, few studies have directly quantified dissolved organic matter (DOM) release and greenhouse gas (CO2, CH4)...
Authors
Katherine Wardinski, Carla López Lloreda, Nicholas Corline, Laura Lehmann, Kelly Peeler, Daniel L. McLaughlin, Erin Hotchkiss, Kevin Alexander Ryan, C. Nathan Jones, Brian Strahm, Margaret A. Palmer, Durelle R Scott
Integrating mark-recapture, catch, and expert habitat assessments to quantify recent increases in humpback chub abundance over a 200 km long river segment of the Colorado River in western Grand Canyon Integrating mark-recapture, catch, and expert habitat assessments to quantify recent increases in humpback chub abundance over a 200 km long river segment of the Colorado River in western Grand Canyon
Humpback chub, Gila cypha, were historically distributed throughout large portions of the Colorado River basin and were federally listed in 1967. In the Grand Canyon segment of the Colorado River, located below Glen Canyon Dam, chub abundances continued to decline through the early 2000s. Recently, catch has increased substantially, especially in the western Grand Canyon. Here, we...
Authors
Maria C. Dzul, David R. Van Haverbeke, Kirk Young, Charles B. Yackulic, Pilar Rinker, Michael D. Yard
Storm surge barriers reduce seaward sediment supply to lagoonal estuaries Storm surge barriers reduce seaward sediment supply to lagoonal estuaries
Numerical simulations with realistic forcing of fixed infrastructure for a proposed storm surge barrier for a lagoonal estuary, Jamaica Bay (New York, USA), are analyzed during typical forcing conditions to assess alterations to flow and sediment transport with the barrier open. Lagoonal estuaries are shallow and have modest watershed freshwater and sediment inputs, so sediment delivery...
Authors
David K. Ralston, Philip M. Orton, John C. Warner, Shima Kasaei
Biocrust and seed placement influence emergence rates of perennial grass Elymus elymoides across five North American deserts Biocrust and seed placement influence emergence rates of perennial grass Elymus elymoides across five North American deserts
1. Dryland vascular plant emergence is often limited by water availability especially with projected climate and precipitation changes. Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) can promote water retention and nutrient availability that benefit germination, and emergence yet can also act as a surface barrier preventing critical seed soil contact and hindering emergence. Alongside these factors...
Authors
Abby McMurtry, Pradip Saud, Ellie McCann, Sasha C. Reed, Armin J. Howell, Robin Reibold, Akasha M. Faist
Salinas Valley integrated hydrologic and reservoir operations models, Monterey and San Luis Obispo Counties, California Salinas Valley integrated hydrologic and reservoir operations models, Monterey and San Luis Obispo Counties, California
The area surrounding the Salinas Valley groundwater basin in Monterey and San Luis Obispo Counties of California is a highly productive agricultural area, contributes substantially to the local economy, and provides a substantial portion of vegetables and other agricultural commodities to the Nation. This region of California provides about half of the Nation’s lettuce, celery, broccoli...
Authors
Wesley R. Henson, Randy Hanson, Scott Boyce, Joseph A. Hevesi, Marisa M. Earll, Deidre M. Herbert, Elizabeth R. Jachens
Toxicity of synergized permethrin residues in cattle dung to two temperate dung beetle species after application of common livestock pour-on treatment Toxicity of synergized permethrin residues in cattle dung to two temperate dung beetle species after application of common livestock pour-on treatment
Essential to pasture health, dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) provide key ecosystem services across natural and managed rangeland habitats. Insecticide residues in livestock dung can negatively impact dung beetle populations, and synergized pyrethroid products are commonly used to combat resistant pest fly populations. Here, permethrin residues were measured by GC-MS/MS in fresh...
Authors
Michael C. Cavallaro, Michelle L. Hladik, Rodrigo Soares, Mikaela Anderson, W. Wyatt Hoback
Top Elevation of Glacial Till and Thickness of the Big Sioux Aquifer Delineated From Electrical Resistivity Tomography Surveys Near Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 2022 and 2025 Top Elevation of Glacial Till and Thickness of the Big Sioux Aquifer Delineated From Electrical Resistivity Tomography Surveys Near Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 2022 and 2025
The City of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, requested the U.S. Geological Survey perform electrical resistivity surveys on three parcels of land north of the city. Electrical resistivity data were collected along a total of 22 transects during March 14–18, 2022, and November 17–21, 2025. Results from electrical resistivity surveys were used to delineate the top of glacial till deposits for...
Authors
Colton J. Medler, Todd M. Anderson
Calcareous nannofossil assemblage changes in the Surprise Hill core and their implications for floral response to the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum across the Salisbury Embayment of Virginia, USA Calcareous nannofossil assemblage changes in the Surprise Hill core and their implications for floral response to the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum across the Salisbury Embayment of Virginia, USA
We present Paleocene-Eocene calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphy and paleoecology for the Surprise Hill core, U.S. Atlantic Coastal Plain, Virginia. Calcareous nannofossil datums ranging from Zone NP3 to NP14 were identified. The Danian-aged Brightseat Formation rests unconformably atop the Lower Cretaceous Potomac Group at 211.4 m and disconformably underlies the Aquia Formation at...
Authors
Masayuki Utsunomiya, Jean Self-Trail, D. Clay Kelly, Xiaodong Zhang, Kristina Frank Gardner, James C. Zachos
Watershed Continuum Monitoring Approach: Combining multiple water quality patterns along stream and river flowpaths to track sources, pathways, and processing of pollutants Watershed Continuum Monitoring Approach: Combining multiple water quality patterns along stream and river flowpaths to track sources, pathways, and processing of pollutants
There is a growing need to improve and expand water quality monitoring approaches to more accurately track the sources, fate, and transport of multiple chemicals and pollutants holistically and quantify the effects of best management practices (BMPs) at the watershed scale. An overarching question raised by scientists, environmental managers, and the general public is: how far can water...
Authors
Sujay Kaushal, Ashley Mon, Stanley Grant, Paul M. Mayer, Aaron J. Porter, Andrew J. Sekellick, Jason Hamilton Chase, Shantanu Bhide, John D. Jastram, Tammy Newcomer-Johnson, Sydney A. Shelton, Alexis M. Yaculak, Joseph T. Malin, Carly Marcella Maas, Nicholas Salanitri, Daniel J. Silberstein, Steven P. Hohman, Ashley B. Dann, Weston M Slaughter, Megan A. Rippy, Ahmed Monofy, Ruth R. Shatkay, Jenna E. Reimer, Madeleine Seppi, Randi Noel, Julianna Mussa, Bennett Kellmayer, Gwendolyn Sivirichi, Melissa Grese, Walter L.M. Boger, Jeffrey G. Chanat, Shuiwang Duan, Kenneth T. Belt
Effects of wildfire on soil hydraulic properties in the western Oregon Cascades Effects of wildfire on soil hydraulic properties in the western Oregon Cascades
Wildfires can substantially impact the hydrology of forested watersheds, increasing the risk of hydrologic hazards such as flash floods and debris flows. Soil hydraulic properties related to infiltration are a key control in determining the timing and magnitude of these hydrogeomorphic events. In our study, we collected 445 soil cores from burned (216 cores) and unburned (229 cores)...
Authors
Cedric Pimont, Evan A. Thaler, Brian A. Ebel, Kevin D. Bladon
PDCD-DAT: A global database of pyroclastic density current deposit field data PDCD-DAT: A global database of pyroclastic density current deposit field data
Pyroclastic density currents represent one of the deadliest hazards posed by active volcanoes. Analysis of their deposits provides valuable insights into their internal dynamics and informs numerical simulations of pyroclastic density currents which underpin many volcanic hazard assessments. We present PDCD-DAT, a global database of pyroclastic density current deposit characteristics...
Authors
Joshua I. Brown, Rebecca Williams, Sarah E. Ogburn, Brittany D. Brand, Eric C.P. Breard, Sylvain Charbonnier, Natasha Dowey, Josef Dufek, Mark Jellinek, Ulrich Kueppers, Gert Lube, Pete Rowley