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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Asynchronous landslide seasonality across the United States Asynchronous landslide seasonality across the United States
Mid-range landslide outlooks can facilitate weather-related landslide preparedness and disaster response planning, but seasonal landslide activity remains poorly quantified at continental scales. Leveraging >55,000 reported landslides from across the United States (U.S.), we used circular statistics to quantify landslide seasonality in 67 National Weather Service County Warning Areas...
Authors
Lisa Victoria Luna, Benjamin B. Mirus, Brian D. Collins, Jonathan P. Perkins
Ecotoxicological profile of a high prevalence marine disease area in Florida's Gulf coast Ecotoxicological profile of a high prevalence marine disease area in Florida's Gulf coast
Pervasive marine pollution can have devastating effects on ocean health. Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB), Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH), and Organochlorine Pesticides (OCP) are of particular concern given their high level of toxicity and carcinogenicity. These compounds originate from anthropogenic activity, therefore are often ubiquitous in coastal environments close to human...
Authors
Manes Constanza, Richard M. Herren, Marianne Kozuch, Evan Cooper, Margaret Lilyestrom, Daniel Evans, David Godfrey, David Duffy, Ilaria Capua, Raymond Carthy
Evidence of ringtail expansion into Idaho, USA Evidence of ringtail expansion into Idaho, USA
Ringtails (Bassariscus astutus) are widely distributed in the western United States and across much of Mexico, yet due to their relatively low densities and cryptic nature, little is known about their basic ecology even where they are common. Recent public sightings suggest ringtails may have expanded their distribution north into southern Idaho, USA. Currently, ringtails remain...
Authors
Peter F. Rebholz, Robert Charles Lonsinger, David Edward Ausband
Characterizing the long-term (1981–2023) temperature and precipitation dynamics in the Trans-Mountain regions of Kazakhstan, Central Asia Characterizing the long-term (1981–2023) temperature and precipitation dynamics in the Trans-Mountain regions of Kazakhstan, Central Asia
Mountain regions are highly climate-sensitive, yet long-term observational evidence of elevation and seasonal climate dynamics in Central Asia remains limited. This study examines spatiotemporal trends in temperature (Tmean, Tmax, Tmin, and diurnal temperature range [DTR]) and precipitation across Kazakhstan’s transmountain regions using 74 meteorological stations (1981–2023). Data were...
Authors
Baktybek Duisebek, Gabriel B. Senay, Talgat Usmanov, Kudaibergen Kyrgyzbay, Janay Sagin, Yerbolat Mukanov, Kanat Samarkhanov, Xuejia Wang, Sulitan Danierhan, Xiaohui Pan
Efficiency of down-looking cameras for detecting round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) over varying substrates in laboratory microcosms Efficiency of down-looking cameras for detecting round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) over varying substrates in laboratory microcosms
Since invading the Laurentian Great Lakes in the late 1980s, round goby Neogobius melanostomus have become a dominant benthic prey species, resulting in a need to accurately monitor their population abundance to inform fisheries management. Camera-based methods for assessing round goby abundances have gained popularity, but their efficiencies for detecting round goby are poorly...
Authors
Nicholas Yeager, Travis O. Brenden, Peter C. Esselman, Kailee A. Schulz, Alden T. Tilley
2025 USGS National Seismic Hazard Model for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands: Overview of model and hazard results 2025 USGS National Seismic Hazard Model for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands: Overview of model and hazard results
The U.S. Geological Survey recently updated the National Seismic Hazard Model (NSHM) for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands (PRVI). The first version of the PRVI NSHM was released in 2003, and therefore this 2025 update includes over 20 years of new geologic, geophysical, and engineering data, methods, and models. Updates follow similar efforts performed in the recent 2023 50-state...
Authors
Allison M. Shumway, Kevin Ross Milner, Peter M. Powers, Morgan P. Moschetti, Jason M. Altekruse, Julie A. Herrick, Andrea L. Llenos, Kyle B. Withers, Edward H. Field, Brad T. Aagaard, Richard W. Briggs, Alexandra Elise Hatem, Kirstie Lafon Haynie, Andrew J. Michael, Jessica A. Thompson Jobe, Kishor S. Jaiswal, Brandon S. Clayton, Nico Luco, Mark D. Petersen, Sanaz Rezaeian, Thomas L. Pratt, Yuehua Zeng
Tissue metal concentrations and toxicity in wild turkeys following chronic exposure to mining-contaminated soils in southeast Missouri, USA Tissue metal concentrations and toxicity in wild turkeys following chronic exposure to mining-contaminated soils in southeast Missouri, USA
The Big River watershed in southeast Missouri (SEMO) is a Superfund site with an extensive history of lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) mining; cadmium (Cd) and other metals also occur in the ore and waste materials. We examined whether SEMO wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) exposed to mining-contaminated floodplain soils and food resources in the Big River watershed had elevated metal...
Authors
Katrina K. Knott, Danielle M. Cleveland, Jason L. Isabelle, Nicole M. Nemeth, Emma Coleman, Michelle Seers, Nicholas Sievert, Emily Sinnott, Jeff Wenzel, Paul Blanchard, Timothy Lyons
Computational electromagnetic geophysics for groundwater system studies: A review on established practices and recent advances Computational electromagnetic geophysics for groundwater system studies: A review on established practices and recent advances
Identifying effective solutions for locating groundwater resources and ensuring the quality of drinking water is increasingly urgent, given the challenges posed by climate change and population growth. This review investigates electromagnetic geophysical imaging techniques, in both time- and frequency-domain, that can provide valuable insights for groundwater assessment. We explore...
Authors
Paula Rulff, Octavio Castillo-Reyes, Wouter Deleersnyder, Maria C. Mascarell, Burke J. Minsley, Jude King
Rethinking seed selection based on climate matching during restoration: Geography, soils and climate explain species-specific mortality Rethinking seed selection based on climate matching during restoration: Geography, soils and climate explain species-specific mortality
Implicit in the construction of seed transfer zones (STZs) are the assumptions that plant populations are adapted to their home climates and that transferring native seed across climate gradients risks maladaptation and poor performance. However, plants are adapted to multiple aspects of their environments that are often excluded from STZ development. Here, we used models integrating...
Authors
Carla Maria Roybal, Ella M. Samuel, Rachel M. Mitchell, Daniel E. Winkler, Robert Massatti
GT-Seq panel development for species identification and parentage analysis of closely related hybridising Scaphirhynchus sturgeons GT-Seq panel development for species identification and parentage analysis of closely related hybridising Scaphirhynchus sturgeons
Hatchery supplementation is vital for conserving dwindling fish populations. Effective augmentation requires distinguishing hatchery-origin from wild individuals and accurately identifying species, particularly in systems where closely related species coexist. Genetic monitoring is key to quantifying genetic differences, but conventional markers do not distinguish hybrids, especially...
Authors
Junman Huang, Richard Flamio Jr., Nathan R. Campbell, Aaron J. DeLonay, Amy C. Buhman, Edward J. Heist
The interplay of habitat quality and temperature shape demographic patterns of mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) in North America The interplay of habitat quality and temperature shape demographic patterns of mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) in North America
Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) are declining in abundance across their broad distribution in western North America. Identifying drivers of mule deer demography could inform habitat restoration. However, linking habitat quality to vital rates is challenging and often done indirectly using proxy metrics. We combine habitat selection with climate-related effects to identify synergistic...
Authors
William Michael Janousek, Aaron N. Johnston, Sarah Bullock, Sarah Dewey, L. Embere Hall, Teagan A. Hayes, Katey Huggler, Matthew J. Kauffman, Tayler N LaSharr, Blake Lowrey, Rhiannon P. Jakopak, Kevin Monteith, Tabitha A. Graves