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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Individual encounter data of six African carnivore species optimized for multi-species density estimation Individual encounter data of six African carnivore species optimized for multi-species density estimation
The ability to estimate abundances of multiple wildlife species within an area is valuable for both conservation and ecological inquiry. Spatially explicit capture–recapture (SCR) methods are commonly used to obtain reliable population size estimates, particularly for low-density and individually identifiable carnivore species. However, estimating abundance within multi-species...
Authors
Laura Christine Gigliotti, Gates Dupont, Chris Sutherland, Charli Pretorius, Simon Naylor, Kerrin Allan, Gonçalo Curveira-Santos
Abundance, trends, and challenges facing mountain goats throughout their North American distribution Abundance, trends, and challenges facing mountain goats throughout their North American distribution
Recent declines among some mountain goat (Oreamnos americanus) populations have heightened concern about their current status and ability to cope with future challenges. We conducted a range-wide assessment of the status of mountain goats across their distribution to understand the extent and patterns of change in recent years. We queried states, provinces, National Parks, and Indigenous
Authors
Richard B. Harris, Steve Bethune, Mark Biel, Roy T. Churchwell, Julie Cunningham, Rob Found, Tabitha A. Graves, Anne Hubbs, Tyler Jessen, Bill Jex, Joshua Kirk, Meghan Larivee, Chadwick P. Lehman, Brian MacBeth, Hollie Miyasaki, Tony W. Mong, William Moore, Susan Oehlers, Todd Rinaldi, Kristin M. Rine, Rusty Robinson, Zachary L. Robinson, Jennifer Sevigny, Michael Sevigny, Kyle Smith, David Vales, Kevin White, Don Whittaker, Carmen Wong, Travis Wyman
Combining individual and close-kin mark–recapture to design an effective wildlife population survey Combining individual and close-kin mark–recapture to design an effective wildlife population survey
Close-kin mark–recapture (CKMR) is a promising approach for assessing population size of species that have been difficult to survey using more traditional methods. Here, we combine individual and close-kin mark–recapture in a single modeling framework (ICKMR) and provide an example of study design using this approach for Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens). We develop the ICKMR...
Authors
Eiren K. Jacobson, Mark V. Bravington, Rebecca L. Taylor, Irina S. Trukhanova, David L. Miller, William S. Beatty
Evaluating groundwater quality influences from oil field operations and other anthropogenic activities in an urban setting, Santa Fe Springs, California Evaluating groundwater quality influences from oil field operations and other anthropogenic activities in an urban setting, Santa Fe Springs, California
Groundwater quality is often affected by anthropogenic activities in urban settings. This study examines groundwater quality in and around the Santa Fe Springs Oil Field in Los Angeles County, California, where oil and gas production commonly intersects with high density industrial, commercial and residential land uses. Utilizing a combination of new and historical data, we evaluated...
Authors
Michael T. Wright, Tracy A. Davis, Matthew K. Landon, Michael Land, David H. Shimabukuro, Theron A. Sowers, Megan E Schmer, Riley Gannon, Justin T. Kulongoski, Andrew G. Hunt, Elise Watson
Comparison of data handling techniques for modeling bat acoustic activity Comparison of data handling techniques for modeling bat acoustic activity
With the proliferation of acoustic sampling to investigate bat distribution and ecology, researchers have implemented a myriad of statistical modeling approaches to interpret findings. Bats are taxa of high conservation concern; therefore, ensuring the accuracy of species-level habitat association models is critical for informing management. We sought to determine prediction differences...
Authors
Zachary W. Isenhour, Elizabeth Ann Hunter, Jesse L. De La Cruz, W. Mark Ford
Landscape change and age ratios for mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) herd units in Wyoming,1980-2019 Landscape change and age ratios for mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) herd units in Wyoming,1980-2019
No abstract available.
Authors
Teagan A. Hayes, Aaron N. Johnston, L. Embere Hall, Jill Randall, Matthew J. Kauffman, Christopher Keefe, Kevin Monteith, Tabitha A. Graves
Dietary composition and diversity in an endemic island bat, the Hawaiian hoary bat (Lasiurus semotus) Dietary composition and diversity in an endemic island bat, the Hawaiian hoary bat (Lasiurus semotus)
Due to the importance of sufficient diets, conservation practices for endangered bats often involve protection and restoration of foraging resources. For insectivorous (or arthropodivorous) bats, detailed knowledge of prey consumption can inform effective management. In this study, we used metabarcoding techniques to investigate the diet of Lasiurus semotus, a primarily insectivorous...
Authors
Corinna Pinzari, P. Marcos Gorresen, Robert W. Peck, Karen Courtot
Exploratory ecology of reintroduced elk in Virginia Exploratory ecology of reintroduced elk in Virginia
Reintroductions of extirpated species are an important tool in wildlife conservation. Understanding how reintroduced populations acclimatize to novel environments can lend insight into social learning that in turn is valuable for assessing reintroduction success and maximizing efficacy of subsequent efforts. During 2012, 2013, and 2014, the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources...
Authors
Braiden A Quinlan, Heather N Abernathy, David M Kalb, Jacalyn P Rosenberger, Emily D Thorne, W. Mark Ford, Michael J Cherry
Evidence for a biological origin of uranium-rich carbon masses within the Ediacaran Salt Range Formation of Pakistan Evidence for a biological origin of uranium-rich carbon masses within the Ediacaran Salt Range Formation of Pakistan
Thucholites are unique organic structures found in igneous and sedimentary rocks composed of a U-C-rich interior enclosed by an organic outer shell. Their formation and occurrence have perplexed scientists for over 100 years. Typically, thucholites are sparse in sedimentary rocks but where found in abundance, they may be the result of rapid paleoecological disruptions, e.g., volcanic...
Authors
Brett Valentine, Paul C. Hackley, Martha Stokes, Maitrayee Bose, Ryan J. McAleer, Imran Khan
Morphodynamic controls on the performance of dune-based coastal flood mitigation under sea-level rise Morphodynamic controls on the performance of dune-based coastal flood mitigation under sea-level rise
Dune-based adaptation is increasingly used as a nature-based solution for coastal flood mitigation, yet many assessments rely on hydrodynamic-only approaches that treat beach and dune morphology as static, neglecting storm-driven erosion that can degrade dune performance during extreme events. This study develops a process-based modeling framework coupling extreme value analysis of...
Authors
Zhengtong Yang, Natalia Herran, David Gutierrez-Barcelo, Li Erikson, Sean Vitousek, Borja Reguero
Incorporating location uncertainty improves inference with stop-level North American Breeding Bird Survey data Incorporating location uncertainty improves inference with stop-level North American Breeding Bird Survey data
Ecological models should account for uncertainty to be most effective and useful. Yet, uncertainty from model covariates—unlike that from other sources, such as sampling error or process variability—is seldom explicitly incorporated. This can cause underestimates of uncertainty to cascade through model parameter estimates, predictions, and downstream uses. Burner et al. proposed a method...
Authors
Ryan C. Burner, J. A. Hostetler, Alan Kirschbaum
Bayesian belief network model to predict human-wildlife conflict in protected areas Bayesian belief network model to predict human-wildlife conflict in protected areas
Human-wildlife conflict (HWC) poses a pervasive global challenge, affecting livelihoods and threatening biodiversity. To better anticipate and mitigate HWC risk, we developed a large-scale predictive model using a Bayesian Belief Network (BBN). We surveyed 1,011 park rangers across 135 terrestrial protected areas in three Andean countries, documenting recent HWC incidents involving...
Authors
Santiago Garcia-Llore, Richard C Stedman, Angela K. Fuller