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.
Filter Total Items: 174960
Identifying structural priors in a hybrid differentiable model for stream water temperature modeling Identifying structural priors in a hybrid differentiable model for stream water temperature modeling
Although deep learning models for stream temperature (Ts) have recently shown exceptional accuracy, they have limited interpretability and cannot output untrained variables. With hybrid differentiable models, neural networks (NNs) can be connected to physically based equations (called structural priors) to output intermediate variables such as water source fractions (specifying what...
Authors
Farshid Rahmani, Alison P. Appling, Dapeng Feng, Kathryn Lawson, Chaopeng Shen
How to handle glacier area change in geodetic mass balance How to handle glacier area change in geodetic mass balance
Innovations in geodesy enable widespread analysis of glacier surface elevation change and geodetic mass balance. However, coincident glacier area data are less widely available, causing inconsistent handling of glacier area change. Here we quantify the bias introduced into meters water equivalent (m w.e.) specific geodetic mass balance results when using a fixed, maximum glacier area...
Authors
Caitlyn Florentine, Louis C. Sass, Christopher J. McNeil, Emily Baker, Shad O'Neel
Do topographic changes tell us about variability in aeolian sediment transport and dune mobility? Analysis of monthly to decadal surface changes in a partially vegetated and biocrust covered dunefield Do topographic changes tell us about variability in aeolian sediment transport and dune mobility? Analysis of monthly to decadal surface changes in a partially vegetated and biocrust covered dunefield
Vegetation and biological soil crust (biocrust) cover can have a stabilizing effect on dunes by fixing sediment in-place and increasing surface roughness, thus limiting dune mobility, sediment transport, and erosion. These biological effects influence rates of aeolian activity and thus surficial changes, though variability in wind and sediment supply may obscure these topographic effects...
Authors
Joshua Caster, Joel B. Sankey, Temuulen Ts. Sankey, Alan Kasprak, Matthew A. Bowker, Taylor Joyal
Environmental DNA as a tool for better understanding the distribution, abundance, and health of Atlantic and Pacific salmon Environmental DNA as a tool for better understanding the distribution, abundance, and health of Atlantic and Pacific salmon
The development and application of approaches to detect and quantify environmental DNA (eDNA) have potential to improve our understanding of the distribution, abundance, and health of Atlantic Salmon Salmo salar and Pacific salmon Oncorhynchus spp. Here, we review 61 articles focusing on eDNA applications pertaining to salmon occupying natural habitat and aquaculture facilities in the...
Authors
Andrew M. Ramey, Cherie Marie Mckeeman, Eleni Leto Petrou, Damian M. Menning, Ora L. Russ, Andres Lopez
Satellite-derived prefire vegetation predicts variation in field-based invasive annual grass cover after fire Satellite-derived prefire vegetation predicts variation in field-based invasive annual grass cover after fire
Aims Invasion by annual grasses (IAGs) and concomitant increases in wildfire are impacting many drylands globally, and an understanding of factors that contribute to or detract from community resistance to IAGs is needed to inform postfire restoration interventions. Prefire vegetation condition is often unknown in rangelands but it likely affects variation in postfire invasion resistance...
Authors
Christopher A Anthony, Cara Applestein, Matthew J. Germino
Habitat and dissolved organic carbon modulate variation in the biogeochemical drivers of mercury bioaccumulation in dragonfly larvae at the national scale Habitat and dissolved organic carbon modulate variation in the biogeochemical drivers of mercury bioaccumulation in dragonfly larvae at the national scale
We paired mercury (Hg) concentrations in dragonfly larvae with water chemistry in 29 U.S. national parks to highlight how ecological and biogeochemical context (habitat, dissolved organic carbon [DOC]) influence drivers of Hg bioaccumulation. Although prior studies have defined influences of biogeochemical variables on Hg production and bioaccumulation, it has been challenging to...
Authors
Sarah J. Nelson, James Willacker, Collin A. Eagles-Smith, Colleen M Flanagan Pritz, Celia Y. Chen, Amanda J Klemmer, David P. Krabbenhoft
Site fidelity of migratory shorebirds facing habitat deterioration: Insights from satellite tracking and mark-resighting Site fidelity of migratory shorebirds facing habitat deterioration: Insights from satellite tracking and mark-resighting
Background Site fidelity, the tendency to return to a previously visited site, is commonly observed in migratory birds. This behaviour would be advantageous if birds returning to the same site, benefit from their previous knowledge about local resources. However, when habitat quality declines at a site over time, birds with lower site fidelity might benefit from a tendency to move to...
Authors
Ying-Chi Chan, David Tsz-Chung Chan, T. Lee Tibbitts, Chris J. Hassell, Theunis Piersma
Assessing microplastics contamination in unviable loggerhead sea turtle eggs Assessing microplastics contamination in unviable loggerhead sea turtle eggs
Sea turtles, in comparison with marine mammals, sea birds, and fishes, are the most affected by microplastics in terms of number of individuals impacted and concentration within each organism. The ubiquitous nature and persistence of microplastics in the environment further compromises sea turtles as many species are currently vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered. The...
Authors
Lindsay F. Curl, Samantha A. Hurst, Christopher M. Pomory, Margaret Lamont, Alexis M. Janosik
Water-level data for the Albuquerque Basin and adjacent areas, central New Mexico, period of record through September 30, 2022 Water-level data for the Albuquerque Basin and adjacent areas, central New Mexico, period of record through September 30, 2022
The Albuquerque Basin, located in central New Mexico, is about 100 miles long and 25–40 miles wide. The basin is hydrologically defined as the extent of consolidated and unconsolidated deposits of Tertiary and Quaternary age that encompasses the structural Rio Grande Rift between San Acacia to the south and Cochiti Lake to the north. Drinking-water supplies throughout the basin were...
Authors
Meghan T. Bell, N.Y. Montero
Achieving success with RISE: A widely implementable, iterative, structured process for mastering interdisciplinary team science collaborations Achieving success with RISE: A widely implementable, iterative, structured process for mastering interdisciplinary team science collaborations
Scientific experts from different disciplines often struggle to mesh their specialized perspectives into the shared mindset that is needed to address difficult and persistent environmental, ecological, and societal problems. Many traditional graduate programs provide excellent research and technical skill training. However, these programs often do not teach a systematic way to learn team...
Authors
Martha E. Mather, Gabriel Granco, Jason Bergtold, Marcellus Caldas, Jessica Heier Stamm, Aleksey Sheshukov, Matthew Sanderson, Melinda Daniels
Using an open-source tool to develop a three-dimensional hydrogeologic framework of the Kobo Valley, Ethiopia Using an open-source tool to develop a three-dimensional hydrogeologic framework of the Kobo Valley, Ethiopia
Groundwater resource management requires understanding the groundwater basin’s hydrogeology and would be improved with the development of a three-dimensional hydrogeologic framework model (HFM). A wide range of methods and software exist to quantify the extent, structure, and properties of geologic systems. However, most geologic software is proprietary and cost-prohibitive for use in...
Authors
Sisay Simachew Mekonen, Scott E. Boyce, Abdella K. Mohammed, Markus Disse
The species status assessment: A framework for assessing species status and risk to support endangered species management decisions The species status assessment: A framework for assessing species status and risk to support endangered species management decisions
No abstract available.
Authors
Conor P. McGowan, Nathan Allan, David R. Smith