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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.

Filter Total Items: 175318

Defining the Hoek-Brown constant mi for volcanic lithologies Defining the Hoek-Brown constant mi for volcanic lithologies

The empirical Hoek-Brown failure criterion is a well-known and commonly used failure criterion for both intact rocks and rock masses, especially in geological engineering. The intact criterion is calculated using experimental triaxial compression test results on intact samples while the rock mass criterion modifies the intact strength using quantified measures of the rock mass quality...
Authors
Marlène C. Villeneuve, Michael J. Heap, Lauren N. Schaefer

Landscape characteristics influence projected growth rates of stream-resident juvenile salmon in the face of climate change in the Kenai River watershed, south-central Alaska Landscape characteristics influence projected growth rates of stream-resident juvenile salmon in the face of climate change in the Kenai River watershed, south-central Alaska

Objective Climate change is affecting the distribution and productivity of Pacific salmon throughout their range. At high latitudes, warmer temperatures have been associated with increased freshwater growth of juvenile salmon, but it is not clear how long this trend will continue before further warming leads to reduced growth. To explore the potential influence of climate warming on...
Authors
B. E. Meyer, M. S. Wipfli, E. R. Schoen, D. J. Rinella, Jeffrey A. Falke

Geochemistry and fluxes of gases from hydrothermal features at Newberry Volcano, Oregon, USA Geochemistry and fluxes of gases from hydrothermal features at Newberry Volcano, Oregon, USA

We present the chemical and isotopic compositions of gases and fluxes of CO2 from the hydrothermal features of Newberry Volcano, a large composite volcano located in Oregon's Cascade Range with a summit caldera that hosts two lakes, Paulina and East Lakes. Gas samples were collected from 1982 to 2021 from Paulina Hot Springs (PHS) on the shore of Paulina Lake, East Lake Hot Springs (ELHS...
Authors
Jennifer L. Lewicki, William C. Evans, Steven E. Ingebritsen, Laura E. Clor, Peter J. Kelly, Sara Peek, Robert A. Jensen, Andrew G. Hunt

Future direction of fuels management in sagebrush rangelands Future direction of fuels management in sagebrush rangelands

Sagebrush ecosystems in the United States have been declining since EuroAmerican settlement, largely due to agricultural and urban development, invasive species, and altered fire regimes, resulting in loss of biodiversity and wildlife habitat. To combat continued conversion to undesirable ecological states and loss of habitat to invasive species fueled by frequent fire, a variety of fuel
Authors
Douglas J. Shinneman, Eva Strand, Mike Pellant, John T. Abatzoglou, Mark W. Brunson, Nancy Glenn, Julie A. Heinrichs, Mojtaba Sadegh, Nicole Vaillant

Assigning causality to events in the Holocene record of coral reefs Assigning causality to events in the Holocene record of coral reefs

The uncemented reef-frameworks of Pacific Panamá, which have been dominated throughout the Holocene by branching corals of the genus Pocillopora, experienced a hiatus in vertical accretion lasting c. 2300 years, beginning c. 4100 years ago. The hiatus has been attributed to an increase in variability of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO). We tested the alternative hypothesis that...
Authors
Victor Rodriguez-Ruano, Lauren T. Toth, Richard B. Aronson

Modeling the dynamic penetration depth of post-1950s water in unconfined aquifers using environmental tracers: Central Valley, California Modeling the dynamic penetration depth of post-1950s water in unconfined aquifers using environmental tracers: Central Valley, California

The penetration depth of post-1950s recharge (D-1950) in aquifers is a marker that is frequently used to identify groundwater that is susceptible to anthropogenic contamination. Here, we compute D-1950 values at wells, interpolate them in space, and project them across time to map the moving front of modern recharge in four dimensions in the Central Valley aquifer system, California, USA...
Authors
Kirsten Faulkner, Bryant Jurgens, Stefan Voss, Danielle Dupuy, Zeno F. Levy

Nonlethal tools to identify mass ovarian follicular atresia in Burbot Nonlethal tools to identify mass ovarian follicular atresia in Burbot

Skipped spawning, or variation in spawning periodicity, occurs in many annual spawning fish species and is an important consideration for population management. We assessed plasma sex steroid concentrations and measured gonad size and ovarian follicle diameter as metrics to nonlethally identify mass ovarian follicular atresia, which may contribute to skipped spawning in Burbot Lota lota...
Authors
Lauren M. McGarvey, Jason E. Ilgen, Christopher S. Guy, Jason G. McLellan, Molly A. H. Webb

Drivers of habitat quality for a reintroduced elk herd Drivers of habitat quality for a reintroduced elk herd

Understanding spatiotemporal variation in habitat quality is essential for guiding wildlife reintroduction and restoration programs. The habitat productivity hypothesis posits that home range size is inversely related to habitat quality. Thus, home range size may be used as a proxy for habitat quality and can identify important land cover features for a recovering species. We sought to...
Authors
Braiden A. Quinlan, Jacalyn P. Rosenberger, David M. Kalb, Heather N. Abernathy, Emily D. Thorne, W. Mark Ford, Michael J. Cherry

Maladaptive nest-site selection and reduced nest survival in female sage-grouse following wildfire Maladaptive nest-site selection and reduced nest survival in female sage-grouse following wildfire

Increased wildfire frequency and associated replacement of sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) with invasive annual grasses contribute to declines of greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; hereafter, sage-grouse) populations across the Great Basin. However, little is known about wildfire effects on sage-grouse nest-site selection and nest survival, which can influence population...
Authors
Ian F. Dudley, Peter S. Coates, Brian G. Prochazka, Dawn M. Davis, Scott C. Gardner, David J. Delehanty

Divergent responses of butterflies and bees to burning and grazing management in tallgrass prairies Divergent responses of butterflies and bees to burning and grazing management in tallgrass prairies

Butterflies and bees contribute significantly to grassland biodiversity and play important roles as pollinators and herbivores. Grassland conservation and management must be seen through the lens of insect conservation and management if these species are to thrive. In North America, grasslands are a product of climate and natural disturbances such as fire and grazing. These natural...
Authors
Julia B. Leone, Nora P. Pennarola, Jennifer Larson, Karen Oberhauser, Diane L. Larson

As the goose flies: Migration routes and timing influence patterns of genetic diversity in a circumpolar migratory herbivore As the goose flies: Migration routes and timing influence patterns of genetic diversity in a circumpolar migratory herbivore

Migration schedules and the timing of other annual events (e.g., pair formation and molt) can affect the distribution of genetic diversity as much as where these events occur. The greater white-fronted goose (Anser albifrons) is a circumpolar goose species, exhibiting temporal and spatial variation of events among populations during the annual cycle. Previous range-wide genetic...
Authors
Robert E. Wilson, Sarah A. Sonsthagen, Jeffrey M. DaCost, Michael D. Sorenson, Anthony D. Fox, Melanie Weaver, Dan Skalos, Alexander V. Kondratyev, Kim T. Scribner, Alyn Walsh, Craig R. Ely, Sandra L. Talbot

Provenance, genotype, and flooding influence growth and resource acquisition characteristics in a clonal, riparian shrub Provenance, genotype, and flooding influence growth and resource acquisition characteristics in a clonal, riparian shrub

Premise Riparian plants can exhibit intraspecific phenotypic variability across the landscape related to temperature and flooding gradients. Phenotypes that vary across a climate gradient are often partly genetically determined and may differ in their response to inundation. Changes to inundation patterns across a climate gradient could thus result in site-specific inundation responses...
Authors
Emily C. Palmquist, Kiona Ogle, Thomas G. Whitham, Gerard J. Allan, Patrick B. Shafroth, Bradley J. Butterfield
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