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.
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Laysan albatross exhibit complex behavioral plasticity in the subtropical and subarctic North Pacific Ocean Laysan albatross exhibit complex behavioral plasticity in the subtropical and subarctic North Pacific Ocean
Animals that regularly traverse habitat extremes between the subtropics and subarctic are expected to exhibit foraging behaviors that respond to changes in dynamic ocean habitats, and these behaviors may facilitate adaptations to novel and changing climates. During the chick-provisioning stage, Laysan albatross Phoebastria immutabilis parents regularly undertake short- and long-distance...
Authors
Morgan Elizabeth Gilmour, Jonathan J. Felis, Michelle M. Hester, Lindsay C. Young, Josh Adams
The biogeography of relative abundance of soil fungi versus bacteria in surface topsoil The biogeography of relative abundance of soil fungi versus bacteria in surface topsoil
Fungi and bacteria are the two dominant groups of soil microbial communities worldwide. By controlling the turnover of soil organic matter, these organisms directly regulate the exchange of carbon between the soil and the atmosphere. Fundamental differences in the physiology and life history of bacteria and fungi suggest that variation in the biogeography of soil fungal and bacterial...
Authors
Kailiang Yu, Johan van den Hoogen, Zhiqiang Wang, Colin Averill, Devin Routh, Gabriel Reuben Smith, Rebecca E. Drenovsky, Kate M. Scow, Fei Mo, Mark Waldrop, Yuanhe Yang, Weize Tang, Franciska De Vries, Richard D. Bardgett, Peter Manning, Felipe Bastida, Sara G. Baer, Elizabeth Bach, Carlos J. Garcia, Qingkui Wang, Linna Ma, Baodong Chen, Xianjing He, Sven Teurlinex, Amber Heijboer, James A. Bradley, Thomas W. Crowther
Status of forest birds on Tinian Island, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, with an emphasis on the Tinian monarch (Monarcha takatsukasae) (Passeriformes; Monarchidae) Status of forest birds on Tinian Island, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, with an emphasis on the Tinian monarch (Monarcha takatsukasae) (Passeriformes; Monarchidae)
Landbird populations on Tinian Island have been periodically surveyed since 1982 to evaluate the status of non-native and native landbirds. We report the results of surveys in 2013 and the observed changes during 31 years in species population trends based on surveys since 1982. A total of 11 native and 3 non-native species were detected during the 2013 survey. Population sizes were...
Authors
Rick L Spalding, Richard J. Camp, Paul C. Banko, Nathan C Johnson, Angela D Anders
Testing the ShakeAlert earthquake early warning system using synthesized earthquake sequences Testing the ShakeAlert earthquake early warning system using synthesized earthquake sequences
We test the behavior of the United States (US) West Coast ShakeAlert earthquake early warning (EEW) system during temporally close earthquake pairs to understand current performance and limitations. We consider performance metrics based on source parameter and ground‐motion forecast accuracy, as well as on alerting timeliness. We generate ground‐motion times series for synthesized...
Authors
Maren Bose, Jennifer Andrews, Colin T O’Rourke, Deborah L. Kilb, Angela Lux, Julian Bunn, Jeffrey J. McGuire
Foraging ecology of Red-billed Tropicbird Phaethon aethereus in the Caribbean during early chick rearing revealed by GPS tracking Foraging ecology of Red-billed Tropicbird Phaethon aethereus in the Caribbean during early chick rearing revealed by GPS tracking
Investigating the foraging patterns of tropical seabirds can provide important information about their ocean habitat affinities as well as prey choice. Foraging studies of Red-billed Tropicbird Phaethon aethereus populations in the Caribbean are lacking. We sought to rectify this by opportunistically sampling regurgitates at nest sites on the island of St. Eustatius, Lesser Antilles, and...
Authors
H. Madden, Y. G. Satgé, B. Wilkinson, Patrick G.R. Jodice
Perceptions of conservation introduction to inform decision support among U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service employees Perceptions of conservation introduction to inform decision support among U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service employees
Executive Summary Around the globe, fish and wildlife managers are facing increasingly complex management issues because of multiscale ecological effects like climate change, species invasion, and land-use change. Managers seeking to prevent extinctions or preserve ecosystems are increasingly considering more interventionist techniques to overcome the resulting changes. Among those...
Authors
Nicholas W. Cole, Julia B. Goolsby, Amanda E. Cravens
Loss of street tree canopy increases stormwater runoff Loss of street tree canopy increases stormwater runoff
Urban forests have largely been overlooked for the role they play in reducing stormwater runoff volume by using hydrologic processes such as interception (rainfall intercepted by tree canopy), evapotranspiration (the transfer of water from vegetation into the atmosphere) and infiltration (percolation of rainwater into the Earth’s soil). Early research into the effects of trees on urban...
Authors
William R. Selbig, Steven P. Loheide, William Shuster, Bryant C. Scharenbroch, Robert C. Coville, James Kruegler, William Avery, Ralph J. Haefner, David Nowak
Undeveloped and developed phases in the centennial evolution of a barrier-marsh-lagoon system: The case of Long Beach Island, New Jersey Undeveloped and developed phases in the centennial evolution of a barrier-marsh-lagoon system: The case of Long Beach Island, New Jersey
Barrier islands and their associated backbarrier environments protect mainland population centers and infrastructure from storm impacts, support biodiversity, and provide long-term carbon storage, among other ecosystem services. Despite their socio-economic and ecological importance, the response of coupled barrier-marsh-lagoon environments to sea-level rise is poorly understood...
Authors
Christopher Tenebruso, Shane Nichols-O’Neill, Jorge Lorenzo-Trueba, Daniel J. Ciarletta, Jennifer L. Miselis
Conflict of energies: Spatially modeling mule deer caloric expenditure in response to oil and gas development Conflict of energies: Spatially modeling mule deer caloric expenditure in response to oil and gas development
Context Wildlife avoid human disturbances, including roads and development. Avoidance and displacement of wildlife into less suitable habitat due to human development can affect their energy expenditures and fitness. The heart rate and oxygen uptake of large mammals varies with both natural aspects of their habitat (terrain, climate, predators, etc.) and anthropogenic influence (noise...
Authors
Samuel Norton Chambers, Miguel L. Villarreal, Olivia Jane Marie Duane, Seth M. Munson, Erica Francis Stuber, Gayle L Tyree, Eric K Waller, Michael C. Duniway
Postbreeding movements and molting ecology of female gadwalls and mallards Postbreeding movements and molting ecology of female gadwalls and mallards
The wing molt is an important annual life-history event that occurs in waterfowl and molt site selection can play an important role in determining survival. We tracked postbreeding movements of gadwall (Mareca strepera) and mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) females that bred in the Suisun Marsh (Suisun) of California, USA, to determine molt site selection and wing molt chronology. We attached...
Authors
Jeffrey D Kohl, Michael L. Casazza, Cory T. Overton, Mark P. Herzog, Joshua T. Ackerman, Cliff L. Feldheim, John M. Eadie
Using biological responses to monitor freshwater post-spill conditions over 3 years in Blacktail Creek, North Dakota, USA Using biological responses to monitor freshwater post-spill conditions over 3 years in Blacktail Creek, North Dakota, USA
A pipeline carrying unconventional oil and gas (OG) wastewater spilled approximately 11 million liters of wastewater into Blacktail Creek, North Dakota, USA. Flow of the mix of stream water and wastewater down the channel resulted in storage of contaminants in the hyporheic zone and along the banks, providing a long-term source of wastewater constituents to the stream. A multi-level...
Authors
Aida Farag, David Harper, Isabelle M. Cozzarelli, Douglas B. Kent, Adam C. Mumford, Denise M. Akob, Travis W. Schaeffer, Luke R. Iwanowicz
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Contaminant Biology, Environmental Health Program, Toxic Substances Hydrology, Columbia Environmental Research Center, Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center , Eastern Ecological Science Center, Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center, Reston Microbiology Laboratory
Evolution of design ground motions in California: NEHRP 2009 to 2020 Evolution of design ground motions in California: NEHRP 2009 to 2020
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Seismic Hazard Model (NSHM) is used in construction codes, such as the National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program (NEHRP) Provisions, to develop ground motions for structural and geotechnical design. When the NSHM is updated (e.g. changes to its earthquake rupture forecast or ground motion models), or the manner in which it is implemented in
Authors
Stephen Eugene Waldvogel, Andrew James Makdisi, Katrina Sanguyo Peralta, Henry Mason, Nico Luco, Sanaz Rezaeian