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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High-resolution 3D forest structure explains ecomorphological trait variation in assemblages of saproxylic beetles High-resolution 3D forest structure explains ecomorphological trait variation in assemblages of saproxylic beetles
Climate, topography and the 3D structure of forests are major drivers affecting local species communities. However, little is known about how the specific functional traits of saproxylic (wood-living) beetles, involved in the recycling of wood, might be affected by those environmental characteristics.Here, we combine ecological and morphological traits available for saproxylic beetles...
Authors
Lukas Drag, Ryan C. Burner, Jorg G. Stephan, Tone Birkemoe, Inken Dorfler, Martin M. Gossner, Paul Magdon, Otso Ovaskainen, Maria Potterf, Peter Schall, Tord Snall, Anne Sverdrup-Thygeson, Wolfgang Weisser, Jorg Muller
Oxygenation of a karst subterranean estuary during a tropical cyclone: Mechanisms and implications for the carbon cycle Oxygenation of a karst subterranean estuary during a tropical cyclone: Mechanisms and implications for the carbon cycle
Seasonal precipitation affects carbon turnover and methane accumulation in karst subterranean estuaries, the region of coastal carbonate aquifers where hydrologic and biogeochemical processes regulate material exchange between the land and ocean. However, the impact that tropical cyclones exert on subsurface carbon cycling within karst landscapes is poorly understood. Here, we present 5...
Authors
David Brankovits, John Pohlman, Laura Lapham
Molt patterns, aging criteria, and molt-breeding seasonality of 8 native forest birds from the Island of Hawaiʻi Molt patterns, aging criteria, and molt-breeding seasonality of 8 native forest birds from the Island of Hawaiʻi
Much of our knowledge on the patterns and timing of breeding and molting come from studies of temperate region birds, yet tropical birds can have markedly different phenologies. The Hawaiian Islands support multiple endemic bird species that have evolved for millions of years in isolation to a tropical environment with minimal seasonality. We examined data from multiple studies (1994...
Authors
Elizabeth C. Abraham, Eben H. Paxton
The effects of estradiol-17β on the sex reversal, survival, and growth of green sunfish Lepomis cyanellus The effects of estradiol-17β on the sex reversal, survival, and growth of green sunfish Lepomis cyanellus
The feminization of green sunfish Lepomis cyanellus could expand their utility as a game fish or aquacultured species by preventing overcrowding and precocious reproduction in stocked systems. Feminization of green sunfish could also help elucidate information on their sex determination system. We report the feminization of green sunfish cohorts via oral administration of estradiol-17β...
Authors
Chad N. Teal, Daniel J. Schill, Susan B. Fogelson, Colby M. Roberts, Kevin Fitzsimmons, Javan Mathias Bauder, William T. Stewart, Scott A. Bonar
A sagebrush conservation design to proactively restore America’s sagebrush biome A sagebrush conservation design to proactively restore America’s sagebrush biome
A working group of experts with diverse professional backgrounds and disciplinary expertise was assembled to conceptualize a spatially explicit conservation design to support and inform the Sagebrush Conservation Strategy Part 2. The goal was to leverage recent advancements in remotely sensed landcover products to develop spatially and temporally explicit maps of sagebrush rangeland...
Authors
Kevin Doherty, David M. Theobald, John B. Bradford, Lief A. Wiechman, Geoffrey Bedrosian, Chad S. Boyd, Matthew Cahill, Peter S. Coates, Megan K. Creutzburg, Michele R. Crist, Sean P. Finn, Alexander V. Kumar, Caitlin E. Littlefield, Jeremy D. Maestas, Karen L. Prentice, Brian G. Prochazka, Thomas E. Remington, William D. Sparklin, John C. Tull, Zachary Wurtzebach, Katherine A. Zeller
Estimating Pacific walrus abundance and survival with multievent mark-recapture models Estimating Pacific walrus abundance and survival with multievent mark-recapture models
Arctic marine ecosystems are undergoing rapid physical and biological change associated with climate warming and loss of sea ice. Sea ice loss will impact many species through altered spatial and temporal availability of resources. In the Bering and Chukchi Seas, the Pacific walrus Odobenus rosmarus divergens is one species that could be impacted by rapid environmental change, and thus...
Authors
William S. Beatty, Patrick R. Lemons, Jason P. Everett, Cara J. Lewis, Rebecca L. Taylor, Robert J. Lynn, Suresh A. Sethi, Lori T. Quakenbush, John J. Citta, Michelle Kissling, Natalia Kryukova, John K. Wennburg
Multi-objective modeling as a decision-support tool for free-roaming horse management Multi-objective modeling as a decision-support tool for free-roaming horse management
Decisions related to controversial problems in natural resource management receive the greatest support when they account for multiple objectives of stakeholders in a structured and transparent fashion. In the United States, management of free-roaming horses (Equus caballus; horses) is a controversial multiple-objective problem because disparate stakeholder groups have varying objectives...
Authors
Brian Patrick Folt, Kathryn A. Schoenecker, L. Stefan Ekernas
Golden eagle nesting territory distribution in wind energy landscapes of the southern Great Plains Golden eagle nesting territory distribution in wind energy landscapes of the southern Great Plains
Deaths of four Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) due to collision trauma at a new wind energy facility in east-central New Mexico during 2004–2005 prompted concerns about the species' population status in the encompassing Southern Great Plains region, primarily because its breeding distribution there was poorly documented and wind energy development was expanding rapidly. Therefore, we...
Authors
D.W. Stahlecker, Z.P. Wallace, D.G. Mikesic, Clint W. Boal, R.K. Murphy, W.H. Howe, M.B. Ruehmann
Status of landbirds in the National Park of American Samoa Status of landbirds in the National Park of American Samoa
The National Park of American Samoa (NPSA) was surveyed in 2011 and 2018 using point-transect distance sampling to estimate trends in landbird distribution, composition, population density, and abundance. Surveys were conducted within the Ta‘ū Unit and Tutuila Unit, each on separate islands of American Samoa. We detected a total of 14 species during surveys and there were sufficient...
Authors
Seth Judge, Richard J. Camp, Visa Vaivai, Patrick J. Hart
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