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: 175645
Luminescence sediment tracing reveals the complex dynamics of colluvial wedge formation Luminescence sediment tracing reveals the complex dynamics of colluvial wedge formation
Paleoearthquake studies that inform seismic hazard rely on assumptions of sediment transport that remain largely untested. Here, we test a widespread conceptual model and a new numerical model on the formation of colluvial wedges, a key deposit used to constrain the timing of paleoearthquakes. We perform this test by applying luminescence, a sunlight-sensitive sediment tracer, at a field...
Authors
Harrison J. Gray, Christopher B. DuRoss, Sylvia Nicovich, Ryan D. Gold
Newly documented behavior of free-ranging Arctic wolf pups Newly documented behavior of free-ranging Arctic wolf pups
Whereas much is known about the behavior and development of captive young wolf (Canis lupus) pups, less detail has been published about some aspects of free-ranging wolf pup behavior. This article synthesizes 42 observations of free-ranging Arctic wolf pups from ages 13 through 52 days made during 10 summers from 1987 through 2006 on Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, Canada. Besides listing key...
Authors
L. David Mech
Inversion of induced polarization-affected towed-transient electromagnetic data in a lateritic regolith geology: A case study from western Tanzania Inversion of induced polarization-affected towed-transient electromagnetic data in a lateritic regolith geology: A case study from western Tanzania
For several decades, induced polarization (IP) effects on transient electromagnetic (TEM) responses have been observed. These effects can manifest as late-time negative transients or as rapidly decaying curves and are usually associated with highly polarizable bodies. If neglected, IP effects can lead to erroneous resistivity models. Recent work allows IP effects to be incorporated into...
Authors
Pradip Kumar Maurya, Denys Grombacher, John W. Lane, Johan Lind, Esben Auken
Review of field methods for monitoring Asian bears Review of field methods for monitoring Asian bears
Efficient and effective monitoring methods are required to assess population status and gauge efficacy of conservation actions for threatened species. Here we review the spectrum of field methods useful for monitoring distribution, occupancy, abundance, and population trend for the five species of Asian terrestrial bears. Methods reviewed include expert opinion, local knowledge, bear...
Authors
Michael F. Proctor, David L. Garshelis, Prachi Thatte, Robert Steinmetz, Brian Crudge, Bruce N. McLellan, William J. McShea, Dusit Ngoprasert, M. Ali Nawaz, Siew Te Wong, Sandeep Sharma, Angela K. Fuller, Nishith Dharaiya, Karine Pigeon, Gabriella Fredriksson, Dajun Wang, Sheng Li, Mei-hsiu Hwang
Round Goby captured in a North American estuary: Status and implications in the Hudson River, New York Round Goby captured in a North American estuary: Status and implications in the Hudson River, New York
Round Goby Neogobius melanostomus, a nonnative fish species to North America, has been rapidly expanding through the connected waterways of the Laurentian Great Lakes. Herein, we document the eastward and southern expansion of Round Goby into the Hudson River, New York, an iconic coastal estuary that drains to Long Island Sound and the Atlantic seaboard. In summer and early fall 2021...
Authors
Richard Pendleton, Russell Berdan, Scott D. George, Gregg Kenney, Suresh Sethi
Rangeland Condition Monitoring Assessment and Projection (RCMAP) Rangeland Condition Monitoring Assessment and Projection (RCMAP)
The Rangeland Condition Monitoring Assessment and Projection (RCMAP) project has partnered with the Bureau of Land Management to provide annual maps of rangeland vegetation condition across the Western United States from 1985 to present. Annual mapping can assist land managers and scientists with monitoring changes to vegetation composition, evaluating past management practices...
Authors
Matthew B. Rigge
Modeling and estimating co-occurrence between the invasive Shiny Cowbird and its Puerto Rican hosts Modeling and estimating co-occurrence between the invasive Shiny Cowbird and its Puerto Rican hosts
Invasive species threaten island biodiversity globally. For example, the Shiny Cowbird (Molothrus bonariensis) parasitizes many of Puerto Rico’s endemic species, particularly in the open forests in the island’s southwest. Less is known, however, about cowbird parasitism in the agro-ecological highlands, which contain a patchwork of forests, shaded-coffee plantations, and coffee farms...
Authors
Philip T. Patton, Krishna Pacifici, Jaime A. Collazo
2021 Tinian Island forest bird abundance estimates 2021 Tinian Island forest bird abundance estimates
The U.S. Navy, through Micronesian Environmental Services, surveyed landbirds in the Military Lease Area on Tinian Island in May and June 2021 using point-transect distance sampling methods. There were 2,074 individuals of 14 species detected during 123 point counts. Six species were detected during >50% of the counts and were observed at relatively high abundances, while eight species...
Authors
Richard J. Camp, Trevor Bak, Ayesha Genz
LANDFIRE data and applications LANDFIRE data and applications
LANDFIRE is a Federal program that provides a suite of spatial datasets indicating areas of disturbance, vegetation and fuels distributions and structure, and historical conditions. The level of detail presented in LANDFIRE’s classifications of disturbance, vegetation, and fuels is unparalleled and can be used in a variety of applications, including (1) modeling wildfire risk and fire...
Authors
Inga P. La Puma, Timothy D. Hatten
Lake Barkley BioAcoustic fish fence effectiveness study project status update Lake Barkley BioAcoustic fish fence effectiveness study project status update
No abstract available.
Authors
Rob Simmonds, Brent C. Knights, Andrea K. Fritts, Jessica C. Stanton, Marybeth K. Brey, Jonathan M. Vallazza
River Metabolism Estimation Tools (RiverMET) with demo in the Illinois River Basin River Metabolism Estimation Tools (RiverMET) with demo in the Illinois River Basin
Ecosystem metabolism quantifies the rate of production, maintenance, and decay of organic matter in terrestrial and aquatic systems. It is a fundamental measure of energy flow associated with biomass production by photosynthesizing organisms and biomass oxidation by respiring plants, animals, algae, and bacteria (Bernhardt et al., 2022) . Ecosystem metabolism also provides an...
Authors
Jay Choi, Katherine Michelle Bernabe Quion, Ariel Reed, Judson Harvey
Hydrologic controls on peat permafrost and carbon processes: New insights from past and future modeling Hydrologic controls on peat permafrost and carbon processes: New insights from past and future modeling
Soil carbon (C) in permafrost peatlands is vulnerable to decomposition with thaw under a warming climate. The amount and form of C loss likely depends on the site hydrology following permafrost thaw, but antecedent conditions during peat accumulation are also likely important. We test the role of differing hydrologic conditions on rates of peat accumulation, permafrost formation, and...
Authors
Claire C. Treat, Miriam C. Jones, Jay R. Alder, Steve Frolking