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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Mission Area Publications
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Population connectivity of aquatic insects in a dam-regulated, desert river Population connectivity of aquatic insects in a dam-regulated, desert river
Humans have exaggerated natural habitat fragmentation, negatively impacting species dispersal and reducing population connectivity. Habitat fragmentation can be especially detrimental in freshwater populations, whose dispersal is already constrained by the river network structure. Aquatic insects, for instance, are generally limited to two primary modes of dispersal: downstream drift in...
Authors
Erin F. Abernethy, Jeffrey Muehlbauer, Theodore Kennedy, Katie E. Dziedzic, Holland Elder, Molly K. Burke, David A. Lytle
The applicability of time-integrated unit stream power for estimating bridge pier scour using noncontact methods in a gravel-bed river The applicability of time-integrated unit stream power for estimating bridge pier scour using noncontact methods in a gravel-bed river
In near-field remote sensing, noncontact methods (radars) that measure stage and surface water velocity have the potential to supplement traditional bridge scour monitoring tools because they are safer to access and are less likely to be damaged compared with in-stream sensors. The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of radars for monitoring the hydraulic conditions that...
Authors
Laura A. Hempel, Helen F. Malenda, John W, Fulton, Mark F. Henneberg, Jay Cederberg, Tommaso Moramarco
Evaluating the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission to bats in the context of wildlife research, rehabilitation, and control Evaluating the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission to bats in the context of wildlife research, rehabilitation, and control
Preventing wildlife disease outbreaks is a priority for natural resource agencies, and management decisions can be urgent, especially in epidemic circumstances. With the emergence of SARS-CoV-2, wildlife agencies were concerned whether the activities they authorize might increase the risk of viral transmission from humans to North American bats, but had a limited amount of time in which...
Authors
Jonathan D. Cook, Evan H. Campbell Grant, Jeremy T. H. Coleman, Jonathan M. Sleeman, Michael C. Runge
Climate and landscape controls on old-growth western juniper demography in the northern Great Basin, USA Climate and landscape controls on old-growth western juniper demography in the northern Great Basin, USA
Western juniper (Juniperus occidentalis Hook.) woodlands have persisted for millennia in semiarid parts of the northern Great Basin, USA, providing critical habitat for plant and animal species. Historical records suggest that the establishment of western juniper is strongly associated with regional climatic variability. For example, the abundance of western juniper pollen and...
Authors
Rachel A. Loehman, Emily K. Heyerdahl, Gregory T. Pederson, David B. McWethy
Restoration for resilience: The role of plant-microbial interactions and seed provenance in ecological restoration Restoration for resilience: The role of plant-microbial interactions and seed provenance in ecological restoration
With global efforts to restore grassland ecosystems, researchers and land management practitioners are working to reconstruct habitat that will persist and withstand stresses associated with climate change. Part of these efforts involve movement of plant material potentially adapted to future climate conditions from native habitat or seed production locations to a new restoration site...
Authors
Jennifer Larson, Robert Venette, Diane L. Larson
Identification of supraoptimal temperatures in juvenile blueback herring (Alosa aestivalis) using survival, growth rate and scaled energy reserves Identification of supraoptimal temperatures in juvenile blueback herring (Alosa aestivalis) using survival, growth rate and scaled energy reserves
For young fishes, growth of somatic tissues and energy reserves are critical steps for survival and progressing to subsequent life stages. When thermal regimes become supraoptimal, routine metabolic rates increase and leave less energy for young fish to maintain fitness-based activities and, in the case of anadromous fishes, less energy to prepare for emigration to coastal habitats. Thus
Authors
Lian Guo, Adrian Jordaan, Eric T. Schultz, Stephen D. McCormick
Central Andean (28–34°S) flood record 0–25 ka from Salinas del Bebedero, Argentina Central Andean (28–34°S) flood record 0–25 ka from Salinas del Bebedero, Argentina
The Salinas del Bebedero occupies an isolated basin in the foreland of central Argentina at 33°S and was flooded repeatedly over past 25 ka. Isotopic evidence demonstrates that this flooding was due to overflow of the nearby Río Desaguadero with waters derived from the distant (≥300 km) central Andes between 28–34°S. Stratigraphic and shoreline evidence shows that floods occurred most...
Authors
Jay Quade, Elad Dente, Allison Cartwright, Adam M. Hudson, Sebastian Jimenez, David McGee
Integrated hydrologic model development and postprocessing for GSFLOW using pyGSFLOW Integrated hydrologic model development and postprocessing for GSFLOW using pyGSFLOW
pyGSFLOW is a python package designed to create new GSFLOW integrated hydrologic models, read existing models, edit model input data, run GSFLOW models, process output, and visualize model data.
Authors
Joshua Larsen, Ayman H. Alzraiee, Richard G. Niswonger
Population viability analysis for a pond-breeding amphibian under future drought scenarios in the southeastern United States Population viability analysis for a pond-breeding amphibian under future drought scenarios in the southeastern United States
Climate change effects are contributing to widespread declines of amphibians, and pond-breeding species may be particularly sensitive to future drought conditions that restrict wetland hydroperiods and decrease opportunities for successful breeding and recruitment. Pond-breeding amphibian populations can compensate for periodic droughts via episodic booms in recruitment, but studies...
Authors
Brian A. Crawford, John C. Maerz, Vanessa C. K. Terrell, Clinton T. Moore
Pre-breeding foraging ecology of three tern species nesting in the Gulf of Maine Pre-breeding foraging ecology of three tern species nesting in the Gulf of Maine
A variety of seabird species migrate annually from wintering grounds in the Southern Hemisphere to the Gulf of Maine, USA to breed and raise their young. Post-migration, adult seabirds depend on the spatio-temporal match of reliable food resources to replenish energy reserves before breeding. However, the conditions during this critical window of time are becoming increasingly uncertain...
Authors
Rachel M. Bratton, Henry Legett, Paula Shannon, Keenan Yakola, Alexander R. Gerson, Michelle Staudinger
Range-wide persistence of the endangered arroyo toad (Anaxyrus californicus) for 20+ years following a prolonged drought Range-wide persistence of the endangered arroyo toad (Anaxyrus californicus) for 20+ years following a prolonged drought
Prolonged drought due to climate change has negatively impacted amphibians in southern California, U.S.A. Due to the severity and length of the current drought, agencies and researchers had growing concern for the persistence of the arroyo toad (Anaxyrus californicus), an endangered endemic amphibian in this region. Range-wide surveys for this species had not been conducted for at least...
Authors
Cynthia Joan Hitchcock, Elizabeth Gallegos, Adam R. Backlin, Russell Barabe, Peter H. Bloom, Kimberly Boss, Cheryl S. Brehme, Christopher W. Brown, Denise Clark, Elizabeth R. Clark, Kevin Cooper, Julie Donnell, Edward L Ervin, Peter Famolaro, Kim M. Guilliam, Jaquelyn Hancock, Nicholas Hess, Steven Howard, Valerie Hubbartt, Patrick Lieske, Robert E. Lovich, Tritia Matsuda, Katherin Meyer-Wilkins, Kamarul Muri, Barry Nerhus, Jeffrey A. Nordland, Brock Ortega, Robert Packard, Ruben Ramirez, Sam C. Stewart, Samuel Sweet, Manna L. Warburton, Jeffrey Wells, Ryan Winkleman, Kirsten Winter, Brian Zitt, Robert N. Fisher
Sensitivity of headwater streamflow to thawing permafrost and vegetation change in a warming Arctic Sensitivity of headwater streamflow to thawing permafrost and vegetation change in a warming Arctic
Climate change has the potential to impact headwater streams in the Arctic by thawing permafrost and subsequently altering hydrologic regimes and vegetation distribution, physiognomy and productivity. Permafrost thaw and increased subsurface flow have been inferred from the chemistry of large rivers, but there is limited empirical evidence of the impacts to headwater streams. Here we...
Authors
Joshua C. Koch, Ylva Sjoberg, Jonathan A. O’Donnell, Michael P. Carey, Pamela Sullivan, A. Terskaia