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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Reconstructing ancient sedimentary source-to-sink systems – Examples from southern Laurentia’s Proterozoic accretionary orogens Reconstructing ancient sedimentary source-to-sink systems – Examples from southern Laurentia’s Proterozoic accretionary orogens
Provenance analysis is a powerful tool for investigating sediment delivery networks, constraining magmatic histories, and reconstructing the tectonic evolution of orogenic belts and basins. Basin analysis studies increasingly use detrital zircon (DZ) U-Pb forward mixture modeling to enhance provenance interpretations by quantifying the relative contributions of different sources. Forward...
Authors
Ian William Hillenbrand, Kelly David Thomson
Riverine pesticide trends in the United States: Assessing a decade of national-scale monitoring Riverine pesticide trends in the United States: Assessing a decade of national-scale monitoring
Pesticides in freshwater systems can compromise water availability by degrading water quality, with implications for human health and aquatic life. Despite recognition of the need for national-scale monitoring and analysis, few studies have documented long-term trends in surface water pesticide contamination across the US. This study addresses that need by analyzing temporal trends and...
Authors
Megan E. Shoda, Sara E. Breitmeyer, Elise Danica Hinman, Sarah M. Stackpoole
Cook Inlet beluga whale calling varies by group characteristics, behavior, and tidal state Cook Inlet beluga whale calling varies by group characteristics, behavior, and tidal state
Communication allows social species to exchange information among group members. In aquatic environments, acoustic signals are among the most effective forms of communication and are important for many species, including cetaceans. Beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) are highly social and vocal, yet little is known about the functionality of their social calls. To examine context...
Authors
Arial M. Brewer, Amy M. Van Cise, Christopher Garner, Andrea Gilstad, Manuel Castellote, Sarah J. Converse, Kimberly T. Goetz, Andrew M. Berdahl
Acoustic measurements and modeling of sub-bottom layers on the summit of the Atlantis II Seamount Acoustic measurements and modeling of sub-bottom layers on the summit of the Atlantis II Seamount
Sub-bottom profiler images taken from the summit plateau of the Atlantis II Seamount reveal distinct seabed stratigraphy, including marine sediment, limestone, and basalt layers. Acoustic reflection data also show arrivals reflecting from this sub-bottom structure. A wavenumber integration model with elastic geoacoustic properties is able to reproduce the arrival pattern of seabed...
Authors
Tzu-Ting Chen, Matthew A. Milone, Jason Chaytor, James H. Miller, Gopu R. Potty, William S.. Hodgkiss, Ying-Tsong Lin
Life history traits and population dynamics of Freshwater Drum across large river gradients Life history traits and population dynamics of Freshwater Drum across large river gradients
Objective Monitoring and assessment of nongame native fishes is limited, but conservation interest in these species is growing. Freshwater Drum Aplodinotus grunniens are a wide-ranging species that serve important functional roles and could serve as an indicator for similar but less common species. Our overall objectives were to quantify and compare population dynamic rates and life...
Authors
Kristen L. Bouska, Levi E. Solomon, Andrew Bartels, Steven A. DeLain, Eric J. Gittinger, Travis Kueter, Kristopher A. Maxson, John L. West, James T. Lamer, Hae H. Kim, Quinton Phelps
Los Planes watershed vegetation monitoring: Standard operating procedures Los Planes watershed vegetation monitoring: Standard operating procedures
This is a description of survey procedures for short term vegetation monitoring at Natural Infrastructure in Dryland Stream (NIDS) structure sites and control sites a ranch in the Los Planes, La Paz, Baja California Sur. This study design was modified from USGS Short Term Vegetation Response Study (Wilson et al. 2021) with the goal to quantify changes in species abundance/cover...
Authors
Natalie R. Wilson
Natomas basin giant gartersnake annual monitoring report 2024 Natomas basin giant gartersnake annual monitoring report 2024
The giant gartersnake (Thamnophis gigas) is a semi aquatic snake endemic to the Central Valley of California. After losing 95 percent of its historic wetland habitat (Frayer and others, 1989), giant gartersnakes became state and federally listed as a threatened species (California Fish and Game Commission, 1971; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1993, 1999). Continued monitoring of current
Authors
Allison M. Nguyen, Jonathan P. Rose, Anna C. Jordan, Giancarlo R. Napolitano, Daniel Macias, Elliot J. Schoenig, Gabriel A. Reyes, Brian J. Halstead
Assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources in the Bossier Formation within the onshore United States and State waters of the Gulf Coast Region, 2025 Assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources in the Bossier Formation within the onshore United States and State waters of the Gulf Coast Region, 2025
Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated undiscovered, technically recoverable mean resources of 3 million barrels of oil and 343.5 trillion cubic feet of gas in reservoirs of the Bossier Formation within the onshore United States and State waters of the Gulf Coast region.
Authors
Rand Gardner, Justin E. Birdwell, Jason A. Flaum, Scott A. Kinney, Janet K. Pitman, Stanley T. Paxton, Andrea D. Cicero, Jenny H. Lagesse, Jeffrey D. Pepin, John W. Counts, Benjamin G. Johnson, Celeste D. Lohr, Katherine J. Whidden, Katherine L. French, Tracey J. Mercier, Heidi M. Leathers-Miller
Inland recreational fisheries harvest far exceeds reported inland harvest in the United States Inland recreational fisheries harvest far exceeds reported inland harvest in the United States
Recreational fisheries are important global contributors to food security, socio-cultural practices, and local and regional economies. However, inland recreational fisheries are often overlooked by policymakers due to a limited understanding of the magnitude of participation, harvest, and economic impact. Here, we used the U.S. Inland Creel and Angler Survey Catalog and catch and effort...
Authors
Matthew D. Robertson, Holly Susan Embke, Abigail Lynch, Stephen R. Midway, Craig Paukert
Leopard occupancy and habitat use in the multi-use Chitwan-Annapurna Landscape, Nepal Leopard occupancy and habitat use in the multi-use Chitwan-Annapurna Landscape, Nepal
We estimated leopard (Panthera pardus fusca) occupancy in a multi-use region within Nepal’s Chitwan-Annapurna Landscape to evaluate leopard habitat use and inform conservation planning in areas where most of the species’ habitat occurs outside protected areas. In 2021, sign surveys were conducted along 1277 km of transects distributed among 145 grid cells of 7×7 km within a 7105 km²...
Authors
Shashank Poudel, Joshua P Twining, Martin Gilbert, Richard C Stedman, Angela K. Fuller
Drift and dispersion of silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) eggs and larvae for hypothetical spawning scenarios in the Upper Mississippi River Drift and dispersion of silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) eggs and larvae for hypothetical spawning scenarios in the Upper Mississippi River
Invasive carp pose ecological and economic risks to North American freshwater systems. This study uses the Fluvial Egg Drift Simulator to model the drift of invasive silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) eggs and larvae after hypothetical spawning in Pools 1–10 of the Upper Mississippi River. Although adult invasive carps have been detected in this region, no reproduction has been...
Authors
Jessica Z. LeRoy, Grace Loppnow, P. Ryan Jackson, G. Everett Lasher
Water scarcity and infrastructure risk of amplified seasonal sediment transport Water scarcity and infrastructure risk of amplified seasonal sediment transport
Climate warming and deglaciation are reshaping hydrological seasonality in cold–dry regions, threatening the long-term sustainability of agriculture, ecosystems and local communities. However, existing evidence is limited to runoff seasonality. Changing sediment-transport seasonality, a more sensitive component, is emerging as a substantial yet under-recognized threat to water...
Authors
Ting Zhang, Jim L. Best, Amy E. East, Lorenzo Rosa, Qianhan Wu, Yiyi Li, Yu Qi, Yunkai Li, Dongfeng Li