Research
Technical Assistance
Graduate Education
Cooperative Research Units
Established in 1935 at Iowa State University, our mission is our hallmark: work with University students to develop the conservation workforce, help decision-makers make complex conservation decisions, and to provide technical assistance between natural resource agencies and universities. We support 43 units located in 41 States, at 44 host universities. Our Program Office is in Reston, Virginia.
Research at a Glance
Research at a Glance
We have more than 1,000 research projects under way and generate 250-300 scientific publications annually.
How our Program Works
How our Program Works
Fire, wildlife disease, human dimensions, threatened and endangered species.
Where's our Science?
Where's our Science?
We support 43 units in 41 states, at 44 host universities, with a Program office at USGS National Center.
News
A novel method for estimating pathogen presence, prevalence, load, and dynamics at multiple scales
A novel method for estimating pathogen presence, prevalence, load, and dynamics at multiple scales
Shorebirds and Roads: How Human-altered Landscapes Influence Shorebird Movements in Alaska
Shorebirds and Roads: How Human-altered Landscapes Influence Shorebird Movements in Alaska
Publications
Characterization of the long-distance dispersal kernel of white-tailed deer and evaluating its impact on chronic wasting disease spread in Wisconsin
Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease infecting cervids. It is highly contagious and caused by misfolded prions that propagate via templated conformational conversion of the cervid’s normal prion protein. Prevalence of CWD in free-ranging deer in North America is mostly low, but in some regions local prevalence has reached 80%. CWD prions can be transmitted...
Rapid recovery of an arctic lake ecosystem from a pulse disturbance caused by thermokarst failure
Due to rapid climate change, arctic ecosystems are experiencing an increase in disturbances including localized land-surface failures caused by melting ground ice (thermokarst failures). These failures result in the mass transport of sediment and organic materials into surface waters, with the potential to dramatically alter aquatic ecosystem function and biotic interactions. We coupled...
Leveraging detection uncertainty to estimate Renibacterium salmoninarum infection status among multiple tissues and assays
Effective disease surveillance relies on accurate pathogen testing and robust prevalence estimates. Diagnostic specificity (DSp), the probability that an uninfected animal tests negative, is high when false positives are low. Diagnostic sensitivity (DSe) is the probability an infected animal tests positive; higher DSe means fewer false negatives. However, sensitivity and false negatives...
Science
USGS Ecosystems Science for Food and Water Security
USGS science developed by the Ecosystems Mission Area helps ensure safe and abundant domestic food and water supplies, ensuring all Americans access to livelihoods and traditions that connect generations with each other and the outdoors and strengthen America’s self-reliance. USGS science is used by decision makers at all levels to understand how the quality of America’s food supply is directly...
USGS Ecosystems Science in Support of Economic Growth
Science provided by the USGS Ecosystems Mission Area helps boost America’s economy by providing practical tools to implement cost-effective management and development strategies that supports the Nation’s economic growth and protects our natural heritage.
Deep Dive: Sustaining the Rich Economic and Recreational Benefits of the Prairie Pothole Region
The wetlands of the Prairie Pothole Region provide essential benefits to communities and are a premier waterfowl breeding ground. Explore how CASC science is informing the strategic restoration and management of the Prairie Pothole Region in the face of climate change.
