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Publications

Browse publications authored by our scientists.  Publications available are: USGS-authored journal articles, series reports, book chapters, other government publications, and more. **Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.

Filter Total Items: 4348

Predicting future grizzly bear habitat use in the Bitterroot Ecosystem under recolonization and reintroduction scenarios

Many conservation actions must be implemented with limited data. This is especially true when planning recovery efforts for extirpated populations, such as grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) within the Bitterroot Ecosystem (BE), where strategies for reestablishing a resident population are being evaluated. Here, we applied individual-based movement models developed for a nearby grizzly bear population t
Authors
Sarah Nelson Sells, Cecily M. Costello

Wildlife health capacity enhancement in Thailand through the World Organisation for Animal Health Twinning Program

There is an increasing need for robust wildlife health programs that provide surveillance and management for diseases in wildlife and wild aquatic populations to manage associated risks. This paper illustrates the value of a systematic method to enhancing wildlife health programs. The U.S. Geological Survey and Mahidol University, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Thailand National Wildlife Health Ce
Authors
Sarin Suwanpakdee, Nareerat Sangkachai, Anuwat Wiratsudakul, Witthawat Wiriyarat, Walasinee Sakcamduang, Peerawat Wongluechai, Choenkwan Pabutta, Ladawan Sariya, Waruja Korkijthamkul, David S. Blehert, C. LeAnn White, Daniel P. Walsh, Craig Stephen, Parntep Ratanakorn, Jonathan M. Sleeman

Population genetic structure and demographic history reconstruction of introduced flathead catfish (Pylodictis olivaris) in two US Mid-Atlantic rivers

Population genetic analysis of invasive populations can provide valuable insights into the source of introductions, pathways for expansion, and their demographic histories. Flathead catfish (Pylodictis olivaris) are a prolific invasive species with high fecundity, long-distance dispersal, and piscivorous feeding habits that can lead to declines in native fish populations. In this study, we analyse
Authors
Justin Waraniak, Michael S. Eackles, Jason Keagy, Geoffrey D. Smith, Megan Schall, Sydney Stark, Shannon L. White, David C. Kazyak, Tyler Wagner

Common-garden experiment reveals outbreeding depression and region-of-origin effects on reproductive success in a frequently translocated tortoise

Human-mediated animal movement can expose wildlife populations to novel environments. Phenotypic plasticity can buffer against the challenges presented by novel environments, while adaptation to local ecosystems may limit resilience in novel ecosystems. Outbreeding depression during the mixing of disparate gene pools can also reduce reproductive success after long-distance movement. Here, we use a
Authors
Kevin J. Loope, J. Nicole DeSha, Matthew J. Aresco, Kevin T. Shoemaker, Elizabeth Ann Hunter

It's about time: A multistate semicontinuous time mark–recapture model to evaluate seasonal survival and movement rates of juvenile Coho Salmon in a small coastal watershed

ObjectiveMany mark–recapture models assume that releases and recaptures are discrete events, and researchers often aggregate continuous recapture data (e.g., passive integrated transponder [PIT] detections) into coarse temporal scales to satisfy this assumption. This temporal discretization could result in parameter biases by ignoring the individual heterogeneity in the time susceptible to mortali
Authors
Nicholas P. Van Vleet, Darren Ward, Nicholas A. Som, Daniel C. Barton, Colin Anderson, Mark J. Henderson

In-situ valve opening response of eastern oysters to estuarine conditions

High-frequency recordings of valve opening behavior (VOB) in bivalves are often used to detect changes in environmental conditions. However, generally a single variable such as temperature or the presence of toxicants in the water is the focus. A description of routine VOB under non-stressful conditions is also important for interpreting responses to environmental changes. Here we present the firs
Authors
Romain Lavaud, Stephanie K. Archer, Megan K. La Peyre, Finella M. Campanino, Sandra M. Casas, Jerome F. La Peyre

Asymmetric mate preference and reproductive interference mediate climate-induced changes in mate availability in a small mammal hybrid zone

Range expansion and contraction are among the most common biotic responses to changing environmental conditions, yet much is to be learned about the mechanisms that underlie range-edge population dynamics, especially when those areas are points of secondary contact between closely related species. Here, we present field-measured parentage data that document the reproductive outcomes of changes in
Authors
Marjorie D. Matocq, Elizabeth Ann Hunter, Peter J. Murphy, Casey L. Adkins, Kevin T. Shoemaker

Disentangling genetic diversity of Myotis septentrionalis: population structure, demographic history, and effective population size

Myotis septentrionalis (Northern Long-eared Bat) has recently suffered a >90% decline in population size in North America due to white-nose syndrome (WNS). We assessed genetic diversity, population structure, current effective population size, and demographic history of M. septentrionalis distributed across the United States to determine baseline levels pre-WNS. We analyzed RADseq data from 81 ind
Authors
Jenna R. Grimshaw, Deahn M. Donner, Roger W. Perry, W. Mark Ford, Alex Silvis, Carlos J. Garcia, Richard D. Stevens, David A. Ray

Geolocators, stable isotopes, and citizen science identify migratory timing, route, and spring molt of Smith’s Longspurs

Climate change is having a disproportionate impact on the Arctic. For Arctic breeding birds, basic knowledge of their annual cycle, specifically the timing, route, and movement behavior of migration, is needed to understand when and where populations may experience threats. We used a combination of geolocators and stable isotope analysis to identify route and timing of migration in Smith’s Longspu
Authors
Alexis Will, Heather McFarland, Christopher Latty, Abby Powell

Effective field sampling of rectoanal mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue for antemortem chronic wasting disease testing in white-tailed deer

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a fatal prion disease of cervids that has spread across much of North America. Although gold standard CWD diagnostics involve postmortem testing of medial retropharyngeal lymph nodes or obex (brain stem), a key tissue sample for antemortem testing is rectoanal mucosa–associated lymphoid tissue (RAMALT). However, collection of an adequate sample (i.e., enough lympho
Authors
Marie L. J. Gilbertson, Lindsey J. Long, Heather N. Inzalaco, Wendy Christine Turner, Daniel J. Storm

Use of otolith microchemistry to determine natal origin for Silver Carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix in the lower Mississippi River basin

Silver Carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) populations have established and expanded throughout the lower Mississippi River basin (LMRB). Information pertaining to Silver Carp population mixing among rivers within the LMRB is lacking. Documented relations between Silver Carp otolith and river water barium (Ba) and strontium (Sr) microchemical signatures may enable estimation of origins of Silver Ca
Authors
CE Barshinger, MA Eggleton, Jonathan J Spurgeon

Discordance between taxonomy and population genomic data: An avian example relevant to the United States Endangered Species Act

Population genomics can reveal cryptic biological diversity that may impact fitness while simultaneously serving to delineate relevant conservation units. Here, we leverage the power of whole-genome resequencing for conservation by studying 433 individual lesser prairie-chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus; LEPC, a federally endangered species of conservation concern in the United States) and great
Authors
Andrew N. Black, Andrew J. Mularo, Jong Yoon Jeon, David A. Haukos, Kristin J. Bondo, Kent A. Fricke, Andy Gregory, Blake Grisham, Zachary E. Lowe, J. Andrew DeWoody
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