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: 5115
Estimating abundance of an open population with an N-mixture model using auxiliary data on animal movements Estimating abundance of an open population with an N-mixture model using auxiliary data on animal movements
Accurate assessment of abundance forms a central challenge in population ecology and wildlife management. Many statistical techniques have been developed to estimate population sizes because populations change over time and space and to correct for the bias resulting from animals that are present in a study area but not observed. The mobility of individuals makes it difficult to design...
Authors
Alison C. Ketz, Therese L. Johnson, Ryan J. Monello, John A. Mack, Janet L. George, Mevin Hooten, Benjamin R. Kraft, Margaret A. Wild, N. Thompson Hobbs
Geomorphic identification of physical habitat features in a large, altered river system Geomorphic identification of physical habitat features in a large, altered river system
Altered flow regimes in streams can significantly affect ecosystems and disturb ecological processes, leading to species loss and extinction. Many river management projects use stream classification and habitat assessment approaches to design practical solutions to reverse or mitigate adverse effects of flow regime alteration on stream systems. The objective of this study was to develop...
Authors
L. Guertault, G. Fox, Shannon K. Brewer
Nonbreeding home‐range size and survival of lesser prairie‐chickens Nonbreeding home‐range size and survival of lesser prairie‐chickens
The lesser prairie‐chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus), a species of conservation concern with uncertain regulatory status, has experienced population declines over the past century. Most research on lesser prairie‐chickens has focused on the breeding season, with little research conducted during the nonbreeding season, a period that exerts a strong influence on demography in other...
Authors
Samantha G. Robinson, David A. Haukos, Reid T. Plumb, Joseph M. Lautenbach, Daniel S. Sullins, John D. Kraft, Jonathan D. Lautenbach, Christian A. Hagen, James C. Pitman
Response to Lisovski et al. Response to Lisovski et al.
Lisovski et al. [1] describe the widely recognized limitations of light-level geolocator data for identifying short-distance latitudinal movements, recommend that caution be used when interpreting such data, intimated that we did not use such caution and argued that environmental shading likely explained the Golden-winged Warbler (Vermivora chrysoptera) movements described in our 2015...
Authors
Henry M. Streby, Gunnar R. Kramer, Sean M. Peterson, Justin A. Lehman, David A. Buehler, David E. Andersen
Seventy years of stream‐fish collections reveal invasions and native range contractions in an Appalachian (USA) watershed Seventy years of stream‐fish collections reveal invasions and native range contractions in an Appalachian (USA) watershed
Aim Knowledge of expanding and contracting ranges is critical for monitoring invasions and assessing conservation status, yet reliable data on distributional trends are lacking for most freshwater species. We developed a quantitative technique to detect the sign (expansion or contraction) and functional form of range‐size changes for freshwater species based on collections data, while...
Authors
Joseph D. Buckwalter, Emmanuel A. Frimpong, Paul L. Angermeier, Jacob N. Barney
Estimating factors influencing the detection probability of semiaquatic freshwater snails using quadrat survey methods Estimating factors influencing the detection probability of semiaquatic freshwater snails using quadrat survey methods
Developing effective monitoring methods for elusive, rare, or patchily distributed species requires extra considerations, such as imperfect detection. Although detection is frequently modeled, the opportunity to assess it empirically is rare, particularly for imperiled species. We used Pecos assiminea (Assiminea pecos), an endangered semiaquatic snail, as a case study to test detection...
Authors
Elizabeth L. Roesler, Timothy B. Grabowski
Attributes of seasonal home range influence choice of migratory strategy in white-tailed deer Attributes of seasonal home range influence choice of migratory strategy in white-tailed deer
Partial migration is a common life-history strategy among ungulates living in seasonal environments. The decision to migrate or remain on a seasonal range may be influenced strongly by access to high-quality habitat. We evaluated the influence of access to winter habitat of high quality on the probability of a female white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) migrating to a separate...
Authors
Charles R. Henderson, Michael S. Mitchell, Woodrow L. Myers, Paul M. Lukacs, Gerald P. Nelson
Contaminants in tropical island streams and their biota Contaminants in tropical island streams and their biota
Environmental contamination is problematic for tropical islands due to their typically dense human populations and competing land and water uses. The Caribbean island of Puerto Rico (USA) has a long history of anthropogenic chemical use, and its human population density is among the highest globally, providing a model environment to study contaminant impacts on tropical island stream...
Authors
Elissa N. Buttermore, W. Gregory Cope, Thomas J. Kwak, Patrick B. Cooney, Damian Shea, Peter R. Lazaro
Book Review: And then there were none: The demise of Desert Bighorn Sheep in the Pusch Ridge Wilderness Book Review: And then there were none: The demise of Desert Bighorn Sheep in the Pusch Ridge Wilderness
And Then There Were None: The Demise of Desert Bighorn Sheep in the Pusch Ridge Wilderness. Paul R.Krausman. 2017. The University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA. 248 pp. $65.00 hardcover. ISBN 978‐0‐8263‐5785‐4.
Authors
James W. Cain
Three-dimensional foraging habitat use and niche partitioning in two sympatric seabird species, Phalacrocorax auritus and P. penicillatus Three-dimensional foraging habitat use and niche partitioning in two sympatric seabird species, Phalacrocorax auritus and P. penicillatus
Ecological theory predicts that co-existing, morphologically similar species will partition prey resources when faced with resource limitations. We investigated local movements, foraging dive behavior, and foraging habitat selection by breeding adults of 2 closely related cormorant species, double-crested cormorants Phalacrocorax auritus and Brandt’s cormorants P. penicillatus. These...
Authors
Adam G. Peck-Richardson, Donald E. Lyons, Daniel D. Roby, Daniel A. Cushing, James A. Lerczak
Examining fluvial fish range loss with SDMs Examining fluvial fish range loss with SDMs
Fluvial fishes face increased imperilment from anthropogenic activities, but the specific factors contributing most to range declines are often poorly understood. For example, the range of the fluvial‐specialist shoal bass (Micropterus cataractae) continues to decrease, yet how perceived threats have contributed to range loss is largely unknown. We used species distribution models to...
Authors
Andrew T. Taylor, Monica Papes, James M. Long
Vertical self-sorting behavior in juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha): evidence for family differences and variation in growth and morphology Vertical self-sorting behavior in juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha): evidence for family differences and variation in growth and morphology
Life history variation is fundamental to the evolution of Pacific salmon and their persistence under variable conditions. We discovered that Chinook salmon sort themselves into surface- and bottom-oriented groups in tanks within days after exogenous feeding. We hypothesised that this behaviour is correlated with subsequent differences in body morphology and growth (as measured by final...
Authors
Julia R. Unrein, E.J. Billman, Karen M. Cogliati, Rob S. Chitwood, David L. G. Noakes, Carl B. Schreck