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: 5124
Population size and stopover duration estimation using mark–resight data and Bayesian analysis of a superpopulation model Population size and stopover duration estimation using mark–resight data and Bayesian analysis of a superpopulation model
We present a novel formulation of a mark–recapture–resight model that allows estimation of population size, stopover duration, and arrival and departure schedules at migration areas. Estimation is based on encounter histories of uniquely marked individuals and relative counts of marked and unmarked animals. We use a Bayesian analysis of a state–space formulation of the Jolly–Seber mark...
Authors
James E. Lyons, William L. Kendall, J. Andrew Royle, Sarah J. Converse, Brad A. Andres, Joseph B. Buchanan
Occupancy dynamics in human-modified landscapes in a tropical island: implications for conservation design Occupancy dynamics in human-modified landscapes in a tropical island: implications for conservation design
Aim Avian communities in human-modified landscapes exhibit varying patterns of local colonization and extinction rates, determinants of species occurrence. Our objective was to model these processes to identify habitat features that might enable movements and account for occupancy patterns in habitat matrices between the Guanica and Susua forest reserves. This knowledge is central to...
Authors
Julissa I. Irizarry, Jaime A. Collazo, Stephen J. Dinsmore
Review and synthesis: Changing permafrost in a warming world and feedbacks to the Earth System Review and synthesis: Changing permafrost in a warming world and feedbacks to the Earth System
The permafrost component of the cryosphere is changing dramatically, but the permafrost region is not well monitored and the consequences of change are not well understood. Changing permafrost interacts with ecosystems and climate on various spatial and temporal scales. The feedbacks resulting from these interactions range from local impacts on topography, hydrology, and biology to...
Authors
Guido Grosse, Scott Goetz, A. David McGuire, Vladimir E. Romanovsky, Edward A.G. Schuur
The North American model and captive cervid facilities—What is the threat? The North American model and captive cervid facilities—What is the threat?
The North American Model of Wildlife Conservation represents the key principles that in combination resulted in a distinct form of wildlife conservation in the United States and Canada. How and to what extent captive cervid facilities comport with or conflict with these principles has implications for wildlife conservation. Greatest threats appear to be toward principles of public...
Authors
John F. Organ, Thomas A. Decker, Tanya M. Lama
Integrating modeling, monitoring, and management to reduce critical uncertainties in water resource decision making Integrating modeling, monitoring, and management to reduce critical uncertainties in water resource decision making
No abstract available.
Authors
James T. Peterson, Mary Freeman
Efficacy of landscape scale woodland and savanna restoration at multiple spatial and temporal scales Efficacy of landscape scale woodland and savanna restoration at multiple spatial and temporal scales
The loss of historic ecosystem conditions has led forest managers to implement woodland and savanna ecosystem restoration on a landscape scale (≥10,000 ha) in the Ozark Plateau of Arkansas. Managers are attempting to restore and conserve these ecosystems through the reintroduction of disturbance, mainly short-rotation early-growing-season prescribed fire. Short-rotation early-growing...
Authors
H. Tyler Pittman, David G. Krementz
Costs of fear: Behavioral and life-history responses to risk and their demographic consequences vary across species Costs of fear: Behavioral and life-history responses to risk and their demographic consequences vary across species
Behavioural responses to reduce predation risk might cause demographic ‘costs of fear’. Costs differ among species, but a conceptual framework to understand this variation is lacking. We use a life-history framework to tie together diverse traits and life stages to better understand interspecific variation in responses and costs. We used natural and experimental variation in predation...
Authors
Joseph A. LaManna, Thomas E. Martin
Evaluation of air-soil temperature relationships simulated by land surface models during winter across the permafrost region Evaluation of air-soil temperature relationships simulated by land surface models during winter across the permafrost region
A realistic simulation of snow cover and its thermal properties are important for accurate modelling of permafrost. We analyze simulated relationships between air and near-surface (20 cm) soil temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere permafrost region during winter, with a particular focus on snow insulation effects in nine land surface models and compare them with observations from 268...
Authors
Wenli Wang, Annette Rinke, John C. Moore, Duoying Ji, Xuefeng Cui, Shushi Peng, David M. Lawrence, A. David McGuire, Eleanor J. Burke, Xiaodong Chen, Christine Delire, Charles Koven, Andrew MacDougall, Kazuyuki Saito, Wenxin Zhang, Ramdane Alkama, Theodore J. Bohn, Philippe Ciais, Bertrand Decharme, Isabelle Gouttevin, Tomohiro Hajima, Gerhard Krinner, Dennis P. Lettenmaier, Paul A. Miller, Benjamin Smith, Tetsuo Sueyoshi
Assessing spring direct mortality to avifauna from wind energy facilities in the Dakotas Assessing spring direct mortality to avifauna from wind energy facilities in the Dakotas
The Northern Great Plains (NGP) contains much of the remaining temperate grasslands, an ecosystem that is one of the most converted and least protected in the world. Within the NGP, the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) provides important habitat for >50% of North America's breeding waterfowl and many species of shorebirds, waterbirds, and grassland songbirds. This region also has high wind...
Authors
Brianna J. Graff, Jonathan A. Jenks, Joshua D. Stafford, Kent C. Jensen, Troy W. Grovenburg
Sex-based differences in Adelie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) chick growth rates. Sex-based differences in Adelie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) chick growth rates.
Sexually size-dimorphic species must show some difference between the sexes in growth rate and/or length of growing period. Such differences in growth parameters can cause the sexes to be impacted by environmental variability in different ways, and understanding these differences allows a better understanding of patterns in productivity between individuals and populations. We...
Authors
Scott Jennings, Arvind Varsani, Katie M. Dugger, Grant Ballard, David G. Ainley
Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program—2015 Year In Review Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program—2015 Year In Review
Summary The Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit (CRU) Program had its 80th anniversary in 2015. We did not have a party, but those of us who work directly for the Unit program on a daily basis celebrate the privilege we feel in being part of one of the greatest conservation institutions in history. Our mission is our hallmark: meeting the actionable science needs of our...
Authors
John F. Organ, John Thompson, Don E. Dennerline, Dawn Childs
Captive propagation, reproductive biology, and early life history of Etheostoma wapiti (Boulder Darter), E. vulneratum (Wounded Darter), and E. maculatum (Spotted Darter) Captive propagation, reproductive biology, and early life history of Etheostoma wapiti (Boulder Darter), E. vulneratum (Wounded Darter), and E. maculatum (Spotted Darter)
Reproductive biology and early life-history data are important for understanding the ecology of fishes. In 2008, we conducted captive propagation studies on 3 species of darters of the subgenus Nothonotus: Etheostoma wapiti (Boulder Darter), E. vulneratum (Wounded Darter), and E. maculatum (Spotted Darter). The length of spawning period and associated range of water temperatures for the...
Authors
Crystal L. Ruble, Patrick L. Rakes, John R. Shute, Stuart A. Welsh