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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: 5125

Spatial variation in breeding habitat selection by Cerulean Warblers (Setophaga cerulea) throughout the Appalachian Mountains Spatial variation in breeding habitat selection by Cerulean Warblers (Setophaga cerulea) throughout the Appalachian Mountains

Studies of habitat selection are often of limited utility because they focus on small geographic areas, fail to examine behavior at multiple scales, or lack an assessment of the fitness consequences of habitat decisions. These limitations can hamper the identification of successful site-specific management strategies, which are urgently needed for severely declining species like Cerulean...
Authors
Than J. Boves, David A. Buehler, James Sheehan, Petra Bohall Wood, Amanda D. Rodewald, Jeffrey L. Larkin, Patrick D. Keyser, Felicity L. Newell, Andrea Evans, Gregory A. George, T.B. Wigley

The overlooked terrestrial impacts of mountaintop mining The overlooked terrestrial impacts of mountaintop mining

Ecological research on mountaintop mining has been focused on aquatic impacts because the overburden (i.e., the mountaintop) is disposed of in nearby valleys, which leads to a wide range of water-quality impacts on streams. There are also numerous impacts on the terrestrial environment from mountaintop mining that have been largely overlooked, even though they are no less wide ranging...
Authors
James Wickham, Petra Bohall Wood, Matthew C. Nicholson, William Jenkins, Daniel Druckenbrod, Glenn W. Suter, Michael P. Strager, Christine Mazzarella, Walter Galloway, John Amos

Emulating natural disturbances for declining late-successional species: A case study of the consequences for Cerulean Warblers (Setophaga cerulea) Emulating natural disturbances for declining late-successional species: A case study of the consequences for Cerulean Warblers (Setophaga cerulea)

Forest cover in the eastern United States has increased over the past century and while some late-successional species have benefited from this process as expected, others have experienced population declines. These declines may be in part related to contemporary reductions in small-scale forest interior disturbances such as fire, windthrow, and treefalls. To mitigate the negative...
Authors
Than J. Boves, David A. Buehler, James Sheehan, Petra Bohall Wood, Amanda D. Rodewald, Jeffrey L. Larkin, Patrick D. Keyser, Felicity L. Newell, Gregory A. George, Marja H. Bakermans, Andrea Evans, Tiffany A. Beachy, Molly E. McDermott, Kelly A. Perkins, Matthew White, T. Bently Wigley

Quantitative and qualitative approaches to identifying migration chronology in a continental migrant Quantitative and qualitative approaches to identifying migration chronology in a continental migrant

The degree to which extrinsic factors influence migration chronology in North American waterfowl has not been quantified, particularly for dabbling ducks. Previous studies have examined waterfowl migration using various methods, however, quantitative approaches to define avian migration chronology over broad spatio-temporal scales are limited, and the implications for using different...
Authors
William S. Beatty, Dylan C. Kesler, Elisabeth B. Webb, Andrew H. Raedeke, Luke W. Naylor, Dale D. Humburg

Vertical structure use by the Stout Iguana (Cyclura pinguis) on Guana Island, BVI Vertical structure use by the Stout Iguana (Cyclura pinguis) on Guana Island, BVI

The Stout Iguana (Cyclura pinguis) is a critically endangered species endemic to the Puerto Rico Bank and currently restricted to the British Virgin Islands (BVI). Our study on Guana Island, BVI, focused on vertical structure use. Based on previous incidental observations, we hypothesized that Stout Iguanas use vertical structures and that adults and juveniles use such structures...
Authors
Christopher A. Cheek, Shay Hlavaty, Rebecca N. Perkins, Mark A. Peyton, Caitlin N. Ryan, Jennifer C. Zavaleta, Clint W. Boal, Gad Perry

Climate change has indirect effects on resource use and overlap among coexisting bird species with negative consequences for their reproductive success Climate change has indirect effects on resource use and overlap among coexisting bird species with negative consequences for their reproductive success

Climate change can modify ecological interactions, but whether it can have cascading effects throughout ecological networks of multiple interacting species remains poorly studied. Climate-driven alterations in the intensity of plant–herbivore interactions may have particularly profound effects on the larger community because plants provide habitat for a wide diversity of organisms. Here...
Authors
Thomas E. Martin, Sonya K. Auer

Anadromous sea lampreys recolonize a Maine coastal river tributary after dam removal Anadromous sea lampreys recolonize a Maine coastal river tributary after dam removal

Sedgeunkedunk Stream, a third-order tributary to the Penobscot River, Maine, historically supported several anadromous fishes, including the Atlantic Salmon Salmo salar, AlewifeAlosa pseudoharengus, and Sea Lamprey Petromyzon marinus. However, two small dams constructed in the 1800s reduced or eliminated spawning runs entirely. In 2009, efforts to restore marine–freshwater connectivity...
Authors
Robert Hogg, Stephen M. Coghlan, Joseph D. Zydlewski

Channel unit use by Smallmouth Bass: Do land-use constraints or quantity of habitat matter? Channel unit use by Smallmouth Bass: Do land-use constraints or quantity of habitat matter?

I examined how land use influenced the distribution of Smallmouth Bass Micropterus dolomieu in channel units (discrete morphological features—e.g., pools) of streams in the Midwestern USA. Stream segments (n = 36), from four clusters of different soil and runoff conditions, were identified that had the highest percent of forest (n = 12), pasture (n = 12), and urban land use (n = 12)...
Authors
Shannon K. Brewer

Current status, issues and applications of GIS to inland fisheries Current status, issues and applications of GIS to inland fisheries

This chapter is concerned with GIS applications made to inland fisheries. These include fisheries in freshwater rivers, lakes and reservoirs. Although these GIS applications have increased rapidly since the late 1980s, this area of fish production receives less attention than either aquaculture or marine fisheries. This is probably because inland fisheries are often practised in remote...
Authors
William Fisher

Regulation of striped bass and hybrid striped bass fisheries in the United States Regulation of striped bass and hybrid striped bass fisheries in the United States

No abstract available.
Authors
William R. Collier, Phillip William Bettoli, George D. Scholten, Timothy N. Churchill

Reforestation to enhance Appalachian mined lands as habitat for terrestrial wildlife Reforestation to enhance Appalachian mined lands as habitat for terrestrial wildlife

Surface mining is widespread throughout the Appalachian coalfield, a region with extensive forests that are rich in wildlife. Game species for hunting, non-game wildlife species, and other organisms are important contributors to sustainable and productive ecosystems. Although small breaks in the forest canopy are important to wildlife diversity, most native Appalachian wildlife species...
Authors
Petra B. Wood, Jeff Larkin, Jeremy Mizel, Carl E. Zipper, Patrick Angel

Non-overlapping distributions of feral sheep (Ovis aries) and Stout Iguanas (Cyclura pinguis) on Guana Island, British Virgin Islands Non-overlapping distributions of feral sheep (Ovis aries) and Stout Iguanas (Cyclura pinguis) on Guana Island, British Virgin Islands

Stout Iguanas (Cyclura pinguis) remain one of the most critically endangered reptiles in the world. Factors contributing to that status include habitat loss, predation by introduced species, and competition with introduced herbivores. On Guana Island, British Virgin Islands, the presence of feral sheep (Ovis aries) has been a hypothesized detriment to iguanas. Using motion sensitive...
Authors
Ben R. Skipper, Blake A. Grisham, Maria Kalyvaki, Kathleen McGaughey, Krista Mougey, Laura Navarrete, Renee Rondeau, Clint W. Boal, Gad Perry
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