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.
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At-a-Glance—Summary of the 2023 U.S. Geological Survey Cooperative Research Units Program Year-in-Review At-a-Glance—Summary of the 2023 U.S. Geological Survey Cooperative Research Units Program Year-in-Review
Introduction Established in 1935, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units (CRU) program is a unique partnership among the USGS, State Fish and Wildlife agencies, host universities, the Wildlife Management Institute (WMI), and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). As of 2023, there are 43 CRUs in 41 states that fall under three supervisory...
Authors
Caroline E. Murphy, Elise R. Irwin, Dawn E. Childs, Donald E. Dennerline, Jonathan R. Mawdsley
Plant-derived products selectively suppress growth of the harmful alga Prymnesium parvum Plant-derived products selectively suppress growth of the harmful alga Prymnesium parvum
Prymnesium parvum is a harmful alga found in brackish waters worldwide whose toxins can be lethal to aquatic organisms. Established field methods to control blooms of this species, however, are unavailable. Earlier studies showed that various extracts of giant reed (Arundo donax) can suppress P. parvum growth and that ellipticine, an allelochemical present in giant reed, is a potent...
Authors
Mousumi A. Mary, Shisbeth Tabora-Sarmiento, Sarah Nash, Gregory D. Mayer, Jordan Crago, Reynaldo Patino
The relative contributions of habitat area, configuration, and vegetative diversity on snake and lizard presence in agricultural landscapes The relative contributions of habitat area, configuration, and vegetative diversity on snake and lizard presence in agricultural landscapes
Nearly one in five reptile species is at risk of extinction. Changes in habitat area, its configuration, and vegetation diversity could affect habitat use, but their relative importance is understudied. We assessed how these factors affected reptile presence in agricultural landscapes figure in Iowa, United States, using 695 cover boards visited 16,441 times in 2015–2020. Species-wise...
Authors
Matthew D. Stephenson, Lisa A. Schulte, Robert W. Klaver
The effects of wastewater reuse on smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) relative abundance in the Shenandoah River Watershed, USA The effects of wastewater reuse on smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) relative abundance in the Shenandoah River Watershed, USA
Municipal and industrial wastewater effluent is an important source of water for lotic systems, especially during periods of low flow. The accumulated wastewater effluent flows—expressed as a percentage of total streamflow (ACCWW%)—contain chemical mixtures that pose a risk to aquatic life; fish may be particularly vulnerable when chronically exposed. Although there has been considerable...
Authors
Tyler Wagner, Paul McLaughlin, Kaycee E. Faunce, Samuel H. Austin, Kelly Smalling
Gulf killifish (Fundulus grandis) in the Pecos River: Unique life history traits in a nonnative, island population Gulf killifish (Fundulus grandis) in the Pecos River: Unique life history traits in a nonnative, island population
Nonnative species may display unique life history traits when established in habitats with distinctive environmental and biotic contexts compared with their native ecosystems. Gulf killifish (Fundulus grandis), native to coastal habitats of the Gulf of Mexico, are established in several inland river systems where they pose a potential threat to native fishes. In the Pecos River, Texas...
Authors
K.D. Delaune, A.A. Pease, Reynaldo Patino, Connor L. Brown, M.A. Barnes
White-tailed deer detection rates increase when coyotes are present White-tailed deer detection rates increase when coyotes are present
Predator species can indirectly affect prey species through the cost of anti-predator behavior responses, which may involve shifts in occupancy, space use, or movement. Quantifying the various strategies implemented by prey species to avoid adverse interactions with predators can lead to a better understanding of potential population-level repercussions. Therefore, the purpose of this...
Authors
Hannah L. Clipp, Sarah M. Pesi, Madison L. Miller, Laura C. Gigliotti, Brett P. Skelly, Christopher T. Rota
Time of year and weather influence departure decisions of sandhill cranes at a primary stopover Time of year and weather influence departure decisions of sandhill cranes at a primary stopover
The Rocky Mountain Population (RMP) of greater sandhill cranes uses a key stopover area, the San Luis Valley (SLV) in Colorado. Parameters of migration phenology can differ between autumn and spring and are affected by weather and environmental factors. We hypothesized that sandhill cranes in the SLV would have a longer stopover duration in autumn than in spring, and that wind assistance
Authors
Rachel A. Vanausdall, William L. Kendall, Daniel P. Collins, Quentin R. Hays
Incorporating life history diversity in an integrated population model to inform viability analysis Incorporating life history diversity in an integrated population model to inform viability analysis
Life history diversity can significantly affect population dynamics and effects of management actions. For instance, variation in individual responses to environmental variability can reduce extirpation risk to populations, as the portfolio effect dampens temporal variability in abundance. Moreover, differences in habitat use may cause individuals to respond differently to habitat...
Authors
Mark H. Sorel, Jeffrey C. Jorgensen, Richard W. Zabel, Mark David Scheuerell, Andrew R. Murdoch, Cory M. Kamphaus, Sarah J. Converse
Using global remote camera data of a solitary species complex to evaluate the drivers of group formation Using global remote camera data of a solitary species complex to evaluate the drivers of group formation
The social system of animals involves a complex interplay between physiology, natural history, and the environment. Long relied upon discrete categorizations of “social” and “solitary” inhibit our capacity to understand species and their interactions with the world around them. Here, we use a globally distributed camera trapping dataset to test the drivers of aggregating into groups in a...
Authors
Joshua P. Twining, Chris Sutherland, Andrzej Zalewski, Michael V. Cove, Johnny Birks, Oliver R. Wearn, Jessica Haysom, Anna Wereszczuk, Emiliano Manzo, Paola Bartolommei, Alessio Mortelliti, Bryn Evans, Brian D. Gerber, Thomas J. McGreevy, Laken S. Ganoe, Juliana Masseloux, Amy E. Mayer, Izabela Wierzbowska, Jan Loch, Jocelyn Akins, Donovan Drummey, William McShea, Stephanie Manke, Lain Pardo, Andy Boyce, Sheng Li, Roslina Binti Ragai, Ronglarp Sukmasuang, Alvaro Jose Villafane Trujillo, Carlos Lopez-Gonzalez, Nalleli Elvira Lara-Diaz, Olivia Cosby, Cristian N. Waggershauser, Jack Bamber, Frances Stewart, Jason Fisher, Angela K. Fuller, Kelly Perkins, Roger A. Powell
Habitat amount and edge effects, not perch proximity, nest exposure, or vegetation diversity affect cowbird parasitism in agricultural landscapes Habitat amount and edge effects, not perch proximity, nest exposure, or vegetation diversity affect cowbird parasitism in agricultural landscapes
Context Prior research documented relationships between brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater) brood parasitism and edge effects, proximity of perches, and nest exposure. Those relationships have not been evaluated in agroecosystems containing extremes of fragmentation and vegetation diversity.Objectives We compared three existing hypotheses on how cowbirds locate host nests with two new...
Authors
Matthew D. Stephenson, Kyla L. Yuza, Lisa A. Schulte, Robert W. Klaver
Demographic patterns of walleye (Sander vitreus) reproductive success in a Wisconsin population Demographic patterns of walleye (Sander vitreus) reproductive success in a Wisconsin population
Harvest in walleye Sander vitreus fisheries is size-selective and could influence phenotypic traits of spawners; however, contributions of individual spawners to recruitment are unknown. We used parentage analyses using single nucleotide polymorphisms to test whether parental traits were related to the probability of offspring survival in Escanaba Lake, Wisconsin. From 2017 to 2020, 1339...
Authors
Robert P. Davis, Levi M. Simmons, Stephanie L. Shaw, Greg G. Sass, Nicholas M. Sard, Daniel A. Isermann, Wesley A. Larson, Jared Joseph Homola
Self-determination theory as an alternate conceptual foundation for motivation in natural resource research Self-determination theory as an alternate conceptual foundation for motivation in natural resource research
Motivation is a topic that receives substantial interest across the social sciences. However, in the human dimensions of natural resource literature, scholars have primarily treated motivation as a construct narrowly defined by the individual’s desired goal state. In contrast, self-determination theory (SDT) suggests that multiple forms of motivation can influence levels of self...
Authors
Kyle Smith, Adam Landon, David C. Fulton, Gerard Kyle