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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: 5011

Fall migration, oceanic movement, and site residency patterns of eastern red bats (Lasiurus borealis) on the mid-Atlantic Coast Fall migration, oceanic movement, and site residency patterns of eastern red bats (Lasiurus borealis) on the mid-Atlantic Coast

Along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States, eastern red bats (Lasiurus borealis) are present during fall mating and migration, though little is currently known about most aspects of bat migration. To reveal migration patterns, and understand drivers of over-water flight, we captured and radio-tagged 115 eastern red bats using novel technology, and subsequently tracked and...
Authors
Michael C. True, Katherine M. Gorman, Hila Taylor, Richard J. Reynolds, W. Mark Ford

Examining dynamic occupancy of gray wolves in Idaho after a decade of managed harvest Examining dynamic occupancy of gray wolves in Idaho after a decade of managed harvest

Gray wolves (Canis lupus) were reintroduced to Idaho, USA, in 1995–1996. The removal of Endangered Species Act protections in 2011 transferred wolf management to the state where wolves were subsequently classified as a harvested (i.e., hunted, trapped) big game species. We implemented a camera-based survey across Idaho from 2016–2021 as part of a population monitoring program. We used...
Authors
David Edward Ausband, Sarah J. Thompson, Brendan A. Oates, Shane Roberts, Mark A. Hurley, Matthew Mumma

Validation and comparison of age estimates for Smallmouth Buffalo in Oklahoma based on otoliths, pectoral fin rays, and opercula Validation and comparison of age estimates for Smallmouth Buffalo in Oklahoma based on otoliths, pectoral fin rays, and opercula

With an increased interest in nongame fishes such as buffalofishes (Catostomidae, Ictiobus), there is a need for better foundational data on their life history. Bigmouth Buffalo I. cyprinellus, for example, have been found to live for more than a century. Age estimates for other sucker species have similarly suggested long life spans, but validation studies as reference points are often...
Authors
James M. Long, Richard A. Snow, Daniel E. Shoup, Jory B. Bartnicki

Behavioral responses of terrestrial mammals to COVID-19 lockdowns Behavioral responses of terrestrial mammals to COVID-19 lockdowns

COVID-19 lockdowns reduced human mobility, providing an opportunity to disentangle its effects on animals from those of landscape modifications. Using GPS data, we compared movements and road avoidance of 2300 terrestrial mammals (43 species) during the 2020 lockdowns to the same period in 2019. Individual responses were variable, with no change in average movements or road avoidance...
Authors
Marlee A. Tucker, Aafke M. Schipper, Tempe S. F. Adams, Nina Attias, Tal Avgar, Natarsha Lauren Babic, Kristin J. Barker, Guillaume Bastille-Rousseau, Dominik M. Behr, Jerrold L. Belant, Dean E. Beyer, Niels Blaum, J. David Blount, Dirk Bockmühl, Ricardo Luiz Pires Boulhosa, Michael B. Brown, Bayarbaatar Buuveibaatar, Francesca Cagnacci, Justin M. Calabrese, Rok Černe, Simon Chamaillé-Jammes, Aung Nyein Chan, Michael J. Chase, Yannick Chaval, Yvette Chenaux-Ibrahim, Seth Cherry, Duško Ćirović, Emrah Çoban, Eric K. Cole, Laura Conlee, Courtemanch, Gabriele Cozzi, Sarah C Davidson, Darren DeBloois, Nandintsetseg Dejid, Vickie DeNicola, Arnaud L.J. Desbiez, Iain Douglas-Hamilton, David Drake, Michael Egan, William F. Fagan, Morgan J. Farmer, Julian Fennessy, Shannon P. Finnegan, Christen H. Fleming, Bonnie Fournier, N. L. Fowler, Mariela G. Gantchoff, Alexandre Garnier, Benedikt Gehr, Chris Geremia, Jacob R. Goheen, Morgan L. Hauptfleisch, Mark Hebblewhite, Morten Heim, Anne G. Hertel, Marco Heurich, A.J. Mark Hewison, James Hodson, Nicholas Hoffman, J. Grant C. Hopcraft, Djuro Huber, Edmund J. Isaac, Karolina Janik, Miloš Ježek, Örjan Johansson, Neil R. Jordan, Petra Kaczensky, Douglas N. Kamaru, Matthew Kauffman, Todd M. Kautz, Roland Kays, Allicia P Kelly, Jonas Kindberg, Miha Krofel, Josip Kusak, Clayton T. Lamb, Tayler N LaSharr, Peter Leimgruber, Horst Leitner, Michael Lierz, John Linnell, Purevjav Lkhagvaja, Ryan A. Long, José Vicente López-Bao, Matthias-Claudio Loretto, Pascal Marchand, Hans Martin, Lindsay A. Martinez, Roy T. McBride, Ashley A.D. McLaren, Erling Meisingset, Joerg Melzheimer, Evelyn Merrill, Arthur D. Middleton, Kevin Monteith, Seth A. Moore, Bram Van Moorter, Nicolas Morellet, Thomas Morrison, Rebekka Müller, Atle Mysterud, Michael T. Noonan, David O’Connor, Daniel Olson, Kirk A. Olson, Anna C. Ortega, Federico Ossi, Manuela Panzacchi, Robert Patchett, Brent R. Patterson, Rogerio Cunha de Paula, John Payne, Wibke Peters, Tyler R. Petroelje, Benjamin J. Pitcher, Boštjan Pokorny, Kim Poole, Hubert Potočnik, Marie-Pier Poulin, Robert M. Pringle, Herbert H.T. Prins, Nathan Ranc, Slaven Reljić, Benjamin S. Robb, Ralf Röder, Christer Moe Rolandsen, Christian Rutz, Albert Salemgareyev, G. Samelius, Heather Sayine-Crawford, S. Schooler, Cagan H. Sekercioglu, Nuria Selva, Paola Semenzato, Agnieszka Sergiel, Koustubh Sharma, Avery L. Shawler, Johannes Signer, Vaclav Silovsky, João Paulo Silva, Richard Simon, Rachel A. Smiley, Douglas W. Smith, Erling J. Solberg, Diego Ellis-Soto, Orr Spiegel, Jared A. Stabach, Jenna Stacy-Dawes, Daniel R. Stahler, John A. Stephenson, Cheyenne Stewart, Olav Strand, Peter Sunde, Nathan Svoboda, Johnathan Swart, Jeffrey J. Thompson, Katrina L. Toal, Kenneth Uiseb, Meredith C. VanAcker, Marianela Velilla, Tana L Verzuh, Bettina Wachter, Brittany L. Wagler, Jesse Whittington, Martin Wikelski, Christopher C. Wilmers, George Wittemyer, Julie K. Young, Filip Zieba, Tomasz Zwijacz-Kozica, Mark A.J. Huijbregts, Thomas Mueller

The bee lab The bee lab

Introduction The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Bee Lab is a collaborative interagency joint venture and international leader for bee (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) identification, survey design, quantification of bee and plant interrelations, and development and maintenance of occurrence databases. Each of these objectives supports native bee conservation by providing critical data and tools for...
Authors
Sam Droege, Elise R. Irwin, Jenn Malpass, Jonathan R. Mawdsley

Habitat selection and water dependency of feral burros in the Mojave Desert, California, USA Habitat selection and water dependency of feral burros in the Mojave Desert, California, USA

Expansion of feral burro (Equus asinus) populations across the southwestern United States is causing human–wildlife conflicts including rangeland degradation, competition with livestock and native species, and burro–vehicle collisions. On the Fort Irwin National Training Center (NTC) in California, feral burros interfere with military training and are involved in vehicle collisions and...
Authors
Talesha Karish, Gary W. Roemer, David K. Delaney, Craig D. Reddell, James W. Cain

Dietary comparison of age-0 sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus sp.) between upper and lower Missouri River basins Dietary comparison of age-0 sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus sp.) between upper and lower Missouri River basins

Understanding potential limiting factors affecting population growth of the endangered pallid sturgeon, Scaphirhynchus albus, is important in the upper (UMOR) and lower Missouri River (LMOR) basins. The UMOR is upstream of several reservoirs and generally has more natural habitat features, whereas the LMOR is downstream of these reservoirs and has been channelized to support navigation...
Authors
Alin González, James M. Long, Nathan J.C. Gosch, Anthony P. Civiello, Todd R. Gemeinhardt, Jerrod Hall, Patrick Braaten

Precision of structures used to estimate age and growth of Apache Trout from Arizona Precision of structures used to estimate age and growth of Apache Trout from Arizona

Obtaining reliable information on the age structure of fish populations is important for making conservation and management decisions. We sought to evaluate precision and reader confidence in age estimates from scales (two body locations), sectioned fin rays (pectoral, pelvic, anal), and sectioned sagittal otoliths from Apache Trout Oncorhynchus apache (n = 78 fish) sampled from the East...
Authors
Michael Quist, Marta Ulaski, Kristy Manuell, Zachary Jackson, Tim Gatewood

Global review reveals how disparate study motivations, analytical designs, and focal ions limit understanding of salinization effects on freshwater animals Global review reveals how disparate study motivations, analytical designs, and focal ions limit understanding of salinization effects on freshwater animals

Global salinization of freshwaters is adversely affecting biotic communities and ecosystem processes. We reviewed six decades (1960–2020) of literature published on animal responses to increased salinities across different taxonomic and ecological contexts and identified knowledge gaps. From 585 journal articles, we characterized 5924 responses of mollusks, crustaceans, zooplankton, non...
Authors
Richard H. Walker, Abigail C. Belvin, Joshua B. Mouser, Amanda Pennino, Stephen Plont, Christopher D. Robinson, Lucy B. Smith, Jyoti Thapa, Carl E. Zipper, Paul L. Angermeier, Sally A. Entrekin

Parental infanticide by egg destruction in Red-billed Tropicbirds Phaethon aethereus on the Caribbean island of Sint Eustatius Parental infanticide by egg destruction in Red-billed Tropicbirds Phaethon aethereus on the Caribbean island of Sint Eustatius

Avian reproduction is a process that requires extensive energetic input by parents, particularly in pelagic seabirds. Parental infanticide has rarely been reported in pelagic seabirds, and its frequency among taxa is therefore difficult to determine. Using data from remote cameras, two cases of probable parental infanticide in Red-billed Tropicbirds Phaethon aethereus were captured on...
Authors
Hailley Danielson-Owczynsky, Hannah Madden, Patrick G.R. Jodice

Spatial and individual factors mediate the tissue burden of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in adult and chick brown pelicans in the northern Gulf of Mexico Spatial and individual factors mediate the tissue burden of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in adult and chick brown pelicans in the northern Gulf of Mexico

The northern Gulf of Mexico supports a substantial level of oil and gas extraction in marine waters and experiences acute and chronic exposure to marine pollution events. The region also supports a diverse array of breeding and migratory seabirds that are exposed to these pollutants during foraging and other activities. Among the pollutants of highest concern within the region are...
Authors
Patrick G.R. Jodice, Juliet S. Lamb, Yvan G. Satgé, Christopher Perkins

Impact of dams on stream fish diversity: A different result Impact of dams on stream fish diversity: A different result

Impoundments can drastically change the physical and biological characteristics of fluvial systems. Changes in the physical characteristics, such as reductions in flow, increased sediment deposition, and increased surface area, often influence the system’s biological components, including plant, macroinvertebrate, and fish assemblages. In addition to having direct effects on impounded...
Authors
Nicky M. Faucheux, Leandro E. Miranda, Jason M. Taylor, Jerry L. Farris
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