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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.

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Evaluation of an elk detection probability model in the Black Hills, South Dakota Evaluation of an elk detection probability model in the Black Hills, South Dakota

Since 1993, elk (Cervus canadensis nelsoni) abundance in the Black Hills of South Dakota has been estimated using a detection probability model previously developed in Idaho, though it is likely biased because of a failure to account for visibility biases under local conditions. To correct for this bias, we evaluated the current detection probability across the Black Hills during January...
Authors
Evan C. Phillips, Chadwick P. Lehman, Robert W. Klaver, Angela R. Jarding, Susan P. Rupp, Jonathan A. Jenks, Christopher N. Jacques

The importance of early life experience and animal cultures in reintroductions The importance of early life experience and animal cultures in reintroductions

Even within a single population, individuals can display striking differences in behavior, with consequences for their survival and fitness. In reintroduced populations, managers often attempt to promote adaptive behaviors by controlling the early life experiences of individuals, but it remains largely unknown whether this early life training has lasting effects on behavior. We...
Authors
Claire S. Teitelbaum, Sarah J. Converse, Thomas Mueller

Differences in mosquito communities in six cities in Oklahoma Differences in mosquito communities in six cities in Oklahoma

Vector-borne diseases in the United States have recently increased as a result of the changing nature of vectors, hosts, reservoirs, pathogens, and the ecological and environmental conditions. Current information on vector habitats and how mosquito community composition varies across space and time is vital to successful vector-borne disease management. This study characterizes mosquito
Authors
D. Bradt, J.D. Wormington, James M. Long, W. W. Hoback, B.H. Noden

Remaining populations of an upland stream fish persist in refugia defined by habitat features at multiple scales Remaining populations of an upland stream fish persist in refugia defined by habitat features at multiple scales

Aim Conserving stream biota could require strategies that preserve habitats conveying resistance to ecological impacts of changing land use and climate. Retrospective analyses of species’ responses to anthropogenic disturbances can inform such strategies. We developed a hierarchical framework to contrast environmental conditions underlying persistence versus extirpation of an imperilled...
Authors
Corey G. Dunn, Paul L. Angermeier

Black Scoter habitat use along the southeastern coast of the United States Black Scoter habitat use along the southeastern coast of the United States

While the Atlantic Coast of the United States and Canada is a major wintering area for sea ducks, knowledge about their wintering habitat use is relatively limited. Black Scoters have a broad wintering distribution and are the only open water species of sea duck that is abundant along the southeastern coast of the United States. Our study identified variables that affected Black Scoter...
Authors
H. M. Plumpton, E. D. Silverman, Beth Ross

Avian predation on juvenile Salmonids: Spatial and temporal analysis based on acoustic and passive integrated transponder tags Avian predation on juvenile Salmonids: Spatial and temporal analysis based on acoustic and passive integrated transponder tags

We evaluated the impact of predation on juvenile steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss and yearling and subyearling Chinook Salmon O. tshawytscha by piscivorous waterbirds from 11 different breeding colonies in the Columbia River basin during 2012 and 2014. Fish were tagged with both acoustic tags and PIT tags and were tracked via a network of hydrophone arrays to estimate total smolt mortality...
Authors
Allen F. Evans, Quinn Payton, Aaron Turecek, Bradley D. Cramer, Ken Collis, Daniel D. Roby, Peter J. Loschl, Leah Sullivan, Skalski, Mark Weiland, Curtis Dotson

Spatial ecology of urban striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) in the Northern Great Plains: A framework for future oral rabies vaccination programs Spatial ecology of urban striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) in the Northern Great Plains: A framework for future oral rabies vaccination programs

Few studies have investigated the ecology of urban striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) despite their role as a primary rabies vector species paired with an ability to thrive in these landscapes. Information on home range, nightly movements, and habitat selection, is important for rabies management planning regarding the placement of oral rabies vaccine (ORV) baits and for management of...
Authors
Anna L. Schneider, Amy T. Gilbert, W. David Walter, Gregory S. Vandeberg, Jason R. Boulanger

Movement dynamics of smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) in a large river-tributary system Movement dynamics of smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) in a large river-tributary system

Smallmouth bass, Micropterus dolomieu Lacepède, movement dynamics were investigated in a connected mainstem river-tributary system. Smallmouth bass moved large distances annually (n = 84 fish, average = 24.6 ± 25.9 km, range = 0.03 to 118 km) and had three peak movement periods (pre-spawn, post-spawn and overwintering). Movement into and out of tributaries was common, but the movement...
Authors
Tyler Wagner, Megan K. Schall, Timothy Wertz, Geoffrey D. Smith, Vicki S. Blazer

Reproductive biology of Grey-breasted Wood-Wren (Henicorhina leucophrys): A comparative study of tropical and temperate wrens Reproductive biology of Grey-breasted Wood-Wren (Henicorhina leucophrys): A comparative study of tropical and temperate wrens

We provide a detailed breeding biology account for the Grey-breasted Wood-Wren (Henicorhina leucophrys) and a comparison of the reproductive life history of tropical and temperate wrens using literature data. We conducted this study at Yacambú National Park in Venezuela from 2002 to 2008. Clutch size was 1.99 (SE 0.01) and fresh egg mass was 2.35 g (0.02). Females incubated the eggs for...
Authors
Necmiye Sahin Arslan, Thomas E. Martin

Evaluating environmental change and behavioral decision-making for sustainability policy using an agent-based model: A case study for the Smoky Hill River Watershed, Kansas Evaluating environmental change and behavioral decision-making for sustainability policy using an agent-based model: A case study for the Smoky Hill River Watershed, Kansas

Sustainability has been at the forefront of the environmental research agenda of the integrated anthroposphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere since the last century and will continue to be critically important for future environmental science. However, linking humans and the environment through effective policy remains a major challenge for sustainability research and practice. Here we...
Authors
Gabriel Granco, Jessica L. Heier Stamm, Jason S. Bergtold, Melinda D. Daniels, Matthew R. Sanderson, Aleksey Y. Sheshukov, Martha E. Mather, Marcellus M. Caldas, Steven M. Ramsey, Richard Lehrter, David A. Haukos, Jungang Gao, Sarmistha Chatterjee, James C. Nifong, Joseph Aistrup

Left out in the rain: Comparing productivity of two associated species exposes a leak in the umbrella species concept Left out in the rain: Comparing productivity of two associated species exposes a leak in the umbrella species concept

Multi-species approaches to wildlife management have become commonplace and purport to benefit entire biological communities. These strategies aim to manage different, often taxonomically distant species under a single regime based on shared habitat associations and/or co-occurrence in the landscape. We tested the efficacy of multi-species management in the context of creating and...
Authors
Gunnar R. Kramer, Sean M. Peterson, Kyle O. Daly, Henry M. Streby, David E. Andersen
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