Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

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

Biological and social outcomes of antler point restriction harvest regulations for white-tailed deer Biological and social outcomes of antler point restriction harvest regulations for white-tailed deer

Selective harvest criteria, such as antler point restrictions (APRs), have been used to regulate harvest of male ungulates; however, comprehensive evaluation of the biological and social responses to this management strategy is lacking. In 2002, Pennsylvania adopted new APRs for white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) that required, depending on wildlife management unit, ≥3 or ≥4...
Authors
Bret D. Wallingford, Duane R. Diefenbach, Eric S. Long, Christopher S. Rosenberry, Gary Alt

Animal movement: Statistical models for telemetry data Animal movement: Statistical models for telemetry data

The study of animal movement has always been a key element in ecological science, because it is inherently linked to critical processes that scale from individuals to populations and communities to ecosystems. Rapid improvements in biotelemetry data collection and processing technology have given rise to a variety of statistical methods for characterizing animal movement. The book serves...
Authors
Mevin Hooten, Devin S. Johnson, Brett T. McClintock, Juan M. Morales

Associations among habitat characteristics and meningeal worm prevalence in eastern South Dakota, USA Associations among habitat characteristics and meningeal worm prevalence in eastern South Dakota, USA

Few studies have evaluated how wetland and forest characteristics influence the prevalence of meningeal worm (Parelaphostrongylus tenuis) infection of deer throughout the grassland biome of central North America. We used previously collected, county-level prevalence data to evaluate associations between habitat characteristics and probability of meningeal worm infection in white-tailed...
Authors
Christopher N. Jacques, Jonathan A. Jenks, Robert W. Klaver, Shelli A. Dubay

Multinomial N-mixture models improve the applicability of electrofishing for developing population estimates of stream-dwelling Smallmouth Bass Multinomial N-mixture models improve the applicability of electrofishing for developing population estimates of stream-dwelling Smallmouth Bass

Failure to account for variable detection across survey conditions constrains progressive stream ecology and can lead to erroneous stream fish management and conservation decisions. In addition to variable detection’s confounding long-term stream fish population trends, reliable abundance estimates across a wide range of survey conditions are fundamental to establishing species...
Authors
Robert Mollenhauer, Shannon K. Brewer

Gear comparison for sampling age-0 Mountain Whitefish in the Madison River, Montana Gear comparison for sampling age-0 Mountain Whitefish in the Madison River, Montana

The efficacy of various sampling gears for age-0 Mountain Whitefish Prosopium williamsoni is largely unknown, which makes it difficult to investigate recruitment and early life history dynamics for the species. We compared four gears: seine, backpack electrofisher, minnow trap, and lighted minnow trap. Gears were tested in backwaters, large channels, and small channels in the Madison...
Authors
Jan K. Boyer, Christopher S. Guy, Molly A. H. Webb, Travis B. Horton, Thomas E. McMahon

Quantifying site-specific physical heterogeneity within an estuarine seascape Quantifying site-specific physical heterogeneity within an estuarine seascape

Quantifying physical heterogeneity is essential for meaningful ecological research and effective resource management. Spatial patterns of multiple, co-occurring physical features are rarely quantified across a seascape because of methodological challenges. Here, we identified approaches that measured total site-specific heterogeneity, an often overlooked aspect of estuarine ecosystems
Authors
Cristina G. Kennedy, Martha E. Mather, Joseph M. Smith

The Bayesian group lasso for confounded spatial data The Bayesian group lasso for confounded spatial data

Generalized linear mixed models for spatial processes are widely used in applied statistics. In many applications of the spatial generalized linear mixed model (SGLMM), the goal is to obtain inference about regression coefficients while achieving optimal predictive ability. When implementing the SGLMM, multicollinearity among covariates and the spatial random effects can make computation
Authors
Trevor J. Hefley, Mevin Hooten, Ephraim M. Hanks, Robin E. Russell, Daniel P. Walsh

Accurate aging of juvenile salmonids using fork lengths Accurate aging of juvenile salmonids using fork lengths

Juvenile salmon life history strategies, survival, and habitat interactions may vary by age cohort. However, aging individual juvenile fish using scale reading is time consuming and can be error prone. Fork length data are routinely measured while sampling juvenile salmonids. We explore the performance of aging juvenile fish based solely on fork length data, using finite Gaussian mixture...
Authors
Suresh Sethi, Jonathon Gerken, Joshua Ashline

Estimating the impact of oyster restoration scenarios on transient fish production Estimating the impact of oyster restoration scenarios on transient fish production

Oyster reef restoration projects are increasing in number both to enhance oyster density and to retain valuable ecosystem services provided by oyster reefs. Although some oyster restoration projects have demonstrated success by increasing density and biomass of transient fish, it still remains a challenge to quantify the effects of oyster restoration on transient fish communities. We...
Authors
Elizabeth McCoy, Stuart R. Borrett, Megan K. LaPeyre, Bradley J. Peterson

What can volunteer angler tagging data tell us about the status of the Giant Trevally (ulua aukea) Caranx ignobilis fishery in Hawaii: revisiting data collected during Hawaii’s Ulua and Papio Tagging Project 2000-2016 What can volunteer angler tagging data tell us about the status of the Giant Trevally (ulua aukea) Caranx ignobilis fishery in Hawaii: revisiting data collected during Hawaii’s Ulua and Papio Tagging Project 2000-2016

Giant Trevally (ulua aukea) Caranx ignobilis is one of the most highly prized and frequently targeted nearshore species. However, there is very little information on its current status in Hawaiian waters. This study uses mark-recapture data collected as part of recreational angler tagging program conducted by the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources-Division of Aquatic...
Authors
Timothy B. Grabowski, Erik C. Franklin

Long-term changes in Canade Goose nest success and nest densities at an Iowa wetland complex Long-term changes in Canade Goose nest success and nest densities at an Iowa wetland complex

Giant Canada geese (Branta canadensis maxima) were extirpated from Iowa by the early 1900s due to unregulated hunting, egg gathering, and wetland drainage in the nineteenth century (Bishop 1978). Ef- forts to reintroduce Canada geese in Iowa began in 1964 (Bishop and Howing 1972) and involved releasing flightless adults and goslings at nearly 30 sites across the state (Zenner and...
Authors
Brenna N. Ness, Robert W. Klaver, G. G. Zenner
Was this page helpful?