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: 5294
Comparison of two benthic assemblage sampling gears for use on intertidal oyster reefs in Louisiana Comparison of two benthic assemblage sampling gears for use on intertidal oyster reefs in Louisiana
Background Estuarine biodiversity plays a vital role in supporting ecosystem functions yet remains threatened by climate change and anthropogenic activity. Tracking and identifying estuarine biodiversity trends helps management ensure long-term provisions of human and environmental benefits by contributing to the estimation of habitat loss and the monitoring of restoration and...
Authors
Finella M. Campanino, Stephanie K. Archer, Jillian C. Tuptiza, Cassandra N. Glaspie, Megan La Peyre
A psychologically wise intervention to inform relational organizing in the face of climate and ocean change A psychologically wise intervention to inform relational organizing in the face of climate and ocean change
Widespread climate action is broadly recognized as necessary to reduce climate change impacts on oceans (“ocean change”), but threats to ocean ecosystems are commonly perceived as distant, irrelevant, and unchangeable. Communicating about ocean change, therefore, requires message framing strategies targeting evidence-based psychological precursors to behavior. In a pre-registered case...
Authors
Jennifer L. Waldo, Thomas C. Swearingen, Megan Siobhan Jones
Evaluation of SARS-CoV-2 antibody detection methods for wild Cervidae Evaluation of SARS-CoV-2 antibody detection methods for wild Cervidae
Wildlife surveillance programs often use serological data to monitor exposure to pathogens. Diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of a serological assay quantify the true positive and negative rates of the diagnostic assay, respectively. However, an assay’s accuracy can be affected by wild animals’ pathogen exposure history and quality of the sample collected, requiring separate...
Authors
Joshua Hewitt, Grete Wilson-Henjum, Jeffrey C. Chandler, Aaron T. Phillips, Diego G. Diel, W. David Walter, Alec Baker, Jennifer Høy-Petersen, Guillaume Bastille-Rousseau, Tadao Kishimoto, George Wittemyer, Jeremy Alder, Sara Hathaway, Kezia R. Manlove, Travis Gallo, Jennifer Mullinax, Carson Coriell, Matthew Payne, Meggan E. Craft, Tyler J. Garwood, Tiffany M. Wolf, Maria A. Diuk-Wasser, Meredith C. VanAcker, Laura Dudley Plimpton, Mark Q. Wilber, Daniel Grove, Justin Koseiwska, Lisa I. Muller, Kim M. Pepin
Daily survival rate and nest-site selection of Zone-tailed Hawks (Buteo albonotatus) in the Chihuahuan Desert ecoregion of Texas Daily survival rate and nest-site selection of Zone-tailed Hawks (Buteo albonotatus) in the Chihuahuan Desert ecoregion of Texas
The Zone-tailed Hawk (Buteo albonotatus) is one of the least studied raptors in North America and lacks contemporary literature allowing informed management decisions for this species. Zone-tailed Hawks occupy rugged areas in the southwestern region of the United States and are listed as state threatened in Texas. Our objectives were to assess habitat, productivity, and daily survival...
Authors
Caroline Skidmore, Clint W. Boal, Ben R. Skipper, Russell Martin
Reproductive habitat mismatch influences chytrid infection dynamics in a tropical amphibian community Reproductive habitat mismatch influences chytrid infection dynamics in a tropical amphibian community
Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) has been decimating amphibian populations globally; previous work indicates that infection risk increases with moisture and thermal mismatch from a host’s optimum. We hypothesized that, in addition to these abiotic influences, mismatch of hosts from their reproductive habitat heightens infection risk via exposure and/or susceptibility mechanisms. We...
Authors
Neil A. Gilbert, Rayna C. Bell, Alessandro Catenazzi, Renato A. Martins, Shannon Buttimer, Wesley J. Neely, Carolina Lambertini, Veronica Saenz Calderon, Célio F.B. Haddad, C. Guilherme Becker, Graziella Vittoria DiRenzo
Satellite imagery can predict bird species occupancy and inform multispecies management in pine savannas Satellite imagery can predict bird species occupancy and inform multispecies management in pine savannas
Multispecies management can contribute to meeting growing challenges of preserving biodiversity, yet current game and threatened species management often focuses on individual species. Satellite imagery available at high spatial and temporal resolution provides a potential tool to overcome the challenge posed by multispecies management of linking patterns of habitat use among species. We...
Authors
Cory R. Allred, Todd M. Schneider, Elizabeth Ann Hunter
Linking age and social status of cooperative breeders to vulnerability throughout the harvest season Linking age and social status of cooperative breeders to vulnerability throughout the harvest season
Individual behaviors are influenced by environmental, genetic, and demographic factors. Some animals choose to live in groups and cooperatively breed, and their behaviors can change depending on dynamic factors such as group size and composition that affect group persistence. In Idaho, USA, gray wolves (Canis lupus) are harvested annually, providing an opportunity to investigate the...
Authors
Peter F. Rebholz, Sarah B. Bassing, Lisette P. Waits, David Edward Ausband
Comparison of lapilli otoliths and pectoral fin rays for estimating age of Northern Pikeminnows Comparison of lapilli otoliths and pectoral fin rays for estimating age of Northern Pikeminnows
The Northern Pikeminnow Ptychocheilus oregonensis is a piscivorous cyprinid native to western North America. Information on the best structure for estimating the age of Northern Pikeminnows is a key knowledge gap that may limit inquiries on management efforts. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate between-reader precision and concordance between age estimates for lapilli...
Authors
Caleb M. Wilson, Bryce Marciniak, Mike Thomas, Jordan Messner, Matthew P. Corsi, Michael C. Quist
Growth patterns of invasive Silver Carp in the Mississippi River basin Growth patterns of invasive Silver Carp in the Mississippi River basin
Silver Carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) are an invasive fish in the Mississippi River Basin. Their rapid expansion over recent decades coupled with extraordinary growth rates have arguably caught many by surprise. Understanding the atypical growth rates that could be the driving force behind the Silver Carp's explosive expansion may be crucial for development of management strategies...
Authors
Leandro E. Miranda
Mahi-mahi metacouplings: Quantifying human–nature interactions in dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus) fisheries Mahi-mahi metacouplings: Quantifying human–nature interactions in dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus) fisheries
Fisheries encompass humans and fish, but fisheries researchers rarely model human–nature interactions over space and time. I filled this information gap for dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus), a popular, widely distributed species that supports industrial, artisanal, recreational, and subsistence fisheries. Dolphinfish human–nature interactions showed a long-term up-and-down pattern in...
Authors
Andrew Kenneth Carlson
Do mule deer surf peaks in forage quality while on summer range? Do mule deer surf peaks in forage quality while on summer range?
Many animals track ephemeral peaks in food abundance and quality that propagate across landscapes. Migrating ungulates, in particular, track waves of newly emerging plants from low-elevation winter ranges to high-elevation summer ranges—known as “green-wave surfing.” Because plants lose crude protein and gain insoluble fiber with maturation, ruminants are expected to exploit peaks in...
Authors
Anna Ortega, Kevin L. Monteith, Benjamin Wise, Matthew J. Kauffman
Ecologically informed solar enables a sustainable energy transition in U.S. croplands Ecologically informed solar enables a sustainable energy transition in U.S. croplands
United States (U.S.) croplands are ideal recipient environments for solar photovoltaic (PV) energy because they are flat and have a high solar resource. Perceived threats of solar to agriculture have led some stakeholders to suggest that croplands be exclusively used to produce food. However, 12 million hectares of U.S. croplands, an area about the size of New York State, are already...
Authors
Matthew A. Sturchio, Adam Gallaher, Steven Mark Grodsky