Publications
Listed here are publications, reports and articles by the Land Change Science Program in the USGS Ecosystems Mission Area.
Filter Total Items: 1284
Unprecedented burning in tropical peatlands during the 20th century compared to the previous two millennia Unprecedented burning in tropical peatlands during the 20th century compared to the previous two millennia
Tropical peatland wildfire incidence has risen in recent decades, driven by drainage for land use and intensified by severe droughts with global climate change. These disturbances have altered vegetation structure, disrupted ecosystem functioning, and increased carbon emissions, particularly in Southeast Asia. However, the long-term history and characteristics of wildfires in tropical...
Authors
Yuwan Wang, Ted R. Feldpausch, Graeme T. Swindles, Patrick Moss, Hamish A. McGowan, Thomas G. Sim, Paul J. Morris, Adam Benfield, Colin Courtney-Mustaphi, David Wahl, Encarni Montoya, Esther N. Githumbi, Euridice N. Honorio Coronado, Femke Augustijns, Gert Verstraeten, Jess O'Donnell, John Tibby, Juan C. Benavides, K. Anggi Hapsari, Karsten Schittek, Khairun Nisha Mohamed Ramdzan, Kunshan Bao, Lydia E. Cole, Lysanna Anderson, Mariusz Galka, Orijemie Emuobosa Akpo, Paul Strobel, Prabhakaran Ramya Bala, Rene Dommain, Rob Marchant, Raman Sukumar, Sakonvan Chawchai, Sarath Pullyottum Kavil, Scott Mooney, Thomas J. Kelly, Yang Gao, Apostolos Voulgarakis, Arnoud Boom, Chantelle Burton, Juan Carlos Berrio, Kelly Ribeiro, Liana O. Anderson, Mark Hardiman, Molly Spater, Susan E. Page, Angela Gallego-Sala
Optimizing cryo-focused pyrolysis GC/MS for tracing soil organic matter across diverse ecosystems Optimizing cryo-focused pyrolysis GC/MS for tracing soil organic matter across diverse ecosystems
The cycling of organic matter in terrestrial soils and sediments is central to a range of biogeochemical processes that regulate nutrient cycling, crop productivity, trace gas emissions, and contaminant transport. Pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (py-GC/MS) is a powerful tool for characterizing bulk soil organic matter (SOM) at the molecular level. In this study, we used a...
Authors
Abrar Shahriar, Mavrik Zavarin, Erin E. Nuccio, Katherine E. Grant, Karis J. McFarlane, Jennifer Pett-Ridge, David Toews, Jason P. Sexton, Rebecca Ryals, Joy Baccel, Aiden J. Berndt, Rene Boiteau, Ishtiaq Ahmed Jawad, Yu Yang, Sheel Bansal, Edward J. O’Loughlin, Kenneth M. Kemner, Roser Matamala, Keith D. Morrison
A diatom-based quantitative sea-ice proxy for the Bering and Chukchi seas A diatom-based quantitative sea-ice proxy for the Bering and Chukchi seas
Sea ice affects Earth's climate system on both regional and global scales. Its incorporation into climate can be used to achieve more accurate predictions of future climate. However, instrumental records of sea-ice concentration do not extend earlier than 1978. In an effort to extend this record, we constructed a proxy using the generalized additive model based on relative abundances of...
Authors
Anna Nesterovich, Beth E. Caissie
Density dependence and habitat selection affect overwintering abundance of monarch butterflies at regional and site scales in California Density dependence and habitat selection affect overwintering abundance of monarch butterflies at regional and site scales in California
The monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) is a species of iconic cultural interest. Thanks to annual overwintering monarch counts at hundreds of locations in coastal California, we are able to track fluctuations with high temporal and spatial resolution. Between 1997 and 2024, monarch populations at overwintering sites in the western United States experienced severe dips, at times (2018...
Authors
Peter Christian Ibsen, Zachary H. Ancona, Emma Pelton, Stephanie Little, Jay E. Diffendorfer
Scenarios and strategies for future-proofing ecosystem management under climatic novelty Scenarios and strategies for future-proofing ecosystem management under climatic novelty
Climate change is driving unprecedented declines in dominant, habitat-forming foundation species across marine and terrestrial ecosystems globally. As climatic novelty becomes the norm, ecosystem reassembly will become increasingly common. Predicting and understanding these transitions, and their implications for future ecosystem functioning, is essential for designing effective forward...
Authors
Lauren T. Toth, Elizabeth T. Borer, Deron E. Burkepile, Joan Dudney, Nathan P. Lemoine, Julianna J. Renzi, Kathryn E.L. Smith, Travis A. Courtney, Sara A. Goeking, William M. Hammond, David L. Hoover, Sandra MacFayden, Michael J. Osland, Joseph E. Townsend, Robert Young Fidler
Changing drivers of regional large magnitude avalanche frequency throughout Colorado, USA Changing drivers of regional large magnitude avalanche frequency throughout Colorado, USA
Large magnitude snow avalanches (destructive size ≥ D3) impact settlements, transportation corridors, and public safety worldwide. In Colorado, United States, avalanches have killed more people than any other natural hazard since 1950. In March 2019, a large magnitude avalanche cycle occurred throughout the entire mountainous portion of Colorado resulting in more than 1000 reported...
Authors
Erich H. Peitzsch, Justin T. Martin, Ethan M. Greene, Nicolas Eckert, Adrien Favillier, Jason Konigsberg, Nickolas Kichas, Daniel K. Stahle, Karl W. Birkeland, Kelly Elder, Gregory T. Pederson
A picture is worth a thousand plants: Using historic and repeat photography to quantify long-term change in drylands on the Colorado Plateau A picture is worth a thousand plants: Using historic and repeat photography to quantify long-term change in drylands on the Colorado Plateau
This study analyzes over a century of plant community change on the Colorado Plateau (CP) using repeat photography (1910–2016) and various GIS (Geographic Information Systems) data. We examined 338 repeat photo pairs across three dominant vegetation communities: CP Blackbrush-Mormon-tea Shrubland (CP Blackbrush), Inter-Mountain Basins Semi-Desert Grassland and Big Sagebrush Shrubland (IM
Authors
Tara B.B. Bishop, Anne Kelly, Evelyn Cheng, Mark E. Miller, Jayne Belnap, Robert H. Webb, Matthew W. Van Scoyoc, L. Scott Baggett, Jessica Mikenas, Michael C. Duniway
Tidal forested wetlands can be incorporated into blue carbon conservation and restoration strategies Tidal forested wetlands can be incorporated into blue carbon conservation and restoration strategies
Purpose of Review Blue carbon is an important concept for environmental policy. Blue carbon strategies (conservation and restoration for carbon gain) have been primarily implemented with mangroves, though are likely to be suitable for other tidal forested wetlands. Here, we discuss the expanding definition of blue carbon encompassing all tidal forested wetlands, synthesize ecological and...
Authors
Daniel A. Friess, Maria F. Adame, Jeffrey Kelleway, Ken W. Krauss, Gregory B. Noe
Depth-resolved carbon dioxide and methane concentrations in 522 lakes, ponds, and reservoirs worldwide Depth-resolved carbon dioxide and methane concentrations in 522 lakes, ponds, and reservoirs worldwide
Lakes, ponds, and reservoirs (hereafter: “lakes”) are important sources of the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4). Emissions of CO2 and CH4 from lakes are regulated in part by in-lake processes, including the production and storage of gases in the lower parts of the water column (bottom waters). However, while substantial efforts have been made to improve estimates...
Authors
Joseph S. Rabaey, Abigail S. Lewis, Katrin Attermeyer, Patrick Aurich, Sheel Bansal, Maciej Bartosiewicz, Brittni L. Bertolet, Ingeborg Bussmann, Sarah B. Cadieux, Elisa Calamita, Camilla Capelli, Cayelan C. Carey, Carmen Cillero, Francois Clayer, Sofia L. D'Ambrosio, Thomas A. Davidson, Bridget R. Deemer, Blaize A. Denfeld, Werner Eckert, Chiara Esposito, Phillip Ford, Adrianna Gorsky, Natalie A. Griffiths, Hans-Peter F. Grossart, David P. Hamilton, Meredith A. Holgerson, Brian J. Huser, Tomoya Iwata, Joachim Jansen, Stuart E. Jones, Sari Juutinen, Pirkko Kortelainen, Matthias Koschorreck, Theis Kragh, Alo Laas, Tuula Larmola, Saskia Läubli, Isabelle Laurion, Moritz F. Lehmann, Liu Liu, Pertti J. Martikainen, Anna Matoušů, Stephen A. McCord, Jorge J. Montes-Pérez, Daniele Nizzoli, César Ordóñez, Mike Peacock, Rachel M. Pilla, Vilmantas Prėskienis, Junbing Pu, Tenna Riis, Taija Saarela, Arianto B. Santoso, Carsten Schubert, Armando Sepulveda-Jauregui, Bradford S. Sherman, Jonas S. Sø, Katherine J. Stenehjem, Kristin E.D. Strock, Kenji Tsuchiya, Katrin Wendt-Potthoff, Gesa A. Weyhenmeyer, Petr Znachor, Jakob Zopfi
New methods provide a 300–year perspective on modern area burned in two wilderness areas of the southwest United States New methods provide a 300–year perspective on modern area burned in two wilderness areas of the southwest United States
Climate change, expanding human ignitions, and increased fuels from fire exclusion are driving increases in area burned and fire severity in dry conifer forests of the western United States. Increasing area burned is occurring against the backdrop of a large fire deficit caused by over a century of fire exclusion. A key land management question is whether historically frequent fire...
Authors
Calvin A. Farris, Ellis Q. Margolis, Jose Iniguez, D.A. Falk, K. Gerow, C. H. Baisan, C.D. Allen, T.W. Swetnam
Carbon sequestration along a gradient of tidal marsh degradation in response to sea level rise Carbon sequestration along a gradient of tidal marsh degradation in response to sea level rise
Tidal marshes are considered one of the world's most efficient ecosystems for belowground organic carbon sequestration and hence climate mitigation. Marsh systems are however also vulnerable to degradation due to climate-induced sea level rise, whereby marsh vegetation conversion to open water often follows distinct spatial patterns: levees (i.e. marsh zones 30 m from creeks). Here, we...
Authors
Mona Huyzentruyt, Maarten Wens, Gregory S. Fivash, David Walters, Steven Bouillon, Joel A. Carr, Glenn R. Guntenspergen, Matt L. Kirwan, Stijn Temmerman
Millennial-scale climatic and cultural impacts on vegetation and fire at the southern edge of the Rocky Mountains, USA Millennial-scale climatic and cultural impacts on vegetation and fire at the southern edge of the Rocky Mountains, USA
Mountain forests and woodlands in semiarid regions of the world are threatened by climatic change and other human impacts. In the southwestern USA, climate and culturally driven changes to the structure and fire regimes of dry coniferous forests over recent centuries are well documented by tree-ring archives. However, the roles of climate and people as drivers of millennial-scale changes...
Authors
Paul D. Henne, Susann Stolze, Natalie M. Kehrwald, Rebecca Lynn Brice, Craig D. Allen