Publications
Listed here are publications, reports and articles by the Land Change Science Program in the USGS Ecosystems Mission Area.
Filter Total Items: 1145
Radiocarbon dating of terrestrial carbonates Radiocarbon dating of terrestrial carbonates
Terrestrial carbonates encompass a wide range of materials that potentially could be used for radiocarbon (14C) dating. Biogenic carbonates, including shells and tests of terrestrial and aquatic gastropods, bivalves, ostracodes, and foraminifera, are preserved in a variety of late Quaternary deposits and may be suitable for 14C dating. Primary calcareous deposits (marls, tufa...
Authors
Jeffrey S. Pigati
Coupled hydrological and biogeochemical processes controlling variability of nitrogen species in streamflow during autumn in an upland forest Coupled hydrological and biogeochemical processes controlling variability of nitrogen species in streamflow during autumn in an upland forest
Autumn is a season of dynamic change in forest streams of the northeastern United States due to effects of leaf fall on both hydrology and biogeochemistry. Few studies have explored how interactions of biogeochemical transformations, various nitrogen sources, and catchment flow paths affect stream nitrogen variation during autumn. To provide more information on this critical period, we...
Authors
Stephen D. Sebestyen, James B. Shanley, Elizabeth W. Boyer, Carol Kendall, Daniel H. Doctor
Disturbance to desert soil ecosystems contributes to dust-mediated impacts at regional scales Disturbance to desert soil ecosystems contributes to dust-mediated impacts at regional scales
This review considers the regional scale of impacts arising from disturbance to desert soil ecosystems. Deserts occupy over one-third of the Earth’s terrestrial surface, and biological soil covers are critical to stabilization of desert soils. Disturbance to these can contribute to massive destabilization and mobilization of dust. This results in dust storms that are transported across...
Authors
Stephen B. Pointing, Jayne Belnap
Climate Change 2014: Technical Summary Climate Change 2014: Technical Summary
Human interference with the climate system is occurring (WGI AR5 SPM Section D.3; WGI AR5 Sections 2.2, 6.3, 10.3 to 10.6, 10.9). Climate change poses risks for human and natural systems. The assessment of impacts, adaptation, and vulnerability in the Working Group II contribution to the IPCC’s Fifth Assessment Report (WGII AR5) evaluates how patterns of risks and potential benefits are...
Authors
Chrisopher B. Field, Vicente Barros, Katherine Mach, Michael Mastrandrea, Maarten van Aalst, Niel Adger, Douglas J Arent, Jonathan Barnett, Richard Betts, Eren Bilir, Joern Birkmann, Joann Carmin, Dave Chadee, Andrew Challinor, Monalisa Chaterjee, Wolfgang Cramer, Debra Davidson, Yuka Estrada, Jean-Pierre Gatusso, Yasuakai Hijioka, Gary Yohe, Margaret Hiza, Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, He-Qing Huang, Gregory Insarov, Roger Jones, Sari Kovats, Patricia Romero Lankao, Joan Nymand Larsen, Inigo Losada, Jose Marengo, Roger McLean, Linda Mearns, Reinhard Mechler, John Morton, Isabelle Niang, Taikan Oki, Jane Mukarugwiza Olwoch, Maggie Opondo, Elvira Poloczanska, Hans #NAME? Portner, Andy Reisinger, Aromar Revi, Daniela Schmidt, Rebecca Shaw, William Solecki, Daithi Stone, John Stone, Ken Strzepek, Avelino G. Suarez, Petra Tschakert, Riccardo Valentini, Sebastian Vicuna, Alicia Villamizar, Katharine Vincent, Rachel Warren, Leslie White, Thomas Wilbanks, Poh Poh Wong
Social-ecological resilience and law in the Platte River Basin Social-ecological resilience and law in the Platte River Basin
Efficiency and resistance to rapid change are hallmarks of both the judicial and legislative branches of the United States government. These defining characteristics, while bringing stability and predictability, pose challenges when it comes to managing dynamic natural systems. As our understanding of ecosystems improves, we must devise ways to account for the non-linearities and...
Authors
Hannah E. Birge, Craig R. Allen, Robin Craig, Ahjond S. Garmestani, Joseph A. Hamm, Christina Babbitt, Kristine T. Nemec, Edella Schlager
Landscape consequences of natural gas extraction in Sullivan and Wyoming Counties, Pennsylvania, 2004–2010 Landscape consequences of natural gas extraction in Sullivan and Wyoming Counties, Pennsylvania, 2004–2010
Increased demands for cleaner burning energy, coupled with the relatively recent technological advances in accessing unconventional hydrocarbon-rich geologic formations, have led to an intense effort to find and extract natural gas from various underground sources around the country. One of these sources, the Marcellus Shale, located in the Allegheny Plateau, is currently undergoing...
Authors
Terry E. Slonecker, Lesley E. Milheim, Coral M. Roig-Silva, Alexander R. Malizia
Landscape consequences of natural gas extraction in Armstrong and Indiana Counties, Pennsylvania, 2004–2010 Landscape consequences of natural gas extraction in Armstrong and Indiana Counties, Pennsylvania, 2004–2010
Increased demands for cleaner burning energy, coupled with the relatively recent technological advances in accessing unconventional hydrocarbon-rich geologic formations, have led to an intense effort to find and extract natural gas from various underground sources around the country. One of these sources, the Marcellus Shale, located in the Allegheny Plateau, is currently undergoing...
Authors
Terry E. Slonecker, Lesley E. Milheim, Coral M. Roig-Silva, Alexander R. Malizia
Modeling effects of climate change on Yakima River salmonid habitats Modeling effects of climate change on Yakima River salmonid habitats
We evaluated the potential effects of two climate change scenarios on salmonid habitats in the Yakima River by linking the outputs from a watershed model, a river operations model, a two-dimensional (2D) hydrodynamic model, and a geographic information system (GIS). The watershed model produced a discharge time series (hydrograph) in two study reaches under three climate scenarios: a...
Authors
James R. Hatten, Thomas R. Batt, Patrick J. Connolly, Alec G. Maule
Seasonal flux and assemblage composition of planktic foraminifera from the northern Gulf of Mexico, 2008-2012 Seasonal flux and assemblage composition of planktic foraminifera from the northern Gulf of Mexico, 2008-2012
The U.S. Geological Survey anchored a sediment trap in the northern Gulf of Mexico beginning in 2008 to collect seasonal time-series data on the flux and assemblage composition of live planktic foraminifers. This report provides an update of the previous time-series data to include results from 2012. Ten species, or varieties, constituted ~92 percent of the 2012 assemblage...
Authors
Caitlin E. Reynolds, Julie N. Richey, Richard Z. Poore
Landscape consequences of natural gas extraction in Lackawanna and Wayne Counties, Pennsylvania, 2004-2010 Landscape consequences of natural gas extraction in Lackawanna and Wayne Counties, Pennsylvania, 2004-2010
Increased demands for cleaner burning energy, coupled with the relatively recent technological advances in accessing unconventional hydrocarbon-rich geologic formations, have led to an intense effort to find and extract natural gas from various underground sources around the country. One of these sources, the Marcellus Shale, located in the Allegheny Plateau, is currently undergoing...
Authors
L.E. Milheim, E.T. Slonecker, C.M. Roig-Silva, A.R. Malizia
Landscape consequences of natural gas extraction in Beaver and Butler Counties, Pennsylvania, 2004-2010 Landscape consequences of natural gas extraction in Beaver and Butler Counties, Pennsylvania, 2004-2010
Increased demands for cleaner burning energy, coupled with the relatively recent technological advances in accessing unconventional hydrocarbon-rich geologic formations, have led to an intense effort to find and extract natural gas from various underground sources around the country. One of these sources, the Marcellus Shale, located in the Allegheny Plateau, is currently undergoing...
Authors
Coral M. Roig-Silva, E. Terry Slonecker, Lesley E. Milheim, Alexander R. Malizia