Ecosystems We Research
USGS conducts research on public lands to deliver information used by resource managers to maximize and sustain economic and social benefits from natural resources to the American public.
Alaska Bioregions and Arctic
Changing Arctic Ecosystems Initiative
Terrestrial Alaska supports species such muskoxen whose population dynamics, predator/prey relationships and habitat ecology are researched by USGS scientists. Alaska is also bounded by 3 oceans and has a strong marine connection. USGS scientists conduct research that informs the management and conservation ecosystems that supports species such as sea ducks, seabirds, walrus, and polar bears.
Coastal and Offshore Ecosystems
Estuaries, Corals, Marshes, Freshwater Forests, Outer Continental Shelf
Coastal ecosystems vary with the combination of terrestrial and marine systems that come together along approximately 152,888 km of U.S. shoreline from Alaska to the US Virgin Islands. They function as nurseries for many commercial fish species, and provide a wide range of recreation opportunities for coastal communities..
USGS ecologists may travel thousands of miles offshore to explore below the ocean’s surface. Above the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf, scientists conduct studies to inform to inform sand leases and ship traffic. In the Deep Sea, 200 m below the ocean surface, USGS scientists are making discoveries among the canyons, abyssal plains, seeps, and vents to inform activities such as mining for critical minerals.
Deserts
There are four deserts in the United States. Three “hot deserts” receive precipitation in the summer months (Mojave, Sonoran, Chihuahuan) and one “cold desert” which receives precipitation in the winter (Great Basin). Despite appearing sparse, deserts are part of the Pacific Flyway and support migrating waterfowl and songbirds, and support a a variety of other fish and wildlife species. Recent elevated temperatures and prolonged droughts in many already water-limited desert regions are increasing challenges land managers are facing in the desert landscapes. In deserts, these changes can produce impacts lasting more than 100 years. In addition to conducting research to facilitate desert restoration, USGS science is informing the management of the deserts’ most limited resource: water.
Freshwater Systems
Ranging from Springtime temporary pools to the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River, freshwater systems play many important roles in the environment. USGS scientists conduct research on these roles and how they may be and are being impacted by climate change, contaminants, harmful algal blooms and an increased demand for water. Decisions about water use and storage will affect the distribution and persistence of several imperiled taxa.
Grasslands
Great Plains and Prairie Potholes
America’s grasslands support almost half of America’s breeding waterfowl, millions of songbirds refueling during migration, and historically, millions of bison, pronghorn, and elk. Since European settlement, approximately half of all grasslands have been converted to cultivated cropland and other uses. USGS scientists conduct research to support the restoration of the floristic composition and hydrology of the grasslands while simultaneously managing for the persistence of native biodiversity and evaluating management impacts on the ability of grasslands to store Carbon.
Forests
Forests compose approximately 500 million acres of private, state and tribal land in the U.S. and are a productive resource for recreation, industry, and fish and wildlife habitat. Effective management of forests is a vital component to the economies of many rural communities across the nation. However, forest disturbances, particularly drought-induced tree mortality and large high-severity fires from increasingly warm and dry conditions, are altering forest ecosystems and the services society depends on. USGS scientists are working with managers to provide information and tools needed to manage forest ecosystems and maintain their societal and ecosystem value.
Mountains
Mountain ecosystems are highly sensitive to climate change, and USGS is conducting montane research across the West to help resource managers plan now for the future. Coordination with scientists around the world has led to mountain research networks to expand our understanding of how these ecosystems respond to climate change.
Social and Economic Analyses
USGS economists and social scientists conduct economic and social science research in the context of natural resource management to deliver information used by resource managers to maximize and sustain economic and social benefits from natural resources to the American public.