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Publications

USGS research activities relevant to Alaska have yielded more than 9400 historical publications. This page features some of the most recent newsworthy research findings.

Filter Total Items: 3079

Bioclimatic modeling of potential vegetation types as an alternative to species distribution models for projecting plant species shifts under changing climates Bioclimatic modeling of potential vegetation types as an alternative to species distribution models for projecting plant species shifts under changing climates

Land managers need new tools for planning novel futures due to climate change. Species distribution modeling (SDM) has been used extensively to predict future distributions of species under different climates, but their map products are often too coarse for fine-scale operational use. In this study we developed a flexible, efficient, and robust method for mapping current and future...
Authors
Robert Keane, Lisa M. Holsinger, Rachel A. Loehman

Hydrology and geomorphology of the Taiya River near the West Creek Tributary, southeast Alaska Hydrology and geomorphology of the Taiya River near the West Creek Tributary, southeast Alaska

The Taiya River flows through the Chilkoot Trail Unit of Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park in southeast Alaska, which was founded to preserve cultural and historical resources and further understanding of natural processes active in the surrounding coastal-to-subarctic basin. Riverine processes exert an important influence on ecologically important boreal toad (Anaxryus boreas...
Authors
Janet H. Curran

f. Glaciers and ice caps outside Greenland f. Glaciers and ice caps outside Greenland

No abstract available.
Authors
Gabe Wolken, M. Sharp, L. M. Andreassen, Emily Baker, B. Wouters, D. Burgess, B. Luks, J. Kohler, Shad O’Neel

A synthesis of ten years of chemical contaminant monitoring data in National Park Service - Southeast and southwest Alaska networks A synthesis of ten years of chemical contaminant monitoring data in National Park Service - Southeast and southwest Alaska networks

With the exception of PAHs and trace metals, which were detected at 100% of the sites, all of the other contaminants were detected at varying frequencies. PBBs, Mirex and Endosulfans were not detected in any of the samples and Chlorpyrifos was only detected in five samples across four sites. Chlordanes were present at 79% of the sites while Butyltins were only detected at 20% of the...
Authors
Mary Rider, Dennis Apeti, Annie Jacob, Kimani L. Kimbrough, Erik Davenport, Michael R. Bower, Heather A Colletti, Daniel Esler

Radiocarbon dating of tsunami and storm deposits Radiocarbon dating of tsunami and storm deposits

Radiocarbon age determinations can be an expedient and accurate means to assign age to deposits of tsunami or storm origin. Essential to the process of incorporating radiocarbon age determinations in tsunami or coastal storm investigations is an awareness on the part of the investigator that a sample will always return an age from a laboratory, but only carefully selected samples inform...
Authors
Harvey M. Kelsey, Robert C. Witter

Lake trout growth is sensitive to spring temperature in southwest Alaska lakes Lake trout growth is sensitive to spring temperature in southwest Alaska lakes

In high‐latitude lakes, air temperature is an important driver of ice cover thickness and duration, which in turn influence water temperature and primary production supporting lake consumers and predators. In lieu of multidecadal observational records necessary to assess the response of lakes to long‐term warming, we used otolith‐based growth records from a long‐lived resident lake fish...
Authors
Vanessa R. von Biela, Bryan A. Black, Daniel B. Young, Peter van der Sleen, Krista K. Bartz, Christian E. Zimmerman

Ancient rivers and critical minerals in eastern Alaska Ancient rivers and critical minerals in eastern Alaska

No abstract available.
Authors
Adrian Bender, Richard O. Lease, James V. Jones, Douglas C. Kreiner

Citizen science collaboration with the U.S. Geological Survey in Alaska Citizen science collaboration with the U.S. Geological Survey in Alaska

Citizen science is science undertaken by the public, usually in collaboration with professional scientific institutions. It encourages citizens to tackle real-world scientific problems and augments traditional science by expanding the coverage of data collection and by reducing costs of fieldwork in remote locations. Information collected by volunteers enables us all to gain a deeper...
Authors
Elizabeth Powers, Dee Williams

DNA metabarcoding of feces to infer summer diet of Pacific walruses DNA metabarcoding of feces to infer summer diet of Pacific walruses

Environmental conditions in the Chukchi Sea are changing rapidly and may alter the abundance and distribution of marine species and their benthic prey. We used a metabarcoding approach to identify potentially important prey taxa from Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) fecal samples (n = 87). Bivalvia was the most dominant class of prey (66% of all normalized counts) and...
Authors
Sarah A. Sonsthagen, Chadwick V. Jay, Robert S. Cornman, Anthony S. Fischbach, Jacqueline M. Grebmeier, Sandra L. Talbot

Late Cenozoic climate change paces landscape adjustments to Yukon River capture Late Cenozoic climate change paces landscape adjustments to Yukon River capture

Late Cenozoic cooling and changes in glacial–interglacial cycle tempo are thought to increase global rates of erosion starting ~3 million years ago (Ma). Bedrock rivers set rates and patterns of erosion in most landscapes, but constraints on river response to late Cenozoic climate change remain elusive. Here, we determine cosmogenic isotope and luminescence ages of well-preserved bedrock...
Authors
Adrian Bender, Richard O. Lease, Lee B. Corbett, Paul R. Bierman, Marc Caffee, Tammy M. Rittenour

Wildfire-initiated talik development exceeds current thaw projections: Observations and models from Alaska's continuous permafrost zone Wildfire-initiated talik development exceeds current thaw projections: Observations and models from Alaska's continuous permafrost zone

As the Arctic warms and wildfire occurrence increases, talik formation in permafrost regions is projected to expand and affect the cycling of water and carbon. Yet, few unified field and modeling studies have examined this process in detail, particularly in areas of continuous permafrost. We address this gap by presenting multimethod, multiseasonal geophysical measurements of permafrost...
Authors
David M. Rey, Michelle A. Walvoord, Burke J. Minsley, Brian A. Ebel, Clifford I. Voss, Kamini Singha
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