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: 3082
Methods to assess natural and anthropogenic thaw lake drainage on the western Arctic coastal plain of northern Alaska Methods to assess natural and anthropogenic thaw lake drainage on the western Arctic coastal plain of northern Alaska
Thousands of lakes are found on the Arctic Coastal Plain of northern Alaska and northwestern Canada. Developed atop continuous permafrost, these thaw lakes and associated drained thaw lake basins are the dominant landscape elements and together cover 46% of the 34,570 km2western Arctic Coastal Plain (WACP). Lakes drain by a variety of episodic processes, including coastal erosion, stream
Authors
Kenneth M. Hinkel, Benjamin M. Jones, Wendy R. Eisner, Chris J. Cuomo, R.A. Beck, R. Frohn
Food availability affects the maternal transfer of androgens and antibodies into eggs of a colonial seabird Food availability affects the maternal transfer of androgens and antibodies into eggs of a colonial seabird
Mothers can improve the quality of their offspring by increasing the level of certain components in their eggs. To examine whether or not mothers increase deposition of such components in eggs as a function of food availability, we food‐supplemented black‐legged kittiwake females (Rissa tridactyla) before and during egg laying and compared deposition of androgens and antibodies into eggs...
Authors
J. Gasparini, T. Boulinier, V.A. Gill, D. Gil, Scott A. Hatch, A. Roulin
Weirs: Counting and sampling adult salmonids in streams and rivers Weirs: Counting and sampling adult salmonids in streams and rivers
Weirs—which function as porous barriers built across stream—have long been used to capture migrating fish in flowing waters. For example, the Netsilik peoples of northern Canada used V-shaped weirs constructed of river rocks gathered onsite to capture migrating Arctic char Salvelinus alpinus (Balikci 1970). Similarly, fences constructed of stakes and a latticework of willow branches or...
Authors
Christian E. Zimmerman, Laura M. Zabkar
Population ecology of seabirds in Cook Inlet: Chapter 8 Population ecology of seabirds in Cook Inlet: Chapter 8
[No abstract available]
Authors
John F. Piatt, Ann Harding
Holocene slip rate for the western segment of the Castle Mountain fault, Alaska Holocene slip rate for the western segment of the Castle Mountain fault, Alaska
The western segment of the Castle Mountain fault poses a significant seismic hazard to the most populated region of south-central Alaska. We identify a previously unrecognized margin of a postglacial outwash channel that is offset right laterally 36 ± 4 m across the western segment of the Castle Mountain fault. This offset occurred after glaciers withdrew from the lowland 11,300–15,380...
Authors
J.B. Willis, Peter J. Haeussler, R.L. Bruhn, G.C. Willis
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon exposure in Steller's eiders (Polysticta stelleri) and harlequin ducks (Histronicus histronicus) in the Eastern Aleutian Islands, Alaska, USA Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon exposure in Steller's eiders (Polysticta stelleri) and harlequin ducks (Histronicus histronicus) in the Eastern Aleutian Islands, Alaska, USA
Seaducks may be affected by harmful levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) at seaports near the Arctic. As an indicator of exposure to PAHs, we measured hepatic enzyme 7-ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase activity (EROD) to determine cytochrome P4501A induction in Steller's eiders (Polysticta stelleri) and Harlequin ducks (Histronicus histronicus) from Unalaska, Popof, and Unga...
Authors
A.K. Miles, Paul L. Flint, K.A. Trust, M.A. Ricca, S.E. Spring, D.E. Arrieta, T. Hollmen, B.W. Wilson
Ovarian follicle dynamics of female Greater Scaup during egg production Ovarian follicle dynamics of female Greater Scaup during egg production
Studies of female waterfowl nutrient reserve use during egg production require a precise understanding of ovarian follicle dynamics to correctly interpret breeding status, and, therefore, derive proper inference. Concerns over numerical declines of North American scaup have increased the need to better understand the role of female condition in reproductive performance. We quantified...
Authors
Kristen B. Gorman, Paul L. Flint, Daniel Esler, T.D. Williams
Strategies for survival: Marine mammals Strategies for survival: Marine mammals
No abstract available.
Authors
Sara J. Iverson, Alan M. Springer, James L. Bodkin
Variation in winter diet of southern Beaufort Sea polar bears inferred from stable isotope analysis Variation in winter diet of southern Beaufort Sea polar bears inferred from stable isotope analysis
Ringed seals (Phoca hispida Schreber, 1775 = Pusa hispida (Schreber, 1775)) and bearded seals (Erignathus barbatus (Erxleben, 1777)) represent the majority of the polar bear (Ursus maritimus Phipps, 1774) annual diet. However, remains of lower trophic level bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus L., 1758) are available in the southern Beaufort Sea and their dietary contribution to polar...
Authors
T.W. Bentzen, Erich H. Follmann, Steven C. Amstrup, G.S. York, M. J. Wooller, T. M. O'Hara
Source mechanics for monochromatic icequakes produced during iceberg calving at Columbia Glacier, AK Source mechanics for monochromatic icequakes produced during iceberg calving at Columbia Glacier, AK
Seismograms recorded during iceberg calving contain information pertaining to source processes during calving events. However, locally variable material properties may cause signal distortions, known as site and path effects, which must be eliminated prior to commenting on source mechanics. We applied the technique of horizontal/vertical spectral ratios to passive seismic data collected...
Authors
Shad O’Neel, W.T. Pfeffer
Signatures of mountain building: Detrital zircon U/Pb ages from northeast Tibet Signatures of mountain building: Detrital zircon U/Pb ages from northeast Tibet
Although detrital zircon has proven to be a powerful tool for determining provenance, past work has focused primarily on delimiting regional source terranes. Here we explore the limits of spatial resolution and stratigraphic sensitivity of detrital zircon in ascertaining provenance, and we demonstrate its ability to detect source changes for terranes separated by only a few tens of...
Authors
Richard O. Lease, Douglas W. Burbank, George E. Gehrels, Zhicai Wang, Daoyang Yuan
Retrospective analysis of AYK Chinook salmon growth Retrospective analysis of AYK Chinook salmon growth
Harvests of Yukon and Kuskokwim Chinook salmon declined significantly during 1998- 2002 in response to fewer returning salmon. Factors affecting the decline in Chinook salmon abundance are largely unknown. Growth of salmon in freshwater and the ocean is generally thought to influence salmon survival, therefore we examined historical Chinook salmon catch trends and developed growth...
Authors
Gregory T. Ruggerone, Jennifer L. Nielsen, B.A. Agler