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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: 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

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
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