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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: 3111

Utility of aeromagnetic studies for mapping of potentially active faults in two forearc basins: Puget Sound, Washington, and Cook Inlet, Alaska Utility of aeromagnetic studies for mapping of potentially active faults in two forearc basins: Puget Sound, Washington, and Cook Inlet, Alaska

High-resolution aeromagnetic surveys over forearc basins can detect faults and folds in weakly magnetized sediments, thus providing geologic constraints on tectonic evolution and improved understanding of seismic hazards in convergent-margin settings. Puget Sound, Washington, and Cook Inlet, Alaska, provide two case histories. In each lowland region, shallow-source magnetic anomalies are...
Authors
Richard W. Saltus, Richard J. Blakely, Peter J. Haeussler, Ray E. Wells

Comparative phytosociological investigation of subalpine alder thickets in southwestern Alaska and the North Pacific Comparative phytosociological investigation of subalpine alder thickets in southwestern Alaska and the North Pacific

We present the first vegetation analysis of subalpine alder (Alnus viridis) thickets in southwestern Alaska. The data are primarily from mesic, hilly and mountainous sites ranging from the westernmost tip of the Alaska Peninsula to the northern Kenai Peninsula, spanning 1,000 km on an E–W gradient and 700 km on a N–S gradient. 127 relevés from 18 sites represent the range of structural...
Authors
Stephen S. Talbot, Sandra L. Talbot, F. J. A. Daniels

The bear that never was The bear that never was

From campfire stories to sensational books detailing gory attacks, Alaska's bears have long been maligned as deadly marauders capable of acquiring a taste for human flesh. Tall tales make for good storytelling but force bad reputations on the bears. When myth is compared to fact, the three North American's leading bear experts show that Alaska's three bear species are not the huge...
Authors
T. S. Smith, Steven C. Amstrup, Stephen Herrero

Do wintering Harlequin Ducks forage nocturnally at high latitudes? Do wintering Harlequin Ducks forage nocturnally at high latitudes?

We monitored radio-tagged Harlequin Ducks (Histrionicus histrionicus) to determine whether nocturnal feeding was part of their foraging strategy during winter in south-central Alaska. Despite attributes of our study site (low ambient temperatures, harsh weather, short day length) and study species (small body size, high daytime foraging rates) that would be expected to favor nocturnal...
Authors
Daniel Rizzolo, Daniel Esler, Daniel D. Roby, Robert L. Jarvis

Population genetic structure of annual and perennial populations of Zostera marina L. along the Pacific coast of Baja California and the Gulf of California Population genetic structure of annual and perennial populations of Zostera marina L. along the Pacific coast of Baja California and the Gulf of California

The Baja California peninsula represents a biogeographical boundary contributing to regional differentiation among populations of marine animals. We investigated the genetic characteristics of perennial and annual populations of the marine angiosperm, Zostera marina, along the Pacific coast of Baja California and in the Gulf of California, respectively. Populations of Z. marina from five...
Authors
Raquel Muñiz-Salazar, Sandra L. Talbot, George K. Sage, David H. Ward, Alejandro Cabello-Pasini

Geographic variation in survival and migratory tendency among North American Common Mergansers Geographic variation in survival and migratory tendency among North American Common Mergansers

Movement ecology and demographic parameters for the Common Merganser (Mergus merganser americanus) in North America are poorly known. We used band-recovery data from five locations across North America spanning the years 1938–1998 to examine migratory patterns and estimate survival rates. We examined competing time-invariant, age-graduated models with program MARK to study sources of...
Authors
John M. Pearce, John A. Reed, Paul L. Flint

A signal for independent coastal and continental histories among North American wolves A signal for independent coastal and continental histories among North American wolves

Relatively little genetic variation has been uncovered in surveys across North American wolf populations. Pacific Northwest coastal wolves, in particular, have never been analysed. With an emphasis on coastal Alaska wolf populations, variation at 11 microsatellite loci was assessed. Coastal wolf populations were distinctive from continental wolves and high levels of diversity were found...
Authors
Byron V. Weckworth, Sandra L. Talbot, George K. Sage, David K. Person, Joseph Cook

Oceanographic conditions structure forage fishes into lipid-rich and lipid-poor communities in lower Cook Inlet, Alaska, USA Oceanographic conditions structure forage fishes into lipid-rich and lipid-poor communities in lower Cook Inlet, Alaska, USA

Forage fishes were sampled with a mid-water trawl in lower Cook Inlet, Alaska, USA, from late July to early August 1996 to 1999. We sampled 3 oceanographically distinct areas of lower Cook Inlet: waters adjacent to Chisik Island, in Kachemak Bay, and near the Barren Islands. In 163 tows using a mid-water trawl, 229 437 fishes with fork length 200 mm were captured. More than 39 species...
Authors
Alisa A. Abookire, John F. Piatt

From the field: Brown bear habituation to people — Safety, risks, and benefits From the field: Brown bear habituation to people — Safety, risks, and benefits

Recently, brown bear (Ursus arctos) viewing has increased in coastal Alaska and British Columbia, as well as in interior areas such as Yellowstone National Park. Viewing is most often being done under conditions that offer acceptable safety to both people and bears. We analyze and comment on the underlying processes that lead brown bears to tolerate people at close range. Although...
Authors
Stephen Herrero, Tom Smith, Terry D. DeBruyn, Kerry Gunther, Colleen A. Matt

Verification of sex from harvested sea otters using DNA testing Verification of sex from harvested sea otters using DNA testing

We used molecular genetic methods to determine the sex of 138 sea otters (Enhydra lutris) harvested from 3 regions of Alaska from 1994 to 1997, to assess the accuracy of post‐harvest field‐sexing. We also tested each of a series of factors associated with errors in field‐sexing of sea otters, including male or female bias, age‐class bias, regional bias, and bias associated with hunt
Authors
Kim T. Scribner, Ben A. Green, Carol Gorbics, James L. Bodkin

Allocating harvests among polar bear stocks in the Beaufort Sea Allocating harvests among polar bear stocks in the Beaufort Sea

Recognition that polar bears are shared by hunters in Canada and Alaska prompted development of the “Polar Bear Management Agreement for the Southern Beaufort Sea.” Under this Agreement, the harvest of polar bears from the southern Beaufort Sea (SBS) is shared between Inupiat hunters of Alaska and Inuvialuit hunters of Canada. Quotas for each jurisdiction are to be reviewed annually in...
Authors
Steven C. Amstrup, George M. Durner, I. Stirling, T. L. McDonald
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