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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: 3107

Surgical and immediate postrelease mortality of harlequin ducks (Histrionicus histrionicus) implanted with abdominal radio transmitters with percutaneous antennae Surgical and immediate postrelease mortality of harlequin ducks (Histrionicus histrionicus) implanted with abdominal radio transmitters with percutaneous antennae

Radiotelemetry is an essential tool in the study of free-ranging bird populations, and a variety of transmitter-attachment methods have been developed. A promising new method is abdominal implantation of a transmitter with a percutaneous antenna. Researchers using this technique should be concerned about and aware of mortality during surgery and during the immediate postrelease period...
Authors
Daniel M. Mulcahy, Daniel Esler

Spatial distribution of chemical constituents in the Kuskokwim River, Alaska Spatial distribution of chemical constituents in the Kuskokwim River, Alaska

The effects of lithologic changes on the water quality of the Kuskokwim River, Alaska, were evaluated by the U.S. Geological Survey in June 1997. Water, suspended sediments, and bed sediments were sampled from the Kusko-kwim River and from three tributaries, the Holitna River, Red Devil Creek, and Crooked Creek. Dissolved boron, chromium, copper, manganese, zinc, aluminum, lithium...
Authors
Bronwen Wang

Working group on future trends Working group on future trends

This working group did not divide into subgroups, and its report consists of a unified document in a format somewhat different than those of the other working groups. The group considered four major topics: (1) projected "new" contaminants of future concern; (2) future trends with contaminants currently known to be issues for marine mammals; (3) future needs to improve and insure...
Authors

Implications of climate change for Alaska's seabirds Implications of climate change for Alaska's seabirds

Seabirds are prominent and highly visible components of marine ecosystems that will be affected by global climate change. The Bering Sea region is particularly important to seabirds; populations there are larger and more diverse than in any similar region in North America—over 90% of seabirds breeding in the continental United States are found in this region. Seabirds, so named because...
Authors
Rosa Meehan, G. Vernon Byrd, George J. Divoky, John F. Piatt

Microsatellite analyses of Alameda Creek Rainbow/Steelhead trout Microsatellite analyses of Alameda Creek Rainbow/Steelhead trout

Microsatellite genetic diversity found in Alameda Creek rainbow trout support a close genetic relationship with coastal trout found in Lagunitas Creek, Marin County, California. No significant genotypic or allelic frequencies associations could be drawn among Alameda Creek trout and fish collected from the four primary rainbow trout hatchery strains in use in California, Whitney, Mount...
Authors
Jennifer L. Nielsen, Monique C. Fountain

Setting the stage for a sustainable Pacific salmon fisheries strategy Setting the stage for a sustainable Pacific salmon fisheries strategy

Salmon and steelhead Oncorhynchus spp., have been keystone species for ecosystems and human cultures of the North American Pacific coast for cons. Yet, in the past century, many populations have been greatly diminished and some are now extinct-the result of a combination of factors, including habitat loss and degradation, overfishing, natural variability in salmon production, negative...
Authors
Donald D. MacDonald, Cleveland R. Steward, E. Eric Knudsen

Hydrology, geomorphology, and flood profiles of the Mendenhall River, Juneau, Alaska Hydrology, geomorphology, and flood profiles of the Mendenhall River, Juneau, Alaska

Water-surface-profile elevations for the 2-, 20-, 25-, 50-, and 100-year floods were computed for the Mendenhall River near Juneau, Alaska, using the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Hydrologic Engineering Center River Analysis System model. The peak discharges for the selected recurrence intervals were determined using the standard log-Pearson type III method. Channel cross sections were...
Authors
Edward G. Neal, Randy H. Host

Incubation behavior of Spectacled Eiders on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska Incubation behavior of Spectacled Eiders on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska

We studied incubation behavior of Spectacled Eiders (Somateria fischeri) on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta in 1996. We trapped 19 females on their nests and weighed them in early incubation and again at hatch. Average daily weight loss for incubating females was 16.6 ± 1.0 g day-1, which resulted in a cumulative loss of 26% of body weight throughout incubation. Nest attendance was monitored...
Authors
Paul L. Flint, J.B. Grand

Alaska resource data file: McGrath quadrangle Alaska resource data file: McGrath quadrangle

The unnamed occurrence was investigated by the reporter in 1978 during a 1:63,360 scale geologic mapping effort for the Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys in the McGrath quadrangle (Bundtzen and Laird, 1983). Two grab samples from the mineralized zone contained up to 222 ppm copper, 0.6 grams/tonne silver, and 100 ppm lead.
Authors
Thomas K. Bundtzen

The needs of salmon and steelhead in balancing their conservation and use The needs of salmon and steelhead in balancing their conservation and use

Over the past 100 years, Pacific salmon Oncorhynchus spp. and steelhead trout O. mykiss populations in the Pacific Northwest have experienced dramatic declines as a result of human population growth and associated development of the region's natural resources. Any strategy to reverse those declines will depend on achieving consensus among a diverse group of stakeholders willing to (1)...
Authors
Carl V. Burger
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