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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

Survival of Common Eider Somateria mollissima adult females and ducklings during brood rearing Survival of Common Eider Somateria mollissima adult females and ducklings during brood rearing

We studied survival of adult female and duckling Common Eiders during brood rearing at two sties o the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska, in 1997. Duckling survival to 30 days of age was 19%±10% (95% CI). Seventy-three percent of radio-marked adult females had lost all their ducklings by 30 days after hatch. Duckling survival was not related to hatch date. We estimate an average of 0.84...
Authors
Paul L. Flint, Christine L. Moran, J.L. Schamber

Chlorinated hydrocarbon contaminants in polar bears from eastern Russia, North America, Greenland, and Svalbard: Biomonitoring of Arctic pollution Chlorinated hydrocarbon contaminants in polar bears from eastern Russia, North America, Greenland, and Svalbard: Biomonitoring of Arctic pollution

Adipose tissue samples from polar bears (Ursus maritimus) were obtained by necropsy or biopsy between the spring of 1989 to the spring of 1993 from Wrangel Island in Russia, most of the range of the bear in North America, eastern Greenland, and Svalbard. Samples were divided into 16 regions corresponding as much as possible to known stocks or management zones. Concentrations of dieldrin...
Authors
R. J. Norstrom, Stanislav Belikov, E.W. Born, G.W. Garner, B. Malone, S. Olpinski, M.A. Ramsay, S. Schliebe, I. Stirling, M.S. Sitshov, M.K. Taylor, Øystein Wiig

Paleozoic orogens in New England, USA Paleozoic orogens in New England, USA

Stratigraphy and isotope geochronology in the crystalline core of the Appalachians suggest revised interpretations of the extent, nature and timing of Paleozoic orogens in New England. Five major episodes of magmatism, deformation, and high-grade regional metamorphism are recognized: Taconian (455-442 Ma), Acadian (423-385 Ma), Neo-Acadian (366-350 Ma), Late Pennsylvanian (300-290 Ma)...
Authors
Peter Robinson, Robert D. Tucker, Dwight Bradley, H. N. Berry, P. H. Osberg

Electrocardiographic consequences of a peripatetic lifestyle in gray wolves (Canis lupus) Electrocardiographic consequences of a peripatetic lifestyle in gray wolves (Canis lupus)

Cardiac chamber enlargement and hypertrophy are normal physiologic responses to repetitive endurance exercise activity in human beings and domestic dogs. Whether similar changes occur in wild animals as a consequence of increased activity is unknown. We found that free-ranging gray wolves (Canis lupus, n=11), the archetypical endurance athlete, have electrocardiographic evidence of...
Authors
Peter Constable, Ken Hinchcliff, Nick Demma, Margaret Callahan, Bruce W. Dale, Kevin Fox, Layne G. Adams, Ray Wack, Lynn Kramer

Integrating ecosystem studies: A Bayesian comparison of hypotheses Integrating ecosystem studies: A Bayesian comparison of hypotheses

Ecosystem studies are difficult to interpret because of the complexity and number of pathways that may affect a phenomenon of interest. It is not possible to study all aspects of a problem; thus subjective judgment is required to weigh what has been observed in the context of components that were not studied but may have been important. This subjective judgment is usually a poorly...
Authors
Milo D. Adkison, Brenda E. Ballachey, James L. Bodkin, Leslie E. Holland-Bartels

Effect of implanted satellite transmitters on the nesting behavior of Murres Effect of implanted satellite transmitters on the nesting behavior of Murres

We implanted 6 Common Murres (Uria aalge) and 10 Thick-billed Murres (Uria lomvia) with satellite transmitters and compared subsequent presence at the colony, nesting status, and provisioning to a control group that underwent a simple surgical procedure. In the 10 days following implantation, we resighted 10 of 11 control birds at the colony and 6 of 16 implanted birds. Of the birds that...
Authors
P.M. Meyers, Scott A. Hatch, D.M. Mulcahy

Reproductive performance of female Alaskan caribou Reproductive performance of female Alaskan caribou

We examined the reproductive performance of female caribou (Rangifer tarandus granti) in relation to age, physical condition, and reproductive experience for 9 consecutive years (1987-95) at Denali National Park, Alaska, during a period of wide variation in winter snowfall. Caribou in Denali differed from other cervid populations where reproductive performance has been investigated...
Authors
Layne G. Adams, Bruce W. Dale

Polar bears of the Severnaya Zemlya Archipelago of the Russian Arctic Polar bears of the Severnaya Zemlya Archipelago of the Russian Arctic

No abstract available.
Authors
Stanislav Belikov, G.W. Garner, O. Wiig, Andrei N. Boltunov, Y.A. Gorbunov

Evaluation of radio-tracking and strip transect methods for determining foraging ranges of Black-Legged Kittiwakes Evaluation of radio-tracking and strip transect methods for determining foraging ranges of Black-Legged Kittiwakes

We compared strip transect and radio-tracking methods of determining foraging range of Black-legged Kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla). The mean distance birds were observed from their colony determined by radio-tracking was significantly greater than the mean value calculated from strip transects. We determined that this difference was due to two sources of bias: (1) as distance from the...
Authors
William D. Ostrand, G.S. Drew, R.M. Suryan, L.L. McDonald

Responses of brown bears to human activities at O'Malley River, Kodiak Island, Alaska Responses of brown bears to human activities at O'Malley River, Kodiak Island, Alaska

We classified levels of direct response of brown bears (Ursus arctos middendorffi) to aircraft, watercraft, and groups of people on the O'Malley River area of Kodiak Island, Alaska. General public use occurred on the area in 1991 and 1993, whereas structured bear viewing programs used the area in 1992 and 1994. Brown bears displayed high (running) or moderate (walking away) response on...
Authors
Gregory A. Wilker, Victor G. Barnes
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