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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: 3104

The distribution of seabirds and fish in relation to ocean currents in the southeastern Chukchi Sea The distribution of seabirds and fish in relation to ocean currents in the southeastern Chukchi Sea

In late August 1988, we studied the distribution of seabirds in the southeastern Chukchi Sea, particularly in waters near a major seabird colony at Cape Thompson. Foraging areas were characterized using hydrographic data obtained from hydroacoustic surveys for fish. Murres (Uria spp.) and Black-legged Kitttiwakes Rissa tridactyla breeding at Cape Thompson fed mostly on Arctic cod, which...
Authors
John F. Piatt, John L. Wells, Andrea MacCharles, Brian S. Fadely

The velocity field along the San Andreas Fault in central and southern California The velocity field along the San Andreas Fault in central and southern California

The velocity field within a 100‐km‐broad zone centered on the San Andreas fault between the Mexican border and San Francisco Bay has been inferred from repeated surveys of trilateration networks in the 1973–1989 interval. The velocity field has the appearance of a shear flow that remains parallel to the local strike of the fault even through such major deflections as the big bend of the...
Authors
Michael Lisowski, James C. Savage, W.H. Prescott

Mitochondrial-DNA phylogeny of deer (Cervidae) Mitochondrial-DNA phylogeny of deer (Cervidae)

Mitochondrial-DNA restriction-site maps were constructed for several cervid taxa in the subfamilies Cervinae and Odocoileinae. Parsimony analyses of restriction sites and pair-wise analyses of genetic distances resulted in dendrograms congruent with the subfamily designations. Relationships within the Odocoileinae determined from genetic distances generally were concordant with those for...
Authors
M. A. Cronin

Mitochondrial and nuclear genetic relationships of deer (Odocoileus spp.) in western North America Mitochondrial and nuclear genetic relationships of deer (Odocoileus spp.) in western North America

Odocoileus hemionus (mule deer and black-tailed deer) and Odocoileus virginanus (white-tailed deer) are sympatric in western North America and are characterized by distinct morphology, behavior, and allozyme allele frequencies. However, there is discordance among nuclear and mitochondrial genetic relationships, as mule deer (O. h. hemionus) and white-tailed deer have similar...
Authors
Matthew A. Cronin

Seasonal abundance and vertical distribution of capelin (Mallotus villosus) in relation to water temperature at a coastal site off eastern Newfoundland Seasonal abundance and vertical distribution of capelin (Mallotus villosus) in relation to water temperature at a coastal site off eastern Newfoundland

The seasonal abundance and vertical distribution of capelin in relation to water temperature have been investigated by conducting repeated hydroacoustic surveys at a coastal site off eastern Newfoundland. Water temperatures were warmer in 1983 than in 1984 as indicated by the earlier appearance and greater depth of the seasonal thermocline. Correspondingly, schools of capelin appeared...
Authors
David A. Methven, John F. Piatt

How do foraging seabirds sample their environment? How do foraging seabirds sample their environment?

No abstract available.
Authors
G.L. Hunt, John F. Piatt, Kjell Einar Erikstad

Observations on habitat use, breeding chronology and parental care in Bristle-thighed Curlews on the Seward Peninsula, Alaska Observations on habitat use, breeding chronology and parental care in Bristle-thighed Curlews on the Seward Peninsula, Alaska

Results from an intensive survey in 1989 of one of the two known breeding localities of Bristle-thighed Curlews Numenius tahitiensis are reported. During the pre-nesting period birds confined most of their activity to two vegetation communities: shrub meadow tundra and low shrub/tussock tundra. During nesting more than half the Curlews seen were observed on shrub meadow tundra, whilst...
Authors
Robert E. Gill, Richard B. Lanctot, J.D. Mason, Colleen M. Handel

Energy dynamics, foraging ecology, and behavior of prenesting greater white-fronted geese Energy dynamics, foraging ecology, and behavior of prenesting greater white-fronted geese

We collected greater white-fronted geese (Anser albifrons frontalis) on their nesting grounds on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska, when they arrived and again before incubation during 1986 and 1987. Body mass, water content, crude fat, and crude protein increased in female geese between arrival and incubation onset in 1986 and 1987 (P = 0.0001, 0.0002, 0.0329, and 0.0003, respectively)...
Authors
D.A. Budeau, John T. Ratti, Craig R. Ely

Change-in-ratio estimators for populations with more than two subclasses Change-in-ratio estimators for populations with more than two subclasses

Change-in-ratio methods have been developed to estimate the size of populations with two or three population subclasses. Most of these methods require the often unreasonable assumption of equal sampling probabilities for individuals in all subclasses. This paper presents new models based on the weaker assumption that ratios of sampling probabilities are constant over time for populations...
Authors
Mark S. Udevitz, Kenneth H. Pollock

Mortality of seabirds in the Japanese land-based gillnet fishery for salmon Mortality of seabirds in the Japanese land-based gillnet fishery for salmon

Mortality rates of seabirds in the Japanese land-based drift gillnet fishery for salmon were assessed from 413 gillnet sets made by Japanese research vessels in offshore areas used by the commercial fleet. Sixteen species of seabirds were recorded in nets. Shearwaters, primarily Short-tailed Shearwaters (Puffinus tenuirostris), and to a lesser extent Sooty Shearwaters (P. griseus)...
Authors
Anthony R. DeGange, Robert H. Day

Variable first prebasic molt in Rio Grande and Merriam's wild turkeys Variable first prebasic molt in Rio Grande and Merriam's wild turkeys

Gallinaceous birds typically retain the juvenal ninth (JIX) and tenth (JX) primary wing feathers during the first prebasic molt (Petrides 1945, terminology follows Humphrey and Parkes 1959). However, not all Wild Turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) retain JIX and JX during this molt. Some retain only JX (reviewed by Lewis 1967), and in 21% of 125 Florida Wild Turkeys (M. g. osceola), all 10...
Authors
Joel A. Schmutz, Richard W. Hoffman
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