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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

Error in telemetry studies: Effects of animal movement on triangulation Error in telemetry studies: Effects of animal movement on triangulation

We used Monte Carlo simulations to investigate the effects of animal movement on error of estimated animal locations derived from radio-telemetry triangulation of sequentially obtained bearings. Simulated movements of 0-534 m resulted in up to 10-fold increases in average location error but
Authors
Joel A. Schmutz, Gary C. White

Shorebirds and herring roe in Prince William Sound, Alaska Shorebirds and herring roe in Prince William Sound, Alaska

No abstract available.
Authors
David W. Norton, Stanley E. Senner, Robert E. Gill, Philip D. Martin, J.M. Wright, Allan K. Fukuyama

Computer-aided procedure for counting waterfowl on aerial photographs Computer-aided procedure for counting waterfowl on aerial photographs

Examination of 46 Canada goose goslings yielded 14 species of parasites, including five Protozoa, four Nematoda, two Cestoda, and three Trematoda. Evidence indicates that goslings acquired most of these infections during their first week of life. Some parasites, Prosthogonimus sp., occurred only in younger birds. Others, Leucocytozoon simondi, were evident only during the initial course...
Authors
D. Bajzak, John F. Piatt

Monitoring St. Lawrence Island and Cape Thompson seabird populations Monitoring St. Lawrence Island and Cape Thompson seabird populations

About 1.8 million seabirds of 12 species breed on St. Lawrence Island (Figure 1) - one of the largest aggregations of breeding seabirds in the subarctic Pacific. Colonies of least and crested auklets alone, totaling 1.5 million birds, contain a substantial proportion (perhaps 20%) of these species’ world populations. Large seabird colonies occur also at Cape Thompson (Figure 2), where...
Authors
Scott A. Hatch, John F. Piatt, Brian S. Fadely, Bay D. Roberts

Components of breeding productivity in a marine bird community: key factors and concordance Components of breeding productivity in a marine bird community: key factors and concordance

We estimated components of annual breeding productivity for eight species of marine birds on the Semidi Islands in the western Gulf of Alaska. Mortality of eggs and young, caused primarily by avian predators, accounted for most of the annual variation in productivity. Failure to produce eggs, clutch size variation, and the hatchability of eggs were generally less important. The stage of...
Authors
Scott A. Hatch, Martha A. Hatch

Individual variation in behavior and breeding success of Northern Fulmars Individual variation in behavior and breeding success of Northern Fulmars

In a sample of breeding Northern Fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) observed in 4-5 years, up to 43% of the variability in 13 attributes of breeding behavior was consistent among individuals or pairs. Sample means for most attributes were correlated in a predictable way with annual levels of breeding success. Except for laying dates, there was little evidence that individual differences in...
Authors
Scott A. Hatch

Continued studies on opiods and hibernation: Does the polar bear (Ursus maritimus) hibernate? Continued studies on opiods and hibernation: Does the polar bear (Ursus maritimus) hibernate?

No abstract available.
Authors
David S. Bruce, Nancy K. Darling, Katheleen J. Seeland, Peter R. Oeltgen, Sita P. Nilekani, Steven C. Amstrup

Nest habitat use of Rio Grande wild turkeys Nest habitat use of Rio Grande wild turkeys

Nest habitat use of Rio Grande Wild Turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo intermedia) was studied along the South Platte River in northeast Colorado in 1986-87. Thirty-three of 35 nests were in riparian habitats. Nests were either in western snowberry (Symphoricarpos occidentalis) (67%) or mixed forbs and grasses (33%). Early season nests were more likely to be in snowberry than late season nests...
Authors
Joel A. Schmutz, Clait E. Braun, William F. Andelt

The Resurrection Peninsula ophiolite The Resurrection Peninsula ophiolite

The Resurrection Peninsula forms the east side of Resurrection Bay (fig. 3). Relief ranges from 437 m (1,434 ft) at the southern end of the peninsula to more than 1,463 m (4,800 ft) opposite the head of the bay. All rock units composing the informally named Resurrection Peninsula ophiolite of Nelson and others (1987) are visible or accessible by boat. "Ophiolite" has been a geologic term...
Authors
Steven W. Nelson, Marti L. Miller, Julie A. Dumoulin

Remote characterization of marine bird habitats with satellite imagery Remote characterization of marine bird habitats with satellite imagery

Remote sensing techniques such as radar altimetry, synthetic aperture radar, coastal zone color scanning, and infrared radiometry provide effective, instantaneous, and relatively inexpensive means for characterizing critical habitats of marine birds. In order to make optimal use of satellite-derived data, the rationale for marine habitat classification is presented, and advantages and...
Authors
J. Christopher Haney

Seasonal and annual variation in the diet of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) in relation to the abundance of capelin (Mallotus villosus) off eastern Newfoundland, Canada Seasonal and annual variation in the diet of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) in relation to the abundance of capelin (Mallotus villosus) off eastern Newfoundland, Canada

The importance of capelin as prey for cod has long been known (Thompson, 1943; and see Lilly (1987) for a review); however, no studies have been conducted on how the highly dynamic seasonal and yearly variations in capelin abundance affect cod diet. We studied the occurrence of capelin in cod stomachs in relation to the relative abundance of capelin at Witless Bay, Newfoundland (47°15’N...
Authors
David A. Methven, John F. Piatt

Terrain, vegetation, and landscape evolution of the R4D research site, Brooks Range Foothills, Alaska Terrain, vegetation, and landscape evolution of the R4D research site, Brooks Range Foothills, Alaska

Maps of the vegetation and terrain of a 22 km2 area centered on the Department of Energy (DOE) R4D (Response, Resistance, Resilience to and Recovery from Disturbance in Arctic Ecosystems) study site in the Southern Foothills Physiographic Province of Alaska were made using integrated geobotanical mapping procedures and a geographic-information system. Typical land forms and surface f...
Authors
D.A. Walker, Emily F. Binnian, B. M. Evans, N.D. Lederer, E.A. Nordstrand, P.J. Webber
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