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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

Postrelease monitoring of radio-instrumented sea otters in Prince William Sound Postrelease monitoring of radio-instrumented sea otters in Prince William Sound

Sea otters (Enhydra lutris) that were captured in western Prince William Sound (PWS) or the Gulf of Alaska, treated, and held in captivity at the temporary rehabilitation centers established in response to the T/V Exxon Valdez oil spill were instrumented with radio transmitters, released into eastern PWS, and monitored by radiotelemetry. We undertook the present study to gain information...
Authors
C. Monnett, L.M. Rotterman, C. Stack, Daniel H. Monson

The importance of subarctic intertidal habitats to shorebirds: A study of the central Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska The importance of subarctic intertidal habitats to shorebirds: A study of the central Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska

A 6-year study of shorebird use of intertidal habitats of the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta revealed this area to be one of the premiere sites for shorebirds throughout the Holarctic and worthy of designation as a Hemispheric Shorebird Reserve in the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network. The study area, which covered 10% (300 km2) of the delta's intertidal flats, regularly hosted 17...
Authors
Robert E. Gill, Colleen M. Handel

The aggregative response of common murres and Atlantic puffins to schools of capelin The aggregative response of common murres and Atlantic puffins to schools of capelin

I studied the aggregative responses of Common Murres and Atlantic Puffins to schools of capelin during three summers (1982-1984) at Witless Bay, Newfoundland, by conducting hydroacoustic surveys for capelin in synchrony with seabird censuses. Murres and puffins foraged offshore prior to the arrival inshore of spawning schools of capelin. Both species were abundant during peak periods of...
Authors
John F. Piatt

Effects of visiting black brant nests on egg and nest survival Effects of visiting black brant nests on egg and nest survival

I used 2 methods to evaluate the effect of visiting black brant (Branta bernicla nigricans) nests on survival of whole nests and eggs in a single colony on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska. The first technique regressed survival of nests or eggs during a time interval against interval length. Departure of the y-intercept from 1.0 estimated the short-term effect of the visit at the...
Authors
James S. Sedinger

Effects of neck bands on the behavior of wintering greater white-fronted geese Effects of neck bands on the behavior of wintering greater white-fronted geese

Activity budgets of adult Greater White-fronted Geese (Anser albifrons frontalis) with and without neck bands during the non-breeding season revealed that geese with neck bands spent more time preening than geese without neck bands while at foraging sites, but not while at roosting sites. Neck-banded and control geese spent equal time in other important activities (alert, feeding...
Authors
Craig R. Ely

Site 765: Sedimentology Site 765: Sedimentology

Various techniques were used to decipher the sedimentation history of Site 765, including Markov chain analysis of facies transitions, XRD analysis of clay and other minerals, and multivariate analysis of smear-slide data, in addition to the standard descriptive procedures employed by the shipboard sedimentologist. This chapter presents brief summaries of methodology and major findings...
Authors

Is the polar bear (Ursus maritimus) a hibernator? Continued studies on opioids and hibernation Is the polar bear (Ursus maritimus) a hibernator? Continued studies on opioids and hibernation

Polar bear behavior and biochemistry suggest they may have the ability to hibernate year-round, even though this species is not considered to be a true hibernator. This observation, plus the discovery of a hibernation-induced trigger (HIT) in the blood of black bears, prompted the examination of polar bear blood collected thoughout the year for evidence ofr HIT, and to determine if it...
Authors
David S. Bruce, Nancy K. Darling, Katheleen J. Seeland, Peter R. Oeltgen, Sita P. Nilekani, Steven C. Amstrup

Isolation of infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus from a leech (Piscicola salmositica) and a copepod (Salmincola sp.), ectoparasites of sockeye salmon Oncorhynchus nerka Isolation of infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus from a leech (Piscicola salmositica) and a copepod (Salmincola sp.), ectoparasites of sockeye salmon Oncorhynchus nerka

Infectious haematopoietic necrosis (IHN) virus was isolated from freshwater leeches Piscicola salmositica and copepods Salmincola sp. removed from the gills of spawning sockeye salmon, Oncorhynchus nerka. This is the first report of the isolation of IHN virus from an animal other than salmonid fishes. High levels of IHN virus were also found in leeches taken from the bottom gravel of the...
Authors
Daniel M. Mulcahy, D. Klaybor, W.N. Batts

Distribution and relative abundance of sea otters in south-central and south-western Alaska before or at the time of the T/V Exxon Valdez oil spill Distribution and relative abundance of sea otters in south-central and south-western Alaska before or at the time of the T/V Exxon Valdez oil spill

Surveys of sea otters (Enhydra lutris) conducted before, immediately after, or at the time of the TA^ Exxon Valdez oil spill were used to guide otter capture efforts and assess the immediate effects of the spill. Shoreline counts (by boat) of sea otters in Prince William Sound in 1984 suggested that a minimum of 4,500 sea otters inhabited nearshore waters of Prince William Sound. Areas...
Authors
Anthony R. DeGange, Daniel H. Monson, David B. Irons, C.M. Robbins, David C. Douglas

Brood habitat use of Rio Grande wild turkeys Brood habitat use of Rio Grande wild turkeys

Habitat use of 14 Rio Grande wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) broods was studied in riparian habitats in northeast Colorado in 1986-87. Of 191 locations, 78% were within the riparian zone, 11 % in agricultural uplands, and 11 % on the edge between these habitats. Use of habitats was dependent on time of day. Within the riparian zone, older broods used grazed areas more often than young...
Authors
Joel A. Schmutz, Clait E. Braun, William F. Andelt

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

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
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