Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

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: 3095

Dehydration of seabird prey during transport to the colony: Effects on wet weight energy densities Dehydration of seabird prey during transport to the colony: Effects on wet weight energy densities

We present evidence to indicate that dehydration of prey transported by seabirds from capture sites at sea to chicks at colonies inflates estimates of wet weight energy densities. These findings and a comparison of wet and dry weight energy densities reported in the literature emphasize the importance of (i) accurate measurement of the fresh weight and water content of prey, (ii) use of...
Authors
W.A. Montevecchi, John F. Piatt

Cumulative impacts of oil fields on northern Alaskan landscapes Cumulative impacts of oil fields on northern Alaskan landscapes

Proposed further developments on Alaska's Arctic Coastal Plain raise questions about cumulative effects on arctic tundra ecosystems of development of multiple large oil fields. Maps of historical changes to the Prudhoe Bay Oil Field show indirect impacts can lag behind planned developments by many years and the total area eventually disturbed can greatly exceed the planned area of...
Authors
D.A. Walker, P.J. Webber, Emily F. Binnian, K.R. Everett, N.D. Lederer, E.A. Nordstrand, M.D. Walker

Autumn staging of cackling Canada geese on the Alaska Peninsula Autumn staging of cackling Canada geese on the Alaska Peninsula

Cackling Canada Geese Branta canadensis minima undergo a long (2,800 km) migration between their autumn staging areas on the Alaska Peninsula and wintering areas in Oregon and California. Adults and young lost an average of 543 g during this migratory flight. Weight gains between fledging and autumn migration are essential for the successful completion of the flight. Autumn staging is...
Authors
James S. Sedinger, Karen S. Bollinger

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for a soluble antigen of Renibacterium salmoninarum, the causative agent for salmonid bacterial kidney disease Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for a soluble antigen of Renibacterium salmoninarum, the causative agent for salmonid bacterial kidney disease

A double-antibody enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for detection of a soluble fraction of Renibacterium salmoninarum was developed from components extracted from the supernatant of an R. salmoninarum broth culture. The Costar® Serocluster™ EIA microplate gave the highest absorbance and signal-to-noise ratios among seven types tested. Including Tween 80 in the wash buffer...
Authors
R.J. Pascho, D. Mulcahy

Tables showing analyses of semiquantitative spectrometry and atomic-absorption spectrophotometry of rock samples collected in the Ugashik, Bristol Bay, and western part of the Karluk quadrangles, Alaska Tables showing analyses of semiquantitative spectrometry and atomic-absorption spectrophotometry of rock samples collected in the Ugashik, Bristol Bay, and western part of the Karluk quadrangles, Alaska

The accompanying tables list chemical analyses of 337 rock samples that were collected in 1979, 1980, and 1981 in conjunction with geologic mapping in the Ugashik, Bristol Bay, and part of Karluk quadrangles. This work was conducted under the auspices of the Alaska Mineral Resource Assessment Program (AMRAP). This report is to accompany Wilson and O'Leary (1986) which inadvertently is...
Authors
Frederic H. Wilson, Richard M. O’Leary

Aggressive encounters between tundra swans and greater white-fronted geese during brood rearing Aggressive encounters between tundra swans and greater white-fronted geese during brood rearing

Interspecific aggression in waterfowl (Anatidae) is relatively common (McKinney 1965; Kear 1972; Savard 1982, 1984), but interactions leading to mortality of one of the combatants are rarely-observed in the wild. A recent debate (Livezey and Humphrey 1985a, 1985b; Nuechterlein and Storer 1985a, 1985b; Murray 1985) has centered on the proximate and ultimate causes of interspecific...
Authors
Craig R. Ely, David A. Budeau, Una G. Swain

An inexpensive device for recording animal behavior An inexpensive device for recording animal behavior

Recording animal behavior is tedious and time consuming when behaviors are recorded on tape and transcribed to data sheets. Data loggers circumvent these problems, but can be prohibitively expensive and may require extensive programming (see Hensler et al. [1986]). I describe an inexpensive, efficient alternative for recording behavioral observations.
Authors
Craig R. Ely

Resurrection Peninsula and Knight Island ophiolites and recent faulting on Montague Island, southern Alaska Resurrection Peninsula and Knight Island ophiolites and recent faulting on Montague Island, southern Alaska

The Resurrection Peninsula forms the east side of Resurrection Bay (Fig. 1). The city of Seward is located at the head of the bay and can be reached from Anchorage by highway (127 mi;204 km). Relief ranges from 1,434 ft (437 m) at the southern end of the peninsula to more than 4,800 ft (1,463 m) 17 mi (28 km) to the north. All rock units composing the informally named Resurrection...
Authors
Steven W. Nelson, Marti L. Miller, Julie A. Dumoulin

Development and evaluation of a system for tracking wildlife by satellite Development and evaluation of a system for tracking wildlife by satellite

No abstract available.
Authors
S.G. Fancy, L.F. Pank, David C. Douglas, Catherine H. Curby, Gerald W. Garner, Steven C. Amstrup, Wayne L. Regelin

Mortalities of kelp-forest fishes associated with large oceanic waves off central California, 1982-1983 Mortalities of kelp-forest fishes associated with large oceanic waves off central California, 1982-1983

Observations of three incidents of the mass mortality of nearshore fishes are reported; each corresponded to periods of high-amplitude, long-period swells during the 1982-1983 El Niño event along the coast of central California. Members of the nearshore kelp forest fish assemblage, primarily of the genus Sebastes, accounted for 96% of the observed mortalities and S. mystinus (blue...
Authors
James L. Bodkin, Glenn R. VanBlaricom, Ronald J. Jameson
Was this page helpful?