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: 3096
Influenza A viruses remain infectious for more than seven months in northern wetlands of North America Influenza A viruses remain infectious for more than seven months in northern wetlands of North America
In this investigation, we used a combination of field- and laboratory-based approaches to assess if influenza A viruses (IAVs) shed by ducks could remain viable for extended periods in surface water within three wetland complexes of North America. In a field experiment, replicate filtered surface water samples inoculated with duck swabs were tested for IAVs upon collection and again...
Authors
Andrew M. Ramey, Andrew B. Reeves, Judith Z. Drexler, Joshua T. Ackerman, Susan E.W. De La Cruz, Andrew S. Lang, Christina Leyson, Paul T. Link, Diann Prosser, Gregory J. Robertson, Jordan Wight, Sungsu Youk, Erica Spackman, Mary Pantin-Jackwood, Rebecca L. Poulson, David E. Stallknecht
Drivers and consequences of apex predator diet composition in the Canadian Beaufort Sea Drivers and consequences of apex predator diet composition in the Canadian Beaufort Sea
Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) rely on annual sea ice as their primary habitat for hunting marine mammal prey. Given their long lifespan, wide geographic distribution, and position at the top of the Arctic marine food web, the diet composition of polar bears can provide insights into temporal and spatial ecosystem dynamics related to climate-mediated sea ice loss. Polar bears with the...
Authors
Katie R. N. Florko, Gregory W. Thiemann, Jeffrey F. Bromaghin
Evidence of prevalent heat stress in Yukon River Chinook salmon Evidence of prevalent heat stress in Yukon River Chinook salmon
Migrating adult Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) are sensitive to warm water (>18 °C), with a range of consequences from decreased spawning success to early mortality. We examined the proportion of Yukon River Chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha) exhibiting evidence of heat stress to assess the potential that high temperatures contribute to freshwater adult mortality in a northern Pacific...
Authors
Vanessa R. von Biela, Lizabeth Bowen, Stephen D. McCormick, Michael P. Carey, Daniel S. Donnelly, Shannon C. Waters-Dynes, Amy M. Regish, Sarah M. Laske, Randy J Brown, Sean Larson, Stan Zuray, Christian E. Zimmerman
Identifying reliable indicators of fitness in polar bears Identifying reliable indicators of fitness in polar bears
Animal structural body size and condition are often measured to evaluate individual health, identify responses to environmental change and food availability, and relate food availability to effects on reproduction and survival. A variety of condition metrics have been developed but relationships between these metrics and vital rates are rarely validated. Identifying an optimal approach...
Authors
Karyn D. Rode, Todd C. Atwood, Gregory Thiemann, Michelle St. Martin, Ryan H. Wilson, George M. Durner, Eric V. Regehr, Sandra L. Talbot, Kevin Sage, Anthony M. Pagano, Kristin S. Simac
The Alaska Amphibious Community Seismic Experiment The Alaska Amphibious Community Seismic Experiment
The Alaska Amphibious Community Seismic Experiment (AACSE) is a shoreline‐crossing passive‐ and active‐source seismic experiment that took place from May 2018 through August 2019 along an ∼700 km∼700 km long section of the Aleutian subduction zone spanning Kodiak Island and the Alaska Peninsula. The experiment featured 105 broadband seismometers; 30 were deployed onshore, and 75 were...
Authors
C. Grace Barcheck, Geoffrey A. Abers, Aubreya N. Adams, Anne Becel, John A. Collins, James B. Gaherty, Peter J. Haeussler, Zongshan Li, Ginevra Moore, Evans Onyango, Emily C. Roland, Daniel E. Sampson, Susan Y. Schwartz, Anne F Sheehan, Donna J. Shillington, Patrick J Shore, Spahr Webb, Douglas A Wiens, Lindsay L Worthington
Bioclimatic modeling of potential vegetation types as an alternative to species distribution models for projecting plant species shifts under changing climates Bioclimatic modeling of potential vegetation types as an alternative to species distribution models for projecting plant species shifts under changing climates
Land managers need new tools for planning novel futures due to climate change. Species distribution modeling (SDM) has been used extensively to predict future distributions of species under different climates, but their map products are often too coarse for fine-scale operational use. In this study we developed a flexible, efficient, and robust method for mapping current and future...
Authors
Robert Keane, Lisa M. Holsinger, Rachel A. Loehman
Hydrology and geomorphology of the Taiya River near the West Creek Tributary, southeast Alaska Hydrology and geomorphology of the Taiya River near the West Creek Tributary, southeast Alaska
The Taiya River flows through the Chilkoot Trail Unit of Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park in southeast Alaska, which was founded to preserve cultural and historical resources and further understanding of natural processes active in the surrounding coastal-to-subarctic basin. Riverine processes exert an important influence on ecologically important boreal toad (Anaxryus boreas...
Authors
Janet H. Curran
f. Glaciers and ice caps outside Greenland f. Glaciers and ice caps outside Greenland
No abstract available.
Authors
Gabe Wolken, M. Sharp, L. M. Andreassen, Emily Baker, B. Wouters, D. Burgess, B. Luks, J. Kohler, Shad O’Neel
Progress toward the establishment of an extended-duration gas hydrate reservoir response test on the Alaska North Slope Progress toward the establishment of an extended-duration gas hydrate reservoir response test on the Alaska North Slope
No abstract available.
Authors
Norihiro Okinaka, Ray Boswell, Timothy Collett, Koji Yamamoto, Brian Anderson
A synthesis of ten years of chemical contaminant monitoring data in National Park Service - Southeast and southwest Alaska networks A synthesis of ten years of chemical contaminant monitoring data in National Park Service - Southeast and southwest Alaska networks
With the exception of PAHs and trace metals, which were detected at 100% of the sites, all of the other contaminants were detected at varying frequencies. PBBs, Mirex and Endosulfans were not detected in any of the samples and Chlorpyrifos was only detected in five samples across four sites. Chlordanes were present at 79% of the sites while Butyltins were only detected at 20% of the...
Authors
Mary Rider, Dennis Apeti, Annie Jacob, Kimani L. Kimbrough, Erik Davenport, Michael R. Bower, Heather A Colletti, Daniel Esler
Radiocarbon dating of tsunami and storm deposits Radiocarbon dating of tsunami and storm deposits
Radiocarbon age determinations can be an expedient and accurate means to assign age to deposits of tsunami or storm origin. Essential to the process of incorporating radiocarbon age determinations in tsunami or coastal storm investigations is an awareness on the part of the investigator that a sample will always return an age from a laboratory, but only carefully selected samples inform...
Authors
Harvey M. Kelsey, Robert C. Witter
Lake trout growth is sensitive to spring temperature in southwest Alaska lakes Lake trout growth is sensitive to spring temperature in southwest Alaska lakes
In high‐latitude lakes, air temperature is an important driver of ice cover thickness and duration, which in turn influence water temperature and primary production supporting lake consumers and predators. In lieu of multidecadal observational records necessary to assess the response of lakes to long‐term warming, we used otolith‐based growth records from a long‐lived resident lake fish...
Authors
Vanessa R. von Biela, Bryan A. Black, Daniel Young, Peter van der Sleen, Krista K. Bartz, Christian E. Zimmerman