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
Movements and habitat use of White-fronted Geese (Anser albifrons frontalis) during the remigial molt in arctic Alaska, USA Movements and habitat use of White-fronted Geese (Anser albifrons frontalis) during the remigial molt in arctic Alaska, USA
Proposed oil and gas leasing in the National Petroleum Reserve - Alaska has raised questions about possible impacts of development on molting Greater White-fronted Geese (Anser albifrons frontalis) and their habitats. We used GPS transmitters to record fine-scale location data of molting and post-molt White-fronted Geese to assess patterns of movement and resource selection relative to...
Authors
Paul L. Flint, Brandt W. Meixell
Best practices for assessing forage fish fisheries-seabird resource competition Best practices for assessing forage fish fisheries-seabird resource competition
Worldwide, in recent years capture fisheries targeting lower-trophic level forage fish and euphausiid crustaceans have been substantial (∼20 million metric tons [MT] annually). Landings of forage species are projected to increase in the future, and this harvest may affect marine ecosystems and predator-prey interactions by removal or redistribution of biomass central to pelagic food webs...
Authors
William J. Sydeman, Sarah Ann Thompson, Tycho Anker-Nilssen, Mayumi L. Arimitsu, Ashley Bennison, Sophie Bertrand, Philipp Boersch-Supan, Charlotte Boyd, Nicole C. Bransome, Robert J.M. Crawford, Francis Daunt, Robert W. Furness, Dimas Gianuca, Amanda Gladics, Laura Koehn, Jennifer W. Lang, Elizabeth Loggerwell, Taryn L. Morris, Elizabeth M. Phillips, Jennifer Provencher, Andre E. Punt, Claire Saraux, Lynne Shannon, Richard B. Sherley, Alejandro Simeone, Ross M. Wanless, Sarah Wanless, Stephani Zador
Surveillance for highly pathogenic influenza A viruses in California during 2014–2015 provides insights into viral evolutionary pathways and the spatiotemporal extent of viruses in the Pacific Americas Flyway Surveillance for highly pathogenic influenza A viruses in California during 2014–2015 provides insights into viral evolutionary pathways and the spatiotemporal extent of viruses in the Pacific Americas Flyway
We used surveillance data collected in California before, concurrent with, and subsequent to an outbreak of highly pathogenic (HP) clade 2.3.4.4 influenza A viruses (IAVs) in 2014–2015 to (i) evaluate IAV prevalence in waterfowl, (ii) assess the evidence for spill-over infections in marine mammals and (iii) genetically characterize low-pathogenic (LP) and HP IAVs to refine inference on...
Authors
Andrew M. Ramey, Nichola J. Hill, Troy Cline, Magdalena Plancarte, Susan De La Cruz, Michael L. Casazza, Joshua T. Ackerman, Joseph P. Fleskes, T. Winston Vickers, Andrew B. Reeves, Frances Gulland, Christine Fontaine, Diann J. Prosser, Jonathan Runstadler, Walter M. Boyce
Harvesting wildlife affected by climate change: a modelling and management approach for polar bears Harvesting wildlife affected by climate change: a modelling and management approach for polar bears
The conservation of many wildlife species requires understanding the demographic effects of climate change, including interactions between climate change and harvest, which can provide cultural, nutritional or economic value to humans.We present a demographic model that is based on the polar bear Ursus maritimus life cycle and includes density-dependent relationships linking vital rates...
Authors
Eric V. Regehr, Ryan H. Wilson, Karyn D. Rode, Michael C. Runge, Harry Stern
Glacial conditioning of stream position and flooding in the braid plain of the Exit Glacier foreland, Alaska Glacial conditioning of stream position and flooding in the braid plain of the Exit Glacier foreland, Alaska
Flow spilling out of an active braid plain often signals the onset of channel migration or avulsion to previously occupied areas. In a recently deglaciated environment, distinguishing between shifts in active braid plain location, considered reversible by fluvial processes at short timescales, and more permanent glacier-conditioned changes in stream position can be critical to...
Authors
Janet H. Curran, Michael G. Loso, Haley B. Williams
Effects of surgically implanted transmitters on reproduction and survival in mallards Effects of surgically implanted transmitters on reproduction and survival in mallards
Abdominally implanted radiotransmitters have been widely used in studies of waterbird ecology; however, the longer handling times and invasiveness of surgical implantation raise important concerns about animal welfare and potential effects on data quality. Although it is difficult to assess effects of handling and marking wild animals by comparing them with unmarked controls, insights...
Authors
Jennifer Sheppard, Todd W. Arnold, Courtney L. Amundson, David Klee
Neotectonics of interior Alaska and the late Quaternary slip rate along the Denali fault system Neotectonics of interior Alaska and the late Quaternary slip rate along the Denali fault system
The neotectonics of southern Alaska (USA) are characterized by a several hundred kilometers–wide zone of dextral transpressional that spans the Alaska Range. The Denali fault system is the largest active strike-slip fault system in interior Alaska, and it produced a Mw 7.9 earthquake in 2002. To evaluate the late Quaternary slip rate on the Denali fault system, we collected samples for...
Authors
Peter J. Haeussler, Ari Matmon, David P. Schwartz, Gordon G. Seitz
QFASAR: Quantitative fatty acid signature analysis with R QFASAR: Quantitative fatty acid signature analysis with R
Knowledge of predator diets provides essential insights into their ecology, yet diet estimation is challenging and remains an active area of research.Quantitative fatty acid signature analysis (QFASA) is a popular method of estimating diet composition that continues to be investigated and extended. However, software to implement QFASA has only recently become publicly available.I...
Authors
Jeffrey F. Bromaghin
Comparison of acoustic recorders and field observers for monitoring tundra bird communities Comparison of acoustic recorders and field observers for monitoring tundra bird communities
Acoustic recorders can be useful for studying bird populations but their efficiency and accuracy should be assessed in pertinent ecological settings before use. We investigated the utility of an acoustic recorder for monitoring abundance of tundra‐breeding birds relative to point‐count surveys in northwestern Alaska, USA, during 2014. Our objectives were to 1) compare numbers of birds...
Authors
Skyler T. Vold, Colleen M. Handel, Lance B. McNew
A comment on “temporal variation in survival and recovery rates of lesser scaup” A comment on “temporal variation in survival and recovery rates of lesser scaup”
Concerns about declines in the abundance of lesser scaup (Aythya affinis) have promoted a number of analyses to understand reasons for this decline. Unfortunately, most of these analyses, including that of Arnold et al. (2016 Journal of Wildlife Management 80: 850–861), are based on observational studies leading to weak inference. Although we commend the efforts of Arnold et al. (2016...
Authors
Mark S. Lindberg, G. Scott Boomer, Joel A. Schmutz, Johann A. Walker
Simultaneous estimation of diet composition and calibration coefficients with fatty acid signature data Simultaneous estimation of diet composition and calibration coefficients with fatty acid signature data
Knowledge of animal diets provides essential insights into their life history and ecology, although diet estimation is challenging and remains an active area of research. Quantitative fatty acid signature analysis (QFASA) has become a popular method of estimating diet composition, especially for marine species. A primary assumption of QFASA is that constants called calibration...
Authors
Jeffrey F. Bromaghin, Suzanne M. Budge, Gregory W. Thiemann, Karyn D. Rode
Polar bears and sea ice habitat change Polar bears and sea ice habitat change
The polar bear (Ursus maritimus) is an obligate apex predator of Arctic sea ice and as such can be affected by climate warming-induced changes in the extent and composition of pack ice and its impacts on their seal prey. Sea ice declines have negatively impacted some polar bear subpopulations through reduced energy input because of loss of hunting habitats, higher energy costs due to...
Authors
George M. Durner, Todd C. Atwood