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Publications

These publications showcase the significant science conducted in our Science Centers.

Filter Total Items: 16759

Changes in seasonal climate outpace compensatory density-dependence in eastern brook trout Changes in seasonal climate outpace compensatory density-dependence in eastern brook trout

Understanding how multiple extrinsic (density-independent) factors and intrinsic (density-dependent) mechanisms influence population dynamics has become increasingly urgent in the face of rapidly changing climates. It is particularly unclear how multiple extrinsic factors with contrasting effects among seasons are related to declines in population numbers and changes in mean body size...
Authors
Ronald D. Bassar, Benjamin H. Letcher, Keith H. Nislow, Andrew R. Whiteley

Estimating regional landbird populations from enhanced North American Breeding Bird Surveys Estimating regional landbird populations from enhanced North American Breeding Bird Surveys

Estimating the size of bird populations is central to effective conservation planning and prudent management. I updated estimated regional bird populations for the East Gulf Coastal Plain of Mississippi using data from 275 North American Breeding Bird Surveys from 2009 to 2013. However, regional bird populations estimated from count surveys of breeding birds may be biased due to lack of...
Authors
Daniel J. Twedt

Early Permian conodont fauna and stratigraphy of the Garden Valley Formation, Eureka County, Nevada Early Permian conodont fauna and stratigraphy of the Garden Valley Formation, Eureka County, Nevada

The lower Part of the Garden Valley Formation yields two distinct conodont faunas. One of late Asselian age dominated by Mesogondolella and Streptognathodus and one of Artinskian age dominated by Sweetognathus with Mesogondolella. The Asselian fauna contains the same species as those found in the type area of the Asselian in the southern Urals including Mesogondolella dentiseparata...
Authors
Bruce R. Wardlaw, Dora M. Gallegos, Valery V. Chernykh, Walter S. Snyder

Assessment of undiscovered sandstone-hosted uranium resources in the Texas Coastal Plain, 2015 Assessment of undiscovered sandstone-hosted uranium resources in the Texas Coastal Plain, 2015

The U.S. Geological Survey estimated a mean of 220 million pounds of recoverable uranium oxide (U3O8 ) remaining as potential undiscovered resources in southern Texas. This estimate used a geology-based assessment method for Tertiary sandstone-hosted uranium deposits in the Texas Coastal Plain sedimentary strata (fig.1).
Authors
Mark J. Mihalasky, Susan M. Hall, Jane M. Hammarstrom, Kathleen R. Tureck, Mark T. Hannon, George N. Breit, Robert A. Zielinski, Brent Elliott

Estimated agricultural pesticide use for Southeast Stream-Quality Assessment, 2014 Estimated agricultural pesticide use for Southeast Stream-Quality Assessment, 2014

Introduction One of the goals of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Southeast Stream-Quality Assessment (SESQA) is to characterize contaminants at perennial-stream sites throughout the southern Piedmont and southern Appalachian Mountains. The evaluation of pesticide inputs from agricultural sources will aid in that characterization. Methods used for calculating county-level pesticide use...
Authors
Nancy T. Baker

Brook trout passage performance through culverts Brook trout passage performance through culverts

Culverts can restrict access to habitat for stream-dwelling fishes. We used passive integrated transponder telemetry to quantify passage performance of >1000 wild brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) attempting to pass 13 culverts in Quebec under a range of hydraulic and environmental conditions. Several variables influenced passage success, including complex interactions between...
Authors
Elsa Goerig, Theodore R. Castro-Santos, Normand Bergeron

Mineral Resource of the Month: Lime Mineral Resource of the Month: Lime

Lime is the common term for several chemicals in three major categories: quicklime, hydrated lime and refractory dead-burned dolomite. Lime is almost never found naturally. It is primarily manufactured by burning limestone in kilns, followed by hydration when necessary.
Authors
Lisa A. Corathers

Shoal basses: A clade of cryptic identity Shoal basses: A clade of cryptic identity

Shoal basses are a cryptic clade composed of Micropterus spp. restricted to the Apalachicola River system and three southeastern Atlantic slope river drainages in the southeastern United States. This reciprocally monophyletic clade includes the Shoal Bass M. cataractae (endemic to the Apalachicola River system), the Chattahoochee Bass M. chattahoochae, and two undescribed forms from the...
Authors
Byron J. Freeman, Andrew T. Taylor, Kenneth J. Oswald, John Wares, Mary Freeman, Joseph M. Quattro, Jean Leitner

Quantifying the residence time and flushing characteristics of a shallow, back-barrier estuary: Application of hydrodynamic and particle tracking models Quantifying the residence time and flushing characteristics of a shallow, back-barrier estuary: Application of hydrodynamic and particle tracking models

Estuarine residence time is a major driver of eutrophication and water quality. Barnegat Bay-Little Egg Harbor (BB-LEH), New Jersey, is a lagoonal back-barrier estuary that is subject to anthropogenic pressures including nutrient loading, eutrophication, and subsequent declines in water quality. A combination of hydrodynamic and particle tracking modeling was used to identify the...
Authors
Zafer Defne, Neil K. Ganju

Estimating the risks for adverse effects of total phosphorus in receiving streams with the Stochastic Empirical Loading and Dilution Model (SELDM) Estimating the risks for adverse effects of total phosphorus in receiving streams with the Stochastic Empirical Loading and Dilution Model (SELDM)

Studies from North Carolina (NC) indicate that increasing concentrations of total phosphorus (TP) and other constituents are correlated to adverse effects on stream ecosystems as evidenced by differences in benthic macroinvertebrate populations in streams across the state. As a result, stringent in-stream criteria based on the Water Quality Assessed by Benthic macroinvertebrate health...
Authors
Gregory E. Granato, Susan C. Jones

Conodont biostratigraphy of the Permian-Triassic boundary sequence at Lung Cam, Vietnam Conodont biostratigraphy of the Permian-Triassic boundary sequence at Lung Cam, Vietnam

The occurrences of a few specimens of Clarkina and many specimens of Hindeodus at the Permian-Triassic boundary section at Lung Cam, Vietnam allow accurate graphic correlation to the P-T boundary stratotype at Meishan, China. One species of Clarkina, ten species and two subspecies of Hindeodus, and the apparatuses of Hindeodus latidentatus and Merrillina ultima are described and...
Authors
Bruce R. Wardlaw, Merlynd K. Nestell, Galina P. Nestell, Brooks B. Ellwood, Luu Thi Phuong Lan

Developing a conservation strategy to maximize persistence of an endangered freshwater mussel species while considering management effectiveness and cost Developing a conservation strategy to maximize persistence of an endangered freshwater mussel species while considering management effectiveness and cost

We used a structured decision-making process to develop conservation strategies to increase persistence of Dwarf Wedgemussel (Alasmidonta heterodon) in North Carolina, USA, while accounting for uncertainty in management effectiveness and considering costs. Alternative conservation strategies were portfolios of management actions that differed by location of management actions on the...
Authors
David R. Smith, Sarah E. McRae, Tom Augspurger, Judith Ratcliffe, Robert B. Nichols, Chris B. Eads, Tim Savidge, Arthur E. Bogan
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