Publications
Click below for access to more than 170,000 publications written by USGS scientists over the century-plus history of the bureau.
Filter Total Items: 828
Gape-limited invasive predator frequently kills avian prey that are too large to swallow Gape-limited invasive predator frequently kills avian prey that are too large to swallow
Gape-limited predators (e.g., snakes, many fish) are not generally expected to pose a predation threat to prey that are too large for them to swallow. However, the extent to which snakes predate on prey that exceed their gape limitation remains largely unknown. We conducted the first study to investigate the influence of both prey and predator sizes on the frequency of ingestion success...
Authors
Martin Kastner, Scott Michael Goetz, Kayla M Baker, Shane R. Siers, Eben H. Paxton, Melia Gail Nafus, Haldre Rogers
Nihoa and Laysan Island passerines population abundances, trends, and habitat utilization Nihoa and Laysan Island passerines population abundances, trends, and habitat utilization
Nihoa and Laysan Island, part of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, are host to three endangered passerine species—Nihoa finch (Telespiza ultima), Nihoa millerbird (Acrocephalus familiaris kingi), and Laysan finch (Telespiza cantans). Using point-transect distance sampling survey records from 2010 to 2022 for Nihoa and 2013 to 2019 for Laysan Island, we estimated the density and...
Authors
Trevor Bak, Richard J. Camp, Chris Farmer, Rachel A. Rounds, Sheldon M. Plentovich, John Vetter, Paul C. Banko
Observed and potential range shifts of native and non-native species with climate change Observed and potential range shifts of native and non-native species with climate change
There is broad concern that the range shifts of global flora and fauna will not keep up with climate change, increasing the likelihood of population declines and extinctions. Many populations of nonnative species already have advantages over native species, including widespread human-aided dispersal and release from natural enemies. But do nonnative species also have an advantage with...
Authors
Bethany A. Bradley, Evelyn M. Beaury, Belinda Gallardo, Inés Ibáñez, Catherine S. Jarnevich, Toni Lyn Morelli, Helen Sofaer, Cascade J.B. Sorte, Montserrat Vilà
Distribution of ancient carbon in groundwater and soil gas from degradation of petroleum near the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility, O‘ahu, Hawai‘i Distribution of ancient carbon in groundwater and soil gas from degradation of petroleum near the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility, O‘ahu, Hawai‘i
The groundwater below the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility (the facility) in Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi, contains fuel compounds from past spills. This study used carbon-14 analyses to distinguish fuel-derived carbon from background carbon, along with other biodegradation indicators, to address two goals: (1) determine the extent and migration direction of groundwater affected by residual fuel...
Authors
Jared J. Trost, Barbara A. Bekins, Jeanne B. Jaeschke, Geoffrey N. Delin, Daniel A Sinclair, James K Stack, Rylen K. Nakama, Uli’i M. Miyajima, Lhiberty D. Pagaduan, Isabelle M. Cozzarelli
Divergent trends in distribution and abundance of landbirds in low and high elevation habitats of the Kaʻū Rainforest Divergent trends in distribution and abundance of landbirds in low and high elevation habitats of the Kaʻū Rainforest
Federal, state, and non-governmental partners resurveyed landbirds in the Kaʻū Rainforest on the Island of Hawai‘i in 2019. Point-transect distance sampling was conducted in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, Kaʻū Forest Reserve, Kapāpala Forest Reserve, and Kapāpala Cooperative Game Management Area. This is the first comprehensive survey of the region since 2008. Through a collaborative...
Authors
Seth Judge, Kevin W. Brinck, Ayesha Genz, Lainie Berry, Jacqueline M. Gaudioso-Levita, Alexander Wang, Richard J. Camp
Effects of drought and cloud-water interception on groundwater recharge and wildfire hazard for recent and future climate conditions, Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, Molokaʻi, Maui, and the Island of Hawaiʻi Effects of drought and cloud-water interception on groundwater recharge and wildfire hazard for recent and future climate conditions, Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, Molokaʻi, Maui, and the Island of Hawaiʻi
The Water-budget Accounting for Tropical Regions Model (WATRMod) code was used for Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, Molokaʻi, Maui, and the Island of Hawaiʻi to estimate the spatial distribution of groundwater recharge, soil moisture, evapotranspiration, and climatic water deficit for a set of water-budget scenarios. The scenarios included historical and future drought conditions, and a land-cover...
Authors
Alan Mair, Delwyn S. Oki, Heidi L. Kane, Adam G. Johnson, Kolja Rotzoll
Estimated groundwater recharge for mid-century and end-of-century climate projections, Kaua‘i, O‘ahu, Moloka‘i, Lāna‘i, Maui, and the Island of Hawai‘i Estimated groundwater recharge for mid-century and end-of-century climate projections, Kaua‘i, O‘ahu, Moloka‘i, Lāna‘i, Maui, and the Island of Hawai‘i
Demand for freshwater in the State of Hawaiʻi is expected to increase by roughly 13 percent from 2020 to 2035. Groundwater availability in Hawaiʻi is affected by a number of factors, including land cover, rainfall, runoff, evapotranspiration, and climate change. To evaluate the availability of fresh groundwater under projected future-climate conditions, estimates of groundwater recharge...
Authors
Heidi L. Kane, Alan Mair, Adam G. Johnson, Kolja Rotzoll, James Mifflin, Delwyn S. Oki
Post-Typhoon Mawar population counts of the endangered yǻyaguak (Mariana swiftlet) on Guam Post-Typhoon Mawar population counts of the endangered yǻyaguak (Mariana swiftlet) on Guam
The yǻyaguak (Mariana swiftlet, Aerodramus bartschi) is an endangered cave-roosting species native to Guam and southern Mariana Islands, Micronesia. The population on Guam has declined substantially over the last half century, likely due to the introduction of the brown treesnake (Boiga irregularis), but other factors have been proposed including habitat loss, pesticides, reduced food...
Authors
Eben H. Paxton, P. Marcos Gorresen, Paul M. Cryan, Megan Parker
Groundwater and surface-water interactions in the He‘eia watershed, O‘ahu, Hawai‘i—Insights from analysis of historical data and numerical groundwater-model simulations Groundwater and surface-water interactions in the He‘eia watershed, O‘ahu, Hawai‘i—Insights from analysis of historical data and numerical groundwater-model simulations
He‘eia and ‘Ioleka‘a Streams in the He‘eia watershed on O‘ahu, Hawai‘i, receive substantial discharge from dike-impounded groundwater. Previous studies indicated that groundwater withdrawals from the watershed affect streamflow. Resource managers and users seek information that can be used to balance the needs of competing uses of groundwater and streamflow in the watershed. In this...
Authors
Scot K. Izuka, Heidi L. Kane, Kolja Rotzoll
Evaluation of data collected by Guam Division of Aquatic and Wildlife Resources during population establishment and monitoring of ko'ko' (Hypotaenidia owstoni) on Rota, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and wildlife monitoring datasets on Coco Evaluation of data collected by Guam Division of Aquatic and Wildlife Resources during population establishment and monitoring of ko'ko' (Hypotaenidia owstoni) on Rota, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and wildlife monitoring datasets on Coco
Efforts to recover the critically endangered ko’ko’ (Guam rail, Hypotaenidia owstoni) through establishing an experimental population on the island of Rota in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands have been ongoing for three decades. The U.S. Geological Survey collaborated with the Guam Division of Aquatic and Wildlife Resources and the Government of Guam to evaluate whether...
Authors
Richard J. Camp, Sarah A B Nash, Kristina L. Paxton
Establishment of terrestrial mammals on former reservoir beds following large dam removal on the Elwha River, Washington, USA Establishment of terrestrial mammals on former reservoir beds following large dam removal on the Elwha River, Washington, USA
Terrestrial wildlife species are important yet often overlooked taxa in the recovery of ecosystems following dam removal. Their presence can shape ecosystem recovery, signal restoration of ecosystem function, and influence food web dynamics and nutrient transfer. We used camera traps to examine seasonal use of two former reservoir beds and an upstream reference reach by the mammalian...
Authors
Rebecca M. McCaffery, Sara Cendejas-Zarelli, Katy R Goodwin, Patricia J. Happe, Kurt Jenkins, Kimberly A. Sager-Fradkin
Exploring and integrating differences in niche characteristics across regional and global scales to better understand plant invasions in Hawaiʻi Exploring and integrating differences in niche characteristics across regional and global scales to better understand plant invasions in Hawaiʻi
The spread of ecosystem modifying invasive plant (EMIP) species is one of the largest threats to native ecosystems in Hawaiʻi. However, differences in niche characteristics between Hawaiʻi’s isolated insular environment and the wider global distribution of these species have not been carefully examined. We used species distribution modeling (SDM) methods to assess similarities and...
Authors
Lucas Berio Fortini, Lauren R. Kaiser, Curtis Daehler, James D. Jacobi, Monica Dimson, Thomas W Gillespie