Across the USGS, our scientists are developing decision-support tools and technologies to monitor and assess risks to ecosystems and help communities plan for the future. Innovative research and technology development focus on both large scale and place-based ecosystems that may face significant impacts now and into the future.
Ecosystems
USGS Ecosystems Research
Find out what we’re studying across North America and around the world.
Find out what we’re studying across North America and around the world.
Climate Change in Mountain Ecosystems
USGS scientists are tracking how warming temperatures are melting glaciers, and the consequences for the unique plants and animals that rely on these alpine habitats.
USGS scientists are tracking how warming temperatures are melting glaciers, and the consequences for the unique plants and animals that rely on these alpine habitats.
How Can Managers Respond to Changing Ecosystems?
We’ve got a RAD decision-making tool for that!
We’ve got a RAD decision-making tool for that!
Coral Reefs Aren’t Just a Pretty Place
Learn how coral reefs also protect dollars and lives.
Learn how coral reefs also protect dollars and lives.
Outstanding in the Field Podcast Series
Listen to the stories and adventures of scientists studying fish, wildlife, and the ecosystems they are part of.
Listen to the stories and adventures of scientists studying fish, wildlife, and the ecosystems they are part of.
Earth’s ecosystems are dynamic and have undergone drastic changes that greatly affect our day-to-day lives. Understanding how plants, animals, and other organisms interact with each other and their environment, and how they are impacted by natural and human-induced change, informs decisions about how to best manage wildlife and the ecosystems they depend on.
What is an Ecosystem?
Ecosystems are all around us. An ecosystem is made up of all of the living and non-living things in a geographic area. Plants, animals, soil, climate, and other features of the environment interact with each other to form an ecosystem. For example, a forest ecosystem is made up of plants such as trees and ferns, the soil and climate that provides the right conditions for those plants to grow, and the animals that rely on these plants for food and shelter. Each component of an ecosystem plays a role in maintaining the whole. Animals even help create ecosystems—beavers build dams that create wetlands, and birds spread seeds that help diversity habitats.
There are two main types of ecosystems: terrestrial (those found on land) and aquatic (those found in freshwater or the ocean). But we can’t forget about the sky—where flying insects, birds, and mammals interact with the atmosphere--and underground caves and aquifers, home to animals adapted to live underground. These are ecosystems too!
Why Are Ecosystems Important?
Healthy ecosystems benefit us in countless ways! They provide us with food, energy, building materials, medicine, clean water, and clean air. They support biodiversity, regulate soil erosion, flood control, and carbon storage. Ecosystems also provide us with opportunities for recreation and they have cultural and spiritual value. The benefits that people obtain from ecosystems are known as “ecosystem services”. Explore examples of the services provided by different ecosystems below.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Ecosystems We Study
USGS scientists study how ecosystems function and how they are impacted by stressors like climate change and human development. Our scientists also make predictions about how ecosystems may look in the future to improve restoration and management outcomes.
On Land
From towering redwood forests to wide-open prairies, high alpine peaks to ocean shores, USGS science is advancing our understanding of terrestrial ecosystems and the communities of plants and animals that comprise them. Explore our science on terrestrial ecosystems below.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Sources/Usage: Some content may have restrictions. View Media Details
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
In Water
Where would we be without water? Our oceans, rivers, and lakes are home to fish, aquatic plants, and other wildlife, and are vital contributors to human health and economies. USGS science is informing our understanding of how aquatic ecosystems function, trends in their status and health, and how and why they’re changing. Explore our science on aquatic ecosystems below.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Up High and Down Low
Ecosystems are all around us. High in the sky, underground, and in the depths of the ocean. Our lower atmosphere is home to birds, bats, and insects, that transport seeds, pollen, microbes and fungal spores; underground caves are important to the life cycles of bats and other animals; and underwater coastal caves are remarkably complex ecosystems. Our understanding of these unique ecosystems is still evolving—learn about the contributions of USGS science below.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Iconic American Landscapes
The USGS provides science to inform critical conservation, restoration, and management decisions of our Nation’s landscapes. Our place-based science activities support decision makers in managing an entire ecosystem, such as the Chesapeake Bay or Gulf Coast, and the challenges it faces. Explore our science on iconic American landscapes below.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Ecosystems Are Changing
The Earth’s ecosystems are complex and exposed to pressures that include various land uses, a changing climate, a dynamic economy, and a culturally-diverse and ever-changing society. In some cases, threats can push ecosystems toward irreversible transformations and managers face the challenge of conserving these important resources under growing uncertainty. Many of our ecosystems are degraded and much of USGS' science is focused on restoration and helping land management respond to ecosystem change. USGS scientists study how these impacts affect the function of ecosystems, the vulnerability and resilience of ecosystems to such changes, and make predictions about their future.
Managing & Restoring Ecosystems
The USGS is providing science that helps to manage and restore ecosystems while maximizing their ability to support biodiversity and maintain important ecosystem services (e.g., coastal protection, water availability, pollination, erosion control etc.). Our scientists are also providing useful information that helps communities as well as land and water managers prepare for anticipated impacts from land use and landscape change.
Featured Tools & Techniques
Across the USGS, our scientists are developing decision-support tools and technologies to monitor and assess risks to ecosystems. They also help communities plan for the future. Innovative research and development of new technology focuses on both large- and small-scale ecosystems that may face significant impacts now and into the future.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Science
USGS Alaska Q&A Series
USGS scientists and collaborators talk about their work in Alaska through a series of Questions and Answers (Q&As). The links below contain interviews, photos, and other information about the work and collaborations of the USGS Alaska Science Center.
Ecosystems on the Edge: Landscape and Fire Ecology of Forests, Deserts, and Tundra
Climate changes and interacting disturbances such as wildfires, insect and disease outbreaks, and erosion and flooding can perturb and reorganize ecosystems.
The Rusting of Arctic Rivers: Freshwater Ecosystems Respond to Rapidly Uptaking Metals
The water quality of streams and rivers in the Arctic is sensitive to rapid climate change and altered disturbance regimes.
Pacific Marine Heatwave
The USGS conducts research on marine wildlife, habitats, and ecosystem processes to provide science to inform our partners as they make decisions relative to species status, resource use, and human activities. These studies examine impacts of severe heatwaves on marine ecosystems of the North Pacific.
Seabirds and Forage Fish Ecology
Alaska's coastal and offshore waters provide foraging habitat for an estimated 100 million birds comprising more than 90 different species; from loons and seaducks that nest inland, to petrels and puffins that breed on islands off shore. All these birds depend on the sea to provide a wide variety of food types— from clams, crabs and urchins nearshore— to krill, forage fish, and squid offshore. The...
Multimedia
Featured Tools & Techniques
Across the USGS, our scientists are developing decision-support tools and technologies to monitor and assess risks to ecosystems and help communities plan for the future. Innovative research and technology development focus on both large scale and place-based ecosystems that may face significant impacts now and into the future.
The Cost of Biological Threats
MONITORING BIOLOGICAL THREATS: Protecting Ecosystems, Public Safety, and the Economy
MONITORING BIOLOGICAL THREATS: Protecting Ecosystems, Public Safety, and the Economy
North Pacific Marine Heatwave
In the winter of 2015, the public noticed thousands of dead seabirds washing ashore across the western coast of the United States and Canada. The USGS linked this massive seabird die-off to the North Pacific Marine Heatwave. A marine heatwave occurs when sea surface temperatures are above normal for an extended period of time.
In the winter of 2015, the public noticed thousands of dead seabirds washing ashore across the western coast of the United States and Canada. The USGS linked this massive seabird die-off to the North Pacific Marine Heatwave. A marine heatwave occurs when sea surface temperatures are above normal for an extended period of time.
Eyes on Earth Episode 57 – Landsat and the Great Lakes
The Great Lakes represent roughly 20% of the surface freshwater in the world and 90% in the United States. The Great Lakes Basin supports more than 30 million people in the U.S. and Canada and 3,500 plant and animal species. The region faces threats that range from climate change and invasive species to pollution and development.
The Great Lakes represent roughly 20% of the surface freshwater in the world and 90% in the United States. The Great Lakes Basin supports more than 30 million people in the U.S. and Canada and 3,500 plant and animal species. The region faces threats that range from climate change and invasive species to pollution and development.
USGS Pacific Seabird Research
Alaska's coastal and offshore waters provide foraging habitat for an estimated 100 million birds comprising more than 90 different species. Researchers at the USGS Alaska Science Center work in collaboration with many partner agencies, non-governmental organizations, universities and rehabilitation centers to investigate seabirds.
Alaska's coastal and offshore waters provide foraging habitat for an estimated 100 million birds comprising more than 90 different species. Researchers at the USGS Alaska Science Center work in collaboration with many partner agencies, non-governmental organizations, universities and rehabilitation centers to investigate seabirds.
Diver in cave
Cave passage and diver (Bil Philips, cave explorer) in Ox Bel Ha Cave System of the northeastern Yucatan Peninsula.
Cave passage and diver (Bil Philips, cave explorer) in Ox Bel Ha Cave System of the northeastern Yucatan Peninsula.
Red-throated Loon swimming near the Colville River, Alaska
A Red-throated Loon swimming in a small lake on the Colville River Delta.
A Red-throated Loon swimming in a small lake on the Colville River Delta.
Pacific Loon swimming in a small lake near the Colville River, Alaska
A Pacific Loon swimming in a small lake on the Colville River delta.
A Pacific Loon swimming in a small lake on the Colville River delta.
Pacific Loon take off
A Pacific Loon taking off from a small lake near the Colville River Delta in northern Alaska.
A Pacific Loon taking off from a small lake near the Colville River Delta in northern Alaska.
The science listed below is a sampling of USGS science on this topic and does not represent an exhaustive list.
Filter Total Items: 22
USGS Alaska Q&A Series
USGS scientists and collaborators talk about their work in Alaska through a series of Questions and Answers (Q&As). The links below contain interviews, photos, and other information about the work and collaborations of the USGS Alaska Science Center.
Ecosystems on the Edge: Landscape and Fire Ecology of Forests, Deserts, and Tundra
Climate changes and interacting disturbances such as wildfires, insect and disease outbreaks, and erosion and flooding can perturb and reorganize ecosystems.
The Rusting of Arctic Rivers: Freshwater Ecosystems Respond to Rapidly Uptaking Metals
The water quality of streams and rivers in the Arctic is sensitive to rapid climate change and altered disturbance regimes.
Pacific Marine Heatwave
The USGS conducts research on marine wildlife, habitats, and ecosystem processes to provide science to inform our partners as they make decisions relative to species status, resource use, and human activities. These studies examine impacts of severe heatwaves on marine ecosystems of the North Pacific.
Seabirds and Forage Fish Ecology
Alaska's coastal and offshore waters provide foraging habitat for an estimated 100 million birds comprising more than 90 different species; from loons and seaducks that nest inland, to petrels and puffins that breed on islands off shore. All these birds depend on the sea to provide a wide variety of food types— from clams, crabs and urchins nearshore— to krill, forage fish, and squid offshore. The...
Collaborative Science for Priority Information Needs
One of the primary missions of the USGS is to address the science needs of Department of Interior bureaus, particularly those that manage natural resources and lands. This mission is fulfilled through the research and other activities of USGS scientists but also specifically through three USGS nationally-funded programs listed below.
Changing Arctic Ecosystems
Arctic regions of Alaska are important for cultural and economic sustainability and host a wide variety of wildlife species, many of which are of conservation and management interest to the U.S. Department of the Interior. The USGS and collaborators provide information about Arctic ecosystems that are used by Arctic residents, management agencies, and industry.
Mangrove Science Network
The Mangrove Science Network is a collaboration of USGS scientists focused on working with natural resource managers to develop and conduct research whose findings will support and evaluate decisions made in mangrove management and restoration.
Benthic Ecological Communities in the Deep Sea
USGS explores, characterizes, and monitors benthic ecological communities in the deep sea including their connections to associated food webs, from microbes to fishes. This includes assessing the oceanographic, geological, and geochemical conditions associated with these biological communities, population genetics, and distribution of habitats and fauna.
Great Lakes and Inland Seas
Large inland waterbodies are oceanic in many ways, facing many of the same issues as the ocean. The USGS conducts research and monitoring in the Great Lakes region and in other inland seas across the country to understand these large bodies of water and inform how we use and manage them.
Bug Flows: Improving Food Web Health on the Colorado River
Native and desired nonnative fish downstream of Glen Canyon Dam are food limited—meaning that if more or larger invertebrate food items were available, there would be more and larger fish. Aquatic insects have complex life cycles that include egg, larvae, and pupal stages that are aquatic while adults have wings and are typically terrestrial. Aquatic insects are a fundamental component of river...
Elwha River ScienceScape: Understanding Ecosystem Recovery Following Large-Scale Dam Removal
The Elwha River – located on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington - is home to an iconic dam removal and ecosystem restoration project. The Elwha offers a unique setting to explore the ecosystem level effects of dam removal and river restoration because of its prominence, such as large sediment volume, several salmon populations, and pristine wilderness.
The multimedia listed below are a sampling of USGS science on this topic and do not represent an exhaustive list.
Featured Tools & Techniques
Across the USGS, our scientists are developing decision-support tools and technologies to monitor and assess risks to ecosystems and help communities plan for the future. Innovative research and technology development focus on both large scale and place-based ecosystems that may face significant impacts now and into the future.
Across the USGS, our scientists are developing decision-support tools and technologies to monitor and assess risks to ecosystems and help communities plan for the future. Innovative research and technology development focus on both large scale and place-based ecosystems that may face significant impacts now and into the future.
The Cost of Biological Threats
MONITORING BIOLOGICAL THREATS: Protecting Ecosystems, Public Safety, and the Economy
MONITORING BIOLOGICAL THREATS: Protecting Ecosystems, Public Safety, and the Economy
North Pacific Marine Heatwave
In the winter of 2015, the public noticed thousands of dead seabirds washing ashore across the western coast of the United States and Canada. The USGS linked this massive seabird die-off to the North Pacific Marine Heatwave. A marine heatwave occurs when sea surface temperatures are above normal for an extended period of time.
In the winter of 2015, the public noticed thousands of dead seabirds washing ashore across the western coast of the United States and Canada. The USGS linked this massive seabird die-off to the North Pacific Marine Heatwave. A marine heatwave occurs when sea surface temperatures are above normal for an extended period of time.
Eyes on Earth Episode 57 – Landsat and the Great Lakes
The Great Lakes represent roughly 20% of the surface freshwater in the world and 90% in the United States. The Great Lakes Basin supports more than 30 million people in the U.S. and Canada and 3,500 plant and animal species. The region faces threats that range from climate change and invasive species to pollution and development.
The Great Lakes represent roughly 20% of the surface freshwater in the world and 90% in the United States. The Great Lakes Basin supports more than 30 million people in the U.S. and Canada and 3,500 plant and animal species. The region faces threats that range from climate change and invasive species to pollution and development.
USGS Pacific Seabird Research
Alaska's coastal and offshore waters provide foraging habitat for an estimated 100 million birds comprising more than 90 different species. Researchers at the USGS Alaska Science Center work in collaboration with many partner agencies, non-governmental organizations, universities and rehabilitation centers to investigate seabirds.
Alaska's coastal and offshore waters provide foraging habitat for an estimated 100 million birds comprising more than 90 different species. Researchers at the USGS Alaska Science Center work in collaboration with many partner agencies, non-governmental organizations, universities and rehabilitation centers to investigate seabirds.
Diver in cave
Cave passage and diver (Bil Philips, cave explorer) in Ox Bel Ha Cave System of the northeastern Yucatan Peninsula.
Cave passage and diver (Bil Philips, cave explorer) in Ox Bel Ha Cave System of the northeastern Yucatan Peninsula.
Red-throated Loon swimming near the Colville River, Alaska
A Red-throated Loon swimming in a small lake on the Colville River Delta.
A Red-throated Loon swimming in a small lake on the Colville River Delta.
Pacific Loon swimming in a small lake near the Colville River, Alaska
A Pacific Loon swimming in a small lake on the Colville River delta.
A Pacific Loon swimming in a small lake on the Colville River delta.
Pacific Loon take off
A Pacific Loon taking off from a small lake near the Colville River Delta in northern Alaska.
A Pacific Loon taking off from a small lake near the Colville River Delta in northern Alaska.
Yellow-billed Loon on a lake in the northern area of Alaska
Yellow-billed Loon on a lake in the northern area of Alaska.
Yellow-billed Loon on a lake in the northern area of Alaska.
Ox Bel Ha Cross-Section
Caves within a karst subterranean estuary are filled with separated fresh (green), brackish (gray) and saline (blue) waters. Within the subterranean estuary, methane (CH4) and other forms of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) created during the decomposition of soil from the overlying tropical forest sustain a complex cave-adapted ecosystem.
Caves within a karst subterranean estuary are filled with separated fresh (green), brackish (gray) and saline (blue) waters. Within the subterranean estuary, methane (CH4) and other forms of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) created during the decomposition of soil from the overlying tropical forest sustain a complex cave-adapted ecosystem.
Earth’s ecosystems are dynamic and have undergone drastic changes that greatly affect our day-to-day lives. Understanding how plants, animals, and other organisms interact with each other and their environment, and how they are impacted by natural and human-induced change, informs decisions about how to best manage wildlife and the ecosystems they depend on.
What is an Ecosystem?
Ecosystems are all around us. An ecosystem is made up of all of the living and non-living things in a geographic area. Plants, animals, soil, climate, and other features of the environment interact with each other to form an ecosystem. For example, a forest ecosystem is made up of plants such as trees and ferns, the soil and climate that provides the right conditions for those plants to grow, and the animals that rely on these plants for food and shelter. Each component of an ecosystem plays a role in maintaining the whole. Animals even help create ecosystems—beavers build dams that create wetlands, and birds spread seeds that help diversity habitats.
There are two main types of ecosystems: terrestrial (those found on land) and aquatic (those found in freshwater or the ocean). But we can’t forget about the sky—where flying insects, birds, and mammals interact with the atmosphere--and underground caves and aquifers, home to animals adapted to live underground. These are ecosystems too!
Why Are Ecosystems Important?
Healthy ecosystems benefit us in countless ways! They provide us with food, energy, building materials, medicine, clean water, and clean air. They support biodiversity, regulate soil erosion, flood control, and carbon storage. Ecosystems also provide us with opportunities for recreation and they have cultural and spiritual value. The benefits that people obtain from ecosystems are known as “ecosystem services”. Explore examples of the services provided by different ecosystems below.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Ecosystems We Study
USGS scientists study how ecosystems function and how they are impacted by stressors like climate change and human development. Our scientists also make predictions about how ecosystems may look in the future to improve restoration and management outcomes.
On Land
From towering redwood forests to wide-open prairies, high alpine peaks to ocean shores, USGS science is advancing our understanding of terrestrial ecosystems and the communities of plants and animals that comprise them. Explore our science on terrestrial ecosystems below.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Sources/Usage: Some content may have restrictions. View Media Details
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
In Water
Where would we be without water? Our oceans, rivers, and lakes are home to fish, aquatic plants, and other wildlife, and are vital contributors to human health and economies. USGS science is informing our understanding of how aquatic ecosystems function, trends in their status and health, and how and why they’re changing. Explore our science on aquatic ecosystems below.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Up High and Down Low
Ecosystems are all around us. High in the sky, underground, and in the depths of the ocean. Our lower atmosphere is home to birds, bats, and insects, that transport seeds, pollen, microbes and fungal spores; underground caves are important to the life cycles of bats and other animals; and underwater coastal caves are remarkably complex ecosystems. Our understanding of these unique ecosystems is still evolving—learn about the contributions of USGS science below.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Iconic American Landscapes
The USGS provides science to inform critical conservation, restoration, and management decisions of our Nation’s landscapes. Our place-based science activities support decision makers in managing an entire ecosystem, such as the Chesapeake Bay or Gulf Coast, and the challenges it faces. Explore our science on iconic American landscapes below.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Ecosystems Are Changing
The Earth’s ecosystems are complex and exposed to pressures that include various land uses, a changing climate, a dynamic economy, and a culturally-diverse and ever-changing society. In some cases, threats can push ecosystems toward irreversible transformations and managers face the challenge of conserving these important resources under growing uncertainty. Many of our ecosystems are degraded and much of USGS' science is focused on restoration and helping land management respond to ecosystem change. USGS scientists study how these impacts affect the function of ecosystems, the vulnerability and resilience of ecosystems to such changes, and make predictions about their future.
Managing & Restoring Ecosystems
The USGS is providing science that helps to manage and restore ecosystems while maximizing their ability to support biodiversity and maintain important ecosystem services (e.g., coastal protection, water availability, pollination, erosion control etc.). Our scientists are also providing useful information that helps communities as well as land and water managers prepare for anticipated impacts from land use and landscape change.
Featured Tools & Techniques
Across the USGS, our scientists are developing decision-support tools and technologies to monitor and assess risks to ecosystems. They also help communities plan for the future. Innovative research and development of new technology focuses on both large- and small-scale ecosystems that may face significant impacts now and into the future.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Science
USGS Alaska Q&A Series
USGS scientists and collaborators talk about their work in Alaska through a series of Questions and Answers (Q&As). The links below contain interviews, photos, and other information about the work and collaborations of the USGS Alaska Science Center.
Ecosystems on the Edge: Landscape and Fire Ecology of Forests, Deserts, and Tundra
Climate changes and interacting disturbances such as wildfires, insect and disease outbreaks, and erosion and flooding can perturb and reorganize ecosystems.
The Rusting of Arctic Rivers: Freshwater Ecosystems Respond to Rapidly Uptaking Metals
The water quality of streams and rivers in the Arctic is sensitive to rapid climate change and altered disturbance regimes.
Pacific Marine Heatwave
The USGS conducts research on marine wildlife, habitats, and ecosystem processes to provide science to inform our partners as they make decisions relative to species status, resource use, and human activities. These studies examine impacts of severe heatwaves on marine ecosystems of the North Pacific.
Seabirds and Forage Fish Ecology
Alaska's coastal and offshore waters provide foraging habitat for an estimated 100 million birds comprising more than 90 different species; from loons and seaducks that nest inland, to petrels and puffins that breed on islands off shore. All these birds depend on the sea to provide a wide variety of food types— from clams, crabs and urchins nearshore— to krill, forage fish, and squid offshore. The...
Multimedia
Featured Tools & Techniques
Across the USGS, our scientists are developing decision-support tools and technologies to monitor and assess risks to ecosystems and help communities plan for the future. Innovative research and technology development focus on both large scale and place-based ecosystems that may face significant impacts now and into the future.
Across the USGS, our scientists are developing decision-support tools and technologies to monitor and assess risks to ecosystems and help communities plan for the future. Innovative research and technology development focus on both large scale and place-based ecosystems that may face significant impacts now and into the future.
The Cost of Biological Threats
MONITORING BIOLOGICAL THREATS: Protecting Ecosystems, Public Safety, and the Economy
MONITORING BIOLOGICAL THREATS: Protecting Ecosystems, Public Safety, and the Economy
North Pacific Marine Heatwave
In the winter of 2015, the public noticed thousands of dead seabirds washing ashore across the western coast of the United States and Canada. The USGS linked this massive seabird die-off to the North Pacific Marine Heatwave. A marine heatwave occurs when sea surface temperatures are above normal for an extended period of time.
In the winter of 2015, the public noticed thousands of dead seabirds washing ashore across the western coast of the United States and Canada. The USGS linked this massive seabird die-off to the North Pacific Marine Heatwave. A marine heatwave occurs when sea surface temperatures are above normal for an extended period of time.
Eyes on Earth Episode 57 – Landsat and the Great Lakes
The Great Lakes represent roughly 20% of the surface freshwater in the world and 90% in the United States. The Great Lakes Basin supports more than 30 million people in the U.S. and Canada and 3,500 plant and animal species. The region faces threats that range from climate change and invasive species to pollution and development.
The Great Lakes represent roughly 20% of the surface freshwater in the world and 90% in the United States. The Great Lakes Basin supports more than 30 million people in the U.S. and Canada and 3,500 plant and animal species. The region faces threats that range from climate change and invasive species to pollution and development.
USGS Pacific Seabird Research
Alaska's coastal and offshore waters provide foraging habitat for an estimated 100 million birds comprising more than 90 different species. Researchers at the USGS Alaska Science Center work in collaboration with many partner agencies, non-governmental organizations, universities and rehabilitation centers to investigate seabirds.
Alaska's coastal and offshore waters provide foraging habitat for an estimated 100 million birds comprising more than 90 different species. Researchers at the USGS Alaska Science Center work in collaboration with many partner agencies, non-governmental organizations, universities and rehabilitation centers to investigate seabirds.
Diver in cave
Cave passage and diver (Bil Philips, cave explorer) in Ox Bel Ha Cave System of the northeastern Yucatan Peninsula.
Cave passage and diver (Bil Philips, cave explorer) in Ox Bel Ha Cave System of the northeastern Yucatan Peninsula.
Red-throated Loon swimming near the Colville River, Alaska
A Red-throated Loon swimming in a small lake on the Colville River Delta.
A Red-throated Loon swimming in a small lake on the Colville River Delta.
Pacific Loon swimming in a small lake near the Colville River, Alaska
A Pacific Loon swimming in a small lake on the Colville River delta.
A Pacific Loon swimming in a small lake on the Colville River delta.
Pacific Loon take off
A Pacific Loon taking off from a small lake near the Colville River Delta in northern Alaska.
A Pacific Loon taking off from a small lake near the Colville River Delta in northern Alaska.
The science listed below is a sampling of USGS science on this topic and does not represent an exhaustive list.
Filter Total Items: 22
USGS Alaska Q&A Series
USGS scientists and collaborators talk about their work in Alaska through a series of Questions and Answers (Q&As). The links below contain interviews, photos, and other information about the work and collaborations of the USGS Alaska Science Center.
Ecosystems on the Edge: Landscape and Fire Ecology of Forests, Deserts, and Tundra
Climate changes and interacting disturbances such as wildfires, insect and disease outbreaks, and erosion and flooding can perturb and reorganize ecosystems.
The Rusting of Arctic Rivers: Freshwater Ecosystems Respond to Rapidly Uptaking Metals
The water quality of streams and rivers in the Arctic is sensitive to rapid climate change and altered disturbance regimes.
Pacific Marine Heatwave
The USGS conducts research on marine wildlife, habitats, and ecosystem processes to provide science to inform our partners as they make decisions relative to species status, resource use, and human activities. These studies examine impacts of severe heatwaves on marine ecosystems of the North Pacific.
Seabirds and Forage Fish Ecology
Alaska's coastal and offshore waters provide foraging habitat for an estimated 100 million birds comprising more than 90 different species; from loons and seaducks that nest inland, to petrels and puffins that breed on islands off shore. All these birds depend on the sea to provide a wide variety of food types— from clams, crabs and urchins nearshore— to krill, forage fish, and squid offshore. The...
Collaborative Science for Priority Information Needs
One of the primary missions of the USGS is to address the science needs of Department of Interior bureaus, particularly those that manage natural resources and lands. This mission is fulfilled through the research and other activities of USGS scientists but also specifically through three USGS nationally-funded programs listed below.
Changing Arctic Ecosystems
Arctic regions of Alaska are important for cultural and economic sustainability and host a wide variety of wildlife species, many of which are of conservation and management interest to the U.S. Department of the Interior. The USGS and collaborators provide information about Arctic ecosystems that are used by Arctic residents, management agencies, and industry.
Mangrove Science Network
The Mangrove Science Network is a collaboration of USGS scientists focused on working with natural resource managers to develop and conduct research whose findings will support and evaluate decisions made in mangrove management and restoration.
Benthic Ecological Communities in the Deep Sea
USGS explores, characterizes, and monitors benthic ecological communities in the deep sea including their connections to associated food webs, from microbes to fishes. This includes assessing the oceanographic, geological, and geochemical conditions associated with these biological communities, population genetics, and distribution of habitats and fauna.
Great Lakes and Inland Seas
Large inland waterbodies are oceanic in many ways, facing many of the same issues as the ocean. The USGS conducts research and monitoring in the Great Lakes region and in other inland seas across the country to understand these large bodies of water and inform how we use and manage them.
Bug Flows: Improving Food Web Health on the Colorado River
Native and desired nonnative fish downstream of Glen Canyon Dam are food limited—meaning that if more or larger invertebrate food items were available, there would be more and larger fish. Aquatic insects have complex life cycles that include egg, larvae, and pupal stages that are aquatic while adults have wings and are typically terrestrial. Aquatic insects are a fundamental component of river...
Elwha River ScienceScape: Understanding Ecosystem Recovery Following Large-Scale Dam Removal
The Elwha River – located on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington - is home to an iconic dam removal and ecosystem restoration project. The Elwha offers a unique setting to explore the ecosystem level effects of dam removal and river restoration because of its prominence, such as large sediment volume, several salmon populations, and pristine wilderness.
The multimedia listed below are a sampling of USGS science on this topic and do not represent an exhaustive list.
Featured Tools & Techniques
Across the USGS, our scientists are developing decision-support tools and technologies to monitor and assess risks to ecosystems and help communities plan for the future. Innovative research and technology development focus on both large scale and place-based ecosystems that may face significant impacts now and into the future.
Across the USGS, our scientists are developing decision-support tools and technologies to monitor and assess risks to ecosystems and help communities plan for the future. Innovative research and technology development focus on both large scale and place-based ecosystems that may face significant impacts now and into the future.
The Cost of Biological Threats
MONITORING BIOLOGICAL THREATS: Protecting Ecosystems, Public Safety, and the Economy
MONITORING BIOLOGICAL THREATS: Protecting Ecosystems, Public Safety, and the Economy
North Pacific Marine Heatwave
In the winter of 2015, the public noticed thousands of dead seabirds washing ashore across the western coast of the United States and Canada. The USGS linked this massive seabird die-off to the North Pacific Marine Heatwave. A marine heatwave occurs when sea surface temperatures are above normal for an extended period of time.
In the winter of 2015, the public noticed thousands of dead seabirds washing ashore across the western coast of the United States and Canada. The USGS linked this massive seabird die-off to the North Pacific Marine Heatwave. A marine heatwave occurs when sea surface temperatures are above normal for an extended period of time.
Eyes on Earth Episode 57 – Landsat and the Great Lakes
The Great Lakes represent roughly 20% of the surface freshwater in the world and 90% in the United States. The Great Lakes Basin supports more than 30 million people in the U.S. and Canada and 3,500 plant and animal species. The region faces threats that range from climate change and invasive species to pollution and development.
The Great Lakes represent roughly 20% of the surface freshwater in the world and 90% in the United States. The Great Lakes Basin supports more than 30 million people in the U.S. and Canada and 3,500 plant and animal species. The region faces threats that range from climate change and invasive species to pollution and development.
USGS Pacific Seabird Research
Alaska's coastal and offshore waters provide foraging habitat for an estimated 100 million birds comprising more than 90 different species. Researchers at the USGS Alaska Science Center work in collaboration with many partner agencies, non-governmental organizations, universities and rehabilitation centers to investigate seabirds.
Alaska's coastal and offshore waters provide foraging habitat for an estimated 100 million birds comprising more than 90 different species. Researchers at the USGS Alaska Science Center work in collaboration with many partner agencies, non-governmental organizations, universities and rehabilitation centers to investigate seabirds.
Diver in cave
Cave passage and diver (Bil Philips, cave explorer) in Ox Bel Ha Cave System of the northeastern Yucatan Peninsula.
Cave passage and diver (Bil Philips, cave explorer) in Ox Bel Ha Cave System of the northeastern Yucatan Peninsula.
Red-throated Loon swimming near the Colville River, Alaska
A Red-throated Loon swimming in a small lake on the Colville River Delta.
A Red-throated Loon swimming in a small lake on the Colville River Delta.
Pacific Loon swimming in a small lake near the Colville River, Alaska
A Pacific Loon swimming in a small lake on the Colville River delta.
A Pacific Loon swimming in a small lake on the Colville River delta.
Pacific Loon take off
A Pacific Loon taking off from a small lake near the Colville River Delta in northern Alaska.
A Pacific Loon taking off from a small lake near the Colville River Delta in northern Alaska.
Yellow-billed Loon on a lake in the northern area of Alaska
Yellow-billed Loon on a lake in the northern area of Alaska.
Yellow-billed Loon on a lake in the northern area of Alaska.
Ox Bel Ha Cross-Section
Caves within a karst subterranean estuary are filled with separated fresh (green), brackish (gray) and saline (blue) waters. Within the subterranean estuary, methane (CH4) and other forms of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) created during the decomposition of soil from the overlying tropical forest sustain a complex cave-adapted ecosystem.
Caves within a karst subterranean estuary are filled with separated fresh (green), brackish (gray) and saline (blue) waters. Within the subterranean estuary, methane (CH4) and other forms of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) created during the decomposition of soil from the overlying tropical forest sustain a complex cave-adapted ecosystem.