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James Evans, Ph.D. (Former Employee)

Science and Products

A brain coral infected with Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease

Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease – Investigating Possible Pathogens and Transmission Mechanisms

Coral disease was first documented on Florida reefs in the 1970s. Since then, outbreaks of diseases have increased, and disease is now one major reason why coral reefs worldwide are in decline. Although what causes most coral diseases is not known, the few with known causes have been linked to microorganisms, highlighting the need for studies of microbes associated with diseased corals.
By
Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Coral Microbial Ecology Laboratory
Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease – Investigating Possible Pathogens and Transmission Mechanisms

Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease – Investigating Possible Pathogens and Transmission Mechanisms

Coral disease was first documented on Florida reefs in the 1970s. Since then, outbreaks of diseases have increased, and disease is now one major reason why coral reefs worldwide are in decline. Although what causes most coral diseases is not known, the few with known causes have been linked to microorganisms, highlighting the need for studies of microbes associated with diseased corals.
Learn More
Illustration of a mermaid on a coral reef with a double helix (DNA strand) tail.

MERMAID - Metagenomic Examinations of Reefs; Microbial Assessments Including Disease

This project aims to understand the microbial processes, including disease, that influence the health of coral reef communities. We use microbiology and molecular biology techniques to better understand the role of microorganisms in shaping reef structure and function.
By
Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
MERMAID - Metagenomic Examinations of Reefs; Microbial Assessments Including Disease

MERMAID - Metagenomic Examinations of Reefs; Microbial Assessments Including Disease

This project aims to understand the microbial processes, including disease, that influence the health of coral reef communities. We use microbiology and molecular biology techniques to better understand the role of microorganisms in shaping reef structure and function.
Learn More
Boulder brain coral with signs of stony coral tissue loss disease

Integrating Science and Management to Assist with the Response to Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease

A USGS multi-disciplinary team will use laboratory and modeling approaches to investigate the cause of stony coral tissue loss disease.
By
Eastern Ecological Science Center, National Wildlife Health Center, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center
Integrating Science and Management to Assist with the Response to Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease

Integrating Science and Management to Assist with the Response to Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease

A USGS multi-disciplinary team will use laboratory and modeling approaches to investigate the cause of stony coral tissue loss disease.
Learn More

Testing Treatments Against Parasitic Scuticociliate (Philaster apodigitiformis) that Causes Mass Mortality Among Sea Urchins (Diadema antillarum) - Results Testing Treatments Against Parasitic Scuticociliate (Philaster apodigitiformis) that Causes Mass Mortality Among Sea Urchins (Diadema antillarum) - Results

The information in this data release are those referenced in the journal article by Evans and others (2024) entitled “Evaluation of in vitro treatments against the causative agent of Diadema antillarum scuticociliatosis (DaSc).” They contain the results observed and collected during an experiment that tested the efficacy of nine compounds (2’4’ dihydroxychalcone, bithionol sulfoxide...
By
Environmental Health Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Prokaryotic Communities Shed by Diseased and Healthy Coral (Diploria labyrinthiformis, Pseudodiploria strigosa, Montastraea cavernosa, Colpophyllia natans, and Orbicella faveolata) into Filtered Seawater Mesocosms - Raw and Processed Data Prokaryotic Communities Shed by Diseased and Healthy Coral (Diploria labyrinthiformis, Pseudodiploria strigosa, Montastraea cavernosa, Colpophyllia natans, and Orbicella faveolata) into Filtered Seawater Mesocosms - Raw and Processed Data

The files in this data release are those referenced in the journal article by Evans and others (2023) entitled 'Investigating microbial size classes associated with the transmission of stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD)'. The files contain an amplicon sequence variant (ASV) table and the raw 16S rRNA gene amplicon files from fifty-six 0.22-micrometer (µm) pore size filters, as well...
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Expert assessments of hypotheses concerning the etiological agent(s) of Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease collected during a rapid prototyping project Expert assessments of hypotheses concerning the etiological agent(s) of Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease collected during a rapid prototyping project

This dataset is from expert elicitation of a panel of 15 experts with knowledge of stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) and its impacts on coral reefs. We gathered this group of 15 participants with diverse expertise who had previously studied SCTLD including at universities and various government agencies as microbiologists, pathologists, disease ecologists, population ecologists...
By
Cooperative Research Units

Prokaryotic Communities From Marine Biofilms Formed on Stainless Steel Plates in Coral Mesocosms - Raw and Processed Data Prokaryotic Communities From Marine Biofilms Formed on Stainless Steel Plates in Coral Mesocosms - Raw and Processed Data

The files in this data release are those referenced in the journal article by Evans and others (2022) entitled "Ship Biofilms as Potential Reservoirs of Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease." They contain an amplicon sequence variant (ASV) table and the raw 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid (rRNA) gene amplicon deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequence files from 15 microbial communities (sample...
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Environmental Health Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Bacterial Communities Shed by Montastraea cavernosa Coral Fragments into Filtered Seawater Mesocosms-Raw Data Bacterial Communities Shed by Montastraea cavernosa Coral Fragments into Filtered Seawater Mesocosms-Raw Data

The files in this data release contain an amplicon sequence variant (ASV) table and the raw 16S rRNA gene amplicon files from six 0.22-micron size fractions of tangential flow filtration-concentrated microbial communities (Mcav17, Mcav18, McH-101, McH-103, McD-57, and McD-58) derived from mesocosms consisting of filtered seawater in which either healthy or diseased fragments of...
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Geologic map of the Lower Valley quadrangle, Caribou County, Idaho Geologic map of the Lower Valley quadrangle, Caribou County, Idaho

The Lower Valley 7.5-minute quadrangle, located in the core of the Southeast Idaho Phosphate Resource Area, includes Mississippian to Triassic marine sedimentary rocks, Pliocene to Pleistocene basalt, and Tertiary to Holocene surficial deposits. The Mississippian to Triassic marine sedimentary sequence was deposited on a shallow shelf between an emergent craton to the east and the Antler...
By
Geology, Energy, and Minerals Mission Area, Energy Resources Program, Mineral Resources Program, National Laboratories Program, Science and Decisions Center, Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center

Geology and mineral resources map of the South Mountain quadrangle, Malheur County, Oregon Geology and mineral resources map of the South Mountain quadrangle, Malheur County, Oregon

No abstract available.

Geochemical map of the North Fork John Day River Roadless Area, Grant County, Oregon Geochemical map of the North Fork John Day River Roadless Area, Grant County, Oregon

The Wilderness Act (Public Law 88-577, September 3, 1964) and related acts require the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Bureau of Mines to survey certain areas on Federal lands to determine their mineral resource potential. Results must be made available to the public and submitted to the President and the Congress. This report presents the analytical results of a geochemical survey...

Preliminary geologic map of the Schroeder Mountain quadrangle, Nevada Preliminary geologic map of the Schroeder Mountain quadrangle, Nevada

No abstract available.
A scientist wearing a lab coat reads a computer screen next to a microarray plate resting in the extended tray of a machine.
An antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) microarray in the Real-Time PCR (RT-PCR) machine
An antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) microarray in the Real-Time PCR (RT-PCR) machine
A scientist wearing a lab coat reads a computer screen next to a microarray plate resting in the extended tray of a machine.

An antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) microarray in the Real-Time PCR (RT-PCR) machine

An antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) microarray in the Real-Time PCR (RT-PCR) machine

An antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) microarray in the Real-Time PCR (RT-PCR) machine.

By
Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Coral Microbial Ecology Laboratory
A scientist wearing a lab coat reads a computer screen next to a microarray plate resting in the extended tray of a machine.

An antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) microarray in the Real-Time PCR (RT-PCR) machine

An antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) microarray in the Real-Time PCR (RT-PCR) machine

An antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) microarray in the Real-Time PCR (RT-PCR) machine.

By
Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Coral Microbial Ecology Laboratory
a coral fragment in a bucket, half white and half darkened
Testing the role of biofilms in the spread of stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD)
Testing the role of biofilms in the spread of stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD)
a coral fragment in a bucket, half white and half darkened

Testing the role of biofilms in the spread of stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD)

Testing the role of biofilms in the spread of stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD)

Biofilms are mats of microorganisms that stick together and form a layer, or “film,” on and within objects in the water—including ships—which could represent one possible mechanism for the spread of microbes (and potentially SCTLD’s unknown causative agent) from one region to another. To test this theory, scientists at the St.

By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
a coral fragment in a bucket, half white and half darkened

Testing the role of biofilms in the spread of stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD)

Testing the role of biofilms in the spread of stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD)

Biofilms are mats of microorganisms that stick together and form a layer, or “film,” on and within objects in the water—including ships—which could represent one possible mechanism for the spread of microbes (and potentially SCTLD’s unknown causative agent) from one region to another. To test this theory, scientists at the St.

By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
Filter Total Items: 68

Investigating the influence of Diadematidae scuticociliatosis on host microbiome composition Investigating the influence of Diadematidae scuticociliatosis on host microbiome composition

Mass mortality of Diadematidae urchins, caused by the Diadema antillarum scuticociliatosis Philaster clade (DScPc), affected the Caribbean in spring 2022 and subsequently spread to the eastern Mediterranean, Red Sea, and western Indian Ocean. A key question around Diadematidae scuticociliatosis (DSc), the disease caused by the scuticociliate, is whether the urchin microbiome varies...
Authors
Brayan Vilanova-Cuevas, Christopher M. DeRito, Isabella T. Ritchie, Christina A. Kellogg, James S. Evans, Alizee Zimmermann, Stacey M. Williams, Marilyn E. Brandt, Moriah L. B. Sevier, Samuel Gittens, Kayla A. Budd, Matthew Warham, William C. Sharp, Gabriel A. Delgado, Alwin Hylkema, Kimani A. Kitson-Walters, Jean-Pascal Quod, Mya Breitbart, Ian Hewson
By
St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Detection of the Diadema antillarum scuticociliatosis Philaster clade on sympatric metazoa, plankton, and abiotic surfaces and assessment for its potential reemergence Detection of the Diadema antillarum scuticociliatosis Philaster clade on sympatric metazoa, plankton, and abiotic surfaces and assessment for its potential reemergence

A ciliate belonging to the Diadema antillarum scuticociliatosis (DaSc)-associated Philaster clade (DaScPc) caused catastrophic long-spined urchin mass mortality in spring and summer of 2022. The ciliate can be grown in culture in both the presence and absence of D. antillarum tissues, suggesting that it may persist outside its host by consuming microorganisms or dissolved organic...
Authors
Brayan Vilanova-Cuevas, Katherine Philipp, Ashley Altera, Amy Apprill, Cynthia C. Becker, Donald Behringer, Marilyn E. Brandt, Mya Breitbart, Kayla A. Budd, Christopher M. DeRito, Elizabeth Duermit-Moreau, James S. Evans, Maria Hopson-Fernandes, Julian Fleischer, Samuel Gittens, Michael Henson, Alwin Hylkema, Christina A. Kellogg, Andrew Maritan, Julie L. Meyer, Zoe A. Pratte, Isabella T. Ritchie, Moriah L. B. Sevier, Matthew Souza, Frank J. Stewart, Sietske Van Der Wal, Sarah VonHoehne, Ian Hewson
By
St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Evaluation of in vitro treatments against the causative agent of Diadema antillarum scuticociliatosis (DaSc) Evaluation of in vitro treatments against the causative agent of Diadema antillarum scuticociliatosis (DaSc)

ABSTRACT: In the 1980s, a mass die-off of the long-spined sea urchin Diadema antillarum occurred on Florida and Caribbean coral reefs. D. antillarum populations largely did not recover, and in 2022, remaining populations experienced another mass mortality event. A ciliate most similar to Philaster apodigitiformis was identified as the causative agent of the 2022 event, which was named D
Authors
James S. Evans, Julie Jenice Voelschow, Isabella T. Ritchie, Mya Breitbart, Ian Hewson, Christina A. Kellogg
By
Environmental Health Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Transglobal spread of an ecologically relevant sea urchin parasite Transglobal spread of an ecologically relevant sea urchin parasite

Mass mortality of the dominant coral reef herbivore Diadema antillarum in the Caribbean in the early 1980s contributed to a persistent phase shift from coral- to algal-dominated reefs. In 2022, a scuticociliate most closely related to Philaster apodigitiformis caused further mass mortality of D. antillarum across the Caribbean, leading to >95% mortality at affected sites. Mortality was...
Authors
Isabella T. Ritchie, Brayan Vilanova-Cuevas, Ashley Altera, Kaileigh Cornfield, Ceri Evans, James S. Evans, Maria Hopson-Fernandes, Christina A. Kellogg, Elayne Looker, Oliver Taylor, Ian Hewson, Mya Breitbart
By
Environmental Health Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Geothermal Play Fairway Analysis, Part 2: GIS methodology Geothermal Play Fairway Analysis, Part 2: GIS methodology

Play Fairway Analysis (PFA) in geothermal exploration originates from a systematic methodology developed within the petroleum industry and is based on a geologic, geophysical, and hydrologic framework of identified geothermal systems. We tailored this methodology to study the geothermal resource potential of the Snake River Plain and surrounding region, but it can be adapted to other...
Authors
Jacob DeAngelo, John W. Shervais, Jonathan M.G. Glen, Dennis Nielson, Sabodh Garg, Patrick Dobson, Erika Gasperikova, Eric Sonnenthal, Lee M. Liberty, Drew Lorenz Siler, James P. Evans
By
Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center

Geothermal play fairway analysis, part 1: Example from the Snake River Plain, Idaho Geothermal play fairway analysis, part 1: Example from the Snake River Plain, Idaho

The Snake River Plain (SRP) volcanic province overlies the track of the Yellowstone hotspot, a thermal anomaly that extends deep into the mantle. Most of the area is underlain by a basaltic volcanic province that overlies a mid-crustal intrusive complex, which in turn provides the long-term heat flux needed to sustain geothermal systems. Previous studies have identified several known...
Authors
John W. Shervais, Jacob DeAngelo, Jonathan M.G. Glen, Dennis L. Nielson, Sabodh Garg, Patrick Dobson, Erika Gasperikova, Eric Sonnenthal, Lee M. Liberty, Dennis L. Newell, Drew Lorenz Siler, James P. Evans
By
Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center
SPCMSC researchers publish study investigating compounds effective against the causative agent of Diadema sea urchin mass mortality

SPCMSC researchers publish study investigating compounds effective against the causative agent of Diadema sea urchin mass mortality

SPCMSC Research Marine Biologist James Evans, Biologist Julie Voelschow, and Research Microbiologist Christina Kellogg, along with collaborators from...

Read Article
SPCMSC Scientists Participate in Research Cruise to Collect Gulf of America Deep Sea Corals for Microbiology Research

SPCMSC Scientists Participate in Research Cruise to Collect Gulf of America Deep Sea Corals for Microbiology Research

Research Microbiologist Christina Kellogg and Research Marine Biologist James Evans took part in a research cruise in the Gulf of America, collecting...

Read Article
USGS and international team identify the pathogen responsible for 2022 die-off of long-spined sea urchins (Diadema antillarum) across the Caribbean

USGS and international team identify the pathogen responsible for 2022 die-off of long-spined sea urchins (Diadema antillarum) across the Caribbean

A fatal pathogen affecting the long-spined sea urchin decimated populations of this important herbivore in the 1980s. A similar disease emerged in...

Read Article
SPCMSC Scientists Co-Author Meta-Analysis of the Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD) Microbiome

SPCMSC Scientists Co-Author Meta-Analysis of the Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD) Microbiome

SPCMSC Research Microbiologist Dr. Christina Kellogg and Research Marine Biologist Dr. James Evans, along with fellow USGS scientist W. Bane Schill...

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Possible Links Between Ship-Associated Biofilms and Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease

Possible Links Between Ship-Associated Biofilms and Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease

Research Marine Biologist James Evans and Research Microbiologist Christina Kellogg investigated the possible role of biofilms in the spread of stony...

Read Article
SPCMSC Study Published Describing a New Method for Investigating Waterborne Coral Diseases

SPCMSC Study Published Describing a New Method for Investigating Waterborne Coral Diseases

SPCMSC Research scientists James Evans and Christina Kellogg and colleagues publish a new paper, “Combining tangential flow filtration and size...

Read Article

Science and Products

A brain coral infected with Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease

Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease – Investigating Possible Pathogens and Transmission Mechanisms

Coral disease was first documented on Florida reefs in the 1970s. Since then, outbreaks of diseases have increased, and disease is now one major reason why coral reefs worldwide are in decline. Although what causes most coral diseases is not known, the few with known causes have been linked to microorganisms, highlighting the need for studies of microbes associated with diseased corals.
By
Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Coral Microbial Ecology Laboratory
Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease – Investigating Possible Pathogens and Transmission Mechanisms

Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease – Investigating Possible Pathogens and Transmission Mechanisms

Coral disease was first documented on Florida reefs in the 1970s. Since then, outbreaks of diseases have increased, and disease is now one major reason why coral reefs worldwide are in decline. Although what causes most coral diseases is not known, the few with known causes have been linked to microorganisms, highlighting the need for studies of microbes associated with diseased corals.
Learn More
Illustration of a mermaid on a coral reef with a double helix (DNA strand) tail.

MERMAID - Metagenomic Examinations of Reefs; Microbial Assessments Including Disease

This project aims to understand the microbial processes, including disease, that influence the health of coral reef communities. We use microbiology and molecular biology techniques to better understand the role of microorganisms in shaping reef structure and function.
By
Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
MERMAID - Metagenomic Examinations of Reefs; Microbial Assessments Including Disease

MERMAID - Metagenomic Examinations of Reefs; Microbial Assessments Including Disease

This project aims to understand the microbial processes, including disease, that influence the health of coral reef communities. We use microbiology and molecular biology techniques to better understand the role of microorganisms in shaping reef structure and function.
Learn More
Boulder brain coral with signs of stony coral tissue loss disease

Integrating Science and Management to Assist with the Response to Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease

A USGS multi-disciplinary team will use laboratory and modeling approaches to investigate the cause of stony coral tissue loss disease.
By
Eastern Ecological Science Center, National Wildlife Health Center, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center
Integrating Science and Management to Assist with the Response to Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease

Integrating Science and Management to Assist with the Response to Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease

A USGS multi-disciplinary team will use laboratory and modeling approaches to investigate the cause of stony coral tissue loss disease.
Learn More

Testing Treatments Against Parasitic Scuticociliate (Philaster apodigitiformis) that Causes Mass Mortality Among Sea Urchins (Diadema antillarum) - Results Testing Treatments Against Parasitic Scuticociliate (Philaster apodigitiformis) that Causes Mass Mortality Among Sea Urchins (Diadema antillarum) - Results

The information in this data release are those referenced in the journal article by Evans and others (2024) entitled “Evaluation of in vitro treatments against the causative agent of Diadema antillarum scuticociliatosis (DaSc).” They contain the results observed and collected during an experiment that tested the efficacy of nine compounds (2’4’ dihydroxychalcone, bithionol sulfoxide...
By
Environmental Health Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Prokaryotic Communities Shed by Diseased and Healthy Coral (Diploria labyrinthiformis, Pseudodiploria strigosa, Montastraea cavernosa, Colpophyllia natans, and Orbicella faveolata) into Filtered Seawater Mesocosms - Raw and Processed Data Prokaryotic Communities Shed by Diseased and Healthy Coral (Diploria labyrinthiformis, Pseudodiploria strigosa, Montastraea cavernosa, Colpophyllia natans, and Orbicella faveolata) into Filtered Seawater Mesocosms - Raw and Processed Data

The files in this data release are those referenced in the journal article by Evans and others (2023) entitled 'Investigating microbial size classes associated with the transmission of stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD)'. The files contain an amplicon sequence variant (ASV) table and the raw 16S rRNA gene amplicon files from fifty-six 0.22-micrometer (µm) pore size filters, as well...
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Expert assessments of hypotheses concerning the etiological agent(s) of Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease collected during a rapid prototyping project Expert assessments of hypotheses concerning the etiological agent(s) of Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease collected during a rapid prototyping project

This dataset is from expert elicitation of a panel of 15 experts with knowledge of stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) and its impacts on coral reefs. We gathered this group of 15 participants with diverse expertise who had previously studied SCTLD including at universities and various government agencies as microbiologists, pathologists, disease ecologists, population ecologists...
By
Cooperative Research Units

Prokaryotic Communities From Marine Biofilms Formed on Stainless Steel Plates in Coral Mesocosms - Raw and Processed Data Prokaryotic Communities From Marine Biofilms Formed on Stainless Steel Plates in Coral Mesocosms - Raw and Processed Data

The files in this data release are those referenced in the journal article by Evans and others (2022) entitled "Ship Biofilms as Potential Reservoirs of Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease." They contain an amplicon sequence variant (ASV) table and the raw 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid (rRNA) gene amplicon deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequence files from 15 microbial communities (sample...
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Environmental Health Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Bacterial Communities Shed by Montastraea cavernosa Coral Fragments into Filtered Seawater Mesocosms-Raw Data Bacterial Communities Shed by Montastraea cavernosa Coral Fragments into Filtered Seawater Mesocosms-Raw Data

The files in this data release contain an amplicon sequence variant (ASV) table and the raw 16S rRNA gene amplicon files from six 0.22-micron size fractions of tangential flow filtration-concentrated microbial communities (Mcav17, Mcav18, McH-101, McH-103, McD-57, and McD-58) derived from mesocosms consisting of filtered seawater in which either healthy or diseased fragments of...
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Geologic map of the Lower Valley quadrangle, Caribou County, Idaho Geologic map of the Lower Valley quadrangle, Caribou County, Idaho

The Lower Valley 7.5-minute quadrangle, located in the core of the Southeast Idaho Phosphate Resource Area, includes Mississippian to Triassic marine sedimentary rocks, Pliocene to Pleistocene basalt, and Tertiary to Holocene surficial deposits. The Mississippian to Triassic marine sedimentary sequence was deposited on a shallow shelf between an emergent craton to the east and the Antler...
By
Geology, Energy, and Minerals Mission Area, Energy Resources Program, Mineral Resources Program, National Laboratories Program, Science and Decisions Center, Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center

Geology and mineral resources map of the South Mountain quadrangle, Malheur County, Oregon Geology and mineral resources map of the South Mountain quadrangle, Malheur County, Oregon

No abstract available.

Geochemical map of the North Fork John Day River Roadless Area, Grant County, Oregon Geochemical map of the North Fork John Day River Roadless Area, Grant County, Oregon

The Wilderness Act (Public Law 88-577, September 3, 1964) and related acts require the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Bureau of Mines to survey certain areas on Federal lands to determine their mineral resource potential. Results must be made available to the public and submitted to the President and the Congress. This report presents the analytical results of a geochemical survey...

Preliminary geologic map of the Schroeder Mountain quadrangle, Nevada Preliminary geologic map of the Schroeder Mountain quadrangle, Nevada

No abstract available.
A scientist wearing a lab coat reads a computer screen next to a microarray plate resting in the extended tray of a machine.
An antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) microarray in the Real-Time PCR (RT-PCR) machine
An antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) microarray in the Real-Time PCR (RT-PCR) machine
A scientist wearing a lab coat reads a computer screen next to a microarray plate resting in the extended tray of a machine.

An antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) microarray in the Real-Time PCR (RT-PCR) machine

An antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) microarray in the Real-Time PCR (RT-PCR) machine

An antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) microarray in the Real-Time PCR (RT-PCR) machine.

By
Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Coral Microbial Ecology Laboratory
A scientist wearing a lab coat reads a computer screen next to a microarray plate resting in the extended tray of a machine.

An antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) microarray in the Real-Time PCR (RT-PCR) machine

An antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) microarray in the Real-Time PCR (RT-PCR) machine

An antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) microarray in the Real-Time PCR (RT-PCR) machine.

By
Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Coral Microbial Ecology Laboratory
a coral fragment in a bucket, half white and half darkened
Testing the role of biofilms in the spread of stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD)
Testing the role of biofilms in the spread of stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD)
a coral fragment in a bucket, half white and half darkened

Testing the role of biofilms in the spread of stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD)

Testing the role of biofilms in the spread of stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD)

Biofilms are mats of microorganisms that stick together and form a layer, or “film,” on and within objects in the water—including ships—which could represent one possible mechanism for the spread of microbes (and potentially SCTLD’s unknown causative agent) from one region to another. To test this theory, scientists at the St.

By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
a coral fragment in a bucket, half white and half darkened

Testing the role of biofilms in the spread of stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD)

Testing the role of biofilms in the spread of stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD)

Biofilms are mats of microorganisms that stick together and form a layer, or “film,” on and within objects in the water—including ships—which could represent one possible mechanism for the spread of microbes (and potentially SCTLD’s unknown causative agent) from one region to another. To test this theory, scientists at the St.

By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
Filter Total Items: 68

Investigating the influence of Diadematidae scuticociliatosis on host microbiome composition Investigating the influence of Diadematidae scuticociliatosis on host microbiome composition

Mass mortality of Diadematidae urchins, caused by the Diadema antillarum scuticociliatosis Philaster clade (DScPc), affected the Caribbean in spring 2022 and subsequently spread to the eastern Mediterranean, Red Sea, and western Indian Ocean. A key question around Diadematidae scuticociliatosis (DSc), the disease caused by the scuticociliate, is whether the urchin microbiome varies...
Authors
Brayan Vilanova-Cuevas, Christopher M. DeRito, Isabella T. Ritchie, Christina A. Kellogg, James S. Evans, Alizee Zimmermann, Stacey M. Williams, Marilyn E. Brandt, Moriah L. B. Sevier, Samuel Gittens, Kayla A. Budd, Matthew Warham, William C. Sharp, Gabriel A. Delgado, Alwin Hylkema, Kimani A. Kitson-Walters, Jean-Pascal Quod, Mya Breitbart, Ian Hewson
By
St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Detection of the Diadema antillarum scuticociliatosis Philaster clade on sympatric metazoa, plankton, and abiotic surfaces and assessment for its potential reemergence Detection of the Diadema antillarum scuticociliatosis Philaster clade on sympatric metazoa, plankton, and abiotic surfaces and assessment for its potential reemergence

A ciliate belonging to the Diadema antillarum scuticociliatosis (DaSc)-associated Philaster clade (DaScPc) caused catastrophic long-spined urchin mass mortality in spring and summer of 2022. The ciliate can be grown in culture in both the presence and absence of D. antillarum tissues, suggesting that it may persist outside its host by consuming microorganisms or dissolved organic...
Authors
Brayan Vilanova-Cuevas, Katherine Philipp, Ashley Altera, Amy Apprill, Cynthia C. Becker, Donald Behringer, Marilyn E. Brandt, Mya Breitbart, Kayla A. Budd, Christopher M. DeRito, Elizabeth Duermit-Moreau, James S. Evans, Maria Hopson-Fernandes, Julian Fleischer, Samuel Gittens, Michael Henson, Alwin Hylkema, Christina A. Kellogg, Andrew Maritan, Julie L. Meyer, Zoe A. Pratte, Isabella T. Ritchie, Moriah L. B. Sevier, Matthew Souza, Frank J. Stewart, Sietske Van Der Wal, Sarah VonHoehne, Ian Hewson
By
St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Evaluation of in vitro treatments against the causative agent of Diadema antillarum scuticociliatosis (DaSc) Evaluation of in vitro treatments against the causative agent of Diadema antillarum scuticociliatosis (DaSc)

ABSTRACT: In the 1980s, a mass die-off of the long-spined sea urchin Diadema antillarum occurred on Florida and Caribbean coral reefs. D. antillarum populations largely did not recover, and in 2022, remaining populations experienced another mass mortality event. A ciliate most similar to Philaster apodigitiformis was identified as the causative agent of the 2022 event, which was named D
Authors
James S. Evans, Julie Jenice Voelschow, Isabella T. Ritchie, Mya Breitbart, Ian Hewson, Christina A. Kellogg
By
Environmental Health Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Transglobal spread of an ecologically relevant sea urchin parasite Transglobal spread of an ecologically relevant sea urchin parasite

Mass mortality of the dominant coral reef herbivore Diadema antillarum in the Caribbean in the early 1980s contributed to a persistent phase shift from coral- to algal-dominated reefs. In 2022, a scuticociliate most closely related to Philaster apodigitiformis caused further mass mortality of D. antillarum across the Caribbean, leading to >95% mortality at affected sites. Mortality was...
Authors
Isabella T. Ritchie, Brayan Vilanova-Cuevas, Ashley Altera, Kaileigh Cornfield, Ceri Evans, James S. Evans, Maria Hopson-Fernandes, Christina A. Kellogg, Elayne Looker, Oliver Taylor, Ian Hewson, Mya Breitbart
By
Environmental Health Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Geothermal Play Fairway Analysis, Part 2: GIS methodology Geothermal Play Fairway Analysis, Part 2: GIS methodology

Play Fairway Analysis (PFA) in geothermal exploration originates from a systematic methodology developed within the petroleum industry and is based on a geologic, geophysical, and hydrologic framework of identified geothermal systems. We tailored this methodology to study the geothermal resource potential of the Snake River Plain and surrounding region, but it can be adapted to other...
Authors
Jacob DeAngelo, John W. Shervais, Jonathan M.G. Glen, Dennis Nielson, Sabodh Garg, Patrick Dobson, Erika Gasperikova, Eric Sonnenthal, Lee M. Liberty, Drew Lorenz Siler, James P. Evans
By
Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center

Geothermal play fairway analysis, part 1: Example from the Snake River Plain, Idaho Geothermal play fairway analysis, part 1: Example from the Snake River Plain, Idaho

The Snake River Plain (SRP) volcanic province overlies the track of the Yellowstone hotspot, a thermal anomaly that extends deep into the mantle. Most of the area is underlain by a basaltic volcanic province that overlies a mid-crustal intrusive complex, which in turn provides the long-term heat flux needed to sustain geothermal systems. Previous studies have identified several known...
Authors
John W. Shervais, Jacob DeAngelo, Jonathan M.G. Glen, Dennis L. Nielson, Sabodh Garg, Patrick Dobson, Erika Gasperikova, Eric Sonnenthal, Lee M. Liberty, Dennis L. Newell, Drew Lorenz Siler, James P. Evans
By
Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center
SPCMSC researchers publish study investigating compounds effective against the causative agent of Diadema sea urchin mass mortality

SPCMSC researchers publish study investigating compounds effective against the causative agent of Diadema sea urchin mass mortality

SPCMSC Research Marine Biologist James Evans, Biologist Julie Voelschow, and Research Microbiologist Christina Kellogg, along with collaborators from...

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SPCMSC Scientists Participate in Research Cruise to Collect Gulf of America Deep Sea Corals for Microbiology Research

SPCMSC Scientists Participate in Research Cruise to Collect Gulf of America Deep Sea Corals for Microbiology Research

Research Microbiologist Christina Kellogg and Research Marine Biologist James Evans took part in a research cruise in the Gulf of America, collecting...

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USGS and international team identify the pathogen responsible for 2022 die-off of long-spined sea urchins (Diadema antillarum) across the Caribbean

USGS and international team identify the pathogen responsible for 2022 die-off of long-spined sea urchins (Diadema antillarum) across the Caribbean

A fatal pathogen affecting the long-spined sea urchin decimated populations of this important herbivore in the 1980s. A similar disease emerged in...

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SPCMSC Scientists Co-Author Meta-Analysis of the Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD) Microbiome

SPCMSC Scientists Co-Author Meta-Analysis of the Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD) Microbiome

SPCMSC Research Microbiologist Dr. Christina Kellogg and Research Marine Biologist Dr. James Evans, along with fellow USGS scientist W. Bane Schill...

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Possible Links Between Ship-Associated Biofilms and Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease

Possible Links Between Ship-Associated Biofilms and Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease

Research Marine Biologist James Evans and Research Microbiologist Christina Kellogg investigated the possible role of biofilms in the spread of stony...

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SPCMSC Study Published Describing a New Method for Investigating Waterborne Coral Diseases

SPCMSC Study Published Describing a New Method for Investigating Waterborne Coral Diseases

SPCMSC Research scientists James Evans and Christina Kellogg and colleagues publish a new paper, “Combining tangential flow filtration and size...

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