Kristen E Donahue
Kristen Donahue is a Biologist with the U.S. Geological Survey's National Climate Adaptation Science Center. Her work focuses on communications and partnerships.
Biography
Kristen Donahue received a M.S. in Environmental Science and Policy and B.A. in Biology from George Mason University. Her research focused on public perception of marine conservation issues. Prior to joining the USGS in 2015, Kristen worked in avian research, teambuilding and leadership development, and science and experiential education.
Science and Products
Trends in nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment concentrations and loads in streams draining to Lake Tahoe, California, Nevada, USA
Lake Tahoe, a large freshwater lake of the eastern Sierra Nevada in California and Nevada, has 63 tributaries that are sources of nutrients and sediment to the lake. The Tahoe watershed is relatively small, and the surface area of the lake occupies about 38% of the watershed area (1313 km2). Only about 6% of the watershed is urbanized or...
Domagalski, Joseph L.; Morway, Eric D.; Alvarez, Nancy L.; Hutchins, Juliet; Rosen, Michael R.; Coats, Robert Exposure of an early to middle Noachian valley network in three dimensions on Mars
We document a set of channels in a section of the Martian cratered highlands located between crustal massifs northeast of Hellas Planitia that are visible in cross section and planview >200 m below the surface. The morphometry and spatial distribution of the outcrops provide concrete geological evidence of a dynamic aqueous system in a...
Skinner, James A.; Fortezzo, Corey M.; Mouginis-Mark, Peter J. Complexity of groundwater age mixing near a seawater intrusion zone based on multiple tracers and Bayesian inference
Aquifer flow systems near seawater interfaces can be complicated by density-driven flows and the formation of stagnation zones, which inevitably introduces uncertainty into groundwater age-dating. While age-dating has proved effective to understand the seawater intrusion and aquifer salinization process in coastal aquifers, further efforts are...
Ju, YeoJin; Massoudieh, Arash; Green, Christopher; Lee, Kang-Kun; Kaown, Dugin
Field evaluation of the Sequoia Scientific LISST-ABS acoustic backscatter sediment sensor
Sequoia Scientific’s LISST-ABS is a submersible acoustic instrument that measures the acoustic backscatter sensor (ABS) concentration at a point within a river, stream, or creek. Compared to traditional physical methods for measuring suspended-sediment concentration (SSC), sediment surrogates like the LISST-ABS offer continuous data that can be...
Manaster, Adam E.; Straub, Timothy D.; Wood, Molly S.; Bell, Joseph M.; Dombroski, Daniel E.; Curran, Christopher A.
The effects of management practices on grassland birds—Nelson’s Sparrow (Ammospiza nelsoni nelsoni)
The key to Nelson’s Sparrow (Ammospiza nelsoni nelsoni) management is providing dense grasses or emergent vegetation near damp areas or freshwater wetlands. Nelson’s Sparrows have been reported to use habitats with 20–122 centimeters (cm) average vegetation height, 41 cm visual obstruction reading, 40–58 percent grass cover, 24 percent forb cover...
Shaffer, Jill A.; Igl, Lawrence D.; Johnson, Douglas H.; Sondreal, Marriah L.; Goldade, Christopher M.; Rabie, Paul A.; Euliss, Betty R.
Geologic framework and hydrostratigraphy of the Edwards and Trinity aquifers within northern Medina County, Texas
The karstic Edwards and Trinity aquifers are classified as major sources of water in south-central Texas by the Texas Water Development Board. During 2018–20 the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Edwards Aquifer Authority, mapped and described the geologic framework and hydrostratigraphy of the rocks composing the Edwards and Trinity...
Clark, Allan K.; Morris, Robert E.; Pedraza, Diana E.
USGS enterprise tools for efficient and effective management of science data
The Science Data Management Branch (SDM) of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) provides data management expertise and leadership and develops guidance and tools to support the USGS in providing the nation with reliable scientific information on the basis of which to describe the Earth. The SDM suite of tools supports the USGS Data Management...
Hutchison, Vivian B.; Liford, Amanda; McClees-Funinan, Ricardo; Zolly, Lisa; Ignizio, Drew; Langseth, Madison; Serna, Brandon; Sellers, Elizabeth; Hsu, Leslie; Norkin, Tamar; McNiff, Marcia; Donovan, Grace The pathogenesis of a North American H5N2 clade 2.3.4.4 group A highly pathogenic avian influenza virus in surf scoters (Melanitta perspicillata)
BackgroundAquatic waterfowl, particularly those in the order Anseriformes and Charadriiformes, are the ecological reservoir of avian influenza viruses (AIVs). Dabbling ducks play a recognized role in the maintenance and transmission of AIVs. Furthermore, the pathogenesis of highly pathogenic AIV (HPAIV) in dabbling ducks is well...
Luczo, Jasmine M.; Prosser, Diann; Pantin-Jackwood, Mary J.; Berlin, Alicia; Spackman, Erica
Total water level data from the January and March 2018 nor’easters for coastal areas of New England
During winter 2017–18 coastal areas of New England were impacted by the January 4, and March 2–4, 2018, nor’easters. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), under an interagency agreement with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), collected total water level data (the combination of tide, storm surge, wave runup and setup, and freshwater...
Bent, Gardner C.; Taylor, Nicholas J.
The effects of management practices on grassland birds—Prairie Falcon (Falco mexicanus)
Keys to Prairie Falcon (Falco mexicanus) management include maintaining cliffs with suitable recesses for use as nest sites (that is, the substrate that supports the nest or the specific location of the nest on the landscape), protecting nest sites from human disturbance by designating buffer zones, and maintaining open landscapes and habitats...
DeLong, John P.; Steenhof, Karen
Observed and modeled mercury and dissolved organic carbon concentrations and loads at control structure S-12D, Florida Everglades, 2013–17
Mercury (Hg) has been a contaminant of concern for several decades in South Florida, particularly in the Florida Everglades. The transport and bioavailability of Hg in aquatic systems is intimately linked to dissolved organic carbon (DOC). In aquatic systems, Hg can be converted to methylmercury (MeHg), which is the form of Hg that bioaccumulates...
Booth, Amanda C.; Poulin, Brett A.; Krabbenhoft, David P.
Modeling occupancy of rare stream fish species in the upper Cumberland and Kentucky River Basins
Biological conservation often requires an understanding of how environmental conditions affect species occurrence and detection probabilities. We used a hierarchical framework to evaluate these effects for several Appalachian stream fish species of conservation concern: Chrosomus cumberlandensis (BSD; blackside dace), Etheostoma sagitta (CAD;...
Hitt, Nathaniel P.; Rogers, Karli M.; Kessler, Karmann; Macmillan, Hannah
A Nation Parched for Research on Ecological Drought
While prolonged drought with widespread impacts on food and water supplies for people is among the oldest stories in human history, ecological drought has only been recently recognized as an important climate stressor for fish and wildlife species.