Stephen Hartley is a Geographer at the USGS Wetland and Aquatic Research Center.
Stephen Hartley is responsible for the installation, configuration, and overall maintenance of software, hardware, and networking for geographic information system operations. His specific duties include managing and coordinating GIS projects, performing image analysis, developing prototype GIS products, troubleshooting, quality control, personnel management and training, and interacting with clients. Hartley serves as WARC's GAP coordinator for Louisiana. He is one of the Center's certified UAS pilots.
Education and Certifications
M.S., Geology, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, 2000
B.S., Geology, Louisiana Tech, 1985
Science and Products
Mapping Avian Habitat for the Gulf Coast Joint Venture
The Gulf Coast Joint Venture (GCJV) was established in 1988 as a result of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, which espouses the restoration of continental waterfowl populations through conservation partnerships in priority habitat regions. Since that time GCJV partners have expanded their mission and purpose to include the provision of habitat to support other priority bird species...
Using Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Capabilities to Help Identify Giant Salvinia (Salvinia molesta) and the effects of Salvinia weevil (Cyrtogagous salviniae)
USGS is collecting remotely sensed data to classify Salvinia molesta, a non-native aquatic species that reduces light and oxygen levels in water, making it unsuitable for fish and other aquatic plant life.
Identification of Hydrologic Controls on Coastal Spartina patens Marshes and Optimal Hydrological Conditions for Sustainable Mottled Duck Habitat
Mottled ducks rely on the coastal marshes of the Texas Chenier Plain, which are considered among the most critically endangered habitats in the United States. USGS scientists are evaluating what might be contributing to the degradation of high-quality mottled duck habitat to better understand the causes of habitat loss and subsequently mitigate those losses.
Using Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Capabilities to Help Identify Hummock-Hollow Formation and Fragmentation in Critical Marsh Habitat for Mottled Ducks
For many years, coastal marshes in Texas and Louisiana have served as critical habitat for the mottled duck (Anas fulvigula), which is considered a priority species in the Texas/Louisiana Gulf Coast area.
USGS Technical Support for Coastal/Wetlands Ecology: Spatial Analysis and Application for the Gulf Coast Prairie Landscape Conservation Cooperative (GCP LCC)
The Gulf Coastal Prairie (GCP) includes areas within Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas as well as Mexico. The GCP Landscape Conservation Cooperative aims to conserve prairie grasslands which helps migratory birds and other wildlife that rely on these ecosystems.
Past and Future Modeling of Ecological Indicators for the South Atlantic Landscape Conservation Cooperative
The South Atlantic Landscape Conservation Cooperative (LCC) has developed a Conservation Blueprint: a “living spatial plan to conserve natural and cultural resources for future generations.” This blueprint is a data-driven plan based on terrestrial, freshwater, marine, and cross-ecosystem indicators to measure the overall health of South Atlantic ecosystems.
Mapping Fresh, Intermediate, Brackish and Saline Marshes in the North Central Gulf of Mexico Coast to Inform Future Projections
Spatial data depicting marsh types (e.g. fresh, intermediate, brackish and saline) for the north-central Gulf of Mexico coast are inconsistent across the region, limiting the ability of conservation planners to model the current and future capacity of the coast to sustain priority species. The goal of this study was to (1) update the resolution of coastal Texas vegetation data to match that of Lou
Baseline High Resolution Land Cover Map for the Mainstem Klamath River Corridor Downstream of Iron Gate Dam, Klamath River, CA, 2018
This data release includes a file geodatabase with land cover maps for a 313-kilometer segment along the mainstem Klamath River corridor downstream from Iron Gate Dam, CA. The maps were derived from high-resolution (15cm) imagery and topobathymetric elevation data, collected by NV5 Geospatial (formerly QSI, Inc) and published on Open Topography (https://doi.org/10.5069/G9DN436N). Acquisition dates
Vegetation Types in Coastal Louisiana in 2021 (ver. 2.0, April 2023)
Coastwide vegetation surveys have been conducted multiple times over the past 50 years (e.g. Chabreck and Linscombe 1968, 1978, 1988, 1997, 2001, and 2013) by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) in support of coastal management activities. The last survey was conducted in 2013 and was funded by the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) and the U.S. Geo
Coastal wetland vegetation and elevation data characterizing a Sudden Vegetation Dieback event in San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge in 2019
Climatic extremes are becoming more frequent with climate change and have the potential to cause major ecological shifts and ecosystem collapse. Along the northern Gulf of Mexico, a coastal wetland in the San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge in Texas suffered significant and acute vegetation dieback following Hurricane Harvey in 2017. We identified plant zonal boundaries along an elevation gradien
Western Gulf Coastal Plain Louisiana Land Use and Land Cover ground truth observations from 2016 to 2017
Collaborative landscape conservation planning is largely limited by the quality of spatial data which can be applied to decision support tools to inform conservation decisions. Conservation entities across the Western Gulf Coastal Plain are taking a collaborative, strategic, landscape scale approach to conservation planning. This effort encourages communication and implementation of restoration an
Salvinia/weevil case study: Using drones to monitor weevil propagation in Salvinia aquatics (ver. 2.0, August 2023)
During summer months, coastal Louisiana is plagued with floating aquatics that fill and block canals and small waterways causing trouble for boaters. This floating aquatic starts growing in the spring and dies off in late summer and early winter months. One natural predator of the Salvinia sp is the weevil that forages on the Salvinia and causes premature die-off. These weevils do exist naturally
Local and landscape-scale data describing patterns of coastal wetland loss in the Texas Chenier Plain, U.S.A.
We characterized coastal wetland responses to flooding stress by measuring vegetation cover, wetland elevation and water elevation in healthy and degrading wetlands dominated by Spartina patens. Wetland elevation was measured using real-time kinematic survey methods. Vegetation cover was determined by visual estimation methods, and water elevation was measured using in situ continuous recorders. I
UAS imagery acquisition for McFaddin NWR and J.D. Murphree WMA acquired fall 2017
To document current marsh conditions, imagery was acquired at 350 feet using unmanned aerial systems (UAS) for 6 separate study locations. Three Sites are healthy marsh and three sites are degraded marshes. For each study site, ground control markers were established and surveyed in using Real Time Kinematic (RTK) survey equipment. The imagery collected will be processed to produce a mosaics for e
Grassland priority rankings model for the Western Gulf Coastal Plain of Louisiana
The dataset includes Land Use/Land Cover types throughout the Chenier Eco-Region in Southwest Louisiana. Using the 2015 National Aerial Imagery Program (NAIP) dataset (1m) as the basemap, E-Cognition image objects were derived from the multiresolution segmentation algorithm at 75 and 250 segments. Attempts to refine the data training methods using E-cognition, to extrapolate automating categories
Grassland quality and pollinator habitat potential in Southwest Louisiana
Potential pollinator habitat was derived by ranking land use classifications and grassland quality based on ground truthing and remotely sensed features indicative of remnant prairie. High resolution (10m) land use data served as the basemap (Hartley et al 2017) from which most categories were identified. All known prairie remnants, prairie plantings, and clusters of mima mounds were delineated. M
High resolution landcover for the Western Gulf Coastal Plain of Louisiana
The dataset includes Land Use/Land Cover types throughout the Chenier Eco-Region in Southwest Louisiana. Using the 2015 NAIP dataset (1m) as the basemap, E-Cognition image objects were derived from the multiresolution segmentation algorithm at 75 and 250 segments. Attempts to refine the data training methods using E-cognition, to extrapolate automating categories of this information to the entire
Delineation of marsh types and marsh type-change in Coastal Louisiana for 2007 and 2013
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) researchers often require detailed information regarding emergent marsh vegetation types (i.e., fresh, intermediate, brackish, and saline) for modeling habitat capacities and mitigation. In response, the U.S. Geological Survey, in collaboration with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management produced a detailed change classification of emergent marsh vegetat
Vegetation, soil, and landscape data
The northern Gulf of Mexico coast spans two major climate gradients and represents an excellent natural laboratory for developing climate-influenced ecological models. In this project, we used these zones of remarkable transition to develop macroclimate-based models for quantifying the regional responses of coastal wetland ecosystems to climate variation. In addition to providing important fish an
Delineation of marsh types from Corpus Christi Bay, Texas, to Perdido Bay, Alabama, in 2010
Coastal zone managers and researchers often require detailed information regarding emergent marsh vegetation types (that is, fresh, intermediate, brackish, and saline) for modeling habitat capacities and needs of marsh dependent taxa (such as waterfowl and alligator). Detailed information on the extent and distribution of emergent marsh vegetation types throughout the northern Gulf of Mexico coast
Vegetation types in coastal Louisiana in 2013
During the summer of 2013, the U.S. Geological Survey, Louisiana State University, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Coastal and Nongame Resources Division jointly completed an aerial survey to collect data on 2013 vegetation types in coastal Louisiana. Plant species were listed and their abundance classified. On the basis of species compo
Modified Methodology for Projecting Coastal Louisiana Land Changes over the Next 50 Years
The coastal Louisiana landscape is continually undergoing geomorphologic changes (in particular, land loss); however, after the 2005 hurricane season, the changes were intensified because of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The amount of land loss caused by the 2005 hurricane season was 42 percent (562 km2) of the total land loss (1,329 km2) that was projected for the next 50 years in the Louisiana Co
Filter Total Items: 28
Extreme precipitation and flooding contribute to sudden vegetation dieback in a coastal salt marsh
Climate extremes are becoming more frequent with global climate change and have the potential to cause major ecological regime shifts. Along the northern Gulf of Mexico, a coastal wetland in Texas suffered sudden vegetation dieback following an extreme precipitation and flooding event associated with Hurricane Harvey in 2017. Historical salt marsh dieback events have been linked to climate extreme
Authors
Camille Stagg, Michael Osland, Jena A. Moon, Laura Feher, Claudia Laurenzano, Tiffany C. Lane, William Jones, Stephen Hartley
Predicting functional responses in agro-ecosystems from animal movement data to improve management of invasive pests
Functional responses describe how changing resource availability affects consumer resource use, thus providing a mechanistic approach to prediction of the invasibility and potential damage of invasive alien species (IAS). However, functional responses can be context dependent, varying with resource characteristics and availability, consumer attributes, and environmental variables. Identifying cont
Authors
Mark Q. Wilber, Sarah M. Chinn, James C. Beasley, Raoul Boughton, Ryan K. Brook, Stephen S. Ditchkoff, Justin W. Fischer, Stephen B. Hartley, Lindsey K. Holmstrom, John C. Kilgo, Jesse S. Lewis, Ryan S. Miller, Nathan P. Snow, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Samantha M. Wisely, Colleen T. Webb, Kim M. Pepin
Quantifying hydrologic controls on local- and landscape-scale indicators of coastal wetland loss
Background and AimsCoastal wetlands have evolved to withstand stressful abiotic conditions through the maintenance of hydrologic feedbacks among vegetation production and flooding. However, disruption of these feedbacks can lead to ecosystem collapse, or a regime shift from vegetated wetland to open water. To prevent the loss of critical coastal wetland habitat, we must improve understanding of th
Authors
Camille Stagg, Michael Osland, Jena A. Moon, Courtney Hall, Laura Feher, William R. Jones, Brady Couvillion, Stephen B. Hartley, William Vervaeke
Using UAS capabilities to help identify hummock-hollow formation and fragmentation in critical marsh habitat (Spartina patens) for mottled ducks in southeast Texas
For many years, marshes in the coastal areas from Texas to Louisiana have served as critical habitat for Anas fulvigula, the mottled duck. Mottled ducks are a priority species in the Texas/Louisiana Gulf Coast area and have been affected by critical habitat reduction. In recent years, mottled duck habitats have been threatened by natural and anthropogenic changes including urbanization, flooding,
Authors
William R. Jones, Stephen B. Hartley, Camille L. Stagg, Michael J. Osland
Expectations of Maurepas Swamp response to a river reintroduction, Louisiana
Mississippi River reintroductions (freshwater diversions) into wetlands previously disconnected from the river have been implemented in southeastern Louisiana as a means to rehabilitate degraded and submerging wetlands. To date, all active Mississippi River reintroductions have targeted marsh habitat. However, a 57 cubic meter per second (2,000 cubic foot per second) river reintroduction is being
Authors
Ken W. Krauss, Gary P. Shaffer, Richard F. Keim, Jim L. Chambers, William B. Wood, Stephen B. Hartley
Climate and plant controls on soil organic matter in coastal wetlands
Coastal wetlands are among the most productive and carbon‐rich ecosystems on Earth. Long‐term carbon storage in coastal wetlands occurs primarily belowground as soil organic matter (SOM). In addition to serving as a carbon sink, SOM influences wetland ecosystem structure, function, and stability. To anticipate and mitigate the effects of climate change, there is a need to advance understanding of
Authors
Michael J. Osland, Christopher A. Gabler, James B. Grace, Richard H. Day, Meagan L. McCoy, Jennie L. McLeod, Andrew S. From, Nicholas M. Enwright, Laura C. Feher, Camille L. Stagg, Stephen B. Hartley
Quantifying drivers of wild pig movement across multiple spatial and temporal scales
Background
The movement behavior of an animal is determined by extrinsic and intrinsic factors that operate at multiple spatio-temporal scales, yet much of our knowledge of animal movement comes from studies that examine only one or two scales concurrently. Understanding the drivers of animal movement across multiple scales is crucial for understanding the fundamentals of movement ecology, predict
Authors
Shannon L. Kay, Justin W. Fischer, Andrew J. Monaghan, James C Beasley, Raoul Boughton, Tyler A Campbell, Susan M Cooper, Stephen S. Ditchkoff, Stephen B. Hartley, John C Kilgo, Samantha M Wisely, A Christy Wyckoff, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Kim M Pipen
Performance measures for a Mississippi River reintroduction into the forested wetlands of Maurepas Swamp
The use of freshwater diversions (river reintroductions) from the Mississippi River as a restoration tool to rehabilitate Louisiana coastal wetlands has been promoted widely since the first such diversion at Caernarvon became operational in the early 1990s. To date, aside from the Bonnet Carré Spillway (which is designed and operated for flood control), there are only four operational Mississippi
Authors
Ken W. Krauss, Gary P. Shaffer, Richard F. Keim, Jim L. Chambers, William B. Wood, Stephen B. Hartley
Delineation of marsh types and marsh-type change in coastal Louisiana for 2007 and 2013
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management researchers often require detailed information regarding emergent marsh vegetation types (such as fresh, intermediate, brackish, and saline) for modeling habitat capacities and mitigation. In response, the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management produced a detailed change classification of emergent marsh vegetation type
Authors
Stephen B. Hartley, Brady R. Couvillion, Nicholas M. Enwright
Macroclimatic change expected to transform coastal wetland ecosystems this century
Coastal wetlands, existing at the interface between land and sea, are highly vulnerable to climate change. Macroclimate (for example, temperature and precipitation regimes) greatly influences coastal wetland ecosystem structure and function. However, research on climate change impacts in coastal wetlands has concentrated primarily on sea-level rise and largely ignored macroclimatic drivers, despit
Authors
Christopher A. Gabler, Michael J. Osland, James B. Grace, Camille L. Stagg, Richard H. Day, Stephen B. Hartley, Nicholas M. Enwright, Andrew From, Meagan L. McCoy, Jennie L. McLeod
Contact heterogeneities in feral swine: implications for disease management and future research
Contact rates vary widely among individuals in socially structured wildlife populations. Understanding the interplay of factors responsible for this variation is essential for planning effective disease management. Feral swine (Sus scrofa) are a socially structured species which pose an increasing threat to livestock and human health, and little is known about contact structure. We analyzed 11 GPS
Authors
Kim Pepin, Amy J. Davis, James Beasley, Raoul Boughton, Tyler Campbell, Susan Cooper, Wes Gaston, Stephen B. Hartley, John C. Kilgo, Samantha Wisely, Christy Wyckoff, Kurt VerCauteren
Movements of wild pigs in Louisiana and Mississippi, 2011-13
The prolific breeding capability, behavioral adaptation, and adverse environmental impacts of invasive wild pigs (Sus scrofa) have increased efforts towards managing their populations and understanding their movements. Currently, little is known about wild pig populations and movements in Louisiana and Mississippi. From 2011 to 2013, the U.S. Geological Survey investigated spatial and temporal mov
Authors
Stephen B. Hartley, Buddy L. Goatcher, Sijan Sapkota
Science and Products
- Science
Mapping Avian Habitat for the Gulf Coast Joint Venture
The Gulf Coast Joint Venture (GCJV) was established in 1988 as a result of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, which espouses the restoration of continental waterfowl populations through conservation partnerships in priority habitat regions. Since that time GCJV partners have expanded their mission and purpose to include the provision of habitat to support other priority bird species...Using Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Capabilities to Help Identify Giant Salvinia (Salvinia molesta) and the effects of Salvinia weevil (Cyrtogagous salviniae)
USGS is collecting remotely sensed data to classify Salvinia molesta, a non-native aquatic species that reduces light and oxygen levels in water, making it unsuitable for fish and other aquatic plant life.Identification of Hydrologic Controls on Coastal Spartina patens Marshes and Optimal Hydrological Conditions for Sustainable Mottled Duck Habitat
Mottled ducks rely on the coastal marshes of the Texas Chenier Plain, which are considered among the most critically endangered habitats in the United States. USGS scientists are evaluating what might be contributing to the degradation of high-quality mottled duck habitat to better understand the causes of habitat loss and subsequently mitigate those losses.Using Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Capabilities to Help Identify Hummock-Hollow Formation and Fragmentation in Critical Marsh Habitat for Mottled Ducks
For many years, coastal marshes in Texas and Louisiana have served as critical habitat for the mottled duck (Anas fulvigula), which is considered a priority species in the Texas/Louisiana Gulf Coast area.USGS Technical Support for Coastal/Wetlands Ecology: Spatial Analysis and Application for the Gulf Coast Prairie Landscape Conservation Cooperative (GCP LCC)
The Gulf Coastal Prairie (GCP) includes areas within Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas as well as Mexico. The GCP Landscape Conservation Cooperative aims to conserve prairie grasslands which helps migratory birds and other wildlife that rely on these ecosystems.Past and Future Modeling of Ecological Indicators for the South Atlantic Landscape Conservation Cooperative
The South Atlantic Landscape Conservation Cooperative (LCC) has developed a Conservation Blueprint: a “living spatial plan to conserve natural and cultural resources for future generations.” This blueprint is a data-driven plan based on terrestrial, freshwater, marine, and cross-ecosystem indicators to measure the overall health of South Atlantic ecosystems.Mapping Fresh, Intermediate, Brackish and Saline Marshes in the North Central Gulf of Mexico Coast to Inform Future Projections
Spatial data depicting marsh types (e.g. fresh, intermediate, brackish and saline) for the north-central Gulf of Mexico coast are inconsistent across the region, limiting the ability of conservation planners to model the current and future capacity of the coast to sustain priority species. The goal of this study was to (1) update the resolution of coastal Texas vegetation data to match that of Lou - Data
Baseline High Resolution Land Cover Map for the Mainstem Klamath River Corridor Downstream of Iron Gate Dam, Klamath River, CA, 2018
This data release includes a file geodatabase with land cover maps for a 313-kilometer segment along the mainstem Klamath River corridor downstream from Iron Gate Dam, CA. The maps were derived from high-resolution (15cm) imagery and topobathymetric elevation data, collected by NV5 Geospatial (formerly QSI, Inc) and published on Open Topography (https://doi.org/10.5069/G9DN436N). Acquisition datesVegetation Types in Coastal Louisiana in 2021 (ver. 2.0, April 2023)
Coastwide vegetation surveys have been conducted multiple times over the past 50 years (e.g. Chabreck and Linscombe 1968, 1978, 1988, 1997, 2001, and 2013) by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) in support of coastal management activities. The last survey was conducted in 2013 and was funded by the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) and the U.S. GeoCoastal wetland vegetation and elevation data characterizing a Sudden Vegetation Dieback event in San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge in 2019
Climatic extremes are becoming more frequent with climate change and have the potential to cause major ecological shifts and ecosystem collapse. Along the northern Gulf of Mexico, a coastal wetland in the San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge in Texas suffered significant and acute vegetation dieback following Hurricane Harvey in 2017. We identified plant zonal boundaries along an elevation gradienWestern Gulf Coastal Plain Louisiana Land Use and Land Cover ground truth observations from 2016 to 2017
Collaborative landscape conservation planning is largely limited by the quality of spatial data which can be applied to decision support tools to inform conservation decisions. Conservation entities across the Western Gulf Coastal Plain are taking a collaborative, strategic, landscape scale approach to conservation planning. This effort encourages communication and implementation of restoration anSalvinia/weevil case study: Using drones to monitor weevil propagation in Salvinia aquatics (ver. 2.0, August 2023)
During summer months, coastal Louisiana is plagued with floating aquatics that fill and block canals and small waterways causing trouble for boaters. This floating aquatic starts growing in the spring and dies off in late summer and early winter months. One natural predator of the Salvinia sp is the weevil that forages on the Salvinia and causes premature die-off. These weevils do exist naturallyLocal and landscape-scale data describing patterns of coastal wetland loss in the Texas Chenier Plain, U.S.A.
We characterized coastal wetland responses to flooding stress by measuring vegetation cover, wetland elevation and water elevation in healthy and degrading wetlands dominated by Spartina patens. Wetland elevation was measured using real-time kinematic survey methods. Vegetation cover was determined by visual estimation methods, and water elevation was measured using in situ continuous recorders. IUAS imagery acquisition for McFaddin NWR and J.D. Murphree WMA acquired fall 2017
To document current marsh conditions, imagery was acquired at 350 feet using unmanned aerial systems (UAS) for 6 separate study locations. Three Sites are healthy marsh and three sites are degraded marshes. For each study site, ground control markers were established and surveyed in using Real Time Kinematic (RTK) survey equipment. The imagery collected will be processed to produce a mosaics for eGrassland priority rankings model for the Western Gulf Coastal Plain of Louisiana
The dataset includes Land Use/Land Cover types throughout the Chenier Eco-Region in Southwest Louisiana. Using the 2015 National Aerial Imagery Program (NAIP) dataset (1m) as the basemap, E-Cognition image objects were derived from the multiresolution segmentation algorithm at 75 and 250 segments. Attempts to refine the data training methods using E-cognition, to extrapolate automating categoriesGrassland quality and pollinator habitat potential in Southwest Louisiana
Potential pollinator habitat was derived by ranking land use classifications and grassland quality based on ground truthing and remotely sensed features indicative of remnant prairie. High resolution (10m) land use data served as the basemap (Hartley et al 2017) from which most categories were identified. All known prairie remnants, prairie plantings, and clusters of mima mounds were delineated. MHigh resolution landcover for the Western Gulf Coastal Plain of Louisiana
The dataset includes Land Use/Land Cover types throughout the Chenier Eco-Region in Southwest Louisiana. Using the 2015 NAIP dataset (1m) as the basemap, E-Cognition image objects were derived from the multiresolution segmentation algorithm at 75 and 250 segments. Attempts to refine the data training methods using E-cognition, to extrapolate automating categories of this information to the entireDelineation of marsh types and marsh type-change in Coastal Louisiana for 2007 and 2013
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) researchers often require detailed information regarding emergent marsh vegetation types (i.e., fresh, intermediate, brackish, and saline) for modeling habitat capacities and mitigation. In response, the U.S. Geological Survey, in collaboration with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management produced a detailed change classification of emergent marsh vegetatVegetation, soil, and landscape data
The northern Gulf of Mexico coast spans two major climate gradients and represents an excellent natural laboratory for developing climate-influenced ecological models. In this project, we used these zones of remarkable transition to develop macroclimate-based models for quantifying the regional responses of coastal wetland ecosystems to climate variation. In addition to providing important fish an - Maps
Delineation of marsh types from Corpus Christi Bay, Texas, to Perdido Bay, Alabama, in 2010
Coastal zone managers and researchers often require detailed information regarding emergent marsh vegetation types (that is, fresh, intermediate, brackish, and saline) for modeling habitat capacities and needs of marsh dependent taxa (such as waterfowl and alligator). Detailed information on the extent and distribution of emergent marsh vegetation types throughout the northern Gulf of Mexico coastVegetation types in coastal Louisiana in 2013
During the summer of 2013, the U.S. Geological Survey, Louisiana State University, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Coastal and Nongame Resources Division jointly completed an aerial survey to collect data on 2013 vegetation types in coastal Louisiana. Plant species were listed and their abundance classified. On the basis of species compoModified Methodology for Projecting Coastal Louisiana Land Changes over the Next 50 Years
The coastal Louisiana landscape is continually undergoing geomorphologic changes (in particular, land loss); however, after the 2005 hurricane season, the changes were intensified because of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The amount of land loss caused by the 2005 hurricane season was 42 percent (562 km2) of the total land loss (1,329 km2) that was projected for the next 50 years in the Louisiana Co - Publications
Filter Total Items: 28
Extreme precipitation and flooding contribute to sudden vegetation dieback in a coastal salt marsh
Climate extremes are becoming more frequent with global climate change and have the potential to cause major ecological regime shifts. Along the northern Gulf of Mexico, a coastal wetland in Texas suffered sudden vegetation dieback following an extreme precipitation and flooding event associated with Hurricane Harvey in 2017. Historical salt marsh dieback events have been linked to climate extremeAuthorsCamille Stagg, Michael Osland, Jena A. Moon, Laura Feher, Claudia Laurenzano, Tiffany C. Lane, William Jones, Stephen HartleyPredicting functional responses in agro-ecosystems from animal movement data to improve management of invasive pests
Functional responses describe how changing resource availability affects consumer resource use, thus providing a mechanistic approach to prediction of the invasibility and potential damage of invasive alien species (IAS). However, functional responses can be context dependent, varying with resource characteristics and availability, consumer attributes, and environmental variables. Identifying contAuthorsMark Q. Wilber, Sarah M. Chinn, James C. Beasley, Raoul Boughton, Ryan K. Brook, Stephen S. Ditchkoff, Justin W. Fischer, Stephen B. Hartley, Lindsey K. Holmstrom, John C. Kilgo, Jesse S. Lewis, Ryan S. Miller, Nathan P. Snow, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Samantha M. Wisely, Colleen T. Webb, Kim M. PepinQuantifying hydrologic controls on local- and landscape-scale indicators of coastal wetland loss
Background and AimsCoastal wetlands have evolved to withstand stressful abiotic conditions through the maintenance of hydrologic feedbacks among vegetation production and flooding. However, disruption of these feedbacks can lead to ecosystem collapse, or a regime shift from vegetated wetland to open water. To prevent the loss of critical coastal wetland habitat, we must improve understanding of thAuthorsCamille Stagg, Michael Osland, Jena A. Moon, Courtney Hall, Laura Feher, William R. Jones, Brady Couvillion, Stephen B. Hartley, William VervaekeUsing UAS capabilities to help identify hummock-hollow formation and fragmentation in critical marsh habitat (Spartina patens) for mottled ducks in southeast Texas
For many years, marshes in the coastal areas from Texas to Louisiana have served as critical habitat for Anas fulvigula, the mottled duck. Mottled ducks are a priority species in the Texas/Louisiana Gulf Coast area and have been affected by critical habitat reduction. In recent years, mottled duck habitats have been threatened by natural and anthropogenic changes including urbanization, flooding,AuthorsWilliam R. Jones, Stephen B. Hartley, Camille L. Stagg, Michael J. OslandExpectations of Maurepas Swamp response to a river reintroduction, Louisiana
Mississippi River reintroductions (freshwater diversions) into wetlands previously disconnected from the river have been implemented in southeastern Louisiana as a means to rehabilitate degraded and submerging wetlands. To date, all active Mississippi River reintroductions have targeted marsh habitat. However, a 57 cubic meter per second (2,000 cubic foot per second) river reintroduction is beingAuthorsKen W. Krauss, Gary P. Shaffer, Richard F. Keim, Jim L. Chambers, William B. Wood, Stephen B. HartleyClimate and plant controls on soil organic matter in coastal wetlands
Coastal wetlands are among the most productive and carbon‐rich ecosystems on Earth. Long‐term carbon storage in coastal wetlands occurs primarily belowground as soil organic matter (SOM). In addition to serving as a carbon sink, SOM influences wetland ecosystem structure, function, and stability. To anticipate and mitigate the effects of climate change, there is a need to advance understanding ofAuthorsMichael J. Osland, Christopher A. Gabler, James B. Grace, Richard H. Day, Meagan L. McCoy, Jennie L. McLeod, Andrew S. From, Nicholas M. Enwright, Laura C. Feher, Camille L. Stagg, Stephen B. HartleyQuantifying drivers of wild pig movement across multiple spatial and temporal scales
Background The movement behavior of an animal is determined by extrinsic and intrinsic factors that operate at multiple spatio-temporal scales, yet much of our knowledge of animal movement comes from studies that examine only one or two scales concurrently. Understanding the drivers of animal movement across multiple scales is crucial for understanding the fundamentals of movement ecology, predictAuthorsShannon L. Kay, Justin W. Fischer, Andrew J. Monaghan, James C Beasley, Raoul Boughton, Tyler A Campbell, Susan M Cooper, Stephen S. Ditchkoff, Stephen B. Hartley, John C Kilgo, Samantha M Wisely, A Christy Wyckoff, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Kim M PipenPerformance measures for a Mississippi River reintroduction into the forested wetlands of Maurepas Swamp
The use of freshwater diversions (river reintroductions) from the Mississippi River as a restoration tool to rehabilitate Louisiana coastal wetlands has been promoted widely since the first such diversion at Caernarvon became operational in the early 1990s. To date, aside from the Bonnet Carré Spillway (which is designed and operated for flood control), there are only four operational MississippiAuthorsKen W. Krauss, Gary P. Shaffer, Richard F. Keim, Jim L. Chambers, William B. Wood, Stephen B. HartleyDelineation of marsh types and marsh-type change in coastal Louisiana for 2007 and 2013
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management researchers often require detailed information regarding emergent marsh vegetation types (such as fresh, intermediate, brackish, and saline) for modeling habitat capacities and mitigation. In response, the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management produced a detailed change classification of emergent marsh vegetation typeAuthorsStephen B. Hartley, Brady R. Couvillion, Nicholas M. EnwrightMacroclimatic change expected to transform coastal wetland ecosystems this century
Coastal wetlands, existing at the interface between land and sea, are highly vulnerable to climate change. Macroclimate (for example, temperature and precipitation regimes) greatly influences coastal wetland ecosystem structure and function. However, research on climate change impacts in coastal wetlands has concentrated primarily on sea-level rise and largely ignored macroclimatic drivers, despitAuthorsChristopher A. Gabler, Michael J. Osland, James B. Grace, Camille L. Stagg, Richard H. Day, Stephen B. Hartley, Nicholas M. Enwright, Andrew From, Meagan L. McCoy, Jennie L. McLeodContact heterogeneities in feral swine: implications for disease management and future research
Contact rates vary widely among individuals in socially structured wildlife populations. Understanding the interplay of factors responsible for this variation is essential for planning effective disease management. Feral swine (Sus scrofa) are a socially structured species which pose an increasing threat to livestock and human health, and little is known about contact structure. We analyzed 11 GPSAuthorsKim Pepin, Amy J. Davis, James Beasley, Raoul Boughton, Tyler Campbell, Susan Cooper, Wes Gaston, Stephen B. Hartley, John C. Kilgo, Samantha Wisely, Christy Wyckoff, Kurt VerCauterenMovements of wild pigs in Louisiana and Mississippi, 2011-13
The prolific breeding capability, behavioral adaptation, and adverse environmental impacts of invasive wild pigs (Sus scrofa) have increased efforts towards managing their populations and understanding their movements. Currently, little is known about wild pig populations and movements in Louisiana and Mississippi. From 2011 to 2013, the U.S. Geological Survey investigated spatial and temporal movAuthorsStephen B. Hartley, Buddy L. Goatcher, Sijan Sapkota - Multimedia