Wesley Daniel, Ph.D.
Wesley Daniel is a Fishery Biologist at the USGS Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, and leads the USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database.
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 24
Implementing FAIR practices: Storing and displaying eDNA data in the USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database
We are working to incorporate environmental DNA (eDNA) data into the Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) database, which houses over 570,000 records of nonindigenous species nationally, and already is used by a broad user-base of managers and researchers regularly for invasive species monitoring. eDNA studies have allowed for the identification and biosurveillance of numerous invasive...
An Assessment of Invasive Species Range Shifts in the Southeastern U.S. and Actions to Manage Them
Species are on the move as they respond to climate change. This includes many native species, but also species with high costs to society such as disease vectors, pests, and nonnative invasive species (an invasive species is a species that is not native to a specific location but is spreading with the tendency of causing damage to native plants and animals). Currently there are hundreds...
Establishing standards and integrating environmental DNA (eDNA) data into the USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database
Environmental DNA (eDNA) testing allows for high sensitivity monitoring efforts of cryptic species in large, remote systems and is performed by investigating water and soil samples for sloughed DNA. Having access to eDNA datasets across multiple taxa and ecosystems is necessary for improved coordination among researchers and management. Additionally, quality control protocols are needed...
National Public Screening Tool for Invasive and Non-native Aquatic Species Data
Identifying the leading edge of a biological invasion can be difficult. Many management and research entities have biological samples or surveys that may unknowingly contain data on nonindigenous species. The new Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) Database automated online tool “SEINeD” (Screen and Evaluate Invasive and Non-native Data) will allow a user to search for these...
The Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Alert Risk Mapper (ARM)
The Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) program has developed a new tool, the NAS Alert Risk Mapper (ARM), to characterize waterbodies in the conterminous U.S. and Hawaii at potential risk of invasion from a new nonindigenous species sighting.
Defining Native Ranges of U.S. Inland Fishes
Understanding the native versus non-native range of a species can provide useful information about dispersal, population distribution patterns, and human mediated movement across hydrologic barriers. The USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) Program is working with partners to define native ranges of inland fishes in the United States to help identify which species should be included in the NAS...
Filter Total Items: 27
Waterfalls and Rapids in the Conterminous United States Linked to the National Hydrography Datasets V2.0 Waterfalls and Rapids in the Conterminous United States Linked to the National Hydrography Datasets V2.0
This GeoJSON dataset contains information about 10780 waterfall and 1080 rapid locations (referred to as falls throughout the metadata) and characteristics (e.g. type and height) for the conterminous United States. This dataset centralizes known information about falls while providing basic quality control (i.e. resolving duplicate records and spatial accuracy checks) and linkages to...
Locations of mines and mining activity in the contiguous United States 2013 Locations of mines and mining activity in the contiguous United States 2013
This dataset includes locations and associated information about mines and mining activity in the contiguous United States. The database was developed by combining publicly available national datasets of mineral mines, uranium mines, and minor and major coal mine activities. This database was developed in 2013, but temporal range of mine data varied dependent on source. Uranium mine...
National Fish Habitat Partnership (NFHP) 2015 Anthropogenic Disturbance Data for Southeast Alaska linked to the modified NHD with catchments National Fish Habitat Partnership (NFHP) 2015 Anthropogenic Disturbance Data for Southeast Alaska linked to the modified NHD with catchments
This CSV file contains landscape factors representing anthropogenic disturbances to stream habitats summarized within local and network stream catchments of Southeast Alaska. The source datasets compiled and attributed to spatial units were identified as being: (1) meaningful for assessing fluvial fish habitat; (2) consistent across the entire study area in the way that they were...
Nonindigenous aquatic species and potential spread after Hurricane Harvey-revised map Nonindigenous aquatic species and potential spread after Hurricane Harvey-revised map
This refined map was created to help assess possible spread of nonindigenous aquatic species distributions due to flooding associated with Hurricane Harvey. Storm surge and flood events can assist expansion and dissemination of nonindigenous aquatic species through the connection of adjacent watersheds, backflow of water upstream of impoundments, increased downstream flow, and creation...
FishTail, Indices and Supporting Data Characterizing the Current and Future Risk to Fish Habitat Degradation in the Northeast Climate Science Center Region FishTail, Indices and Supporting Data Characterizing the Current and Future Risk to Fish Habitat Degradation in the Northeast Climate Science Center Region
Human impacts occurring throughout the Northeast and Midwest United States, including urbanization, agriculture, and dams, have multiple effects on the regions streams which support economically valuable stream fishes. Changes in climate are expected to lead to additional impacts in stream habitats and fish assemblages in multiple ways, including changing stream water temperatures. To...
Nonindigenous aquatic species and potential spread after Hurricane Nate Nonindigenous aquatic species and potential spread after Hurricane Nate
This map was created to help assess impacts on nonindigenous aquatic species distributions due to flooding associated with Hurricane Nate. Storm surge and flood events can assist expansion and distribution of nonindigenous aquatic species through the connection of adjacent watersheds, backflow of water upstream of impoundments, increased downstream flow, and creation of freshwater...
Filter Total Items: 42
Artificial intelligence applied to big data reveals that lake invasions are predicted by human traffic and co-occurring invasions Artificial intelligence applied to big data reveals that lake invasions are predicted by human traffic and co-occurring invasions
Preventing the spread of aquatic invasive species is an important management action. Identifying the characteristics of lakes that are susceptible to invasion creates an opportunity for management groups to prioritize limited resources for high-risk areas. In this study, we leveraged big data from a popular fishing app and other publicly available sources of environmental and human-use...
Authors
Jessica L. Weir, Wesley Daniel, Kieran Hyder, Christian Skov, Paul A. Venturelli
Zebra and Quagga mussels in the United States—Dreissenid mussel research by the U.S. Geological Survey Zebra and Quagga mussels in the United States—Dreissenid mussel research by the U.S. Geological Survey
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) delivers high-quality data, technologies, and decision-support tools to help managers both reduce existing populations and control the spread of dreissenid mussels. The USGS researches ecology, biology, risk assessment, and early detection and rapid response methods; provides decision support; and develops and tests control measures.
Authors
Cayla R. Morningstar, Patrick M. Kocovsky, Michael E. Colvin, Timothy D. Counihan, Wesley M. Daniel, Peter C. Esselman, Cathy A. Richter, Adam Sepulveda, Diane L. Waller
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Columbia Environmental Research Center, Great Lakes Science Center, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Western Fisheries Research Center, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center
Identifying invasive species threats, pathways, and impacts to improve biosecurity Identifying invasive species threats, pathways, and impacts to improve biosecurity
Managing invasive species with prevention and early-detection strategies can avert severe ecological and economic impacts. Horizon scanning, an evidence-based process combining risk screening and consensus building to identify threats, has become a valuable tool for prioritizing invasive species management and prevention. We assembled a working group of experts from academic, government...
Authors
Deah Lieurance, Susan Canavan, Donald C. Behringer, Amy E. Kendig, Carey R. Minteer, Lindsey S. Reisinger, Christina M. Romagosa, S. Luke Flory, Julie L. Lockwood, Patti J. Anderson, Shirley M. Baker, Jamie Bojko, Kristen E. Bowers, Kim Canavan, Kelly Carruthers, Wesley M. Daniel, Doria R. Gordon, Jeffrey E. Hill, Jennifer G. Howeth, Basil V. Iannone, Lucas Jennings, Lyn A. Gettys, Eutychus M. Kariuki, John M. Kunzer, H. Dail Laughinghouse, Nicholas E. Mandrak, Sara McCann, Tolulope Morawo, Cayla R. Morningstar, Matthew Neilson, Tabitha Petri, Ian A. Pfingsten, Robert Reed, Linda J. Walters, Christian Wanamaker
America's most wanted fishes: Cataloging risk assessments to prioritize invasive species for management action America's most wanted fishes: Cataloging risk assessments to prioritize invasive species for management action
Hundreds of fish species enter the United States through human intervention (e.g., importation) and some of these fishes pose a substantial risk to the nation’s assets and ecosystems. Prevention, early detection, and rapid response (EDRR) are vital to stop species invasions, but time and resources to manage the large suite of fish species that enter the nation are limited. Evaluating the...
Authors
Emily M. Dean, Audrey Jordon, Aimee Christine Agnew, Nicole D Hernandez, Cayla R. Morningstar, Matthew Neilson, Sara Elizabeth Piccolomini, Brian E. Reichert, Amy Kristine Wray, Wesley M. Daniel
Horizon scanning for potentially invasive non-native marine species to inform trans-boundary conservation management – Example of the northern Gulf of Mexico Horizon scanning for potentially invasive non-native marine species to inform trans-boundary conservation management – Example of the northern Gulf of Mexico
Prevention of non-native species introductions and establishment is essential to avoid adverse impacts of invasive species in marine environments. To identify potential new invasive species and inform non-native species management options for the northern Gulf of Mexico (Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas), 138 marine species were risk screened for current and future climate...
Authors
Kathryn A. O’Shaughnessy, Lorenzo Vilizzi, Wesley M. Daniel, Monica E. McGarrity, Hanna Bauer, Leslie Hartman, Stephen Geiger, Paul Sammarco, Steve Kolian, Scott Porter, Jessica Dutton, Matthew R. McClure, Michael Norberg, Alex Fogg, Timothy J. Lyons, Justin Procopio, Lauren Bantista, Wayne A Bennett, Mary Wicksten, David B. Reeves, Julie Lively, Elizabeth M. Robinson, Jorge Brenner, Joseph Goy, Ashley Morgan-Olvera, Anna L.E. Yunnie, Gordon H. Copp
Cross-continental evaluation of landscape-scale drivers and their impacts to fluvial fishes: Understanding frequency and severity to improve fish conservation in Europe and the United States Cross-continental evaluation of landscape-scale drivers and their impacts to fluvial fishes: Understanding frequency and severity to improve fish conservation in Europe and the United States
Fluvial fishes are threatened globally from intensive human landscape stressors degrading aquatic ecosystems. However, impacts vary regionally, as stressors and natural environmental factors differ between ecoregions and continents. To date, a comparison of fish responses to landscape stressors over continents is lacking, limiting understanding of consistency of impacts and hampering...
Authors
Maria M. Ublacker, Dana M. Infante, Arthur R. Cooper, Wesley M. Daniel, Stefan Schmutz, Rafaela Schinegger
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 24
Implementing FAIR practices: Storing and displaying eDNA data in the USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database
We are working to incorporate environmental DNA (eDNA) data into the Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) database, which houses over 570,000 records of nonindigenous species nationally, and already is used by a broad user-base of managers and researchers regularly for invasive species monitoring. eDNA studies have allowed for the identification and biosurveillance of numerous invasive...
An Assessment of Invasive Species Range Shifts in the Southeastern U.S. and Actions to Manage Them
Species are on the move as they respond to climate change. This includes many native species, but also species with high costs to society such as disease vectors, pests, and nonnative invasive species (an invasive species is a species that is not native to a specific location but is spreading with the tendency of causing damage to native plants and animals). Currently there are hundreds...
Establishing standards and integrating environmental DNA (eDNA) data into the USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database
Environmental DNA (eDNA) testing allows for high sensitivity monitoring efforts of cryptic species in large, remote systems and is performed by investigating water and soil samples for sloughed DNA. Having access to eDNA datasets across multiple taxa and ecosystems is necessary for improved coordination among researchers and management. Additionally, quality control protocols are needed...
National Public Screening Tool for Invasive and Non-native Aquatic Species Data
Identifying the leading edge of a biological invasion can be difficult. Many management and research entities have biological samples or surveys that may unknowingly contain data on nonindigenous species. The new Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) Database automated online tool “SEINeD” (Screen and Evaluate Invasive and Non-native Data) will allow a user to search for these...
The Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Alert Risk Mapper (ARM)
The Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) program has developed a new tool, the NAS Alert Risk Mapper (ARM), to characterize waterbodies in the conterminous U.S. and Hawaii at potential risk of invasion from a new nonindigenous species sighting.
Defining Native Ranges of U.S. Inland Fishes
Understanding the native versus non-native range of a species can provide useful information about dispersal, population distribution patterns, and human mediated movement across hydrologic barriers. The USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) Program is working with partners to define native ranges of inland fishes in the United States to help identify which species should be included in the NAS...
Filter Total Items: 27
Waterfalls and Rapids in the Conterminous United States Linked to the National Hydrography Datasets V2.0 Waterfalls and Rapids in the Conterminous United States Linked to the National Hydrography Datasets V2.0
This GeoJSON dataset contains information about 10780 waterfall and 1080 rapid locations (referred to as falls throughout the metadata) and characteristics (e.g. type and height) for the conterminous United States. This dataset centralizes known information about falls while providing basic quality control (i.e. resolving duplicate records and spatial accuracy checks) and linkages to...
Locations of mines and mining activity in the contiguous United States 2013 Locations of mines and mining activity in the contiguous United States 2013
This dataset includes locations and associated information about mines and mining activity in the contiguous United States. The database was developed by combining publicly available national datasets of mineral mines, uranium mines, and minor and major coal mine activities. This database was developed in 2013, but temporal range of mine data varied dependent on source. Uranium mine...
National Fish Habitat Partnership (NFHP) 2015 Anthropogenic Disturbance Data for Southeast Alaska linked to the modified NHD with catchments National Fish Habitat Partnership (NFHP) 2015 Anthropogenic Disturbance Data for Southeast Alaska linked to the modified NHD with catchments
This CSV file contains landscape factors representing anthropogenic disturbances to stream habitats summarized within local and network stream catchments of Southeast Alaska. The source datasets compiled and attributed to spatial units were identified as being: (1) meaningful for assessing fluvial fish habitat; (2) consistent across the entire study area in the way that they were...
Nonindigenous aquatic species and potential spread after Hurricane Harvey-revised map Nonindigenous aquatic species and potential spread after Hurricane Harvey-revised map
This refined map was created to help assess possible spread of nonindigenous aquatic species distributions due to flooding associated with Hurricane Harvey. Storm surge and flood events can assist expansion and dissemination of nonindigenous aquatic species through the connection of adjacent watersheds, backflow of water upstream of impoundments, increased downstream flow, and creation...
FishTail, Indices and Supporting Data Characterizing the Current and Future Risk to Fish Habitat Degradation in the Northeast Climate Science Center Region FishTail, Indices and Supporting Data Characterizing the Current and Future Risk to Fish Habitat Degradation in the Northeast Climate Science Center Region
Human impacts occurring throughout the Northeast and Midwest United States, including urbanization, agriculture, and dams, have multiple effects on the regions streams which support economically valuable stream fishes. Changes in climate are expected to lead to additional impacts in stream habitats and fish assemblages in multiple ways, including changing stream water temperatures. To...
Nonindigenous aquatic species and potential spread after Hurricane Nate Nonindigenous aquatic species and potential spread after Hurricane Nate
This map was created to help assess impacts on nonindigenous aquatic species distributions due to flooding associated with Hurricane Nate. Storm surge and flood events can assist expansion and distribution of nonindigenous aquatic species through the connection of adjacent watersheds, backflow of water upstream of impoundments, increased downstream flow, and creation of freshwater...
Filter Total Items: 42
Artificial intelligence applied to big data reveals that lake invasions are predicted by human traffic and co-occurring invasions Artificial intelligence applied to big data reveals that lake invasions are predicted by human traffic and co-occurring invasions
Preventing the spread of aquatic invasive species is an important management action. Identifying the characteristics of lakes that are susceptible to invasion creates an opportunity for management groups to prioritize limited resources for high-risk areas. In this study, we leveraged big data from a popular fishing app and other publicly available sources of environmental and human-use...
Authors
Jessica L. Weir, Wesley Daniel, Kieran Hyder, Christian Skov, Paul A. Venturelli
Zebra and Quagga mussels in the United States—Dreissenid mussel research by the U.S. Geological Survey Zebra and Quagga mussels in the United States—Dreissenid mussel research by the U.S. Geological Survey
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) delivers high-quality data, technologies, and decision-support tools to help managers both reduce existing populations and control the spread of dreissenid mussels. The USGS researches ecology, biology, risk assessment, and early detection and rapid response methods; provides decision support; and develops and tests control measures.
Authors
Cayla R. Morningstar, Patrick M. Kocovsky, Michael E. Colvin, Timothy D. Counihan, Wesley M. Daniel, Peter C. Esselman, Cathy A. Richter, Adam Sepulveda, Diane L. Waller
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Columbia Environmental Research Center, Great Lakes Science Center, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Western Fisheries Research Center, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center
Identifying invasive species threats, pathways, and impacts to improve biosecurity Identifying invasive species threats, pathways, and impacts to improve biosecurity
Managing invasive species with prevention and early-detection strategies can avert severe ecological and economic impacts. Horizon scanning, an evidence-based process combining risk screening and consensus building to identify threats, has become a valuable tool for prioritizing invasive species management and prevention. We assembled a working group of experts from academic, government...
Authors
Deah Lieurance, Susan Canavan, Donald C. Behringer, Amy E. Kendig, Carey R. Minteer, Lindsey S. Reisinger, Christina M. Romagosa, S. Luke Flory, Julie L. Lockwood, Patti J. Anderson, Shirley M. Baker, Jamie Bojko, Kristen E. Bowers, Kim Canavan, Kelly Carruthers, Wesley M. Daniel, Doria R. Gordon, Jeffrey E. Hill, Jennifer G. Howeth, Basil V. Iannone, Lucas Jennings, Lyn A. Gettys, Eutychus M. Kariuki, John M. Kunzer, H. Dail Laughinghouse, Nicholas E. Mandrak, Sara McCann, Tolulope Morawo, Cayla R. Morningstar, Matthew Neilson, Tabitha Petri, Ian A. Pfingsten, Robert Reed, Linda J. Walters, Christian Wanamaker
America's most wanted fishes: Cataloging risk assessments to prioritize invasive species for management action America's most wanted fishes: Cataloging risk assessments to prioritize invasive species for management action
Hundreds of fish species enter the United States through human intervention (e.g., importation) and some of these fishes pose a substantial risk to the nation’s assets and ecosystems. Prevention, early detection, and rapid response (EDRR) are vital to stop species invasions, but time and resources to manage the large suite of fish species that enter the nation are limited. Evaluating the...
Authors
Emily M. Dean, Audrey Jordon, Aimee Christine Agnew, Nicole D Hernandez, Cayla R. Morningstar, Matthew Neilson, Sara Elizabeth Piccolomini, Brian E. Reichert, Amy Kristine Wray, Wesley M. Daniel
Horizon scanning for potentially invasive non-native marine species to inform trans-boundary conservation management – Example of the northern Gulf of Mexico Horizon scanning for potentially invasive non-native marine species to inform trans-boundary conservation management – Example of the northern Gulf of Mexico
Prevention of non-native species introductions and establishment is essential to avoid adverse impacts of invasive species in marine environments. To identify potential new invasive species and inform non-native species management options for the northern Gulf of Mexico (Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas), 138 marine species were risk screened for current and future climate...
Authors
Kathryn A. O’Shaughnessy, Lorenzo Vilizzi, Wesley M. Daniel, Monica E. McGarrity, Hanna Bauer, Leslie Hartman, Stephen Geiger, Paul Sammarco, Steve Kolian, Scott Porter, Jessica Dutton, Matthew R. McClure, Michael Norberg, Alex Fogg, Timothy J. Lyons, Justin Procopio, Lauren Bantista, Wayne A Bennett, Mary Wicksten, David B. Reeves, Julie Lively, Elizabeth M. Robinson, Jorge Brenner, Joseph Goy, Ashley Morgan-Olvera, Anna L.E. Yunnie, Gordon H. Copp
Cross-continental evaluation of landscape-scale drivers and their impacts to fluvial fishes: Understanding frequency and severity to improve fish conservation in Europe and the United States Cross-continental evaluation of landscape-scale drivers and their impacts to fluvial fishes: Understanding frequency and severity to improve fish conservation in Europe and the United States
Fluvial fishes are threatened globally from intensive human landscape stressors degrading aquatic ecosystems. However, impacts vary regionally, as stressors and natural environmental factors differ between ecoregions and continents. To date, a comparison of fish responses to landscape stressors over continents is lacking, limiting understanding of consistency of impacts and hampering...
Authors
Maria M. Ublacker, Dana M. Infante, Arthur R. Cooper, Wesley M. Daniel, Stefan Schmutz, Rafaela Schinegger