Publications
Read publications and other informational products to learn more about USGS science occurring in the Mississippi Basin.
Filter Total Items: 5566
A biological condition gradient for coral reefs in the US Caribbean Territories: Part I. Coral narrative rules A biological condition gradient for coral reefs in the US Caribbean Territories: Part I. Coral narrative rules
As coral reef condition and sustainability continue to decline worldwide, losses of critical habitat and their ecosystem services have generated an urgency to understand and communicate reef response to management actions, environmental contamination, and natural disasters. Increasingly, coral reef protection and restoration programs emphasize the need for robust assessment tools for...
Authors
Deborah L. Santavy, Susan K. Jackson, Benjamin Jessup, Jeroen Gerritsen, Caroline Rogers, William S. Fisher, Ernesto Weil, Alina Szmant, David Cuevas-Miranda, Brian K. Walker, Christopher F G Jeffrey, Patricia Bradley, David Ballantine, Loretta Roberson, Hector Ruiz-Torres, Brandi Todd, Tyler B. Smith, Randy Clark, Ernesto L. Diaz, Jorge Bauza-Ortega, Christina Horstmann, Sandy Raimondo
Interlaboratory comparison of three sediment bioaccumulation tests Interlaboratory comparison of three sediment bioaccumulation tests
Standard bioaccumulation tests are commonly conducted using Macoma nasuta (clam), and Alitta virens (polychaete) for marine tests, and Lumbriculus variegatus (an oligochaete) for freshwater tests. Because the interlaboratory variability associated with these tests is unknown, four experienced laboratories conducted standard 28-day bioaccumulation tests with the above species using...
Authors
Guilherme R. Lotufo, James M. Biedenbach, J. Daniel Farrar, Michael K. Chanov, Brian W. Hester, Charles R. Warbritton, Jeffery A. Steevens, Jenifer M. Netchaev, Anthony J. Bednar, David W. Moore
Chloride toxicity to native freshwater species in natural and reconstituted prairie pothole waters Chloride toxicity to native freshwater species in natural and reconstituted prairie pothole waters
Oil and gas extraction in the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) of the northern USA has resulted in elevated chloride concentrations in ground and surface water due to widespread contamination with highly saline produced water, or brine. The toxicity of chloride is poorly understood in the high hardness waters characteristic of the region. We evaluated the toxicity of chloride to two endemic...
Authors
David Harper, Holly J. Puglis, Bethany K. Kunz, Aida Farag
Uncertainty analysis of index-velocity meters and discharge computations at the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal near Lemont, Illinois, water years 2006–16 Uncertainty analysis of index-velocity meters and discharge computations at the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal near Lemont, Illinois, water years 2006–16
Monitoring discharge in the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal is critical for the accounting done by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers of the diversion of water from Lake Michigan to the Mississippi River Basin by the State of Illinois. The primary streamgage used for this discharge monitoring, the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal near Lemont, Illinois (U.S. Geological Survey station...
Authors
Thomas M. Over, Marian Muste, James J. Duncker, Heng-Wei Tsai, P. Ryan Jackson, Kevin K. Johnson, Frank L. Engel, Crystal D. Prater
Novel insights on aquatic mammal MHC evolution: Evidence from manatee DQB diversity Novel insights on aquatic mammal MHC evolution: Evidence from manatee DQB diversity
The low diversity in marine mammal major histocompatibility complex (MHC) appears to support the hypothesis of reduced pathogen selective pressure in aquatic systems compared to terrestrial environments. However, the lack of characterization of the aquatic and evolutionarily distant Sirenia precludes drawing more generalized conclusions. Therefore, we aimed to characterize the MHC DQB...
Authors
Andre L.A. de, Pamela K.B. Baker, Breanna Breaux, Jairo M. Oliveira, Alex de Macedo Klautau, Kristian Legatzki, Fabia de Oliveira Luna, Fernanda L.N. Attademo, Margaret Hunter, Michael F. Criscitiello, Maria P. Schneider, Leonardo Sena
Estimating detection and occupancy of secretive marsh bird species in low and high saline marshes in southwestern Louisiana using automated recording units Estimating detection and occupancy of secretive marsh bird species in low and high saline marshes in southwestern Louisiana using automated recording units
Secretive marsh birds (SMBs) are important indicator species of coastal wetlands but are difficult to detect and monitor. In coastal Louisiana, an important stronghold for these species, climate and hydrological models predict that freshwater and intermediate marshes will expand in the next 50 years, while brackish marshes will shrink. We used a multi-species Bayesian hierarchical...
Authors
Hardin Waddle, Landon R. Jones, Phillip L. Vasseur, Clint W. Jeske
A comparison of eDNA and visual survey methods for detection of longnose darter Percina nasuta in Missouri A comparison of eDNA and visual survey methods for detection of longnose darter Percina nasuta in Missouri
The longnose darter Percina nasuta is a rare and cryptic fish that recently disappeared from much of its historic range. We developed and used an environmental DNA (eDNA) assay for longnose darter paired with visual surveys to better determine the species’ range and compare detection probability between sampling approaches in an occupancy modeling framework. We detected longnose darter...
Authors
Jacob Thomas Westhoff, Leah K. Berkman, Katy E. Klymus, Nathan Thompson, Cathy A. Richter
Influence of offshore oil and gas structures on seascape ecological connectivity Influence of offshore oil and gas structures on seascape ecological connectivity
Offshore platforms, subsea pipelines, wells and related fixed structures supporting the oil and gas (O&G) industry are prevalent in oceans across the globe, with many approaching the end of their operational life and requiring decommissioning. Although structures can possess high ecological diversity and productivity, information on how they interact with broader ecological processes...
Authors
Dianne L McLean, Luciana C. Ferreira, Jessica A Benthuysen, Karen J. Miller, Marie-Lise Schlappy, Matthew J. Ajemian, Oliver Berry, Silvana N. R. Birchenough, Todd Bond, Fabio Boschetti, Ann S Bull, Jeremy T Claisse, Scott A Condie, Pierpaolo Consoli, Joop W. P. Coolen, Michael R. Elliott, Irene S Fortune, Ashley M Fowler, Bronwyn M Gillanders, Hugo B Harrison, Kristen Hart, Lea-Anne Henry, Chad L Hewitt, Natalie Hicks, Karlo Hock, Kieran Hyder, Milton S. Love, Peter I Macreadie, Robert J. Miller, William A Montevecchi, Mary M Nishimoto, Henry M. Page, David M Paterson, Charitha B Pattiaratchi, Gretta T Pecl, Joanne S Porter, David B. Reeves, Cynthia Riginos, Sally Rouse, Debbie J. F. Russell, Craig D. H. Sherman, Jonas Teilmann, Victoria L. G. Todd, Eric A. Treml, David H. Williamson, Michele Thums
Risk assessment of chanchita Cichlasoma dimerus (Heckel, 1840), a newly identified non-native cichlid fish in Florida Risk assessment of chanchita Cichlasoma dimerus (Heckel, 1840), a newly identified non-native cichlid fish in Florida
The risk of a newly discovered non-native fish species in Florida (USA): Cichlasoma dimerus ([Heckel, 1840]; Family: Cichlidae) is assessed. Its tolerance to cold temperatures was experimentally evaluated and information on its biology and ecology was synthesized. In the cold-temperature tolerance experiment, temperature was lowered from 24 °C by increments of 1 °C per hour, mimicking a...
Authors
Mary Brown, Robert H. Robins, Pam Schofield
Maximizing species distribution model performance when using historical occurrences and variables of varying persistency Maximizing species distribution model performance when using historical occurrences and variables of varying persistency
Occurrence data used to build species distribution models often include historical records from locations in which the species no longer exists. When these records are paired with contemporary environmental values that no longer represent the conditions the species experienced, the model creates false associations that hurt predictive performance. The extent of mismatching increases with...
Authors
Jason T. Bracken, Amelie Y. Davis, Katherine M. O’Donnell, William Barichivich, Susan C. Walls, Tereza Jezkova
Porewater chemistry of Louisiana marshes with contrasting salinities and its implications for coastal acidification Porewater chemistry of Louisiana marshes with contrasting salinities and its implications for coastal acidification
Dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and total alkalinity (TA) are fundamental components of carbonate systems that control pH and buffering capacity of the receiving water body. Three coastal marshes with contrasting salinities in Barataria Basin, Louisiana, USA, were sampled to understand seasonal changes in porewater carbonate chemistry and its impact on surrounding water bodies. Each...
Authors
Songjie He, Kanchan Maiti, Christopher Swarzenski, Tracy Elsey-Quirk, Gina Groseclose, Dubravko Justic
Evidence of a dietary shift by the Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) in the Indian River Lagoon inferred from stomach content analyses Evidence of a dietary shift by the Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) in the Indian River Lagoon inferred from stomach content analyses
Investigating the long-term fluctuations of the feeding ecology of megaherbivores such as sirenians is important, as any changes could be indicative of shifts in resource availability. The Indian River Lagoon (IRL), eastern Florida, USA, is a critical habitat for the Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris). However, the IRL has experienced a substantial decline in seagrass due...
Authors
Aarin Conrad Allen, Cathy Beck, Danielle C. Sattelberger, Jeremy J. Kiszka