Publications
Read publications and other informational products to learn more about USGS science occurring in the Mississippi Basin.
Filter Total Items: 5585
Development and testing of species-specific quantitative PCR assays for environmental DNA applications Development and testing of species-specific quantitative PCR assays for environmental DNA applications
New, non-invasive methods for detecting and monitoring species presence are being developed to aid in fisheries and wildlife conservation management. The use of environmental DNA (eDNA) samples for detecting macrobiota is one such group of methods that is rapidly becoming popular and being implemented in national management programs. Here we focus on the development of species-specific...
Authors
Katy E. Klymus, Dannise Vannesa Ruiz-Ramos, Nathan Thompson, Catherine A. Richter
Council monitoring and assessment program (CMAP): A framework for using the monitoring program inventory to conduct gap assessments for the Gulf of Mexico Region Council monitoring and assessment program (CMAP): A framework for using the monitoring program inventory to conduct gap assessments for the Gulf of Mexico Region
Executive Summary Under the Resources and Ecosystem Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States Act of 2012 (RESTORE Act), the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council (RESTORE Council or Council) is required to report on the progress of funded projects and programs. Systematic monitoring of restoration at the project-specific and programmatic...
Authors
Julie Bosch, Heidi B Burkart, Bogdan Chivoiu, Randy Clark, Chris Clement, Nicholas Enwright, Steve Giordano, Chris Jeffrey, Ed Johnson, Rheannon Hart, Sarah D Hile, Jacob S Howell, Claudia Laurenzano, Michael Lee, Terrance McCloskey, Terry McTigue, Michelle B Meyers, Katie E Miller, Scott Mize, Mark E. Monaco, Kevin Owen, Richard Rebich, Samuel H. Rendon, Ali Robertson, Thomas Sample, Kelly Marie Sanks, Gregory Steyer, Kevin Suir, Christopher M. Swarzenski, Hana Rose Thurman
Assessment of burrowing behavior of freshwater juvenile mussels in sediment Assessment of burrowing behavior of freshwater juvenile mussels in sediment
Standard laboratory sediment toxicity methods have been adapted for conducting toxicity tests with juvenile freshwater mussels. However, studies looking at juvenile mussel burrowing behavior at the water-sediment interface are limited. Juvenile mussels burrow in sediment for the first 0 to 4 yr of life but also may inhabit the sediment-water interface. The objective of this study was to...
Authors
Nile E. Kemble, John M. Besser, Jeffery A. Steevens, Jamie P. Hughes
Carrying capacity of spatially distributed metapopulations Carrying capacity of spatially distributed metapopulations
Carrying capacity is a key concept in ecology. A body of theory, based on the logistic equation, has extended predictions of carrying capacity to spatially distributed, dispersing populations. However, this theory has only recently been tested empirically. The experimental results disagree with some theoretical predictions of when they are extended to a population dispersing randomly in...
Authors
Bo Zhang, Don DeAngelis, Wei-Ming Ni
Topographic, soil, and climate drivers of drought sensitivity in forests and shrublands of the Pacific Northwest, USA Topographic, soil, and climate drivers of drought sensitivity in forests and shrublands of the Pacific Northwest, USA
Climate change is anticipated to increase the frequency and intensity of droughts, with major impacts to ecosystems globally. Broad-scale assessments of vegetation responses to drought are needed to anticipate, manage, and potentially mitigate climate-change effects on ecosystems. We quantified the drought sensitivity of vegetation in the Pacific Northwest, USA, as the percent reduction...
Authors
Jennifer M. Cartwright, Caitlin E. Littlefield, Julia Michalak, Joshua J. Lawler, Solomon Dobrowski
Detecting cover crop end-of-season using VENµS and sentinel-2 satellite imagery Detecting cover crop end-of-season using VENµS and sentinel-2 satellite imagery
Cover crops are planted during the off-season to protect the soil and improve watershed management. The ability to map cover crop termination dates over agricultural landscapes is essential for quantifying conservation practice implementation, and enabling estimation of biomass accumulation during the active cover period. Remote sensing detection of end-of-season (termination) for cover...
Authors
Feng Gao, Martha Anderson, W. Dean Hively
Surface elevation change evaluation in mangrove forests using a low‐cost, rapid‐scan terrestrial laser scanner Surface elevation change evaluation in mangrove forests using a low‐cost, rapid‐scan terrestrial laser scanner
Mangrove forests have adapted to sea level rise (SLR) increases by maintaining their forest floor elevation via belowground root growth and surface sediment deposits. Researchers use surface elevation tables (SETs) to monitor surface elevation change (SEC) in mangrove forests, after which this information is used to assess SLR resiliency or to dictate active forest management for...
Authors
Ali Rouzbeh Kargar, Richard A. MacKenzie, Alexander Fafard, Ken Krauss, Jan van Aardt
Double exposure and dynamic vulnerability: Assessing economic well-being, ecological change and the development of the oil and gas industry in coastal Louisiana Double exposure and dynamic vulnerability: Assessing economic well-being, ecological change and the development of the oil and gas industry in coastal Louisiana
The oil and gas industry has been a powerful driver of economic change in coastal Louisiana for the latter half of the 20th century and into the 21st. Yet, the overall impact of the industry on the economic well-being of host communities is varied, both spatially and temporally. While the majority of Louisiana’s oil and gas production now occurs offshore, processing the extracted product...
Authors
Scott Hemmerling, Tim J. B. Carruthers, Ann Hijuelos, Harris C. Bienn
Larval diet of the rare caddisfly Glyphopsyche missouri (Trichoptera: Limnephilidae) in Missouri, USA Larval diet of the rare caddisfly Glyphopsyche missouri (Trichoptera: Limnephilidae) in Missouri, USA
No abstract available.
Authors
Russell G. Rhodes, Barry C. Poulton, William R. Mabee, David E. Bowles
Estimating flood magnitude and frequency on gaged and ungaged streams in Maine Estimating flood magnitude and frequency on gaged and ungaged streams in Maine
Accurate estimates of flood frequency and magnitude on rivers and streams in Maine are a key component of effective flood risk management, flood mitigation, and flood recovery programs for the State. Flood-frequency estimates are published here for 148 streamgages in and adjacent to Maine. Equations are provided for users to compute flood-frequency estimates at any location on a stream...
Authors
Pamela J. Lombard, Glenn A. Hodgkins
Predicting multi-species foraging hotspots for marine turtles in the Gulf of Mexico Predicting multi-species foraging hotspots for marine turtles in the Gulf of Mexico
Quantifying the distribution of animals and identifying underlying characteristics that define suitable habitat are essential for effective conservation of free-ranging species. Prioritizing areas for conservation is important in managing a geographic extent that has a high level of disturbance and limited conservation resources. We examined the potential use of a species distribution...
Authors
Ikuko Fujisaki, Kristen Hart, David N. Bucklin, Autumn R. Iverson, Cynthia Rubio, Margaret M. Lamont, Raul de Jesus G.D. Miron, Patrick M. Burchfield, Jaime Pena, Donna J. Shaver
An interactive data visualization framework for exploring geospatial environmental datasets and model predictions An interactive data visualization framework for exploring geospatial environmental datasets and model predictions
With the rise of large-scale environmental models comes new challenges for how we best utilize this information in research, management and decision making. Interactive data visualizations can make large and complex datasets easier to access and explore, which can lead to knowledge discovery, hypothesis formation and improved understanding. Here, we present a web-based interactive data
Authors
Jeffrey D. Walker, Benjamin Letcher, Kirk D. Rodgers, Clint C. Muhlfeld, Vincent S. D’Angelo