Publications
Below is a list of WERC's peer-reviewed publications. If you are searching for a specific publication and cannot find it in this list, please contact werc_web@usgs.gov
Filter Total Items: 3780
Sea otter population declines in the Aleutian Archipelago Sea otter population declines in the Aleutian Archipelago
Sea otter (Enhydra lutris) populations were exploited to near extinction and began to recover after the cessation of commercial hunting in 1911. Remnant colonies of sea otters in the Aleutian archipelago were among the first to recover; they continued to increase through the 1980s but declined abruptly during the 1990s. We conducted an aerial survey of the Aleutian archipelago in 2000...
Authors
Angela M. Doroff, James A. Estes, M. Tim Tinker, Douglas M. Burn, Thomas J. Evans
Desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) survival at two eastern Mojave Desert sites: Death by short-term drought? Desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) survival at two eastern Mojave Desert sites: Death by short-term drought?
Survival of adult Desert Tortoises (Gopherus agassizii) appears related to site-specific variation in precipitation and productivity of annual plants. We studied adult tortoise survival rates at two closely situated, but physiographically different, sites in the eastern Mojave Desert over a nine-year period (spring 1992 to spring 2001). Survival rates were initially derived from...
Authors
Kathleen M. Longshore, Jef R. Jaeger, J. Mark Sappington
Fire and grazing impacts on plant diversity and alien plant invasions in the southern Sierra Nevada Fire and grazing impacts on plant diversity and alien plant invasions in the southern Sierra Nevada
Patterns of native and alien plant diversity in response to disturbance were examined along an elevational gradient in blue oak savanna, chaparral, and coniferous forests. Total species richness, alien species richness, and alien cover declined with elevation, at scales from 1 to 1000 m2. We found no support for the hypothesis that community diversity inhibits alien invasion. At the 1-m2...
Authors
Jon E. Keeley, Daniel Lubin, C. J. Fotheringham
Factors influencing the variation in capture rates of shrews in southern California, USA Factors influencing the variation in capture rates of shrews in southern California, USA
We examined the temporal variation in capture rates of shrewsNotiosorex crawfordi (Coues, 1877) and Sorex ornatus (Merriam, 1895) in 20 sites representing fragmented and continuous habitats in southern California, USA. InN. crawfordi, the temporal variation was significantly correlated with the mean capture rates. Of the 6 landscape variables analyzed (size of the landscape, size of the...
Authors
Juha Laakkonen, Robert N. Fisher, Ted J. Case
Fire and exotics in the Mojave Desert: An irreversible change? A state-transition model for blackbrush (Coleogyne ramosissima) habitat Fire and exotics in the Mojave Desert: An irreversible change? A state-transition model for blackbrush (Coleogyne ramosissima) habitat
No abstract available at this time
Authors
D.F. Haines, T. C. Esque, L.A. DeFalco, S.J. Scoles, M.L. Brooks, R. H. Webb
Science support for managing migratory waterfowl. Science support for managing migratory waterfowl.
Migratory birds in North America are an international resource shared by Canada, the United States, and Mexico. Ultimate population management authority in the U.S. lies with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), but states participate in development of management decisions through the Flyway system. The FWS, state wildlife agencies, and nongovernmental organizations participate...
Authors
Joseph P. Fleskes, Michael R. Miller, John Y. Takekawa
A characterization of vegetation in nesting and non-nesting plots for Southwestern Willow Flycatchers in central Arizona A characterization of vegetation in nesting and non-nesting plots for Southwestern Willow Flycatchers in central Arizona
No abstract available at this time
Authors
L.J. Allison, C.E. Paradizick, J.W. Rourke, T.D. McCarthey
The crisis discipline of conservation medicine The crisis discipline of conservation medicine
Review of: Conservation Medicine: Ecological Health in Practice. Aguirre, A. A., R. S. Ostfeld, G. M. Tabor, C. House, and M. C. Pearl, editors. 2002. Oxford University Press, New York. 431 pp. $45.00. ISBN 0–195–15093.
Authors
K. D. Lafferty
Long term productivity of canvasbacks (Aythya valisineria) in a snowpack-driven desert marsh Long term productivity of canvasbacks (Aythya valisineria) in a snowpack-driven desert marsh
Ruby Lake, Nevada, is a large palustrine wetland that hosts the southern-most major breeding population of Canvasbacks (Aythya valisineria). That arid marsh, fed by springs derived from mountain snowpack, differs in climate and hydrology from glaciated potholes of the northern prairies where most Canvasbacks breed. Fourteen years of nesting data on Canvasbacks over a 31 year period (1970...
Authors
Kammie L. Kruse, James R. Lovvorn, John Y. Takekawa, Jeffrey Mackay
Recommendations for cowbird management in recovery efforts for the southwestern willow flycatcher Recommendations for cowbird management in recovery efforts for the southwestern willow flycatcher
Three generations of mallard ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) were fed either a control diet or a diet containing 0.5 ppm mercury in the form of methylmercury. The levels of mercury in adult tissues and eggs remained about the same over 3 generations. The methylmercury diet had no effect on adult weights or weight changes during the reproductive season. Females fed a diet containing 0.5 ppm...
Authors
S.I. Rothstein, B.E. Kus, M.J. Whitfield, S.J. Sferra
Fire and grazing impacts on plant diversity and invasives in the southern Sierra Nevada Fire and grazing impacts on plant diversity and invasives in the southern Sierra Nevada
No abstract available.
Authors
Jon E. Keeley, D. Lubin, C. J. Fotheringham
Historical fire regime in southern California Historical fire regime in southern California
The historical variability in fire regime is a conservative indicator of ecosystem sustainability. Understanding the natural role of fire in chaparral ecosystems is therefore necessary for effective fire management.
Authors
Jon E. Keeley, Connie J. Fotheringham