Publications
Explore WARC's science publications.
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Causal mechanisms of soil organic matter decomposition: Deconstructing salinity and flooding impacts in coastal wetlands Causal mechanisms of soil organic matter decomposition: Deconstructing salinity and flooding impacts in coastal wetlands
Coastal wetlands significantly contribute to global carbon storage potential. Sea-level rise and other climate change-induced disturbances threaten coastal wetland sustainability and carbon storage capacity. It is critical that we understand the mechanisms controlling wetland carbon loss so that we can predict and manage these resources in anticipation of climate change. However, our...
Authors
Camille L. Stagg, Donald R. Schoolmaster, Ken W. Krauss, Nicole Cormier, William H. Conner
How do en route events around the Gulf of Mexico influence landbird populations How do en route events around the Gulf of Mexico influence landbird populations
Habitats around the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) provide critical resources for Nearctic–Neotropical migratory landbirds, the majority of which travel across or around the GOM every spring and fall as they migrate between temperate breeding grounds in North America and tropical wintering grounds in the Caribbean and Central and South America. At the same time, ecosystems in the GOM are changing...
Authors
Emily B. Cohen, Wylie C. Barrow, Jeffrey J. Buler, Jill L. Deppe, Andrew Farnsworth, Peter P. Marra, Scott R. McWilliams, David W Mehlman, R. Randy Wilson, Mark S Woodrey, Frank R. Moore
Freshwater mussels (Unionidae): Central and West Texas Final Report Freshwater mussels (Unionidae): Central and West Texas Final Report
The goal of this study was two-fold: (1) assess the taxonomic identity and phylogenetic placement of Quadrula aurea (Golden Orb) [Federal Candidate], Quadrula houstonensis (Smooth Pimpleback) [Federal Candidate], and Quadrula petrina (Texas Pimpleback) [Federal Candidate] through mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequencing; and (2) provided additional information on the distribution and...
Authors
Charles R. Randklev, Nathan Johnson, T. J. Miller, J.M. Morton, J. Dudding, K. Skow, B. Boseman, M. Hart, E.T. Tsakiris, K. Inoue, R.R. Lopez
Ecological regime shift drives declining growth rates of sea turtles throughout the West Atlantic Ecological regime shift drives declining growth rates of sea turtles throughout the West Atlantic
Somatic growth is an integrated, individual-based response to environmental conditions, especially in ectotherms. Growth dynamics of large, mobile animals are particularly useful as bio-indicators of environmental change at regional scales. We assembled growth rate data from throughout the West Atlantic for green turtles, Chelonia mydas, which are long-lived, highly migratory, primarily
Authors
Karen A. Bjorndal, Alan B. Bolten, Milani Chaloupka, Vincent S. Saba, Claudio Bellini, Maria A.G. Marcovaldi, Armando J.B. Santos, Luis Felipe Wurdig Bortolon, Anne B. Meylan, Peter A. Meylan, Jennifer Gray, Robert Hardy, Beth Brost, Michael Bresette, Jonathan C. Gorham, Stephen Connett, Barbara Van Sciver Crouchley, Mike Dawson, Deborah Hayes, Carlos E. Diez, Robert P. van Dam, Sue Willis, Mabel Nava, Kristen M. Hart, Michael S. Cherkiss, Andrew Crowder, Clayton Pollock, Zandy Hillis-Starr, Fernando A. Munoz Teneria, Roberto Herrera-Pavon, Vanessa Labrada-Martagon, Armando Lorences, Ana Negrete-Philippe, Margaret M. Lamont, Allen M. Foley, Rhonda Bailey, Raymond R. Carthy, Russell Scarpino, Erin McMichael, Jane A. Provancha, Annabelle Brooks, Adriana Jardim, Milagros Lopez-Mendilaharsu, Daniel Gonzalez-Paredes, Andres Estrades, Alejandro Fallabrino, Gustavo Martinez-Souza, Gabriela M. Velez-Rubio, Ralf H. Boulon, Jaime Collazo, Robert Wershoven, Vicente Guzman Hernandez, Thomas B. Stringell, Amdeep Sanghera, Peter B. Richardson, Annette C. Broderick, Quinton Phillips, Marta C. Calosso, John A.B. Claydon, Tasha L. Metz, Amanda L. Gordon, Andre M. Landry, Donna J. Shaver, Janice Blumenthal, Lucy Collyer, Brendan J. Godley, Andrew McGowan, Matthew J. Witt, Cathi L. Campbell, Cynthia J. Lagueux, Thomas L. Bethel, Lory Kenyon
Created mangrove wetlands store belowground carbon and surface elevation change enables them to adjust to sea-level rise Created mangrove wetlands store belowground carbon and surface elevation change enables them to adjust to sea-level rise
Mangrove wetlands provide ecosystem services for millions of people, most prominently by providing storm protection, food and fodder. Mangrove wetlands are also valuable ecosystems for promoting carbon (C) sequestration and storage. However, loss of mangrove wetlands and these ecosystem services are a global concern, prompting the restoration and creation of mangrove wetlands as a...
Authors
Ken W. Krauss, Nicole Cormier, Michael J. Osland, Matthew L. Kirwan, Camille L. Stagg, Janet A. Nestlerode, Marc J. Russell, Andrew From, Amanda C. Spivak, Darrin D. Dantin, James E. Harvey, Alejandro E. Almario
Five-year external reviews of the eight Department of Interior Climate Science Centers: Southeast Climate Science Center Five-year external reviews of the eight Department of Interior Climate Science Centers: Southeast Climate Science Center
In 2008, the U.S. Congress authorized the establishment of the National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center (NCCWSC) within the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI). Housed administratively within the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), NCCWSC is part of the DOI’s ongoing mission to meet the challenges of climate change and its effects on wildlife and aquatic resources. From 2010...
Authors
Kenneth G. Rice, Paul Beier, Tim Breault, Beth A. Middleton, Myron A. Peck, John M. Tirpak, Mary Ratnaswamy
Modeling the long-term effects of introduced herbivores on the spread of an invasive tree Modeling the long-term effects of introduced herbivores on the spread of an invasive tree
Context Melaleuca quinquenervia (Cav.) Blake (hereafter melaleuca) is an invasive tree from Australia that has spread over the freshwater ecosystems of southern Florida, displacing native vegetation, thus threatening native biodiversity. Suppression of melaleuca appears to be progressing through the introduction of insect species, the weevil, Oxiops vitiosa, and the psyllid...
Authors
Bo Zhang, Donald L. DeAngelis, Min B. Rayamajhi, Daniel B. Botkin
Host-dependent differences in resource use associated with Anilocra spp. parasitism in two coral reef fishes, as revealed by stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analyses Host-dependent differences in resource use associated with Anilocra spp. parasitism in two coral reef fishes, as revealed by stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analyses
The role of parasites in trophic ecology is poorly understood in marine ecosystems. Stable isotope analyses (SIA) have been widely used in studies of trophic ecology, but have rarely been applied to study the role of parasites. Considering that some parasites are associated with altered host foraging patterns, SIA can help elucidate whether parasitism influences host trophic interactions...
Authors
Rachel Welicky, Amanda W.J. Demopoulos, Paul C. Sikkel
Evaluation of harvest and information needs for North American sea ducks Evaluation of harvest and information needs for North American sea ducks
Wildlife managers routinely seek to establish sustainable limits of sport harvest or other regulated forms of take while confronted with considerable uncertainty. A growing body of ecological research focuses on methods to describe and account for uncertainty in management decision-making and to prioritize research and monitoring investments to reduce the most influential uncertainties...
Authors
Mark D. Koneff, Guthrie S. Zimmerman, Chris P. Dwyer, Kathleen K. Fleming, Paul I. Padding, Patrick K. Devers, Fred A. Johnson, Michael C. Runge, Anthony J. Roberts
Octocoral diseases in a changing ocean Octocoral diseases in a changing ocean
Octocorals (Cnidaria, Octocorallia) constitute a geographically widely distributed and common group of marine invertebrates commonly referred to as “soft-corals,” “sea fans,” “horny corals,” “sea feathers,” and “sea plumes.” They are found from shallow coastal habitats to mesophotic and abyssal depths. Octocorals are important members of most Atlantic-Caribbean, Indo-Pacific, and...
Authors
Ernesto Weil, Caroline S. Rogers, Aldo Croquer
δ13C and d15N in the endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtle Lepidochelys kempii after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill δ13C and d15N in the endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtle Lepidochelys kempii after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill
The Deepwater Horizon explosion in April 2010 and subsequent oil spill released 3.19 × 106 barrels (5.07 × 108 L) of MC252 crude oil into important foraging areas of the endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtle Lepidochelys kempii (Lk) in the northern Gulf of Mexico (GoM). We measured δ13C and δ15N in scute biopsy samples from 33 Lk nesting in Texas during 2010–-12. Of these, 27 were equipped...
Authors
Kimberly J. Reich, Melania C. Lopez-Castro, Donna J. Shaver, Claire Iseton, Kristen M. Hart, Michael J. Hooper, Christopher J. Schmitt
Integrated species distribution models: combining presence-background data and site-occupancy data with imperfect detection Integrated species distribution models: combining presence-background data and site-occupancy data with imperfect detection
Two main sources of data for species distribution models (SDMs) are site-occupancy (SO) data from planned surveys, and presence-background (PB) data from opportunistic surveys and other sources. SO surveys give high quality data about presences and absences of the species in a particular area. However, due to their high cost, they often cover a smaller area relative to PB data, and are...
Authors
Vira Koshkina, Yang Wang, Ascelin Gordon, Robert Dorazio, Matthew White, Lewi Stone