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Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center

Scientists from the Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center capitalize on their diverse expertise to answer scientific questions shaped by the environments of the western United States. We collaborate with each other and with partners to provide rigorous, objective, and timely information and guidance to support sound management, conservation, and restoration of the Nation's natural resource

News

Trout, beavers, drought, and a “precious” frog

Trout, beavers, drought, and a “precious” frog

Land Treatment Exploration Tool Version 2.1 Launch

Land Treatment Exploration Tool Version 2.1 Launch

USGS and partners publish the second in a series of structured science syntheses: the effects of culverts on stream habitat connectivity

USGS and partners publish the second in a series of structured science syntheses: the effects of culverts on stream habitat connectivity

Publications

Browsing the literature

For this edition of Browsing the Literature, we have two new papers from Rangeland Ecology & Management, a series of basic ecology papers with an international scope from journals such as the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (USA), Science, and Nature, and several papers advancing our understanding of drought and carbon at global scales. Additionally, several papers on sagebrush-st
Authors
Matthew Germino

Lead poisoning of raptors: State of the science and cross-discipline mitigation options for a global problem

Lead poisoning is an important global conservation problem for many species of wildlife, especially raptors. Despite the increasing number of individual studies and regional reviews of lead poisoning of raptors, it has been over a decade since this information has been compiled into a comprehensive global review. Here, we summarize the state of knowledge of lead poisoning of raptors, we review dev
Authors
Todd E. Katzner, Deborah J. Pain, Michael McTee, Leland Brown, Sandra Cuadros, Mark Pokras, Vince Slabe., Rick Watson, Guillermo Wiemeyer, Bryan Bedrosian, Jordan O Hampton, Chris N. Parish, James M. Pay, Keisuke Saito, John Schulz

Abundance of Long-billed Curlews on military lands in the Columbia Basin

Long-billed Curlews (Numenius americanus) are declining throughout North America, and the loss of grassland breeding habitat is one of the primary threats to the species. Intermountain West, in particular, has been identified as the most important region in North America for breeding curlews. Nevertheless, the density and abundance of Long-billed Curlews in this region is not well understood. Land
Authors
Sharon Poessel, Elise Elliott-Smith, Sean M. Murphy, Susan M Haig, Adam E. Duerr, Todd E. Katzner

Science

The Impact of Climate-Driven Phenological Shifts on Cheatgrass in Western North America

Climate change-induced warming can alter plant phenology and disrupt ecosystems like the sagebrush steppe in western North America. The invasive annual grass cheatgrass can thrive under these altered conditions, exacerbating wildfires and threatening wildlife habitat, carbon storage, and other important ecosystem services. We are studying how different densities of cheatgrass respond to increased...
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The Impact of Climate-Driven Phenological Shifts on Cheatgrass in Western North America

Climate change-induced warming can alter plant phenology and disrupt ecosystems like the sagebrush steppe in western North America. The invasive annual grass cheatgrass can thrive under these altered conditions, exacerbating wildfires and threatening wildlife habitat, carbon storage, and other important ecosystem services. We are studying how different densities of cheatgrass respond to increased...
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Social and Institutional Aspects of Natural Resource Decision Making Team (FRESC)

Our work uses a range of social science methods including interviews, surveys, listening sessions, workshops, and document analysis, to understand how Department of the Interior land managers and others make natural resource decisions.
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Social and Institutional Aspects of Natural Resource Decision Making Team (FRESC)

Our work uses a range of social science methods including interviews, surveys, listening sessions, workshops, and document analysis, to understand how Department of the Interior land managers and others make natural resource decisions.
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USGS Team Science Curriculum

USGS scientists are developing a team science curriculum to teach researchers from different fields and backgrounds how to work collaboratively and creatively to address complex environmental challenges, such as the impacts of climate change.
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USGS Team Science Curriculum

USGS scientists are developing a team science curriculum to teach researchers from different fields and backgrounds how to work collaboratively and creatively to address complex environmental challenges, such as the impacts of climate change.
Learn More