Publications
The U.S. Geological Survey Publications Warehouse is a citation clearinghouse that provides access to over 160,000 publications written by USGS scientists over the century-plus history of the bureau. Below is a list of select scientific publications and information products from the Gulf of Mexico region.
Filter Total Items: 365
Assessing the effectiveness of nourishment in decadal barrier island morphological resilience
Nourishment has shown to be an effective method for short-term storm protection along barrier islands and sandy beaches by reducing flooding, wave attack and erosion. However, the ability of nourishment to mitigate the effects of storms and sea level rise (SLR) and improve coastal resilience over decadal time scales is not well understood. This study uses integrated models of storm-driven hydrodyn
Authors
Davina Passeri, Matthew V. Bilskie, Scott C. Hagen, Rangley C. Mickey, P Soupy Dalyander, Victor Gonzalez
Embryo deformities and nesting trends in Kemp’s ridley sea turtles Lepidochelys kempii before and after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill
Kemp’s ridley sea turtles Lepidochelys kempii were disproportionately affected by the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill, which began on 20 April 2010. Embryo deformities were documented in inviable L. kempii eggs before (2008-2010) and after (2011-2013) the DWH spill in 2 Texas (USA) nesting areas (Upper Texas Coast and Padre Island National Seashore). Additional nesting trends, including clutch s
Authors
Donna J. Shaver, Christian Gredzens, J. Shelby Walker, Céline A. J. Godard-Codding, Janet E. Yacabucci, Amy Frey, Peter H. Dutton, Christopher J. Schmitt
Quantifying thresholds of barrier geomorphic change in a cross-shore sediment-partitioning model
Barrier coasts, including barrier islands, beach-ridge plains, and associated landforms, can assume a broad spectrum of morphologies over multi-decadal scales that reflect conditions of sediment availability, accommodation, and relative sea-level rise. However, the quantitative thresholds of these controls on barrier-system behavior remain largely unexplored, even as modern sea-level rise and anth
Authors
Daniel J. Ciarletta, Jennifer L. Miselis, Justin L. Shawler, Christopher J. Hein
Gulf Coast vicariance shapes phylogeographic history of a North American freshwater mussel species complex
AimFreshwater mussels share habitat and are parasites of freshwater fishes during the larval life stage. Therefore, models of fish biogeography may also explain the historical biogeography of freshwater mussels. We tested this assumption using predictions of three biogeographic models constructed for northern Gulf of Mexico drainages on a freshwater mussel species complex. Specifically, we tested
Authors
Sean M. Keogh, Nathan Johnson, James D. Williams, Charles R. Randklev, Andrew Simons
Gulf of Mexico blue hole harbors high levels of novel microbial lineages
Exploration of oxygen-depleted marine environments has consistently revealed novel microbial taxa and metabolic capabilities that expand our understanding of microbial evolution and ecology. Marine blue holes are shallow karst formations characterized by low oxygen and high organic matter content. They are logistically challenging to sample, and thus our understanding of their biogeochemistry and
Authors
N.V. Patin, Z.A. Dietrich, A. Stancil, M. Quinan, J.S. Beckler, E. R. Hall, J Culter, Christopher G. Smith, Martial Taillefert, F.J. Stewart
Retreat, detour or advance? Understanding the movements of birds confronting the Gulf of Mexico
During migration, birds must locate stopover habitats that provide sufficient resources to rest and refuel while en route to the breeding or non-breeding area. Long-distance migrants invariably encounter inhospitable geographic features, the edges of which are often characterized by habitat limited in food and safety. In response, they often depart in directions inconsistent with reaching their de
Authors
Theodore J. Zenzal, Michael P. Ward, Robert H. Diehl, Jeffrey J. Buler, Jaclyn (Contractor) Ann Smolinsky, Jill L. Deppe, Rachel T Bolus, Antonio Celis-Murillo, Frank R. Moore
Home ranges and movements of two diamondback terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin macrospilota) in northwest Florida
The diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin) is a small estuarine turtle distributed along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts of the USA that is threatened by drowning in crab pots, road mortality, exploitation in the pet trade, and habitat loss. Little is known about the movement patterns and home ranges of these turtles, particularly along the U.S. Gulf of Mexico coast. Satellite tags were deployed
Authors
Margaret Lamont, Darren Johnson, Daniel J. Catizone
Evaluating the use of marine protected areas by endangered species: A habitat selection approach
1. Optimizing the design of marine protected area (MPA) networks for the conservation of migratory marine species and their habitats involves a suite of important considerations, such as appropriate scale requirements and the distribution of anthropogenic impacts. Often, a fundamental component of the conservation planning process is delineating areas of high use or high biodiversity within a regi
Authors
Kelsey E. Roberts, Brian J. Smith, Derek A. Burkholder, Kristen Hart
Movements of marine and estuarine turtles during Hurricane Michael
Natural disturbances are an important driver of population dynamics. Because it is difficult to observe wildlife during these events, our understanding of the strategies that species use to survive these disturbances is limited. On October 10, 2018, Hurricane Michael made landfall on Florida’s northwest coast. Using satellite and acoustic telemetry, we documented movements of 6 individual turtles:
Authors
Margaret M. Lamont, Darren Johnson, Daniel J. Catizone
Variation in species composition, size and fitness of two multi-species sea turtle assemblages using different neritic habitats
The neritic environment is rich in resources and as such plays a crucial role as foraging habitat for multi-species marine assemblages, including sea turtles. However, this habitat also experiences a wide array of anthropogenic threats. To prioritize conservation funds, targeting areas that support multi-species assemblages is ideal. This is particularly important in the Gulf of Mexico where resto
Authors
Margaret M. Lamont, Darren Johnson
Drivers of realized satellite tracking duration in marine turtles
BackgroundSatellite tags have revolutionized our understanding of marine animal movements. However, tags may stop transmitting for many reasons and little research has rigorously examined tag failure. Using a long-term, large-scale, multi-species dataset, we evaluated factors influencing tracking duration of satellite tags to inform study design for future tracking studies.MethodsWe leveraged data
Authors
Kristen Hart, Jacquelyn C. Guzy, Brian J. Smith
Particle tracer analysis for submerged berm placement of dredged material near South Padre Island, Texas
The fate of unconfined dredged sediment placed as a submerged “feeder” berm in the nearshore region of South Padre Island (SPI), Texas, was investigated through a particle tracer study over the duration of 15 months. Unconfined sediment feeder systems can be a desirable alternative to traditional direct beach placement of nourishment material because the feeder systems are less intrusive to the be
Authors
Jens Figlus, Youn-Kyung Song, Coraggio K. Maglio, Patrick L. Friend, Jack Poleykett, Frank Engel, Douglas James Schnoebelen, Kristina Boburka