Publications
This list of publications includes peer-review journal articles, official USGS publications series, reports and more authored by scientists in the Ecosystems Mission Area. A database of all USGS publications, with advanced search features, can be accessed at the USGS Publications Warehouse.
Filter Total Items: 41763
Occurrence, fate, and transport of aerially applied herbicides to control invasive buffelgrass within Saguaro National Park Rincon Mountain District, Arizona, 2015–18
The spread of the invasive and fire-adapted buffelgrass (Cenchrus ciliaris L.) threatens desert ecosystems by competing for resources, increasing fuel loads, and creating wildfire connectivity. The Rincon Mountain District of Saguaro National Park addressed this natural resource threat with the use of glyphosate-based herbicides (GBHs). In 2010, the Rincon Mountain District initiated an aerial res
Authors
Nicholas V. Paretti, Kimberly R. Beisner, Bruce Gungle, Michael T. Meyer, Bethany K. Kunz, Edyth Hermosillo, Jay R. Cederberg, Justine P. Mayo
What do you mean by false positive?
Misunderstandings regarding the term “false positive” present a significant hurdle to broad adoption of eDNA monitoring methods. Here, we identify three challenges to clear communication of false-positive error between scientists, managers, and the public. The first arises from a failure to distinguish between false-positive eDNA detection at the sample level and false-positive inference of taxa p
Authors
John A. Darling, Christopher L. Jerde, Adam Sepulveda
Field methods for translocating female greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) with their broods
Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) have experienced considerable range contraction and reduced abundance in response to habitat loss and degradation. Translocation is a conservation action that is often used to reintroduce extirpated populations or augment existing small populations. Translocations have had limited success in restoring viable populations of sage-grouse; a lack of succ
Authors
Mary Beth Meyerpeter, Kade D. Lazenby, Peter S. Coates, Mark A. Ricca, Steven R. Mathews, Scott C. Gardner, David K. Dahlgren, David J. Delehanty
Seasonal and age-related variation in daily travel distances of California Condors
Despite a dramatic recovery from the brink of extinction, California Condors (Gymnogyps californianus) still face significant anthropogenic threats. Although condor movement patterns across large temporal scales are understood, less is known about their movements on a fine temporal scale. We used a trajectory-based analysis of GPS telemetry data gathered from condors during 2013 to 2018 to investi
Authors
Jonathan C. Hall, Insu Hong, Sharon Poessel, Melissa A. Braham, Joseph Brandt, Joseph Burnett, Todd E. Katzner
Strategic considerations for invasive species managers in the utilization ofenvironmental DNA (eDNA): Steps for incorporating this powerful surveillance tool
Invasive species surveillance programs can utilize environmental DNA sampling and analysis to provide information on the presence of invasive species. Wider utilization of eDNA techniques for invasive species surveillance may be warranted. This paper covers topics directed towards invasive species managers and eDNA practitioners working at the intersection of eDNA techniques and invasive species s
Authors
Jeffrey Morisette, Stanley Burgiel, Kelsey Brantley, Wesley M. Daniel, John Darling, Jeanette Davis, Thomas W. Franklin, Keith Gaddis, Maggie Hunter, Richard Lance, Tracy Leskey, Yale Passamaneck, Antoinette J. Piaggio, Brian Rector, Adam Sepulveda, Melissa Smith, Carol A Stepien, Taylor Wilcox
Developing bare-earth digital elevation models from structure-from-motion data on barrier islands
Unoccupied aerial systems can collect aerial imagery that can be used to develop structure-from-motion products with a temporal resolution well-suited to monitoring dynamic barrier island environments. However, topographic data created using photogrammetric techniques such as structure-from-motion represent the surface elevation including the vegetation canopy. Additional processing is required fo
Authors
Nicholas Enwright, Christine J. Kranenburg, Brett Patton, P. Soupy Dalyander, Jenna A. Brown, Sarai Piazza, Wyatt C Cheney
Wetland availability and salinity concentrations for breeding waterfowl in Suisun Marsh, California
Availability of wetlands with low salinities during the breeding season can influence waterfowl reproductive success and population recruitment. Salinities as low as 2 ppt (3.6 mScm–1) can impair duckling growth and influence behavior, with mortality occurring above 9 ppt (14.8 mScm–1). We used satellite imagery to quantify the amount of available water, and sampled surface water salinity at Grizz
Authors
Carley Rose Schacter, Sarah H. Peterson, Mark P. Herzog, C. Alex Hartman, Michael L. Casazza, Josh T. Ackerman
Breeding waterbird populations have declined in south San Francisco Bay: An assessment over two decades
In south San Francisco Bay, former salt ponds now managed as wildlife habitat support large populations of breeding waterbirds. In 2006, the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project began the process of converting 50% to 90% of these managed pond habitats into tidal marsh. We compared American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana) and Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus) abundance in south San Fran
Authors
C. Alex Hartman, Josh T. Ackerman, Carley Rose Schacter, Mark P. Herzog, Max Tarjan, Yiwei Wang, Cheryl Strong, Rachel Tertes, Nils Warnock
Gopherus polyphemus (Gopher Tortoise) adult mortality
Gopherus polyphemus has typically high adult survivorship, with some populations reaching a mean annual survivorship of 93.4% (Howell et al. 2019. J. Wildl. Manage. 84:56–65). Instances of adult mortality are not commonly reported outside of large mortality events, and most often result from disease, starvation, dehydration, or chronic stress (Gates et al. 2002. Florida Sci. 65:185–
197; Cozad et
Authors
Michael Palandri, Margaret M. Lamont
Spatial and temporal dynamics of phytoplankton assemblages in the upper Mississippi River
Phytoplankton provide large quantities of organic carbon and biomolecules that support large river ecosystems. However, when certain groups become overabundant (e.g., cyanobacteria), they can pose a risk to human health and river biota. The purpose of this study was to examine the spatial and temporal dynamics of phytoplankton community composition within the upper Mississippi River. More specific
Authors
John T. Manier, Roger J. Haro, Jeffrey N. Houser, Eric A. Strauss
Experimental warming and its legacy effects on root dynamics following two hurricane disturbances in a wet tropical forest
Tropical forests are expected to experience unprecedented warming and increases in hurricane disturbances in the coming decades; yet, our understanding of how these productive systems, especially their belowground component, will respond to the combined effects of varied environmental changes remains empirically limited. Here we evaluated the responses of root dynamics (production, mortality, and
Authors
Daniela Yaffar, Tana E. Wood, Sasha C. Reed, Benjamin L. Branoff, Molly A. Cavaleri, Richard J. Norby
A river of change—The Rio Grande in the Big Bend region
The Big Bend region is located within the heart of the Chihuahan Desert of North America. Within this region, the Rio Grande, referred to as the Rio Bravo in Mexico, is the international border between the United States and Mexico. The area known as the Big Bend is named after the large northerly bend that the river makes before flowing southeast to the Gulf of Mexico. This region is environmental
Authors
David Dean