Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Publications

Explore WARC's science publications.

Filter Total Items: 3374

Terrestrial wetlands

1. The assessment of terrestrial wetland carbon stocks has improved greatly since the First State of the Carbon Cycle Report (CCSP 2007) because of recent national inventories and the development of a U.S. soils database. Terrestrial wetlands in North America encompass an estimated 2.2 million km2, which constitutes about 37% of the global wetland area, with a soil and vegetation carbon pool of ab
Authors
Randall Kolka, Carl Trettin, Wenwu Tang, Ken W. Krauss, Sheel Bansal, Judith Z. Drexler, Kimberly P. Wickland, Rodney A. Chimner, Dianna M. Hogan, Emily J. Pindilli, Brian Benscoter, Brian Tangen, Evan S. Kane, Scott D. Bridgham, Curtis J. Richardson

Expectations of Maurepas Swamp response to a river reintroduction, Louisiana

Mississippi River reintroductions (freshwater diversions) into wetlands previously disconnected from the river have been implemented in southeastern Louisiana as a means to rehabilitate degraded and submerging wetlands. To date, all active Mississippi River reintroductions have targeted marsh habitat. However, a 57 cubic meter per second (2,000 cubic foot per second) river reintroduction is being
Authors
Ken W. Krauss, Gary P. Shaffer, Richard F. Keim, Jim L. Chambers, William B. Wood, Stephen B. Hartley

Stable isotope analysis enhances our understanding of diamondback terrapin Malaclemys terrapin foraging ecology

Dietary studies on generalist predators may provide valuable information on spatial or temporal changes in the structure of ecological communities. We initiated this study to provide baseline data and determine the utility of stable isotope analysis (SIA) to evaluate the foraging strategies of an opportunistic reptilian predator, the diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin), which specializes in
Authors
Mathew J. Denton, Amanda W.J. Demopoulos, John D. Baldwin, Brian Smith, Kristen M. Hart

Integrating encounter theory with decision analysis to evaluate collision risk and determine optimal protection zones for wildlife

1.Better understanding human‐wildlife interactions and their links with management can help improve the design of wildlife protection zones. One example is the problem of wildlife collisions with vehicles or human‐built structures (e.g. power lines, wind farms). In fact, collisions between marine wildlife and watercraft are among the major threats faced by several endangered species of marine mamm
Authors
B.J. Udell, Julien Martin, R.J. Fletcher, Mathieu Bonneau, Holly H. Edwards, T. Gowan, Stacie K. Hardy, E. Gurarie, C.S. Calleson, C.J. Deutsch

Integrative taxonomy resolves taxonomic uncertainty for freshwater mussels being considered for protection under the U.S. Endangered Species Act

Objectively delimiting species boundaries remains an important challenge in systematics and becomes urgent when unresolved taxonomy complicates conservation and recovery efforts. We examined species boundaries in the imperiled freshwater mussel genus Cyclonaias(Bivalvia: Unionidae) using morphometrics, molecular phylogenetics, and multispecies coalescent models to help guide pending conservation a
Authors
Nathan A. Johnson, Chase H. Smith, John M. Pfeiffer, Chalres R. Randklev, James D. Williams, James D. Austin

Identifying management-relevant research priorities for responding to disease-associated amphibian declines

A research priority can be defined as a knowledge gap that, if resolved, identifies the optimal course of conservation action. We (a group of geographically distributed and multidisciplinary research scientists) used tools from nominal group theory and decision analysis to collaboratively identify and prioritize information needs within the context of disease-associated amphibian decline, in order
Authors
Evan H. Campbell Grant, M. J. Adams, Robert N. Fisher, Daniel A. Grear, Brian J. Halstead, Blake R. Hossack, Erin L. Muths, Katherine L. D. Richgels, Robin E. Russell, Kelly L. Smalling, J. Hardin Waddle, Susan C. Walls, C. LeAnn White

Submerged aquatic vegetation mapping in coastal Louisiana through development of a spatial likelihood occurrence (SLOO) model

Determining the spatial distribution of coastal foundation species is essential to accurately determine restoration goals, predict the ecological effects of climate change, and develop habitat management strategies. Mapping the distribution of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) species assemblages, which provide important habitat resource and ecological services in Louisiana, has been difficult du
Authors
Kristin DeMarco, Brady Couvillion, Stuart Brown, Megan La Peyre

Novel ecological and climatic conditions drive rapid adaptation in invasive Florida Burmese pythons

Invasive species provide powerful in situ experimental systems for studying evolution in response to selective pressures in novel habitats. While research has shown that phenotypic evolution can occur rapidly in nature, few examples exist of genome‐wide adaptation on short ‘ecological’ timescales. Burmese pythons (Python molurus bivittatus) have become a successful and impactful invasive species i
Authors
Daren C. Card, Blair W. Perry, Richard H. Adams, Drew R. Schield, Acacia S. Young, Audra L. Andrew, Tereza Jezkova, Giulia I.M. Pasquesi, Nicole R. Hales, Matthew R. Walsh, Michael R. Rochford, Frank J. Mazzotti, Kristen M. Hart, Margaret Hunter, Todd A. Castoe

Trends in nonindigenous aquatic species richness in the United States reveal shifting spatial and temporal patterns of species introductions

Understanding the spatial and temporal dynamics underlying the introduction and spread of nonindigenous aquatic species (NAS) can provide important insights into the historical drivers of biological invasions and aid in forecasting future patterns of nonindigenous species arrival and spread. Increasingly, public databases of species observation records are being used to quantify changes in NAS dis
Authors
Michael J. Mangiante, Amy J. S. Davis, Stephanie Panlasigui, Matthew E. Neilson, Ian Pfingsten, Pam Fuller, John A. Darling

Informing research priorities for immature sea turtles through expert elicitation

Although sea turtles have received substantial focus worldwide, research on the immature life stages is still relatively limited. The latter is of particular importance, given that a large proportion of sea turtle populations comprises immature individuals. We set out to identify knowledge gaps and identify the main barriers hindering research in this field. We analyzed the perceptions of sea turt
Authors
Natalie E. Wildermann, Christian Gredzens, Larisa Avens, Hector A. Barrios-Garrido, Ian Bell, Janice Blumenthal, Alan B. Bolten, Joanne Braun McNeill, Paolo Casale, Maikon Di Domenico, Camila A. Domit, Sheryan P. Epperly, Matthew H. Godfrey, Brendan J. Godley, Victoria González-Carman, Mark Hamann, Kristen M. Hart, Takashi Ishihara, Kate Mansfield, Tasha L. Metz, Jeffrey D. Miller, Nicolas J. Pilcher, Mark A. Read, Christopher Sasso, Jeffrey A. Seminoff, Erin E. Seney, Amanda Southwood Williard, Jesús Tomás, Gabriela M. Vélez-Rubio, Matthew Ware, Jessica L. Williams, Jeanette Wyneken, Mariana M. P. B. Fuentes

President's address for Wetland Science and Practice - October 2018

As 2018 moves into its last quarter, those of us in the southern U.S. check the skies for hurricanes, academics and students return to the classroom, and researchers wrap up the last of their year’s field work. For SWS, the last quarter brings new ways to promote internationalization...
Authors
Beth A. Middleton

Quantifying climate sensitivity and climate-driven change in North American amphibian communities

Changing climate will impact species’ ranges only when environmental variability directly impacts the demography of local populations. However, measurement of demographic responses to climate change has largely been limited to single species and locations. Here we show that amphibian communities are responsive to climatic variability, using >500,000 time-series observations for 81 species across 8
Authors
David A.W. Miller, Evan H. Campbell Grant, Erin L. Muths, Staci M. Amburgey, M. J. Adams, Maxwell B. Joseph, J. Hardin Waddle, Pieter T.J. Johnson, Maureen E. Ryan, Benedikt R. Schmidt, Daniel L. Calhoun, Courtney L. Davis, Robert N. Fisher, David M. Green, Blake R. Hossack, Tracy A.G. Rittenhouse, Susan C. Walls, Larissa L. Bailey, Sam S. Cruickshank, Gary M. Fellers, Thomas A. Gorman, Carola A. Haas, Ward Hughson, David S. Pilliod, Steven J. Price, Andrew M. Ray, Walter Sadinski, Daniel Saenz, William J. Barichivich, Adrianne B. Brand, Cheryl S. Brehme, Rosi Dagit, Katy S. Delaney, Brad M. Glorioso, Lee B. Kats, Patrick M. Kleeman, Christopher Pearl, Carlton J. Rochester, Seth P. D. Riley, Mark F. Roth, Brent Sigafus