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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: 41778

What is a stand? Assessing the variability of composition and structure in floodplain forest ecosystems across spatial scales in the Upper Mississippi River

The forest stand typically represents relatively homogenous forest conditions; the forest stand is generally the unit at which forest attributes are assessed, summarized, and subsequently managed. However, some ecosystems, such as the floodplain forests of the Upper Mississippi River (UMR), can exhibit high variability at fine spatial scales that can confound prescription development, implementati
Authors
Marcella Windmuller-Campione, Laura F. Reuling, Molly Van Appledorn, Daniel M. Nilesen, Andrew R. Meier

Functional composition of plant communities mediates biomass effects on ecosystem service recovery across an experimental dryland restoration network

Land degradation can result in a loss of critical ecosystem services that we often seek to restore through re-establishment of desired plant communities. Trait-based approaches have the potential to target specific ecosystem services based on associations between the functional composition of plant communities and ecosystem properties that serve as indicators of those services.The effect of functi
Authors
Kathleen R. Balazs, Seth M. Munson, Bradley J. Butterfield

Rapid implementation of high-frequency wastewater surveillance of SARS-CoV-2

There have been over 507 million cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), resulting in 6 million deaths globally. Wastewater surveillance has emerged as a valuable tool in understanding SARS-CoV-2 burden in communities. The National Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS) partnered with the United States Geological Survey (USGS) to im
Authors
Meghan M. Holst, John Person, Wiley Jennings, Rory M. Welsh, Michael J. Focazio, Paul M. Bradley, W. Bane Schill, Amy E. Kirby, Zachary A. Marsh

Migration and transformation of coastal wetlands in response to rising seas

Coastal wetlands are not only among the world’s most valued ecosystems but also among the most threatened by high greenhouse gas emissions that lead to accelerated sea level rise. There is intense debate regarding the extent to which landward migration of wetlands might compensate for seaward wetland losses. By integrating data from 166 estuaries across the conterminous United States, we show that
Authors
Michael Osland, Bogdan Chivoiu, Nicholas Enwright, Karen M. Thorne, Glenn R. Guntenspergen, James Grace, Leah Dale, William Brooks, Nathaniel Herold, John W. Day, Fred H. Sklar, Christopher M. Swarzenski

Potential effects of sea level rise on nearshore habitat availability for surf smelt (Hypomesus pretiosus) and eelgrass (Zostera marina), Puget Sound, Washington

In this study we examine the potential effects of three predicted sea level rise (SLR) scenarios on the nearshore eelgrass (Zostera marina L.) and surf smelt (Hypomesus pretiosus) spawning habitats along a beach on Bainbridge Island, Washington. Baseline bathymetric, geomorphological, and biological surveys were conducted to determine the existing conditions at the study site. The results of these
Authors
Collin D. Smith, Theresa L. Liedtke

Asking nicely: Best practices for requesting data

Compiling disparate datasets into publicly available composite databases helps natural resource communities explore ecological trends and effectively manage across spatiotemporal scales. Though some studies have reported on the database construction phase, fewer have evaluated the data acquisition and distribution process. To facilitate future data sharing collaborations, Louisiana State Universit
Authors
Steve R. Midway, Nicholas A. Sievert, Abigail Lynch, Joanna B. Whittier, Kevin L. Pope

Evaluating the efficacy of aerial infrared surveys to detect artificial polar bear dens

The need to balance economic development with impacts to Arctic wildlife has been a prominent subject since petroleum exploration began on the North Slope of Alaska, USA, in the late 1950s. The North Slope region includes polar bears (Ursus maritimus) of the southern Beaufort Sea subpopulation, which has experienced a long-term decline in abundance. Pregnant polar bears dig dens in snow drifts dur
Authors
Susannah P Woodruff, Justin J Blank, Sheyna S Wisdom, Ryan H. Wilson, George M. Durner, Todd C. Atwood, Craig J Perham, Christina HM Pohl

Conservation action plan for diamond-backed terrapins in the Gulf of Mexico

Diamondback terrapins are small estuarine turtles that are vital to the health of salt marsh and mangrove habitats. Their populations have declined for over a century due to many factors including coastal development, nest predation, pet trade and drowning in crab traps. Without action, terrapin populations will continue to decline. This document summarizes the Nature Conservancy's efforts in coll

Water quality monitoring: Exploring CMAP products

The RESTORE Council Monitoring and Assessment Program (CMAP), administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), spatially and temporally inventoried programs in the Gulf of Mexico focused on water quality and habitat monitoring and mapping.

Habitat monitoring: Exploring CMAP products

The RESTORE Council Monitoring and Assessment Program (CMAP), administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), spatially and temporally inventoried programs in the Gulf of Mexico focused on water quality and habitat monitoring and mapping.

RESTORE Council Monitoring and Assessment Program

The RESTORE Council Monitoring and Assessment Program (CMAP), administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), spatially and temporally inventoried programs in the Gulf of Mexico focused on water quality and habitat monitoring and mapping.