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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: 41764

Phenotypic trait differences between Iris pseudacorus in native and introduced ranges support greater capacity of invasive populations to withstand sea level rise

AimTidal wetlands are greatly impacted by climate change, and by the invasion of alien plant species that are being exposed to salinity changes and longer inundation periods resulting from sea level rise. To explore the capacity for the invasion of Iris pseudacorus to persist with sea level rise, we initiated an intercontinental study along estuarine gradients in the invaded North American range a
Authors
Brenda J. Grewell, Blanca Gallego-Tévar, Gael Bárcenas-Moreno, Christine R. Whitcraft, Karen M. Thorne, Kevin J. Buffington, Jesus M. Castillo

Seasonal shifts in diel vertical migrations by lake-dwelling coastal cutthroat trout, Oncorhynchus clarkii clarkii, reflect thermal regimes and prey distributions

Lakes provide important habitat for salmonids that may use them as a primary feeding area between periods of reproduction. The seasonal changes in vertical thermal structure in lakes can affect the distribution of salmonids on seasonal and diel time scales as they search for, consume, and digest prey that also exploits the water column's distribution of food, temperature and light. Our goal was to
Authors
Zachary R. Thomas, David Beauchamp, Casey P. Clark, Thomas P. Quinn

Bottom trawl assessment of Lake Ontario's benthic preyfish community, 2022

Since 1978, surveys of Lake Ontario preyfish communities have provided information on the status and trends of the benthic preyfish community related to Fish Community Objectives that includes understanding preyfish population dynamics and community diversity. Beginning in 2015, the benthic preyfish survey expanded from US-only to incorporate Canadian sites, increasing the survey’s spatial coverag
Authors
Brian O'Malley, Scott P. Minihkeim, James McKenna, Jessica A. Goretzke, Jeremy P. Holden

Body size predicts the rate of contemporary morphological change in birds

Across the globe, bird morphology is changing rapidly. Although trajectories of change are frequently consistent across studies, rates of change among species vary in magnitude—a phenomenon that remains unexplained. By analyzing two independently collected datasets demonstrating consistent changes in morphology in 129 species, we show that rates of phenotypic change are negatively correlated with
Authors
Marketa Zimova, Brian Weeks, David E. Willard, Sean T Giery, Vitek Jirinec, Ryan C. Burner, Benjamin M Winger

Using eDNA metabarcoding to establish targets for freshwater fish composition following river restoration

Establishing realistic targets for fish community composition is needed to assess the effectiveness of river restoration projects. We used environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding with MiFish primers to obtain estimates of fish community composition across 17 sites upstream, downstream and within a restoration mitigation project area (Kaihotsu–Kasumi) located in the Shigenobu River system, Ehime Pre
Authors
Gen Ito, Hiroshi Yamauchi, Miwa Shigeyoshi, Kousuke Ashino, Chie Yonashiro, Maki Asami, Yuko Goto, Jeffrey J. Duda, Hiroki Yamanaka

Reduction of paraoxonase expression followed by inactivation across independent semiaquatic mammals suggests stepwise path to pseudogenization

Convergent adaptation to the same environment by multiple lineages frequently involves rapid evolutionary change at the same genes, implicating these genes as important for environmental adaptation. Such adaptive molecular changes may yield either change or loss of protein function; loss of function can eliminate newly deleterious proteins or reduce energy necessary for protein production. We prev
Authors
Allie M. Graham, Jerrica M. Jamison, Marisol Bustos, Charlotte Cournoyer, Alexa Michaels, Jason S. Presnell, Rebecca Richter, Daniel E. Crocker, Ari Fustukjian, Margaret Hunter, Lorrie D. Rea, Judit Marsillach, Clement E. Furlong, Wynn K. Meyer, Nathan L. Clark

Bringing the Nature Futures Framework to life: Creating a set of illustrative narratives of nature futures

To halt further destruction of the biosphere, most people and societies around the globe need to transform their relationships with nature. The internationally agreed vision under the Convention of Biological Diversity—Living in harmony with nature—is that “By 2050, biodiversity is valued, conserved, restored and wisely used, maintaining ecosystem services, sustaining a healthy planet and deliveri
Authors
América P. Durán, Jan J. Kuiper, A.P.D. Aguiar, W.W. Cheung, M.C. Diaw, G. Halouani, S. Hashimoto, M.A. Gasalla, G.D. Peterson, M.A. Schoolenberg, R. Abbasov, L.A. Acosta, D. Armenteras, F. Davila, M.A. Denboba, P.A. Harrison, K.A. Harhash, S. Karlsson-Viinkhuyzen, H. Kim, C. Lundquist, Brian W. Miller, S. Okayasu, R. Pichs-Madruga, J. Sathyapalan, A.K. Saysel, D. Yuan, L.M. Pereira

Human factors used to estimate and forecast water supply and demand in the Upper Colorado River Basin

Water availability is a result of complex interactions between regional water supply and demand and underlying environmental, institutional, and economic determinants. For this study, water availability is defined as “access to a specific quantity and quality of water at a point in time and space, for a specific use, recognizing the social and economic value of water across uses and institutions t
Authors
Nicole M. Herman-Mercer, Lucas Bair, Megan Hines, Diana Restrepo-Osorio, Veronica Romero, Aidan Lyde

Who spawns where? Temperature, elevation, and discharge differentially affect the distribution of breeding by six Pacific salmonids within a large river basin

Within the geographic range of salmonid fishes, many apparently suitable rivers and streams are used for reproduction by some species but not others. This is widely known but seldom addressed, as studies often examine factors determining the distribution of one or only a few species. We examined physical factors associated with the spawning distribution of six native Pacific salmonids (pink, chum,
Authors
Catherine S Austin, Christian E. Torgersen, Thomas P. Quinn

Laboratory-derived bioaccumulation kinetic parameters for four per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in freshwater mussels

Although freshwater mussels are imperiled and identified as key conservation priorities, limited bioaccumulation information is available on these organisms for contaminants of emerging concern. In the present study we investigated the bioaccumulation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the model freshwater pond mussel Sagittunio subrostratus because mussels provide important ecosyste
Authors
Jeffery Steevens, Rebecca A. Consbrock, Eric Brunson, James L. Kunz, Erin L. Pulster, Rebekah S. Burket, Kevin M. Stroski, Jaylen L. Sims, Matt F. Simcik, Bryan W. Brooks

Isotopic niche of New Jersey terrapins suggests intraspecific resource partitioning, and little variability following a major hurricane

Diamondback terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin) are sexually dimorphic generalist turtles that inhabit salt marshes and estuaries along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States. On October 29th, 2012, Hurricane Sandy made landfall in New Jersey, USA, directly impacting terrapin populations inhabiting central and southern Barnegat Bay. To examine potential food web mediated impacts to the terr
Authors
Mathew Denton, Kristen Hart, John Wnek, Sarah A. Moss, Harold W. Avery

Techniques for restoring damaged Mojave and western Sonoran ecosystems, including those for threatened desert tortoises and Joshua trees

Ecological restoration has potential for contributing to conservation activities for threatened Mojave desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii) and Joshua trees (Yucca brevifolia, Y. jaegeriana) and their broader ecosystems in the Mojave and western Sonoran deserts. To be effective, restoration actions deployed strategically need to halt and reverse habitat degradation, replenish or enhance resources
Authors
Scott R Abella, Kristin H. Berry, Stefanie Ferrazzano