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Publications

FORT scientists have produced more than 1,500 peer reviewed publications that are registered in the USGS Publications Warehouse, along with many others prior to their work at the USGS or in conjunction with other government agencies. 

Filter Total Items: 2239

An approach for assessment of water quality using semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) and bioindicator tests

As an integral part of our continued development of water quality assessment approaches, we combined integrative sampling, instrumental analysis of widely occurring anthropogenic contaminants, and the application of a suite of bioindicator tests as a specific part of a broader survey of ecological conditions, species diversity, and habitat quality in the Santa Cruz River in Arizona, USA. Lipid-con
Authors
J. D. Petty, S.B. Jones, J.N. Huckins, W.L. Cranor, J.T. Parris, T.B. McTague, T.P. Boyle

The disparity between extreme rainfall events and rare floods - with emphasis on the semi-arid American West

Research beginning 40 years ago suggested that semi-arid lands of the USA have higher unit discharges for a given recurrence interval than occur in other areas. Convincing documentation and arguments for this suspicion, however, were not presented. Thus, records of measured rainfall intensities for specified durations and recurrence intervals, and theoretical depths of probable maximum precipitati
Authors
W. R. Osterkamp, J. M. Friedman

Distribution, movements, and habitat use of razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texanus) in a lower Colorado River Reservoir, Arizona-Nevada

Distribution, movements, and habitat use of 10 wild adult razorback suckers (Xyrauchen texanus) were examined in Lake Mohave, Arizona-Nevada, from November 1994 through July 1997. Movement rates (0.00-17.35 km d⁻¹) and ranges (x̄ = 39 km) were similar to those for riverine populations. All study fish returned to spawning sites used in previous years, but they also visited other spawning areas. Spa
Authors
G.A. Mueller, P.C. Marsh, G. Knowles, T. Wolters

Potential effects of climate change on surface-water quality in North America

Data from long-term ecosystem monitoring and research stations in North America and results of simulations made with interpretive models indicate that changes in climate (precipitation and temperature) can have a significant effect on the quality of surface waters. Changes in water quality during storms, snowmelt, and periods of elevated air temperature or drought can cause conditions that exceed
Authors
Peter S. Murdoch, Jill Baron, T. L. Miller

Invertebrate assemblages and trace element bioaccumulation associated with constructed wetlands

Invertebrate assemblages were studied in eight monoculture wetland mesocosms constructed for wastewater treatment. Low concentrations of dissolved oxygen (D.O.) were measured in bulrush mesocosms while higher concentrations of D.O. were measured in open water mesocosms containing submerged pondweeds. Invertebrate taxa richness was positively related to D.O. concentrations that were, in turn, relat
Authors
S. M. Nelson, R.A. Roline, J.S. Thullen, J.J. Sartoris, J.E. Boutwell

Use of oxytetracycline in batch-marking post-metamorphic boreal toads

No abstract available.
Authors
E. Muths, P. S. Corn, T.R. Stanley

Population estimates of Nearctic shorebirds

Estimates are presented for the population sizes of 53 species of Nearctic shorebirds occurring regularly in North America, plus four species that breed occasionally. Shorebird population sizes were derived from data obtained by a variety of methods from breeding, migration and wintering areas, and formal assessments of accuracy of counts or estimates are rarely available. Accurate estimates exist
Authors
R. I. G. Morrison, Robert E. Gill, B. A. Harrington, S. K. Skagen, G. W. Page, C. L. Gratto-Trevor, S. M. Haig

Stream chemistry modeling of two watersheds in the Front Range, Colorado

We investigated the hydrologic, geochemical, and biogeochemical controls on stream chemical composition on the Green Lakes Valley and Andrews Creek watersheds using the alpine hydrochemical model (AHM). Both sites had comparable data sets from 1994 and 1996, including high‐resolution spatial data and high‐frequency time series of hydrology, geochemistry, and meteorology. The model of each watershe
Authors
Thomas Meixner, Roger C. Bales, Mark W. Williams, Donald H. Campbell, Jill S. Baron

Density and foraging habitat selection of waterbirds breeding in the San Luis Valley of Colorado

We determined density and foraging habitat selection of American avocet (Recurvirostra americana), killdeer (Charadrius vociferus), Wilson's phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor), cinnamon teal (Anas cyanoptera), gadwall (A. strepera), mallard (A. platyrhynchos), redhead (Aythya americana), and white-faced ibis (Plegadis chihi) during prenesting and nesting on a wetland complex in the San Luis Valley, C
Authors
M.K. Laubhan, J.H. Gammonley

Application of the new keystone-species concept to prairie dogs: How well does it work?

It has been suggested that the keystone-species concept should be dropped from ecology and conservation, primarily because the concept is poorly defined. This prompted Power et al. (1996) to refine the definition: keystone species have large effects on community structure or ecosystem function (i.e., high overall importance), and this effect should be large relative to abundance (i.e., high commun
Authors
N.B. Kotliar

Using multi-scale sampling and spatial cross-correlation to investigate patterns of plant species richness

Land managers need better techniques to assess exoticplant invasions. We used the cross-correlationstatistic, IYZ, to test for the presence ofspatial cross-correlation between pair-wisecombinations of soil characteristics, topographicvariables, plant species richness, and cover ofvascular plants in a 754 ha study site in RockyMountain National Park, Colorado, U.S.A. Using 25 largeplots (1000 m2) i
Authors
M. A. Kalkhan, T.J. Stohlgren