Publications
Below is a list of available NOROCK peer reviewed and published science. If you are in search of a specific publication and cannot find it below or through a search, please contact twojtowicz@usgs.gov.
Filter Total Items: 1216
Climate change and infectious disease dynamics
No abstract available.
Authors
Raina K. Plowright, Paul C. Cross, Gary Tabor, Emily S. Almberg, Leslie Bienen, Peter J. Hudson
Genetic population substructure in bison at Yellowstone National Park
The Yellowstone National Park bison herd is 1 of only 2 populations known to have continually persisted on their current
landscape since pre-Columbian times. Over the last century, the census size of this herd has fluctuated from around 100
individuals to over 3000 animals. Previous studies involving radiotelemetry, tooth wear, and parturition timing provide
evidence of at least 2 distinct groups
Authors
Natalie D. Halbert, Peter J. Gogan, Philip W. Hedrick, Jacquelyn M. Wahl, James N. Derr
Assessing the status and trend of bat populations across broad geographic regions with dynamic distribution models
Bats face unprecedented threats from habitat loss, climate change, disease, and wind power development, and populations of many species are in decline. A better ability to quantify bat population status and trend is urgently needed in order to develop effective conservation strategies. We used a Bayesian autoregressive approach to develop dynamic distribution models for Myotis lucifugus, the littl
Authors
Thomas J. Rodhouse, Patricia C. Ormsbee, Kathryn M. Irvine, Lee A. Vierling, Joseph M. Szewczak, Kerri T. Vierling
Guidelines for collecting and maintaining archives for genetic monitoring
Rapid advances in molecular genetic techniques and the statistical analysis of genetic data have revolutionized the way that populations of animals, plants and microorganisms can be monitored. Genetic monitoring is the practice of using molecular genetic markers to track changes in the abundance, diversity or distribution of populations, species or ecosystems over time, and to follow adaptive and
Authors
Jennifer A. Jackson, Linda Laikre, C. Scott Baker, Katherine C. Kendall
Stable isotopes to detect food-conditioned bears and to evaluate human-bear management
We used genetic and stable isotope analysis of hair from free-ranging black bears (Ursus americanus) in Yosemite National Park, California, USA to: 1) identify bears that consume human food, 2) estimate the diets of these bears, and 3) evaluate the Yosemite human–bear management program. Specifically, we analyzed the isotopic composition of hair from bears known a priori to be food-conditioned or
Authors
John B. Hopkins, Paul L. Koch, Charles C. Schwartz, Jake M. Ferguson, Schuyler S. Greenleaf, Steven T. Kalinowski
What are plants doing and when? Using plant phenology to facilitate sustainable natural resources management
Climate change models for the northern Rocky Mountains predict changes in temperature and water availability that in turn will alter vegetation. Changes include timing of plant life-history events, or phenology, such as green-up, flowering and senescence, and shifts in species composition. Moreover, climate changes may favor different species, such as nonnative, annual grasses over native species.
Authors
Geneva W. Chong, Leslie A. Allen
Volcanogenic massive sulfide occurrence model
Volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits, also known as volcanic-hosted massive sulfide, volcanic-associated massive sulfide, or seafloor massive sulfide deposits, are important sources of copper, zinc, lead, gold, and silver (Cu, Zn, Pb, Au, and Ag). These deposits form at or near the seafloor where circulating hydrothermal fluids driven by magmatic heat are quenched through mixing with bottom water
Authors
W.C. Pat Shanks, Randolph A. Koski, Dan L. Mosier, Klaus J. Schulz, Lisa A. Morgan, John F. Slack, W. Ian Ridley, Cynthia Dusel-Bacon, Robert R. Seal, Nadine M. Piatak
CDFISH: an individual-based, spatially-explicit, landscape genetics simulator for aquatic species in complex riverscapes
We introduce Cost Distance FISHeries (CDFISH), a simulator of population genetics and connectivity in complex riverscapes for a wide range of environmental scenarios of aquatic organisms. The spatially-explicit program implements individual-based genetic modeling with Mendelian inheritance and k-allele mutation on a riverscape with resistance to movement. The program simulates individuals in subpo
Authors
Erin L. Landguth, Clint C. Muhlfeld, Gordon Luikart
WLCI researchers employ new approaches to help managers conserve deer migrations
Elk, mule deer, pronghorn antelope, moose, and bighorn sheep are iconic animals of the American West. These hooved animals, known as ungulates, commonly travel 30–60 miles between seasonal ranges. These migrations between winter and summer ranges are vital for survival and reproduction. As habitat fragmentation continues, the conservation of ungulate migration routes has received considerable atte
Authors
Leslie A. Allen, Matthew J. Kauffman
Estimating westslope cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii lewisi) movements in a river network using strontium isoscapes
We used natural variation in the strontium concentration (Sr:Ca) and isotope composition (87Sr:86Sr) of stream waters and corresponding values recorded in otoliths of westslope cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii lewisi) to examine movements during their life history in a large river network. We found significant spatial differences in Sr:Ca and 87Sr:86Sr values (strontium isoscapes) within and
Authors
Clint C. Muhlfeld, Simon R. Thorrold, Thomas E. McMahon, Brian Marotz
A fine-scale assessment of using barriers to conserve native stream salmonids: a case study in Akokala Creek, Glacier National Park, USA
Biologists are often faced with the difficult decision in managing native salmonids of where and when to install barriers as a conservation action to prevent upstream invasion of nonnative fishes. However, fine-scale approaches to assess long-term persistence of populations within streams and watersheds chosen for isolation management are often lacking. We employed a spatially-explicit approach to
Authors
Clint C. Muhlfeld, Vincent S. D'Angelo, S.T. Kalinowski, Erin L. Landguth, C.C. Downs, J. Tohtz, Jeffrey L. Kershner
Leveraging modern climatology to increase adaptive capacity across protected area networks
Human-driven changes in the global environment pose an increasingly urgent challenge for the management of ecosystems that is made all the more difficult by the uncertain future of both environmental conditions and ecological responses. Land managers need strategies to increase regional adaptive capacity, but relevant and rapid assessment approaches are lacking. To address this need, we developed
Authors
J.E. Davison, L.J. Graumlich, E.L. Rowland, Gregory T. Pederson, D.D. Breshears