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: 1250
Evidence for density-dependent effects on body composition of a large omnivore in a changing Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem
Understanding the density-dependent processes that drive population demography in a changing world is critical in ecology, yet measuring performance–density relationships in long-lived mammalian species demands long-term data, limiting scientists' ability to observe such mechanisms. We tested performance–density relationships for an opportunistic omnivore, grizzly bears (Ursus arctos...
Authors
Andrea Corradini, Mark A. Haroldson, Francesca Cagnacci, Cecily M. Costello, Daniel D. Bjornlie, Daniel P. Thompson, Jeremy M. Nicholson, Kerry A. Gunther, Katharine R. Wilmot, Frank T. van Manen
When are environmental DNA early detections of invasive species actionable?
Environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling provides sensitive early detection capabilities for recently introduced taxa. However, natural resource managers struggle with how to integrate eDNA results into an early detection rapid response program because positive eDNA detections are not always indicative of an eventual infestation. We used a structured decision making (SDM) framework to evaluate...
Authors
Adam Sepulveda, Christine E. Dumoulin, Denise L. Blanchette, John Mcphedran, Colin Holme, Nathan Whalen, Margaret E. Hunter, Christopher M. Merkes, Catherine A. Richter, Matthew E. Neilson, Wesley M. Daniel, Devin Nicole Jones, David R. Smith
Toward a national eDNA strategy for the United States
Environmental DNA (eDNA) data make it possible to measure and monitor biodiversity at unprecedented resolution and scale. As use-cases multiply and scientific consensus grows regarding the value of eDNA analysis, public agencies have an opportunity to decide how and where eDNA data fit into their mandates. Within the United States, many federal and state agencies are individually using...
Authors
Ryan P. Kelly, David M. Lodge, Kai Lee, Susanna Theroux, Adam Sepulveda, Chris Scholin, Joseph M. Craine, Elizabeth Allan, Krista M. Nichols, Kim M. Parsons, Kelly D. Goodwin, Zachary Gold, Francisco P. Chavez, Rachel T. Noble, Cathryn Abbott, Melinda R. Baerwald, Amanda Naaum, Peter Thielen, Ariel Simons, Christopher L. Jerde, Jeffrey J. Duda, Margaret E. Hunter, John M. Hagan, Rachel S. Meyer, Joshua Steele, Mark Stoeckle, Holly Bik, Christopher Meyer, Eric D. Stein, Karen James, Austen Thomas, Elif Demir-Hilton, Molly Timmers, John F. Griffith, Michael J. Weise, Steve Weisberg
A multi-level modeling approach to guide management of female feral hogs in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
We trapped, anesthetized, and fit 16 female feral swine (Sus scrofa) with Global Positioning System (GPS) collars in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GRSM) to develop predictive summer and winter models for more effective population control efforts. Given the highly diverse habitat and topography in GRSM and the spatial extent of our dataset, we employed Step Selection Function (SSF)...
Authors
Frances E. Buderman, Patrick J. Helm, Joseph D. Clark, Ryan H. Williamson, Joseph G. Yarkovich, Jennifer M. Mullinax
Synthesis of climate and ecological science to support grassland management priorities in the North Central Region
Grasslands in the Great Plains are of ecological, economic, and cultural importance in the United States. In response to a need to understand how climate change and variability will impact grassland ecosystems and their management in the 21st century, the U.S. Geological Survey North Central Climate Adaptation Science Center led a synthesis of peer-reviewed climate and ecology literature...
Authors
Christine D. Miller Hesed, Heather M. Yocum, Imtiaz Rangwala, Amy Symstad, Jeff M. Martin, Kevin S. Ellison, David J. A. Wood, Marissa Ahlering, Katherine J. Chase, Shelley D. Crausbay, Ana D. Davidson, Julie L. Elliott, James J. Giocomo, David L. Hoover, Toni Klemm, David A. Lightfoot, Owen P. McKenna, Brian W. Miller, Danika Mosher, R. Chelsea Nagy, Jesse B. Nippert, Jeremy Pittman, Lauren M. Porensky, Jilmarie Stephens, Alexander V. Zale
Secondary forest within a timber plantation concession in Borneo contributes to a diverse mammal assemblage
Commercial tree plantations of fast-growing species have become increasingly important in Southeast Asia to meet global demand for wood and wood fiber products. There is a growing need to understand more about their value for wildlife and how they can be managed for biodiversity. We evaluated the effects of landscape attributes on mammal communities in a timber concession consisting of...
Authors
Wilvia Olivia William, Frank T. van Manen, Stuart P. Sharp, Shyamala Ratnayeke
Energy-related wastewater contamination alters microbial communities of sediment, water, and amphibian skin
To inform responsible energy development, it is important to understand the ecological effects of contamination events. Wastewaters, a common byproduct of oil and gas extraction, often contain high concentrations of sodium chloride (NaCl) and heavy metals (e.g., strontium and vanadium). These constituents can negatively affect aquatic organisms, but there is scarce information for how...
Authors
Brian J. Tornabene, Kelly Smalling, Carrie E Givens, Emily Bea Oja, Blake Hossack
Ecological significance of Wild Huckleberries (Vaccinium membranaceum)
Wild huckleberry (Vaccinium globare/membranaceum complex) is a keystone species in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. The fruits are a primary food source for grizzly bears and other wildlife, as well as an important traditional and contemporary human food. Huckleberry shrubs also provide cover and nesting habitat for many animal species, including small mammals and birds. The...
Authors
Janene Lichtenberg, Tabitha A. Graves
Increased whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) growth and defense under a warmer and regionally drier climate
Introduction: Tree defense characteristics play a crucial role in modulating conifer bark beetle interactions, and there is a growing body of literature investigating factors mediating tree growth and resin-based defenses in conifers. A subset of studies have looked at relationships between tree growth, resin duct morphology and climate; however, these studies are almost exclusively from...
Authors
Nickolas Kichas, Gregory T. Pederson, Sharon M. Hood, Richard G. Everett, David B. McWethy
Grizzly bear movement models predict habitat use for nearby populations
Conservation planning and decision-making can be enhanced by ecological models that reliably transfer to times and places beyond those where models were developed. Transferrable models can be especially helpful for species of conservation concern, such as grizzly bears (Ursus arctos). Currently, only four grizzly bear populations remain in the contiguous United States. We evaluated...
Authors
Sarah Nelson Sells, Cecily M. Costello, Paul M. Lukacs, Frank T. van Manen, Mark A. Haroldson, Wayne F. Kasworm, Justin Tesiberg, Milan Vinks, Daniel D. Bjornlie
Declines in body size of sockeye salmon associated with increased competition in the ocean
Declining body sizes have been documented for several species of Pacific salmon; however, whether size declines are caused mainly by ocean warming or other ecological factors, and whether they result primarily from trends in age at maturation or changing growth rates remain poorly understood. We quantified changes in mean body size and contributions from shifting size-at-age and age...
Authors
Jan Ohlberger, Timothy Joseph Cline, Daniel E. Schindler, Bert Lewis
Shrinking body size and climate warming: Many freshwater salmonids do not follow the rule
Declining body size is believed to be a universal response to climate warming and has been documented in numerous studies of marine and anadromous fishes. The Salmonidae are a family of coldwater fishes considered to be among the most sensitive species to climate warming; however, whether the shrinking body size response holds true for freshwater salmonids has yet to be examined at a...
Authors
Mary Solakas, Zachary S. Feiner, Robert K. Al-Chokhachy, Phaedra Budy, Tyrell DeWeber, Jouko Sarvala, Greg. G Sass, Scott A. Tolentino, Timothy E. Walsworth, Olaf P. Jensen