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Publications

Below is a list of WERC's peer-reviewed publications. If you are searching for a specific publication and cannot find it in this list, please contact werc_web@usgs.gov

Filter Total Items: 3617

Non-native animals on public lands

Non-native plants and animals have become part of our surroundings, in cities, agricultural areas, and wildlands. While there are many beneficial purposes for non-native animals, such as for food and sport hunting and as agricultural animals, the introduction of some has had major negative economic consequences (Palmer 1899), and adverse effects on native wildlife, plants, and habitats. The Britis
Authors
Charles A. Drost, Gary M. Fellers

Native ranid frogs in California

Many recent declines and extinctions of native amphibians have occurred in certain parts of the world (Wake 1991; Wake and Morowitz 1991). All species of native true frogs have declined in the western United States over the past decade (Hayes and Jennings 1986). Most of these native amphibian declines can be directly attributed to habitat loss or modification, which is often exacerbated by natural
Authors
Mark R. Jennings

Canvasback ducks

Canvasbacks (Aythya valisineria) are unique to North America and are one of our most widely recognized waterfowl species. Unlike other ducks that nest and feed in uplands, diving ducks such as canvasbacks are totally dependent on aquatic habitats throughout their life cycle. Canvasbacks nest in prairie, parkland, subarctic, and Great Basin wetlands; stage during spring and fall on prairie marshes,
Authors
William L. Hohman, G.Michael Haramis, Dennis G. Jorde, Carl E. Korschgen, John Y. Takekawa

Turtles

Turtles have existed virtually unchanged for the last 200 million years. Unfortunately, some of the same traits that allowed them to survive the ages often predispose them to endangerment. Delayed maturity and low and variable annual reproductive success make turtles unusually susceptible to increased mortality through exploitation and habitat modifications (Brooks et al. 1991; Congdon et al. 1993
Authors
Jeffrey E. Lovich

Disappearance of the Tarahumara frog

In the spring of 1983 the last known Tarahumara frog in the United States was found dead. Overall, the species seems to be doing well in Mexico, although the decline of more northern populations are of concern. The Tarahumara frog (Rana tarahumarae) inhabits seasonal and permanent bedrock and bouldery streams in the foothills and main mountain mass of the Sierra Madre Occidental of northwestern Me
Authors
S.F. Hale, C. R. Schwalbe, J.L. Jarchow, C. May, C.H. Lowe, T.B. Johnson

Overview of management issues raised by the 1993 wildfires in southern California,

No abstract available at this time
Authors
J. E. Keeley, M. Carrington, S. Trnka

Breeding seabirds in California, Oregon and Washington

More than two million seabirds of 29 species nest along the west coasts of California, Oregon, and Washington, including three species listed on the federal list of threatened and endangered species: the brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis), least tern (Sterna antillarum), and marbled murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus). The size and diversity of the breeding seabird community in this region ref
Authors
Harry R. Carter, David S. Gilmer, Jean E. Takekawa, Roy W. Lowe, Ulrich W. Wilson

Brushfires in California: Ecology and Resource Management

No abstract available at this time
Authors
J. E. Keeley, T. Scott

Repertoire, structure, and individual variation of vocalizations in the sea otter

Vocalizations of the California sea otter (Enhydra lutris nereis) were recorded from wild and captive adults and young and analyzed spectrographically. Parameters measured from the sonagrams included fundamental frequency, duration, maximum frequency, intercall interval, and the location and amplitude of energy peaks. We identified 10 basic vocal categories, one of which consisted of graded signal
Authors
L.J. McShane, J. A. Estes, M.L. Riedman, M. M. Staedler