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: 41763
Long-term monitoring in transition: Resolving spatial mismatch and integrating multistate occupancy data
The success of long-term wildlife monitoring programs can be influenced by many factors and study designs often represent compromises between spatial scales and costs. Adaptive monitoring programs can iteratively manage this tension by adopting new cost-efficient technologies, which can provide projects the opportunity to reallocate costs to address new hypotheses, adapt to changing ecological con
Authors
Matthew J Weldy, Damon B. Lesmeister, Charles Yackulic, Cara L. Appel, Chris E. McCafferty, David Wiens
Flood regimes alter the role of landform and topographic constraint on functional diversity of floodplain forests
Understanding patterns of species coexistence is a fundamental challenge in ecology. The physical environment is believed to play an important role, influencing patterns of dispersal and biotic interactions across space and time. Floodplain forest species are presumed to interact strongly with their environment, as evidenced by pronounced spatial variation in forest composition associated with flo
Authors
Molly Van Appledorn, Matthew E. Baker
Spatial scale selection for informing species conservation in a changing landscape
Identifying the relevant spatial scale at which species respond to features in a landscape (scale of effect) is a pressing research need as managers work to reduce biodiversity loss amid a variety of environmental challenges. Until recently, researchers often evaluated a subset of potential scales of effect inferred from previous studies in other locations, often based on different biological resp
Authors
Adrian P. Monroe, Julie A. Heinrichs, Ashley Lorraine Whipple, Michael O'Donnell, David R. Edmunds, Cameron L. Aldridge
The potential of Prairie Pothole wetlands as an agricultural conservation practice: A synthesis of empirical data
Nutrient pollution causing harmful algal blooms and eutrophication is a major threat to aquatic systems. Throughout North America, agricultural activities are the largest source of excess nutrients entering these systems. Agricultural intensification has also been a driver in the historical removal of depressional wetlands, contributing to increased hydrological connectivity across watersheds, and
Authors
Caryn D Ross, Owen P. McKenna
Framework for the development of the Columbia River mainstem fish tissue and water quality monitoring program - Bonneville Dam to Canadian border
The Columbia River provides important cultural, economic, and ecological services to a significant portion of the United States. Anadromous and resident fish species and other wildlife are integrated into the cultural traditions of all Tribes in the Columbia River Basin. Salmon, lamprey, sturgeon, and resident fish are an integral part of Tribal religion, culture, and physical sustenance. Despite
Authors
Timothy D. Counihan, Patrick W. Moran, Ian R. Waite, Sherrie Duncan, Laura Shira
Wild bee exposure to pesticides in conservation grasslands increases along an agricultural gradient: A tale of two sample types
Conservation efforts have been implemented in agroecosystems to enhance pollinator diversity by creating grassland habitat, but little is known about the exposure of bees to pesticides while foraging in these grassland fields. Pesticide exposure was assessed in 24 conservation grassland fields along an agricultural gradient at two time points (July and August) using silicone band passive samplers
Authors
Michelle Hladik, Johanna M. Kraus, Cassandra Smith, Mark W. Vandever, Dana W. Kolpin, Carrie E Givens, Kelly L. Smalling
Injuries and abnormalities of the southwestern pond turtle (Actinemys pallida) in the Mojave River of California
The southwestern pond turtle (Actinemys pallida) is a semiaquatic turtle that occasionally spends time on land to bask, oviposit, make intermittent overland movements, and overwinter in terrestrial locations. Use of both aquatic and terrestrial environments exposes semiaquatic turtles to increased risk of injury or mortality from floods, predation attempts, and other environmental hazards (e.g., h
Authors
Kristy L. Cummings, Jeffrey E. Lovich, Michele (Shellie) R. Puffer, Sarah Greely, Christopher D Otahal, James Gannon
Moisture abundance and proximity mediate seasonal use of mesic areas and survival of greater sage-grouse broods
Water is a critical and limited resource, particularly in the arid West, but water availability is projected to decline even while demand increases due to growing human populations and increases in duration and severity of drought. Mesic areas provide important water resources for numerous wildlife species, including the greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; hereafter, sage-grouse), an i
Authors
John P. Severson, Peter S. Coates, Megan C. Milligan, Shawn T. O'Neil, Mark A. Ricca, Steve C. Abele, John D. Boone, Michael L. Casazza
Riparian plant evapotranspiration and consumptive use for selected areas of the Little Colorado River watershed on the Navajo Nation
Estimates of riparian vegetation water use are important for hydromorphological assessment, partitioning within human and natural environments, and informing environmental policy decisions. The objectives of this study were to calculate the actual evapotranspiration (ETa) (mm/day and mm/year) and derive riparian vegetation annual consumptive use (CU) in acre-feet (AF) for select riparian areas of
Authors
Pamela L. Nagler, Armando Barreto-Muñoz, Ibrahima Sall, Matthew R. Lurtz, Kamel Didan
Restoration research actions to address rapid change in drylands: Insights from the Colorado Plateau
The rapid intensification of ecological extremes in response to climate change and human land use is perhaps nowhere more apparent than in drylands, including the semiarid region of the Colorado Plateau in the southwestern United States. Here, we describe research directions to aid in the restoration of Colorado Plateau ecosystems during the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021–2030) that 1) a
Authors
Kristina E. Young, Brooke Bossert Osborne, Michala Lee Phillips, Daniel E. Winkler
Comparison of microscopy and metabarcoding to identify pollen used by the critically endangered rusty patched bumble bee, Bombus affinis
Taxonomic analysis of pollen collected by bees can provide insights into their host plant use, providing information about the plant species selected for targeted conservation strategies. The two main identification approaches used are morphological analysis of pollen samples affixed to microscope slides (i.e., microscopic palynology) and molecular analysis of samples. Both methods are widely used
Authors
Michael P. Simanonok, Deborah D. Iwanowicz, Clayton D Raines, Thomas J. Wood, Rufus Isaacs, Robert S. Cornman, Clint R.V. Otto
Divergent climate impacts on C3 versus C4 grasses imply widespread 21st century shifts in grassland functional composition
AimGrasslands cover a third of Earth's landmass and provide critical ecosystem services. Anticipating how perennial C3 (cool-season) and C4 (warm-season) grasses respond to climate change will be key to predicting future composition and functioning of grasslands. Here, we evaluate environmental drivers of C3 and C4 perennial distributions and assess how C3 and C4 grass distributions shift in respo
Authors
Caroline A. Havrilla, John B. Bradford, Charles Yackulic, Seth M. Munson