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: 41894
Environmental DNA surveys of Burmese pythons in the Greater Everglades Ecosystem
Improving the probability of detecting invasive giant snakes is vital for the management of emerging or established populations. Burmese pythons occupy thousands of square kilometers of mostly inaccessible habitats in Florida. Environmental DNA (eDNA) methods have been shown to be time and cost effective in a number of systems and may be preferable to traditional detection methods for constrictor
Authors
Caitlin E. Beaver, Gaia Meigs-Friend, Margaret E. Hunter
Species invasion progressively disrupts the trophic structure of native food webs
Species invasions can have substantial impacts on native species and ecosystems, with important consequences for biodiversity. How these disturbances drive changes in the trophic structure of native food webs through time is poorly understood. Here, we quantify trophic disruption in freshwater food webs to invasion by an apex fish predator, lake trout, using an extensive stable isotope dataset acr
Authors
Charles Wainright, Clint C. Muhlfeld, James J. Elser, Samuel Bourret, Shawn P. Devlin
Diet composition of the African manatee: Spatial and temporal variation within the Sanaga River Watershed, Cameroon
The present study aimed to investigate the diet of African manatees in Cameroon to better inform conservation decisions within protected areas. A large knowledge gap on diet and seasonal changes in forage availability limits the ability to develop informed local management plans for the African manatee in much of its range. This research took place in the Sanaga River Watershed, which includes two
Authors
Aristide Takoukam Kamla, Dylan G. E. Gomes, Cathy Beck, Lucy W. Keith-Diagne, Margaret Hunter, Ruth Francis-Floyd, Robert K. Bonde
Genetic attributes and research interests
No abstract available.
Authors
Elizabeth P Flesch, Tabitha Graves, Robert A. Garrott, Sarah Dewey, Carson Butler
Enhancing marsh elevation using sediment augmentation: A case study from southern California, USA
Tidal marshes are an important component of estuaries that provide habitat for fish and wildlife, protection from flooding, recreation opportunities, and can improve water quality. Critical to maintaining these functions is vertical accretion, a key mechanism by which tidal marshes build elevation relative to local sea level. The beneficial use of dredged material to build marsh elevations in resp
Authors
Evyan Borgnis Sloane, Karen M. Thorne, Christine R Whitcraft, Victoria Touchstone
Tree mortality response to drought-density interactions suggests opportunities to enhance drought resistance
The future of dry forests around the world is uncertain given predictions that rising temperatures and enhanced aridity will increase drought-induced tree mortality. Using forest management and ecological restoration to reduce density and competition for water offers one of the few pathways that forests managers can potentially minimize drought-induced tree mortality. Competition for water during
Authors
John B. Bradford, Robert K Shriver, Marcos D. Robles, Lisa A McCauley, Caitlin M. Andrews, Michael A. Crimmins, David M. Bell
Editorial: Environmental DNA innovations for conservation
Environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis refers to the collection of bulk environmental samples such as water, sediment, or air, and studying the genetic remnants that organisms have shed into their environment to gain information about species presence.
Authors
Matthew A Barnes, Katy E. Klymus, Hiroki Yamanaka
Behavior and movement of smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) in the forebay of Bonneville Dam, Columbia River, August–December 2020
A telemetry study was conducted during August–December 2020 to evaluate behavior and movement patterns of adult smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) in the forebay of Bonneville Dam, Washington. A total of 40 smallmouth bass were collected, tagged, and released during August–September in seven distinct areas of the dam forebay and monitored until mid-December. Movement data from 36 tagged smallm
Authors
Tobias J. Kock, Gabriel S. Hansen, Scott D. Evans
Bayesian modeling can facilitate adaptive management in restoration
There is an urgent need for near-term predictions of ecological restoration outcomes despite imperfect knowledge of ecosystems. Restoration outcomes are always uncertain but integrating Bayesian modeling into the process of adaptive management allows researchers and practitioners to explicitly incorporate prior knowledge of ecosystems into future predictions. Although barriers exist, employing qua
Authors
Cara Applestein, T. Trevor Caughlin, Matthew Germino
Rapid embryonic development supports the early onset of gill functions in two coral reef damselfishes
The gill is one of the most important organs for growth and survival of fishes. Early life stages in coral reef fishes often exhibit extreme physiological and demographic characteristics that are linked to well-established respiratory and ionoregulatory processes. However, gill development and function in coral reef fishes is not well-understood. Therefore, we investigated gill morphology, oxygen
Authors
LA Prescott, Amy M. Regish, SJ McMahon, Stephen D. McCormick, JL Rummer
Invasive black carp as a reservoir host for the freshwater mollusk parasite Aspidogaster conchicola: Further evidence of mollusk consumption and implications for parasite dispersal
Black Carp (Mylopharyngodon piceus) has invaded the Mississippi River and is a potential threat to native mollusks. During prior diet research, we discovered that the fluke Aspidogaster conchicola, a mollusk parasite, occurs regularly in the gastrointestinal tract of Black Carp. The fluke remains in fish intestines for extended periods after the fish has consumed its host. Flukes were found in 33%
Authors
Barry C. Poulton, Jennifer Bailey, Patrick Kroboth, Amy E. George, Duane Chapman
Telemetry reveals migratory drivers and disparate space use across seasons and age-groups in American horseshoe crabs
Identifying mechanisms that underpin animal migration patterns and examining variability in space use within populations is crucial for understanding population dynamics and management implications. In this study, we quantified the migration rates, seasonal changes in migratory connectivity, and residency across population demographics (age and sex) to understand the proximate cues of migration ti
Authors
Justin J. Bopp, Matthew Sclafani, Michael G. Frisk, Kim McKown, Catherine Zeigler, David R. Smith, Robert Cerrato