Images

A Washington Department of Ecology scientist maps the bathymetry of the mouth of the Elwha River using an integrated GPS and echo sounder on a personal watercraft. 

A gator relaxes in the shade underneath our station’s dock.

While performing a Flowtracker measurement off of a bridge, a curious gator comes to investigate.

An endangered Burrowing Owl near a site in Cape Coral, FL.

A Morafka's desert tortoise in Saguaro National Park, with radio transmitter attached to its shell as part of a USGS study.

USGS microbiology technician Brenda Berlowski enters an animal isolation room.

The USGS National Wildlife Health Center works to identify, track, and prevent wildlife disease. A USGS technician works with a prairie dog as part of the center's efforts to protect prairie dogs, and in turn the endangered black-footed ferret, from plague.

In efforts to monitor potential bird flu transmission pathways, the USGS works with international partners to mark and track whooper swans with GPS transmitters.

USGS microbiology technician evaluates a bacterial assay to determine the cause of a wildlife mortality. The USGS National Wildlife Health Center works to identify, track, and prevent wildlife disease.

A section of the Upper Green River Valley in western Wyoming, just south of Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, showing different ecosystems (such as forests, wetlands, and aquatic habitats) whose capacities for carbon storage and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions will be assessed by the USGS.

Researchers from the USGS National Wildlife Health Center examine a duck as part of part of efforts to identify, track, and prevent wildlife disease.

A prairie dog stands on alert. The USGS National Wildlife Health Center works to identify, track, and prevent wildlife disease. Better protection of prairie dogs against plague would minimize the risk of disease transfer to endangered black-footed ferrets, aid in prairie dog conservation, and protect public health.

In the drier Arizona upland plant communities, pictured here, some species will likely decline with forecasted climate change (such as foothill paloverde, ocotillo and creosote bush) while cacti may well increase in abundance and range.

Creosote bush shrublands are one of the driest Sonoran Desert plant communities; the creosote bush and white ratany are the dominant plants; a USGS study showed that their coverage is likely to decrease with forecasted climate change because of less winter precipitation and more aridity.

In the semiarid mesquite savanna community, pictured here, perennial grasses and forbs both are likely to decline as annual and winter precipitation decline with forecasted climate change.

Blood samples from pallid sturgeon are taken to assess hormone levels and reproductive condition. 

A blood sample is collected from every pallid sturgeon that is implanted with a telemetry transmitter. 

Plasma separated from the blood by centrifuge of a pallid sturgeon is carefully divided into 3 vials.  The plasma samples are immediately frozen for laboratory analysis. 

Red Buds blooming along the banks of the Missouri River in April 2011.

Upon making an incision in PLS11-008 in which to implant a telemetry transmitter, black eggs pushed to the surface.  A few of the eggs were collected for analysis on how close she is to spawning.  

Biologists with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission release a 3 kilogram non-reproductive male pallid sturgeon.