Images

Coral reefs are prone to phase shifts where they quickly transition from coral-dominated to a uniformity of other organisms, typically algae. The Palmyra Atoll National Wildlife Refuge in the Central Pacific is a unique case where a transition from corals to corallimorphs occurred.

Crocodilians are one of the few reptile taxa that exhibit parental care. In alligators, following nest construction, females stay nearby in a guard hole, and are known to defend their nests against predators or other intruders.

Rangelands of the desert Southwest can be in a degraded condition and lacking perennial vegetation, which can lead to exposed soil and erosion.

Bats hibernating in a cave. 

Image from a remote camera placed in a golden eagle nest in the Mojave Desert.  The parent is feed the chick a snake.  

Close-up photo of several duck decoys and an adult Canvasback duck.

Waterfowl hunting’s annual economic footprint is over $3 billion.

A USGS scientist spreads moss fragments for a study to test the restoration potential of moss, an important component of biological soil crust. A jute net, foreground, helps stabilize the moss fragments as they adhere to the soil.

It looks like a holiday ornament, but this lovely object is a single-celled freshwater alga from the desmid family, found in the marshes of Florida’s Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge. USGS biologist Barry Rosen photographed it at 200x magnification using ultraviolent light and a fluorescence microscope.

Emperor geese gathered near the shoreline on Kodiak Island.

The USGS RAMPS program hosts workshops where land managers from federal, state, and local agencies, practitioners, and NGO's can come together to discuss challenges and develop creative solutions.

Non-native Cuban treefrogs have established a breeding population in New Orleans, Louisiana, the first such population on the U.S. mainland outside Florida. The treefrogs were discovered at the Audubon Zoo shortly after a shipment of palm trees from Florida were planted in the zoo's elephant enclosure in 2016.

Rainbow trout are native only to the western United States but are stocked widely throughout the country to increase fishing opportunities for anglers. Competitive interactions have been shown to be condition specific (for example, water temperature) and, thus, may only occur seasonally or under certain environmental conditions.

Scientists record whether a surf scoter duck pecks at a target after tones are played at certain frequencies. This is part of a study by the USGS and partners to identify the frequencies at which sea ducks can hear underwater.

A common eider duck. This species was studied as part of research by the USGS and partners to identify the frequencies at which sea ducks can hear underwater. The research can help inform decisions on the use of sound devices to deter ducks from fishing gillnets and other threats.

Two common eider ducklings. This species was studied as part of research by the USGS and partners to identify the frequencies at which sea ducks can hear underwater.

A long-tailed duckling. This species was studied as part of research by the USGS and partners to identify the frequencies at which sea ducks can hear underwater.

Scientists use mealworms to train two lesser scaup ducklings to peck at a target after tones are played at certain frequencies. This species was studied as part of research by the USGS and partners to identify the frequencies at which sea ducks can hear underwater.

The iconic Sonoran Desert is home to many species of cactus, vascular plants, and wildlife, including the giant saguaro, cholla, and prickley pear cacti seen here. Plants and animals have adapted to living in such a harsh dry environment.

Scenic landscape from Hells Canyon Reservoir, Idaho

The Snake River is the largest tributary of the Columbia River. It drains over 108,000 square miles in mainly Idaho and portions of Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming. The climate of much of the Snake River watershed is arid or semi-arid and spring snowmelt contributes substantially to the river’s flow.

Pelicans on a rock, observed by the USGS Western Ecological Center Seabird Studies team.