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Book Chapters

Browse more than 5,500 book chapters authored by our scientists over the past 100+ year history of the USGS and refine search by topic, location, year, and advanced search.

Filter Total Items: 6071

Future of Whooping Crane conservation and science

No abstract available.
Authors
Sarah J. Converse, John B. French, Jane E. Austin

Conservation Tools and Strategies

No abstract available.
Authors
Jeffrey R. Walters, Dylan C. Kesler, Elisabeth B. Webb

Arctic and boreal carbon

This chapter summarizes the current knowledge in high-latitude (mostly permafrost) carbon storage and dynamics. Arctic and boreal regions contain large carbon stock, especially in permafrost soils. The factors that control carbon storage have been changing rapidly over the last several decades. As a result, this large carbon pool is highly vulnerable for carbon loss in a future warming climate. Th
Authors
Ted Schuur, A. David McGuire, Vladimir E. Romanovsky, Christina Schadel, Michelle Mack

Hypotheses from recent assessments of climate impacts to biodiversity and ecosystems in the United States

Climate change poses multiple threats to biodiversity, and has already caused demonstrable impacts. We summarize key results from a recent national assessment of observed climate change impacts to terrestrial, marine, and freshwater ecosystems in the United States, and place results in the context of commonly articulated hypotheses about ecosystem response to climate change for global implications
Authors
Shawn L. Carter, Abigail Lynch, Bonnie Myers, Madeleine A. Rubenstein, Laura M. Thompson

Burrowing owls: Happy urbanite or disgruntled tenant?

No abstract available.
Authors
Courtney J. Conway

The S.O. Conte Anadromous Fish Research Center--a model for progress

No abstract available.
Authors
Theodore R. Castro-Santos, Alexander J. Haro, Benjamin H. Letcher, Stephen D. McCormick

Sediment transport and deposition

Sediment transport and deposition (sedimentation) occurs from natural and anthropogenic sources in rivers, lakes, and reservoirs. Substantial changes in sediment transport (such as a major increase or decrease in sediment supply) can impact aquatic ecosystems that depend on a particular sediment quantity and particle size, for example, through altering stream-channel geomorphology or fish habitat.
Authors
Joel B. Sankey, Amy E. East, Jason R. Kreitler, Christina (Naomi) Tague

Chiroptera

With over 1300 species identified, bats represent almost one quarter of the world’s mammals (Fenton and Simmons 2014), bats provide important environmental services such as insect pest suppression, seed dispersal, and pollination and inhabit a wide variety of ecological niches on all continents except Antarctica. Over 150 species are listed as endangered or vulnerable to extinction, primarily due
Authors
Lisa L. Farina, Julia S. Lankton

Fish Lake limnology and watershed aqueous geochemistry, Fish Lake Plateau, Utah

Fish Lake is located at 2696 m elevation on the Fish Lake Plateau with a bedrock geology of Oligocene to Pliocene age volcanics and Cretaceous to Eocene age sedimentary rocks. Lake bathymetry indicates a maximum depth of ~27 m and volume of 2.31 x 108 m3. The lake is dimictic with summer water column temperature declines of 13˚C between 7 to 15 m depth, whereas in spring and fall water column is i
Authors
David Marchetti, Lesleigh Anderson, Joseph J. Donovan, M. Scott Harris, Tyler Huth

Floristic quality index and forested floristic quality index: Assessment tools for restoration projects and monitoring sites in coastal Louisiana

The Floristic Quality Index (FQI) has been used in many areas throughout the United State to assess the integrity of plant communities and restoration projects. Here, we summarize two tools that have been developed for monitoring sites in coastal Louisiana wetlands. The FQI was modified for herbaceous data collected in coastal Louisiana monitoring sites. A second FQI, the Forested Floristic Qualit
Authors
Kari Cretini, William B. Wood, Jenneke M. Visser, Ken W. Krauss, Leigh Anne Sharp, Gregory D. Steyer, Gary P. Shaffer, Sarai Piazza

Geology and geologic history: Overview of the geology of the San Francisco Bay region

The geology of San Francisco and the surrounding northern and central California area has played a pivotal role in the development of our understanding of Earth processes, especially the process of tectonic accretion at a continental margin and the development of transform plate margins. The Franciscan Complex, which underlies most (or perhaps all) of the City and County of San Francisco, is wide
Authors
Russell Graymer

Farmer-managed restoration of agroforestry parklands in Niger

Land rehabilitation enables sustainable intensification of agriculture and more resilient food production systems. Despite severe development challenges, Niger is the site of successful, farmer-managed efforts to counteract the global trend in land degradation that was supported by policy change. The vast majority of Niger’s land is located in the Sahara. Following a series of severe droughts duri
Authors
Melinda Smale, G. Gray Tappan, Chris Reij