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Publications

Browse publications authored by our scientists.  Publications available are: USGS-authored journal articles, series reports, book chapters, other government publications, and more. **Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.

Filter Total Items: 3984

Evidence of panmixia between sympatric life history forms of coastal cutthroat trout in two lower Columbia River tributaries

Coastal cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarkii clarkii exhibit resident and migratory life history strategies that often occur sympatrically, but the relationship between these forms within a population is poorly characterized. Through use of passive integrated transponder technology, migratory and resident coastal cutthroat trout were identified in two lower Columbia River tributaries (Abernathy Cr
Authors
Jeffrey R. Johnson, Jason Baumsteiger, Joseph D. Zydlewski, J. Michael Hudson, William R. Ardren

Ecoregion and land-use influence invertebrate and detritus transport from headwater streams

Summary 1. Habitats are often connected by fluxes of energy and nutrients across their boundaries. For example, headwater streams are linked to surrounding riparian vegetation through invertebrate and leaf litter inputs, and there is evidence that consumers in downstream habitats are subsidised by resources flowing from headwater systems. However, the strength of these linkages and the manner in w
Authors
Christopher A. Binckley, Mark S. Wipfli, R. Bruce Medhurst, Karl Polivka, Paul F. Hessburg, R. Brion Salter, Joshua Y. Kill

Effects of an exotic prey species on a native specialist: Example of the snail kite

Despite acknowledging that exotic species can exhibit tremendous influence over native populations, few case studies have clearly demonstrated the effects of exotic prey species on native predators. We examined the effects of the recently introduced island apple snail (Pomacea insularum) on the foraging behavior and energetics of the endangered snail kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis plumbeus) in Florid
Authors
Christopher E. Cattau, J. Martin, Wiley M. Kitchens

Movement distances and habitat switching by female Mallards wintering in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley

Mallard (Anus platyrhynchos) populations in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley (hereafter, LMAV) comprise the largest concentration of wintering Mallards in North America. Radiotelemetry techniques were employed to assess movements by female Mallards during winters of 2004-2005 and 2005-2006; 467 paired (diurnal and nocturnal) observations on 80 radiomarked females were attained to assess effec
Authors
Alan D. Afton, Bruce E. Davis

The Western Airborne Contaminant Assessment Project (WACAP): An interdisciplinary evaluation of the impacts of airborne contaminants in Western U.S. National Parks

The concept of a nature reserve such as a National Park is to maintain a location for the enjoyment and study of a pristine environment. However, many pollutants are now known to spread far and wide from their (point[s] of) origin. To grasp the extent of pervasive and boundary-less pollution, the ambitious WACAP study evaluated contaminant data collected from Western U.S. National Parks in various
Authors
Dixon H. Landers, Staci Massey Simonich, Daniel A. Jaffe, Linda Geiser, Donald H. Campbell, Adam R. Schwindt, Carl Schreck, Michael Kent, Will Hafner, Howard E. Taylor, Kimberly J. Hageman, Sasha Usenko, Luke Ackerman, Jill Schrlau, Neil Rose, Tamara Blett, Marilyn M. Erway

Vulnerability of white spruce tree growth in interior Alaska in response to climate variability: Dendrochronological, demographic, and experimental perspectives

This paper integrates dendrochronological, demographic, and experimental perspectives to improve understanding of the response of white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) tree growth to climatic variability in interior Alaska. The dendrochronological analyses indicate that climate warming has led to widespread declines in white spruce growth throughout interior Alaska that have become more preval
Authors
A. David McGuire, Roger W. Ruess, A. Lloyd, J. Yarie, Joy S. Clein, G.P. Juday

Habitat use by Least Bitterns in the Arkansas Delta

Least Bittern (Ixobrychus exilis) occupancy surveys were conducted in the Arkansas Delta, USA, during April-July 2005-2006 to determine the proportion of area occupied and relate occupancy to habitat characteristics. Previous large-scale surveys indicated few Least Bitterns were present in the Delta. During surveys at 190 sites, Least Bitterns were detected at 15 sites in 2005 and at 16 sites in 2
Authors
Michael J. Budd, David G. Krementz

Dispersal of smallmouth bass from a simulated tournament weigh-in site

Simulated smallmouth bass Micropterus dolomieu fishing tournaments were staged in Dale Hollow Lake, a 12,400-ha reservoir in Tennessee, between March 2004 and February 2005 to investigate posttournament dispersal. Smallmouth bass (n = 54) were captured with conventional hook-and-line tackle and artificial lures, placed in live wells, and subjected to a weigh-in procedure before being externally ta
Authors
Melissa A. Kaintz, Phillip William Bettoli

Anchoring submersible ultrasonic receivers in river channels with stable substrate

We developed an anchoring system for submersible ultrasonic receivers (SURs) that we placed on the bottom of the riverine reaches of three main-stem reservoirs in the upper Tennessee River. Each anchor consisted of a steel tube (8.9 x 35.6 cm) welded vertically to a round plate of steel (5.1 x 40.6 cm). All seven SURs and their 57-kg anchors were successfully deployed and retrieved three times ove
Authors
Phillip William Bettoli, G.D. Scholten, D. Hubbs

Disease limits populations: plague and black-tailed prairie dogs

Plague is an exotic vector-borne disease caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis that causes mortality rates approaching 100% in black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus). We mapped the perimeter of the active portions of black-tailed prairie dog colonies annually between 1999 and 2005 at four prairie dog colony complexes in areas with a history of plague, as well as at two complexes that w
Authors
Jack F. Cully, T. Johnson, S.K. Collinge, C. Ray

Waterbird nest density and nest survival in rice fields of southwestern Louisiana

Rice fields in southwestern Louisiana provide breeding habitat for several waterbird species; however, little is known about nest density, nest survival and the importance of landscape context of rice fields in determining breeding activity. In 2004, 42 rice fields were searched for nests, and 40 were searched in 2005. Land uses surrounding rice fields, including irrigation canals, trees, crawfish
Authors
S. Pierluissi, Sammy L. King, Michael D. Kaller

Survival of shovelnose sturgeon after abdominally invasive endoscopic evaluation

The development of effective and minimally invasive techniques to determine gender and gonad developmental stage is particularly important in performing accurate fisheries assessments for use in conservation and restoration. The initial and latent survival of shovelnose sturgeon Scaphirhynchus platorynchus was assessed after exposure to a modified endoscopic technique designed to collect that biol
Authors
D.G. Trested, Reuben R. Goforth, J.P. Kirk, J. Jeffery Isely