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Publications

These publications showcase the significant science conducted in our Science Centers.

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Sediment delivery to marsh platforms minimized by source decoupling and flux convergence

Sediment supply is a primary factor in determining marsh response to sea level rise and is typically approximated through high‐resolution measurements of suspended sediment concentrations (SSCs) from adjacent tidal channels. However, understanding sediment transport across the marsh itself remains limited by discontinuous measurements of SSC over individual tidal cycles. Here, we use an array of o
Authors
Daniel Coleman, Neil K. Ganju, Matthew Kirwan

Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) exposed to different preparatory photoperiods during smoltification show varying responses in gill Na+/K+-ATPase, salinity-specific mRNA transcription and ionocyte differentiation

Control of the parr-smolt transformation (or smoltification) is crucial for the husbandry and successful seawater (SW) transfer of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) reared in freshwater (FW) hatcheries. Photoperiod is an important environmental signal that initiates the complex physiological, morphological and behavioural changes that coincide with marine migration. While the use of long-day photoperi
Authors
Christian A. van Rijn, Paul L. Jones, Aaron G. Schultz, Brad S. Evans, Stephen D. McCormick, Luis O.B. Afonso

11‑Deoxycortisol controls hydromineral balance in the most basal osmoregulating vertebrate, sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus)

It is unknown whether and how osmoregulation is controlled by corticosteroid signaling in the phylogenetically basal vertebrate group Agnatha, including lampreys and hagfishes. It is known that a truncated steroid biosynthetic pathway in lampreys produces two predominant circulating corticosteroids, 11-deoxycortisol (S) and 11-deoxycorticosterone (DOC). Furthermore, lampreys express only a single,
Authors
Ciaran A. Shaughnessy, Andre Barany-Ruiz, Stephen D. McCormick

Taxonomic evaluation of the Grallaria rufula (Rufous Antpitta) complex (Aves: Passeriformes: Grallariidae) distinguishes sixteen species

Populations in the Rufous Antpitta (Grallaria rufula) complex occupy humid montane forests of the Andes from northern Colombia and adjacent Venezuela to central Bolivia. Their tawny to cinnamon-colored plumages are generally uniform, featuring subtle variation in hue and saturation across this range. In contrast to their conservative plumage, substantial vocal differences occur among geographicall
Authors
Morton L Isler, Terry Chesser, Mark B Robbins, Andres M Cuervo, C Daniel Cadena, Peter A. Hosner

Conservative plumage masks extraordinary phylogenetic diversity in the Grallaria rufula (Rufous Antpitta) complex of the humid Andes

The Grallaria rufula complex is currently considered to consist of 2 species, G. rufula (Rufous Antpitta) and G. blakei (Chestnut Antpitta). However, it has been suggested that the complex, populations of which occur in humid montane forests from Venezuela to Bolivia, comprises a suite of vocally distinct yet morphologically cryptic species. We sequenced nuclear and mitochondrial DNA for 80 indivi
Authors
Terry Chesser, Morton L Isler, Andres M Cuervo, C Daniel Cadena, Spencer C Galen, Laura M. Bergner, Robert C. Fleischer, Gustavo A Bravo, Daniel F Lane, Peter A. Hosner

Anticipating future learning affects current control decisions: A comparison between passive and active adaptive management in an epidemiological setting

Infectious disease epidemics present a difficult task for policymakers, requiring the implementation of control strategies under significant time constraints and uncertainty. Mathematical models can be used to predict the outcome of control interventions, providing useful information to policymakers in the event of such an epidemic. However, these models suffer in the early stages of an outbreak f
Authors
Benjamin D Atkins, Chris P. Jewell, Michael C. Runge, Matthew J. Ferrari, Katriona Shea, William J. M. Probert, Michael J. Tildesley

An updated genetic marker for detection of Lake Sinai Virus and metagenetic applications

BackgroundLake Sinai Viruses (LSV) are common RNA viruses of honey bees (Apis mellifera) that frequently reach high abundance but are not linked to overt disease. LSVs are genetically heterogeneous and collectively widespread, but despite frequent detection in surveys, the ecological and geographic factors structuring their distribution in A. mellifera are not understood. Even less is known about
Authors
Deborah D. Iwanowicz, Judy Y. Wu-Smart, Tugce Olgun, Autumn H. Smart, Clint R.V. Otto, Dawn Lopez, Jay D. Evans, Robert S. Cornman

Aquatic invasive species in the Chesapeake Bay drainage—Research-based needs and priorities of U.S. Geological Survey partners and collaborators

Executive SummaryThe U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is revising the Chesapeake Bay-based science plan to align it with recent U.S. Department of Interior and USGS science priorities that include, as stated in the plan, providing “an integrated understanding of the factors affecting fish habitat, fish health, and landscape conditions” in Chesapeake Bay and its watershed. A report of partner agencies
Authors
Christine L. Densmore

Evaluating the utility of principal component analysis on EDS x-ray maps to determine bulk mineralogy

Due to advances in EDS technology, electron microscopy techniques have become an important tool to determine the relative abundance of mineral phases. However, few studies have directly compared EDS X‐ray mineralogy with traditional techniques for assessing bulk mineralogy and elemental composition. We show that analysing a limited area (~ 0.5–3.2 mm2) of fine‐grained metal extraction samples usin
Authors
Karen Spaleta, Sarah M. Hayes, Rainer Newberry, Nadine M. Piatak

Effects of plunge pool configuration on downstream passage survival of juvenile blueback herring

Anadromous alosines are widespread throughout the Northern Hemisphere. Juveniles of this clade are notoriously fragile animals that are at high risk of injury and death associated with passage at hydroelectric facilities. Although turbine mortality is a common concern, conditions encountered when bypassed around these routes may also be hazardous. Downstream bypass structures typically discharge i
Authors
Theodore R. Castro-Santos, Kevin Mulligan, Micah Kieffer, Alexander Haro

Predicting microcystin concentration action-level exceedances resulting from cyanobacterial blooms in selected lake sites in Ohio

Cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms and the toxins they produce are a global water-quality problem. Monitoring and prediction tools are needed to quickly predict cyanotoxin action-level exceedances in recreational and drinking waters used by the public. To address this need, data were collected at eight locations in Ohio, USA, to identify factors significantly related to observed concentrations of
Authors
Donna S. Francy, Amie M.G. Brady, Erin A. Stelzer, Jessica R. Cicale, Courtney Paige Hackney, Harrison D Dalby, Pamela Struffolino, Daryl F. Dwyer

Spatial proximity moderates genotype uncertainty in genetic tagging studies

Accelerating declines of an increasing number of animal populations worldwide necessitate methods to reliably and efficiently estimate demographic parameters such as population density and trajectory. Standard methods for estimating demographic parameters from noninvasive genetic samples are inefficient because lower-quality samples cannot be used, and they assume individuals are identified withou
Authors
Ben C. Augustine, Andy Royle, Daniel W. Linden, Angela K. Fuller