All Publications

Climate change affects the behavior, physiology and life history of many Arctic wildlife species. It can also influence the distribution and ecology of infectious agents. The southern Beaufort Sea (SB) subpopulation of polar bears (Ursus maritimus) has experienced dramatic behavioral changes due to retreating sea ice and other climate-related factors, but the effects of these changes on physiology

The evolution of endosymbionts and their hosts can lead to highly dynamic interactions with varying fitness effects for both the endosymbiont and host species. Wolbachia, a ubiquitous endosymbiont of arthropods and nematodes, can have both beneficial and detrimental effects on host fitness. We documented the occurrence and patterns of transmission of Wolbachia within the Hawaiian Drosophilidae and

Uncovering relationships between landscape diversity and species interactions is crucial for predicting how ongoing land-use change and homogenization will impact the stability and persistence of communities. However, such connections have rarely been quantified in nature. We coupled high-resolution river sonar imaging with annualized energetic food webs to quantify relationships among habitat div

In the Lower Missouri River, extensive channel modifications have altered hydraulic and morphologic conditions and reduced the river's ecological integrity. One species that has been adversely affected by these changes is the pallid sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus). Mainstem dams on the Missouri River restrict the upstream migration of adults and limit the downstream dispersal of larvae. Channeliza

Spawning phenology and associated migrations of fishes are often regulated by factors such as temperature and stream discharge, but flow regulation of mainstem rivers coupled with climate change might disrupt these cues and affect fitness. Flannelmouth sucker (Catostomus latipinnis) persisting in heavily modified river networks are known to spawn in tributaries that might provide better spawning h

Executive SummaryLANDFIRE (LF) completed the LF 2016 Remap effort in 2021, the biggest revision of its product suite since its inception. This document serves to describe the processes that went into this effort and elucidate the methods for creating each LF product. Although the document focuses on the LF 2016 Remap effort, it also details the two updates that have been completed since that effor

Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated undiscovered, technically recoverable mean resources of 3.8 billion barrels of oil and 20.7 trillion cubic feet of gas offshore of Morocco.

We investigate the utility of towed underwater camera systems with tightly coupled Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) positions to provide reef-scale bathymetric models with millimeter to centimeter resolutions and accuracies with Structure-from-Motion (SfM) photogrammetry. Successful development of these techniques would allow for detailed assessments of benthic conditions, including the a

Freshwater ecosystems are some of the most affected by biological invasions due, in part, to the introduction of invasive carp worldwide. Where carp have become established, management programs often seek to limit further range expansion into new areas by reducing their movement through interconnected rivers and waterways. Lock and dams are important locations for non-physical deterrents, such as

During explosive volcanic eruptions, volcanic ash is ejected into the atmosphere, impacting aircraft safety and downwind communities. These volcanic clouds tend to be dominated by fine ash (<63 μm in diameter), permitting transport over hundreds to thousands of kilometers. However, field observations show that much of this fine ash aggregates into clusters or pellets with faster settling velocitie

Low salinity tidal wetlands (LSTW) are vulnerable to sea level rise and saltwater intrusion, thus their carbon sequestration capacity is threatened. However, the thresholds of rapid changes in carbon dynamics and biogeochemical processes in LSTW due to changes in hydroperiod and salinity regime remain unclear. In this study, we examined the effects of soil porewater salinity and water level on cha

Climate vulnerability can be evaluated by multiple organismal responses. We developed a climate vulnerability framework focused on growth potential of redband trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss newberri). We employed a bioenergetics model to evaluate spatial variability in growth potential in relation to constraints on body size imposed by stream flow, physiological responses linked to variable thermal re