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Publications

Browse more than 160,000 publications authored by our scientists over the past 100+ year history of the USGS.  Publications available are: USGS-authored journal articles, series reports, book chapters, other government publications, and more.

Filter Total Items: 171207

Why are larger fish farther upstream? Testing multiple hypotheses using Silver Chub in two Midwestern United States riverscapes

ObjectiveThree competing hypotheses might explain the widely documented intrapopulation larger-fish-upstream phenomenon. The age-phased recruitment hypothesis posits that fish spawn downstream and move upstream as they age and grow, the static population with growth and mortality gradients hypothesis posits that fish spawn throughout a riverscape and growth is greater upstream while recruitment is
Authors
Joshuah S. Perkin, Patrick M. Kočovský, Zachary D Steffensmeier, Keith B. Gido

A spatially explicit modeling framework to guide management of subsidized avian predator densities

Anthropogenic resource subsidization across western ecosystems has contributed to widespread increases in generalist avian predators, including common ravens (Corvus corax; hereafter, raven). Ravens are adept nest predators and can negatively impact species of conservation concern. Predation effects from ravens are especially concerning for greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; hereafter
Authors
Shawn T. O'Neil, Peter S. Coates, Sarah C. Webster, Brianne E. Brussee, Seth J. Dettenmaier, John C. Tull, Pat J. Jackson, Michael L. Casazza, Shawn P. Espinosa

Spatial and temporal overlap between hatchery- and natural-origin steelhead and Chinook salmon during spawning in the Klickitat River, Washington, USA

A goal of many segregated salmonid hatchery programs is to minimize potential interbreeding between hatchery- and natural-origin fish. To assess this on the Klickitat River, Washington, USA, we used radiotelemetry during 2009–2014 to evaluate spatiotemporal spawning overlap between hatchery-origin and natural-origin steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss and spring Chinook Salmon O. tshawytscha. We estimat
Authors
Joseph S. Zendt, Brady Allen, Tobias Kock, Russell Perry, Adam Pope

Validity of the Landsat surface reflectance archive for aquatic science: Implications for cloud-based analysis

Originally developed for terrestrial science and applications, the US Geological Survey Landsat surface reflectance (SR) archive spanning ~ 40 yr of observations has been increasingly utilized in large-scale water-quality studies. These products, however, have not been rigorously validated using in situ measured reflectance. This letter quantifies and demonstrates the quality of the SR products by
Authors
Daniel Andrade Maciel, Nima Pahlevan, Claudio Clemente Faria Barbosa, Evlyn Márcia Leão de Moraes de Novo, Rejane Souza Paulino, Vitor Souza Martins, Eric Vermote, Christopher J. Crawford

Merging machine learning and geostatistical approaches for spatial modeling of geoenergy resources

Geostatistics is the most commonly used probabilistic approach for modeling earth systems, including quality parameters of various geoenergy resources. In geostatistics, estimates, either on a point or block support, are generated as a spatially-weighted average of surrounding samples. The optimal weights are determined through the stationary variogram model which accounts for the spatial structur
Authors
Gamze Erdogan Erten, Oktay Erten, C. Özgen Karacan, Jeff Boisvert, Clayton V. Deutsch

A brave new world: Managing for biodiversity conservation under ecosystem transformation

Traditional conservation practices have primarily relied on maintaining biodiversity by preserving species and habitats in place. Many regions are experiencing unprecedented environmental conditions, shifts in species distribution and habitats, and high turnover in species composition, resulting in ecological transformation. Natural resource managers have lacked tools for identifying and selecting
Authors
Jennifer L. Wilkening, Dawn Robin Magness, Laura Thompson, Abigail Lynch

Analysis of high-resolution single channel seismic data for use in sediment resource evaluation, eastern Texas and western Louisiana Continental Shelf, Gulf of Mexico

Shallow subsurface geologic data recorded as high-resolution seismic profiles are used to interpret the geology of coastal and marine systems. These data were originally recorded on paper rolls that are stored in geophysical archives. Data collection has since converted to entirely digital formats, yet the analog data are still useful for geologic interpretation. This report describes the process
Authors
James G. Flocks, Arnell S. Forde, Stephen T. Bosse

DisasterNet: Causal Bayesian networks with normalizing flows for cascading hazards

Sudden-onset hazards like earthquakes often induce cascading secondary hazards (e.g., landslides, liquefaction, debris flows, etc.) and subsequent impacts (e.g., building and infrastructure damage) that cause catastrophic human and economic losses. Rapid and accurate estimates of these hazards and impacts are critical for timely and effective post-disaster responses. Emerging remote sensing techni
Authors
Xuechun Li, Paula Madeline Burgi, Wei Ma, Haeyoung Noh, David J. Wald, Susu Xu

Assessment of recovery potential for the American horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus): An application of the IUCN green status process

According to an International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List assessment (RLA), the American horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus), an iconic coastal species, is at risk of extirpation in some regions within its range where small and vulnerable populations occur. However, the RLA does not consider future status beyond viability and does not attempt to identify the conservation neces
Authors
David R. Smith, H. Jane Brockmann, Ruth H. Carmichael, Eric M. Hallerman, W.M. Watson, Jaime Zaldivar-Rae

Response in the water quality of Delavan Lake, Wisconsin, to changes in phosphorus loading—Setting new goals for loading from its drainage basin

During 1989–92, an extensive rehabilitation project was completed in and around Delavan Lake, Wisconsin, to improve the lake’s water quality. However, in 2016, the lake was listed by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources as impaired for excessive algal growth (high chlorophyll a concentrations), and high phosphorus input was listed as its likely cause. In addition, the recent (2017–21) mea
Authors
Dale M. Robertson, Benjamin J. Siebers, Reed A. Fredrick

Boreal conifers maintain carbon uptake with warming despite failure to track optimal temperatures

Warming shifts the thermal optimum of net photosynthesis (ToptA) to higher temperatures. However, our knowledge of this shift is mainly derived from seedlings grown in greenhouses under ambient atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) conditions. It is unclear whether shifts in ToptA of field-grown trees will keep pace with the temperatures predicted for the 21st century under elevated atmospheric CO2 con
Authors
Mirindi E. Dusenge, Jeffery M. Warren, Peter B. Reich, Eric Ward, Bridget K. Murphy, Artur Stefanski, Raimundo Bermudez, Marisol Cruz, David A. McLennan, Anthony W. King, Rebecca A. Montgomery, Paul J. Hanson, Danielle A. Way

Scaling microseismic cloud shape during hydraulic stimulation using in-situ stress and permeability

Forecasting microseismic cloud shape as a proxy of stimulated rock volume may improve the design of an energy extraction system. The microseismic cloud created during hydraulic stimulation of geothermal reservoirs is known empirically to extend in the general direction of the maximum principal stress. However, this empirical relationship is often inconsistent with reported results, and the cloud g
Authors
Y. Mukuhira, M. Yang, T. Ishibashi, K. Okamoto, H. Moriya, Y. Kumano, H. Asanuma, S.A. Shapiro, Justin Rubinstein, T. Ito, K. Yan, Y. Zuo