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.
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Mission Area Publications
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Barometers behaving badly: Assessing the influence of analytical and experimental uncertainty on clinopyroxene thermobarometry calculations at crustal conditions
The composition of clinopyroxene and clinopyroxene-liquid (Cpx-Liq) pairs are frequently used to calculate crystallization/equilibration pressures in igneous systems. While canonical uncertainties are often assigned to calculated pressures based on fits to calibration or test datasets, the sources of these uncertainties (and thus ways to reduce them) have not been rigorously assessed. We show that
Authors
Penny E. Wieser, Adam J.R. Kent, Christy B. Till, J. Donovan, David A. Neave, Dawnika Blatter, Michael J. Krawczynski
Environmental drivers of demography and potential factors limiting the recovery of an endangered marine top predator
Understanding what drives changes in wildlife demography is fundamental to the conservation and management of depleted or declining populations, though making inference about the intrinsic and extrinsic factors that influence survival and reproduction remains challenging. Here we use mark–resight data from 2000 to 2018 to examine the effects of environmental variability on age-specific survival an
Authors
Amanda J. Warlick, Devin S. Johnson, Tom S. Gelatt, Sarah J. Converse
Hidden in plain sight: Integrated population models to resolve partially observable latent population structure
Population models often require detailed information on sex-, age-, or size-specific abundances, but population monitoring programs cannot always acquire data at the desired resolution. Thus, state uncertainty in monitoring data can potentially limit the demographic resolution of management decisions, which may be particularly problematic for stage- or size-structured species subject to consumptiv
Authors
Abigail Jean Lawson, Patrick Jodice, Thomas R. Rainwater, Kylee Denise Dunham, Morgan Hart, Joseph W. Butfiloski, Philip M. Wilkinson, Clinton Moore
The Sukari gold deposit, Egypt: Geochemical and geochronological constraints on the ore genesis and implications for regional exploration
The Sukari gold deposit (>15 Moz Au) in the Eastern Desert of Egypt is hosted by a deformed granitoid stock (Sukari tonalite-trondhjemite intrusion) and mainly occurs as a network of crosscutting sulfide-bearing quartz (± carbonate) veins and intensely sulfidized-silicified-sericitized wall rock. Emplacement of the Sukari intrusion into a tectonized Neoproterozoic accretionary complex was controll
Authors
Basem Zoheir, Astrid Holzheid, Armin Zeh, Ryan J. McAleer, Mohamed El-Behairy, Ulrich Schwarz-Schampera, Torsten Graupner, David Lentz, Fahui Xiong
Flood regimes alter the role of landform and topographic constraint on functional diversity of floodplain forests
Understanding patterns of species coexistence is a fundamental challenge in ecology. The physical environment is believed to play an important role, influencing patterns of dispersal and biotic interactions across space and time. Floodplain forest species are presumed to interact strongly with their environment, as evidenced by pronounced spatial variation in forest composition associated with flo
Authors
Molly Van Appledorn, Matthew E. Baker
Critical ShakeCast lifeline users and their response protocols
ShakeCast is a US Geological Survey (USGS) software application that automatically retrieves ShakeMap shaking estimates and performs analyses using fragility functions for buildings and lifelines. The ShakeCast system aims to identify which facilities or lifeline segments are most likely impacted by an earthquake—and thus which ones should be prioritized for inspection and response—and sends notif
Authors
Kuo-wan Lin, David J. Wald, Daniel Slosky, Sterling Strait, Justin Smith, Sharon Yen, Nick Burmas
Spatial scale selection for informing species conservation in a changing landscape
Identifying the relevant spatial scale at which species respond to features in a landscape (scale of effect) is a pressing research need as managers work to reduce biodiversity loss amid a variety of environmental challenges. Until recently, researchers often evaluated a subset of potential scales of effect inferred from previous studies in other locations, often based on different biological resp
Authors
Adrian P. Monroe, Julie A. Heinrichs, Ashley L. Whipple, Michael S. O'Donnell, David R. Edmunds, Cameron L. Aldridge
The potential of Prairie Pothole wetlands as an agricultural conservation practice: A synthesis of empirical data
Nutrient pollution causing harmful algal blooms and eutrophication is a major threat to aquatic systems. Throughout North America, agricultural activities are the largest source of excess nutrients entering these systems. Agricultural intensification has also been a driver in the historical removal of depressional wetlands, contributing to increased hydrological connectivity across watersheds, and
Authors
Caryn D Ross, Owen P. McKenna
Hydrologic effects of leakage from the Catskill Aqueduct on the bedrock-aquifer system near High Falls, New York, November 2019–January 2020
Historical observations by the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (NYCDEP) indicate that the Rondout pressure tunnel has been leaking in the vicinity of the hamlet of High Falls, New York. In the 74 days from November 11, 2019, to January 23, 2020, NYCDEP shut down and partially dewatered the pressure tunnel for inspection and repairs. On November 5–7, 2019 (during normal tunnel
Authors
Anthony Chu, Michael L. Noll, William D. Capurso
Field techniques for the determination of algal pigment fluorescence in environmental waters—Principles and guidelines for instrument and sensor selection, operation, quality assurance, and data reporting
The use of algal fluorometers by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has become increasingly common. The basic principles of algal fluorescence, instrument calibration, interferences, data quantification, data interpretation, and quality control are given in Hambrook Berkman and Canova (2007). Much of the guidance given for instrument maintenance, data storage, and quality assurance in Wagner and ot
Authors
Guy M. Foster, Jennifer L. Graham, Brian A. Bergamaschi, Kurt D. Carpenter, Bryan D. Downing, Brian A. Pellerin, Stewart A. Rounds, John Franco Saraceno
Technical note—Performance evaluation of the PhytoFind, an in-place phytoplankton classification tool
In 2019, the U.S. Geological Survey evaluated the performance of the Turner Designs, Inc. PhytoFind, an in-place phytoplankton classification tool. The sensor was tested with sample blanks, monoculture and mixed phytoplankton cultures, and turbidity challenges in a laboratory, and was tested on a 120-mile survey of the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie Rivers in Florida, including Lake Okeechobee. Resu
Authors
Brett D. Johnston, Jennifer L. Graham, Guy M. Foster, Bryan D. Downing
Framework for the development of the Columbia River mainstem fish tissue and water quality monitoring program - Bonneville Dam to Canadian border
The Columbia River provides important cultural, economic, and ecological services to a significant portion of the United States. Anadromous and resident fish species and other wildlife are integrated into the cultural traditions of all Tribes in the Columbia River Basin. Salmon, lamprey, sturgeon, and resident fish are an integral part of Tribal religion, culture, and physical sustenance. Despite
Authors
Timothy D. Counihan, Patrick W. Moran, Ian R. Waite, Sherrie Duncan, Laura Shira