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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

Spatiotemporal ecology of Apalone spinifera in a large, Great Plains river ecosystem

Sparse information exists about the ecology of Spiny Softshell Turtles (Apalone spinifera) in large rivers, at the northwestern extent of their natural range, and in Montana, where they are disjunct from downstream populations and a State Species of Concern. We determined spatiotemporal ecology of 47 female and 12 male turtles from 2009 through 2012 and identified fundamental habitats in the Misso
Authors
Brian J. Tornabene, Robert G. Bramblett, Alexander V. Zale, Stephen A. Leathe

Coupling ecological and social network models to assess “transmission” and “contagion” of an aquatic invasive species

Network analysis is used to address diverse ecological, social, economic, and epidemiological questions, but few efforts have been made to combine these field-specific analyses into interdisciplinary approaches that effectively address how complex systems are interdependent and connected to one another. Identifying and understanding these cross-boundary connections improves natural resource manage
Authors
Danielle M. Haak, Brian D. Fath, Valery E. Forbes, Dustin R. Martin, Kevin L. Pope

Proximate effects of temperature versus evolved intrinsic constraints for embryonic development times among temperate and tropical songbirds

The relative importance of intrinsic constraints imposed by evolved physiological trade-offs versus the proximate effects of temperature for interspecific variation in embryonic development time remains unclear. Understanding this distinction is important because slow development due to evolved trade-offs can yield phenotypic benefits, whereas slow development from low temperature can yield costs.
Authors
Riccardo Ton, Thomas E. Martin

Comparative life history of the south temperate Cape Penduline Tit (Anthoscopus minutus) and north temperate Remizidae species

We studied the breeding biology of the south temperate Cape Penduline Tit (Anthoscopus minutus) in order to compare its life history traits with those of related north temperate members of the family Remizidae, namely the Eurasian Penduline Tit (Remiz pendulinus) and the Verdin (Auriparus flaviceps). We used this comparison to test key predictions of three hypotheses thought to explain latitudinal
Authors
Penn Lloyd, Bernhard D. Frauenknecht, Morné A. du Plessis, Thomas E. Martin

Contrasting latitudinal patterns of life-history divergence in two genera of new world thrushes (Turdinae)

Several long-standing hypotheses have been proposed to explain latitudinal patterns of life-history strategies. Here, we test predictions of four such hypotheses (seasonality, food limitation, nest predation and adult survival probability) by examining life-history traits and age-specific mortality rates of several species of thrushes (Turdinae) based on field studies at temperate and tropical sit
Authors
Andy J. Boyce, Thomas E. Martin

Seasonal survival of adult female mottled ducks

The mottled duck (Anas fulgivula) is a non-migratory duck dependent on coastal habitats to meet all of its life cycle requirements in the Western Gulf Coast (WGC) of Texas and Louisiana, USA. This population of mottled ducks has experienced a moderate decline during the past 2 decades. Adult survival has been identified as an important factor influencing population demography. Previous work based
Authors
Jena A. Moon, David A. Haukos, Warren C. Conway

Circumpolar analysis of the Adélie Penguin reveals the importance of environmental variability in phenological mismatch

Evidence of climate-change-driven shifts in plant and animal phenology have raised concerns that certain trophic interactions may be increasingly mismatched in time, resulting in declines in reproductive success. Given the constraints imposed by extreme seasonality at high latitudes and the rapid shifts in phenology seen in the Arctic, we would also expect Antarctic species to be highly vulnerable
Authors
Casey Youngflesh, Stephanie Jenouvrier, Yun Li, Rubao Ji, David G. Ainley, Grant Ballard, Christophe Barbraud, Karine Delord, Katie Dugger, Loiuse M. Emmerson, William R. Fraser, Jefferson T. Hinke, Phil O'B. Lyver, Silvia Olmastroni, Colin J. Southwell, Susan G. Trivelpiece, Wayne Z. Trivelpiece, Heather J. Lynch

The deadly fisheries safety issue no one discusses

No abstract available.
Authors
Scott A. Bonar

Standard methods for sampling freshwater fishes: Opportunities for international collaboration

With publication of Standard Methods for Sampling North American Freshwater Fishes in 2009, the American Fisheries Society (AFS) recommended standard procedures for North America. To explore interest in standardizing at intercontinental scales, a symposium attended by international specialists in freshwater fish sampling was convened at the 145th Annual AFS Meeting in Portland, Oregon, in August 2
Authors
Scott A. Bonar, Norman Mercado-Silva, Wayne A. Hubert, T. Douglas Beard, Göran Dave, Jan Kubečka, Brian D. S. Graeb, Nigel P. Lester, Mark T. Porath, Ian J. Winfield

Book review: Bovids of the World: Antelopes, gazelles, cattle, goats, sheep, and relatives

No abstract available.Book info: Bovids of the World: Antelopes, Gazelles, Cattle, Goats, Sheep, and Relatives. José R. Castelló. 2016. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey, USA. 664 pp. ISBN 978-0-691-16717-6.
Authors
David Leslie

Earning their stripes: The potential of tiger trout and other salmonids as biological controls of forage fishes in a western reservoir

Maintaining a balance between predator and prey populations can be an ongoing challenge for fisheries managers, especially in managing artificial ecosystems such as reservoirs. In a high-elevation Utah reservoir, the unintentional introduction of the Utah Chub Gila atraria and its subsequent population expansion prompted managers to experimentally shift from exclusively stocking Rainbow Trout Onco
Authors
Lisa K. Winters, Phaedra Budy, Gary P. Thiede

Mitigating future avian malaria threats to Hawaiian forest birds from climate change

Avian malaria, transmitted by Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes in the Hawaiian Islands, has been a primary contributor to population range limitations, declines, and extinctions for many endemic Hawaiian honeycreepers. Avian malaria is strongly influenced by climate; therefore, predicted future changes are expected to expand transmission into higher elevations and intensify and lengthen existing
Authors
Wei Liao, Carter T. Atkinson, Dennis LaPointe, Michael D. Samuel