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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

Native forage mediates influence of irrigated agriculture on migratory behaviour of elk

Ungulates migrate to maximize nutritional intake when forage varies seasonally. Populations of ungulates often include both migratory and non-migratory individuals, but the mechanisms driving individual differences in migratory behaviour are not well-understood.We quantified associations between hypothesized drivers of partial migration and the likelihood of migration for individual ungulates that
Authors
Michael S. Mitchell, Kristin J. Barker, Kelly M. Proffitt

Nearshore survey and cleanup of benthic marine debris using citizen science divers along the Mediterranean coast of Israel

Information on marine debris along the Mediterranean coast of Israel, especially on the seafloor, is limited. Many recreational divers are enthusiasts of marine conservation and can thus contribute to data collection which does not require highly specialized training. The Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel together with The Israeli Diving Federation established the diver volunteer prog
Authors
Galia Pasternak, Christine Ribic, Ehud Spanier, Asaf Ariel, Boaz Mayzel, Sarah Ohayon, Dov Zviely

Effects of historic wildfire and prescribed fire on site occupancy of bats in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia, USA

Given high likelihood of regional extirpation of several once-common bat species in eastern North America from White-nose Syndrome, it is critical that impacts of forest management activities such as prescribed fire are known to minimize potentially additive negative effects on bat populations. Historic wildfires may offer a suitable surrogate to assess long-term burn impacts on bats for planning,
Authors
W. Mark Ford, Lauren V. Austin, Alexander Silvis, Karen E. Powers

Wetlands and development influence fish diversity in a species-rich small river

We identified in-stream and off-stream characteristics that influenced various species diversity metrics in reaches of the Duck River Basin, Tennessee, USA. This relatively small basin is home to one of the most diverse freshwater fish faunas in North America. In all, over 325,000 native fish representing 136 native fish species were electrofished in 207 collections across 86 stations. Diversity o
Authors
Leandro E. Miranda, J.A. Martínez-Lanfranco, K. J. Kilgore

Extreme climatic variability during migration invokes physiological and dietary plasticity among spring migrating ducks

Environmental stochasticity encountered during migration can have negative consequences for individuals and population demographics through direct reductions in survival or cross-seasonal impacts. We took advantage of substantial interannual variation in spring migration conditions over a 4 year field study to examine physiological and dietary variation among two species of migrant ducks. We colle
Authors
Adam K. Janke, Michael J. Anteau, Joshua D. Stafford

Largemouth bass natural history

No abstract available.
Authors
Leandro E. Miranda

Changes in body condition and diet of lotic Smallmouth Bass across two flow regimes during summer months at the southern extent of their native range

The Ozark Plateau is located at the southern extent of native Smallmouth Bass Micropterus dolomieu range and water temperature and drought conditions during summer months may potentially affect growth of Smallmouth Bass in this region. Groundwater streams in the region do not warm to the same extent as runoff streams during summer months and could provide a thermal refuge habitat for Smallmouth Ba
Authors
Christopher R. Middaugh, Daniel D. Magoulick

Nest-defense behavior of Mississippi Kites in urban and exurban areas

Mississippi kites (Ictinia mississippiensis) have become an abundant raptor in many urban and exurban areas throughout the Southern Great Plains of the United States. Unfortunately, human–wildlife conflicts have resulted from this juxtaposition of suitable breeding areas for kites and areas that humans frequent, with some kites responding aggressively to humans near nests. To date, there are no da
Authors
B. R. Skipper, Clint W. Boal

First summer survival and channel unit habitat use by the Neosho subspecies of Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus dolomieu velox)

No abstract available. 
Authors
Shannon K. Brewer, Brandon L. Browne, Thomas A. Worthington, Robert Mollenhauer, Anthony Rodger, Matt Skoog, Jim Burroughs

Understanding the central Great Plains as a coupled climatic-hydrological-human system: Lessons learned in operationalizing interdisciplinary collaboration

This chapter discusses an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary project to understand the interactions of agriculture, climate, and water resources in the Central Great Plains as a coupled natural-human system. We focus on the Smoky Hills Watershed in Kansas, where we gathered socioeconomic, hydrological, and climatic data, along with ecological data on fish species. The project involved substan
Authors
Marcellus M. Caldas, Martha E. Mather, Jason S. Bergtold, Melinda Daniels, Gabriel Granco, Joseph Aistrup, David A. Haukos, Aleksey Y. Sheshukov, Matthew R. Sanderson, Jessica L. Heier Stamm

The accuracy of ecological flow metrics derived using a physics-based distributed rainfall-runoff model in the Great Plains, USA

The development of a hydrologic foundation, essential for advancing our understanding of flow-ecology relationships, was developed using the high-resolution physics-based distributed rainfall–runoff model Vflo in a semi-arid region. We compared the accuracy and bias associated with flow metrics that were generated using Vflo, gauge data, and drainage area ratios at both a daily and monthly time st
Authors
Thomas A. Worthington, Shannon K. Brewer, Baxter Viex, Jonathan Kennen

The application of oyster reefs in shoreline protection: Are we over‐engineering for an ecosystem engineer?

Oyster reef living shorelines have been proposed as an effective alternative to traditional coastal defence structures (e.g. bulkheads, breakwaters), with the benefit that they may keep pace with sea‐level rise and provide co‐benefits, such as habitat provision. However, there remains uncertainty about the effectiveness of shoreline protection provided by oyster reefs, which limits their broader a
Authors
R. L. Morris, D. M. Bilkovic, M. K. Boswell, D. Bushek, J. Cebrian, Josh Goff, K. M. Kibler, Megan K. LaPeyre, G. McClenachan, J. A. Moody, P. E. Sacks, J.P. Shinn, E. L. Sparks, N. A. Temple, L. J. Walters, S. E. Swearer, B. M. Webb