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Publications

USGS research activities relevant to Alaska have yielded more than 9400 historical publications. This page features some of the most recent newsworthy research findings.

Filter Total Items: 2885

Progressive deformation of the Chugach accretionary complex, Alaska, during a paleogene ridge-trench encounter

The Mesozoic accretionary wedge of south-central Alaska is cut by an array of faults including dextral and sinistral strike-slip faults, synthetic and antithetic thrust faults, and synthetic and antithetic normal faults. The three fault sets are characterized by quartz ± calcite ± chlorite ± prehnite slickensides, and are all relatively late, i.e. all truncate ductile fabrics of the host rocks. Cr
Authors
Timothy M. Kusky

Relative effects of survival and reproduction on the population dynamics of emperor geese

Populations of emperor geese (Chen canagica) in Alaska declined sometime between the mid-1960s and the mid-1980s and have increased little since. To promote recovery of this species to former levels, managers need to know how much their perturbations of survival and/or reproduction would affect population growth rate (λ). We constructed an individual-based population model to evaluate the relative
Authors
Joel A. Schmutz, Robert F. Rockwell, Margaret R. Petersen

Echelon approach to areas of concern in synoptic regional monitoring

Echelons provide an objective approach to prospecting for areas of potential concern in synoptic regional monitoring of a surface variable. Echelons can be regarded informally as stacked hill forms. The strategy is to identify regions of the surface which are elevated relative to surroundings (Relative ELEVATIONS or RELEVATIONS). These are areas which would continue to expand as islands with reced
Authors
Wayne Myers, Ganapati P. Patil, Kyle Joly

Adaptation of a stage-projection model for species with multiple year reproductive cycles

We apply stage projection matrices to multiple age and reproductive categories, deriving the stable age - reproductive category distribution for populations with multi-year reproductive cycles and identifying conditions for the existence of a dominant latent root. Given the stable distribution of age and reproductive category and the number of female young for each reproductive category, the age s
Authors
James R. Gilbert, Mark S. Udevitz

The effects of Vexar® seedling protectors on the growth and development of lodgepole pine roots

The effects on the growth and development of lodgepole pine roots from the Vexar® tubes used to protect seedlings from pocket gopher damage were studied in the Targhee National Forest, Idaho and the Deschutes National Forest, Oregon. At each site, Vexar-protected and unprotected seedlings, with and without above-ground gopher damage were examined after six growing seasons for root deformities and
Authors
Richard M. Engeman, R. Michael Anthony, Heather W. Krupa, James Evans

Effect of vegetation management for reducing damage to lodgepole pine seedlings from northern pocket gophers

The effects of vegetation management on northern pocket gopher (Thomomys talpoides) activity and damage to lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) seedlings were studied using 2,4-D herbicide to alter the habitat. Treatments were applied to a large (8.1 ha) treatment unit and observed effects were compared with an untreated control unit of the same size. The greatly reduced forb and grass cover on the tre
Authors
Richard M. Engeman, Victor G. Barnes, Richard M. Anthony, Heather W. Krupa

Behavior of Cackling Canada Geese during brood rearing

We studied behavior of Cackling Canada Goose (Branta canadensis minima, cacklers) broods between 1992 and 1996 on the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge in western Alaska. An increase in time spent foraging by goslings during our study was weakly correlated with an increase in the size of the local breeding population. Amount of time spent feeding by adults and goslings increased throughout the
Authors
Ada C. Fowler, Craig R. Ely

Variation in incubation periods and egg metabolism in mallards: Intrinsic mechanisms to promote hatch synchrony

We investigated factors affecting incubation time and metabolic rates of Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) eggs incubated under constant environmental conditions. Time required to reach the star-pipped stage of hatch varied significantly among females, but not with laying sequence or egg size. Metabolic rate of eggs varied positively with position in the laying sequence and tended to vary among females
Authors
Margaret C. MacCluskie, Paul L. Flint, James S. Sedinger

Proximate composition and energy density of some North Pacific forage fishes

Mature pelagic forage fish species (capelin, sand lance, squid) had greater lipid concentrations than juvenile age-classes of large demersal and pelagic fish species (walleye pollock, Pacific cod, Atka mackerel, greenling, prowfish, rockfish, sablefish). Myctophids preyed on by puffins have at least twice as much lipid per gram compared to mature capelin, sand lance and squid, and an order of magn
Authors
Thomas I. van Pelt, John F. Piatt, Brian K. Lance, Daniel D. Roby

Winter activity patterns of American martens (Martes americana): Rejection of the hypothesis of thermal-cost minimization

Despite their temperate to subarctic geographic range, American martens (Martes americana) possess a thermally inefficient morphology. The lack of morphological adaptations for reducing thermal costs suggests that marten may use behavioral strategies to optimize thermal budgets. During the winters of 1989–1990 and 1990–1991, we radio-collared and monitored the diel activity of 7 martens. A log-lin
Authors
Gary S. Drew, John A. Bissonette

Trophic relationships of albatrosses associated with squid and large-mesh drift-net fisheries in the North Pacific Ocean

The diets of Laysan (Diomedea immutabilis) and black-footed albatrosses (D. nigripes) killed in squid and large-mesh drift nets in the transitional zone of the North Pacific Ocean were investigated by examining the contents of the digestive tracts and determining δ13C and δ15N values in breast-muscle tissue. The results show that (i) the combined prey of the two species of albatross consists of ov
Authors
Patrick J. Gould, Peggy H. Ostrom, William Walker

Alternative interpretations of oil spill data

In his article "Oil, Seabirds, and Science" (BioScience 46: 587-597), John Wiens attempted to review Exxon Valdez oil spill (EVOS) damage assessment studies and the politics of EVOS science in one stroke. In my opinion, neither purpose was particularly well served.
Authors
John F. Piatt
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