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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

Distribution and relative abundance of sea otters in south-central and south-western Alaska before or at the time of the T/V Exxon Valdez oil spill

Surveys of sea otters (Enhydra lutris) conducted before, immediately after, or at the time of the TA^ Exxon Valdez oil spill were used to guide otter capture efforts and assess the immediate effects of the spill. Shoreline counts (by boat) of sea otters in Prince William Sound in 1984 suggested that a minimum of 4,500 sea otters inhabited nearshore waters of Prince William Sound. Areas of highest
Authors
Anthony R. DeGange, Daniel H. Monson, David B. Irons, C.M. Robbins, David C. Douglas

Monitoring St. Lawrence Island and Cape Thompson seabird populations

About 1.8 million seabirds of 12 species breed on St. Lawrence Island (Figure 1) - one of the largest aggregations of breeding seabirds in the subarctic Pacific. Colonies of least and crested auklets alone, totaling 1.5 million birds, contain a substantial proportion (perhaps 20%) of these species’ world populations. Large seabird colonies occur also at Cape Thompson (Figure 2), where thick-billed
Authors
Scott A. Hatch, John F. Piatt, Brian S. Fadely, Bay D. Roberts

Site 766

No abstract available.
Authors

Site 765: Sedimentology

Various techniques were used to decipher the sedimentation history of Site 765, including Markov chain analysis of facies transitions, XRD analysis of clay and other minerals, and multivariate analysis of smear-slide data, in addition to the standard descriptive procedures employed by the shipboard sedimentologist. This chapter presents brief summaries of methodology and major findings of these th
Authors

Site 765: Sediment Lithostratigraphy

A 935-m-thick succession of Quaternary through Lower Cretaceous sediments was recovered at Site 765 (Fig. 10). A single core of Quaternary sediment was obtained from Hole 765A; drilling terminated and a new hole was drilled in an attempt to establish the mud line. Quaternary through middle Miocene sediments were cored in Hole 765B down to a depth of 395.6 mbsf. Middle Miocene through Lower Cretace
Authors

Avifaunal remains from the Utqiagvik Village Site, North Alaska

No abstract available.
Authors
J.E. Lobdell, Robert E. Gill

Postrelease monitoring of radio-instrumented sea otters in Prince William Sound

Sea otters (Enhydra lutris) that were captured in western Prince William Sound (PWS) or the Gulf of Alaska, treated, and held in captivity at the temporary rehabilitation centers established in response to the T/V Exxon Valdez oil spill were instrumented with radio transmitters, released into eastern PWS, and monitored by radiotelemetry. We undertook the present study to gain information for guidi
Authors
C. Monnett, L.M. Rotterman, C. Stack, Daniel H. Monson

Shorebirds and herring roe in Prince William Sound, Alaska

No abstract available.
Authors
David W. Norton, Stanley E. Senner, Robert E. Gill, Philip D. Martin, J.M. Wright, Allan K. Fukuyama

Seasonal movements of adult female polar bears in the Bering and Chukchi seas

Ten adult female polar bears (Ursus maritimus) were fitted with satellite telemetry collars during March 1986 in the Kotzebue Sound area of the Chukchi Sea. During March-April 1987, 2 of these bears were refitted with satellite telemetry collars and an additional 10 adult females were collared in the northern Bering and eastern Chukchi seas. Data for 1,560 point locations recorded through May 1988
Authors
Gerald W. Garner, Steven T. Knick, David C. Douglas

Tracking wildlife by satellite: Current systems and performance

Since 1984, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has used the Argos Data Collection and Location System (DCLS) and Tiros-N series satellites to monitor movements and activities of 10 species of large mammals in Alaska and the Rocky Mountain region. Reliability of the entire system was generally high. Data were received from instrumented caribou (Rangifer tarandus) during 91% of 318 possible transmit
Authors
Richard B. Harris, Steven G. Fancy, David C. Douglas, Gerald W. Garner, Steven C. Amstrup, Thomas R. McCabe, Larry F. Pank

Nest-site selection by Emperor Geese and Cackling Canada Geese

Differences were found in habitat structure between nest sites of Emperor Geese (Chen canagicus) and Cackling Canada Geese (Branta canadensis minima) during a 5-year study (1982-1986) at Kokechik Bay, Alaska. Emperor Geese tended to select sites that afforded concealment from avian predators before incubation began. Cackling Canada Geese tended to select sites that enhanced avoidance of mammalian
Authors
Margaret R. Petersen

Individual variation in behavior and breeding success of Northern Fulmars

In a sample of breeding Northern Fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) observed in 4-5 years, up to 43% of the variability in 13 attributes of breeding behavior was consistent among individuals or pairs. Sample means for most attributes were correlated in a predictable way with annual levels of breeding success. Except for laying dates, there was little evidence that individual differences in these attribu
Authors
Scott A. Hatch
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