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: 2892
Extent, causes and timing of moose calves mortality in western interior Alaska
We examined the causes and timing of moose (Alces alces) calf mortality during 1988 90 in 2 locations in western interior Alaska. Annual survival rates of all calves in 1988 (0.34, n = 42) and 1989 (0.29, n=47) on the Nowitna National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) and in 1990 (0.25, n = 62) on the Koyukuk NWR were not significantly different. Survival rates of male and female calves were not significantl
Authors
Timothy O. Osbourne, Thomas F. Paragi, James L. Bodkin, Andre J. Loranger, W. N. Johnson
A comparison of aerial and boat-based surveys for marbled murrelets in southeast Alaska, July 23-28, 1991
Aerial and boat-based surveys for Marbled Murrelets (Brachyramphus marmoratus) were conducted simultaneously over short transect distances (ca. 2 km) in three different areas of the Alexander Archipelago to assess the accuracy and variability of aerial counts compared to boat-based counts. Additional aerial surveys were conducted over a wider geographic area to assess temporal and spatial variabil
Authors
John F. Piatt, Bruce Conant, Chris Iverson
Change-in-ratio estimators for populations with more than two subclasses
Change-in-ratio methods have been developed to estimate the size of populations with two or three population subclasses. Most of these methods require the often unreasonable assumption of equal sampling probabilities for individuals in all subclasses. This paper presents new models based on the weaker assumption that ratios of sampling probabilities are constant over time for populations with thre
Authors
Mark S. Udevitz, Kenneth H. Pollock
Mitochondrial DNA in wildlife forensic science: Species identification of tissues
A common problem in wildlife law enforcement is identifying the species of origin of carcasses, meat, or blood when morphological characters such as hair or bones are not available. Immunological and protein electrophoretic (allozyme or general protein) procedures have been used in species identification with considerable success (Bunch et al. 1976, McClymont et al. 1982, Wolfe 1983, Mardini 1984,
Authors
Matthew A. Cronin, Daniel A. Palmisciano, Ernest R. Vyse, David G. Cameron
Spatial heterogeneity of mitochondrial DNA and allozymes among populations of white-tailed deer and mule deer
A raccoon. (Procyon lotor) was observed in a weakened condition for several days at a farm a few miles east of Salisbury, Maryland. It was then caught and held in captivity for a few days. It continued to become weaker and on May 3, 1954, B. Mixon of the Maryland Department of Game and Inland Fish submitted it to us for study. There was no evidence of trauma, either internal or external. The fur w
Authors
M. A. Cronin, M. Nelson, D. Pac
Inter- and intraspecific mitochondrial DNA variation in North American bears (Ursus)
We assessed mitochondrial DNA variation in North American black bears (Ursus americanus), brown bears (Ursus arctos), and polar bears (Ursus maritimus). Divergent mitochondrial DNA haplotypes (0.05 base substitutions per nucleotide) were identified in populations of black bears from Montana and Oregon. In contrast, very similar haplotypes occur in black bears across North America. This discordance
Authors
Matthew A. Cronin, Steven C. Amstrup, Gerald W. Garner, Ernest R. Vyse
Energy dynamics, foraging ecology, and behavior of prenesting greater white-fronted geese
We collected greater white-fronted geese (Anser albifrons frontalis) on their nesting grounds on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska, when they arrived and again before incubation during 1986 and 1987. Body mass, water content, crude fat, and crude protein increased in female geese between arrival and incubation onset in 1986 and 1987 (P = 0.0001, 0.0002, 0.0329, and 0.0003, respectively). Body mass
Authors
D.A. Budeau, John T. Ratti, Craig R. Ely
Apparatus for precise regulation and chilling of water temperatures in laboratory studies
Laboratory simulation of water temperature regimes that occur in subarctic rivers through winter necessitates the ability to maintain near-freezing conditions. A heat-exchangeing apparatus is described that provided a convenient means of simulating the range of temperatures (0.5-12 degrees C) that incubating eggs of salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) typically experience in south-central Alaska watersheds
Authors
C. Burger
Arctic fox control improves nest success of black brant
No abstract available.
Authors
R. Michael Anthony, Paul L. Flint, J.S. Sedinger
Patterns of seabird and marine mammal carcass deposition along the central California coast, 1980-1986
At monthly intervals from February 1980 through December 1986, a 14.5-km section of central California coastline was systematically surveyed for beach-cast carcasses of marine birds and mammals. Five hundred and fifty-four bird carcasses and 194 marine mammal carcasses were found. Common murres, western grebes, and Brandt's cormorants composed 45% of the bird total. California sea lions, sea otter
Authors
James L. Bodkin, Ronald J. Jameson
Mitochondrial and nuclear genetic relationships of deer (Odocoileus spp.) in western North America
Odocoileus hemionus (mule deer and black-tailed deer) and Odocoileus virginanus (white-tailed deer) are sympatric in western North America and are characterized by distinct morphology, behavior, and allozyme allele frequencies. However, there is discordance among nuclear and mitochondrial genetic relationships, as mule deer (O. h. hemionus) and white-tailed deer have similar mitochondrial DNA (mtD
Authors
Matthew A. Cronin
Effects of wind-hardened snow on foraging by reindeer (Rangifer tarandus)
Various methods were investigated for assessing the relationship between wind-hardened snow (upsik) and forage availability to reindeer. Mean bottom area of individual craters was not a function of depth, hardness or integrated hardness. Individual crater area was partially dependent on specific cratering time (r2 = .60). Cratering time per active period increased with integrated snow hardness (r2
Authors
W. B. Collins, T. S. Smith