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Publications

These publications showcase the significant science conducted in our Science Centers.

Filter Total Items: 16783

Groundwater recharge in northern New England: Meteorological drivers and relations with low streamflow

Meteorological drivers of groundwater recharge for spring (February–June), fall (October–January), and recharge-year (October–June) recharge seasons were evaluated for northern New England and upstate New York from 1989 to 2018. Monthly groundwater recharge was computed at 21 observation wells by subtracting the water levels at the end of each month from the level of the previous month; only posit
Authors
Caitlin Crossett, Glenn A. Hodgkins, Hadley Menk, Lesley-Ann L. Dupigny-Giroux, Robert W. Dudley, Mary D. Lemcke-Stampone, John C. Hammond

A comparison of direct & indirect survey methods for estimating colonial nesting waterbird populations

Population estimates derived from monitoring efforts can be sensitive to the survey method selected, potentially leading to biased estimates and low precision relative to true population size. While small unmanned aerial systems (UAS) present a unique opportunity to survey avian populations while limiting disturbance, relatively little is known about how this method compares with more traditional
Authors
Diann Prosser, Jeffery D. Sullivan, Christopher J. Gilbert, David F. Brinker, Peter C. McGowan, Carl R. Callahan, Ben Hutzell, Laurence E. Smith

Stabilising effects of karstic groundwater on stream fish communities

Although groundwater exchange processes are known to modulate atmospheric influences on stream temperature and flow, the implications for ecological stability are poorly understood. Here, we evaluated temporal change in stream fish communities across a gradient of groundwater influence defined by karst terrain (carbonate parent materials) within the Potomac River basin of eastern North America. We
Authors
Nathaniel Hitt, Karli M Rogers, Karmann G. Kessler, Martin Briggs, Jennifer Burlingame Hoyle Fair

Seafloor observations eliminate a landslide as the source of the 1918 Puerto Rico Tsunami

The 11 October 1918 devastating tsunami in northwest Puerto Rico had been used as an example for earthquake‐induced landslide tsunami hazard. Three pieces of evidence pointed to a landslide as the origin of the tsunami: the discovery of a large submarine landslide scar from bathymetry data collected by shipboard high‐resolution multibeam sonar, reported breaks of submarine cable within the scar, a
Authors
Uri S. ten Brink, Jason Chaytor, Claudia Flores, Yong Wei, Simon Detmer, Lilian Lucas, Brian D. Andrews, Aggeliki Georgiopoulou

Buzzards Bay salt marshes: Vulnerability and adaptation potential

Salt marshes with lush grass meadows teeming with shorebirds are iconic features of the Buzzards Bay coast and provide opportunities for recreation, aesthetic enjoyment, as well as important environmental benefits. These productive coastal wetlands are important because they protect properties from storm surges, remove nutrients from the water and carbon from the atmosphere, and provide critical h
Authors
R. W Jakuba, A. Besterman, L. Hoffart, J. E. Costa, Neil K. Ganju, L. Deegan

Improving understanding and coordination of science activities for PFAS in the Chesapeake watershed

No abstract available.
Authors
Kelly L. Smalling, Michelle Lorah, Greg Allen, Lee Blaney, Mark Cantwell, Lara Fowler, Thomas F. Ihde, Mark Mank, Emily Majcher, George Onyullo, Scott W. Phillips

Change in climatically suitable breeding distributions reduces hybridization potential between Vermivora warblers

AimClimate change is affecting the distribution of species and subsequent biotic interactions, including hybridization potential. The imperiled Golden-winged Warbler (GWWA) competes and hybridizes with the Blue-winged Warbler (BWWA), which may threaten the persistence of GWWA due to introgression. We examined how climate change is likely to alter the breeding distributions and potential for hybrid
Authors
Jessica N. Hightower, Dolly L. Crawford, Wayne E. Thogmartin, Kyle R. Aldinger, Sara Barker Swarthout, David A. Buehler, John Confer, Christian Friis, Jeff Larkin, James D. Lowe, Martin Piorkowski, Ronald W. Rohrbaugh, Kenneth V. Rosenberg, Curtis G. Smalling, Petra B. Wood, Rachel Vallender, Amber M. Roth

A recently discovered trachyte-hosted rare earth element-niobium-zirconium occurrence in northern Maine, USA

Reported here are geological, geophysical, mineralogical, and geochemical data on a previously unknown trachyte-hosted rare earth element (REE)-Nb-Zr occurrence at Pennington Mountain in northern Maine, USA. This occurrence was newly discovered by a regional multiparameter, airborne radiometric survey that revealed anomalously high equivalent Th (eTh) and U (eU), confirmed by a detailed ground rad
Authors
Chunzeng Wang, John F. Slack, Anjana K. Shah, Martin G. Yates, David R. Lentz, Amber T.H. Whittaker, Robert G. Marvinney

Mineral commodity summaries 2023

Each mineral commodity chapter of the 2023 edition of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Mineral Commodity Summaries (MCS) includes information on events, trends, and issues for each mineral commodity as well as discussions and tabular presentations on domestic industry structure, Government programs, tariffs, 5-year salient statistics, and world production, reserves, and resources. The MCS is the

Peat decomposition and erosion contribute to pond deepening in a temperate salt marsh

Salt marsh ponds expand and deepen over time, potentially reducing ecosystem carbon storage and resilience. The water filled volumes of ponds represent missing carbon due to prevented soil accumulation and removal by erosion and decomposition. Removal mechanisms have different implications as eroded carbon can be redistributed while decomposition results in loss. We constrained ponding effects on
Authors
Sheron Luk, Meagan J. Eagle, Giulio Mariotti, Kelsey Gosselin, Jonathan Sanderman, Amanda C. Spivak

Lessons learned in knowledge co-production for climate-smart decision-making

Knowledge co-production, a process that involves both creators and users of information in knowledge generation, is growing in popularity in the conservation and ecology fields. While examples of successful co-production are becoming more common, many barriers and challenges remain in this work. Here, we reflect on our experiences in knowledge co-production from three recent case studies, using a
Authors
Alyssa Rosemartin, Theresa Crimmins, Katherine L. Gerst, Erin E. Posthumus, Aaron R. Ramirez, Cynthia S. Wallace, Toni Lyn Morelli

Simulation of regional groundwater flow and advective transport of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst and vicinity, New Jersey, 2018

A three-dimensional numerical model of groundwater flow was developed and calibrated for the unconsolidated New Jersey Coastal Plain aquifers underlying Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (JBMDL) and vicinity, New Jersey, to evaluate groundwater flow pathways of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination associated with use of aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) at the base. The regional
Authors
Alex R. Fiore, Susan J. Colarullo