Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Publications

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

Filter Total Items: 16783

Spatiotemporal pattern of interactions between an apex predator and sympatric species

Increases in apex predator abundance can influence the behavior of sympatric species, particularly when the available habitat and/or resources are limited. We assessed the temporal and spatiotemporal interactions between Florida panthers (Puma concolor coryi) and six focal sympatric species in South Florida, where Florida panther abundance has increased by more than 6-fold since the 1990’s. Using
Authors
Marta P Guitart, David P Onorato, James E. Hines, Madan K. Oli

Estimating flood magnitude and frequency on streams and rivers in Connecticut, based on data through water year 2015

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Connecticut Department of Transportation, updated flood-frequency estimates with 50-, 20-, 10-, 4-, 2-, 1-, 0.5-, and 0.2-percent annual exceedance probabilities (2-, 5-, 10-, 25-, 50-, 100-, 200-, and 500-year recurrence intervals, respectively) for 141 streamgages in Connecticut and 11 streamgages in adjacent States using annual peak-flow data
Authors
Elizabeth A. Ahearn, Glenn A. Hodgkins

Numerical characterization of cohesive and non-cohesive ‘sediments’ under different consolidation states using 3D DEM triaxial experiments

The Discrete Element Method has been widely used to simulate geo-materials due to time and scale limitations met in the field and laboratories. While cohesionless geo-materials were the focus of many previous studies, the deformation of cohesive geo-materials in 3D remained poorly characterized. Here, we aimed to generate a range of numerical ‘sediments’, assess their mechanical response to stress
Authors
Hadar Elyashiv, Revital Bookman, Lennart Siemann, Uri S. ten Brink, Katrin Huhn

Distribution of selected hydrogeologic characteristics of the upper glacial and Magothy aquifers, Long Island, New York

The Pleistocene- and Cretaceous-age sediments underlying Long Island, New York, compose an important sole-source aquifer system that is nearly 2,000 feet thick in some areas. Sediment characteristics of importance for water supply include water-transmitting properties—horizontal and vertical hydraulic conductivity—and the distribution of lignite, which provides an important control on oxygen-reduc
Authors
Donald A. Walter, Jason S. Finkelstein

Improved prediction of management-relevant groundwater discharge characteristics throughout river networks

Groundwater discharge zones connect aquifers to surface water, generating baseflow and serving as ecosystem control points across aquatic ecosystems. The influence of groundwater discharge on surface flow connectivity, fate and transport of contaminants and nutrients, and thermal habitat depends strongly on hydrologic characteristics such as the spatial distribution, age, and depth of source groun
Authors
Janet R. Barclay, J. Jeffrey Starn, Martin A. Briggs, Ashley Helton

Photoluminescence imaging of whole zircon grains on a petrographic microscope—An underused aide for geochronologic studies

The refractory nature of zircon to temperature and pressure allows even a single zircon grain to preserve a rich history of magmatic, metamorphic, and hydrothermal processes. Isotopic dating of micro-domains exposed in cross-sections of zircon grains allows us to interrogate this history. Unfortunately, our ability to select the zircon grains in a heavy mineral concentrate that records the most ge

Authors
Ryan J. McAleer, Aaron M. Jubb, Paul C. Hackley, Gregory J. Walsh, Arthur J. Merschat, Sean P. Regan, William C. Burton, Jorge A. Vazquez

Assessing the exposure of three diving bird species to offshore wind areas on the U.S. Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf using satellite telemetry

AimThe United States Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) has considerable offshore wind energy potential. Capturing that resource is part of a broader effort to reduce CO2 emissions. While few turbines have been constructed in U.S. waters, over a dozen currently planned offshore wind projects have the potential to displace marine birds, potentially leading to effective habitat loss. We focused
Authors
Iain J Stenhouse, Alicia Berlin, Andrew T Gilbert, M Wing Goodale, Carrie O Gray, William A Montevecchi, Lucas Savoy, Caleb S. Spiegel

Assessing the efficacy of protected and multiple-use lands for bird conservation in the U.S.

Setting land aside has long been a primary approach for protecting biodiversity; however, the efficacy of this approach has been questioned. We examined whether protecting lands positively influences bird species in the U.S., and thus overall biodiversity. We used the North American Breeding Bird Survey and Protected Areas Database of the U.S. to assess effects of protected and multiple-use lands
Authors
L. Lynnette Dornak, Jocelyn L. Aycrigg, John R. Sauer, Courtney J. Conway

The collection and analysis of Bay of Fundy sediment under contract between the association of US delegates to the Gulf of Maine Council on the marine environment and eastern Charlotte waterways for contaminant monitoring and analysis

This report presents data obtained through the EcoSystem Indicator Partnership (ESIP) which was established in 2006 to improve understanding and to inform researchers, managers, and citizens about the status and trends of ecosystem health in the Gulf of Maine (http://www.gulfofmaine.org/2/esip-homepage/). In its efforts to compile information on contaminant indicators in the Gulf of Maine, ESIP id
Authors
James S Latimer, David Page, Adria Elskus, Lawrence A LeBlanc, Gareth Harding, Peter G Wells

Migratory status determines resource selection by American Woodcock at an important fall stopover, Cape May, New Jersey

Migration is a period of high activity and exposure during which risks and energetic demand on individuals may be greater than during nonmigratory periods. Stopover locations can help mitigate these threats by providing supplemental energy en route to the animal’s end destination. Effective conservation of migratory species therefore requires an understanding of use of space that provides resource
Authors
Brian L. Allen, Daniel McAuley, Erik J. Blomberg

The pathogenesis of a North American H5N2 clade 2.3.4.4 group A highly pathogenic avian influenza virus in surf scoters (Melanitta perspicillata)

BackgroundAquatic waterfowl, particularly those in the order Anseriformes and Charadriiformes, are the ecological reservoir of avian influenza viruses (AIVs). Dabbling ducks play a recognized role in the maintenance and transmission of AIVs. Furthermore, the pathogenesis of highly pathogenic AIV (HPAIV) in dabbling ducks is well characterized. In contrast, the role of diving ducks in HPAIV mainten
Authors
Jasmine M. Luczo, Diann Prosser, Mary J. Pantin-Jackwood, Alicia Berlin, Erica Spackman

Total water level data from the January and March 2018 nor’easters for coastal areas of New England

During winter 2017–18 coastal areas of New England were impacted by the January 4, and March 2–4, 2018, nor’easters. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), under an interagency agreement with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), collected total water level data (the combination of tide, storm surge, wave runup and setup, and freshwater input) using the North American Vertical Datum of 1988
Authors
Gardner C. Bent, Nicholas J. Taylor