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Publications

Click below for access to more than 170,000 publications written by USGS scientists over the century-plus history of the bureau.

Filter Total Items: 756

Next-generation sequencing reveals cryptic mtDNA diversity of Plasmodium relictum in the Hawaiian Islands

Next-generation 454 sequencing techniques were used to re-examine diversity of mitochondrial cytochrome b lineages of avian malaria (Plasmodium relictum) in Hawaii. We document a minimum of 23 variant lineages of the parasite based on single nucleotide transitional changes, in addition to the previously reported single lineage (GRW4). A new, publicly available portal (Integroomer) was developed fo
Authors
S.I. Jarvi, M.E. Farias, D.A. Lapointe, M. Belcaid, C. T. Atkinson

Avian disease assessment in seabirds and non-native passerines birds at Midway Atoll NWR

Midway Atoll in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands supports the largest breeding colony of Laysan albatross (Phoebastria immutabilis) in the world and is a proposed site for the translocation of endangered Northwestern Hawaiian Island passerine birds such as the Nihoa finch (Telespiza ultima), Nihoa millerbird (Acrocephalus familiaris kingi), or Laysan finch (Telespiza cantans). On the main Hawaiia
Authors
Dennis A. LaPointe, Carter T. Atkinson, John L. Klavitter

Freshwater and drought on Pacific Islands

No abstract available.
Authors
Scot K. Izuka, Victoria Keener

Availability and distribution of low flow in Anahola Stream, Kauaʻi, Hawaiʻi

Anahola Stream is a perennial stream in northeast Kauaʻi, Hawaiʻi, that supports agricultural, domestic, and cultural uses within its drainage basin. Beginning in the late 19th century, Anahola streamflow was diverted by Makee Sugar Company at altitudes of 840 feet (upper intake) and 280 feet (lower intake) for irrigating sugarcane in the Keālia area. When sugarcane cultivation in the Keālia area
Authors
Chui Ling Cheng, Reuben H. Wolff

Reversion to virulence and efficacy of an attenuated canarypox vaccine in Hawai'i 'Amakihi (Hemignathus Virens)

Vaccines may be effective tools for protecting small populations of highly susceptible endangered, captive-reared, or translocated Hawaiian honeycreepers from introduced Avipoxvirus, but their efficacy has not been evaluated. An attenuated Canarypox vaccine that is genetically similar to one of two passerine Avipoxvirus isolates from Hawai‘i and distinct from Fowlpox was tested to evaluate whether
Authors
Carter T. Atkinson, Kimberly C. Wiegand, Dennis Triglia, Susan I. Jarvi

One year of migration data for a western yellow-billed cuckoo

In 2009, we studied the migration of the Western Yellow-billed Cuckoo by capturing 13 breeding birds on the middle Rio Grande, New Mexico, and attaching a 1.5-g Mk 14-S British Antarctic Survey geolocator to each bird. In 2010, we recaptured one of the cuckoos, enabling us to download its geolocation data. The cuckoo had flown approximately 9500 km during its southward migration, traveling through
Authors
Juddson D. Sechrist, Eben H. Paxton, Darrell D. Ahlers, Robert H. Doster, Vicky M. Ryan

Low-flow characteristics of streams under natural and diversion conditions, Waipiʻo Valley, Island of Hawaiʻi, Hawaiʻi

Over the past 100 years, natural streamflow in Waipiʻo Valley has been reduced by the transfer of water out of the valley by Upper and Lower Hāmākua Ditches. The physical condition and diversion practices along the two ditch systems have varied widely over the years, and as a result, so have their effects on natural streamflow in Waipiʻo Valley. Recent renovation and improvements to Lower Hāmākua
Authors
Richard A. Fontaine

Response of palila and other subalpine Hawaiian forest bird species to prolonged drought and habitat degradation by feral ungulates

Extinction has claimed half of all historically-known Hawaiian passerines, and today many extant species are increasingly threatened due to the combined effects of invasive species and climate change. Habitat disturbance has affected populations of feeding specialists most profoundly, and our results indicate that specialists continue to be most vulnerable, although even some abundant, introduced,
Authors
Paul C. Banko, Richard J. Camp, Chris Farmer, Kevin W. Brinck, David L. Leonard, Robert M. Stephens

Palynological composition of a Lower Cretaceous South American tropical sequence: Climatic implications and diversity comparisons with other latitudes.

Premise of the study: Reconstruction of floristic patterns during the early diversification of angiosperms is impeded by the scarce fossil record, especially in tropical latitudes. Here we collected quantitative palynological data from a stratigraphic sequence in tropical South America to provide floristic and climatic insights into such tropical environments during the Early Cretaceous. Methods:
Authors
Paula J. Mejia-Velasquez, David L. Dilcher, Carlos A. Jaramillo, Lucas B. Fortini, Steven R. Manchester

Elucidating spatially explicit behavioral landscapes in the Willow Flycatcher

Animal resource selection is a complex, hierarchical decision-making process, yet resource selection studies often focus on the presence and absence of an animal rather than the animal's behavior at resource use locations. In this study, we investigate foraging and vocalization resource selection in a population of Willow Flycatchers, Empidonax traillii adastus, using Bayesian spatial generalized

Authors
Amanda V. Bakian, Kimberly A. Sullivan, Eben H. Paxton

Predicting sea-level rise vulnerability of terrestrial habitat and wildlife of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands

If current climate change trends continue, rising sea levels may inundate low-lying islands across the globe, placing island biodiversity at risk. Recent models predict a rise of approximately one meter (1 m) in global sea level by 2100, with larger increases possible in areas of the Pacific Ocean. Pacific Islands are unique ecosystems home to many endangered endemic plant and animal species. The
Authors
Michelle H. Reynolds, Paul Berkowitz, Karen N. Courtot, Crystal M. Krause