Publications
Publications from USGS science centers throughout the Southeast Region.
Filter Total Items: 9967
Arsenic in private well water and birth outcomes in the United States
BackgroundPrenatal exposure to drinking water with arsenic concentrations >50 μg/L is associated with adverse birth outcomes, with inconclusive evidence for concentrations ≤50 μg/L. In a collaborative effort by public health experts, hydrologists, and geologists, we used published machine learning model estimates to characterize arsenic concentrations in private wells—federally unregulated for dri
Authors
Catherine Bulka, Molly Scannell Bryan, Melissa Lombard, Scott Bartell, Daniel Jones, Paul M. Bradley, Veronica Vieira, Debra Silverman, Michael J. Focazio, Patricia Toccalino, Johnni Daniel, Lorraine C. Backer, Joseph D. Ayotte, Matthew O. Gribble, Maria Argos
Novel insights on aquatic mammal MHC evolution: Evidence from manatee DQB diversity
The low diversity in marine mammal major histocompatibility complex (MHC) appears to support the hypothesis of reduced pathogen selective pressure in aquatic systems compared to terrestrial environments. However, the lack of characterization of the aquatic and evolutionarily distant Sirenia precludes drawing more generalized conclusions. Therefore, we aimed to characterize the MHC DQB diversity of
Authors
André L.A. de Sá, Pamela K.B. Baker, Breanna Breaux, Jairo M. Oliveira, Alex G.C. de Macedo Klautau, Kristian Legatzki, Fábia de Oliveira Luna, Fernanda L.N. Attademo, Margaret Hunter, Michael F. Criscitiello, Maria P. Schneider, Leonardo Sena
Spatially integrating microbiology and geochemistry to reveal complex environmental health issues: Anthrax in the contiguous United States
Maxent models were run using the B. anthracis presence data and/or the animal outbreak presence data. Models run using the animal outbreak data alone utilized two scales: the Outbreak State scale which included only states reporting animal anthrax outbreaks from 2001 to 2013 and the National scale which included all states in the contiguous United States. Three iterations of the environmental data
Authors
Erin Silvestri, Stephen Douglas, Vicky Luna, C.A.O. Jean-Babtiste, D. Harbin, Laura Hempel, Timothy Boe, Tonya Nichols, Dale W. Griffin
Chandeleur Islands to Breton Island bathymetric and topographic datasets and operational sediment budget development: Methodology and analysis report
This study is part of the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) Louisiana Barrier Island Comprehensive Monitoring (BICM) program. The goal of the BICM program is to provide long-term data on the barrier islands of Louisiana for monitoring change and assisting in coastal management. The BICM program uses historical data and acquires new data to map and monitor shoreline position, sedi
Authors
James G. Flocks, Arnell S. Forde, Julie Bernier
Estimating detection and occupancy of secretive marsh bird species in low and high saline marshes in southwestern Louisiana using automated recording units
Secretive marsh birds (SMBs) are important indicator species of coastal wetlands but are difficult to detect and monitor. In coastal Louisiana, an important stronghold for these species, climate and hydrological models predict that freshwater and intermediate marshes will expand in the next 50 years, while brackish marshes will shrink. We used a multi-species Bayesian hierarchical occupancy model
Authors
Hardin Waddle, Landon R. Jones, Phillip L. Vasseur, Clint W. Jeske
A comparison of eDNA and visual survey methods for detection of longnose darter Percina nasuta in Missouri
The longnose darter Percina nasuta is a rare and cryptic fish that recently disappeared from much of its historic range. We developed and used an environmental DNA (eDNA) assay for longnose darter paired with visual surveys to better determine the species’ range and compare detection probability between sampling approaches in an occupancy modeling framework. We detected longnose darter eDNA furthe
Authors
Jacob Thomas Westhoff, Leah K. Berkman, Katy E. Klymus, Nathan Thompson, Cathy A. Richter
Influence of offshore oil and gas structures on seascape ecological connectivity
Offshore platforms, subsea pipelines, wells and related fixed structures supporting the oil and gas (O&G) industry are prevalent in oceans across the globe, with many approaching the end of their operational life and requiring decommissioning. Although structures can possess high ecological diversity and productivity, information on how they interact with broader ecological processes remains uncle
Authors
Dianne L McLean, Luciana C. Ferreira, Jessica A Benthuysen, Karen J. Miller, Marie-Lise Schlappy, Matthew J. Ajemian, Oliver Berry, Silvana N. R. Birchenough, Todd Bond, Fabio Boschetti, Ann S Bull, Jeremy T Claisse, Scott A Condie, Pierpaolo Consoli, Joop W. P. Coolen, Michael Elliott, Irene S Fortune, Ashley M Fowler, Bronwyn M Gillanders, Hugo B Harrison, Kristen Hart, Lea-Anne Henry, Chad L Hewitt, Natalie Hicks, Karlo Hock, Kieran Hyder, Milton S. Love, Peter I Macreadie, Robert J. Miller, William A Montevecchi, Mary M Nishimoto, Henry M. Page, David M Paterson, Charitha B Pattiaratchi, Gretta T Pecl, Joanne S Porter, David B. Reeves, Cynthia Riginos, Sally Rouse, Debbie J. F. Russell, Craig D. H. Sherman, Jonas Teilmann, Victoria L. G. Todd, Eric A. Treml, David H. Williamson, Michele Thums
Risk assessment of chanchita Cichlasoma dimerus (Heckel, 1840), a newly identified non-native cichlid fish in Florida
The risk of a newly discovered non-native fish species in Florida (USA): Cichlasoma dimerus ([Heckel, 1840]; Family: Cichlidae) is assessed. Its tolerance to cold temperatures was experimentally evaluated and information on its biology and ecology was synthesized. In the cold-temperature tolerance experiment, temperature was lowered from 24 °C by increments of 1 °C per hour, mimicking a typical co
Authors
Mary Brown, Robert H. Robins, Pam Schofield
Temporal variability in TiO2 engineered particle concentrations in rural Edisto River
Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is widely used in engineered particles including engineered nanomaterial (ENM) and pigments, yet its occurrence, concentrations, temporal variability, and fate in natural environmental systems are poorly understood. For three years, we monitored TiO2 concentrations in a rural river basin (Edisto River, < 1% urban land cover) in South Carolina, United States. The total conce
Authors
Md Mahmudun Nabi, J. Wang, Celeste A. Journey, Paul M. Bradley, Mohammed Baalousha
Maximizing species distribution model performance when using historical occurrences and variables of varying persistency
Occurrence data used to build species distribution models often include historical records from locations in which the species no longer exists. When these records are paired with contemporary environmental values that no longer represent the conditions the species experienced, the model creates false associations that hurt predictive performance. The extent of mismatching increases with the numbe
Authors
Jason T. Bracken, Amelie Y. Davis, Katy O'Donnell, William Barichivich, Susan C. Walls, Tereza Jezkova
Evidence of a dietary shift by the Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) in the Indian River Lagoon inferred from stomach content analyses
Investigating the long-term fluctuations of the feeding ecology of megaherbivores such as sirenians is important, as any changes could be indicative of shifts in resource availability. The Indian River Lagoon (IRL), eastern Florida, USA, is a critical habitat for the Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris). However, the IRL has experienced a substantial decline in seagrass due to the pers
Authors
Aarin Conrad Allen, Cathy Beck, Danielle C. Sattelberger, Jeremy J. Kiszka
Chenier Plain region bathymetric and topographic datasets: Methodology report
The goal of the Louisiana Barrier Island Comprehensive Monitoring (BICM) program is to provide long-term data on coastal Louisiana for monitoring change and assisting in coastal management. This study (carried out under Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority contract number 2000339324, BICM2—Chenier TopoBathy DEM) builds upon the previous BICM physical assessment of the Chenier Plain region
Authors
James G. Flocks, Arnell S. Forde, Julie Bernier