The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) provides reliable science, data, information, and models (hereafter collectively referred to as “information”) to describe and understand the Earth. This information is used to minimize loss of life and property from natural disasters; manage water, biological, energy, and mineral resources; and enhance and protect quality of life. USGS science informs public and private decisions, operations, and risk management in all major United States economic sectors, as defined by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, and provides critical information for natural resource and natural hazard management and stewardship decisions. Understanding the value of scientific information supports applications of USGS science in land- and water-management decisions, and better informs the public about the return on investment of USGS programs. USGS economists, social scientists, and physical scientists are engaged in collaborative efforts to advance methods to estimate the value of information (VOI) produced by the USGS. These efforts involve collaborating with an international community to develop and refine estimation methods, establish best practices to determine VOI, develop a study repository, and conduct projects to assess the VOI of specific information products and their application. This report focuses on economic valuation conducted by USGS specifically, although the methodology has much broader applicability within the U.S. government, academia, and beyond. Noneconomic valuation techniques for assessing the VOI also exist but are not addressed in this report.
","language":"English","publisher":"U.S. Geological Survey","publisherLocation":"Reston, VA","doi":"10.3133/ofr20231011","usgsCitation":"Pindilli, E., Chiavacci, S., and Straub, C., 2023, The value of scientific information—An overview: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2023–1011, 5 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20231011.","productDescription":"iii, 5 p.","numberOfPages":"5","onlineOnly":"Y","additionalOnlineFiles":"N","ipdsId":"IP-146764","costCenters":[{"id":554,"text":"Science and Decisions Center","active":true,"usgs":true}],"links":[{"id":412985,"rank":3,"type":{"id":39,"text":"HTML Document"},"url":"https://pubs.usgs.gov/publication/ofr20231011/full","text":"Report","linkFileType":{"id":5,"text":"html"},"description":"OFR 2023-1011"},{"id":412987,"rank":5,"type":{"id":31,"text":"Publication XML"},"url":"https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2023/1011/ofr20231011.XML"},{"id":412950,"rank":2,"type":{"id":11,"text":"Document"},"url":"https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2023/1011/ofr20231011.pdf","text":"Report","size":"1.73 MB","linkFileType":{"id":1,"text":"pdf"},"description":"OFR 2023-1011"},{"id":412949,"rank":1,"type":{"id":24,"text":"Thumbnail"},"url":"https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2023/1011/coverthb.jpg"},{"id":412986,"rank":4,"type":{"id":34,"text":"Image Folder"},"url":"https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2023/1011/images/"}],"contact":"Science and Decisions Center
U.S. Geological Survey
12201 Sunrise Valley Drive
Reston, VA 20192
Lacustrine carbonates in a 12.4-m-long core from Lower Pahranagat Lake (LPAH), southern Nevada, indicate that radiogenic isotopes of Sr and U (87Sr/86Sr and 234U/238U) preserve evidence of past variations in water sources and evolving hydrologic conditions. Sr and U isotope compositions in LPAH carbonates fall within the range defined by the three primary groundwater sources in Pahranagat Valley and reflect variable mixtures of those sources since the mid-Holocene. Compositions in the oldest sample (5.78 ka) closely match modern compositions of modern discharge from nearby springs, indicating that LPAH water was derived almost exclusively from the local volcanic aquifer. By ca. 5.3–5.2 ka, LPAH water compositions shifted sharply towards isotopic compositions observed in groundwater from the regional carbonate aquifer, indicating a marked increase in surface flow from high-volume springs discharging from the carbonate aquifer to the north. Sediments deposited between 3.08–1.06 ka indicate reduced contributions from the regional aquifer. A comparison of uranium- and oxygen-isotope values in LPAH carbonates suggests that wetter climate conditions favor increased supply from deeper, regional carbonate aquifers compared to drier conditions when contributions from shallower, local volcanic aquifers were more important.
Loss and degradation of sagebrush rangelands due to an accelerated invasive annual grass-wildfire cycle and other stressors are significant management, conservation, and economic issues in the western United States. These sagebrush rangelands comprise a unique biome spanning 11 states, support over 350 wildlife species, and provide important ecosystem services that include stabilizing the economies of western communities. Impacts to sagebrush ecosystem processes over large areas due to the annual grass-wildfire cycle necessitated the development of a coordinated, science-based strategy for improving efforts to achieve long-term protection, conservation, and restoration of sagebrush rangelands, which was framed in 2015 under the Integrated Rangeland Fire Management Strategy (IRFMS). Central to this effort was the development of an Actionable Science Plan (Plan) that identified 37 priority science needs (Needs) for informing the actions proposed under the 5 topics (Fire, Invasives, Restoration, Sagebrush and Sage-Grouse, Climate and Weather) that were part of the collective focus of the IRFMS. Notable keys to this effort were identification of the Needs co-produced by managers and researchers, and a focus on resulting science being “actionable.”
Substantial investments aimed at fulfilling the Needs identified in the Plan have been made since its release in 2016. While the state of the science has advanced considerably, the extent to which knowledge gaps remain relative to identified Needs is relatively unknown. Moreover, new Needs have likely emerged since the original strategy as results from actionable science reveal new questions and possible (yet untested) solutions. A quantifiable assessment of the progress made on the original science Needs can identify unresolved gaps and new information that can help inform prioritization of future research efforts.
This report details a systematic literature review that evaluated how well peer-reviewed journal articles and formal technical reports published between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2020, addressed nine needs (hereinafter, “Needs”) identified under the Sagebrush and Sage-Grouse topic in the Plan. The topic outlined research Needs broadly focused on understanding sagebrush rangelands and population dynamics important for the conservation and management of sage-grouse and other sagebrush-reliant wildlife species. We established the level of progress towards addressing each Need following a standardized set of criteria, and developed summaries detailing how research objectives nested within Needs identified in the Plan (‘Next Steps’) were either addressed well, partially addressed or remain outstanding (in other words, addressed poorly) in the literature through 2020. Our searches resulted in the inclusion of 333 science products that at least partially addressed a Need identified in the Sagebrush and Sage-Grouse topic. The Needs that were well and partially addressed included:
Needs addressed poorly included:
The information provided in this assessment will assist updating the Plan along with other science strategies.
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2150 Centre Avenue, Bldg C
Fort Collins, CO 80526
Loss and degradation of sagebrush rangelands due to an accelerated invasive annual grass-wildfire cycle and other stressors are significant management, conservation, and economic issues in the western United States. These sagebrush rangelands comprise a unique biome spanning 11 states, support over 350 wildlife species, and provide important ecosystem services that include stabilizing the economies of western communities. Impacts to sagebrush ecosystem processes over large areas due to the annual grass-wildfire cycle necessitated the development of a coordinated, science-based strategy for improving efforts to achieve long-term protection, conservation, and restoration of sagebrush rangelands, which was framed in 2015 under the Integrated Rangeland Fire Management Strategy (IRFMS). Central to this effort was the development of an Actionable Science Plan (Plan) that identified 37 priority science needs (Needs) for informing the actions proposed under the 5 topics (Fire, Invasives, Restoration, Sagebrush and Sage-Grouse, Climate and Weather) that were part of the collective focus of the IRFMS. Notable keys to this effort were identification of the Needs co-produced by managers and researchers, and a focus on resulting science being “actionable.”
Substantial investments aimed at fulfilling the Needs identified in the Plan have been made since its release in 2016. While the state of the science has advanced considerably, the extent to which knowledge gaps remain relative to identified Needs is relatively unknown. Moreover, new Needs have likely emerged since the original strategy as results from actionable science reveal new questions and possible (yet untested) solutions. A quantifiable assessment of the progress made on the original science Needs can identify unresolved gaps and new information that can help inform prioritization of future research efforts.
This report details a systematic literature review that evaluated how well peer-reviewed journal articles and formal technical reports published between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2020, addressed eight needs (hereinafter known as “Needs”) identified under the Fire topic in the Plan, defined as any non-structure fire that occurs in vegetation or natural fuels, including wildfires and prescribed fires. The topic outlined research Needs broadly focused on understanding the mechanisms and management of threats posed to the maintenance of large, contiguous sagebrush rangelands by fire. We established the level of progress towards addressing each Need following a standardized set of criteria, and developed summaries detailing how research objectives nested within Needs identified in the Plan (‘Next Steps’) were either addressed well, partially addressed or remain outstanding (in other words., addressed poorly) in the literature through 2020. Our searches resulted in the inclusion of 156 science products that at least partially addressed a Need identified in the Fire topic. The Needs that were well and partially addressed included:
Needs addressed poorly included:
The information provided in this assessment will assist updating the Plan along with other science strategies.
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Loss and degradation of sagebrush rangelands due to an accelerated invasive annual grass-wildfire cycle and other stressors are substantial management, conservation, and economic issues in the western United States. These sagebrush rangelands comprise a unique biome spanning 11 states, support over 350 wildlife species, and provide important ecosystem services that include stabilizing the economies of western communities. Impacts to sagebrush ecosystem processes over large areas due to the annual grass-wildfire cycle necessitated the development of a coordinated, science-based strategy for improving efforts to achieve long-term protection, conservation, and restoration of sagebrush rangelands, which was framed in 2015 under the Integrated Rangeland Fire Management Strategy (IRFMS). Central to this effort was the development of an Actionable Science Plan (Plan) that identified 37 priority science needs (Needs) for informing the actions proposed under the 5 topics (Fire, Invasives, Restoration, Sagebrush and Sage-Grouse, Climate and Weather) that were part of the collective focus of the IRFMS. Notable keys to this effort were identification of the Needs co-produced by managers and researchers, and a focus on resulting science being “actionable.”
Substantial investments aimed at fulfilling the Needs identified in the Plan have been made since its release in 2016. While the state of the science has advanced considerably, the extent to which knowledge gaps remain relative to identified Needs is relatively unknown. Moreover, new Needs have likely emerged since the original strategy as results from actionable science reveal new questions, and possible (yet untested) solutions. A quantifiable assessment of the progress made on the original science Needs can identify unresolved gaps and new information that can help inform prioritization of future research efforts.
This report details a systematic literature review that evaluated how well peer-reviewed journal articles and formal technical reports published between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2020, addressed 10 needs (hereinafter “Needs”) identified under the Restoration topic in the Plan. The topic outlined research Needs for improving restoration success in degraded sagebrush rangelands. We established the level of progress towards addressing each Need following a standardized set of criteria, and developed summaries detailing how research objectives nested within Needs identified in the Plan (“Next Steps”) were either addressed well, partially addressed or remain outstanding (that is, addressed poorly) in the literature through 2020. Our searches resulted in the inclusion of 371 science products that at least partially addressed a Need identified in the Restoration topic. The Needs that were well and partially addressed included:
Needs that were not addressed well included:
The information provided in this assessment will assist updating the Plan along with other science strategies.
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777 NW 9th Street, Suite 400
Corvallis, OR 97330
Loss and degradation of sagebrush rangelands due to an accelerated invasive annual grass-wildfire cycle and other stressors are significant management, conservation, and economic issues in the western United States. These sagebrush rangelands comprise a unique biome spanning 11 states, support over 350 wildlife species, and provide important ecosystem services that include stabilizing the economies of western communities. Impacts to sagebrush ecosystem processes over large areas due to the annual grass-wildfire cycle necessitated the development of a coordinated, science-based strategy for improving efforts to achieve long-term protection, conservation, and restoration of sagebrush rangelands, which was framed in 2015 under the Integrated Rangeland Fire Management Strategy (IRFMS). Central to this effort was the development of an Actionable Science Plan (Plan) that identified 37 priority science needs (Needs) for informing the actions proposed under the 5 topics (Fire, Invasives, Restoration, Sagebrush and Sage-Grouse, Climate and Weather) that were part of the collective focus of the IRFMS. Notable keys to this effort were identification of the Needs co-produced by managers and researchers, and a focus on resulting science being “actionable.”
Substantial investments aimed at fulfilling the Needs identified in the Plan have been made since its release in 2016. While the state of the science has advanced considerably, the extent to which knowledge gaps remain relative to identified Needs is relatively unknown. Moreover, new Needs have likely emerged since the original strategy as results from actionable science reveal new questions and possible (yet untested) solutions. A quantifiable assessment of the progress made on the original science Needs can identify unresolved gaps and new information that can help inform prioritization of future research efforts.
This report details a systematic literature review that evaluated how well peer-reviewed journal articles and formal technical reports published between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2020, addressed six needs (hereinafter “Needs”) identified under the Invasives topic in the Plan. The topic outlined research Needs related to the control of invasive plant species in sagebrush rangelands, with a special emphasis on invasive annual grasses. We established the level of progress towards addressing each Need following a standardized set of criteria, and developed summaries detailing how research objectives nested within Needs identified in the Plan (“Next Steps”) were either addressed well, partially addressed, or remain outstanding (that is, addressed poorly) in the literature through 2020. Our searches resulted in the inclusion of 198 science products that at least partially addressed a Need identified in the Invasives topic. The Needs that were well and partially addressed included:
Needs that were addressed poorly included (1) investigations of livestock grazing as a tool for managing invasive plants and (2) investigations of cheatgrass die-offs and identification and subsequent study of potential biocontrol agents associated with those die-offs. The information provided in this assessment will assist updating the Plan along with other science strategies.
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777 NW 9th Street, Suite 400
Corvallis, OR 97330
One of the most important considerations for acoustic telemetry study designs is detection probability between the transmitter and the receiver. Variation in environmental (i.e., wind and flow) and abiotic (i.e., bathymetry) conditions among aquatic systems can lead to differences in detection probability temporally or between systems. In this study we evaluate the effect of distance, receiver mount design, transmitter depth, and wind speed on detection probabilities of two models of acoustic transmitters in a mid-sized river. InnovaSea V16-6H (hereafter V16) and V13-1L (hereafter V13) tags were deployed in the James River, SD at 0.36 m (deep) and 2.29 m (V16 tag) or 1.98 m (V13 tag; shallow) above the benthic surface downstream of InnovaSea VR2W stationary receivers at distances of 100, 200, or 300 m. We used two receiver mount designs that included a fixed position within a PVC pipe on the downstream side of a bridge piling or a metal frame deployed in the middle of the river channel. Tags were deployed for 72 h at each location, and hourly detections were summarized. We evaluated downstream distance, receiver mount design, tag depth, and wind effects on tag detection using Bayesian logistic regression.
","language":"English","publisher":"Springer Nature","doi":"10.1186/s40317-022-00313-y","usgsCitation":"Carlson, T.L., LaBrie, L.A., Wesner, J., Chipps, S.R., Coulter, A., and Schall, B.J., 2023, Receiver mount design, transmitter depth, and wind speed affect detection probability of acoustic telemetry transmitters in a Missouri River tributary: Animal Biotelemetry, v. 11, no. 6, 10 p., https://doi.org/10.1186/s40317-022-00313-y.","productDescription":"10 p.","ipdsId":"IP-147364","costCenters":[{"id":199,"text":"Coop Res Unit Leetown","active":true,"usgs":true}],"links":[{"id":444481,"rank":0,"type":{"id":40,"text":"Open Access Publisher Index Page"},"url":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s40317-022-00313-y","text":"Publisher Index Page"},{"id":433268,"type":{"id":24,"text":"Thumbnail"},"url":"https://pubs.usgs.gov/thumbnails/outside_thumb.jpg"}],"country":"United States","state":"South Dakota","otherGeospatial":"James River","geographicExtents":"{\n \"type\": \"FeatureCollection\",\n \"features\": [\n {\n \"type\": \"Feature\",\n \"properties\": {},\n \"geometry\": {\n \"coordinates\": [\n [\n [\n -97.3152938410847,\n 42.884709549840466\n ],\n [\n -97.3152938410847,\n 42.85752575088864\n ],\n [\n -97.2356156303545,\n 42.85752575088864\n ],\n [\n -97.2356156303545,\n 42.884709549840466\n ],\n [\n -97.3152938410847,\n 42.884709549840466\n ]\n ]\n ],\n \"type\": \"Polygon\"\n }\n }\n ]\n}","volume":"11","issue":"6","noUsgsAuthors":false,"publicationDate":"2023-02-13","publicationStatus":"PW","contributors":{"authors":[{"text":"Carlson, Tanner L.","contributorId":342338,"corporation":false,"usgs":false,"family":"Carlson","given":"Tanner","email":"","middleInitial":"L.","affiliations":[{"id":16684,"text":"University of South Dakota","active":true,"usgs":false}],"preferred":false,"id":910003,"contributorType":{"id":1,"text":"Authors"},"rank":1},{"text":"LaBrie, Lindsey A. P.","contributorId":342339,"corporation":false,"usgs":false,"family":"LaBrie","given":"Lindsey","email":"","middleInitial":"A. P.","affiliations":[{"id":16684,"text":"University of South Dakota","active":true,"usgs":false}],"preferred":false,"id":910004,"contributorType":{"id":1,"text":"Authors"},"rank":2},{"text":"Wesner, Jeff S.","contributorId":342343,"corporation":false,"usgs":false,"family":"Wesner","given":"Jeff S.","affiliations":[{"id":16684,"text":"University of South Dakota","active":true,"usgs":false}],"preferred":false,"id":910005,"contributorType":{"id":1,"text":"Authors"},"rank":3},{"text":"Chipps, Steven R. 0000-0001-6511-7582 steve_chipps@usgs.gov","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6511-7582","contributorId":2243,"corporation":false,"usgs":true,"family":"Chipps","given":"Steven","email":"steve_chipps@usgs.gov","middleInitial":"R.","affiliations":[{"id":199,"text":"Coop Res Unit Leetown","active":true,"usgs":true}],"preferred":true,"id":910006,"contributorType":{"id":1,"text":"Authors"},"rank":4},{"text":"Coulter, Alison A.","contributorId":342346,"corporation":false,"usgs":false,"family":"Coulter","given":"Alison A.","affiliations":[{"id":5089,"text":"South Dakota State University","active":true,"usgs":false}],"preferred":false,"id":910007,"contributorType":{"id":1,"text":"Authors"},"rank":5},{"text":"Schall, Benjamin J.","contributorId":342349,"corporation":false,"usgs":false,"family":"Schall","given":"Benjamin","email":"","middleInitial":"J.","affiliations":[{"id":81859,"text":"South Dakota Department of Game","active":true,"usgs":false}],"preferred":false,"id":910008,"contributorType":{"id":1,"text":"Authors"},"rank":6}]}} ,{"id":70254890,"text":"70254890 - 2023 - Gut microbiome composition associates with corticosteroid treatment, morbidity, and senescence in Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)","interactions":[],"lastModifiedDate":"2024-06-10T18:19:00.860165","indexId":"70254890","displayToPublicDate":"2023-02-13T13:14:04","publicationYear":"2023","noYear":false,"publicationType":{"id":2,"text":"Article"},"publicationSubtype":{"id":10,"text":"Journal Article"},"seriesTitle":{"id":3358,"text":"Scientific Reports","active":true,"publicationSubtype":{"id":10}},"displayTitle":"Gut microbiome composition associates with corticosteroid treatment, morbidity, and senescence in Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)","title":"Gut microbiome composition associates with corticosteroid treatment, morbidity, and senescence in Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)","docAbstract":"Pacific salmon experience prolonged elevation in corticosteroid hormones during important life history events including migration, reproduction, and senescence. These periods of elevated corticosteroids correspond with changes to immunity and energy metabolism; therefore, fish may be particularly vulnerable to mortality at these times. Recent studies found that stress-induced cortisol release associated with microbial community shifts in salmonids, raising the question of how longer-term corticosteroid dynamics that accompany life history transitions affect salmonid microbiomes. In this work, we experimentally evaluated the relationships between gut microbiome composition, chronically elevated corticosteroids, and mortality in juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha). We found that treatment with slow-release implants of the corticosteroids cortisol or dexamethasone resulted in persistent changes to the gut microbiome. Morbidity was also associated with microbiome composition, suggesting that the gut microbiome reflects individual differences in susceptibility to opportunistic pathogens. Additionally, we analyzed a small number of samples from adult fish at various stages of senescence. Results from these samples suggest that microbiome composition associated with gut integrity, and that the microbial communities of corticosteroid treated juveniles shift in composition toward those of senescent adults. Overall, findings from this work suggest that the gut microbiome associates with mortality risk during periods of chronic corticosteroid elevation.
","language":"English","publisher":"Springer Nature","doi":"10.1038/s41598-023-29663-0","usgsCitation":"Couch, C., Neal, W.T., Herron, C.L., Kent, M., Schreck , C., and Peterson, J., 2023, Gut microbiome composition associates with corticosteroid treatment, morbidity, and senescence in Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha): Scientific Reports, v. 13, 2567, 11 p., https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-29663-0.","productDescription":"2567, 11 p.","ipdsId":"IP-148931","costCenters":[{"id":200,"text":"Coop Res Unit Seattle","active":true,"usgs":true}],"links":[{"id":444484,"rank":0,"type":{"id":40,"text":"Open Access Publisher Index Page"},"url":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-29663-0","text":"Publisher Index Page"},{"id":429782,"type":{"id":24,"text":"Thumbnail"},"url":"https://pubs.usgs.gov/thumbnails/outside_thumb.jpg"}],"volume":"13","noUsgsAuthors":false,"publicationDate":"2023-02-13","publicationStatus":"PW","contributors":{"authors":[{"text":"Couch, Claire E.","contributorId":337928,"corporation":false,"usgs":false,"family":"Couch","given":"Claire E.","affiliations":[{"id":6680,"text":"Oregon State University","active":true,"usgs":false}],"preferred":false,"id":902787,"contributorType":{"id":1,"text":"Authors"},"rank":1},{"text":"Neal, William T.","contributorId":288713,"corporation":false,"usgs":false,"family":"Neal","given":"William","email":"","middleInitial":"T.","affiliations":[{"id":25426,"text":"OSU","active":true,"usgs":false}],"preferred":false,"id":902788,"contributorType":{"id":1,"text":"Authors"},"rank":2},{"text":"Herron, Crystal L.","contributorId":337929,"corporation":false,"usgs":false,"family":"Herron","given":"Crystal","email":"","middleInitial":"L.","affiliations":[{"id":6680,"text":"Oregon State University","active":true,"usgs":false}],"preferred":false,"id":902789,"contributorType":{"id":1,"text":"Authors"},"rank":3},{"text":"Kent, Michael L.","contributorId":288715,"corporation":false,"usgs":false,"family":"Kent","given":"Michael L.","affiliations":[{"id":25426,"text":"OSU","active":true,"usgs":false}],"preferred":false,"id":902790,"contributorType":{"id":1,"text":"Authors"},"rank":4},{"text":"Schreck , Carl B.","contributorId":181514,"corporation":false,"usgs":false,"family":"Schreck ","given":"Carl B.","affiliations":[],"preferred":false,"id":902791,"contributorType":{"id":1,"text":"Authors"},"rank":5},{"text":"Peterson, James T. 0000-0002-7709-8590 james_peterson@usgs.gov","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7709-8590","contributorId":2111,"corporation":false,"usgs":true,"family":"Peterson","given":"James","email":"james_peterson@usgs.gov","middleInitial":"T.","affiliations":[{"id":200,"text":"Coop Res Unit Seattle","active":true,"usgs":true}],"preferred":true,"id":902792,"contributorType":{"id":1,"text":"Authors"},"rank":6}]}} ,{"id":70250963,"text":"70250963 - 2023 - Atmospheric radiocarbon for the period 1910 to 2021 recorded by annual plants","interactions":[],"lastModifiedDate":"2024-01-17T13:18:21.737873","indexId":"70250963","displayToPublicDate":"2023-02-13T07:16:06","publicationYear":"2023","noYear":false,"publicationType":{"id":2,"text":"Article"},"publicationSubtype":{"id":10,"text":"Journal Article"},"seriesTitle":{"id":3225,"text":"Radiocarbon","active":true,"publicationSubtype":{"id":10}},"title":"Atmospheric radiocarbon for the period 1910 to 2021 recorded by annual plants","docAbstract":"We present a timeseries of 14CO2 for the period 1910–2021 recorded by annual plants collected in the southwestern United States, centered near Flagstaff, Arizona. This timeseries is dominated by five commonly occurring annual plant species in the region, which is considered broadly representative of the southern Colorado Plateau. Most samples (1910–2015) were previously archived herbarium specimens, with additional samples harvested from field experiments in 2015–2021. We used this novel timeseries to develop a smoothed local record with uncertainties for “bomb spike” 14C dating of recent terrestrial organic matter. Our results highlight the potential importance of local records, as we document a delayed arrival of the 1963–1964 bomb spike peak, lower values in the 1980s, and elevated values in the last decade in comparison to the most current Northern Hemisphere Zone 2 record. It is impossible to retroactively collect atmospheric samples, but archived annual plants serve as faithful scribes: samples from herbaria around the Earth may be an under-utilized resource to improve understanding of the modern carbon cycle.
Global urban land area is growing faster than the urban population, raising concerns that sprawling, low-density development will reduce biodiversity and human wellbeing. The sparing-sharing framework, adapted from agroecology, provides one approach to assessing alternative urban growth patterns. It compares ecological outcomes in landscapes matched for total population and land area, but differing in configuration: land sparing (partitioned between densely urbanized and undeveloped areas) or land sharing (low-density development throughout). We reviewed the urban sparing-sharing literature since 2010 and recovered 15 studies conducted in 22 cities on four continents.
Collectively, studies assessed effects of alternative development patterns on 296 species, 21 community metrics (such as species richness), and 26 indicators of ecosystem services or processes (such as carbon sequestration). Sparing was the best option for 51% of individual species; 43% of community metrics; and 27% of ecosystem service indicators.
Existing ecological research does not clearly favor one pattern or the other, and new approaches are needed to facilitate decision making and ecological insight. Specifically, future work could (1) explicitly evaluate optimized urban development patterns across multiple competing priorities (such as providing housing, delivering ecosystem services, and protecting priority species), (2) tackle issues of spatial scale and connectivity that are often ambiguous in sparing-sharing research, and (3) improve geographical representation. These advances can be made while preserving the key insight of the framework–that choices between alternative landscape configurations are only meaningful when those landscapes are matched for total area and the level of human needs met.
","language":"English","publisher":"Springer","doi":"10.1007/s40823-022-00081-8","usgsCitation":"Youngsteadt, E., Terando, A., Costanza, J.K., and Vukomanovic, J., 2023, Compact or sprawling cities: Has the sparing-sharing framework yielded an ecological verdict?: Current Landscape Ecology Reports, v. 8, p. 11-22, https://doi.org/10.1007/s40823-022-00081-8.","productDescription":"12 p.","startPage":"11","endPage":"22","ipdsId":"IP-146620","costCenters":[{"id":40926,"text":"Southeast Climate Adaptation Science Center","active":true,"usgs":true}],"links":[{"id":418943,"type":{"id":24,"text":"Thumbnail"},"url":"https://pubs.usgs.gov/thumbnails/outside_thumb.jpg"}],"volume":"8","noUsgsAuthors":false,"publicationDate":"2023-02-13","publicationStatus":"PW","contributors":{"authors":[{"text":"Youngsteadt, Elsa","contributorId":205500,"corporation":false,"usgs":false,"family":"Youngsteadt","given":"Elsa","email":"","affiliations":[{"id":7091,"text":"North Carolina State University","active":true,"usgs":false}],"preferred":false,"id":877959,"contributorType":{"id":1,"text":"Authors"},"rank":1},{"text":"Terando, Adam 0000-0002-9280-043X","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9280-043X","contributorId":205908,"corporation":false,"usgs":true,"family":"Terando","given":"Adam","affiliations":[{"id":565,"text":"Southeast Climate Science Center","active":true,"usgs":true}],"preferred":true,"id":877960,"contributorType":{"id":1,"text":"Authors"},"rank":2},{"text":"Costanza, Jennifer K.","contributorId":176907,"corporation":false,"usgs":false,"family":"Costanza","given":"Jennifer","email":"","middleInitial":"K.","affiliations":[],"preferred":false,"id":877961,"contributorType":{"id":1,"text":"Authors"},"rank":3},{"text":"Vukomanovic, Jelena","contributorId":169906,"corporation":false,"usgs":false,"family":"Vukomanovic","given":"Jelena","email":"","affiliations":[{"id":25620,"text":"Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, University of Colorado – Boulder","active":true,"usgs":false}],"preferred":false,"id":877962,"contributorType":{"id":1,"text":"Authors"},"rank":4}]}} ,{"id":70241011,"text":"70241011 - 2023 - Elodea mediates juvenile salmon growth by altering physical structure in freshwater habitats","interactions":[],"lastModifiedDate":"2023-05-01T15:55:38.2878","indexId":"70241011","displayToPublicDate":"2023-02-13T06:37:33","publicationYear":"2023","noYear":false,"publicationType":{"id":2,"text":"Article"},"publicationSubtype":{"id":10,"text":"Journal Article"},"seriesTitle":{"id":1018,"text":"Biological Invasions","active":true,"publicationSubtype":{"id":10}},"displayTitle":"Elodea mediates juvenile salmon growth by altering physical structure in freshwater habitats","title":"Elodea mediates juvenile salmon growth by altering physical structure in freshwater habitats","docAbstract":"Invasive species introductions in high latitudes are accelerating and elevating the need to address questions of their effects on Subarctic and Arctic ecosystems. As a driver of ecosystem function, submerged aquatic vegetation is one of the most deleterious biological invasions to aquatic food webs. The aquatic plant Elodea spp. has potential to be a widespread invader to Arctic and Subarctic ecosystems and is already established in 19 waterbodies in Alaska, USA. Elodea spp. has been found to alter ecosystem processes through multiple pathways; yet little is known about the impact of Elodea spp. on fish life history. A primary concern is the effect of Elodea spp. on juvenile Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.), because this invading plant can form dense stands in littoral zones, potentially impacting important freshwater rearing habitats used by juvenile fish for foraging and refuge from predators. We used a field experiment to test the effect of Elodea spp. on juvenile coho salmon (O. kisutch) growth in an infested lake near Cordova, Alaska, USA. We found that Elodea spp. stands result in reduced growth and a lower trophic position for juvenile coho salmon over the summer compared to habitats dominated by a native assemblage of aquatic plants. While infested sites were not associated with significant changes in water condition or primary productivity compared to sites dominated by native vegetation, zooplankton densities were reduced, and Elodea spp. height and vegetation richness increased macroinvertebrate densities. Combined, these results indicate that Elodea spp. may alter the flow of energy to juvenile salmon by restructuring space and affecting prey resources for rearing fish. Furthermore, these results suggest that widespread establishment of Elodea spp. may alter the quality of habitat for juvenile salmon and, by affecting juvenile fish growth, could lead to population-level impacts on salmon returns.
We reviewed studies of piscivorous colonial waterbird predation on juvenile salmonids to synthesize current knowledge of factors affecting fish susceptibility to avian predators. Specifically, we examined peer-reviewed publications and reports from academic, governmental, and nongovernmental agencies to identify commonalities and differences in susceptibility of salmonids to avian predation, with a focus on mark–recovery studies in the Columbia River basin. Factors hypothesized to influence salmonid susceptibility to avian predation were grouped into four general categories: (1) salmonid species and populations, (2) environmental factors, (3) prey density, predator density, and migration timing, and (4) prey characteristics. Our review focused on predation by Caspian terns Hydroprogne caspia, double-crested cormorants Nannopterum auritum, and gull species Larus spp. as these are the most well-studied avian predators of salmonids. Results indicated that predator–prey interactions varied across salmonid species and populations and species of avian predator. Inferences across studies supported multiple hypotheses regarding predator–prey dynamics, including environmental factors that influence prey exposure to predators (e.g., river flows, turbidity, alternative prey), variation in predator and prey abundances, predator characteristics (e.g., foraging behavior, colony location), and prey characteristics (e.g., fish length, condition). Mark–recovery studies of avian predation on fish populations have greatly improved our understanding of the factors affecting fish susceptibility to avian predation, the relative contributions of abiotic and biotic factors to predation susceptibility, and the extent to which avian predation affects fish survival and the viability of prey populations. Future studies that jointly model predation and survival and the factors affecting those processes will further broaden our understanding of predator–prey dynamics and directly evaluate the effects of predation on prey population dynamics.
","language":"English","publisher":"American Fisheries Society","doi":"10.1002/nafm.10862","usgsCitation":"Hostetter, N.J., Evans, A.F., Payton, Q., Roby, D., Lyons, D., and Collis, K., 2023, A review of factors affecting the susceptibility of juvenile salmonids to avian predation, v. 43, no. 1, p. 244-256, https://doi.org/10.1002/nafm.10862.","productDescription":"13 p.","startPage":"244","endPage":"256","ipdsId":"IP-145263","costCenters":[{"id":198,"text":"Coop Res Unit Atlanta","active":true,"usgs":true}],"links":[{"id":444493,"rank":0,"type":{"id":40,"text":"Open Access Publisher Index Page"},"url":"https://doi.org/10.1002/nafm.10862","text":"Publisher Index Page"},{"id":433156,"type":{"id":24,"text":"Thumbnail"},"url":"https://pubs.usgs.gov/thumbnails/outside_thumb.jpg"}],"volume":"43","issue":"1","noUsgsAuthors":false,"publicationDate":"2023-02-12","publicationStatus":"PW","contributors":{"authors":[{"text":"Hostetter, Nathan J. 0000-0001-6075-2157 nhostetter@usgs.gov","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6075-2157","contributorId":198843,"corporation":false,"usgs":true,"family":"Hostetter","given":"Nathan","email":"nhostetter@usgs.gov","middleInitial":"J.","affiliations":[],"preferred":true,"id":908260,"contributorType":{"id":1,"text":"Authors"},"rank":1},{"text":"Evans, Allen F.","contributorId":171691,"corporation":false,"usgs":false,"family":"Evans","given":"Allen","email":"","middleInitial":"F.","affiliations":[],"preferred":false,"id":908261,"contributorType":{"id":1,"text":"Authors"},"rank":2},{"text":"Payton, Quinn","contributorId":149990,"corporation":false,"usgs":false,"family":"Payton","given":"Quinn","email":"","affiliations":[{"id":17879,"text":"Real Time Research, Inc., 231 SW Scalehouse Loop, Suite 101, Bend, OR 97702","active":true,"usgs":false}],"preferred":false,"id":908262,"contributorType":{"id":1,"text":"Authors"},"rank":3},{"text":"Roby, Daniel D. 0000-0001-9844-0992","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9844-0992","contributorId":272249,"corporation":false,"usgs":true,"family":"Roby","given":"Daniel D.","affiliations":[{"id":200,"text":"Coop Res Unit Seattle","active":true,"usgs":true}],"preferred":true,"id":908263,"contributorType":{"id":1,"text":"Authors"},"rank":4},{"text":"Lyons, Donald E.","contributorId":20119,"corporation":false,"usgs":true,"family":"Lyons","given":"Donald E.","affiliations":[],"preferred":false,"id":908264,"contributorType":{"id":1,"text":"Authors"},"rank":5},{"text":"Collis, Ken","contributorId":149991,"corporation":false,"usgs":false,"family":"Collis","given":"Ken","email":"","affiliations":[{"id":17879,"text":"Real Time Research, Inc., 231 SW Scalehouse Loop, Suite 101, Bend, OR 97702","active":true,"usgs":false}],"preferred":false,"id":908265,"contributorType":{"id":1,"text":"Authors"},"rank":6}]}} ,{"id":70241138,"text":"70241138 - 2023 - Mapping vegetation index-derived actual evapotranspiration across croplands using the Google Earth Engine platform","interactions":[],"lastModifiedDate":"2023-03-13T11:54:13.751883","indexId":"70241138","displayToPublicDate":"2023-02-12T06:51:49","publicationYear":"2023","noYear":false,"publicationType":{"id":2,"text":"Article"},"publicationSubtype":{"id":10,"text":"Journal Article"},"seriesTitle":{"id":3250,"text":"Remote Sensing","active":true,"publicationSubtype":{"id":10}},"title":"Mapping vegetation index-derived actual evapotranspiration across croplands using the Google Earth Engine platform","docAbstract":"Much remains unknown about variation in pathogen transmission across the geographic range of a free-ranging fish or animal species and about the influence of movement (associated with husbandry practices or animal behavior) on pathogen transmission. Salmonid hatcheries are an ideal system in which to study these processes. Salmonid hatcheries are managed for endangered species recovery, supplementation of threatened or at-risk fish stocks, support of fisheries, and ecosystem stability. Infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV) is a rhabdovirus of significant concern to salmon aquaculture. Landscape IHNV transmission dynamics previously had been estimated only for salmonid hatcheries in the Lower Columbia River Basin (LCRB). The objectives of this study were to estimate IHNV transmission dynamics in a unique geographic region, the Snake River Basin (SRB), and to quantitatively estimate the effect of model coproduction on inference because previous assessments of coproduction have been qualitative. In contrast to the LCRB, the SRB has hatchery complexes consisting of a main hatchery and ≥1 satellite facility. Knowledge about hatchery complexes was held by a subset of project researchers but would not have been available to project modelers without coproduction. Project modelers generated and tested multiple versions of Bayesian susceptible-exposedinfected models to realistically represent the SRB and estimate the effect of coproduction. Models estimated the frequency of transmission routes, route-specific infection probabilities, and infection probabilities for combinations of salmonid hosts and IHNV lineages. Model results indicated that in the SRB, avoiding exposure to IHNV-positive adult salmonids is the most important action to prevent juvenile infections. Migrating adult salmonids exposed juvenile cohort-sites most frequently, and the infection probability was greatest following exposure to migrating adults. Without coproduction, the frequency of exposure by migrating adults would have been overestimated by 70 cohort-sites, and the infection probability following exposure to migrating adults would have been underestimated by∼0.09. The coproduced model had less uncertainty in the infection probability if no transmission route could be identified (Bayesian credible interval (BCI) width = 0.12) compared to the model without coproduction (BCI width = 0.34). Evidence for virus lineage MD specialization on steelhead and rainbow trout (both Oncorhynchus mykiss) was apparent without model coproduction. In the SRB, we found a greater probability of virus lineage UC infection in Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) compared to in O. mykiss, whereas in the LCRB, UC more clearly exhibited a generalist approach. Coproduction influenced estimates that depended on transmission routes, which operated differently at main hatcheries and satellite sites within hatchery complexes. Hatchery complexes are found outside of the SRB and are not specific to salmonid hatcheries alone. There is great potential for coproduction and modeling spatial contact networks to advance understanding about infectious disease transmission in complex production systems and surrounding free-ranging animal populations.
","language":"English","publisher":"Elsevier","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.117415","usgsCitation":"Mattheiss, J.P., Breyta, R., Kurath, G., LaDeau, S.L., Paez, D.J., and Ferguson, P.F., 2023, Coproduction and modeling spatial contact networks prevent bias about infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus transmission for Snake River Basin salmonids: Journal of Environmental Management, v. 334, 117415, 15 p., https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.117415.","productDescription":"117415, 15 p.","ipdsId":"IP-141347","costCenters":[{"id":654,"text":"Western Fisheries Research Center","active":true,"usgs":true}],"links":[{"id":419245,"type":{"id":24,"text":"Thumbnail"},"url":"https://pubs.usgs.gov/thumbnails/outside_thumb.jpg"}],"country":"United States","state":"Idaho, Oregon, Washington","otherGeospatial":"Snake River Basin","geographicExtents":"{\n \"type\": \"FeatureCollection\",\n \"features\": [\n {\n \"type\": \"Feature\",\n \"properties\": {},\n \"geometry\": {\n \"coordinates\": [\n [\n [\n -119.65408985827867,\n 46.96204590471055\n ],\n [\n -119.40893704245391,\n 42.213418016305525\n ],\n [\n -112.05454040913827,\n 42.2038651769914\n ],\n [\n -112.2736150561004,\n 47.00960829169131\n ],\n [\n -119.65408985827867,\n 46.96204590471055\n ]\n ]\n ],\n \"type\": \"Polygon\"\n }\n }\n ]\n}","volume":"334","noUsgsAuthors":false,"publicationStatus":"PW","contributors":{"authors":[{"text":"Mattheiss, Jeffrey P.","contributorId":317260,"corporation":false,"usgs":false,"family":"Mattheiss","given":"Jeffrey","email":"","middleInitial":"P.","affiliations":[{"id":36722,"text":"Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, Box 870344, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487","active":true,"usgs":false}],"preferred":false,"id":878857,"contributorType":{"id":1,"text":"Authors"},"rank":1},{"text":"Breyta, Rachel","contributorId":150355,"corporation":false,"usgs":false,"family":"Breyta","given":"Rachel","affiliations":[],"preferred":false,"id":878858,"contributorType":{"id":1,"text":"Authors"},"rank":2},{"text":"Kurath, Gael 0000-0003-3294-560X","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3294-560X","contributorId":220175,"corporation":false,"usgs":true,"family":"Kurath","given":"Gael","affiliations":[{"id":654,"text":"Western Fisheries Research Center","active":true,"usgs":true}],"preferred":true,"id":878859,"contributorType":{"id":1,"text":"Authors"},"rank":3},{"text":"LaDeau, Shannon L.","contributorId":172640,"corporation":false,"usgs":false,"family":"LaDeau","given":"Shannon","email":"","middleInitial":"L.","affiliations":[],"preferred":false,"id":878860,"contributorType":{"id":1,"text":"Authors"},"rank":4},{"text":"Páez, David James 0000-0001-9035-394X","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9035-394X","contributorId":296751,"corporation":false,"usgs":true,"family":"Páez","given":"David","middleInitial":"James","affiliations":[{"id":654,"text":"Western Fisheries Research Center","active":true,"usgs":true}],"preferred":true,"id":878861,"contributorType":{"id":1,"text":"Authors"},"rank":5},{"text":"Ferguson, Paige F. B.","contributorId":317261,"corporation":false,"usgs":false,"family":"Ferguson","given":"Paige","email":"","middleInitial":"F. B.","affiliations":[{"id":36722,"text":"Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, Box 870344, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487","active":true,"usgs":false}],"preferred":false,"id":878862,"contributorType":{"id":1,"text":"Authors"},"rank":6}]}} ,{"id":70243039,"text":"70243039 - 2023 - Framework for facilitating mangrove recovery after hurricanes on Caribbean islands","interactions":[],"lastModifiedDate":"2023-09-06T16:08:19.597675","indexId":"70243039","displayToPublicDate":"2023-02-11T07:24:38","publicationYear":"2023","noYear":false,"publicationType":{"id":2,"text":"Article"},"publicationSubtype":{"id":10,"text":"Journal Article"},"seriesTitle":{"id":3271,"text":"Restoration Ecology","active":true,"publicationSubtype":{"id":10}},"title":"Framework for facilitating mangrove recovery after hurricanes on Caribbean islands","docAbstract":"Mangrove ecosystems in the Caribbean are frequently exposed to hurricanes, leading to structural and regenerative change that elicit calls for recovery action. For those mangroves unaffected by human modifications, recovery can occur naturally. Indeed, observable natural recovery after hurricanes is the genesis of the “disturbance adaptation” classification for mangroves; while structural legacies exist, unaltered stands often regenerate and persist. However, among the >7,000 islands, islets, and cays that make up the Caribbean archipelago, coastal alterations to support development affect mechanisms for regeneration, sediment distribution, tidal water conveyance, and intertidal mangrove transgression, imposing sometimes insurmountable barriers to natural post-hurricane recovery. We use a case study approach to suggest that actions to facilitate recovery of mangroves on Caribbean islands (and similar settings globally) may be more effective when focusing on ameliorating pre-existing anthropogenic stressors. Actions to clean debris, collect mangrove propagules, and plant seedlings are noble endeavors, but can be costly and fall short of achieving recovery goals in isolation without careful consideration of pre-hurricane stress. We update a procedural framework that considers six steps to implementing “Ecological Mangrove Restoration” (EMR), and we apply them specifically to hurricane recovery. If followed, EMR may expedite actions by suggesting immediate damage assessment focused on hydrogeomorphic mangrove type, hydrology, and previous anthropogenic (or natural) influence. Application of EMR may help to improve mangrove recovery success following catastrophic storms, and reduce guesswork, delays, and monetary inefficiencies.
Conservation planning and decision-making can be enhanced by ecological models that reliably transfer to times and places beyond those where models were developed. Transferrable models can be especially helpful for species of conservation concern, such as grizzly bears (Ursus arctos). Currently, only four grizzly bear populations remain in the contiguous United States. We evaluated transferability of previously derived individual-based, integrated step selection functions (iSSFs) developed from GPS-collared grizzly bears in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem by applying them within the nearby Selkirk (SE), Cabinet-Yaak (CYE), and Greater Yellowstone Ecosystems (GYE). We simulated 100 replicates of 5000 steps for each iSSF in each ecosystem, summarized relative use into 10 equal-area classes for each sex, and overlaid GPS locations from bears in the SE, CYE, and GYE on resulting maps. Spearman rank correlations between numbers of locations and class rank were ≥ 0.96 within each study area, indicating models were highly predictive of grizzly bear space use in these nearby populations. Assessment of models using smaller subsets of data in space and time demonstrated generally high predictive accuracy for females. Although generally high across space and time, predictive accuracy for males was low within some watersheds and in summer within the SE and CYE, potentially due to seasonal effects, vegetation, and food assemblage differences. Altogether, these results demonstrated high transferability of our models to landscapes in the Northern Rocky Mountains, suggesting they may be used to evaluate habitat suitability and connectivity throughout the region to benefit conservation planning.
This report includes an updated geologic map and cross sections of the upper Santa Cruz River basin, southern Arizona. The map and cross sections describe the geometry, thickness, and structure of the Miocene to Holocene units which form the main aquifers in the basin. The report also includes results of new hydrogeologic studies including (1) mapping and defining depth to bedrock based on geophysical data in the map area to better define the geometry and structure of the basin aquifers, (2) describing newly recognized hydrologically significant faults in the Peck Canyon and Sopori Wash areas, and (3) evaluating groundwater sources and hydrogeology of the Potrero Creek wetlands.
","language":"English","publisher":"U.S. Geological Survey","publisherLocation":"Reston, VA","doi":"10.3133/sim3490","programNote":"National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program","usgsCitation":"Page, W.R., Bultman, M.W., Berry, M.E., Turner, K.J., Menges, C.M., Gray, F., Paces, J.B., VanSistine, D.P., Morgan, L.E., and Havens, J.C., 2023, Geologic map and hydrogeologic investigations of the upper Santa Cruz River basin, southern Arizona: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Map 3490, 2 sheets, scale 1:50,000, 73-p. pamphlet, https://doi.org/10.3133/sim3490.","productDescription":"Report: ix, 73 p.; 4 Data Releases; 3 Sheets: 40.89 × 35.83 inches or smaller","onlineOnly":"Y","ipdsId":"IP-123665","costCenters":[{"id":312,"text":"Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center","active":true,"usgs":true},{"id":318,"text":"Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center","active":true,"usgs":true}],"links":[{"id":412895,"rank":10,"type":{"id":30,"text":"Data Release"},"url":"https://doi.org/10.5066/P9PGUZV0","text":"USGS data release","linkHelpText":"Database for the geologic map of the upper Santa Cruz River basin, southern Arizona"},{"id":412893,"rank":8,"type":{"id":30,"text":"Data Release"},"url":"https://doi.org/10.5066/P94NR0D9","text":"USGS data release","linkHelpText":"Argon data for Santa Cruz Basin, Arizona (ver. 1.1, November 2022)"},{"id":412892,"rank":7,"type":{"id":30,"text":"Data Release"},"url":"https://doi.org/10.5066/P9MBNX4O","text":"USGS data release","linkHelpText":"Sopori Wash sub-basin gravity data, Pima and Santa Cruz Counties, Arizona"},{"id":412891,"rank":6,"type":{"id":26,"text":"Sheet"},"url":"https://pubs.usgs.gov/sim/3490/sim3490_sheet2.pdf","text":"Cross Sections","size":"292 kB","linkFileType":{"id":1,"text":"pdf"},"description":"SIM 3490 cross sections"},{"id":412890,"rank":5,"type":{"id":26,"text":"Sheet"},"url":"https://pubs.usgs.gov/sim/3490/sim3490_sheet1_georeferenced.pdf","text":"Georeferenced Geologic Map","size":"106 MB","linkFileType":{"id":1,"text":"pdf"},"description":"SIM 3490 Georeferenced Geologic Map"},{"id":412889,"rank":4,"type":{"id":26,"text":"Sheet"},"url":"https://pubs.usgs.gov/sim/3490/sim3490_sheet1.pdf","text":"Geologic Map","size":"27.6 MB","linkFileType":{"id":1,"text":"pdf"},"description":"SIM 3490 Geologic Map"},{"id":412888,"rank":3,"type":{"id":20,"text":"Read Me"},"url":"https://pubs.usgs.gov/sim/3490/ReadMe.txt","text":"Read Me","size":"12.0 kB","linkFileType":{"id":2,"text":"txt"},"description":"SIM 3490 Read Me file"},{"id":500197,"rank":11,"type":{"id":36,"text":"NGMDB Index Page"},"url":"https://ngmdb.usgs.gov/Prodesc/proddesc_114341.htm","linkFileType":{"id":5,"text":"html"}},{"id":412894,"rank":9,"type":{"id":30,"text":"Data Release"},"url":"https://doi.org/10.5066/P9XXW25T","text":"USGS data release","linkHelpText":"Sr-, U-, H- and O-isotope data used to evaluate water sources in the Potrero Creek wetlands, upper Santa Cruz basin, southern Arizona, USA"},{"id":412886,"rank":1,"type":{"id":24,"text":"Thumbnail"},"url":"https://pubs.usgs.gov/sim/3490/coverthb_pamphlet.jpg"},{"id":412887,"rank":2,"type":{"id":11,"text":"Document"},"url":"https://pubs.usgs.gov/sim/3490/sim3490_pamphlet.pdf","text":"Report","size":"11.2 MB","linkFileType":{"id":1,"text":"pdf"},"description":"SIM 3490 pamphlet"}],"country":"United States","state":"Arizona","geographicExtents":"{\n \"type\": \"FeatureCollection\",\n \"features\": [\n {\n \"type\": \"Feature\",\n \"properties\": {},\n \"geometry\": {\n \"coordinates\": [\n [\n [\n -111.37611177853266,\n 31.882514371272933\n ],\n [\n -111.37611177853266,\n 31.300216933285228\n ],\n [\n -110.49757862424259,\n 31.300216933285228\n ],\n [\n -110.49757862424259,\n 31.882514371272933\n ],\n [\n -111.37611177853266,\n 31.882514371272933\n ]\n ]\n ],\n \"type\": \"Polygon\"\n }\n }\n ]\n}","contact":"Director, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center
U.S. Geological Survey
Box 25046, MS-980
Denver, CO 80225-0046
The grass carp, Ctenopharyngodon idella, is an invasive species in North America that has been recorded in 45 states with breeding populations in several major river basins. Established populations of grass carp have had cascading, negative effects on aquatic ecosystem structure and function. Oral piscicide baits have been examined as a potential method to manage invasive grass carp. Our goal was to examine the oral toxicity of the dimethyl-dithiocarbamate fungicide, Ziram, to grass carp. Three toxicity experiments used different carriers to deliver single Ziram doses ranging from 0.25 to 250 mg/kg by gavage. No acute mortality was observed when grass carp were gavaged with Ziram at the highest concentrations dissolved in ethanol at 40 mg/kg, suspended in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) at 250 mg/kg, or suspended in polyethylene glycol (PEG) at 150 mg/kg. Ziram exposure through intraperitoneal injection resulted in acute mortality at 150 mg/kg potentially due to increased residence time in the peritoneal cavity and thereby greater opportunity for absorption. These results indicate that Ziram is acutely toxic to grass carp, however, additional research is required to formulate a successful novel grass carp toxicant that can be used to target the invasive species while minimizing effects on non-target fish species.
","language":"English","publisher":"REABIC","doi":"10.3391/mbi.2023.14.3.07","usgsCitation":"Kemble, N.E., Grabner, K., Whites, D.W., Walters, D., Hooper, M.J., and Steevens, J.A., 2023, Evaluation of Ziram as an oral toxic bait chemical for control of grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idella: Management of Biological Invasions, v. 14, no. 3, p. 477-491, https://doi.org/10.3391/mbi.2023.14.3.07.","productDescription":"15 p.","startPage":"477","endPage":"491","ipdsId":"IP-126806","costCenters":[{"id":192,"text":"Columbia Environmental Research Center","active":true,"usgs":true},{"id":291,"text":"Fort Collins Science Center","active":true,"usgs":true}],"links":[{"id":444502,"rank":3,"type":{"id":40,"text":"Open Access Publisher Index Page"},"url":"http://doi.org/10.3391/mbi.2023.14.3.07","text":"Publisher Index Page"},{"id":435459,"rank":2,"type":{"id":30,"text":"Data Release"},"url":"https://doi.org/10.5066/P9KA7G04","text":"USGS data release","linkHelpText":"Toxicity data for the evaluation of Ziram to Grass Carp Ctenopharyngodon idella in a laboratory setting"},{"id":419543,"rank":1,"type":{"id":24,"text":"Thumbnail"},"url":"https://pubs.usgs.gov/thumbnails/outside_thumb.jpg"}],"volume":"14","issue":"3","noUsgsAuthors":false,"publicationStatus":"PW","contributors":{"authors":[{"text":"Kemble, Nile E. 0000-0002-3608-0538 nkemble@usgs.gov","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3608-0538","contributorId":2626,"corporation":false,"usgs":true,"family":"Kemble","given":"Nile","email":"nkemble@usgs.gov","middleInitial":"E.","affiliations":[{"id":192,"text":"Columbia Environmental Research Center","active":true,"usgs":true}],"preferred":true,"id":879536,"contributorType":{"id":1,"text":"Authors"},"rank":1},{"text":"Grabner, Keith 0000-0003-0788-7751 kgrabner@usgs.gov","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0788-7751","contributorId":217705,"corporation":false,"usgs":true,"family":"Grabner","given":"Keith","email":"kgrabner@usgs.gov","affiliations":[{"id":192,"text":"Columbia Environmental Research Center","active":true,"usgs":true}],"preferred":true,"id":879537,"contributorType":{"id":1,"text":"Authors"},"rank":2},{"text":"Whites, David W. 0000-0003-3490-7906","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3490-7906","contributorId":310509,"corporation":false,"usgs":true,"family":"Whites","given":"David","email":"","middleInitial":"W.","affiliations":[{"id":192,"text":"Columbia Environmental Research Center","active":true,"usgs":true}],"preferred":true,"id":879538,"contributorType":{"id":1,"text":"Authors"},"rank":3},{"text":"Walters, David 0000-0002-4237-2158","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4237-2158","contributorId":205921,"corporation":false,"usgs":true,"family":"Walters","given":"David","affiliations":[{"id":192,"text":"Columbia Environmental Research Center","active":true,"usgs":true},{"id":291,"text":"Fort Collins Science Center","active":true,"usgs":true}],"preferred":true,"id":879539,"contributorType":{"id":1,"text":"Authors"},"rank":4},{"text":"Hooper, Michael J. 0000-0002-4161-8961 mhooper@usgs.gov","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4161-8961","contributorId":3251,"corporation":false,"usgs":true,"family":"Hooper","given":"Michael","email":"mhooper@usgs.gov","middleInitial":"J.","affiliations":[{"id":192,"text":"Columbia Environmental Research Center","active":true,"usgs":true}],"preferred":true,"id":879540,"contributorType":{"id":1,"text":"Authors"},"rank":5},{"text":"Steevens, Jeffery A. 0000-0003-3946-1229","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3946-1229","contributorId":207511,"corporation":false,"usgs":true,"family":"Steevens","given":"Jeffery","middleInitial":"A.","affiliations":[{"id":192,"text":"Columbia Environmental Research Center","active":true,"usgs":true}],"preferred":true,"id":879541,"contributorType":{"id":1,"text":"Authors"},"rank":6}]}} ,{"id":70240747,"text":"70240747 - 2023 - Mangrove reforestation provides greater blue carbon benefit than afforestation for mitigating global climate change","interactions":[],"lastModifiedDate":"2023-02-17T13:10:30.90916","indexId":"70240747","displayToPublicDate":"2023-02-10T07:08:21","publicationYear":"2023","noYear":false,"publicationType":{"id":2,"text":"Article"},"publicationSubtype":{"id":10,"text":"Journal Article"},"seriesTitle":{"id":2842,"text":"Nature Communications","active":true,"publicationSubtype":{"id":10}},"title":"Mangrove reforestation provides greater blue carbon benefit than afforestation for mitigating global climate change","docAbstract":"Significant efforts have been invested to restore mangrove forests worldwide through reforestation and afforestation. However, blue carbon benefit has not been compared between these two silvicultural pathways at the global scale. Here, we integrated results from direct field measurements of over 370 restoration sites around the world to show that mangrove reforestation (reestablishing mangroves where they previously colonized) had a greater carbon storage potential per hectare than afforestation (establishing mangroves where not previously mangrove). Greater carbon accumulation was mainly attributed to favorable intertidal positioning, higher nitrogen availability, and lower salinity at most reforestation sites. Reforestation of all physically feasible areas in the deforested mangrove regions of the world could promote the uptake of 671.5–688.8 Tg CO2-eq globally over a 40-year period, 60% more than afforesting the same global area on tidal flats (more marginal sites). Along with avoiding conflicts of habitat conversion, mangrove reforestation should be given priority when designing nature-based solutions for mitigating global climate change.
To assess infection with or exposure to endo- and ectoparasites in Alaska brown bears (Ursus arctos), blood and fecal samples were collected during 2013–17 from five locations: Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve; Katmai National Park; Lake Clark National Park and Preserve; Yakutat Forelands; and Kodiak Island. Standard fecal centrifugal flotation was used to screen for gastrointestinal parasites, molecular techniques were used to test blood for the presence of Bartonella and Babesia spp., and an ELISA was used to detect antibodies to Sarcoptes scabiei, a species of mite recently associated with mange in American black bears (Ursus americanus). From fecal flotations (n=160), we identified the following helminth eggs: Uncinaria sp. (n=16, 10.0%), Baylisascaris sp. (n=5, 3.1%), Dibothriocephalus sp. (n=2, 1.2%), and taeniid-type eggs (n=1, 0.6%). Molecular screening for intraerythrocytic parasites (Babesia spp.) and intracellular bacteria (Bartonella spp.) was negative for all bears tested. We detected antibodies to S. scabiei in six of 59 (10.2%) individuals. The relatively low level of parasite detection in this study meets expectations for brown bear populations living in large, relatively undisturbed habitats near the northern edge of the range. These results provide a contemporary understanding of parasites in Alaska brown bears and establish baseline levels of parasite presence to monitor for changes over time and relative to ecologic alterations.
Anadromous fishes, such as Pacific salmon, spend portions of their life cycle in freshwater and marine systems, thus rendering them susceptible to a variety of natural and anthropogenic stressors. These stressors operate at different spatiotemporal scales, whereby freshwater conditions are more likely to impact single populations or subpopulations, while marine conditions are more likely to act on entire evolutionarily significant units (ESUs). Coherence in population parameters like survival and productivity can therefore serve as an indicator of relative influence. The goal of this study was to elucidate scale-dependent shifts in Oregon Coast coho salmon productivity. We used a multivariate state-space approach to analyze almost 60 years of stock-recruitment data for the Oregon Coast ESU. Analyses were conducted separately for time periods prior to and after 1990 to account for improvements in abundance estimation methods and significant changes in conservation and management strategies. Prior to 1990, productivity declined for most Oregon Coast populations, especially through the 1980s. From 1990–onward, coherence increased, and trends tracked closely with the North Pacific Gyre Oscillation (NPGO). The latter period is associated with reductions in harvest rates and hatchery production such that the relative influence of the marine environment may have grown more apparent following the removal of these stressors. Furthermore, the link between productivity and NPGO is consistent with trends observed for several other Pacific salmon ESUs. If Oregon Coast coho salmon populations become more synchronous, managers can expect to face new challenges driven by reductions in the population portfolio effect and increasingly variable marine conditions due to climate change.
Wildfires and housing development have increased since the 1990s, presenting unique challenges for wildfire management. However, it is unclear how the relative influences of housing growth and changing wildfire occurrence have altered risk to homes, or the potential for wildfire to threaten homes. We used a random forests model to predict burn probability in relation to weather variables at 1-km resolution and monthly intervals from 1990 through 2019 in the Southern Rocky Mountains ecoregion. We quantified risk by combining the predicted burn probabilities with decadal housing density. We then compared the predicted burn probabilities and risk across the study area with observed values and quantified trends. Finally, we evaluated how housing growth and changes in burn probability influenced risk individually and combined. Fires burned 9055 km2 and exposed more than 8500 homes from 1990 to 2019. Observed burned area increased 632% from the 1990s to the 2000s, which combined with housing growth, resulted in a 1342% increase in homes exposed. Increases continued in the 2010s but at lower rates; burned area by 65% and exposure by 32%. The random forests model had excellent fit and high correlation with observations (AUC = 0.88 and r = 0.9). Observed values were within the 95% uncertainty interval for all years except 2016 (burned area) and 2000 (exposure). However, our model overpredicted in years with low observed burned area and underpredicted in years with high observed burned area. Overpredictions in risk resulted in lower rates of change in predicted risk compared with change in observed exposure. Increases in risk between the 1990s and 2000s were primarily due to warmer and drier weather conditions and secondarily because of housing growth. However, increases between the 2000s and 2010s were primarily due to housing growth. Our modeling approach identifies spatial and temporal patterns of wildfire potential and risk, which is critical information to guide decision-making. Because the drivers behind risk shift over time, strategies to mitigate risk may need to account for multiple drivers simultaneously.
Some animal species are responding to climate change by altering the timing of events like mating and migration. Such behavioral plasticity can be adaptive, but it is not always. Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) from the southern Beaufort Sea subpopulation have mostly remained on ice year-round, but as the climate warms and summer sea ice declines, a growing proportion of the subpopulation is summering ashore. The triggers of this novel behavior are not well understood. Our study uses a parametric time-to-event model to test whether biological and/or time-varying environmental variables thought to influence polar bear movement and habitat selection also drive decisions to swim ashore. We quantified the time polar bears spent occupying offshore sea ice of varying ice concentrations. We evaluated variations in the ordinal date bears moved to land with respect to local environmental conditions such as sea ice concentration and wind across 10 years (2005–2015). Results from our study suggest that storm events (i.e., sustained high wind speeds) may force polar bears from severely degraded ice habitat and catalyze seasonal movements to land. Unlike polar bears long adapted to complete summer ice melt, southern Beaufort Sea bears that summer ashore appear more tolerant of poor-quality sea ice habitat and are less willing to abandon it. Our findings provide a window into emergent, climatically mediated behavior in an Arctic marine mammal vulnerable to rapid habitat decline.
Groundwater quality in the north Sacramento Valley (NSV) was studied in the Redding–Red Bluff shallow aquifer study unit (referred to as the NSV shallow aquifer or NSV-SA) as part of the Priority Basin Project (PBP) of the California Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program. The study unit is in Shasta and Tehama Counties and included two physiographic study areas: (1) the Redding area to the north and (2) the Red Bluff area to the south. The study was focused on groundwater resources used for domestic drinking-water supply, which are mostly drawn from shallower parts of aquifer systems than those of groundwater resources used for public drinking-water supply in the same area. This assessment characterized the quality of ambient groundwater in the aquifer before filtration or treatment, rather than the quality of drinking water delivered to the tap.
The water-quality evaluation in this study has three components: (1) a status assessment, which characterized the quality of the groundwater resources used for domestic supply for 2018–19, in reference to state and national benchmarks; (2) an understanding assessment, which evaluated the natural and human factors potentially affecting water quality in those resources; and (3) a comparison between the groundwater resources used for domestic supply and those used for public supply in the region.
The status assessment was based on data collected from 50 sites sampled by the U.S. Geological Survey for the GAMA-PBP in 2018–19. To provide context for the measured concentrations of groundwater constituents compared to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and California State Water Resources Control Board Division of Drinking Water regulatory and non-regulatory benchmarks for drinking-water quality, relative concentrations (RCs) of groundwater constituents were calculated as the concentration in a sample divided by the respective benchmark. Health-based benchmarks include regulatory and non-regulatory human-health benchmarks such as a maximum contaminant level, notification level, or health-based screening level. Aesthetic-based benchmarks are regulatory or non-regulatory non-health-based benchmarks that can affect the color or taste of water. A grid-based method was used to estimate the proportions of the groundwater resources used for domestic drinking wells that have water-quality constituents below (low), approaching (moderate, greater than half the benchmark), or above (high) benchmark concentrations. This method provides statistically unbiased results at the study-area scale and permits comparisons to other GAMA-PBP study areas.
NAWQA Science Team
U.S. Geological Survey
12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, MS 413
Reston, VA 20192–0002