Baseflow age distributions and depth of active groundwater flow in a snow‐dominated mountain headwater basin
Rosemary W.H. Carroll, Andrew H. Manning, Richard G. Niswonger, David W Marchetti, Kenneth H. Williams
2020, Water Resources Research (56)
Deeper flows through bedrock in mountain watersheds could be important, but lack of data to characterize bedrock properties limits understanding. To address data scarcity, we combine a previously published integrated hydrologic model of a snow‐dominated, headwater basin of the Colorado River with a new method for dating baseflow age using...
Seabird synthesis
Mayumi L. Arimitsu, Hillary K. Burgess, Robin Corcoran, Scott Hatch, Tim Jones, Jackie Lindsey, Caitlin Elizabeth Marsteller, John F. Piatt, Sarah K. Schoen
2020, Book chapter, Ecosystem status report 2020 Gulf of Alaska
Overall, the status of seabirds was fair to good in the WGOA in 2020, with limited data available from Middleton Island, Cook Inlet, and the Kodiak Archipelago (Figure 63). Colony attendance remains low in some populations compared to historic levels, and some colonies were newly abandoned. However, when birds did...
Field comparison of five in situ turbidity sensors
Teri T. Snazelle
2020, Open-File Report 2020-1123
Five commercially available turbidity sensors were field tested by the U.S. Geological Survey Hydrologic Instrumentation Facility for accuracy and data comparability. The tested sensors were the Xylem EXO (EXO), the Hach Solitax sc (Solitax), the In Situ Aqua TROLL sensor installed onto a TROLL 600 sonde (TROLL 600), the Campbell...
Divergent movement patterns of adult and juvenile ‘Akohekohe, an endangered Hawaiian Honeycreeper
Alex X Wang, Eben H. Paxton, Hanna L. Mounce, P. Marcos Gorresen
2020, Journal of Field Ornithology (91) 346-353
The movement patterns of birds across a landscape are often highly variable and influenced by complex interactions between individuals and environments. Because periods of movement can be marked by high mortality, especially among juvenile birds, understanding these patterns may be vital for the conservation of many...
Measured and calculated nitrate and dissolved organic carbon concentrations and loads at the W.P. Franklin Lock and Dam, S-79, south Florida, 2014-17
Amanda Booth
2020, Open-File Report 2020-1094
The U.S. Geological Survey monitored dissolved nitrate plus nitrite as nitrogen (N) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations and calculated loads of these constituents at the W.P. Franklin Lock and Dam (S-79) from April 2014 to December 2017. Flows from Lake Okeechobee controlled by S-77, S-78 and S-79 affect water...
Water temperature controls for regulated canyon-bound rivers
Bryce A. Mihalevich, Bethany Neilson, Caleb A. Buahin, Charles Yackulic, John C. Schmidt
2020, Water Resources Research (56)
Many canyon‐bound rivers have been dammed and downstream flow and water temperatures modified. Climate change is expected to cause lower storage in reservoirs and warmer release temperatures, which may further alter downstream flow and thermal regimes. To anticipate potential future changes, we first need to understand the dominant heat transfer...
Increased typhoon activity in the Pacific deep tropics driven by Little Ice Age circulation changes
James F Bramante, Murray Ford, Paul Kench, Andrew Ashton, Michael Toomey, Richard Sullivan, Kristopher Karnauskas, Caroline C. Ummenhofer, Jeffrey P. Donnelly
2020, Nature Geoscience (13) 806-811
The instrumental record reveals that tropical cyclone activity is sensitive to oceanic and atmospheric variability on inter-annual and decadal scales. However, our understanding of the influence of climate on tropical cyclone behaviour is restricted by the short historical record and the sparseness of prehistorical reconstructions, particularly in the western North...
Along-margin variations in breakup volcanism at the Eastern North American Margin
John A. Greene, Masako Tominaga, Nathaniel C. Miller
2020, Journal of Geophysical Research (125)
We model the magnetic signature of rift-related volcanism to understand the distribution and volumeofmagmatic activity that occurred during the breakup of Pangaea and early Atlantic opening at the Eastern North American Margin (ENAM).Along-strike variations in the amplitude and character of the prominent East Coast Magnetic Anomaly (ECMA) suggest that the...
Cortisol is an osmoregulatory and glucose-regulating hormone in Atlantic sturgeon, a basal ray-finned fish
Stephen D. McCormick, Meghan L. Taylor, Amy M. Regish
2020, Journal of Experimental Biology (223)
Our current understanding of the hormonal control of ion regulation in aquatic vertebrates comes primarily from studies on teleost fishes, with relatively little information on more basal fishes. We investigated the role of cortisol in regulating seawater tolerance and its underlying mechanisms in an anadromous chondrostean,...
Estimating and forecasting spatial population dynamics of apex predators using transnational genetic monitoring
Richard Bischof, Cyril Milleret, Pierre Dupont, Joseph Chipperfield, Mahdieh Tourani, Andres Ordiz, Perry de Valpine, Daniel Turek, Andy Royle, Olivier Gemenez, Oystein Flagstad, Mikael Akesson, Linn Svensson, Henrik Broseth, Jonas Kindberg
2020, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA (11) 30531-30538
The ongoing recovery of terrestrial large carnivores in North America and Europe is accompanied by intense controversy. On the one hand, reestablishment of large carnivores entails a recovery of their most important ecological role, predation. On the other hand, societies are struggling to relearn how to live with apex predators...
Using tracer variance decay to quantify variability of salinity mixing in the Hudson River Estuary
John C. Warner, W Rockwill Geyer, David K. Ralston, Tarandeep S. Kalra
2020, Journal of Geophysical Research, Oceans (125)
The salinity structure in an estuary is controlled by time‐dependent mixing processes. However, the locations and temporal variability of where significant mixing occurs is not well‐understood. Here we utilize a tracer variance approach to demonstrate the spatial and temporal structure of salinity mixing in the Hudson River Estuary. We run...
Stable isotope dynamics of herbivorous reef fishes and their ectoparasites
William Jenkins, Amanda Demopoulos, Matthew C. Nicholson, Paul C. Sikkel
2020, Diversity (12)
Acanthurids (surgeonfishes) are an abundant and diverse group of herbivorous fishes on coral reefs. While their contribution to trophic linkages and dynamics in coral reef systems has received considerable attention, the role of linkages involving their parasites has not. As both consumers of fish tissue and prey to microcarnivores, external...
Reducing leaf litter contributions of phosphorus and nitrogen to urban stormwater through municipal leaf collection and street cleaning practices
William R. Selbig, Nicolas H. Buer, Roger T. Bannerman, Phillip Gaebler
2020, Scientific Investigations Report 2020-5109
As the boundaries of urban land use continue to expand, environmental managers are looking for innovative ways to reduce export of nutrients from urban sources. Municipal services such as leaf collection and street cleaning have the potential to reduce nutrient pollution at its source while continuing to offer services valued...
Arsenic and uranium occurrence in private wells in Connecticut, 2013–18—A spatially weighted and bedrock geology assessment
Eliza L. Gross, Craig J. Brown
2020, Open-File Report 2020-1111
The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Connecticut Department of Public Health, conducted a study to determine the presence of arsenic and uranium in private drinking water wells in Connecticut. Samples were collected during 2013–18 from wells completed in 115 geologic units, with 2,433 samples analyzed for arsenic and...
Effect of stream permanence on predation risk of lotic crayfish by riparian predators
A.N. Yarra, Daniel D. Magoulick
2020, Southeastern Naturalist (19)-673
Given the importance of crayfish in stream ecosystems, gaining insight into the role of stream permanence in maintaining predator–prey interactions is critical. Our objectives were to determine the influence of stream permanence and season on crayfish predation and assess the role of stream permanence and...
Improving the ability to include freshwater wetland plants in process-based models
Amber S. Williams, David M. Mushet, Megan Lang, Gregory W. McCarty, Jill A. Shaffer, Sharon N. Kahara, Mari-Vaughn V. Johnson, James R. Kiniry
2020, Journal of Soil and Water Conservation (75) 704-712
Considerable effort and resources have been placed into conservation programs designed to reduce or alleviate negative environmental effects of crop production and into evaluation of the benefits of these programs. Wetlands are an important source of ecosystem services, but modeling wetland plants is an emerging science....
Contemporary fire regimes provide a critical perspective on restoration needs in the Mexico-United States borderlands
Miguel L. Villarreal, Jose M. Iniguez, Aaron D. Flesch, Jamie S. Sanderlin, Citlali Cortes Montano, Caroline Rose Conrad, Sandra L. Haire
2020, Air, Soil and Water Research (13) 1-18
The relationship between people and wildfire has always been paradoxical: fire is an essential ecological process and management tool, but can also be detrimental to life and property. Consequently, fire regimes have been modified throughout history through both intentional burning to promote benefits and active suppression to reduce risks. Reintroducing...
Ungulate migrations of the western United States, Volume 1
Matthew Kauffman, Holly Copeland, Jodi Berg, Scott Bergen, Eric K. Cole, Matthew Cuzzocreo, Sarah Dewey, Julien Fattebert, Jeff Gagnon, Emily Gelzer, Chris Geremia, Tabitha A. Graves, Kent Hersey, Mark Hurley, Rusty Kaiser, James Meacham, Jerod Merkle, Arthur Middleton, Tristan Nunez, Brendan Oates, Daniel Olson, Lucas Olson, Hall Sawyer, Cody Schroeder, Scott Sprague, Alethea Steingisser, Mark Thonhoff
2020, Scientific Investigations Report 2020-5101
Across the western United States, many ungulate herds must migrate seasonally to access resources and avoid harsh winter conditions. Because these migration paths cover vast landscapes (in other words migration distances up to 150 miles [241 kilometers]), they are increasingly threatened by roads, fencing, subdivisions, and other development. Over the...
Recent and projected precipitation and temperature changes in the Grand Canyon area with implications for groundwater resources
Fred D. Tillman, Subhrendu Gangopadhyay, Tom Pruitt
2020, Scientific Reports (10)
Groundwater is a critical resource in the Grand Canyon region, supplying nearly all water needs for residents and millions of visitors. Additionally, groundwater discharging at hundreds of spring locations in and near Grand Canyon supports important ecosystems in this mostly arid environment. The security of groundwater supplies is of critical...
Using remote sensing products to predict recovery of vegetation across space and time following energy development
Adrian P. Monroe, Cameron L. Aldridge, Michael S. O’Donnell, Daniel Manier, Collin Homer, Patrick J. Anderson
2020, Ecological Indicators (110)
Using localized studies to understand how ecosystems recover can create uncertainty in recovery predictions across landscapes. Large archives of remote sensing data offer opportunities for quantifying the spatial and temporal factors influencing recovery at broad scales and predicting recovery. For example, energy production is a widespread and expanding land use...
Leave no trace communication: Effectiveness based on assessments of resource conditions
Nita Settina, Jeffrey L. Marion, Forrest Schwartz
2020, Journal of Interpretation Research (25) 5-25
The efficacy of different Leave No Trace (LNT) communication interventions designed to persuade forest visitors to practice low-impact camping behaviors were evaluated. Three depreciative campsite behaviors—littering, tree damage, and surface disposal of human waste—were evaluated by before-and-after resource condition assessments. Three LNT communication interventions were evaluated against...
Developing behavioral and evidence-based programs for wildfire risk mitigation
Hilary Byerly, James Meldrum, Hannah Brenkert-Smith, Patricia A. Champ, Jamie Gomez, Lilia C. Falk, Christopher M. Barth
2020, Fire (3)
The actions of residents in the wildland–urban interface can influence the private and social costs of wildfire. Wildfire programs that encourage residents to take action are often delivered without evidence of effects on behavior. Research from the field of behavioral science shows that simple, often low-cost changes...
2018 Kaua'i forest bird population estimates and trends
Eben H. Paxton, Kevin W. Brinck, Lisa H. Crampton, Justin Hite, Maria Costantini
2020, Report
Kaua‘i's native forest birds have experienced steep declines since the beginning of systematic surveys in 1981, and declines have accelerated in recent decades. This report details the analysis of the most recent surveys conducted in 2018. Incorporating the new survey results, long-term trends continue to...
Quality assurance/quality control procedure for New Jersey’s water-use data for the New Jersey Water Transfer Data System (NJWaTr)
Jennifer L. Shourds
2020, Open-File Report 2020-1085
This report is an instructional reference document that describes methods developed and used by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) New Jersey Water Science Center (NJWSC) to assure the quality and completeness of water-use data as provided by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) Bureau of Water Allocation. These...
Trends in recent historical and projected climate data for the Colorado River Basin and potential effects on groundwater availability
Fred D. Tillman, Subhrendu Gangopadhyay, Tom Pruitt
2020, Scientific Investigations Report 2020-5107
Understanding recent historical and projected trends in precipitation and temperature in the Colorado River Basin, and estimating what the projected changes in these climate parameters may mean for groundwater resources in the region, is important for water managers and policymakers to sustainably manage water resources in the basin. Historical (1896–2019)...
