Field trip to a Laramide shallow subduction channel: Orocopia Schist in the Gavilan Hills, southeasternmost California; with incidental localities for three blue minerals
Gordon B. Haxel, Carl E. Jacobson, Gabe S. Epstein
2025, Arizona Geological Survey Contributed Report CR-25-A
No abstract available....
Capturing the uncertainty of seismicity observations in earthquake rate estimates: Implications for probabilistic seismic hazard analysis and the USGS National Seismic Hazard Model
Andrew J. Michael, Andrea L. Llenos
2025, Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America
The rate of earthquakes in a region is a fundamental input to Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Analysis. We present a Monte Carlo method for computing that rate from seismicity catalogs while including a range of data and analysis uncertainties. This method is applied to regions for which the b value is assumed to...
Neotectonic origins for the Meadow Bank scarp, Wabash Valley seismic zone USA
Edward W Woolery, William J. Stephenson, Kevin Woller, Alena L. Leeds, Noah Silas Lindberg, Jackson K. Odum, Cooper Cearley, Ron Counts
2025, The Seismic Record (5) 352-362
The Meadow Bank scarp (MBS) in southeastern Illinois is a linear geomorphic expression, ∼10 km long and ∼8 m high above a relatively flat landscape. It parallels an underlying northeast‐oriented Late‐Precambrian–Early‐Cambrian structural fabric, called the Wabash Valley fault zone, and is within an area of modern, historic, and paleo seismicity, called the...
Evaluating hydrologic data products for scientific and management applications related to potential future streamflow conditions in the Upper Mississippi and Illinois Rivers
Molly Van Appledorn, Lucie Sawyer, John Delaney, Chanel Mueller, Leigh Youngblood, Jane Harrell, Brian Breaker, Chris Frans
2025, Scientific Investigations Report 2025-5101
The hydrology of the Upper Mississippi and Illinois Rivers is a fundamental driver of ecosystem patterns and processes across a large portion of the United States. Quantitative hydrologic data for the main stems of these rivers underlie numerous scientific investigations, statistical models, and decision-making processes for local, State, and Federal...
Pleistocene porcupine (Erethizontidae) records in arid southwestern North America and comparisons with the modern distribution of Erethizon dorsatum in southern California and Arizona
Jeffrey E. Lovich, George T. Jefferson
2025, Western North American Naturalist (85)
he North American porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) is widely distributed throughout many ecosystems on the continent from northern Mexico to the Arctic Ocean, except for the southeastern portion of the United States. Habitats include the arid Desert Southwest region where modern records are generally sparse. The paleogeographic range in the Desert...
Moose survival and habitat‐associated risk of endoparasites
Jennifer A. Grauer, Jacqueline L. Frair, Krysten L. Schuler, Manigandan Lejeune, David W. Kramer, Angela K. Fuller
2025, Ecology and Evolution (15)
Parasite-induced morbidity and mortality can alter the trajectories of incidental host populations. Yet, parasites rarely act in isolation and may be one of a multitude of biotic and abiotic stressors that collectively shape mortality risk in vertebrate populations. We quantified sources of mortality in a low-density population of moose (Alces...
Status of Clear Lake Hitch in Lower Blue Lake, Lake County, California
Jordan Mae-Jean Buxton, Marissa L. Wulff, Veronica L. Violette, Danielle L. Palm, Matthew J. Young, Frederick Feyrer
2025, California Fish and Wildlife Journal (111)
No abstract available....
Landowners' cognitions and motivations coupled with practice durability influence persistence in grazing agricultural conservation practices in southwest Virginia
Joshua B. Mouser, Ashley A. Dayer, Serena Ciparis, Sara Bottenfield, Paul L. Angermeier
2025, Conservation Science and Practice
Agricultural conservation practices are often used to protect stream health while continuing food production. However, recovery of stream health is often not as rapid or extensive as planned. The efficacy of practices may be improved by promoting their continued use by landowners (i.e., persistence) after cost-share contracts...
Watershed forest cover and habitat restoration can offset some negative impacts of climate change on freshwater fishes and mussels
Jennifer B. Rogers, Graziella Vittoria DiRenzo, Allison H. Roy, Jason Carmignani, Rebecca S.M. O’Brien, Rebecca M. Quiñones, Todd Richards
2025, PLOS Climate (4)
Many species of freshwater fishes and freshwater mussels have experienced population declines over the past century due to threats including habitat degradation, overexploitation, species invasion, and climate change. Management actions may offset climate-related changes to biodiversity, although identifying appropriate strategies is challenging. Our goal was to identify...
Satellite radar advances could transform global snow monitoring
Randall Ray Bonnell, Jack Tarricone, Hans-Peter Marshall, Elias Deeb, Carrie Vuyovich
2025, Eos, American Geophysical Union (106)
The recent SnowEx campaign and the new NISAR satellite mission are lighting the way to high-resolution snowpack monitoring and improved decisionmaking in critical river basins around the world....
Using visualization science to inform the design of environmental decision-support tools—A case study of the U.S. Geological Survey Waterwatch
Michael D. Gerst, Melissa A. Kenney, Emily Read
2025, Scientific Investigations Report 2025-5085
Environmental decision-support tools are increasingly being used to serve both expert and non-expert audiences. Many existing tools are primarily expert-focused, and redesigning them can be challenging because experts and non-experts interact with tools differently, existing users may be resistant to changes, and there is little guidance on how to prioritize...
MTAB 113, December 2025
Kyra Harvey, Jennifer L. McKay
2025, Newsletter
This Memo to All Banders (MTAB 113) was released in December 2025. Subjects in this this memo are 1. The Chief’s Chirp – End-of-Year Message and BBL’s Year in Numbers; 2. Alerts –Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza and Screw-worms; 3. News – GameBirds Data Release and Banders Without Borders Updates;...
Are behavioural ecotoxicity endpoints relevant at the population level? Evidence-based insights for environmental protection
Michael G. Bertram, Marlene Ågerstrand, Jack A. Brand, Bryan W. Brooks, ZhiChao Dang, Alex T. Ford, Henner Hollert, Matthew K. LeFauve, Jack L. Manera, Jake M. Martin, Marcus Michelangeli, Maria Moiron, Eleanor R. Moore, Holly J. Puglis, Andrew Sih, Jeffery A. Steevens, Eli S.J. Thoré, Bob B.M. Wong, Lauren Zink, Tomas Bodin
2025, Environmental Science and Technology (60) 86-95
A substantial body of evidence exists demonstrating that exposure to environmental contaminants can alter animal behavior. Moreover, methodological and technological advancements, as well as increasing standardization, mean that behavioral ecotoxicity studies are more rigorous and reliable than ever before. Despite this, behavioral data are still seldom used in the risk...
The geology of Canadian potash: A critical mineral for feeding the world
E.J. Matheson, Mark D. Cocker, M. E. Snyder, Craig Funk, R. Boehner, Chaowei Yang, M.P.B. Nicolas, N. W. Kruger
2025, Facets (10) 1-40
Potash, potassium-bearing water-soluble salt, is the primary global economic source of potassium. Potash is recognized as a critical mineral in Canada as it is the largest source of potassium used in fertilizers. It is essential for global agricultural productivity and food security. Canada is the world’s largest...
Assessment of treated wastewater infiltration in Bright Angel Wash and the potential for contaminants of emerging concern influencing spring water quality along the South Rim of the Grand Canyon in Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
Nicholas V. Paretti, Kimberly R. Beisner, Sarah J.R. Shepherd
2025, Scientific Investigations Report 2025-5095
In April 2021, a synoptic study conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and National Park Service (NPS) identified wastewater-related contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in springs along the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. These springs are located north of Bright Angel Wash, an ephemeral channel that receives treated...
Evaluating uncertainties with sample-collection method and source selection in sediment fingerprinting: an example from a Great Lakes tributary
Tanja N. Williamson, James D. Blount, Heidi Mae Broerman, Faith Fitzpatrick, Isaac James Mevis, Dayle J. Hoefling, Shannon Murphy Pace, Matthew J. Komiskey, Rebecca Kreiling
2025, Journal of Soils and Sediments (25) 4140-4163
PurposeIdentifying suspended-sediment (SS) sources, seasonal variability, and phosphorus (P) transported with SS is critical information for basin managers, although there may be concerns about comparability between flow-integrated SS samples used for sediment fingerprinting and discrete samples used for concentrations and loads in basins where SS is mostly silt + clay...
A laboratory-based spectrometer intercomparison for the measurement of snow spectra
Benjamin M. Roberts-Pierel, Christopher J. Crawford, Steven W. Brown, Raymond F. Kokaly, Kelly E. Gleason, Anne W. Nolin, Edward H. Bair, Brenton A. Wilder, Anton J. Surunis, S. McKenzie K. Skiles, Joachim Meyer, Allyson E. Fitts, Jeremy M. Johnston, Adam G. Hunsaker, Martin Steufer, Trond Løke
2025, Cold Regions Science and Technology (245)
Seasonal snow is an integral component of global hydrological systems, global energy budget and Earth's climate. As an important part of many Earth systems, seasonal snow is also an essential source of water for many human populations and ecosystems around the world. As such, the measurement of...
An analysis of the linked decisions in the confiscation of illegally traded turtles
Desireé Smith, Graziella V. DiRenzo, Jillian Elizabeth Fleming, Margaret C. McEachran, Evan H. Campbell Grant
2025, Conservation Science and Practice
Over the last few decades, freshwater turtles have become more common in the illegal wildlife trade because of growing global demand. Illegally traded turtles may be intercepted by several different agencies with separate jurisdictions. When turtles are confiscated, uncertainties may make releasing them back to the wild...
Big River bluegill: Combining vital rates and long-term monitoring to understand population dynamics in large rivers
Kristen L. Bouska, Levi E. Solomon, Andrew D. Bartels, Melvin C. Bowler, Steven A. DeLain, Eric J. Gittinger, Travis Kueter, Kristopher A. Maxson, Eric N. Ratcliff, John L. West, James T. Lamer, Hae H. Kim, Quinton Edward Phelps
2025, River Research and Applications
Long-term monitoring indicates bluegill catch rates are relatively stable in some reaches of the Upper Mississippi River and highly variable in others, whereas in the Illinois River, catch rates have decreased. A lack of age structure information precludes understanding population processes responsible for patterns in catch rates....
Hydrogeologic characterization of the Cahuilla Valley and Terwilliger Valley Groundwater Basins, Riverside County, California
Christina L. Stamos, Allen H. Christensen, Geoffrey Cromwell, Meghan C. Dick, Christopher P. Ely, Elizabeth R. Jachens, Sarah E. Ogle, Mackenzie M. Shepherd
2025, Scientific Investigations Report 2025-5073
The relation between the groundwater and the amount of natural recharge to the Cahuilla Valley and Terwilliger Valley groundwater basins is not well understood. During the 20th century, the reliance on groundwater near Anza, California, used for agricultural, domestic, and municipal reasons has increased, and there is the potential for...
Geologic map of the Guinevere Planitia quadrangle (V–30), Venus
David A. Crown, Ellen R. Stofan, Leslie F. Bleamaster III
James A. Skinner, editor(s)
2025, Scientific Investigations Map 3539
This 1:5,000,000-scale geologic map of the Guinevere Planitia quadrangle divides the region into 15 geologic material units, defined using Magellan synthetic aperture radar (12.6-centimeter-wavelength radar system; 75 meters per pixel) datasets and including upland terrain units (2.4 percent of the surface area), plains materials units (59 percent), flow materials associated...
A probabilistic assessment methodology for the evaluation of geologic energy storage capacity—Natural gas storage in depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs
Marc L. Buursink, Ashton M. Wiens, Matthew M. Jones, Brian A. Varela, Philip A. Freeman, Sean T. Brennan, Matthew D. Merrill, Peter D. Warwick
2025, Scientific Investigations Report 2025-5108
The need for energy storage, particularly underground, where capacity and duration may far exceed battery storage technologies, is especially relevant given the increasing demands for reliable power alongside the development of intermittent renewable electricity sources. Geologic energy storage facilities already exist, and expanded use would enable storing gases such as...
Regional characterization of coal resources in the U.S. Gulf Coast
Peter D. Warwick, Robert C. Reedy, Bridget R. Scanlon
2025, Preprint
There is increasing interest in extracting critical minerals (CM), including rare earth elements (REE), from coals in the United States to address the overreliance on imported REE. The U.S. Gulf Coast and the Williston basins are the two major lignite-bearing basins within the country. Recent REE and CM studies of...
Integrating theory and empirical patterns: Fish body size distributions, life history traits, and environmental flows in streams
Taylor Woods, Daniel J. McGarvey, Matthew J. Cashman, Michael R. Meador, Daren M. Carlisle, Ken Eng, Darin A. Kopp, Kelly O. Maloney
2025, Science Advances (11)
Individual size distributions (ISDs) are prominent in ecological research and may support resource managers with ecosystem-scale objectives. We use a database of individual size measurements for US stream fishes to test for direct and indirect effects of traits, flow regimes, and land use on the interspecific ISD exponent. Path analysis...
Fungi, fire, and feedbacks: Grasses and wildfire interact to alter ectomycorrhizal fungal communities and decrease tree seedling growth
G.M. Trimber, Sasha C. Reed, John B. Bradford, Cara Marie Lauria, T. Spector, R.J. Rondeau, Michala Lee Phillips, C.A. Gehring
2025, Forest Ecology and Management (603)
Wildfire and its effects, including changes to soil biota and the introduction of invasive or seeded grasses, can cause long-term shifts in ecological communities. Post-wildfire establishment of long-lived trees and shrubs is a critical bottleneck to recovering native plant communities. Ectomycorrhizal fungi (EMF) can improve plant responses to stressors and...
