History and evaluation of national-scale geochemical data sets for the United States
David B. Smith, Steven M. Smith, John D. Horton
2013, Geoscience Frontiers (4) 167-183
Six national-scale, or near national-scale, geochemical data sets for soils or stream sediments exist for the United States. The earliest of these, here termed the ‘Shacklette’ data set, was generated by a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) project conducted from 1961 to 1975. This project used soil collected from a depth...
Microhabitat use of the diamond darter
Stuart A. Welsh, Dustin M. Smith, Nate D. Taylor
2013, Ecology of Freshwater Fish (22) 587-595
The only known extant population of the diamond darter (Crystallaria cincotta) exists in the lower 37 km of Elk River, WV, USA. Our understanding of diamond darter habitat use was previously limited, because few individuals have been observed during sampling with conventional gears. We quantified microhabitat use of diamond darters based...
Extending airborne electromagnetic surveys for regional active layer and permafrost mapping with remote sensing and ancillary data, Yukon Flats ecoregion, central Alaska
Neal J. Pastick, M. Torre Jorgenson, Bruce K. Wylie, Burke J. Minsley, Lei Ji, Michelle Ann Walvoord, Bruce D. Smith, Jared D. Abraham, Joshua R. Rose
2013, Permafrost and Periglacial Processes (24) 184-199
Machine-learning regression tree models were used to extrapolate airborne electromagnetic resistivity data collected along flight lines in the Yukon Flats Ecoregion, central Alaska, for regional mapping of permafrost. This method of extrapolation (r = 0.86) used subsurface resistivity, Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) at-sensor reflectance, thermal, TM-derived spectral indices, digital elevation models and...
Behavior and dam passage of juvenile Chinook salmon at Cougar Reservoir and Dam, Oregon, March 2011 - February 2012
John W. Beeman, Hal C. Hansel, Amy C. Hansen, Philip V. Haner, Jamie M. Sprando, Collin D. Smith, Scott D. Evans, Tyson W. Hatton
2013, Open-File Report 2013-1079
The movements and dam passage of juvenile Chinook salmon implanted with acoustic transmitters and passive integrated transponder tags were studied at Cougar Reservoir and Dam, near Springfield, Oregon. The purpose of the study was to provide information to aid with decisions about potential alternatives for improving downstream passage conditions for...
U.S. Geological Survey science for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative: 2011 annual report
Zachary H. Bowen, Cameron L. Aldridge, Patrick J. Anderson, Timothy J. Assal, Laura Biewick, Steven W. Blecker, Gregory K. Boughton, Natasha B. Carr, Anna D. Chalfoun, Geneva W. Chong, Melanie L. Clark, Jay E. Diffendorfer, Bradley C. Fedy, Katharine Foster, Steven L. Garman, Stephanie Germaine, Matthew G. Hethcoat, JoAnn Holloway, Collin G. Homer, Matthew J. Kauffman, Douglas Keinath, Natalie Latysh, Daniel J. Manier, Robert R. McDougal, Cynthia P. Melcher, Kirk A. Miller, Jessica Montag, Edward M. Olexa, Christopher J. Potter, Spencer Schell, Sarah L. Shafer, David B. Smith, Lisa L. Stillings, Michael J. Sweat, Michele L. Tuttle, Anna B. Wilson
2013, Open-File Report 2013-1033
This is the fourth report produced by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative (WLCI) to detail annual work activities. In FY2011, there were 37 ongoing, completed, or new projects conducted under the five major multi-disciplinary science and technical-assistance activities: (1) Baseline Synthesis, (2) Targeted Monitoring...
Intercontinental dispersal of bacteria and archaea by transpacific winds
D. Smith, H. Timonen, D. Jaffe, Dale W. Griffin, M. Birmele, K.D. Perry, P.D. Ward, M. Roberts
2013, Applied and Environmental Microbiology (79) 1134-1139
Microorganisms are abundant in the upper atmosphere, particularly downwind of arid regions, where winds can mobilize large amounts of topsoil and dust. However, the challenge of collecting samples from the upper atmosphere and reliance upon culture-based characterization methods have prevented a comprehensive understanding of globally dispersed airborne microbes. In spring...
Evaluating a multispecies adaptive management framework: Must uncertainty impede effective decision-making?
David R. Smith, Conor P. McGowan, Jonathan P. Daily, James D. Nichols, John A. Sweka, James E. Lyons
2013, Journal of Applied Ecology (50) 1431-1440
Application of adaptive management to complex natural resource systems requires careful evaluation to ensure that the process leads to improved decision-making. As part of that evaluation, adaptive policies can be compared with alternative nonadaptive management scenarios. Also, the value of reducing structural (ecological) uncertainty to achieving management objectives can be...
Sensitivity analysis of lake mass balance in discontinuous permafrost: the example of disappearing Twelvemile Lake, Yukon Flats, Alaska (USA)
S.M. Jepsen, C.I. Voss, Michelle Ann Walvoord, J.R. Rose, B. J. Minsley, B. D. Smith
2013, Hydrogeology Journal (21) 185-200
Many lakes in northern high latitudes have undergone substantial changes in surface area over the last four decades, possibly as a result of climate warming. In the discontinuous permafrost of Yukon Flats, interior Alaska (USA), these changes have been non-uniform across adjacent watersheds, suggesting local controls on lake water budgets....
The IUGS/IAGC Task Group on Global Geochemical Baselines
David B. Smith, Xueqiu Wang, Shaun Reeder, Alecos Demetriades
2012, Earth Science Frontiers (19) 1-6
The Task Group on Global Geochemical Baselines, operating under the auspices of both the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) and the International Association of Geochemistry (IAGC), has the long-term goal of establishing a global geochemical database to document the concentration and distribution of chemical elements in the Earth’s surface...
Shale Gas Development and Brook Trout: Scaling Best Management Practices to Anticipate Cumulative Effects
David Smith, Craig D. Snyder, Nathaniel P. Hitt, John A. Young, Stephen P. Faulkner
2012, Environmental Practice (14) 366-381
Shale gas development may involve trade-offs between energy development and benefits provided by natural ecosystems. However, current best management practices (BMPs) focus on mitigating localized ecological degradation. We review evidence for cumulative effects of natural gas development on brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) and conclude that BMPs should account for potential...
History and progress of the North American Soil Geochemical Landscapes Project, 2001-2010
David B. Smith, William F. Cannon, Laurel G. Woodruff, Francisco Moreira Rivera, Andrew N. Rencz, Robert G. Garrett
2012, Earth Science Frontiers (19) 19-32
In 2007, the U.S. Geological Survey, the Geological Survey of Canada, and the Mexican Geological Survey initiated a low-density (1 site per 1600 km2, 13323 sites) geochemical and mineralogical survey of North American soils (North American Soil Geochemical Landscapes Project). Sampling and analytical protocols were developed at a series of...
Passage probabilities of juvenile Chinook salmon through the powerhouse and regulating outlet at Cougar Dam, Oregon, 2011
John W. Beeman, Amy C. Hansen, Scott D. Evans, Philip V. Haner, Hal C. Hansel, Collin D. Smith
2012, Open-File Report 2012-1250
Cougar Dam near Springfield, Oregon, is one of several federally owned and operated flood-control projects within the Willamette Valley of western Oregon that were determined by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service in 2008 to impact the long-term viability of several salmonid stocks. In response to...
Reconnaissance soil geochemistry at the Riverton Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action Site, Fremont County, Wyoming
David B. Smith, Michael J. Sweat
2012, Open-File Report 2012-1257
Soil samples were collected and chemically analyzed from the Riverton Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action Site, which lies within the Wind River Indian Reservation in Fremont County, Wyoming. Nineteen soil samples from a depth of 0 to 5 centimeters were collected in August 2011 from the site. The samples were...
A novel antibody-based biomarker for chronic algal toxin exposure and sub-acute neurotoxicity
Kathi A. Lefebvre, Elizabeth R. Frame, Frances Gulland, John D. Hansen, Preston S. Kendrick, Richard P. Beyer, Theo K. Bammler, Frederico M. Farin, Emma M. Hiolski, Donald R. Smith, David J. Marcinek
2012, PLoS ONE (7) e36213
The neurotoxic amino acid, domoic acid (DA), is naturally produced by marine phytoplankton and presents a significant threat to the health of marine mammals, seabirds and humans via transfer of the toxin through the foodweb. In humans, acute exposure causes a neurotoxic illness known as amnesic shellfish poisoning characterized by...
A multi-metric assessment of environmental contaminant exposure and effects in an urbanized reach of the Charles River near Watertown, Massachusetts
Stephen B. Smith, Patrick J. Anderson, Paul C. Baumann, Lawrence R. DeWeese, Steven L. Goodbred, James J. Coyle, David S. Smith
2012, Open-File Report 2012-1195
The Charles River Project provided an opportunity to simultaneously deploy a combination of biomonitoring techniques routinely used by the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Assessment Program, the Biomonitoring of Environmental Status and Trends Project, and the Contaminant Biology Program at an urban site suspected to be contaminated with polycyclic...
Free tropospheric transport of microorganisms from Asia to North America
D. Smith, Dan Jaffe, Michele Birmele, Dale W. Griffin, Andrew Schuerger, J. Hee, Michael Roberts
2012, Microbial Ecology (64) 973-985
Microorganisms are abundant in the troposphere and can be transported vast distances on prevailing winds. This study measures the abundance and diversity of airborne bacteria and fungi sampled at the Mt. Bachelor Observatory (located 2.7 km above sea level in North America) where incoming free tropospheric air routinely arrives from...
Evolution of 3-D geologic framework modeling and its application to groundwater flow studies
Charles D. Blome, David V. Smith
2012, Fact Sheet 2012-3106
In this Fact Sheet, the authors discuss the evolution of project 3-D subsurface framework modeling, research in hydrostratigraphy and airborne geophysics, and methodologies used to link geologic and groundwater flow models....
Water-quality and geophysical data for three study sites within the Williston Basin and Prairie Pothole Region
Todd M. Preston, Bruce D. Smith, Joanna N. Thamke, Tara L. Chesley-Preston
2012, Open-File Report 2012-1149
This report is a data release for water geochemical sample analyses and geophysical surveys for three sites within the Williston Basin and Prairie Pothole Region of Montana and North Dakota. The data collection sites and procedures are described....
Shifting species interactions in terrestrial dryland ecosystems under altered water availability and climate change
Kevin E. McCluney, Jayne Belnap, Scott L. Collins, Angélica L. González, Elizabeth M. Hagen, J. Nathaniel Holland, Burt P. Kotler, Fernando T. Maestre, Stanley D. Smith, Blair O. Wolf
2012, Biological Reviews (87) 563-582
Species interactions play key roles in linking the responses of populations, communities, and ecosystems to environmental change. For instance, species interactions are an important determinant of the complexity of changes in trophic biomass with variation in resources. Water resources are a major driver of terrestrial ecology and climate change is...
Estimating tag loss of the Atlantic Horseshoe crab, Limulus polyphemus, using a multi-state model
Catherine Alyssa Butler, Conor P. McGowan, J. Barry Grand, David Smith
2012, Conference Paper
The Atlantic Horseshoe crab, Limulus polyphemus, is a valuable resource along the Mid-Atlantic coast which has, in recent years, experienced new management paradigms due to increased concern about this species role in the environment. While current management actions are underway, many acknowledge the need for improved and updated parameter estimates...
Dawn at Vesta: testing the protoplanetary paradigm
C.T. Russell, C.A. Raymond, A. Coradini, H.Y. McSween, M.T. Zuber, A. Nathues, Maria-Cristina DeSanctis, R. Jaumann, A.S. Konopliv, F. Preusker, S.W. Asmar, R.S. Park, R. Gaskell, H.U. Keller, S. Mottola, T. Roatsch, J.E.C. Scully, D.E. Smith, P. Tricarico, M.J. Toplis, U.R. Christensen, W. C. Feldman, D. J. Lawrence, T.J. McCoy, T.H. Prettyman, R.C. Reedy, M.E. Sykes, T.N. Titus
2012, Science (336) 684-686
The Dawn spacecraft targeted 4 Vesta, believed to be a remnant intact protoplanet from the earliest epoch of solar system formation, based on analyses of howardite-eucrite-diogenite (HED) meteorites that indicate a differentiated parent body. Dawn observations reveal a giant basin at Vesta's south pole, whose excavation was sufficient to produce...
Archive eggs: a research and management tool for avian conservation breeding
Des H.V. Smith, Axel Moehrenschlager, Nancy Christensen, Dwight Knapik, Keith Gibson, Sarah J. Converse
2012, Wildlife Society Bulletin (36) 342-349
Worldwide, approximately 168 bird species are captive-bred for reintroduction into the wild. Programs tend to be initiated for species with a high level of endangerment. Depressed hatching success can be a problem for such programs and has been linked to artificial incubation. The need for artificial incubation is driven by...
Interim results from a study of the behavior of juvenile Chinook salmon at Cougar Reservoir and Dam, Oregon, March--August 2011
John W. Beeman, Hal C. Hansel, Amy C. Hansen, Philip V. Haner, Jamie M. Sprando, Collin D. Smith, Scott D. Evans
2012, Open-File Report 2012-1106
The movements and dam passage of yearling juvenile Chinook salmon implanted with acoustic transmitters and passive integrated transponder tags were studied at Cougar Reservoir and Dam, near Springfield, Oregon. A total of 411 hatchery fish and 26 wild fish were tagged and released between March 7 and May 21, 2011....
Use of real-time PCR to detect canine parvovirus in feces of free-ranging wolves
L. David Mech, Emily S. Almberg, Douglas Smith, Sagar Goyal, Randall S. Singer
2012, Journal of Wildlife Diseases (48) 473-476
Using real-time PCR, we tested 15 wolf (Canis lupus) feces from the Superior National Forest (SNF), Minnesota, USA, and 191 from Yellowstone National Park (YNP), USA, collected during summer and 13 during winter for canine parvovirus (CPV)-2 DNA. We also tested 20 dog feces for CPV-2 DNA. The PCR assay...
Characterization of nutrients and fecal indicator bacteria at a concentrated swine feeding operation in Wake County, North Carolina, 2009-2011
Stephen L. Harden, Shane W. Rogers, Michael A. Jahne, Carrie E. Shaffer, Douglas G. Smith
2012, Open-File Report 2012-1047
Hydrologic and water-quality data were collected during October 2009–January 2011 to characterize nutrient and bacteria concentrations in stormwater runoff from agricultural fields that receive wastewater originating at a swine facility at North Carolina State University's Lake Wheeler Road Field Laboratory (LWRFL) in Wake County, North Carolina. The swine facility consists...
