User’s guide for GcClust—An R package for clustering of regional geochemical data
Karl J. Ellefsen, David B. Smith
2016, Techniques and Methods 7-C13
GcClust is a software package developed by the U.S. Geological Survey for statistical clustering of regional geochemical data, and similar data such as regional mineralogical data. Functions within the software package are written in the R statistical programming language. These functions, their documentation, and a copy of the user’s guide...
Hydraulic model and flood-inundation maps developed for the Pee Dee National Wildlife Refuge, North Carolina
Douglas G. Smith, Chad R. Wagner
2016, Scientific Investigations Report 2015-5137
A one-dimensional step-backwater model was developed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pee Dee National Wildlife Refuge, North Carolina, to provide a means for predicting flood-plain inundation. The model was developed for selected reaches of the Pee Dee River, Brown Creek,...
Energetic costs of mange in wolves estimated from infrared thermography
Paul C. Cross, Emily S. Almberg, Catherine G Haase, Peter J. Hudson, Shane K Maloney, Matthew C Metz, Adam J Munn, Paul Nugent, Olivier Putzeys, Daniel R. Stahler, Anya C Stewart, Doug W. Smith
2016, Ecology (97) 1938-1948
Parasites, by definition, extract energy from their hosts and thus affect trophic and food web dynamics even when the parasite may have limited effects on host population size. We studied the energetic costs of mange (Sarcoptes scabiei) in wolves (Canis lupus) using thermal cameras to estimate heat losses associated with...
Groundwater exchanges near a channelized versus unmodified stream mouth discharging to a subalpine lake
James Constantz, Ramon C. Naranjo, Richard G. Niswonger, Kip K. Allander, B. Neilson, Donald O. Rosenberry, David W. Smith, C. Rosecrans, David A. Stonestrom
2016, Water Resources Research (52) 2157-2177
The terminus of a stream flowing into a larger river, pond, lake, or reservoir is referred to as the stream-mouth reach or simply the stream mouth. The terminus is often characterized by rapidly changing thermal and hydraulic conditions that result in abrupt shifts in surface water/groundwater (sw/gw) exchange patterns, creating the potential for...
Available data support protection of the Southwestern Willow Flycatcher under the Endangered Species Act
Tad C. Theimer, Aaron D. Smith, Sean M. Mahoney, Kirsten E. Ironside
2016, The Condor (118) 289-299
Zink (2015) argued there was no evidence for genetic, morphological, or ecological differentiation between the federally endangered Southwestern Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii extimus) and other Willow Flycatcher subspecies. Using the same data, we show there is a step-cline in both the frequency of a mtDNA haplotype and in plumage variation roughly...
Surface-air mercury fluxes across Western North America: A synthesis of spatial trends and controlling variables
Chris S. Eckley, Michael T. Tate, Che-Jen Lin, Mae S. Gustin, Stephen Dent, Collin A. Eagles-Smith, Michelle A. Lutz, Kimberly Wickland, Bronwen Wang, John E. Gray, Grant Edwards, David P. Krabbenhoft, David B. Smith
2016, Science of the Total Environment (568) 651-665
Mercury (Hg) emission and deposition can occur to and from soils, and are an important component of the global atmospheric Hg budget. This paper focuses on synthesizing existing surface-air Hg flux data collected throughout the Western North American region and is part of a series of geographically focused Hg synthesis...
Ecoregions of California
Glenn E. Griffith, James M. Omernik, David W. Smith, Terry D. Cook, Ed Tallyn, Kendra Moseley, Colleen B. Johnson
2016, Open-File Report 2016-1021
Ecoregions denote areas of general similarity in ecosystems and in the type, quality, and quantity of environmental resources. They are designed to serve as a spatial framework for the research, assessment, management, and monitoring of ecosystems and ecosystem components. By recognizing the spatial differences in the capacities and potentials of...
Elevated Rocky Mountain elk numbers prevent positive effects of fire on quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) recruitment
David Solance Smith, Stephen M. Fettig, Matthew A. Bowker
2016, Forest Ecology and Management (362) 46-54
Quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) is the most widespread tree species in North America and has supported a unique ecosystem for tens of thousands of years, yet is currently threatened by dramatic loss and possible local extinctions. While multiple factors such as climate change and fire suppression are thought to contribute...
Integrative modelling reveals mechanisms linking productivity and plant species richness
James B. Grace, T. Michael Anderson, Eric W. Seabloom, Elizabeth T. Borer, Peter B. Adler, W Stanley Harpole, Yann Hautier, Helmut Hillebrand, Eric M. Lind, Meelis Partel, Jonathan D. Bakker, Yvonne M. Buckley, Michael J. Crawley, Ellen Ingman Damschen, Kendi F. Davies, Philip A. Fay, Jennifer Firn, Daniel S. Gruner, Andy Hector, Johannes M.H. Knops, Andrew S. MacDougall, Brett A. Melbourne, John W. Morgan, John L. Orrock, Suzanne M. Prober, Melinda D. Smith
2016, Nature (529) 390-393
How ecosystem productivity and species richness are interrelated is one of the most debated subjects in the history of ecology. Decades of intensive study have yet to discern the actual mechanisms behind observed global patterns. Here, by integrating the predictions from multiple theories into a single model and using data...
Evaluation of the hydraulic and biological performance of the portable floating fish collector at Cougar Reservoir and Dam, Oregon, 2014
John W. Beeman, Scott D. Evans, Philip V. Haner, Hal C. Hansel, Amy C. Hansen, Gabriel S. Hansen, Tyson W. Hatton, Jamie M. Sprando, Collin D. Smith, Noah S. Adams
2016, Open-File Report 2016-1003
The biological and hydraulic performance of a new portable floating fish collector (PFFC) located in a cul-de-sac within the forebay of Cougar Dam, Oregon, was evaluated during 2014. The purpose of the PFFC was to explore surface collection as a means to capture juvenile salmonids at one or more sites...
Age, growth and fall diet of channel catfish in Cheat Lake, West Virginia
Corbin D. Hilling, Stuart A. Welsh, Dustin M. Smith
2016, Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management (7) 304-314
Acidification has historically impaired Cheat Lake's fish community, but recent mitigation efforts within the Cheat River watershed have improved water quality and species richness. Presently, channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus are abundant and attain desirable sizes for anglers. We evaluated the age, growth, and fall diet of the population. We collected...
Regional tectonic setting for the Trinidad earthquake swarms (2000-2012) from gravity and magnetic data
Carol A. Finn, Mason A. Kass, Bruce D. Smith
2015, Conference Paper, Symposium on the Application of Geophysics to Engineering and Environmental Problems
Earthquakes in the Raton basin near Trinidad, Colorado, (Figure 1) are located (Rubenstein et. al., 2014) near a major gravity and magnetic boundary. These earthquakes also occur in an area of hydrocarbon production that includes several high-capacity produced water injection wells. This presentation gives a very basic outline of the...
Detection probabilities of electrofishing, hoop nets, and benthic trawls for fishes in two western North American rivers
Christopher D. Smith, Michael C. Quist, Ryan S. Hardy
2015, Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management (6) 371-391
Research comparing different sampling techniques helps improve the efficiency and efficacy of sampling efforts. We compared the effectiveness of three sampling techniques (small-mesh hoop nets, benthic trawls, boat-mounted electrofishing) for 30 species in the Green (WY, USA) and Kootenai (ID, USA) rivers by estimating conditional detection probabilities (probability of detecting...
Environmental DNA calibration study interim technical review report December 2014
Kelly Baerwaldt, Meredith L. Bartron, Kurt Schilling, Debbie Lee, Edmond Russo, Trudy Estes, Richard Fischer, Beth Fleming, Michael P. Guilfoyle, Jack Killgore, Richard Lance, Edward Perkins, Martin Schultz, David Smith, Jon J. Amberg, Duane Chapman, Mark P. Gaikowski, Katy E. Klymus, Catherine A. Richter
2015, Report
The Environmental DNA Calibration Study (ECALS) is a multi-year study to improve the understanding and interpretation of the detection of Asian carp DNA in environmental samples (eDNA) used in early detection monitoring. eDNA surveillance programs seek to detect the presence of genetic material (DNA in cells sloughed off in slime,...
Developing a conservation strategy to maximize persistence of an endangered freshwater mussel species while considering management effectiveness and cost
David R. Smith, Sarah E. McRae, Tom Augspurger, Judith A. Ratcliffe, Robert B. Nichols, Chris B. Eads, Tim Savidge, Arthur E. Bogan
2015, Freshwater Science (34) 1324-1339
We used a structured decision-making process to develop conservation strategies to increase persistence of Dwarf Wedgemussel (Alasmidonta heterodon) in North Carolina, USA, while accounting for uncertainty in management effectiveness and considering costs. Alternative conservation strategies were portfolios of management actions that differed by location of management actions on the landscape....
Assessment and Mmanagement of North American horseshoe crab populations, with emphasis on a multispecies framework for Delaware Bay, U.S.A. populations: Chapter 24
Michael J. Millard, John A. Sweka, Conor P. McGowan, David R. Smith
2015, Book chapter, Changing Global Perspectives on Horseshoe Crab Biology, Conservation and Management
The horseshoe crab fishery on the US Atlantic coast represents a compelling fishery management story for many reasons, including ecological complexity, health and human safety ramifications, and socio-economic conflicts. Knowledge of stock status and assessment and monitoring capabilities for the species have increased greatly in the last 15 years and...
Horseshoe crab spawning activity in Delaware Bay, USA, after harvest reduction: A mixed-model analysis
David R. Smith, Timothy J. Robinson
2015, Estuaries and Coasts (38) 2345-2354
A Delaware Bay, USA, standardized survey of spawning horseshoe crabs, Limulus polyphemus, was carried out in 1999 − 2013 through a citizen science network. Previous trend analyses of the data were at the state (DE or NJ) or bay-wide levels. Here, an alternative mixed-model regression analysis was used to estimate...
USGS Arctic Science Strategy
Mark Shasby, Durelle Smith
2015, Fact Sheet 2015-3049
The United States is one of eight Arctic nations responsible for the stewardship of a polar region undergoing dramatic environmental, social, and economic changes. Although warming and cooling cycles have occurred over millennia in the Arctic region, the current warming trend is unlike anything recorded previously and is affecting the...
Social living mitigates the costs of a chronic illness in a cooperative carnivore
Emily S. Almberg, Paul C. Cross, Andrew P. Dobson, Douglas W. Smith, Matthew C Metz, Daniel R. Stahler, Peter J. Hudson
2015, Ecology Letters (18) 660-667
Infection risk is assumed to increase with social group size, and thus be a cost of group living. We assess infection risk and costs with respect to group size using data from an epidemic of sarcoptic mange (Sarcoptes scabiei) among grey wolves (Canis lupus). We demonstrate that group size does...
The distribution of selected elements and minerals in soil of the conterminous United States
Laurel G. Woodruff, William F. Cannon, David B. Smith, Federico Solano
2015, Journal of Geochemical Exploration (154) 49-60
In 2007, the U.S. Geological Survey initiated a low-density (1 site per 1600 km2, 4857 sites) geochemical and mineralogical survey of soil of the conterminous United States as part of the North American Soil Geochemical Landscapes Project. Three soil samples were collected, if possible, from each site; (1) a sample from...
Group composition effects on aggressive interpack interactions of gray wolves in Yellowstone National Park
Kira A. Cassidy, Daniel R. MacNulty, Daniel R. Stahler, Douglas W. Smith, L. David Mech
2015, Behavioral Ecology (26) 1352-1360
Knowledge of characteristics that promote group success during intraspecific encounters is key to understanding the adaptive advantages of sociality for many group-living species. In addition, some individuals in a group may be more likely than others to influence intergroup conflicts, a relatively neglected idea in research on social animals. Here...
Developing objectives with multiple stakeholders: adaptive management of horseshoe crabs and Red Knots in the Delaware Bay
Conor P. McGowan, James E. Lyons, David Smith
2015, Environmental Management (55) 972-982
Structured decision making (SDM) is an increasingly utilized approach and set of tools for addressing complex decisions in environmental management. SDM is a value-focused thinking approach that places paramount importance on first establishing clear management objectives that reflect core values of stakeholders. To be useful for management, objectives must be...
Airborne electromagnetic and magnetic survey data of the Paradox and San Luis Valleys, Colorado
Lyndsay B. Ball, Benjamin R. Bloss, Paul A. Bedrosian, V. J. S. Grauch, Bruce D. Smith
2015, Open-File Report 2015-1024
In October 2011, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) contracted airborne magnetic and electromagnetic surveys of the Paradox and San Luis Valleys in southern Colorado, United States. These airborne geophysical surveys provide high-resolution and spatially comprehensive datasets characterizing the resistivity structure of the shallow subsurface of each survey region, accompanied by...
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and Opportunity observations of the Burns formation: crater hopping at Meridiani Planum
R.E. Arvidson, J.F. Bell III, J.G. Catalano, B. C. Clark, V.K. Fox, Ralf Gellert, J.P. Grotzinger, E.A. Guinness, Kenneth E. Herkenhoff, A.H. Knoll, M.G.A. Lapotre, S. M. McLennan, D. W. Ming, R.V. Morris, S.L. Murchie, K. E. Powell, M. D. Smith, S. W. Squyres, M.J. Wolff, J.J. Wray
2015, Journal of Geophysical Research E: Planets (120) 429-451
Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars hyperspectral (1.0–2.65 µm) along-track oversampled observations covering Victoria, Santa Maria, Endeavour, and Ada craters were processed to 6 m/pixel and used in combination with Opportunity observations to detect and map hydrated Mg and Ca sulfate minerals in the Burns formation. The strongest spectral absorption features were...
Reducing nitrogen export from the corn belt to the Gulf of Mexico: agricultural strategies for remediating hypoxia
Eileen McLellan, Dale M. Robertson, Keith Schilling, Mark Tomer, Jill Kostel, Douglas G. Smith, Kevin King
2015, Journal of the American Water Resources Association (51) 263-289
SPAtially Referenced Regression on Watershed models developed for the Upper Midwest were used to help evaluate the nitrogen-load reductions likely to be achieved by a variety of agricultural conservation practices in the Upper Mississippi-Ohio River Basin (UMORB) and to compare these reductions to the 45% nitrogen-load reduction proposed to remediate...
