Antigenic characterization of H3 subtypes of avian influenza A viruses from North America
Elizabeth Bailey, Li-Pong Long, Nan Zhao, Jeffrey S. Hall, John A Baroch, Jaqueline Nolting, Lucy Senter, Frederick L Cunningham, G Todd Pharr, Larry Hanson, Richard Slemons, Thomas J. DeLiberto, Xiu-Feng Wan
2016, Avian Diseases (60) 346-353
Besides humans, H3 subtypes of influenza A viruses (IAVs) can infect various animal hosts, including avian, swine, equine, canine, and sea mammal species. These H3 viruses are both antigenically and genetically diverse. Here, we characterized the antigenic diversity of contemporary H3 avian IAVs recovered from migratory birds in North America....
Preserving prairies: Understanding temporal and spatial patterns of invasive annual bromes in the Northern Great Plains
Isabel Ashton, Amy J. Symstad, Christopher Davis, Daniel J. Swanson
2016, Ecosphere (7)
Two Eurasian invasive annual brome grasses, cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) and Japanese brome (Bromus japonicus), are well known for their impact in steppe ecosystems of the western United States where these grasses have altered fire regimes, reduced native plant diversity and abundance, and degraded wildlife habitat. Annual bromes are also abundant...
A note on the temporary misregistration of Landsat-8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) and Sentinel-2 Multi Spectral Instrument (MSI) imagery
James C. Storey, David P. Roy, Jeffrey Masek, Ferran Gascon, John L. Dwyer, Mike Choate
2016, Remote Sensing of Environment (186) 121-122
The Landsat-8 and Sentinel-2 sensors provide multi-spectral image data with similar spectral and spatial characteristics that together provide improved temporal coverage globally. Both systems are designed to register Level 1 products to a reference image framework, however, the Landsat-8 framework, based upon the Global Land Survey images, contains residual geolocation...
Mineral resources of the Sagebrush Focal Areas of Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming
Warren C. Day, Thomas P. Frost, Jane M. Hammarstrom, Michael L. Zientek, editor(s)
2016, Scientific Investigations Report 2016-5089
Scientific Investigations Report 2016–5089 and accompanying data releases are the products of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Sagebrush Mineral-Resource Assessment (SaMiRA). The assessment was done at the request of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to evaluate the mineral-resource potential of some 10 million acres of Federal and adjacent lands...
Overview with methods and procedures of the U.S. Geological Survey mineral-resource assessment of the Sagebrush Focal Areas of Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming: Chapter A in Mineral resources of the Sagebrush Focal Areas of Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming
Warren C. Day, Jane M. Hammarstrom, Michael L. Zientek, Thomas P. Frost, editor(s)
2016, Scientific Investigations Report 2016-5089-A
This report, chapter A of Scientific Investigations Report 2016–5089, provides an overview of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Sagebrush Mineral-Resource Assessment (SaMiRA). The report also describes the methods, procedures, and voluminous fundamental reference information used throughout the assessment. Data from several major publicly available databases and other published sources were...
Spatial differences in hydrologic characteristics and water chemistry of a temperate coastal plain peatland: The Great Dismal Swamp, USA
Gary K. Speiran, Frederick C. Wurster
2016, Conference Paper, Proceedings of the 15th International Peat Congress 2016
Spatial differences in hydrologic processes and geochemistry across forested peatlands control the response of the wetland-community species and resiliency to natural and anthropogenic disturbances. Knowing these controls is essential to effectively managing peatlands as resilient wetland habitats. The Great Dismal Swamp is a 45,325 hectare peatland in the Atlantic Coastal...
Hydrological conditions and evaluation of sustainable groundwater use in the Sierra Vista Subwatershed, Upper San Pedro Basin, southeastern Arizona
Bruce Gungle, James B. Callegary, Nicholas V. Paretti, Jeffrey R. Kennedy, Christopher J. Eastoe, Dale S. Turner, Jesse E. Dickinson, Lainie R. Levick, Zachary P. Sugg
2016, Scientific Investigations Report 2016-5114
This study assessed progress toward achieving sustainable groundwater use in the Sierra Vista Subwatershed of the Upper San Pedro Basin, Arizona, through evaluation of 14 indicators of sustainable use. Sustainable use of groundwater in the Sierra Vista Subwatershed requires, at a minimum, a stable rate of groundwater discharge to, and...
Effects of salinity and flooding on post-hurricane regeneration potential in coastal wetland vegetation
Beth A. Middleton
2016, American Journal of Botany (103) 1420-1435
PREMISE OF THE STUDY: The nature of regeneration dynamics after hurricane flooding and salinity intrusion may play an important role in shaping coastal vegetation patterns. METHODS: The regeneration potentials of coastal species, types and gradients (wetland types from seaward to landward) were studied on the Delmarva Peninsula after Hurricane Sandy using...
California State Waters Map Series — Offshore of Monterey, California
Samuel Y. Johnson, Peter Dartnell, Stephen R. Hartwell, Guy R. Cochrane, Nadine E. Golden, Janet Watt, Clifton W. Davenport, Rikk G. Kvitek, Mercedes D. Erdey, Lisa M. Krigsman, Ray W. Sliter, Katherine L. Maier
Samuel Y. Johnson, Susan A. Cochran, editor(s)
2016, Open-File Report 2016-1110
IntroductionIn 2007, the California Ocean Protection Council initiated the California Seafloor Mapping Program (CSMP), designed to create a comprehensive seafloor map of high-resolution bathymetry, marine benthic habitats, and geology within the 3-nautical-mile limit of California’s State Waters. The CSMP approach is to create highly detailed seafloor maps through collection, integration,...
Hydra—The National Earthquake Information Center’s 24/7 seismic monitoring, analysis, catalog production, quality analysis, and special studies tool suite
John M. Patton, Michelle R. Guy, Harley M. Benz, Raymond P. Buland, Brian K. Erickson, David S. Kragness
2016, Open-File Report 2016-1128
This report provides an overview of the capabilities and design of Hydra, the global seismic monitoring and analysis system used for earthquake response and catalog production at the U.S. Geological Survey National Earthquake Information Center (NEIC). Hydra supports the NEIC’s worldwide earthquake monitoring mission in areas such as seismic event...
U.S. Geological Survey science strategy for highly pathogenic avian influenza in wildlife and the environment (2016–2020)
M. Camille Harris, John M. Pearce, Diann J. Prosser, C. LeAnn White, A. Keith Miles, Jonathan M. Sleeman, Christopher J. Brand, James P. Cronin, Susan De La Cruz, Christine L. Densmore, Thomas W. Doyle, Robert J. Dusek, Joseph P. Fleskes, Paul L. Flint, Gerald F. Guala, Jeffrey S. Hall, Laura E. Hubbard, Randall J. Hunt, S. Ip, Rachel A. Katz, Kevin W. Laurent, Mark P. Miller, Mark D. Munn, Andrew M. Ramey, Kevin D. Richards, Robin E. Russell, Joel P. Stokdyk, John Y. Takekawa, Daniel P. Walsh
2016, Open-File Report 2016-1121
IntroductionThrough the Science Strategy for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in Wildlife and the Environment, the USGS will assess avian influenza (AI) dynamics in an ecological context to inform decisions made by resource managers and policymakers from the local to national level. Through collection of unbiased scientific information on the...
A tour de force by Hawaii’s invasive mammals: Establishment, takeover, and ecosystem restoration through eradication
Steve C. Hess
2016, Mammal Study (41) 47-60
Invasive mammals have irreversibly altered ecosystems of Hawai‘i and other tropical Pacific islands in numerous cases through novel herbivory, predation, and diseases, thereby causing the disproportionate extinction of flora and fauna that occur nowhere else on Earth. The control and eradication of invasive mammals is the single most expensive management...
Decadal and long-term boreal soil carbon and nitrogen sequestration rates across a variety of ecosystems
Kristen L. Manies, Jennifer W. Harden, Christopher C. Fuller, Merritt Turetsky
2016, Biogeosciences (13) 4315-4327
Boreal soils play a critical role in the global carbon (C) cycle; therefore, it is important to understand the mechanisms that control soil C accumulation and loss for this region. Examining C & nitrogen (N) accumulation rates over decades to centuries may provide additional understanding of the dominant mechanisms for...
Dam Removal Information Portal (DRIP)—A map-based resource linking scientific studies and associated geospatial information about dam removals
Jeffrey J. Duda, Daniel J. Wieferich, R. Sky Bristol, J. Ryan Bellmore, Vivian B. Hutchison, Katherine M. Vittum, Laura Craig, Jonathan A. Warrick
2016, Open-File Report 2016-1132
The removal of dams has recently increased over historical levels due to aging infrastructure, changing societal needs, and modern safety standards rendering some dams obsolete. Where possibilities for river restoration, or improved safety, exceed the benefits of retaining a dam, removal is more often being considered as a viable...
Stakeholder-led science: engaging resource managers to identify science needs for long-term management of floodplain conservation lands
Kristin L. Bouska, Garth A. Lindner, Craig P. Paukert, Robert B. Jacobson
2016, Ecology and Society (21)
Floodplains pose challenges to managers of conservation lands because of constantly changing interactions with their rivers. Although scientific knowledge and understanding of the dynamics and drivers of river-floodplain systems can provide guidance to floodplain managers, the scientific process often occurs in isolation from management. Further, communication barriers between scientists and...
Numerical simulation of groundwater flow at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Naval Base Kitsap, Bremerton, Washington
Joseph L. Jones, Kenneth H. Johnson, Lonna M. Frans
2016, Open-File Report 2016-1135
Information about groundwater-flow paths and locations where groundwater discharges at and near Puget Sound Naval Shipyard is necessary for understanding the potential migration of subsurface contaminants by groundwater at the shipyard. The design of some remediation alternatives would be aided by knowledge of whether groundwater flowing at specific locations...
Estimating suspended sediment using acoustics in a fine-grained riverine system, Kickapoo Creek at Bloomington, Illinois
Amanda D. Manaster, Marian M. Domanski, Timothy D. Straub, Justin A. Boldt
2016, Open-File Report 2016-1117
Acoustic technologies have the potential to be used as a surrogate for measuring suspended-sediment concentration (SSC). This potential was examined in a fine-grained (97-100 percent fines) riverine system in central Illinois by way of installation of an acoustic instrument. Acoustic data were collected continuously over the span of 5.5...
Increasing neonicotinoid use and the declining butterfly fauna of lowland California
Matthew L. Forister, Bruce Cousens, Joshua G. Harrison, Kayce Anderson, James H. Thorne, Dave Waetjen, Chris C. Nice, Matt De Parsia, Michelle Hladik, Robert Meese, Heidi van Vliet, Arthur M. Shapiro
2016, Biology Letters (12)
The butterfly fauna of lowland Northern California has exhibited a marked decline in recent years that previous studies have attributed in part to altered climatic conditions and changes in land use. Here, we ask if a shift in insecticide use towards neonicotinoids is associated with butterfly declines at four sites...
Volcanic air pollution over the Island of Hawai'i: Emissions, dispersal, and composition. Association with respiratory symptoms and lung function in Hawai'i Island school children
Elizabeth K. Tam, Rei Miike, Susan Labrenz, Andrew Sutton, Tamar Elias, James A. Davis, Yi-Leng Chen, Kelan Tantisira, Douglas Dockery, Edward Avol
2016, Environment International (92-93) 543-552
Background Kilauea Volcano on the Island of Hawai'i has erupted continuously since 1983, releasing approximately 300–12000 metric tons per day of sulfur dioxide (SO2). SO2 interacts with water vapor to produce an acidic haze known locally as “vog”. The combination of wind speed and direction, inversion layer height, and local terrain lead...
Sediment load and distribution in the lower Skagit River, Skagit County, Washington
Christopher A. Curran, Eric E. Grossman, Mark C. Mastin, Raegan L. Huffman
2016, Scientific Investigations Report 2016-5106
The Skagit River delivers about 40 percent of all fluvial sediment that enters Puget Sound, influencing flood hazards in the Skagit lowlands, critically important estuarine habitat in the delta, and some of the most diverse and productive agriculture in western Washington. A total of 175 measurements of suspended-sediment load,...
Predicting the occurrence of cave-inhabiting fauna based on features of the earth surface environment
Mary C. Christman, Daniel H. Doctor, Matthew L. Niemiller, David J. Weary, John A. Young, Kirk S. Zigler, David C. Culver
2016, PLoS ONE (11)
One of the most challenging fauna to study in situ is the obligate cave fauna because of the difficulty of sampling. Cave-limited species display patchy and restricted distributions, but it is often unclear whether the observed distribution is a sampling artifact or a true restriction in range. Further, the drivers...
Climate change and future fire regimes: Examples from California
Jon E. Keeley, Alexandra D. Syphard
2016, Geoscience Canada (6)
Climate and weather have long been noted as playing key roles in wildfire activity, and global warming is expected to exacerbate fire impacts on natural and urban ecosystems. Predicting future fire regimes requires an understanding of how temperature and precipitation interact to control fire activity. Inevitably this requires historical analyses...
Bedrock geologic map of the Hartland and North Hartland quadrangles, Windsor County, Vermont, and Sullivan and Grafton Counties, New Hampshire
Gregory J. Walsh
2016, Scientific Investigations Map 3361
The bedrock geology of the 7.5-minute Hartland and North Hartland quadrangles, Vermont-New Hampshire, consists of highly deformed and metamorphosed lower Paleozoic metasedimentary, metavolcanic, and metaplutonic rocks of the Bronson Hill anticlinorium (BHA) and the Connecticut Valley trough (CVT). Rocks of the Orfordville anticlinorium on this map occupy the western part...
Documenting the use of the Long Term Resource Monitoring element’s fish monitoring methodologies throughout the Midwest
Levi E. Solomon, Andrew F. Casper
2016, Long Term Resource Monitoring Technical Report 2016-T001
The Upper Mississippi River Restoration (UMRR) Program’s Long Term Resource Monitoring (LTRM) element is designed to monitor and assess long term trends in the Upper Mississippi River System (UMRS). To accomplish this, standardized methods are used that allow for comparisons across pools and rivers. In recent years, other projects and...
United States Biological Survey: A compendium of its history, personalities, impacts, and conflicts
David J. Schmidly, W. E. Tydeman, Alfred L. Gardner, editor(s)
2016, Book
In 1885, a small three-person unit was created in the U.S. Department of Agriculture to gather and analyze information on bird migrations. Originally called the Section of Economic Ornithology, over the next 55 years this unit underwent three name changes and accumulated ever-increasing responsibilities for the nation’s faunal resources. Transferred...
