Using thermal limits to assess establishment of fish dispersing to high-latitude and high-elevation watersheds
Karen M. Dunmall, Neil J. Mochnacz, Christian E. Zimmerman, Charles Lean, James D. Reist
2016, Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences (73) 1750-1758
Distributional shifts of biota to higher latitudes and elevations are presumably influenced by species-specific physiological tolerances related to warming temperatures. However, it is establishment rather than dispersal that may be limiting colonizations in these cold frontier areas. In freshwater ecosystems, perennial groundwater springs provide critical winter thermal refugia in these...
Chewing lice of swan geese (Anser cygnoides): New host-parasite associations
Chang-Yong Choi, John Y. Takekawa, Diann J. Prosser, Lacy M. Smith, Craig R. Ely, Anthony D. Fox, Lei Cao, Xin Wang, Nyambaya Batbayar, Tseveenmayadag Natsagdorj, Xiangming Xiao
2016, The Korean Journal of Parasitology (54) 685-691
Chewing lice (Phthiraptera) that parasitize the globally threatened swan goose Anser cygnoides have been long recognized since the early 19th century, but those records were probably biased towards sampling of captive or domestic geese due to the small population size and limited distribution of its wild hosts. To better understand the lice...
Response of imperiled Okaloosa darters to stream restoration
David B. Reeves, William B. Tate, Howard L. Jelks, Frank Jordan
2016, North American Journal of Fisheries Management (36) 1375-1385
The Okaloosa Darter Etheostoma okaloosae is a small percid endemic to six stream drainages in northwestern Florida. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed Okaloosa Darters as endangered in 1973 and downlisted them to threatened in 2011 because of habitat improvements and increasing abundance across much of their geographic range....
Pb-Sr isotopic and geochemical constraints on sources and processes of lead contamination in well waters and soil from former fruit orchards, Pennsylvania, USA: A legacy of anthropogenic activities
Robert A. Ayuso, Nora K. Foley
2016, Journal of Geochemical Exploration (170) 125-147
Isotopic discrimination can be an effective tool in establishing a direct link between sources of Pb contamination and the presence of anomalously high concentrations of Pb in waters, soils, and organisms. Residential wells supplying water containing up to 1600 ppb Pb to houses built on the former Mohr orchards commercial site,...
Do rivermouths alter nutrient and seston delivery to the nearshore?
James H. Larson, Paul C. Frost, Jon M. Vallazza, John C. Nelson, William B. Richardson
2016, Freshwater Biology (61) 1935-1949
Tributary inputs to lakes and seas are often measured at riverine gages, upstream of lentic influence. Between these riverine gages and the nearshore zones of large waterbodies lie rivermouths, which may retain, transform and contribute materials to the nearshore zone. However, the magnitude and timing of these...
Evaluation of gas production potential from gas hydrate deposits in National Petroleum Reserve Alaska using numerical simulations
Manish S. Nandanwar, Brian J. Anderson, Taiwo Ajayi, Timothy S. Collett, Margarita V. Zyrianova
2016, Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering (36) 760-772
An evaluation of the gas production potential of Sunlight Peak gas hydrate accumulation in the eastern portion of the National Petroleum Reserve Alaska (NPRA) of Alaska North Slope (ANS) is conducted using numerical simulations, as part of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) gas hydrate Life Cycle Assessment program. A field...
Regional meteorological drivers and long term trends of winter-spring nitrate dynamics across watersheds in northeastern North America
Jill Crossman, M Catherine Eimers, Nora J. Casson, Douglas A. Burns, John L. Campbell, Gene E Likens, Myron J Mitchell, Sarah J. Nelson, James B. Shanley, Shaun A. Watmough, Kara L Webster
2016, Biogeochemistry (130) 247-265
This study evaluated the contribution of winter rain-on-snow (ROS) events to annual and seasonal nitrate (N-NO3) export and identified the regional meteorological drivers of inter-annual variability in ROS N-NO3 export (ROS-N) at 9 headwater streams located across Ontario, Canada and the northeastern United States. Although on average only 3.3 %...
Scale-dependent seasonal pool habitat use by sympatric Wild Brook Trout and Brown Trout populations
Lori A. Davis, Tyler Wagner
2016, Transactions of the American Fisheries Society (145) 888-902
Sympatric populations of native Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis and naturalized Brown Trout Salmo truttaexist throughout the eastern USA. An understanding of habitat use by sympatric populations is of importance for fisheries management agencies because of the close association between habitat and population dynamics. Moreover, habitat use by stream-dwelling salmonids may...
Volcano dome dynamics at Mount St. Helens: Deformation and intermittent subsidence monitored by seismicity and camera imagery pixel offsets
Jacqueline T. Salzer, Weston A. Thelen, Mike R. James, Thomas R. Walter, Seth C. Moran, Roger P. Denlinger
2016, Journal of Geophysical Research B: Solid Earth (121) 7882-7902
The surface deformation field measured at volcanic domes provides insights into the effects of magmatic processes, gravity- and gas-driven processes, and the development and distribution of internal dome structures. Here we study short-term dome deformation associated with earthquakes at Mount St. Helens, recorded by a permanent optical camera and seismic...
Landsat 8: The plans, the reality, and the legacy
Thomas R. Loveland, James R. Irons
2016, Remote Sensing of Environment (185) 1-6
Landsat 8, originally known as the Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM), is a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)-U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) partnership that continues the legacy of continuous moderate resolution observations started in 1972. The conception of LDCM to the reality of Landsat 8 followed an arduous path extending...
Shrinking windows of opportunity for oak seedling establishment in southern California mountains
Frank W. Davis, Lynn C. Sweet, Josep M. Serra-Diaz, Janet Franklin, Ian M. McCullough, Alan L. Flint, Lorraine E. Flint, John Dingman, Helen M. Regan, Alexandra D. Syphard, Lee Hannah, Kelly Redmond, Max A. Moritz
2016, Ecosphere (7) 1-18
Seedling establishment is a critical step that may ultimately govern tree species’ distribution shifts under environmental change. Annual variation in the location of seed rain and microclimates results in transient “windows of opportunity” for tree seedling establishment across the landscape. These establishment windows vary at fine spatiotemporal scales that are...
Western Lake Erie Basin: Soft-data-constrained, NHDPlus resolution watershed modeling and exploration of applicable conservation scenarios
Haw Yen, Michael J. White, Jeffrey G. Arnold, S. Conor Keitzer, Mari-Vaughn V. Johnson, Jay D. Atwood, Prasad Daggupati, Matthew E. Herbert, Scott P. Sowa, Stuart A. Ludsin, Dale M. Robertson, Raghavan Srinivasan, Charles A. Rewa
2016, Science of the Total Environment (569-570) 1265-1281
Complex watershed simulation models are powerful tools that can help scientists and policy-makers address challenging topics, such as land use management and water security. In the Western Lake Erie Basin (WLEB), complex hydrological models have been applied at various scales to help describe relationships between land use and water, nutrient,...
When winners become losers: Predicted nonlinear responses of arctic birds to increasing woody vegetation
Sarah J. Thompson, Colleen M. Handel, Rachel M. Richardson, Lance B. McNew
2016, PLoS ONE (11) 1-17
Climate change is facilitating rapid changes in the composition and distribution of vegetation at northern latitudes, raising questions about the responses of wildlife that rely on arctic ecosystems. One widely observed change occurring in arctic tundra ecosystems is an increasing dominance of deciduous shrub vegetation. Our goals were to examine...
A survey of uncertainty in stage-discharge rating curves and streamflow records in the United States
Julie E. Kiang, Robert R. Mason, Jr., Timothy A. Cohn
2016, Conference Paper, River Flow 2016
No abstract available....
Holocene volcanism of the upper McKenzie River catchment, central Oregon Cascades, USA
Natalia I. Deligne, Richard M. Conrey, Katharine V. Cashman, Duane E. Champion, William H. Amidon
2016, Geological Society of America Bulletin (128) 1618-1635
To assess the complexity of eruptive activity within mafic volcanic fields, we present a detailed geologic investigation of Holocene volcanism in the upper McKenzie River catchment in the central Oregon Cascades, United States. We focus on the Sand Mountain volcanic field, which covers 76 km2 and consists of 23 vents,...
Space use of a dominant Arctic vertebrate: Effects of prey, sea ice, and land on Pacific walrus resource selection
William S. Beatty, Chadwick V. Jay, Anthony S. Fischbach, Jacqueline M. Grebmeier, Rebecca L. Taylor, Arny L. Blanchard, Stephen C. Jewett
2016, Biological Conservation (203) 25-32
Sea ice dominates marine ecosystems in the Arctic, and recent reductions in sea ice may alter food webs throughout the region. Sea ice loss may also stress Pacific walruses (Odobenus rosmarus divergens), which feed on benthic macroinvertebrates in the Bering and Chukchi seas. However, no studies have examined the effects...
The precision problem in conservation and restoration
J. Kevin Hiers, Stephen T. Jackson, Richard J. Hobbs, Emily S. Bernhardt, Leonie E. Valentine
2016, Trends in Ecology and Evolution (31) 820-830
Within the varied contexts of environmental policy, conservation of imperilled species populations, and restoration of damaged habitats, an emphasis on idealized optimal conditions has led to increasingly specific targets for management. Overly-precise conservation targets can reduce habitat variability at multiple scales, with unintended consequences for future ecological resilience. We describe...
Migratory bird habitat in relation to tile drainage and poorly drained hydrologic soil groups
Brandi Kastner, Victoria G. Christensen, Tanja N. Williamson, Christopher A. Sanocki
2016, Conference Paper, 10th International Drainage Symposium Conference
The Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) is home to more than 50% of the migratory waterfowl in North America. Although the PPR provides an abundance of temporary and permanent wetlands for nesting and feeding, increases in commodity prices and agricultural drainage practices have led to a trend of wetland drainage. The...
Microrefuges and the occurrence of thermal specialists: implications for wildlife persistence amidst changing temperatures
L. Embere Hall, Anna D. Chalfoun, Erik A. Beever, Anne E. Loosen
2016, Climate Change Responses (3) 1-12
BackgroundContemporary climate change is affecting nearly all biomes, causing shifts in animal distributions, phenology, and persistence. Favorable microclimates may buffer organisms against rapid changes in climate, thereby allowing time for populations to adapt. The degree to which microclimates facilitate the local persistence of climate-sensitive species,...
Rapid fluvial incision of a late Holocene lava flow: Insights from LiDAR, alluvial stratigraphy, and numerical modeling
Kristin Sweeney, Joshua J. Roering
2016, GSA Bulletin (129) 500-512
Volcanic eruptions fundamentally alter landscapes, paving over channels, decimating biota, and emplacing fresh, unweathered material. The fluvial incision of blocky lava flows is a geomorphic puzzle. First, high surface permeability and lack of sediment should preclude geomorphically effective surface runoff and dissection. Furthermore, past work has demonstrated the importance of...
Responses of a 58-story RC dual core shear wall and outrigger frame building inferred from two earthquakes
Mehmet Çelebi
2016, Earthquake Spectra (32) 2449-2471
Responses of a dual core shear-wall and outrigger-framed 58-story building recorded during the Mw6.0 Napa earthquake of 24 August 2014 and the Mw3.8 Berkeley earthquake of 20 October 2011 are used to identify its dynamic characteristics and behavior. Fundamental frequencies are 0.28 Hz (NS), 0.25 Hz (EW), and 0.43 Hz...
Spatio-temporal variation in age structure and abundance of the endangered snail kite: Pooling across regions masks a declining and aging population
Brian E. Reichert, William L. Kendall, Robert J. Fletcher Jr., Wiley M. Kitchens
2016, PLoS ONE (11) 1-18
While variation in age structure over time and space has long been considered important for population dynamics and conservation, reliable estimates of such spatio-temporal variation in age structure have been elusive for wild vertebrate populations. This limitation has arisen because of problems of imperfect detection, the potential for temporary emigration...
Positive biodiversity-productivity relationship predominant in global forests
Jingjing Liang, Thomas W. Crowther, Nicolas Picard, Susan Wiser, Mo Zhou, Giorgio Alberti, Ernst-Detlef Schulze, Anthony D. McGuire, et al.
2016, Science (354)
The relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem productivity has been explored in detail in herbaceous vegetation, but patterns in forests are far less well understood. Liang et al. have amassed a global forest data set from >770,000 sample plots in 44 countries. A positive and consistent relationship can be discerned between...
The use of amino acid indices for assessing organic matter quality and microbial abundance in deep-sea Antarctic sediments of IODP Expedition 318
Stephanie A Carr, Christopher T. Mills, Kevin W Mandernack
2016, Marine Chemistry (186) 72-82
The Adélie Basin, located offshore of the Wilkes Land margin, experiences unusually high sedimentation rates (~ 2 cm yr− 1) for the Antarctic coast. This study sought to compare depthwise changes in organic matter (OM) quantity and quality with changes in microbial biomass with depth at this high-deposition site and an offshore continental margin...
Age, distribution and style of deformation in Alaska north of 60°N: Implications for assembly of Alaska
Thomas E. Moore, Stephen E. Box
2016, Tectonophysics (691) 133-170
The structural architecture of Alaska is the product of a complex history of deformation along both the Cordilleran and Arctic margins of North America involving oceanic plates, subduction zones and strike-slip faults and with continental elements of Laurentia, Baltica, and Siberia. We use geological constraints to assign regions of deformation...
