Differential heat shock protein responses in two species of Pacific salmon and their utility in identifying heat stress
Vanessa R. von Biela, Amy M. Regish, Lizabeth Bowen, Ashley E. Stanek, Shannon C. Waters-Dynes, Michael P. Carey, Christian E. Zimmerman, Jonathon Gerken, Daniel Rinella, Stephen D. McCormick
2023, Conservation Physiology (11)
Rapid and accelerating warming of salmon habitat has the potential to lower productivity of Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus species) populations. Heat stress biomarkers can indicate where warming is most likely affecting fish populations; however, we often lack clear classifications that separate individuals with and without heat stress needed to make these...
Oil and gas reclamation—Operations, monitoring methods, and standards
Randi C. Lupardus, Janna Simonsen, Gordon Toevs, Barbara Sterling, Zachary H. Bowen, Zoe Davidson, Steve E. Hanser, Emily Kachergis, Alexander Laurence-Traynor, Nika Lepak, Rebecca K. Mann, Aleta Nafus, David S. Pilliod, Michael C. Duniway
2023, Techniques and Methods 18-A1
This publication provides broad guidance for surface management of oil and gas development with a focus on promoting successful reclamation. Successful reclamation depends on sound best management practices, clear standards and expectations, defensible monitoring for effectiveness, and management of production facilities to minimize surface disturbance. This publication provides specific guidelines...
Competition between dissolved organic matter and freshwater plankton control methylmercury isotope fractionation during uptake and photochemical demethylation
Grace Jane Armstrong, Sarah E. Janssen, Brett A. Poulin, Michael T. Tate, David P. Krabbenhoft, James P. Hurley
2023, ACS Earth and Space Chemistry (7) 2382-2392
Isotope fractionation related to photochemical reactions and planktonic uptake at the base of the food web is a major uncertainty in the biological application of mercury (Hg) stable isotopes. In freshwater systems, it is unclear how competitive interactions among methylmercury (MeHg), dissolved organic matter (DOM), and phytoplankton govern the magnitude...
Chromosome-level genome assembly of the blacktail brush lizard, Urosaurus nigricaudus, reveals dosage compensation in an endemic lizard
Elizabeth Davalos-Dehullu, Sarah M. Baty, Robert N. Fisher, Peter A. Scott, Greer A. Dolby, Adrian Munguia-Vega, Diego Cortez
2023, Genome Biology and Evolution (15)
Urosaurus nigricaudus is a phrynosomatid lizard endemic to the Baja California Peninsula in Mexico. This work presents a chromosome-level genome assembly and annotation from a male individual. We used PacBio long reads and HiRise scaffolding to generate a high-quality genomic assembly of 1.87 Gb distributed in 327 scaffolds, with an N50...
Reservoir stratification modulates the influence of impoundments on fish mercury concentrations along an arid land river system
James Willacker, Collin A. Eagles-Smith, Jim Chandler, Jesse Naymik, Ralph Myers, David P. Krabbenhoft
2023, Environmental Science & Technology (57) 21313-21326
Impoundment is among the most common hydrologic alterations with impacts on aquatic ecosystems that can include effects on mercury (Hg) cycling. However, landscape-scale differences in Hg bioaccumulation between reservoirs and other habitats are not well characterized nor are the processes driving these differences. We examined total Hg (THg) concentrations of...
Surficial geologic map of the Owlshead Mountains 30' x 60' quadrangle, Inyo and San Bernardino Counties, California
Christopher M. Menges, Pamela M. Cossette
2023, Scientific Investigations Map 3496
The surficial geologic map of the Owlshead Mountains 30' x 60' quadrangle depicts the distribution and characteristics of surficial-deposit materials and neotectonic deformation for an area of approximately 5,000 square kilometers (km2) located in the western Basin and Range Province of eastern California. The map represents a new compilation of...
A review of natural and managed revegetation responses in two de-watered reservoirs after large dam removals on the Elwha River, Washington, USA
Joshua Chenoweth, Patrick B. Shafroth, Rebecca L. Brown, James M. Helfield, Jenise M. Bauman, Sara Cendejas-Zarelli, Chhaya M. Werner, Jarrett L. Schuster, Olivia A. Morgan
2023, Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution (11)
Large dam removals are increasing in frequency and the response of natural and managed revegetation is a critical consideration for managed restoration of dewatered reservoir landscapes post dam removal. The removal of two large dams on the Elwha River in 2011-2014 provides insight into reservoir revegetation. We review literature...
Selection of microhabitats, plants, and plant parts eaten by a threatened tortoise: Observations during a superbloom
W. Bryan Jennings, Kristin H. Berry
2023, Frontiers in Amphibian and Reptile Science (1)
Populations of the threatened desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) continue to decline throughout the geographic range, in part because of degraded and fragmented habitats in the Mojave and western Sonoran deserts. The species is herbivorous and highly selective in choice of plant species. To increase options for recovery, we analyzed behaviors,...
On the relationship between aquatic CO2 concentration and ecosystem fluxes in some of the world’s key wetland types
Jessica L. Richardson, Ankur R. Desai, Jonathon Thom, Kim Lindgren, Hjalmar Laudon, Matthias Peichl, Mats B. Nilsson, Audrey Campeau, Jarvi Jarveoja, Peter Hawman, Deepak R. Mishra, Dontrece Smith, Brenda D’Acunha, Sara H. Knox, Darian Ng, Mark S. Johnson, Joshua M. Blackstock, Sparkle L. Malone, Steve F. Oberbauer, Matteo Detto, Kimberly Wickland, Inke Forbrich, Nathaniel B Weston, Jacqueline K.Y. Hung, Colin W. Edgar, Eugenie S. Euskirchen, Syndonia Bret-Harte, Jason Dobkowski, George Kling, Evan S. Kane, Pascal Badiou, Matthew Bogard, Gil Bohrer, Thomas O'Halloran, Jonny Ritson, Ariane Arias-Otriz, Dennis Baldocchi, Patty Oikawa, Julie Shahan, Maiyah Matsumura
2023, Wetlands (44)
To understand patterns in CO2 partial pressure (PCO2) over time in wetlands’ surface water and porewater, we examined the relationship between PCO2 and land–atmosphere flux of CO2 at the ecosystem scale at 22 Northern Hemisphere wetland sites synthesized through an open call. Sites spanned 6 major wetland types (tidal,...
Paranannizziopsis spp. infections in wild snakes and a qPCR assay for detection of the fungus
Jeffrey M. Lorch, Megan Winzeler, Julia S. Lankton, Stephen Raverty, Heindrich N Snyman, Helen M. Schwantje, Caeley Thacker, Susan Knowles, Hugh Y Cai, Daniel A. Grear
2023, Frontiers in Microbiology (14)
The emergence of ophidiomycosis (or snake fungal disease) in snakes has prompted increased awareness of the potential effects of fungal infections on wild reptile populations. Yet, aside from Ophidiomyces ophidiicola, little is known about other mycoses affecting wild reptiles. The closely related genus Paranannizziopsis has been associated with dermatomycosis in snakes...
An interoperability strategy for the next generation of SEEA accounting
Ferdinando Villa, Stefano Balbi, Kenneth J. Bagstad, Alessio Bulckaen
2023, Report
The System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA) is a set of international environmental-economic standards, adopted by the UN Statistical Commission in 2012 (SEEA Central Framework) and 2021 (SEEA Ecosystem Accounting); the latter in particular requires the integration of large and diverse data streams. These include geospatial and other data sources, which...
Proximity to roads does not modify inorganic nitrogen deposition in a topographically complex, high traffic, subalpine forest
Katherine S. Rocci, M. Francesca Catrufo, Jill Baron
2023, Water, Air, Soil Pollution (234)
Vehicles are an important source for N deposition that may negatively impact roadside ecosystems. While elevated roadside N deposition has been found in many locations, it is not yet known if vehicle emissions cause measurable increases of N deposition in complex, mountainous terrain adjacent to roads....
Monitoring interdecadal coastal change along dissipative beaches via satellite imagery at regional scale
Marcan Graffin, Mohsen Taherkhani, Meredith Leung, Sean Vitousek, George Kaminsky, Peter Ruggiero
2023, Coastal Futures (1)
Coastal morphological changes can be assessed using shoreline position observations from space. However, satellite-derived waterline (SDW) and shoreline (SDS; SDW corrected for hydrodynamic contributions and outliers) detection methods are subject to several sources of uncertainty and inaccuracy. We extracted high-spatiotemporal-resolution (~50 m-monthly) time series of mean high water...
Groundwater flow model investigation of the vulnerability of water resources at Chaco Culture National Historical Park related to unconventional oil and gas development
Zachary M. Shephard, Andre B. Ritchie, Benjamin S. Linhoff, John Joseph Lunzer
2023, Scientific Investigations Report 2023-5097
Chaco Culture National Historical Park (CCNHP), located in northwestern New Mexico, protects the greatest concentration of Chacoan historical sites in the American Southwest. Geologically, CCNHP is located within the San Juan structural basin, which consists in part of complex Cretaceous stratigraphy and hosts a variety of energy resources. As part...
Long-term mercury loading and trapping dynamics in a Western North America reservoir
Eric D. Morway, Robert M. Hirsch, Angela Paul, Mark C. Marvin-DiPasquale, Carl E Thodal
2023, Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies (50)
Study RegionThe Carson River including Lahontan Reservoir in Northwestern Nevada, USAStudy FocusThe discovery, mining, and processing of silver and gold from the Comstock Lode in northwestern Nevada heavily contaminated the Carson River system with mercury (Hg). The river now...
Ring-necked Pheasant brood habitat selection and movements in an intensive agricultural landscape
Alixandra Godar, Adela Piernicky, David A. Haukos, Jeff Prendergast
2023, Prairie Naturalist (55) 107-123
Management of row crops can greatly influence wildlife populations in an agriculturally intensive landscape. Many upland gamebird populations, including Phasianus colchicus L. (Ringnecked Pheasant; hereafter pheasant) are experiencing contemporary population declines in such landscapes throughout the Midwest United States. Reduced availability of quality brood habitat may be a factor in these declines....
LakeLevel tracker: A Google Earth engine-based web application for characterizing lake water levels
Abhishek Kumar, Allison H. Roy, Konstantinos Andreadis, Xinchen He, Caitlyn Butler
2023, Lakeline (43) 21-25
No abstract available....
Gopherus Agassizii (Mojave Desert Tortoise). nest depredation
Megan Peukert, Gerardo Avila, William J. Hoese, Christopher R. Tracy, Philip L. Boyd, Kristy L. Cummings, Shellie R. Puffer, Jeffrey E. Lovich
2023, Herpetological Review (54) 648-649
Nest site selection is an important determinant of clutch success and hatchling sex ratios in Gopherus agassizii, Mojave Desert tortoises (Spotila et al. 1994. Herpetol. Monogr. 8:103-116). G. agassizii lay eggs in or near the entrance of their burrows (Ennen et al. 2012. Copeia 2012:222-228) and females of both G....
Leveraging angler effort to inform fisheries management: Using harvest and harvest rate to estimate abundance of White Sturgeon
Marta Ulaski, Joshua McCormick, Michael Quist, Zachary Jackson
2023, Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management (14) 324-336
Traditional methods for estimating abundance of fish populations are not feasible in some systems due to complex population structure and constraints on sampling effort. Lincoln’s estimator provides a technique that uses harvest and harvest rate to estimate abundance. Using angler catch data allows assumptions of the estimator to be addressed...
Evidence of a load-lightening helper effect in Florida Scrub-Jays: Implications for translocation
Alexis Cardas, Erin Hewett Ragheb, Karl E. Miller, Abby Powell
2023, Article
The Florida Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens) is an imperiled cooperatively breeding species endemic to Florida scrub habitats. Translocation of non-reproductive helpers has been proposed as a conservation tool to increase population size and connectivity. However, the potential consequences of helper removal on the source population remain unclear because the benefits provided...
See a snake, save a snake: Use of external tags to prevent mortality in pythons used in research.
Gretchen Erika Anderson, Lisa Marie McBride, Mark Robert Sandfoss, Amy A. Yackel Adams
2023, Newsletter
No abstract available....
Component 1: Data and monitoring gap analysis
David Wallace, Glenn R. Harwell, Namjeong Choi
2023, Annual Report 2022-2023
The goal of Component 1 is to identify available data and data gaps in the Texas coastal region and to establish a plan for obtaining data critical for successful coastal flood analysis in these regions. This component is supporting the expansion and improvement of data observations for inland, coastal, and...
Assessment of a new GeoAI foundation model for floodinundation mapping
Wenwen Li, Hyunho Lee, Sizhe Wang, Chia-Yu Hsu, Samantha Arundel
2023, Conference Paper, Proceedings of the 6th ACM SIGSPATIAL International Workshop on AI for Geographic Knowledge Discovery (GeoAI '23)
Vision foundation models are a new frontier in GeoAI research because of their potential to enable powerful image analysis by analyzing and extracting important image features from vast amounts of geospatial data. This paper evaluates the performance of the first-of-its-kind geospatial foundation model, IBM-NASA’s Prithvi, to support a crucial geospatial...
Grand Canyon Youth Partners in Science: Reflections from a scientist
Shannon Leigh Sartain
2023, Newsletter
No abstract available....
A proposed methodology for conducting threats assessments within the Great Lakes Coregonines restoration framework
Andrew Edgar Honsey, David R. Smith, Charles R. Bronte, Andy Cook, D. Andrew R. Drake, Dimitry Gorsky, Timothy B. Johnson, Nicholas E. Mandrak, James Roberts, Shawn P. Sitar
2023, Report
This document serves to fulfill the Coregonine Threats Assessment Science Team’s charge of providing a written recommendation for a methodology to conduct threats assessments for Great Lakes coregonines within the Coregonine Restoration Framework (CRF). Through a series of team meetings that included presentations by experts on five candidate threats assessment...
