Changes in chemical occurrence, concentration, and bioactivity in the Colorado River before and after replacement of the Moab, Utah wastewater treatment plant
William A. Battaglin, Paul M. Bradley, Rebbecca Weissinger, Brett R. Blackwell, Jenna E. Cavallin, Daniel L. Villeneuve, Laura A. DeCicco, Julie Kinsey
2023, Science of the Total Environment (904)
Long-term (2010–19) water-quality monitoring on the Colorado River downstream from Moab Utah indicated the persistent presence of Bioactive Chemicals (BC), such as pesticides and pharmaceuticals. This stream reach near Canyonlands National Park provides critical habitat for federally endangered species. The Moab wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) outfall discharges to the Colorado River and...
USGS installs 2022 high-water markers to provide flood information
Daniel W. Armstrong
2023, Newsletter
Historic flooding on June 12-13, 2022 occurred in the Gallatin, Absaroka and Beartooth Mountains of Montana and Wyoming, near Yellowstone National Park. The flooding was initiated by rainstorms that produced between 1-5 inches of rain on top of an above-average snowpack, causing the snow to melt faster and rush...
Constraints on the genesis of Au veins in interior Alaska: Evidence from geochronology and vein textures
Douglas C. Kreiner, William Thompson, Jonathan Saul Caine, Ashleigh Ball, Christopher S. Holm-Denoma, Paul O’Sullivan, Holly J. Stein
2023, Conference Paper, Proceedings of SGA 2023: Mineral resources in a changing world
The origin of Au-bearing, low sulfide quartz veins in the Pogo and Tibbs Creek regions of interior Alaska remain enigmatic. Intrusion-related Au and mesozonal orogenic vein models have both been proposed (Thompson and Newberry, 2000; Rhys et al., 2003; Goldfarb et al., 2022; Dilworth et al., 2007). To date, studies...
Induced seismicity and its impact on existing seismic hazard analysis
Charles Mueller, Allison Shumway
2023, Report
We develop a scheme for mapping changes in earthquake rates within a region in near-real-time. A specific goal of the work is to track recent changes in the rates of induced earthquakes in the central and eastern United States. We map rates in a time window of interest, map rates...
Estimating peak-flow quantiles for selected annual exceedance probabilities in Illinois
Thomas M. Over, Mackenzie K. Marti, Padraic S. O’Shea, Jennifer B. Sharpe
2023, Research Report FHWA-ICT-23-014
This report presents the methods, results, and applications of an updated flood-frequency study for the State of Illinois. This study, which uses data through September 2017, updates two previous studies that used data through 1999 and 2009, respectively. Flood-frequency estimates are used for a variety of land-use planning and infrastructure...
Interstate 15 wildlife crossing design considerations for focal wildlife species - Santa Ana-Palomar Mountains Linkage southern California
Trish Smith, Cheryl S. Brehme, Jill Carpenter, Nancy A. Frost, Megan Jennings, Barbara E. Kus, Scott Quinnell, Spring Straham, T. Winston Vickers
2023, Report
The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), along with landowners including San Diego State University, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Western Riverside Regional Conservation Authority and Riverside County Flood Control District are developing wildlife crossing infrastructure projects along a 3-mile stretch of Interstate 15 (I-15)...
The consequences of neglecting reservoir storage in national-scale hydrologic models: An appraisal of key streamflow statistics
Glenn A. Hodgkins, Thomas M. Over, Robert W. Dudley, Amy M. Russell, Jacob H. LaFontaine
2023, Journal of the American Water Resources Association (60) 110-131
A better understanding of modeled streamflow errors related to basin reservoir storage is needed for large regions, which normally have many ungaged basins with reservoirs. We quantified the difference between modeled and observed streamflows for one process-based and three statistical-transfer hydrologic models, none of which explicitly accounted for reservoir storage....
Pre-eruptive outgassing and pressurization, and post-fragmentation bubble nucleation, recorded by vesicles in breadcrust bombs from vulcanian activity at Guagua Pichincha Volcano, Ecuador
Mathieu Colombier, Michael Manga, Heather M. Wright, Benjamin Bernard, Rebecca deGraffenried, Francisco Caceres, Pablo Samaniego, Jeremie Vasseur, K Jakata, Paul Cook, Donald B. Dingwell
2023, Journal of Geophysical Research - Solid Earth (128)
Breadcrust bombs formed during Vulcanian eruptions are assumed to originate from the shallow plug or dome. Their rim to core texture reflects the competition between cooling and degassing timescales, which results in a dense crust with isolated vesicles contrasting with a highly vesicular vesicle network in the...
Timing of reproduction underlies fitness tradeoffs for a salmonid fish
Jeffrey R Baldock, Robert Al-Chokhachy, Matthew R. Campbell, Annika W. Walters
2023, Oikos (2023)
Life history diversity is generated and maintained in part by density-dependent fitness tradeoffs that inhibit a single trait value from reaching fixation. While central to our understanding of evolution, demonstrating density dependence in the strength of fitness tradeoffs is difficult in natural systems. The...
Forest bird populations at the Pu‘u Wa‘a Wa‘a Forest Bird Sanctuary and Pu‘u Wa‘a Wa‘a Forest Reserve, Hawai‘i
Steve Kendall, Richard J. Camp, Alex X Wang, Lainie Berry, Lindsey Nietmann
2023, Report
Endemic Hawaiian forest birds have exhibited dramatic population declines since human colonization of Hawai‘i. The Pu‘u Wa‘awa‘a Forest Bird Sanctuary and adjacent Pu‘u Wa‘awa‘a Forest Reserve on Hawai‘i Island were established in 2002 to conserve endemic forest birds and their habitats. Surveys have been conducted in this area to monitor...
Landowner and biologist perceptions of game bird predators and management
Samantha R. Fina, Larry M. Gigliotti, Aaron T. Pearse, Joshua D. Stafford
2023, Wildlife Society Bulletin (47)
Nest survival has been identified as one of the most influential vital rates causing population change in game birds, and depredation, often influenced by habitat loss and fragmentation, is the primary cause of nest failure of upland game birds. We were interested in quantifying and comparing the perspectives of landowners...
Virtual snow stakes: a new method for snow depth measurement at remote camera stations
Kaitlyn M. Strickfaden, Marnie L. Behan, Adrienne M. Marshall, Leona K. Svancara, David Edward Ausband, Timothy E. Link
2023, Wildlife Society Bulletin (47)
Remote cameras are used to study demographics, ecological processes, and behavior of wildlife populations. Cameras have also been used to measure snow depth with physical snow stakes. However, concerns that physical instruments at camera sites may influence animal behavior limit installation of instruments to facilitate collecting such data. Given that...
Compound flood model for the lower Nooksack River and delta, western Washington—Assessment of vulnerability and nature-based adaptation opportunities to mitigate higher sea level and stream flooding
Eric E. Grossman, Nathan R. vanArendonk, Cornelis M. Nederhoff
2023, Scientific Investigations Report 2023-5047
Higher sea level and stream runoff associated with climate change is expected to lead to greater lowland flooding across the Pacific Northwest. Increases in stream runoff that range from 20 to 32 percent by the 2040s and from 52 to 72 percent by the 2080s is expected to steadily increase...
A new sturgeon herpesvirus from juvenile Lake Sturgeon Acipenser fulvescens displaying epithelial skin lesions
Sharon Clouthier, Marek Tomczyk, Tamara Schroeder, Cheryl Klassen, Andre Dufresne, Eveline J. Emmenegger, Thomas Nalpathamkalam, Zhuozhi Wang, Bhooma Thiruvahindrapuram
2023, Pathogens (12)
Herpesvirus infections of sturgeon pose a potential threat to sturgeon culture efforts worldwide. A new epitheliotropic herpesvirus named Acipenser herpesvirus 3 (AciHV-3) was detected in hatchery-reared Lake Sturgeon Acipenser fulvescens displaying skin lesions in central Canada. The growths were discovered in the fall, reached average prevalence levels of 0.2–40% and eventually...
Surrogate regression models estimating nitrate concentrations at six springs in Gooding County, south-central Idaho, 2018–22
Kenneth D. Skinner
2023, Scientific Investigations Report 2023-5095
Populations of endangered Banbury Springs limpet (Idaholanx fresti) and threatened Bliss Rapids snail (Taylorconcha serpenticola) are declining in springs north of the Snake River along the southern Gooding County boundary, in south-central Idaho. One hypothesis for the decline is that increased macrophyte growth, associated with elevated nitrate concentrations in the...
Monitoring long-term changes in forage fish distribution, abundance and body condition in Prince William Sound
Mayumi L. Arimitsu, John F. Piatt, Scott Hatch, Caitlin Elizabeth Marsteller, Daniel Stephen Donnelly, Shannon Whelan
2023, Report
Identifying drivers of change in forage fish populations is key to understanding recovery potential for piscivorous species injured by the Exxon Valdez oil spill, and ecosystem response to natural and anthropogenic perturbations. Forage fish are small pelagic schooling fish such as Pacific capelin (Mallotus catervarius), Pacific sand lance (Ammodytes personatus),...
Support for management actions to protect night sky quality: Insights from visitors to state and national park units in the U.S.
J. Adam Beeco, Emily J. Wilkins, Anna B. Miller, Chase C. Lamborn, Sharolyn Anderson, Zachary D. Miller, Jordan W. Smith
2023, Journal of Environmental Management (345)
Light pollution is a global phenomenon where anthropogenic light sources continue to grow unabated, affecting both social and ecological systems. This is leaving parks and protected areas as some of the last vestiges of naturally dark environments for protecting views...
Quantifying site effects and their influence on earthquake source parameter estimations using a dense array in Oklahoma
Hilary Chang, Rachel E. Abercrombie, Nori Nakata, Colin Pennington, Kilian B. Kemna, Elizabeth S. Cochran, Rebecca M. Harrington
2023, Journal of Geophysical Research Solid Earth (128)
We investigate the effects of site response on source parameter estimates using earthquakes recorded by the LArge-n Seismic Survey in Oklahoma (LASSO). While it is well known that near-surface unconsolidated sediments can cause an apparent breakdown of earthquake self-similarity, the influence of laterally varying site conditions remains...
Scanning electron microscopic evaluation of broad ion beam milling effects to sedimentary organic matter: Sputter-induced artifacts or naturally occurring porosity?
Brett J. Valentine, Paul C. Hackley
2023, International Journal of Coal Geology (277)
Research examining organic-matter hosted porosity has significantly increased during the last decade due to greater focus on understanding hydrocarbon migration and storage in source-rock reservoirs, and technological advances in scanning electron microscopy (SEM) capabilities. The examination of nanometer-scale organic-matter hosted porosity by...
Eastern Indigo snake (Drymarchon couperi) shelter site use In peninsular Florida, USA, and implicatIons for habItat conservatIon
M. Rebecca Bolt, Javan Mathias Bauder, Michael L. Legare, Christopher L. Jenkins, Betsie B. Rothermel, David R. Breininger
2023, Herpetological Conservation and Biology (18) 362-373
Shelters are critical for many species as protection from predators and extreme temperatures. Successful conservation of reptiles requires understanding both shelter site requirements and availability. The Eastern Indigo Snake (EIS; Drymarchon couperi) is endemic to the southeastern U.S. and is federally listed. Recovery has focused on maximizing unfragmented landscapes, with...
Restoration of Gavia immer (common loon) in Minnesota—2022 annual report
William S. Beatty, Luke J. Fara, Steven C. Houdek, Robert Rabasco, Spencer Rettler, Elizabeth Rasmussen, Kevin P. Kenow, Brian R. Gray, Steven Yang, Kelly Amoth
2023, Open-File Report 2023-1062
The explosion of the Deepwater Horizon mobile drilling platform on April 20, 2010, caused a massive oil spill and injury to natural resources in the Gulf of Mexico. Gavia immer (common loon) were negatively affected from the spill. The Open Ocean Trustee Implementation Group funded the project “Restoration of Common...
Estimating fat content in barred owls (Strix varia) with predictive models developed from direct measures of proximate body composition
Ryan C. Baumbusch, Katie Dugger, David Wiens
2023, Conservation Physiology (11)
Body condition indices and related metrics can help assess habitat quality and other ecological processes, and ideally, these metrics are based on measures of lipids directly extracted from the species of interest. In recent decades, barred owls (Strix varia) have become a species of conservation concern as they invaded older...
Reanalysis ignores pertinent data, includes inappropriate observations, and disregards realities of applied ecology: Response to Huso and Dalthorp (2023)
Christopher J.W. McClure, Brian W. Rolek, Leah Dunn, Jennifer D. McCabe, Luke Martinson, Todd E. Katzner
2023, Journal of Applied Ecology (60) 2289-2294
1) We recently demonstrated efficacy of automated curtailment of wind turbines in reducing fatalities of eagles at a study site in Wyoming, USA. Huso and Dalthorp criticize our work, asserting that there are several ‘major errors’ that render our previous work as providing ‘no meaningful support’ for automated...
Reanalysis indicates little evidence of reduction in eagle mortality rate by automated curtailment of wind turbines
Manuela Huso, Daniel Dalthorp
2023, Journal of Applied Ecology (60) 2282-2288
Unintended consequences of renewable energy development include collision-caused deaths of birds and bats. Energy companies may risk prosecution if protected species are among the casualties. Shutting down turbines during high collision-risk conditions could reduce mortality rates, and several companies are developing systems to identify such conditions.A recent peer-reviewed article...
Influence of human development and predators on patterns of Virginia opossum occupancy, abundance, and activity
John T. Veon, Ellery V. Lassiter, Emily Johansson, Michael Shaw, Leah McTigue, A. Massey, Rylee Gibson, Brett Alexander DeGregorio
2023, Journal of Zoology (321) 278-288
As human development continues to expand, wildlife must relocate or adapt to survive. Many mammalian mesopredators, such as the Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana), have adapted to living alongside human development. Furthermore, top-down predation pressure may be altered in nuanced ways within the human environment....
