UAS-based tools for mapping and monitoring hydrothermal systems: An example from Mammoth Lakes, California
Laurie Antoinette Zielinski, Jonathan M.G. Glen, Tait E. Earney, Grant H. Rea-Downing, R. Greg Vaughan, Peter J. Kelly, Gordon H. Keller, Branden James Dean, William Schermerhorn
2022, Geothermal Resources Council Transactions (46) 1618-1637
Unoccupied Aerial Systems (UAS) can accommodate a variety of tools for mapping and monitoring hydrothermal systems (e.g., magnetic, gas, photogrammetry, and thermal infrared [TIR]). These platforms offer increased speed, coverage area, and uniformity compared to ground-based measurements, as well as lower flight height – and therefore higher resolution – than...
A borehole test for chlorinated solvent diffusion and degradation rates in sedimentary rock
Richelle M. Allen-King, Rebecca L. Kiekhaefer, Daniel J. Goode, Paul A. Hsieh, Michelle Lorah, Thomas E. Imbrigiotta
2022, Groundwater Monitoring and Remediation (42) 23-34
We present a new field measurement and numerical interpretation method (combined termed ‘test’) to parameterize the diffusion of trichloroethene (TCE) and its biodegradation products (DPs) from the matrix of sedimentary rock. The method uses a dual-packer system to interrogate a low-permeability section of the rock matrix adjacent to a previously...
Microcontinent breakup and links to possible plate boundary reorganization in the northern Gulf of California, México
Justin T. Higa, Nathan D. Brown, Seulgi Moon, Joann M. Stock, Leah Sabbeth, Scott E.K. Bennett, Arturo Martin-Barajas, Marina O. Argueta
2022, Tectonics (41)
Faults on microcontinents record the dynamic evolution of plate boundaries. However, most microcontinents are submarine and difficult to study. Here, we show that the southern part of the Isla Ángel de la Guarda (IAG) microcontinent, in the northern Gulf of California rift, is densely faulted by a...
Spatial personalities: A meta-analysis of consistent individual differences in spatial behavior
Erica Francis Stuber, Ben Carlson, Brett Jesmer
2022, Behavioral Ecology (33) 477-486
Individual variation in behavior, particularly consistent among-individual differences (i.e., personality), has important ecological and evolutionary implications for population and community dynamics, trait divergence, and patterns of speciation. Nevertheless, individual variation in spatial behaviors, such as home range behavior, movement characteristics, or habitat use has yet to be incorporated into...
Non-target effects of herbicides on the Zerene silverspot butterfly, a surrogate subspecies for the threatened Oregon silverspot butterfly
Cassandra F. Doll, Sarah J. Converse, Cheryl B. Schultz
2022, Journal of Insect Conservation (26) 1-15
Herbicides are used as management tools to improve habitat for native plants and animals, but their application may also have harmful effects on the native community. The federally threatened Oregon silverspot butterfly (Speyeria = Argynnis zerene hippolyta) resides in remnant native grasslands along the Pacific Northwest coast. However, like many grasslands, many...
Quantifying regional effects of best management practices on nutrient losses from agricultural lands
Victor L. Roland II, Ana Maria Garcia, David A. Saad, Scott W. Ator, Dale M. Robertson, Gregory E. Schwarz
2022, Journal of Soil and Water Conservation (77) 15-29
Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) losses from agricultural areas have degraded the water quality of downstream rivers, lakes, and oceans. As a result, investment in the adoption of agricultural best management practices (BMPs) has grown, but assessments of their effectiveness at large spatial scales have lagged. This study applies regional...
The impact of future climate on wetland habitat in a critical migratory waterfowl corridor of the Prairie Pothole Region
Owen P. McKenna
2022, Report
Depressional wetlands are extremely sensitive to changes in temperature and precipitation, so understanding how wetland inundation dynamics respond to changes in climate is essential for describing potential effects on wildlife breeding habitat. Millions of depressional basins make up the largest wetland complex in North America known as the Prairie Pothole...
Economical defence of resources structures territorial space use in a cooperative carnivore
Sarah N. Sells, Michael S. Mitchell, David Edward Ausband, Angela D. Luis, Douglas J. Emlen, Kevin M. Podruzny, Justin A. Gude
2022, Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences (289)
Ecologists have long sought to understand space use and mechanisms underlying patterns observed in nature. We developed an optimality landscape and mechanistic territory model to understand mechanisms driving space use and compared model predictions to empirical reality. We demonstrate our approach using grey wolves (Canis lupus). In the model, simulated...
Characterization of bituminite in Kimmeridge Clay by confocal laser scanning and atomic force microscopy
Paul C. Hackley, Jolanta Kus, Joao Graciano Mendonca Filho, Andrew D. Czaja, Angeles G. Borrego, Dragana Životić, Brett J. Valentine, Javin J. Hatcherian
2022, International Journal of Coal Geology (251)
This work investigates bituminite (amorphous sedimentary organic matter) in Upper Jurassic Kimmeridge Clay source rock via confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). These petrographic tools were used to provide better understanding of the nature of bituminite, which has been historically difficult to identify and differentiate from similar organic...
Assessment of native fish passage through Brandon Road Lock and Dam, Des Plaines River, Illinois, using fin ray microchemistry
Claire E. Snyder, Devon C. Oliver, Brent C. Knights, Stephen M. Pescitelli, Gregory W. Whitledge
2022, Transactions of the American Fisheries Society (151) 172-184
This study examined evidence of native fish passage through Brandon Road Lock and Dam (BRLD) on the Des Plaines River, Illinois, in light of proposed modifications to prevent the upstream passage of invasive carps. Direct evidence of upstream passage by native fishes at BRLD is...
Reconciling models and measurements of marsh vulnerability to sea level rise
Daniel J. Coleman, Mark Schuerch, Stijn Temmerman, Glenn R. Guntenspergen, Christopher G. Smith, Matthew L. Kirwan
2022, Limnology and Oceanography Letters (7) 140-149
Tidal marsh survival in the face of sea level rise (SLR) and declining sediment supply often depends on the ability of marshes to build soil vertically. However, numerical models typically predict survival under rates of SLR that far exceed field-based measurements of vertical accretion. Here, we...
Genetic diversity and mate selection in a reintroduced population of gray wolves
David Edward Ausband
2022, Scientific Reports (12)
The genetic composition of an individual can markedly affect its survival, reproduction, and ultimately fitness. As some wildlife populations become smaller, conserving genetic diversity will be a conservation challenge. Many imperiled species are already supported through population augmentation efforts and we often do not know if or how genetic diversity...
Portable optically stimulated luminescence age map of a paleoseismic exposure
Christopher DuRoss, Ryan D. Gold, Harrison J. Gray, Sylvia R. Nicovich
2022, Geology (50) 470-475
The quality and quantity of geochronologic data used to constrain the history of major earthquakes in a region exerts a first-order control on the accuracy of seismic hazard assessments that affect millions of people. However, evaluations of geochronological data are limited by uncertainties related to inherently complex depositional processes that...
Site fidelity as a maladaptive behavior in the Anthropocene
Jerod A. Merkle, Briana Abrahms, Jonathan B. Armstrong, Hall Sawyer, Daniel P. Costa, Anna D. Chalfoun
2022, Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment (20) 187-194
Site fidelity, or the behavior of returning to previously visited locations, has been observed across taxa and ecosystems. By developing familiarity with a particular location, site fidelity provides a range of benefits and is advantageous in stable or predictable environments. However, the Anthropocene is characterized by rates of environmental change...
Alert optimization of the PLUM earthquake early warning algorithm for the western United States
Elizabeth S. Cochran, Jessie Kate Saunders, Sarah E. Minson, Julian Bunn, Annemarie S. Baltay Sundstrom, Debi Kilb, Colin T O’Rourke, Mitsuyuki Hoshiba, Yuki Kodera
2022, Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America (112) 803-819
We determine an optimal alerting configuration for the propagation of local undamped motion (PLUM) earthquake early warning (EEW) algorithm for use by the U.S. ShakeAlert system covering California, Oregon, and Washington. All EEW systems should balance the primary goal of providing timely alerts for impactful or potentially damaging shaking while...
Distinct gut microbiomes in two polar bear subpopulations inhabiting different sea ice ecoregions
Megan Franz, Lyle White, Todd C. Atwood, Kristin L. Laidre, Denis Roy, Sophie Watson, Esteban Gongora, Melissa McKinney
2022, Scientific Reports (12)
Gut microbiomes were analyzed by 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding for polar bears (Ursus maritimus) from the southern Beaufort Sea (SB), where sea ice loss has led to increased use of land-based food resources by bears, and from East Greenland (EG), where persistent sea ice has allowed hunting of ice-associated prey...
Mine drainage precipitates attenuate and conceal wastewater-derived phosphate pollution in stream water
Peter M. Smyntek, Natalie Lamagna, Charles A. Cravotta III, William H. J. Strosnider
2022, Science of the Total Environment (815)
Hydrous ferric-oxide (HFO) coatings on streambed sediments may attenuate dissolved phosphate (PO4) concentrations at acidic to neutral pH conditions, limiting phosphorus (P) transport and availability in aquatic ecosystems. Mesh-covered tiles on which “natural” HFO from abandoned mine drainage (AMD) had precipitated were exposed to treated municipal wastewater (MWW) effluent or a mixture of stream water...
Highly pathogenic avian influenza is an emerging disease threat to wild birds in North America
Andrew M. Ramey, Nichola J. Hill, Thomas J. DeLiberto, Samantha E. J. Gibbs, M. Camille Hopkins, Andrew S. Lang, Rebecca L. Poulson, Diann Prosser, Jonathan M. Sleeman, David E. Stallknecht, Xiu-Feng Wan
2022, Journal of Wildlife Management (86)
Prior to the emergence of the A/goose/Guangdong/1/1996 (Gs/GD) H5N1 influenza A virus, the long-held and well-supported paradigm was that highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreaks were restricted to poultry, the result of cross-species transmission of precursor viruses from wild aquatic birds that subsequently gained pathogenicity in...
Leveraging community science data for population assessments during a pandemic
Paige Howell, Patrick Devers, Orin J. Robinson, Andy Royle
2022, Ecological Applications (32)
The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted field research programs, making conservation and management decision-making more challenging. However, it may be possible to conduct population assessments using integrated models that combine community science data with existing data from structured surveys. We developed a space-time integrated model to characterize...
Distribution and abundance of Least Bell’s Vireos (Vireo bellii pusillus) and Southwestern Willow Flycatchers (Empidonax traillii extimus) on the Middle San Luis Rey River, San Diego County, southern California—2021 Data summary
Lisa D. Allen, Barbara E. Kus
2022, Data Report 1147
Executive SummaryWe surveyed for Least Bell’s Vireos (Vireo bellii pusillus; vireo) and Southwestern Willow Flycatchers (Empidonax traillii extimus; flycatcher) along the San Luis Rey River, between College Boulevard in Oceanside and Interstate 15 in Fallbrook, California (middle San Luis Rey River), in 2021. Surveys were conducted from April 13 to...
Parasites in kelp-forest food webs increase food-chain length, complexity, and specialization, but reduce connectance
Dana N. Morton, Kevin D. Lafferty
2022, Ecological Monographs (92)
We explored whether parasites are important in kelp forests by examining their effects on a high-quality, high-resolution kelp-forest food web. After controlling for generic effects of network size, parasites affected kelp-forest food web structure in some ways consistent with other systems. Parasites increased the trophic span of the web, increasing...
North American tree migration paced by climate in the West, lagging in the East
Shubhi Sharma, Robert Andrus, Yves Bergeron, Michal Bogdziewicz, Don C. Bragg, Dale G. Brockway, Natalie L. Cleavitt, Benoit Courbaud, Adrian Das, Michael Dietze, Timothy J. Fahey, Jerry F. Franklin, Gilbert S. Gregory, Cathryn H. Greenberg, Qinfeng Guo, Janneke Hille Ris Lambers, Ines Ibanez, Jill F. Johnstone, Christopher L. Kilner, Johannes M. H. Knops, Walter D. Koenig, Georges Kunstler, Jalene M. LaMontagne, Diana Macias, Emily V. Moran, Jonathan A. Myers, Robert Parmenter, Ian Pearse, Renata Poulton-Kamakura, Miranda D. Redmond, Chantal D. Reid, Kyle C. Rodman, C. Lane Scher, William H. Schlesinger, Michael A. Steele, Nathan L. Stephenson, Jennifer J. Swenson, Margaret Swift, Thomas T. Veblen, Amy V. Whipple, Thomas G. Whitham, Andreas P. Wion, Christopher W. Woodall, Roman Zlotin, James S. Clark
2022, PNAS (119)
Tree fecundity and recruitment have not yet been quantified at scales needed to anticipate biogeographic shifts in response to climate change. By separating their responses, this study shows coherence across species and communities, offering the strongest support to date that migration is in progress with regional limitations on rates. The...
From crystals to crustal-scale seismic anisotropy: Bridging the gap between rocks and seismic studies with digital geologic map data in Colorado
Michael G. Frothingham, Kevin H. Mahan, Vera Schulte-Pelkum, Jonathan Saul Caine, Frederick W. Vollmer
2022, Tectonics (41)
Deep continental crustal structures are enigmatic due to lack of direct exposures and limited tools to investigate them remotely. Seismic waves can sample these rocks, but most seismic methods focus on coarse crustal structures while laboratory measurements concentrate on crystal-scale rock properties, and little work has...
Biocrusts mediate a new mechanism for land degradation under a changing climate
Michala Lee Phillips, Brandon E McNellis, Armin J. Howell, Cara Marie Lauria, Jayne Belnap, Sasha C. Reed
2022, Nature Climate Change (12) 71-76
Global concerns for desertification have focused on the slow recovery of extensive and expanding drylands following disturbance, which may be exacerbated by climate change. Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) are photosynthetic soil communities found in drylands worldwide, which are central to the stability and resilience of dryland...
Where groundwater seeps: Evaluating modeled groundwater discharge patterns with thermal infrared surveys at the river-network scale
Janet R. Barclay, Martin A. Briggs, Eric Moore, J. Jeffrey Starn, Ann E.H. Hanson, Ashley Helton
2022, Advances in Water Resources (106)
Predicting baseflow dynamics, protecting aquatic habitat, and managing legacy contaminants requires explicit characterization and prediction of groundwater discharge patterns throughout river networks. Using handheld thermal infrared (TIR) cameras, we surveyed 47 km of stream length across the Farmington River watershed (1,570 km2; CT...
