A regional simulation modeling framework for evaluating invasive annual grass management across the sagebrush biome
Elizabeth Kari Orning, Bryan C. Tarbox, Catherine S. Jarnevich, Lindy Garner, James R. Meldrum, Cameron L. Aldridge
2026, Biological Conservation (315)
Invasive annual grasses (IAG) continue to spread within the sagebrush biome of the western United States, degrading plant communities and wildlife habitat, decreasing forage for ranching livelihoods, and heightening wildfire risk. Effective management of IAGs requires action and long-term strategic planning across the sagebrush biome, but the cumulative effects of...
Carbon sequestration along a gradient of tidal marsh degradation in response to sea level rise
Mona Huyzentruyt, Maarten Wens, Gregory S. Fivash, David Walters, Steven Bouillon, Joel Carr, Glenn Guntenspergen, Matt L. Kirwan, Stijn Temmerman
2026, Biogeosciences (23) 851-865
Tidal marshes are considered one of the world's most efficient ecosystems for belowground organic carbon sequestration and hence climate mitigation. Marsh systems are however also vulnerable to degradation due to climate-induced sea level rise, whereby marsh vegetation conversion to open water often follows distinct spatial patterns: levees...
Groundwater-level elevations in the bedrock aquifers of the Denver Basin aquifer system, Elbert County, Colorado, 2015–23
Kelli M. Palko, Cory A. Russell, Nicholas J. Pieseski
2026, Scientific Investigations Report 2026-5115
Water users in Elbert County, Colorado, rely on groundwater from bedrock aquifers in the Denver Basin aquifer system (upper Dawson, lower Dawson, Denver, Arapahoe, and Laramie-Fox Hills aquifers) for approximately half of their water uses. Withdrawals from the bedrocks aquifers have increased to meet the water use needs of expanding...
Restoration based on cost-benefit optimization: A grasslands pilot study
Sarah R. Weiskopf, Toni Lyn Morelli, Tina G. Mozelewski, Alexey N. Shiklomanov, Susannah B. Lerman
2026, Ecological Applications (36)
Ecological restoration is essential to meeting global biodiversity conservation goals. Given limited conservation budgets, deciding where to restore habitat is a key challenge for the coming decade. We developed a spatially explicit framework to optimize ecological restoration site selection by integrating land use history, species distributions, and economic costs. The...
Magmatic source of the opening phase of Kīlauea’s 2018 Lower East Rift Zone eruption
Rose Gallo, Laurine Barreau, Tom Shea, Nicolas Cluzel, Chris Russo, Aaron J. Pietruszka, William Nelson, Allan Lerner, Paul J. Wallace, Cheryl Gansecki
2026, Journal of Petrology (67)
The 2018 eruption of Kīlauea volcano in its Lower East Rift Zone began with the discharge of evolved high-Ti basalt as weak lava fountains and short, slow-moving lava flows. The lavas were quickly geochemically recognized as being derived from magmas stored within the rift zone and remobilized...
Assessment of undiscovered conventional oil and gas resources in the Greater Carpathian area, 2024
Christopher J. Schenk, Tracey J. Mercier, Phuong A. Le, Andrea D. Cicero, Sarah E. Gelman, Jane S. Hearon, Benjamin G. Johnson, Jenny H. Lagesse, Heidi M. Leathers-Miller
2026, Fact Sheet 2026-3060
Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated undiscovered, technically recoverable mean conventional resources of 208 million barrels of oil and 4.1 trillion cubic feet of gas in the greater Carpathian area....
Toward a four-dimensional petrogenetic model of a distributed volcanic field on the southern edge of the Colorado Plateau
Marissa E. Mnich, Christopher D. Condit
2026, Professional Paper 1890-N
A detailed characterization of the >3,000 square kilometer (km2) Springerville volcanic field, located on the southern tip of the Colorado Plateau in Arizona, United States, with its more than 501 volcanic units and widely distributed >420 cinder cones and lava flows, provides constraints toward an integrated petrogenetic model for the...
Harvest of long-tailed ducks from an important hunting location on Lake Michigan
Luke J. Fara, William S. Beatty, Brian R. Gray, Kevin P. Kenow, Michael W. Eichholz
2026, Journal of Wildlife Management (90)
Annual waterfowl harvest in North America is estimated through a collaborative and strategic process, with federal harvest surveys the primary method of estimation. Sea duck hunters participating in federal harvest surveys represent a small proportion of the overall waterfowl hunting population, limiting the utility of harvest estimates for sea ducks....
Vegetation cover and composition in environments surrounding uranium mines in the Grand Canyon ecosystem, Northern Arizona
Rebecca K. Mann, Michael C. Duniway, Jo Ellen Hinck
2026, Open-File Report 2025-1024
Mining uranium from breccia-pipe deposits in the greater Grand Canyon region has occurred since the mid-1900s. However, possible ecosystem contamination with harmful levels of radionuclides may have occurred due to mining activities in the 21st century. In response, a 20-year Federal moratorium on new mining claims in the Grand Canyon...
Seasonal and decadal changes in winter body condition of four sympatric diving ducks
Mason A. Hill, Susan E.W. De La Cruz, Laurie Anne Hall, Stacy M. Moskal, John Y. Takekawa, John M. Eadie
2026, Journal of Wildlife Management (90)
Winter body condition is an important driver of survival, reproductive output, and overall population health in waterfowl. Diving duck species use distinct habitats, exploit unique resources, and can collectively provide an integrated index of winter habitat quality. The San Francisco Bay (SFB) is the largest estuary on...
Decadal trends and occurrence of geogenic constituents and mixtures in groundwater across the continental United States
Melinda L. Erickson, Sarah M. Elliott, MaryLynn Musgrove, Elise Danica Hinman, Margaux Jeanne Sleckman, Sarah M. Stackpoole, Bruce D. Lindsey
2026, Environmental Science and Technology - Water (6) 664-678
Worldwide, about 50% of the population is served by groundwater-sourced drinking water. Numerous groundwater quality assessments have found that geogenic constituents are among the most common contaminants in drinking-water aquifers. Documenting changing groundwater quality is a crucial aspect of water availability assessments. We assess trends and occurrence of geogenic constituent...
ECCOE Landsat Quarterly Calibration and Validation Report—Quarter 2, 2025
Md Obaidul Haque, Nahid Hasan, Ashish Shrestha, Rajagopalan Rengarajan, Mark Lubke, Daniel Steinwand, Paul Bresnahan, Jerad L. Shaw, Kathryn Ruslander, Esad Micijevic, Michael J. Choate, Cody Anderson, Jeff Clauson, Kurt Thome, Amit Angal, Raviv Levy, Jeff Miller, Leibo Ding, Cibele Teixeira Pinto
2026, Open-File Report 2026-1059
Executive Summary The U.S. Geological Survey Earth Resources Observation and Science Calibration and Validation (Cal/Val) Center of Excellence (ECCOE) focuses on improving the accuracy, precision, calibration, and product quality of remote- sensing data, leveraging years of multiscale optical system geometric and radiometric calibration and characterization experience. The ECCOE Landsat Cal/Val Team...
Latest Pleistocene to 19th-century earthquakes on bending-moment reverse faults of the Seattle fault zone, Washington
Stephen J. Angster, Brian L. Sherrod, Jessie K. Pearl, Lydia M. Staisch, Wes Johns, Richard J. Blakely
2026, GSA Bulletin
Fault-related folds and their associated secondary faults play a critical yet often underrecognized role in accommodating strain and generating earthquakes in active fold-and-thrust belts. In the Seattle fault zone (SFZ), Washington, USA, we present new paleoseismic, geomorphic, and geophysical evidence for late Pleistocene and Holocene earthquakes on...
A matter of timing: Sagebrush steppe restoration seeding outcomes altered by species responses to warmer spring temperatures and interannual weather variation
Stella M Copeland, Jonathan D Bates, Kirk W Davies, Matthew Germino
2026, Restoration Ecology
IntroductionRestoration outcomes in cold desert ecosystems like sagebrush steppe are affected by weather variability, particularly during the spring, a critical time period for seedling establishment. Seedling emergence phenology is also highly variable among species in these ecosystems. Seed-based restoration outcomes are likely affected by the emergence timing...
Single receiver target localization in mobile marine acoustic telemetry
Eric M. Gaskell, Tyler Reid Funnell, Christopher M. Holbrook, Darryl W. Hondorp, Xiaobo Tan
2026, IEEE Journal of Oceanic Engineering
Many marine ecological studies track animal movement and migration using acoustic telemetry, in which animals are implanted with acoustic transmitters broadcasting a unique ID code. Receivers detect and decode these transmissions and provide an estimate of the animal’s location. As transmissions can be detected at distances of hundreds of meters...
Sea-level rise in a coastal marsh: Linking increasing tidal inundation, decreasing soil strength and increasing pond expansion
Mona Huyzentruyt, Lennert Schepers, Matt L. Kirwan, Glenn Guntenspergen, Stijn Temmerman
2026, Biogeosciences (23) 751-766
Coastal marsh conversion into ponds, which may be triggered by sea-level rise, is considered an important driver of marsh loss and their valuable ecosystem services. Previous studies have focused on the role of wind waves in driving the expansion of interior marsh ponds, through lateral erosion of marsh edges surrounding...
Global framework for communication of biological invasion risks
Lorenzo Vilizzi, Vettath R. Suresh, Daniela Giannetto, Jeffrey E. Hill, Wesley M. Daniel, João G. Monteiro, Lennart Edsman, Hassan Sh Elmi, Ahmed Ibrahim Awale, Elnaz Najafi-Majd, Ramazan Mammadov, Sapto Andriyono, Djumanto, Mohammad Noor Azmai, Abdulwakil Saba, Belma K. Stroil, Avdul Adrović, Anna Vila-Gispert, Dani Boix, Oldřich Kopecký, Vilém Pavlu, Dragana Milošević, Danka Caković, Henrik Holbech, Kim Lundgreen, Juliane Lukas, Harald Ahnelt, Merike Linnamägi, Mehis Rohtla, David Almeida, Roberto Mendoza, Allan S. Gilles Jr., Richard Thomas D. Pavia Jr., Elisabeth Knudsen, Leivur J. Hansen, Philippe Goulletquer, Amelia Curd, Ivan Špelić, Jón E. Jónsson, Höskuldur Thráinsson, Angela Boggero, Mihails Pupins, Artūrs Škute, Lukas Petrulaitis, Ilona Jukonienė, Gábor Herczeg, Árpád Ferincz, Hugo Verreycken, Rob S.E.W. Leuven, Martin Malmstrøm, Gaute Velle, Trobjon Makhkamov, Akramjon Yuldashev, Dariusz Pietraszewski, Lidia Marszał, João Canning-Clode, Mariele Pasuch de Camargo, Cristina Preda, Daniyar Memedemin, Rigers Bakiu, Silvia Bakiu, Kristína S. Švolíková, Barbora Števove, Luka Duniš, Petra Kristan, Predrag Simonović, Radoslav Dekić, Riikka Puntila-Dodd, Miia Jauni, Karin H. Olsson, Kieu Anh Ta, Thuyet D. Bui, Baran Yoğurtçuoğlu, Sevan Ağdamar, Bahadir Yuldashov, Peyzulla Khydyrov, Leonidas Vardakas, Nicholas Koutsikos, Costas Perdikaris, Dzmitry Lukashanets, Oleg Borodin, Eliza Uzunova, Dimitriy Dashinov, Georgii Lazkov, Myskalai Ganybaeva, Daniya Ualiyeva, Raushan Zharmukhametova, Milica Ristovska, Aleksandra Cvetkovska Gjorgjievska, Burenbaatar Ganbaatar, Solongo Khadbaatar, Vadim E. Panov, Oleh Marenkov, Nurali Saidov, Mekhrovar Okhonniyozov, Yuriy Kvach, Volodymyr Yuryshynets, Marine Arakelyan, Hasmik Khachatryan, Levan Mumladze, Bella Japoshvili, Renanel Pickholtz, Tal Gavriel, Usman Atique, Muhammad Altaf, Sonia Iqbal, Zainab Al-Wazzan, Sahar Chebaane, Mohammad Hamid Hamdard, Abdul Rahman Osmani, Seyed Daryoush Moghaddas, Jamileh Javidpour, Mariyam Nashath, Faruhana Abdullah, Hari Prasad Sharma, Bharat Babu Shrestha, Vandana Vibhakaran, Shams M. Galib, Md. Abdul Gofur Khan, Udaya Priyantha Epa, Nadiya Cassim, Mahanama De Zoysa, Ratcha Chaichana, Kamalaporn Kanongdate, Nyein Chan, La Minn Ko Ko, Jigdrel Dorji, Chhimi Dorji, Khaml Inkhavilay, Chanhvilay Somvongsa, Kim Soben, Yutha Nida, Yohannes B. Tesfay, Bikila W. Dullo, Chulhong Oh, Youngjun Park, Shan Li, Hui Wei, Akihiko Koyama, Atsuhiko Isobe, Marina Piria
2026, Management of Biological Invasions (17) 1-33
Biological invasions, driven by the spread of non-native species, have become a critical global issue because of their far-reaching ecological and socioeconomic impacts. Effective communication of the risks of biological invasions is essential for implementing robust policy and legislation and gaining public support for conservation efforts. However, current policies often...
Recent scientific contributions by the U.S. Geological Survey in the San Francisco Bay and Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta Estuary
Judith Z. Drexler, Jake Weltzin
2026, Fact Sheet 2025-3058
Introduction The San Francisco Bay and Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta Estuary (hereafter, Bay-Delta) is the largest estuary on the West Coast of the United States. The Bay- Delta covers more than 1,600 square miles and drains a watershed of more than 75,000 square miles, which is greater than 40 percent of California....
Multi-year cut-to-drown management limits Phragmites australis growth, belowground resources, and rhizome viability in Great Lakes wetlands
Wesley A. Bickford, Kaira A. Schaefer, Spenser L. Widin, Kurt P. Kowalski
2026, Journal of Great Lakes Research (52)
The distribution and abundance of Phragmites in the Great Lakes coastal zone has expanded in part due to its unique ventilation physiology and its ability to take advantage of changes in lake levels over the past several decades. During an extended period of low lake levels in the early...
Teach me how to pycap: A high-capacity well decision support tool using analytical solutions in Python
Michael N. Fienen, Aaron Pruitt, Howard W. Reeves
2026, Groundwater (64) 223-234
Regulatory agencies in humid temperate environments rely on timely evaluations of streamflow depletion and drawdown to protect aquatic ecosystems and existing water users. Numerical models offer detailed insights, but their complexity and time demands often preclude their practical use in rapid decision-making. We present pycap-dss, an open-source Python package that...
Experimental lure design reveals the best attractants for increasing detection of multiple mesocarnivores
Danielle N. Brosend, Anna K. Moeller, Robert Charles Lonsinger
2026, Wildlife Biology
Many mesocarnivores have low detection rates that hinder practitioners' abilities to implement effective monitoring strategies. Using olfactory attractants (i.e. lures) may increase detection rates, but variation in effects among species is not well understood. Thus, investigating factors influencing detection of mesocarnivores, can inform and improve monitoring efforts....
Modeling carbon fluxes in tidal forested wetlands in the Mississippi river deltaic plain under various hydrologic conditions: Implications for river diversions
Hongqing Wang, Ken W. Krauss, Gary P. Shaffer, Brett Patton, Daniel Kroes, Gregory E. Noe, Zhaohua Dai, Lindsey Dettwiller, Carl C. Trettin
2026, Wetlands Ecology and Management (34)
Our understanding of the impacts of climate change, sea-level rise (SLR), and freshwater management on the magnitude and variability of carbon fluxes in tidal forested wetlands remains limited. In this study, we applied a process-driven wetland biogeochemistry model, Wetland Carbon Assessment Tool—DeNitrification-DeComposition (WCAT-DNDC) model to explore responses of carbon fluxes...
Prioritizing resource protection and understanding potential susceptibility of springs to surficial changes in a low-temperature geothermal system
Connor P. Newman, Jeff D. Pepin
2026, Geothermics (136)
Geothermal systems are vulnerable to changes in water budget and composition, requiring science-based management. This study uses a dataset of spring water temperatures, time series of groundwater residence time tracers (tritium and carbon-14), and stable isotopes of water to understand geothermal flow in a low-temperature geothermal system in north west...
A catalogue of Do's and Don'ts in the modeling of environmental systems
Xifu Sun, Anthony J. Jakeman, Serena H Hamilton, Volker Grimm, Randall J. Hunt, Sondoss El Sawah, Hsiao-Hsuan Wang, Barry Croke, Min Chen
2026, Environmental Modelling and Software (198)
Modeling plays a vital role in understanding and managing complex environmental systems, but its credibility and quality depend heavily on a comprehensive set of defensible model activities and practices, especially when the system of interest is plagued with uncertainties and conflicting stakeholder perspectives. This paper proposes a...
Earthquake-hazard exposure of residents with potential access and functional needs in the United States
Nathan J. Wood, Alice Pennaz, Jeanne M. Jones
2026, International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction (134)
Earthquake response plans and earthquake early warning (EEW) systems designed for general populations may not consider potential access and functional needs (AFN) of individuals with physical, sensory, cognitive, or social limitations. Previous efforts to map the distribution of these populations have focused on social-vulnerability indices that ignore or oversimply these...
