Vegetation changes associated with a population irruption by Roosevelt elk
H D Starns, Floyd W. Weckerly, Mark A. Ricca, Adam Duarte
2015, Ecology and Evolution (5) 109-120
Interactions between large herbivores and their food supply are central to the study of population dynamics. We assessed temporal and spatial patterns in meadow plant biomass over a 23-year period for meadow complexes that were spatially linked to three distinct populations of Roosevelt elk (Cervus elaphus roosevelti) in northwestern California....
Substantial nitrous oxide emissions from intertidal sediments and groundwater in anthropogenically-impacted West Falmouth Harbor, Massachusetts
Serena Moseman-Valtierra, Kevin D. Kroeger, John Crusius, Sandy Baldwin, Adrian G. Mann, Thomas W. Brooks, E. Pugh
2015, Chemosphere (119) 1281-1288
Large N2O emissions were observed from intertidal sediments in a coastal estuary, West Falmouth Harbor, MA, USA. Average N2O emission rates from 41 chambers during summer 2008 were 10.7 mol N2O m(-2) h(-1)±4.43 μmol N2O m(-2) h(-1) (standard error). Emissions were highest from sediments within a known wastewater plume, where...
Time‐dependent renewal‐model probabilities when date of last earthquake is unknown
Edward H. Field, Thomas H. Jordan
2015, Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America (105) 459-463
We derive time-dependent, renewal-model earthquake probabilities for the case in which the date of the last event is completely unknown, and compare these with the time-independent Poisson probabilities that are customarily used as an approximation in this situation. For typical parameter values, the renewal-model probabilities exceed Poisson results by more...
Computing elastic‐rebound‐motivated rarthquake probabilities in unsegmented fault models: a new methodology supported by physics‐based simulators
Edward H. Field
2015, Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America (105) 544-559
A methodology is presented for computing elastic‐rebound‐based probabilities in an unsegmented fault or fault system, which involves computing along‐fault averages of renewal‐model parameters. The approach is less biased and more self‐consistent than a logical extension of that applied most recently for multisegment ruptures in California. It also enables the application...
Efficacy of two approaches for disinfecting surfaces and water infested with quagga mussel veligers
Christine M Moffitt, Amber Barenburg, Kelly A. Stockton, Barnaby J. Watten
Wai Hing Wong, Shawn L. Gerstenberger, editor(s)
2015, Book, Biology and Management of Invasive Quagga and Zebra Mussels in the Western United States
Limnogeology, news in brief
Michael R. Rosen, Elizabeth Gierlowski-Kordesch
2015, Environmental Earth Sciences (73) 913-917
We've invited Michael R. Rosen, water quality specialist within the USGS Water Science Field Team in Carson City and Elizabeth Gierlowski-Kordesch, professor of geology at Ohio University, to take a look at the intriguing new developments that are emerging in limnogeologic studies. These studies are increasing our understanding of how...
Genomic single-nucleotide polymorphisms confirm that Gunnison and Greater sage-grouse are genetically well differentiated and that the Bi-State population is distinct
Sara J. Oyler-McCance, Robert S. Cornman, Kenneth L. Jones, Jennifer A. Fike
2015, The Condor (117) 217-227
Sage-grouse are iconic, declining inhabitants of sagebrush habitats in western North America, and their management depends on an understanding of genetic variation across the landscape. Two distinct species of sage-grouse have been recognized, Greater (Centrocercus urophasianus) and Gunnison sage-grouse (C. minimus), based on morphology, behavior, and variation at neutral genetic...
“All Models Are Wrong, but Some Are Useful”
Edward H. Field
2015, Seismological Research Letters (86) 291-293
Building a new model, especially one used for policy purposes, takes considerable time, effort, and resources. In justifying such expenditures, one inevitably spends a lot of time denigrating previous models. For example, in pitching the third Uniform California Earthquake Rupture Forecast (UCERF3) (http://www.WGCEP.org/UCERF3), criticisms of the previous model included...
Entrainment of bed material by Earth-surface mass flows: review and reformulation of depth-integrated theory
Richard M. Iverson, Chaojun Ouyang
2015, Reviews of Geophysics (53) 1-32
Earth-surface mass flows such as debris flows, rock avalanches, and dam-break floods can grow greatly in size and destructive potential by entraining bed material they encounter. Increasing use of depth-integrated mass- and momentum-conservation equations to model these erosive flows motivates a review of the underlying theory. Our review indicates that...
Coles Hill Uranium Deposit, Virginia, United States, and the Application of UNFC-2009
Susan M. Hall
2015, Book chapter, Application of UNFC to Nuclear Fuel Resources - Selected Case Studies
The case study presented here reviews the uranium resource estimates and summarizes the property situation of the Coles Hill uranium Deposit. Uranium resources at Coles Hill are then classified according to UNFC-2009. The Coles Hill Deposit is located in Pittsylvania County, southern Virginia, United States (Figure 14). Coles Hill was...
A summary of the late Cenozoic stratigraphic and tectonic history of the Santa Clara Valley, California
Victoria E. Langenheim, Robert C. Jachens, Carl M. Wentworth, Russell W. Graymer, Richard G. Stanley, Robert J. McLaughlin, Robert W. Simpson, Robert A. Williams, D. W. Andersen, David A. Ponce
2015, Geosphere (11) 50-62
The late Cenozoic stratigraphic and tectonic history of the Santa Clara Valley illustrates the dynamic nature of the North American–Pacific plate boundary and its effect on basin and landscape development. Prior to early Miocene time, the area that became Santa Clara Valley consisted of eroding Franciscan complex basement structurally interleaved...
Yellowstone grizzly bear investigations — Annual report of the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team 2014
Frank T. van Manen, Mark A. Haroldson, Suzanna C. Soileau, editor(s)
2015, Report
This Annual Report summarizes results of grizzly bear (Ursus arctos) monitoring and research conducted in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) by the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team (IGBST) during 2014. The report also contains a summary of grizzly bear management actions to address conflict situations. ...
Book reviews: The Double-crested Cormorant, plight of a feathered pariah, by L.R. Wires/The birds of New Hampshire by Allan R, Keith and Robert P. Fox
R. Todd Engstrom, Daniel D. Roby, Jon S. Greenlaw
2015, The Auk (132) 315-317
No abstract available....
Synthesis of geophysical data (phase V, deliverable 55)
Carol A. Finn, Eric D. Anderson
2015, Open-File Report 2013-1280-B
Aeromagnetic and radiometric data were used to map shallow Precambrian basement lithology and structure and determine the depth to magnetic basement, which in most cases, corresponds to the depth to crystalline basement of interest for mineral exploration. These depths, along with those determined from gravity data, help identify basins with...
Hydrogeologic map of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania (phase V, deliverable 56), Synthesis of hydrologic data (phase V, deliverable 57), and chemical hydrologic map of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania (added value)
Michael J. Friedel, Carol A. Finn, John D. Horton
2015, Open-File Report 2013-1280-C
A hydrogeologic study was conducted to support mineral-resource assessment activities in Mauritania, Africa. Airborne magnetic depth estimates reveal two primary groundwater basins: the porous coastal Continental Terminal Basin (fill deposits); and the interior, fractured interior Taoudeni Basin. In the Continental Terminal Basin, there is uniform vertical recharge and localized discharge...
Non-perturbational surface-wave inversion: A Dix-type relation for surface waves
Matthew M. Haney, Victor C. Tsai
2015, Geophysics (80) EN167-EN177
We extend the approach underlying the well-known Dix equation in reflection seismology to surface waves. Within the context of surface wave inversion, the Dix-type relation we derive for surface waves allows accurate depth profiles of shear-wave velocity to be constructed directly from phase velocity data, in contrast to perturbational methods....
Climate change in the Northeast and Midwest United States
Alexander Bryan, Ambarish Karmalkar, Ethan Coffel, Liang Ning, Radley M. Horton, Eleonora Demaria, Fanxing Fan, Raymond S. Bradley, Richard Palmer
2015, Report, Integrating climate change into northeast and midwest State Wildlife Action Plans
The climate is changing rapidly in ways that have already impacted wildlife and their habitats. Here, we present a summary of the observed past and projected future climate changes in the region that are relevant to wildlife and ecosystems, as well as what we know and don’t know in order...
Evaluation of stream flow effects on smolt survival in the Yakima River Basin, Washington, 2012-2014
Ian Courter, Tommy Garrison, Tobias J. Kock, Russell W. Perry
2015, Report
The influence of stream flow on survival of emigrating juvenile (smolts) Pacific salmon Oncorhynchus spp. and steelhead trout O. mykiss is of key management interest. However, few studies have quantified flow effects on smolt migration survival, and available information does not indicate a consistent flow-survival relationship within the typical range...
Copper toxicity and organic matter: Resiliency of watersheds in the Duluth Complex, Minnesota, USA
Nadine M. Piatak, Robert R. Seal, Perry M. Jones, Laurel G. Woodruff
2015, Conference Paper, Proceedings of the 10th International Conference on Acid Rock Drainage and IMWA Annual Conference
We estimated copper (Cu) toxicity in surface water with high dissolved organic matter (DOM) for unmined mineralized watersheds of the Duluth Complex using the Biotic Ligand Model (BLM), which evaluates the effect of DOM, cation competition for biologic binding sites, and metal speciation. A sediment-based BLM was used to estimate...
Conservation status of North American freshwater crayfish (Decapoda: Cambaridae) from the southern United States
Zachary J. Loughman, Stuart A. Welsh, James W. Fetzner, Roger F. Thoma
2015, Journal of Crustacean Biology (35) 850-860
A list is provided of all crayfishes (family Cambaridae) in the southern United States, which includes common names, global conservation status, an alternative review of the conservation status based on the IUCN red list criteria, and state distribution. This list includes 357 native crayfishes, of which 12 (3.4%) are critically...
Synopsis of the history of sea otter conservation in the United States
Glenn R. VanBlaricom
2015, Book chapter
In the late 1860s, declining US sea otter populations elicited concern because of prior excessive harvests. Congress mandated protection of Alaskan sea otters in 1868, but hunting continued unrestrained. The Fur Seal Treaty of 1911 (abrogated in 1941) protected sea otters in international waters, but was not applicable to most...
Day-roost tree selection by northern long-eared bats - What do non-roost tree comparisons and one year of data really tell us?
Alexander Silvis, W. Mark Ford, Eric R. Britzke
2015, Global Ecology and Conservation (3) 756-763
Bat day-roost selection often is described through comparisons of day-roosts with randomly selected, and assumed unused, trees. Relatively few studies, however, look at patterns of multi-year selection or compare day-roosts used across years. We explored day-roost selection using 2 years of roost selection data for female northern long-eared bats (Myotis...
Introduction to Special Issue: Disruption of thyroid, sex steroid, and adrenal hormone systems and their crosstalk in aquatic wildlife
Reynaldo Patino, James A. Carr
2015, General and Comparative Endocrinology (219)-1
No abstract available....
Fluid-faulting interactions: Fracture-mesh and fault-valve behavior in the February 2014 Mammoth Mountain, California, earthquake swarm
David R. Shelly, Taka’aki Taira, Stephanie G. Prejean, David P. Hill, Douglas S. Dreger
2015, Geophysical Research Letters (42) 5803-5812
Faulting and fluid transport in the subsurface are highly coupled processes, which may manifest seismically as earthquake swarms. A swarm in February 2014 beneath densely monitored Mammoth Mountain, California, provides an opportunity to witness these interactions in high resolution. Toward this goal, we employ massive waveform-correlation-based event detection and relative...
Scale-appropriate adaptation strategies and actions in the Northeast and Midwest United States
Michelle D. Staudinger, Laura Hilberg, Maria Janowiak, Chris Caldwell, Anthony W. D’Amato, Evan H. Campbell Grant, Radley M. Horton, Rachel A. Katz, Chris Neiil, Keith H. Nislow, Ken Potter, Erika Rowland, Chris Swanston, Frank Thompson, Kristopher J. Winiarski
2015, Report, Integrating climate change into northeast and midwest State Wildlife Action Plans
Climate Change Adaptation is a growing field within conservation and natural resource management. Actions taken toward climate change adaptation account for climate impacts and ecological responses, both current and projected into the future. These actions attempt to accomplish a number of goals, including the conservation of wildlife and ecosystems by...
