Life history and status of Shortnose Sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum LeSueur, 1818)
Boyd Kynard, Stephania Bolden, Micah Kieffer, Mark Collins, Hal Brundage, Eric Hilton, Mark Litvak, Michael T. Kinnison, Tim L. King, Douglas C. Peterson
2016, Journal of Applied Ichthyology (32) 208-248
Shortnose Sturgeon = SNS (Acipenser brevirostrum) is a small diadromous species with most populations living in large Atlantic coast rivers and estuaries of North America from New Brunswick, Canada, to GA, USA. There are no naturally landlocked populations, so all populations require access to fresh water and salt water to...
Use of lidar point cloud data to support estimation of residual trace metals stored in mine chat piles in the Old Lead Belt of southeastern, Missouri
Emitt C. Witt III
2016, AIMS Environmental Science (3) 509-524
Historic lead and zinc (Pb-Zn) mining in southeast Missouri’s ―Old Lead Belt‖ has left large chat piles dominating the landscape where prior to 1972 mining was the major industry of the region. As a result of variable beneficiation methods over the history of mining activity, these piles remain with large...
A simple rubric for Stratigraphic Fidelity (β) of paleoenvironmental time series
Harry J. Dowsett, Marci M. Robinson, Kevin M. Foley
2016, Stratigraphy (13) 303-305
The Pliocene, specifically the late Pliocene, has been a focus of paleoclimate research formore than 25 years. Synoptic regional and global reconstructions along with high-resolution time-series have produced nuanced conceptual models of paleoenvironmental conditions and enhanced our understanding of climate variability and climate sensitivity from the Late Pliocene, the most recent interval of...
Teaching animal habitat selection using wildlife tracking equipment
Jessica Laskowski, Caitlyn R. Gillespie, Lucia Corral, Amy Oden, Kent A. Fricke, Joseph J. Fontaine
2016, Science Activities (53) 147-154
We present a hands-on outdoor activity coupled with classroom discussion to teach students about wildlife habitat selection, the process by which animals choose where to live. By selecting locations or habitats with many benefits (e.g., food, shelter, mates) and few costs (e.g., predators), animals improve their ability to survive and...
Seismic‐hazard forecast for 2016 including induced and natural earthquakes in the central and eastern United States
Mark D. Petersen, Charles Mueller, Morgan P. Moschetti, Susan M. Hoover, Andrea L. Llenos, William L. Ellsworth, Andrew J. Michael, Justin L. Rubinstein, Arthur F. McGarr, Kenneth S. Rukstales
2016, Seismological Research Letters (87) 1327-1341
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has produced a one‐year (2016) probabilistic seismic‐hazard assessment for the central and eastern United States (CEUS) that includes contributions from both induced and natural earthquakes that are constructed with probabilistic methods using alternative data and inputs. This hazard assessment builds on our 2016 final model...
Reconnaissance stratigraphy of the Red Glacier Formation (Middle Jurassic) near Hungryman Creek, Cook Inlet basin, Alaska
D. L. LePain, Richard G. Stanley, K. P. Helmold
2016, Preliminary Interpretive Report 2016-1-3
Geochemical data suggest the source of oil in upper Cook Inlet fields is Middle Jurassic organic-rich shales in the Tuxedni Group (Magoon and Anders, 1992; Lillis and Stanley, 2011; LePain and others, 2012, 2013). Of the six formations in the group (Detterman, 1963), the basal Red Glacier Formation is the...
Sedimentary petrology and reservoir quality of the Middle Jurassic Red Glacier Formation, Cook Inlet forearc basin: Initial impressions
K. P. Helmold, D. L. LePain, Richard G. Stanley
2016, Preliminary Interpretive Report 2016-1-4
The Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys and Division of Oil & Gas are currently conducting a study of the hydrocarbon potential of Cook Inlet forearc basin (Gillis, 2013, 2014; LePain and others, 2013; Wartes, 2015; Herriott, 2016 [this volume]). The Middle Jurassic Tuxedni Group is recognized as a major...
Changes in blast zone albedo patterns around new martian impact craters
Ingrid J. Daubar, Colin M. Dundas, Shane Byrne, Paul E. Geissler, Gwen Bart, Alfred S. McEwen, Patrick Russell, Matthew Chojnacki, M.P. Golombek
2016, Icarus (267) 86-105
“Blast zones” (BZs) around new martian craters comprise various albedo features caused by the initial impact, including diffuse halos, extended linear and arcuate rays, secondary craters, ejecta patterns, and dust avalanches. We examined these features for changes in repeat images separated by up to four Mars years. Here we present...
Nonmarine facies in the Late Triassic(?) to Early Jurassic Horn Mountain Tuff member of the Talkeetna Formation, Horn Mountain, lower Cook Inlet basin, Alaska
D. L. LePain, Richard G. Stanley, K. P. Helmold
2016, Preliminary Interpretive Report 2016-1-2
The Talkeetna Formation is a prominent lithostratigraphic unit in south-central Alaska. In the Iniskin–Tuxedni area, Detterman and Hartsock (1966) divided the formation into three mappable units including, from oldest to youngest, the Marsh Creek Breccia, the Portage Creek Agglomerate, and the Horn Mountain Tuff Members. The Horn Mountain Tuff Member...
Orbital monitoring of martian surface changes
Paul E. Geissler, L.K. Fenton, M. Enga, P. Mukherjee
2016, Icarus (278) 279-300
A history of martian surface changes is documented by a sequence of global mosaics made up of Mars Global Surveyor Mars Orbiter Camera daily color images from 1999 to 2006, together with a single mosaic from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Mars Color Imager in 2009. These observations show that changes...
U.S. Geological Survey assessment of global potash production and resources—A significant advancement for global development and a sustainable future.
Mark D. Cocker, Greta J. Orris, Jeff Wynn
2016, GSA Special Papers (520)
During the past 15 yr, the global requirement for fertilizers has grown considerably, mainly due to demand by a larger and wealthier world population for more and higher-quality food. The demand and price for potash as a primary fertilizer ingredient have increased in tandem, because of the necessity to increase...
Improving our understanding of hydraulic-electrical relations: A case study of the surficial aquifer in Emirate Abu Dhabi
Scott Ikard, Wade H. Kress
2016, Conference Paper, Symposium on the Application of Geophysics to Engineering and Environmental Problems 2016
Transmissivity is a bulk hydraulic property that can be correlated with bulk electrical properties of an aquifer. In aquifers that are electrically-resistive relative to adjacent layers in a horizontally stratified sequence, transmissivity has been shown to correlate with bulk transverse resistance. Conversely, in aquifers that are electrically-conductive relative to adjacent...
Regional geologic and petrologic framework for iron oxide ± apatite ± rare earth element and iron oxide copper-gold deposits of the Mesoproterozoic St. Francois Mountains terrane, southeast Missouri, USA
Warren C. Day, John F. Slack, Robert A. Ayuso, Cheryl M. Seeger
2016, Economic Geology (111) 1825-1858
This paper provides an overview on the genesis of Mesoproterozoic igneous rocks and associated iron oxide ± apatite (IOA) ± rare earth element, iron oxide-copper-gold (IOCG), and iron-rich sedimentary deposits in the St. Francois Mountains terrane of southeast Missouri, USA. The St. Francois Mountains terrane lies along the southeastern margin...
Lithobates sylvaticus (wood frog)
Pam Fuller
2016, Collinsorum (5) 17-17
A single specimen found southwest of Hattiesburg in Timberton (31.270391oN, 89.327675oW; WGS 84). 23 July 2015. Gary, Kat, and Ron Lukens. Verifi ed by Kenneth Krysko, Florida Museum of Natural History (UF-Herpetology 176455). This species has never been recorded from the state of Mississippi before (Dodd 2013. Frogs of the United...
Hydrogeologic framework and characterization of the Truxton Aquifer on the Hualapai Reservation, Mohave County, Arizona
Donald J. Bills, Jamie P. Macy
2016, Scientific Investigations Report 2016-5171
The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Bureau of Reclamation, developed this study to determine an estimate of groundwater in storage in the Truxton aquifer on the Hualapai Reservation in northwestern Arizona. For this study, the Truxton aquifer is defined as the unconfined, saturated groundwater in the unconsolidated to...
Thermal mapping of a pahoehoe lava flow, Kilauea Volcano
Matthew R. Patrick, Tim R. Orr, Gary B. Fisher, Frank A. Trusdell, James P. Kauahikaua
2016, Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research (332) 71-87
Pāhoehoe lava flows are a major component of Hawaiian eruptive activity, and an important part of basaltic volcanism worldwide. In recent years, pāhoehoe lava has destroyed homes and threatened parts of Hawai‘i with inundation and disruption. In this study, we use oblique helicopter-borne thermal images to create high...
Ciscoes (Coregonus, subgenus Leucichthys) of the Laurentian Great Lakes and Lake Nipigon
Randy L. Eshenroder, Paul Vecsei, Owen T. Gorman, Daniel L. Yule, Thomas C. Pratt, Nicholas E. Mandrak, David B. Bunnell, Andrew M. Muir
2016, Report, Miscellaneous Publication 2016-01
This study of the ciscoes (Coregonus, subgenus Leucichthys) of the Great Lakes and Lake Nipigon represents a furtherance through 2015 of field research initiated by Walter Koelz in 1917 and continued by Stanford Smith in the mid-1900s—a period spanning nearly a century. Like Koelz’s study, this work contains information on...
Effects of dams and geomorphic context on riparian forests of the Elwha River, Washington
Patrick B. Shafroth, Laura G Perry, Chanoane A Rose, Jeffrey H Braatne
2016, Ecosphere (7)
Understanding how dams affect the shifting habitat mosaic of river bottomlands is key for protecting the many ecological functions and related goods and services that riparian forests provide and for informing approaches to riparian ecosystem restoration. We examined the downstream effects of two large dams on patterns of forest composition,...
Applying downscaled Global Climate Model data to a groundwater model of the Suwannee River Basin, Florida, USA
Eric D. Swain, J. Hal Davis
2016, American Journal of Climate Change (5) 526-557
The application of Global Climate Model (GCM) output to a hydrologic model allows for comparisons between simulated recent and future conditions and provides insight into the dynamics of hydrology as it may be affected by climate change. A previously developed numerical model of the Suwannee River Basin, Florida, USA, was...
Hydrologic connectivity: Quantitative assessments of hydrologic-enforced drainage structures in an elevation model
Sandra K. Poppenga, Bruce B. Worstell
2016, Journal of Coastal Research (Special Issue 76) 90-106
Elevation data derived from light detection and ranging present challenges for hydrologic modeling as the elevation surface includes bridge decks and elevated road features overlaying culvert drainage structures. In reality, water is carried through these structures; however, in the elevation surface these features impede modeled overland surface flow. Thus, a...
Topobathymetric elevation model development using a new methodology: Coastal National Elevation Database
Jeffrey J. Danielson, Sandra K. Poppenga, John Brock, Gayla A. Evans, Dean J. Tyler, Dean B. Gesch, Cindy A. Thatcher, John Barras
2016, Journal of Coastal Research (Special Issue 76) 75-89
During the coming decades, coastlines will respond to widely predicted sea-level rise, storm surge, and coastalinundation flooding from disastrous events. Because physical processes in coastal environments are controlled by the geomorphology of over-the-land topography and underwater bathymetry, many applications of geospatial data in coastal environments require detailed knowledge of the...
Are we working towards global research priorities for management and conservation of sea turtles?
A.F. Rees, J. Alfaro-Shigueto, P.C.R. Barata, K.A. Bjorndal, A.B. Bolten, J. Bourjea, A.C. Broderick, L.M. Campbell, L. Cardona, C. Carreras, P. Casale, S.A. Ceriani, P.H. Dutton, T. Eguchi, A. Formia, M.M.P.B. Fuentes, W.J. Fuller, M. Girondot, M.H. Godfrey, M. Hamann, Kristen M. Hart, G.C. Hays, S. Hochscheid, Y. Kaska, M.P. Jensen, J.C. Mangel, J.A. Mortimer, E. Naro-Maciel, C.K.Y. Ng, W.J. Nichols, A.D. Phillott, R.D. Reina, O. Revuelta, G. Schofield, J.A. Seminoff, K. Shanker, J. Tomas, van de Merwe, K.S. Van Houtan, H.B. Vander Zanden, B.P. Wallace, K.R. Wedemeyer-Strombel, Thierry M. Work, B.J. Godley
2016, Endangered Species Research (31) 337-382
In 2010, an international group of 35 sea turtle researchers refined an initial list of more than 200 research questions into 20 metaquestions that were considered key for management and conservation of sea turtles. These were classified under 5 categories: reproductive biology, biogeography, population ecology, threats and conservation strategies. To...
Improving the effectiveness of ecological site descriptions: General state-and-transition models and the Ecosystem Dynamics Interpretive Tool (EDIT)
Brandon T. Bestelmeyer, Jeb C. Williamson, Curtis J. Talbot, Greg W. Cates, Michael C. Duniway, Joel R. Brown
2016, Rangelands (38) 329-335
State-and-transition models (STMs) are useful tools for management, but they can be difficult to use and have limited content.STMs created for groups of related ecological sites could simplify and improve their utility. The amount of information linked to models can be increased using tables that communicate management interpretations and important...
Generalizing ecological site concepts of the Colorado Plateau for landscape-level applications
Michael C. Duniway, Travis W. Nauman, Jamin K. Johanson, Shane Green, Mark E. Miller, Brandon T. Bestelmeyer
2016, Rangelands (38) 342-349
Numerous ecological site descriptions in the southern Utah portion of the Colorado Plateau can be difficult to navigate, so we held a workshop aimed at adding value and functionality to the current ecological site system.We created new groups of ecological sites and drafted state-and-transition models for these new groups.We...
Status of groundwater levels and storage volume in the Equus Beds aquifer near Wichita, Kansas, January 2016
Brian J. Klager
2016, Scientific Investigations Report 2016-5165
The Equus Beds aquifer in south-central Kansas, which is part of the High Plains aquifer, serves as a source of water for municipal and agricultural users in the area. The city of Wichita has used the Equus Beds aquifer as one of its primary water sources since the 1940s. The...
