Relations between rainfall–runoff-induced erosion and aeolian deposition at archaeological sites in a semi-arid dam-controlled river corridor
Brian D. Collins, David Bedford, Skye C. Corbett, Helen C. Fairley, Collin Cronkite-Ratcliff
2016, Earth Surface Processes and Landforms (41) 899-917
Process dynamics in fluvial-based dryland environments are highly complex with fluvial, aeolian, and alluvial processes all contributing to landscape change. When anthropogenic activities such as dam-building affect fluvial processes, the complexity in local response can be further increased by flood- and sediment-limiting flows. Understanding these complexities is key to predicting...
Cannibalistic-morph Tiger Salamanders in unexpected ecological contexts
Kyle I. McLean, Craig A. Stockwell, David M. Mushet
2016, American Midland Naturalist (175) 64-72
Barred tiger salamanders [Ambystoma mavortium (Baird, 1850)] exhibit two trophic morphologies; a typical and a cannibalistic morph. Cannibalistic morphs, distinguished by enlarged vomerine teeth, wide heads, slender bodies, and cannibalistic tendencies, are often found where conspecifics occur at high density. During 2012 and 2013, 162 North Dakota wetlands and lakes...
Comparison of four different energy balance models for estimating evapotranspiration in the Midwestern United States
Ramesh K. Singh, Gabriel B. Senay
2016, Water (8)
The development of different energy balance models has allowed users to choose a model based on its suitability in a region. We compared four commonly used models—Mapping EvapoTranspiration at high Resolution with Internalized Calibration (METRIC) model, Surface Energy Balance Algorithm for Land (SEBAL) model, Surface Energy Balance System (SEBS) model,...
Larval dispersal underlies demographically important inter-system connectivity in a Great Lakes yellow perch (Perca flavescens) population
Reed M. Brodnik, Michael E. Fraker, Eric J. Anderson, Lucia Carreon-Martinez, Kristen M. DeVanna, Dan D. Heath, Julie M. Reichert, Edward F. Roseman, Stuart A. Ludsin
2016, Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences (73) 416-426
Ability to quantify connectivity among spawning subpopulations and their relative contribution of recruits to the broader population is a critical fisheries management need. By combining microsatellite and age information from larval yellow perch (Perca flavescens) collected in the Lake St. Clair – Detroit River system (SC-DRS) and western Lake Erie...
The effects of heterospecifics and climatic conditions on incubation behavior within a mixed-species colony
Peter S. Coates, Brianne E. Brussee, Roger L. Hothem, Kristy H. Howe, Michael L. Casazza, John M. Eadie
2016, Journal of Avian Biology (47) 399-408
Parental incubation behavior largely influences nest survival, a critical demographic process in avian population dynamics, and behaviors vary across species with different life history breeding strategies. Although research has identified nest survival advantages of mixing colonies, behavioral mechanisms that might explain these effects is largely lacking. We examined parental incubation...
Tradeoff between assessment and control of aquatic invasive species: A case study of sea lamprey management in the St. Marys River
Jason M. Robinson, Michael J. Wilberg, Jean V. Adams, Michael L. Jones
2016, North American Journal of Fisheries Management (36) 11-20
Allocating resources between the gathering of information to guide management actions and implementing those actions presents an inherent tradeoff. This tradeoff is evident for control of the Sea Lamprey Petromyzon marinus in the St. Marys River, connecting Lakes Huron and Superior and a major source of parasitic Sea Lampreys to Lake Huron...
Identify potential lock treatment options to prevent movement of aquatic invasive species through the Chicago Area Waterways System (CAWS)
Terrance D. Hubert, Michael A. Boogaard, Kim T. Fredricks
2016, Open-File Report 2016-1001
Introduction The Illinois River is a primary tributary of the Mississippi River, connecting with the Mississippi at Grafton, Illinois. The headwaters of the river are at the confluence of the Des Plaines and Kankakee Rivers in eastern Grundy County, Illinois. Approximately 273 miles long, it runs through the heart of Illinois...
Assigning sex and reproductive stage to adult Lake Sturgeon using ultrasonography and common morphological measurements
Justin A. Chiotti, James C. Boase, Darryl W. Hondorp, Andrew S. Briggs
2016, North American Journal of Fisheries Management (36) 21-29
Sex determination of fish species is difficult to assess when sexual dimorphism and gametes are not apparent. For threatened and endangered fish species, noninvasive techniques are needed when determining sex to minimize stress and the potential for mortality. We evaluated the use of a portable ultrasound unit to determine sex...
Diel feeding ecology of Slimy Sculpin in a tributary to Skaneateles Lake, New York
Marc A. Chalupnicki, James H. Johnson
2016, American Midland Naturalist (175) 37-46
Interactions among the benthic community are typically overlooked but play an important role in fish community dynamics. We examined the diel feeding ecology of Slimy Sculpin (Cottus cognatus) from Grout Brook, a tributary to Skaneateles Lake. Of the six time periods examined, Slimy Sculpin consumed the least during the nighttime...
Age, growth, and size of Lake Superior Pygmy Whitefish (Prosopium coulterii)
Taylor Stewart, Derek Ogle, Owen T. Gorman, Mark R. Vinson
2016, American Midland Naturalist (175) 24-36
Pygmy Whitefish (Prosopium coulterii) are a small, glacial relict species with a disjunct distribution in North America and Siberia. In 2013 we collected Pygmy Whitefish at 28 stations from throughout Lake Superior. Total length was recorded for all fish and weight and sex were recorded and scales and otoliths were...
Integrative modelling reveals mechanisms linking productivity and plant species richness
James B. Grace, T. Michael Anderson, Eric W. Seabloom, Elizabeth T. Borer, Peter B. Adler, W Stanley Harpole, Yann Hautier, Helmut Hillebrand, Eric M. Lind, Meelis Pärtel, Jonathan D. Bakker, Yvonne M. Buckley, Michael J. Crawley, Ellen Ingman Damschen, Kendi F. Davies, Philip A. Fay, Jennifer Firn, Daniel S. Gruner, Andy Hector, Johannes M.H. Knops, Andrew S. MacDougall, Brett A. Melbourne, John W. Morgan, John L. Orrock, Suzanne M. Prober, Melinda D. Smith
2016, Nature (529) 390-393
How ecosystem productivity and species richness are interrelated is one of the most debated subjects in the history of ecology. Decades of intensive study have yet to discern the actual mechanisms behind observed global patterns. Here, by integrating the predictions from multiple theories into a single model and using data...
Application of a Weighted Regression Model for Reporting Nutrient and Sediment Concentrations, Fluxes, and Trends in Concentration and Flux for the Chesapeake Bay Nontidal Water-Quality Monitoring Network, Results Through Water Year 2012
Jeffrey G. Chanat, Douglas L. Moyer, Joel D. Blomquist, Kenneth E. Hyer, Michael J. Langland
2016, Scientific Investigations Report 2015-5133
In the Chesapeake Bay watershed, estimated fluxes of nutrients and sediment from the bay’s nontidal tributaries into the estuary are the foundation of decision making to meet reductions prescribed by the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) and are often the basis for refining scientific understanding of the watershed-scale...
A shift in bloater consumption in Lake Michigan between 1993 and 2011 and its effects on Diporeia and Mysis prey
Steven A. Pothoven, David B. Bunnell
2016, Transactions of the American Fisheries Society (145) 59-68
Bioenergetics modeling was used to determine individual and population consumption by Bloater Coregonus hoyi in Lake Michigan during three time periods with variable Bloater density: 1993–1996 (high), 1998–2002 (intermediate), and 2009–2011 (low). Despite declines in Bloater abundance between 1993 and 2011, our results did not show any density-dependent compensatory response...
Use of terrestrial field studies in the derivation of bioaccumulation potential of chemicals
Nico W. van den Brink, Jennifer A. Arblaster, Sarah R. Bowman, Jason M. Conder, John E. Elliott, Mark S. Johnson, Derek C.G. Muir, Tiago Natal-da-Luz, Barnett A. Rattner, Bradley E. Sample, Richard F. Shore
2016, Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management (12) 135-145
Field-based studies are an essential component of research addressing the behavior of organic chemicals, and a unique line of evidence that can be used to assess bioaccumulation potential in chemical registration programs and aid in development of associated laboratory and modeling efforts. To aid scientific and regulatory discourse on the...
Combined effects of projected sea level rise, storm surge, and peak river flows on water levels in the Skagit Floodplain
Josheph J Hamman, Alan F. Hamlet, Roger Fuller, Eric E. Grossman
2016, Northwest Science (90) 57-78
Current understanding of the combined effects of sea level rise (SLR), storm surge, and changes in river flooding on near-coastal environments is very limited. This project uses a suite of numerical models to examine the combined effects of projected future climate change on flooding in the Skagit floodplain and estuary....
Forcing and variability of nonstationary rip currents
Joseph W. Long, H.T. Ozkan-Haller
2016, Journal of Geophysical Research C: Oceans (121) 520-539
Surface wave transformation and the resulting nearshore circulation along a section of coast with strong alongshore bathymetric gradients outside the surf zone are modeled for a consecutive 4 week time period. The modeled hydrodynamics are compared to in situ measurements of waves and currents collected during the Nearshore Canyon Experiment...
Global perspectives on the urban stream syndrome
Allison H. Roy, Derek B. Booth, Krista A. Capps, Benjamin Smith
2016, Freshwater Science (35) 412-420
Urban streams commonly express degraded physical, chemical, and biological conditions that have been collectively termed the “urban stream syndrome”. The description of the syndrome highlights the broad similarities among these streams relative to their less-impaired counterparts. Awareness of these commonalities has fostered rapid improvements in the management of urban stormwater...
Reconnaissance sediment budget for selected watersheds of West Maui, Hawai‘i
Jonathan D. Stock, Kim A. Falinski, Tova Callender
2016, Open-File Report 2015-1190
Episodic runoff brings suspended sediment to the nearshore waters of West Maui, Hawaiʻi. Even small rainfalls create visible plumes over a few hours. We used mapping, field experiments, and analysis of recent (July 19–20, 2014) and historic rainfall to estimate sources of land-based pollution for two watersheds in West...
Evaluation of the hydraulic and biological performance of the portable floating fish collector at Cougar Reservoir and Dam, Oregon, 2014
John W. Beeman, Scott D. Evans, Philip V. Haner, Hal C. Hansel, Amy C. Hansen, Gabriel S. Hansen, Tyson W. Hatton, Jamie M. Sprando, Collin D. Smith, Noah S. Adams
2016, Open-File Report 2016-1003
The biological and hydraulic performance of a new portable floating fish collector (PFFC) located in a cul-de-sac within the forebay of Cougar Dam, Oregon, was evaluated during 2014. The purpose of the PFFC was to explore surface collection as a means to capture juvenile salmonids at one or more sites...
A semi-structured MODFLOW-USG model to evaluate local water sources to wells for decision support
Daniel T. Feinstein, Michael N. Fienen, Howard W. Reeves, Christian D. Langevin
2016, Ground Water (54) 532-544
In order to better represent the configuration of the stream network and simulate local groundwater-surface water interactions, a version of MODFLOW with refined spacing in the topmost layer was applied to a Lake Michigan Basin (LMB) regional groundwater-flow model developed by the U.S. Geological. Regional MODFLOW models commonly use coarse...
Evaluating Landsat 8 evapotranspiration for water use mapping in the Colorado River Basin
Gabriel B. Senay, MacKenzie Friedrichs, Ramesh K. Singh, Naga Manohar Velpuri
2016, Remote Sensing of Environment (185) 171-185
Evapotranspiration (ET) mapping at the Landsat spatial resolution (100 m) is essential to fully understand water use and water availability at the field scale. Water use estimates in the Colorado River Basin (CRB), which has diverse ecosystems and complex hydro-climatic regions, will be helpful to water planners and managers. Availability of...
USGS lidar science strategy—Mapping the technology to the science
Jason M. Stoker, John Brock, Christopher E. Soulard, Kernell G. Ries, Larry J. Sugarbaker, Wesley E. Newton, Patricia K. Haggerty, Kathy Lee, John A. Young
2016, Open-File Report 2015-1209
Summary The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) utilizes light detection and ranging (lidar) and enabling technologies to support many science research activities. Lidar-derived metrics and products have become a fundamental input to complex hydrologic and hydraulic models, flood inundation models, fault detection and geologic mapping, topographic and land-surface mapping, landslide and volcano...
Determination of pesticides and pesticide degradates in filtered water by direct aqueous-injection liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry
Mark W. Sandstrom, Leslie K. Kanagy, Cyrissa A. Anderson, Christopher J. Kanagy
2016, Techniques and Methods 5-B11
A liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was developed for determination of 229 pesticides compounds (113 pesticides and 116 pesticide degradates) in filtered water samples from stream and groundwater sites. The pesticides represent a broad range of chemical classes and were selected based on criteria such as current-use intensity, probability...
Assessment of undiscovered continuous gas resources of the Ordos Basin Province, China, 2015
Ronald R. Charpentier, Timothy R. Klett, Christopher J. Schenk, Michael E. Brownfield, Stephanie B. Gaswirth, Phuong A. Le, Heidi M. Leathers-Miller, Kristen R. Marra, Tracey J. Mercier
2016, Fact Sheet 2015-3087
Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated mean resources of 28 trillion cubic feet of tight gas and 5.6 trillion cubic feet of coalbed gas in upper Paleozoic rocks in the Ordos Basin Province, China....
A thermodynamical model for the surface tension of silicate melts in contact with H2O gas
Simone Colucci, Maurizio Battaglia, Raffaello Trigila
2016, Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta (175) 113-127
Surface tension plays an important role in the nucleation of H2O gas bubbles in magmatic melts and in the time-dependent rheology of bubble-bearing magmas. Despite several experimental studies, a physics based model of the surface tension of magmatic melts in contact with H2O is lacking. This paper employs gradient theory...
