Positive but un-sustained wildlife community responses to reserve expansion and mammal reintroductions in South Africa
Shannon K. Brewer, Lia Keener, Lourens H. Swanepoel, Craig Sholto-Douglas, Axel Hunnicutt, Goncalo Curveira-Santos
2023, Biological Conservation (287)
The creation and expansion of protected areas, coupled with wildlife reintroductions, are increasingly used as conservation measures to combat wildlife declines worldwide. Although these types of restoration efforts are expected be beneficial to wildlife populations, variable species management and interactions among...
Compost, plants and endophytes versus metal contamination: Choice of a restoration strategy steers the microbiome in polymetallic mine waste
Martina Kracmarova, Jakub Papik, Ondrej Uhlik, John Freeman, Andrea L. Foster, Mary-Catherine Leewis, Courtney Creamer
2023, Environmental Microbiome (18)
Finding solutions for the remediation and restoration of abandoned mining areas is of great environmental importance as they pose a risk to ecosystem health. In this study, our aim was to determine how remediation strategies with (i) compost amendment, (ii) planting a metal-tolerant grass Bouteloua curtipendula, and...
High-frequency variability of carbon dioxide fluxes in tidal water over a temperate salt marsh
Shuzhen Song, Zhaohui Aleck Wang, Kevin D. Kroeger, Meagan J. Eagle, Sophie N. Chu, Jianzhong Ge
2023, Limnology & Oceanography (68) 2108-2125
Existing analyses of salt marsh carbon budgets rarely quantify carbon loss as CO2 through the air–water interface in inundated marshes. This study estimates the variability of partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2) and air–water CO2 fluxes over summer and fall of 2014 and 2015 using high-frequency measurements of tidal water pCO2 in a salt marsh of...
Bathymetric contour maps, surface area and capacity tables, and bathymetric change maps for selected water-supply lakes in northeastern Missouri, 2021
Benjamin C. Rivers, Richard J. Huizinga, Joseph M. Richards, Garett J. Waite
2023, Scientific Investigations Report 2023-5108
Bathymetric data were collected at 12 water-supply lakes in northeastern Missouri by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MoDNR) and various local agencies, as part of a multiyear effort to establish or update the surface area and capacity tables for the surveyed...
Long-term trends in Arctic riverine chemistry signal multi-faceted northern change
Suzanne E. Tank, James W. McClelland, Robert G. M. Spencer, Alexander I. Shiklomanov, Anya Suslova, Florentina Moatar, Rainer Amon, Lee W. Cooper, Greg Elias, Vyacheslav Gordeev, Christopher Guay, Tatiana Gurtovaya, Lyudmila Kosmenko, Edda A. Mutter, Bruce Peterson, Bernhard Peucker-Ehrenbrink, Peter Raymond, Paul Schuster, Lindsay Scott, Robin Staples, Robert G. Striegl, Mikhail Tretiakov, Alexander V. Zhulidov, Nikita Zimov, Sergey Zimov, Robert M. Holmes
2023, Nature Geoscience (16) 789-796
Rivers integrate processes occurring throughout their watersheds and are therefore sentinels of change across broad spatial scales. River chemistry also regulates ecosystem function across Earth’s land–ocean continuum, exerting control from the micro- (for example, local food web) to the macro- (for example, global carbon cycle) scale. In the rapidly warming...
Flood damage costs beyond buildings—A Lake Champlain case study
Charles Rhodes
2023, Fact Sheet 2023-3034
IntroductionFloods account for more than 75 percent of Federal disaster declarations and lead other natural disasters in economic costs. Early-warning systems have lowered flood-related fatalities, but costs continue to rise as flood-prone areas continue to be urbanized (U.S. Geological Survey, 2006). A Lake Champlain case study shows that at moderate...
Long-term demographic analysis of the Cape Sable seaside sparrow (1992–2021)
Marisa Takada Martinez, Laura D’Acunto, Stephanie Romanach
2023, Report
The Cape Sable seaside sparrow (Ammospiza maritima mirabilis) is an endangered species that has experienced a population decline of more than 60% since 1981. Despite its critical population status, a statistically robust analysis of the species’ demographic rates utilizing all data has yet to be completed (Benscoter et al. 2021)....
Comparing reintroduction strategies for the endangered San Francisco gartersnake (Thamnophis sirtalis tetrataenia) using demographic models
Jonathan P. Rose, Richard Kim, Elliot J. Schoenig, Patrick C. Lien, Brian J. Halstead
2023, PLoS ONE (18)
For endangered species persisting in a few populations, reintroductions to unoccupied habitat are a popular conservation action to increase viability in the long term. Identifying the reintroduction strategy that is most likely to result in viable founder and donor populations is essential to optimally use resources...
Geochemical evidence for evolving Proterozoic crustal thickness and orogenic styles in southwestern Laurentia
Ian William Hillenbrand, Karl E. Karlstrom, Michael L. Williams, Amy K. Gilmer, Wayne R. Premo, Peter B Davis
2023, Earth and Planetary Science Letters (622)
It has long been challenging for researchers to track the crustal thickness and mode(s) of crustal modification in ancient convergent margins, limiting evaluation of the tectonic styles and processes that modify continental crust during orogenesis. We present trace element igneous geochemical crustal thickness proxies that quantitatively track...
Implementation plan of the National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program strategy—Northeast region of the United States: New York and New England
Gregory J. Walsh, Margaret A. Thomas, Robert G. Marvinney, Stephen B. Mabee, Frederick H. Chormann, Andrew Kozlowski, Marjorie H. Gale, Jon Kim, Brian Savage
2023, Open-File Report 2023-1059
Complexly deformed igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks form the bedrock of the Northeast region of the United States. Variably thick unconsolidated sediments deposited by glacial, fluvial, and eolian systems locally cover the bedrock. New geologic mapping focuses on areas lacking modern, detailed studies or syntheses, and contributes to existing framework...
Interlaboratory comparison of testing hydraulic, elastic, and failure properties in compression: Lessons learned
Yang Cheng, David A. Lockner, Mandy Duda, Carolyn A. Morrow, Demian Saffer, Insun Song, Joerg Renner
2023, Environmental Earth Sciences (82)
Many geoscientific problems require us to exploit synergies of experimental and numerical approaches, which in turn lead to questions regarding the significance of experimental details for validation of numerical codes. We report results of an interlaboratory comparison regarding experimental determination of mechanical and hydraulic properties of samples from five rock...
Evaluating the spatial and temporal distribution and ecology of Bighead and Silver Carp and native fishes of the lower Red River basin
Shannon K. Brewer, John Dattilo, Paul Ramsey, Ben Birdsall
2023, Cooperator Science Series FWS/CSS-153-2023
We investigated the spatial and temporal distribution of Bighead Carp and Silver Carp (hereafter Carp) in the lower Red River basin of Arkansas. Our study objectives were: 1) determine the spatial and temporal extent of Bighead and Silver Carp in the Red River basin of Arkansas; 2) determine habitat associations...
Striped bass exploitation in tailwater habitats of east-central Oklahoma
Alex Vaisvil, Daniel Shoup, Shannon K. Brewer
2023, Cooperator Science Series FWS/CSS-152-2023
Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis) is naturally anadromous, but a few land-locked populations have been documented that are self-sustaining, including fish in the Arkansas River, Oklahoma. This rare population is the source of brood stock for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation hatcheries and is an important sportfish stock. Striped Bass...
Evaluating the spatial and temporal distribution and ecology of Bighead and Silver Carp and native fishes of the lower Red River basin
Shannon K. Brewer, John Dattilo, Paul Ramsey, Ben Birdsall
2023, Cooperator Science Series CSS-153-2023
We investigated the spatial and temporal distribution of Bighead Carp and Silver Carp (hereafter Carp) in the lower Red River basin of Arkansas. Our study objectives were: 1) determine the spatial and temporal extent of Bighead and Silver Carp in the Red River basin of Arkansas; 2) determine habitat associations...
Effects of vehicle traffic on space use and road crossings of caribou in the Arctic
John P. Severson, Heather E. Johnson, Timothy C. Vosburgh
2023, Ecological Applications (33)
Assessing the effects of industrial development on wildlife is a key objective of managers and conservation practitioners. However, wildlife responses are often only investigated with respect to the footprint of infrastructure, even though human activity can strongly mediate development impacts. In Arctic Alaska, there is substantial interest in expanding energy...
Lateral edifice collapse and volcanic debris avalanches: A post-1980 Mount St. Helens perspective
Lee Siebert, Mark E. Reid
2023, Bulletin of Volcanology (85)
The 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens was instrumental in advancing understanding of how volcanoes work. Lateral edifice collapses and the generation of volcanic debris avalanches were not widely recognized prior to that eruption, making assessment of their hazards and risks challenging. The proliferation of studies...
Interactions among rainfall, fire, forbs and non-native grasses predict occupancy dynamics for the endangered Pacific pocket mouse (Perognathus longimembris pacificus) in a Mediterranean-type ecosystem
Cheryl S. Brehme, Sarah Kay Thomsen, Devin T. Adsit-Morris, Robert N. Fisher
2023, Global Ecology and Conservation (47)
It is important to understand species-habitat relationships to implement effective adaptive management for rare species. However, it can be challenging to assess habitat associations and their relationships to abiotic stressors in dynamic habitats without the insights that can be gained from long-term monitoring. We...
Back-azimuth estimation of air-to-ground coupled infrasound from transverse coherence minimization
Jordan Bishop, Matthew M. Haney, David Fee, Robin Matoza, Kathleen McKee, John J. Lyons
2023, The Seismic Record (3) 249-258
We present the transverse coherence minimization method (TCM)—an approach to estimate the back-azimuth of infrasound signals that are recorded on an infrasound microphone and a colocated three-component seismometer. Accurate back-azimuth information is important for a variety of monitoring efforts, but it is currently only available for infrasound arrays and for...
Differing field methods and site conditions lead to varying bias in suspended sediment concentrations in the Lower Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers
Jennifer C. Murphy, Lindsey Ayn Schafer, Scott Mize
2023, Environmental Monitoring and Assessment (195)
At sites that have been sampled for decades, changes in field and laboratory methods happen over time as instrumentation and protocols improve. Here, we compare the influence of depth- and point-integrated sampling on total, fine (< 0.0625 mm), and coarse (≥ 0.0625 mm) suspended sediment (SS) concentrations in the Lower...
Wherever I may roam—Human activity alters movements of red deer (Cervus elaphus) and elk (Cervus canadensis) across two continents
Steffen Mumme, Arthur D. Middleton, Paolo Ciucci, Johannes De Groeve, Andrea Corradini, Federico Ossi, Paul Atwood, Niko Balkenhol, Eric K. Cole, Lucie Debeffe, Sarah R. Dewey, Claude Fischer, Justin Gude, Marco Heurich, Mark A. Hurley, Anders Jarnemo, Matthew J. Kauffman, Alain Licoppe, Emiel van Loon, Doug McWhirter, Tony Mong, Luca Pedrotti, Nicolas Morellet, Atle Mysterud, Wibke Peters, Kelly Proffitt, Sonia Saïd, Johannes Signer, Peter Sunde, Martin Stary, Francesca Cagnacci
2023, Global Change Biology (29) 5788-5801
Human activity and associated landscape modifications alter the movements of animals with consequences for populations and ecosystems worldwide. Species performing long-distance movements are thought to be particularly sensitive to human impact. Despite the increasing anthropogenic pressure, it remains challenging to understand and predict animals' responses to human activity. Here we...
Mangrove habitat persistence and carbon vulnerability associated with increased nutrient loading and sea-level rise at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge (Sanibel Island, Florida, USA)
Ken Krauss, Jeremy R. Conrad, Jamie A. Duberstein, Eric Ward, Judith Z. Drexler, Kevin J. Buffington, Karen M. Thorne, Brian W. Benscoter, Haley Miller, Natalie T. Faron, Sergio Merino, Andrew From, Elitsa I. Peneva-Reed, Zhiliang Zhu
2023, Report
J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge (DDNWR) is located on Sanibel Island along the southwestern coast of Florida, USA. Sanibel Island is heavily developed, but DDNWR provides protection for a large mangrove area that supports biodiversity and recreational opportunity. However, nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) eutrophication attributed to agriculture discharge...
Lake Ontario April prey fish survey results and Alewife assessment, 2023
Brian Weidel, Jessica Goretzke, Jeremy Holden, Olivia Margaret Mitchinson, Scott P. Minihkeim
2023, Report
The April bottom trawl survey and Alewife Alosa pseudoharengus population assessment provides science to inform Lake Ontario fisheries management. The 2023 survey included 215 trawls in the main lake and embayments, and sampled depths from 6.5 to 252 m (21-833 ft). The survey captured 1,012,178 fish from 32 species with...
Spatially and temporally variable production pathways support the Lake Erie central basin food web
Joshua M. Tellier, Tomas O. Höök, Richard Kraus, Paris D. Collingsworth
2023, Journal of Great Lakes Research (49) 1137-1149
In large freshwater systems, the dominant production pathways supporting food webs are often spatiotemporally variable. We used stable isotope analysis and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) models to investigate spatial and interannual variation in the dominant production pathways supporting fish consumers within the central basin of Lake Erie. We examined C and N stable isotope ratios...
Cruise Report for NOAA Ship Nancy Foster Cruise NF-22-06
Randy Clark, Amanda Demopoulos
2023, DWH MDBC Cruise Report CR-23-03
Between 9 August and 1 September, 2022, the Mesophotic and Deep Benthic (MDBC) Habitat Assessment and Evaluation (HAE) and Mapping, Ground-truthing, and Predictive Habitat Modeling (MGM) projects implemented remotely operated vehicle (ROV) dives, multibeam surveys, and conductivity, temperature, depth (CTD) operations at deep-sea sites in the northern Gulf of Mexico....
Petrology and geochronology of Cretaceous–Eocene plutonic rocks in northeastern Washington, USA: Crustal thickening, slab rollback, and origin of the Challis episode
Jeffery H. Tepper, Matthew W. Loewen, Liam M. Caulfield, Peter C. Davidson, Kaitlin L. Ruthenberg, Samuel WF Blakely, Duncan FJF Knudsen, Devin Black, Bruce K Nelson, Yemane Asmerom
2023, GSA Bulletin (136) 725-740
Cretaceous through Eocene plutonic rocks in northeastern Washington, USA, document a 60 m.y. history of crustal thickening and subsequent collapse and extension in response to two terrane-accretion events. Rocks emplaced 113–53 Ma have increasing La/Yb ratios reflecting orogenic plateau development after arrival of...
