Accuracy testing of electric groundwater-level measurement tapes
Jim Jelinski, Christopher S. Clayton, Janice M. Fulford
2015, Open-File Report 2014-1236
Electric tapes are used to measure groundwater levels and to verify the accuracy of pressure transducers installed in wells. Electric tapes are generally assumed to be accurate to ±0.01 foot (ft), but little information is available from the manufacturers and no accuracy studies have been conducted to confirm this value....
Dissolved-solids loads discharged from irrigated areas near Manila, Utah, May 2007-October 2012, and relation of loads to selected variables
Susan A. Thiros, Steven J. Gerner
2015, Scientific Investigations Report 2015-5018
The Manila/Washam Salinity Project (MWSP) is a cooperative effort by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and local farmers and ranchers to reduce the transport of dissolved solids to Flaming Gorge Reservoir from irrigated agricultural lands near Manila, Utah. To estimate dissolved-solids loads from the MWSP area, discharge and water...
Global phylogeography of the avian malaria pathogen Plasmodium relictum based on MSP1 allelic diversity
Olof Hellgren, Carter T. Atkinson, Staffan Bensch, Tamer Albayrak, Dimitar Dimitrov, John G. Ewen, Kyeong Soon Kim, Marcos R. Lima, Lynn Martin, Vaidas Palinauskas, Robert Ricklefs, Ravinder N. M. Sehgal, Valkiunas Gediminas, Yoshio Tsuda, Alfonso Marzal
2015, Ecography (38) 842-850
Knowing the genetic variation that occurs in pathogen populations and how it is distributed across geographical areas is essential to understand parasite epidemiology, local patterns of virulence, and evolution of host-resistance. In addition, it is important to identify populations of pathogens that are evolutionarily independent and thus ‘free’ to adapt...
The river as a chemostat: fresh perspectives on dissolved organic matter flowing down the river continuum
Irena F. Creed, Diane M. McKnight, Brian A. Pellerin, Mark B. Green, Brian A. Bergamaschi, George R. Aiken, Douglas A. Burns, Stuart E G Findlay, James B. Shanley, Robert G. Striegl, Brent T. Aulenbach, David W. Clow, Hjalmar Laudon, Brian L. McGlynn, Kevin J. McGuire, Richard A. Smith, Sarah M. Stackpoole
2015, Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences (72) 1272-1285
A better understanding is needed of how hydrological and biogeochemical processes control dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations and dissolved organic matter (DOM) composition from headwaters downstream to large rivers. We examined a large DOM dataset from the National Water Information System of the US Geological Survey, which represents approximately 100 000...
Safety of spray-dried powder formulated Pseudomonas fluorescens strain CL145A exposure to subadult/adult unionid mussels during simulated open-water treatments
James A. Luoma, Kerry L. Weber, Diane L. Waller, Jeremy K. Wise, Denise A. Mayer, Douglas B. Aloisi
2015, Open-File Report 2015-1064
The exposure effects of a commercially prepared spray dried powder (SDP) formulation of Pseudomonas fluorescens (strain CL145A) on the survival of seven species of unionid mussels endemic to the Great Lakes and Mississippi River basins was evaluated in this study. The study exposures were completed within replicated 350-liter test tanks contained within...
Critical metals in manganese nodules from the Cook Islands EEZ, abundances and distributions
James R. Hein, Francesca Spinardi, Nobuyuki Okamoto, Kira Mizell, Darryl Thorburn, Akuila Tawake
2015, Ore Geology Reviews (68) 97-116
The Cook Islands (CIs) Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) encompasses 1,977,000 km2 and includes the Penrhyn and Samoa basins abyssal plains where manganese nodules flourish due to the availability of prolific nucleus material, slow sedimentation rates, and strong bottom currents. A group of CIs nodules was analyzed for mineralogical and chemical composition,...
Exposure-related effects of Pseudomonas fluorescens (Pf-CL145A) on juvenile unionid mussels
Kerry L. Weber, James A. Luoma, Denise A. Mayer, Douglas B. Aloisi, Nathan L. Eckert
2015, Open-File Report 2015-1066
The exposure-related effects of a commercially prepared spray-dried powder (SDP) or freeze-dried powder (FDP) formulation of Pseudomonas fluorescens (strain CL145A) on the survival of seven species of newly metamorphosed (<72 hours old) freshwater unionid mussels was evaluated. Forty unionid mussels of each species were randomly distributed to test chambers and...
Characterization of streamflow, salinity, and selenium loading and land-use change in Montrose Arroyo, western Colorado, from 1992 to 2013
Rodney J. Richards, Jennifer L. Moore
2015, Scientific Investigations Report 2015-5039
Salinity and dissolved selenium are known water-quality impairments in the lower Gunnison River watershed of western Colorado. Salinity is a concern because of its adverse effects on agricultural land and equipment, and on municipal and industrial users. The Montrose Arroyo watershed in Montrose, Colorado, contains agricultural and residential areas as...
Carbon exchange between the atmosphere and subtropical forested cypress and pine wetlands
W. Barclay Shoemaker, Frank E. Anderson, Jordan G. Barr, Scott L. Graham, Daniel B. Botkin
2015, Biogeosciences (12) 2285-2300
Carbon dioxide exchange between the atmosphere and forested subtropical wetlands is largely unknown. Here we report a first step in characterizing this atmospheric–ecosystem carbon (C) exchange, for cypress strands and pine forests in the Greater Everglades of Florida as measured with eddy covariance methods at three locations (Cypress Swamp, Dwarf...
Ten ways remote sensing can contribute to conservation
Robert A. Rose, Dirck Byler, J. Ron Eastman, Erica Fleishman, Gary Geller, Scott Goetz, Liane Guild, Healy Hamilton, Matt Hansen, Rachel Headley, Jennifer Hewson, Ned Horning, Beth A. Kaplin, Nadine Laporte, Allison K. Leidner, Peter Leimgruber, Jeffrey T. Morisette, John Musinsky, Lilian Pintea, Ana Prados, Volker C. Radeloff, Mary Rowen, Sassan Saatchi, Steve Schill, Karyn Tabor, Woody Turner, Anthony Vodacek, James Vogelmann, Martin Wegmann, David Wilkie, Cara Wilson
2015, Conservation Biology (29) 350-359
In an effort to increase conservation effectiveness through the use of Earth observation technologies, a group of remote sensing scientists affiliated with government and academic institutions and conservation organizations identified 10 questions in conservation for which the potential to be answered would be greatly increased by use of remotely sensed...
Is there a single best estimator? selection of home range estimators using area- under- the-curve
W. David Walter, Dave P. Onorato, Justin W. Fischer
2015, Movement Ecology (3)
Background Global positioning system (GPS) technology for monitoring home range and movements of wildlife has resulted in prohibitively large sample sizes of locations for traditional estimators of home range. We used area-under-the-curve to explore the fit of 8 estimators of home range to data collected with...
The effect of research activities and winter precipitation on voiding behaviour of Agassiz’s desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii)
Mickey Agha, Mason O. Murphy, Jeffrey E. Lovich, Joshua R. Ennen, Christian R. Oldham, Kathie Meyer-Wilkins, Curtis Bjurlin, Meaghan Austin, Sheila V. Madrak, Caleb L. Loughran, Laura A. Tennant, Steven J. Price
2015, Wildlife Research (41) 641-649
Context: There is little information available on how research activities might cause stress responses in wildlife, especially responses of threatened species such as the desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii). Aims: The present study aims to detect behavioural effects of researcher handling and winter precipitation on a natural population of desert tortoises in the desert...
Forecasting sagebrush ecosystem components and greater sage-grouse habitat for 2050: learning from past climate patterns and Landsat imagery to predict the future
Collin G. Homer, George Z. Xian, Cameron L. Aldridge, Debra K. Meyer, Thomas R. Loveland, Michael S. O’Donnell
2015, Ecological Indicators (55) 131-145
Sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) ecosystems constitute the largest single North American shrub ecosystem and provide vital ecological, hydrological, biological, agricultural, and recreational ecosystem services. Disturbances have altered and reduced this ecosystem historically, but climate change may ultimately represent the greatest future risk. Improved ways to quantify, monitor, and predict climate-driven gradual...
The modelling and assessment of whale-watching impacts
Leslie New, Ailsa J. Hall, Robert Harcourt, Greg Kaufman, E.C.M. Parsons, Heidi C. Pearson, A. Mel Cosentino, Robert S Schick
2015, Ocean and Coastal Management (115) 10-16
In recent years there has been significant interest in modelling cumulative effects and the population consequences of individual changes in cetacean behaviour and physiology due to disturbance. One potential source of disturbance that has garnered particular interest is whale-watching. Though perceived as ‘green’ or eco-friendly tourism, there is evidence that...
A sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) sex pheromone mixture increases trap catch relative to a single synthesized component in specific environments
Nicholas S. Johnson, John A. Tix, Benjamin L. Hlina, C. Michael Wagner, Michael J. Siefkes, Huiyong Wang, Weiming Li
2015, Journal of Chemical Ecology (41) 311-321
Spermiating male sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) release a sex pheromone, of which a component, 7α, 12α, 24-trihydoxy-3-one-5α-cholan-24-sulfate (3kPZS), has been identified and shown to induce long distance preference responses in ovulated females. However, other pheromone components exist, and when 3kPZS alone was used to control invasive sea lamprey...
Surface geophysics and porewater evaluation at the Lower Darby Creek Area Superfund Site, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 2013
Charles W. Walker, James R. Degnan, Michael J. Brayton, Roberto M. Cruz, Michelle M. Lorah
2015, Data Series 927
In cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Region 3, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is participating in an ongoing study to aid in the identification of subsurface heterogeneities that may act as preferential pathways for contaminant transport in and around the Lower Darby Creek Area (LDCA) Superfund Site,...
Linking behavior, physiology, and survival of Atlantic Salmon smolts during estuary migration
Daniel S. Stich, Gayle B. Zydlewski, John F. Kocik, Joseph D. Zydlewski
2015, Marine and Coastal Fisheries: Dynamics, Management, and Ecosystem Science (7) 68-86
Decreased marine survival is identified as a component driver of continued declines of Atlantic Salmon Salmo salar. However, estimates of marine mortality often incorporate loss incurred during estuary migration that may be mechanistically distinct from factors affecting marine mortality. We examined movements and survival of 941 smolts (141 wild and 800 hatchery-reared fish)...
Sediment contributions from floodplains and legacy sediments to Piedmont streams of Baltimore County, Maryland
Mitchell Donovan, Andrew Miller, Matthew Baker, Allen C. Gellis
2015, Geomorphology (235) 88-105
Disparity between watershed erosion rates and downstream sediment delivery has remained an important theme in geomorphology for many decades, with the role of floodplains in sediment storage as a common focus. In the Piedmont Province of the eastern USA, upland deforestation and agricultural land use following European settlement led...
Adaptive management of social-ecological systems: The path forward
Ahjond S. Garmestani, Craig R. Allen
Ahjond S. Garmestani, Craig D. Allen, editor(s)
2015, Book chapter, Adaptive management of social-ecological systems
Adaptive management remains at the forefront of environmental management nearly 40 years after its original conception, largely because we have yet to develop other methodologies that offer the same promise. Despite the criticisms of adaptive management and the numerous failed attempts to implement it, adaptive management has yet to be...
Physical habitat monitoring strategy (PHAMS) for reach-scale restoration effectiveness monitoring
Krista L. Jones, Scott J. O’Daniel, Tim J. Beechie, John Zakrajsek, John G. Webster
2015, Open-File Report 2015-1069
Habitat restoration efforts by the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) have shifted from the site scale (1-10 meters) to the reach scale (100-1,000 meters). This shift was in response to the growing scientific emphasis on process-based restoration and to support from the 2007 Accords Agreement with the...
Acute toxicity of runoff from sealcoated pavement to Ceriodaphnia dubia and Pimephales promelas
Barbara Mahler, Christopher G. Ingersoll, Peter C. Van Metre, James L. Kunz, Edward E. Little
2015, Environmental Science & Technology (49) 5060-5069
Runoff from coal-tar-based (CT) sealcoated pavement is a source of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and N-heterocycles to surface waters. We investigated acute toxicity of simulated runoff collected from 5 h to 111 days after application of CT sealcoat and from 4 h to 36 days after application of asphalt-based sealcoat containing...
Exposure to runoff from coal-tar-sealed pavement induces genotoxicity and impairment of DNA repair capacity in the RTL-W1 fish liver cell line
Aude Kienzler, Barbara Mahler, Peter C. Van Metre, Nathalie Schweigert, Alain Devaux, Sylvie Bony
2015, Science of the Total Environment (520) 73-80
Coal-tar-based (CTB) sealcoat, frequently applied to parking lots and driveways in North America, contains elevated concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and related compounds. The RTL-W1 fish liver cell line was used to investigate two endpoints (genotoxicity and DNA-repair-capacity impairment) associated with exposure to runoff from asphalt pavement with CTB...
Image mosaic and topographic map of the moon
Trent M. Hare, Rosalyn K. Hayward, Jennifer S. Blue, Brent A. Archinal
2015, Scientific Investigations Map 3316
Sheet 1: This image mosaic is based on data from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Wide Angle Camera (WAC; Robinson and others, 2010), an instrument on the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft (Tooley and others, 2010). The equatorial WAC images were orthorectified onto the Global Lunar...
Seismic-hazard maps for the conterminous United States, 2014
Mark D. Petersen, Morgan P. Moschetti, Peter M. Powers, Charles S. Mueller, Kathleen M. Haller, Arthur D. Frankel, Yuehua Zeng, Sanaz Rezaeian, Stephen C. Harmsen, Oliver S. Boyd, Edward H. Field, Rui Chen, Nicolas Luco, Russell L. Wheeler, Robert A. Williams, Anna H. Olsen, Kenneth S. Rukstales
2015, Scientific Investigations Map 3325
The maps presented here provide an update to the 2008 data contained in U.S Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Map 3195 (http://pubs.usgs.gov/sim/3195/).Probabilistic seismic-hazard maps were prepared for the conterminous United States for 2014 portraying peak horizontal acceleration and horizontal spectral response acceleration for 0.2- and 1.0-second periods with probabilities of...
Assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources of the Paris Basin, France, 2015
Christopher J. Schenk, Ronald R. Charpentier, Timothy R. Klett, Marilyn E. Tennyson, Tracey J. Mercier, Phoung A. Le, Michael E. Brownfield, Janet K. Pitman, Stephanie B. Gaswirth, Kristen R. Marra, Heidi M. Leathers
2015, Fact Sheet 2015-3016
Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated means of 222 million barrels of unconventional oil; 2,092 billion cubic feet of unconventional gas; 18 million barrels of conventional oil; and 47 billion cubic feet of conventional gas resources in the Paris Basin of France....
