Understanding ecological response to physical characteristics in side channels of a large floodplain-river ecosystem
Kristen L. Bouska, Molly Sobotka, Todd Slack, Heather Theel
2023, Science of the Total Environment (871)
Side channels in large floodplain rivers serve a variety of important ecological roles, particularly in reaches where habitat conditions have been degraded or diminished. We developed hypotheses regarding side channel ecological structure whereby we expected species richness of young-of-year fishes to generally be higher...
Declines in prey production during the collapse of a tailwater Rainbow Trout population are associated with changing reservoir conditions
Michael D. Yard, Charles B. Yackulic, Josh Korman, Michael J. Dodrill, Bridget R. Deemer
2023, Transactions of American Fisheries Society (152) 35-50
ObjectiveUnderstanding how energy moves through food webs and limits productivity at various trophic levels is a central question in aquatic ecology and can provide insight into drivers of fish population dynamics since many fish populations are food limited. In this study, we seek to...
Sediment gravity flow frequency offshore central California diminished significantly following the Last Glacial Maximum
Stephen C. Dobbs, Charles K. Paull, Eve M. Lundsten, Roberto Gwiazda, David W. Caress, Mary McGann, Marianne M. Coholich, Maureen A.L. Walton, Nora Maria Nieminski, Timothy McHargue, Steven A. Graham
2023, Frontiers in Marine Science (10)
A high-resolution multibeam survey from a portion of the San Simeon Channel (offshore Morro Bay, California) captured a zone of recurring troughs and ridges adjacent to prominent submarine meander bends. Through an integrated study using surveying data, sediment core analysis, radiocarbon dating, and stable isotope measurements, we hypothesize that...
Generalized additive model estimation of no-flow fractions and L-moments to support flow-duration curve quantile estimation using selected probability distributions for bay and estuary restoration in the Gulf States
Elena Crowley-Ornelas, William H. Asquith, Scott C. Worland
2023, Scientific Investigations Report 2022-5051
Censored and uncensored generalized additive models (GAMs) were developed using streamflow data from 941 U.S. Geological Survey streamflow-gaging stations (streamgages) to predict decadal statistics of daily streamflow for streams draining to the Gulf of Mexico. The modeled decadal statistics comprise no-flow fractions and L-moments of logarithms of nonzero streamflow for six...
High-frequency time series comparison of Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 for open and vegetated water across the United States (2017-2021)
Melanie K. Vanderhoof, Laurie C. Alexander, Jay R. Christensen, Kylen Solvik, Peter Joseph Nieuwlandt, Mallory Annelle Prentiss
2023, Remote Sensing of Environment (288)
Frequent observations of surface water at fine spatial scales will provide critical data to support the management of aquatic habitat, flood risk and water quality. Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 satellites can provide such observations, but algorithms are still needed that perform well across diverse climate and vegetation conditions. We developed surface...
The value of scientific information — An overview
Emily Pindilli, Scott J. Chiavacci, Crista L. Straub
2023, Open-File Report 2023-1011
IntroductionThe U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) provides reliable science, data, information, and models (hereafter collectively referred to as “information”) to describe and understand the Earth. This information is used to minimize loss of life and property from natural disasters; manage water, biological, energy, and mineral resources; and enhance and protect quality...
Mapping vegetation index-derived actual evapotranspiration across croplands using the Google Earth Engine platform
Neda Abbasi, Hamideh Nouri, Kamel Didan, Armando Barreto-Muñoz, Sattar Chavoshi Borujeni, Christian Opp, Pamela L. Nagler, Prasad Thenkabail, Stefan Siebert
2023, Remote Sensing (15)
Precise knowledge of crop water consumption is essential to better manage agricultural water use, particularly in regions where most countries struggle with increasing water and food insecurity. Approaches such as cloud computing and remote sensing (RS) have facilitated access, process, and visualization of big geospatial data to map and...
Grizzly bear movement models predict habitat use for nearby populations
Sarah Nelson Sells, Cecily M. Costello, Paul Lukacs, Frank T. van Manen, Mark A. Haroldson, Wayne Kasworm, Justin Tesiberg, Milan Vinks, Daniel D. Bjornlie
2023, Biological Conservation (279)
Conservation planning and decision-making can be enhanced by ecological models that reliably transfer to times and places beyond those where models were developed. Transferrable models can be especially helpful for species of conservation concern, such as grizzly bears (Ursus arctos)....
Geologic map and hydrogeologic investigations of the upper Santa Cruz River basin, southern Arizona
William R. Page, Mark W. Bultman, Margaret E. Berry, Kenzie J. Turner, Christopher M. Menges, Floyd Gray, James B. Paces, D. Paco Van Sistine, Leah E. Morgan, Jeremy C. Havens
2023, Scientific Investigations Map 3490
This report includes an updated geologic map and cross sections of the upper Santa Cruz River basin, southern Arizona. The map and cross sections describe the geometry, thickness, and structure of the Miocene to Holocene units which form the main aquifers in the basin. The report also includes results of...
Coherence among Oregon Coast coho salmon populations highlights increasing relative importance of marine conditions for productivity
Melanie J. Davis, James Anthony, Eric J. Ward, Julie Firman, Chris Lorion
2023, Fisheries Oceanography (32) 293-310
Anadromous fishes, such as Pacific salmon, spend portions of their life cycle in freshwater and marine systems, thus rendering them susceptible to a variety of natural and anthropogenic stressors. These stressors operate at different spatiotemporal scales, whereby freshwater conditions are more likely to impact...
Status and understanding of groundwater quality in the Redding–Red Bluff shallow aquifer study unit, 2019—California GAMA priority basin project
Jennifer S. Harkness
2023, Scientific Investigations Report 2022-5127
Groundwater quality in the north Sacramento Valley (NSV) was studied in the Redding–Red Bluff shallow aquifer study unit (referred to as the NSV shallow aquifer or NSV-SA) as part of the Priority Basin Project (PBP) of the California Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program. The study unit is in...
Integration of distributed streamflow measurement metadata for improved water resource decision-making
Kendra E. Kaiser, Kyle W. Blasch, Steven Schmitz
2023, Water (15)
Streamflow data are critical for monitoring and managing water resources, yet there are significant spatial gaps in our federal monitoring networks with biases toward large perennial rivers. In some cases, streamflow monitoring exists in these spatial gaps, but information about these monitoring locations is challenging to obtain. Here, we present...
Improving temporal frequency of Landsat surface temperature products using the gap-filling algorithm
George Z. Xian, Hua Shi, Saeed Arab, Chase Mueller, Reza Hussain, Kristi L. Sayler, Danny Howard
2023, Open-File Report 2023-1006
Remotely sensed surface temperature (ST) has been widely used to monitor and assess landscape thermal conditions, hydrologic modeling, and surface energy balance. Landsat thermal sensors have continuously measured the Earth surface thermal radiance since August 1982. The thermal radiance measurements are atmospherically compensated and converted to Landsat STs and delivered...
Perception and trust influence acceptance for black bears more than bear density or conflicts
William F. Siemer, T. Bruce Lauber, Richard C. Stedman, Jeremy E. Hurst, Catherine C. Sun, Angela K. Fuller, Nicholas A. Hollingshead, Jerrold L. Belant, Kenneth Kellner III
2023, Frontiers in Conservation Science (4)
Introduction: To sustain black bear (Ursus americanus) populations, wildlife managers should understand the coupled socio-ecological systems that influence acceptance capacity for bears.Method: In a study area encompassing a portion of New York State, we spatially matched datasets from three sources: human-bear conflict reports between 2006 and 2018, estimates of local bear density...
A comparison of direct & indirect survey methods for estimating colonial nesting waterbird populations
Diann J. Prosser, Jeffery D. Sullivan, Christopher J. Gilbert, David F. Brinker, Peter C. McGowan, Carl R. Callahan, Ben Hutzell, Laurence E. Smith
2023, Waterbirds (45) 189-198
Population estimates derived from monitoring efforts can be sensitive to the survey method selected, potentially leading to biased estimates and low precision relative to true population size. While small unmanned aerial systems (UAS) present a unique opportunity to survey avian populations while limiting disturbance, relatively...
Genetic diversity and IUCN Red List status
Chloe Schmidt, Sean M. Hoban, Margaret Hunter, Ivan Paz-Vinas, Colin J. Garroway
2023, Conservation Biology (37)
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List is an important and widely used tool for conservation assessment. The IUCN uses information about a species’ range, population size, habitat quality and fragmentation levels, and trends in abundance to assess extinction risk. Genetic...
Mapping ancient sedimentary organic matter molecular structure at nanoscales using optical photothermal infrared spectroscopy
Aaron M. Jubb, Martha Stokes, Ryan J. McAleer, Paul C. Hackley, Eoghan Dillion, Jing Qu
2023, Organic Geochemistry (177)
Elucidating the molecular structure of sedimentary organic matter (SOM) is key to understanding petroleum generation processes, as well as ancient sedimentary environments. SOM structure is primarily controlled by biogenic source material (e.g., marine vs. terrigenous), depositional conditions, and subsurface thermal history. Additional factors, e.g., strain, may also impact the...
The Volcanic Hazard Maps Database: An initiative of the IAVCEI Commission on Volcanic Hazards and Risk
Sarah E. Ogburn, Danielle Charlton, Diana Norgaard, Heather M. Wright, Eliza S. Calder, Jan Lindsay, John W. Ewert, Shinji Takarada, Yasuhisa Tajima
2023, Journal of Applied Volcanology (12)
In this work we present the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth’s Interior (IAVCEI) Commission on Volcanic Hazards and Risk (CVHR) Volcanic Hazard Maps Database and the accompanying volcanichazardmaps.org website. Using input from a series of IAVCEI CVHR Working Group on Hazard...
Colored shaded-relief bathymetric map and orthomosaic from structure-from-motion quantitative underwater imaging device with five cameras of the Lake Tahoe floor, California
Gerald A. Hatcher, Jonathan A. Warrick, Peter Dartnell
2023, Scientific Investigations Map 3501
This two-sheet publication displays a high-resolution colored shaded-relief bathymetric map (sheet 1) and orthomosaic (sheet 2) of part of the Lake Tahoe floor in California generated from a U.S. Geological Survey towed surface vehicle with multiple downward-looking underwater cameras. The system is named the Structure-from-Motion Quantitative Underwater Imaging Device with...
An evaluation of multistate occupancy models for estimating relative abundance and population trends
Valerie A. Steen, Adam Duarte, James T. Peterson
2023, Ecological Modelling (478)
Detecting spatiotemporal changes in the abundances of organisms is key to effectively conserving species. While indices of abundance have long been used, there has been a shift toward model-based estimators that account for the detection process. Popular approaches including traditional occupancy models and N-mixture models entail tradeoffs. The traditional occupancy...
Detection and monitoring of small-scale diamond and gold mining dredges using synthetic aperture radar on the Kadéï (Sangha) River, Central African Republic
Marissa Ann Alessi, Peter G. Chirico, Sindhuja Sunder, Kelsey L. O’Pry
2023, Remote Sensing (15)
Diamond and gold mining has been practiced by artisanal miners in the Central African Republic (CAR) for decades. The recent introduction of riverine dredges indicates a transition from artisanal/manual digging and sorting techniques to small-scale mining methods. This study implements a remote sensing analysis of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR)...
Stabilising effects of karstic groundwater on stream fish communities
Nathaniel P. Hitt, Karli M. Rogers, Karmann G. Kessler, Martin A. Briggs, Jennifer H. Fair
2023, Ecology of Freshwater Fish (32) 538-551
Although groundwater exchange processes are known to modulate atmospheric influences on stream temperature and flow, the implications for ecological stability are poorly understood. Here, we evaluated temporal change in stream fish communities across a gradient of groundwater influence defined by karst terrain (carbonate parent materials) within...
When less is more: How increasing the complexity of machine learning strategies for geothermal energy assessments may not lead toward better estimates
Stanley Paul Mordensky, John Lipor, Jacob DeAngelo, Erick R. Burns, Cary Ruth Lindsey
2023, Geothermics (110)
Previous moderate- and high-temperature geothermal resource assessments of the western United States utilized data-driven methods and expert decisions to estimate resource favorability. Although expert decisions can add confidence to the modeling process by ensuring reasonable models are employed, expert decisions also introduce human and, thereby, model bias. This bias...
Regolith of the crater floor units, Jezero crater, Mars: Textures, composition and implications for provenance
Alicia Vaughan, Michelle E. Minitti, Emily L. Cardarelli, Jeffrey R. Johnson, Linda C. Kah, Paolo Pilleri, Mellisa S. Rice, Mark Sephton, Briony H. N. Horgan, Roger C. Wiens, R. Aileen Yingst, Maria-Paz Zorzano Mier, Ryan B. Anderson, James F. III Bell, Adrian J. Brown, Edward A. Cloutis, Agnes Cousin, Kenneth E. Herkenhoff, Elisabeth M. Housrath, Alexander G. Hayes, Kjartan M. Kinch, Marco Merusi, Chase C. Million, Robert Sullivan, Sandra M. Siljestrom, Michael St. Clair
2023, JGR-Planets (128)
A multi-instrument study of the regolith of Jezero crater floor units by the Perseverance rover has identified three types of regolith: fine-grained, coarse-grained, and mixed-type. Mastcam-Z, WATSON, and SuperCam RMI were used to characterize regolith texture, particle size, and roundedness where possible. Mastcam-Z multispectral and SuperCam LIBS...
Groundwater quality near the Montebello Oil Field, Los Angeles County, California
Jennifer S. Stanton, Michael Land, Matthew K. Landon, David H. Shimabukuro, Peter B. McMahon, Tracy A. Davis, Andrew G. Hunt, Theron A. Sowers
2023, Scientific Investigations Report 2022-5128
Groundwater quality and potential sources and migration pathways of chemical constituents associated with hydrocarbon-bearing formations were assessed by the U.S. Geological Survey for the California State Water Resources Control Board Oil and Gas Regional Monitoring Program (RMP). Groundwater samples were collected as part of the RMP from 21 preexisting wells...
