Melded integrated population models
Justin J. Van Ee, Christian A. Hagen, David C. Pavlacky Jr., David A. Haukos, Andrew J . Lawrence, Ashley M Tanner, Blake A. Grisham, Kent A. Fricke, Liza G. Rossi, Grant M. Beauprez, Kurt E. Kuklinski, Russell Martin, Matthew D. Koslovsky, Troy B. Rintz, Mevin B. Hooten
2024, Journal of Agricultural, Biological and Environmental Statistics (5)
Integrated population models provide a framework for assimilating multiple datasets to understand population dynamics. Understanding drivers of demography is key to improving wildlife management, and integrated population models have informed conservation practices for many species of conservation concern. Motivated by multiple surveys of lesser prairie-chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus), we developed a...
Effects of drought and cloud-water interception on groundwater recharge and wildfire hazard for recent and future climate conditions, Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, Molokaʻi, Maui, and the Island of Hawaiʻi
Alan Mair, Delwyn S. Oki, Heidi L. Kane, Adam G. Johnson, Kolja Rotzoll
2024, Scientific Investigations Report 2023-5141
The Water-budget Accounting for Tropical Regions Model (WATRMod) code was used for Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, Molokaʻi, Maui, and the Island of Hawaiʻi to estimate the spatial distribution of groundwater recharge, soil moisture, evapotranspiration, and climatic water deficit for a set of water-budget scenarios. The scenarios included historical and future drought conditions,...
Impact of Hurricane Irma on coral reef sediment redistribution at Looe Key Reef, Florida, USA
Kimberly Yates, Zachery Fehr, Selena Anne-Marie Johnson, David G. Zawada
2024, Ocean Science (20) 661-688
Understanding event-driven sediment transport in coral reef environments is essential to assessing impacts on reef species, habitats, restoration, and mitigation, yet a global knowledge gap remains due to limited quantitative studies. Hurricane Irma made landfall in the Lower Florida Keys with sustained 209 km h−1 winds and waves greater than 8 m on...
Estimated groundwater recharge for mid-century and end-of-century climate projections, Kaua‘i, O‘ahu, Moloka‘i, Lāna‘i, Maui, and the Island of Hawai‘i
Heidi L. Kane, Alan Mair, Adam G. Johnson, Kolja Rotzoll, James Mifflin, Delwyn S. Oki
2024, Scientific Investigations Report 2023-5130
Demand for freshwater in the State of Hawaiʻi is expected to increase by roughly 13 percent from 2020 to 2035. Groundwater availability in Hawaiʻi is affected by a number of factors, including land cover, rainfall, runoff, evapotranspiration, and climate change. To evaluate the availability of fresh groundwater under projected future-climate...
Best practices for genetic and genomic data archiving
Deborah M. Leigh, Amy G. Vandergast, Margaret Hunter, Eric D. Crandall, W. Chris Funk, Colin J Garroway, Sean M. Hoban, Sara J. Oyler-McCance, Christian Rellstab, Gernot Segelbacher, Chloe Schmidt, Ella Vazquez-Dominguez, Ivan Paz-Vinas
2024, Nature, Ecology and Evolution (8) 1224-1232
Genetic and genomic data are collected for a vast array of scientific and applied purposes. Despite mandates for public archiving, data are typically used only by the generating authors. The reuse of genetic and genomic datasets remains uncommon because it is difficult, if not impossible, due to non-standard archiving practices...
Structural heterogeneity predicts ecological resistance and resilience to wildfire in arid shrublands
Andrii Zaiats, Megan E Cattau, David S. Pilliod, Rongsong Liu, Patricia Kaye T. Dumandan, Ahmad Hojatimalekshah, Donna M. Delparte, Trevor Caughlin
2024, Landscape Ecology (39)
ContextDynamic feedbacks between physical structure and ecological function drive ecosystem productivity, resilience, and biodiversity maintenance. Detailed maps of canopy structure enable comprehensive evaluations of structure–function relationships. However, these relationships are scale-dependent, and identifying relevant spatial scales to link structure to function remains challenging.ObjectivesWe identified optimal scales...
Reframing wildlife disease management problems with decision analysis
Margaret McEachran, Johanna A. Harvey, Riley Olivia Mummah, Molly Bletz, Claire S. Teitelbaum, Elias Rosenblatt, F. Javiera Rudolph, Fernando Arce, Shanglai Yin, Diann Prosser, Brittany A. Mosher, Jennifer M. Mullinax, Graziella Vittoria DiRenzo, Jannelle Couret, Michael C. Runge, Evan H. Campbell Grant, Jonathan D. Cook
2024, Conservation Biology (38)
Contemporary wildlife disease management is complex because managers need to respond to a wide range of stakeholders, multiple uncertainties, and difficult trade-offs that characterize the interconnected challenges of today. Despite general acknowledgment of these complexities, managing wildlife disease tends to be framed as a...
Testing megathrust rupture models using tsunami deposits
SeanPaul La Selle, Alan R. Nelson, Robert C. Witter, Bruce E. Jaffe, Guy Gelfenbaum, Jason Scott Padgett
2024, JGR Earth Surface (129)
The 26 January 1700 CE Cascadia subduction zone earthquake ruptured much of the plate boundary and generated a tsunami that deposited sand in coastal marshes from northern California to Vancouver Island. Although the depositional record of tsunami inundation is extensive in some of these marshes, few sites...
Development of a hydrogeologic visualization model for western Sarpy County, Nebraska
Nathaniel J. Schaepe, Mikaela L. Cherry, Amanda T. Flynn, Christopher M. Hobza
2024, Scientific Investigations Report 2024-5016
Population in western Sarpy County, Nebraska, has steadily increased over the last several decades and has led to increased groundwater use for domestic purposes. To meet the increase in demand, the Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District is seeking to use all available sources of groundwater in western Sarpy County. Additionally,...
Environmental DNA
Margaret Hunter, Kristian Meissner, Catherine Abbott, Florien Leese, Gernot Segelbacher
2024, Report
The widespread adoption of environmental DNA (eDNA) detection tools for biodiversity monitoring has led to the need for universal data standards to inform principled eDNA data applications. Improvements in understanding the meaning and possible uncertainty of eDNA data can minimize erroneous conclusions, increase confidence in eDNA data, and maximize conservation...
Milkweed and floral resource availability for monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) in the United States
Laura Lukens, Jennifer Thieme, Wayne E. Thogmartin
2024, Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution (12)
The global decline of pollinators, particularly insects, underscores the importance of enhanced monitoring of their populations and habitats. However, monitoring some pollinator habitat is challenging due to widespread species distributions and shifts in habitat requirements through seasons and life stages. The monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus), a migratory insect pollinator...
U.S. Geological Survey Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center science highlights for fiscal year 2023
Todd G. Wojtowicz
2024, Fact Sheet 2024-3012
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center is based in Bozeman, Montana, and has field offices in Glacier National Park, Mont.; Missoula, Mont.; and Knoxville, Tennessee. Our scientists respond to the natural resource management needs of Federal, Tribal, and State partners—directly engaging in the coproduction and application...
READI-Net—Providing tools for the early detection and management of aquatic invasive species
Lisa McKeon, Todd G. Wojtowicz
2024, Fact Sheet 2024-3013
OverviewEarly detection of biological threats, such as invasive species, increases the likelihood that control efforts will be successful and cost-effective. Environmental deoxyribonucleic acid (eDNA) sampling is an established method for the efficient and sensitive early detection of new biological threats. The Rapid eDNA Assessment and Deployment Initiative & Network (READI-Net)...
Geologic map of the northwest flank of Mauna Loa volcano, Island of Hawai‘i, Hawaii
Frank A. Trusdell, John P. Lockwood
2024, Scientific Investigations Map 2932-E
Mauna Loa, the largest active volcano on Earth, has erupted 34 times since written descriptions became available in A.D. 1832. The most recent eruption of Mauna Loa occurred on November 27, 2022, after a 38 year hiatus; it lasted for 12 days. Some eruptions began with only brief seismic unrest,...
Interdisciplinary science approach for harmful algal blooms (HABs) and algal toxins—A strategic science vision for the U.S. Geological Survey
Victoria G. Christensen, Christopher J. Crawford, Robert J. Dusek, Michael J. Focazio, Lisa Reynolds Fogarty, Jennifer L. Graham, Celeste A. Journey, Mari E. Lee, James H. Larson, Sarah M. Stackpoole, Viviana Mazzei, Emily Pindilli, Barnett A. Rattner, E. Terrence Slonecker, Kristen B. McSwain, Timothy J. Reilly, Ashley E. Lopez
2024, Circular 1520
Executive SummaryAlgal blooms in water, soils, dusts, and the environment have captured national attention because of concerns associated with exposure to algal toxins for humans and animals. Algal blooms naturally occur in all surface-water types and are important primary producers for aquatic ecosystems. However, excessive algae growth can be associated...
Real-time invasive sea lamprey detection using machine learning classifier models on embedded systems
Ian Gonzalez-Afanador, Claudia Chen, Gerardo Morales-Torres, Scott M. Miehls, Hongyang Shi, Xiaobo Tan, Nelson Sepulveda
2024, Neural Computing and Applications (36) 16195-16212
Invasive sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) has historically inflicted considerable economic and ecological damage in the Great Lakes and continues to be a major threat. Accurately monitoring sea lampreys are critical to enabling the deployment of more targeted and effective control measures to minimize the impact associated with this species. This...
Capturing potential: Leveraging grass carp behavior Ctenopharyngodon idella for enhanced removal
Matthew Ross Acre, Tyler Michael Hessler, Sophia Marie Bonjour, James Roberts, Scott F. Colborne, Travis O. Brenden, Lucas R. Nathan, Dustin Broaddus, Christopher S. Vandergoot, Christine M. Mayer, Song S. Qian, Robert D. Hunter, Ryan E. Brown, Robin D. Calfee
2024, Journal of Great Lakes Research (50)
Effective management of invasive species benefits from a comprehensive understanding of the species’ behavior and interactions with the invaded system. We investigated temporal dynamics of telemetry detections and the potential utility of a traitor approach for informing response efforts to the invasive grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) population in the Sandusky...
Peak streamflow trends in Michigan and their relation to changes in climate, water years 1921–2020
Sara B. Levin
2024, Scientific Investigations Report 2023-5064-D
This study characterizes hydroclimatic variability and change in peak streamflow and daily streamflow in Michigan from water years 1921 through 2020. Four analysis periods were examined: the 100-year period from water year 1921 through 2020, the 75-year period from water year 1946 through 2020, the 50-year period from water year...
Multinational evaluation of genetic diversity indicators for the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework
Alicia Mastretta-Yanes, Jessica M. da Silva, Catherine E. Grueber, Luis Castillo-Reina, Viktoria Koppa, Brenna R. Forester, W. Chris Funk, Myriam Heuertz, Fumiko Ishihama, Rebecca Jordan, Joachim Mergeay, Ivan Paz-Vinas, Victor Julio Rincon-Parra, Maria Alejandra Rodriguez-Morales, Libertad Arredondo-Amezcua, Gaelle Brahy, Matt DeSaix, Lily Durkee, Ashley Hamilton, Margaret E. Hunter, Austin Koontz, Iris Lang, Maria Camila Latorre-Cardenas, Tanya Latty, Alexander Llanes-Quevedo, Anna J. MacDonald, Meg Mahoney, Caitlin Miller, Juan Francisco Ornelas, Santiago Ramirez-Barahona, Erica Robertson, Isa-Rita M. Russo, Metztli Arcila Santiago, Robyn E. Shaw, Glenn M. Shea, Per Sjogren-Gulve, Emma Suzuki Spence, Taylor Stack, Sofia Suarez, Akio Takenaka, Henrik Thurfjell, Sheela P. Turbek, Marlien van der Merwe, Fleur Visser, Ana Wegier, Georgina Wood, Eugenia Zarza, Linda Laikre, Sean M. Hoban
2024, Ecology Letters (27)
Under the recently adopted Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, 196 Parties committed to reporting the status of genetic diversity for all species. To facilitate reporting, three genetic diversity indicators were developed, two of which focus on processes contributing to genetic diversity conservation: maintaining genetically distinct populations and ensuring populations are large...
Declining groundwater storage expected to amplify mountain streamflow reductions in a warmer world
Rosemary W.H. Carroll, Richard G. Niswonger, Craig Ulrich, Charuleka Varadharajan, Erica Siirila-Woodburn, Kenneth H. Williams
2024, Nature Water (2) 419-433
Groundwater interactions with mountain streams are often simplified in model projections, potentially leading to inaccurate estimates of streamflow response to climate change. Here, using a high-resolution, integrated hydrological model extending 400 m into the subsurface, we find groundwater an important and stable source of historical streamflow in...
Browsing the literature
Matthew J. Germino
2024, Rangelands (46) 100-102
For this edition of Browsing the Literature, we have two new papers from Rangeland Ecology & Management, a series of basic ecology papers with an international scope from journals such as the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (USA), Science, and Nature, and several papers advancing our understanding of...
Examining inequality in aquatic ecosystem services: Evidence from large-scale monitoring programs
Katya E. Kovalenko, Sergey Ilyushkin, Holly Wellar-Kelly, Justine Annaliese Neville, Glenn R. Guntenspergen
2024, Ecology and People (935)
We hypothesize that aquatic ecosystem services are likely to be inequitably accessible and addressing this hypothesis requires systematic assessment at regional and national scales. We used existing data from large-scale aquatic monitoring programs (National Coastal Condition Assessment, National Lakes Assessment) to examine relationships between ecosystem condition,...
Does the extent of glacial cover across watersheds and discharge periods affect dietary resource use of nearshore fishes in the Northern Gulf of Alaska?
Lindsey Stadler, Kristen Gorman, Vanessa R. von Biela, Andrew C. Seitz, Katrin Iken
2024, Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology (577)
Northern high-latitude glaciers impact nearshore marine ecosystems through the discharge of cold and fresh waters, including nutrients and organic matter. Fishes are important integrators of ecosystem processes and hold key positions in the transfer of energy to higher trophic positions...
How to select an objective function using information theory
Timothy O. Hodson, Thomas M. Over, Smith Tyler, Lucy A. Marshall
2024, Water Resources Research (60)
In machine learning or scientific computing, model performance is measured with an objective function. But why choose one objective over another? According to the information-theoretic paradigm, the “best” objective function is whichever minimizes information loss. To evaluate different objectives, transform them into likelihoods. The ratios of these...
Genetic analysis of harvest samples reveals population structure in a highly mobile generalist carnivore
Stuart C. Fetherston, Robert Charles Lonsinger, Lora B. Perkins, Chadwick P. Lehman, Jennifer R. Adams, Lisette P. Waits
2024, Ecology and Evolution (14)
Delineating wildlife population boundaries is important for effective population monitoring and management. The bobcat (Lynx rufus) is a highly mobile generalist carnivore that is ecologically and economically important. We sampled 1225 bobcats harvested in South Dakota, USA (2014–2019), of which 878 were retained to assess genetic diversity and infer population...
