Sea level rise may pose conservation challenges for the endangered Cape Sable seaside sparrow
Stephanie Romanach, Saira M. Haider, Allison Benscoter
2023, Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution (10)
Biodiversity conservation under a changing climate is a challenging endeavor. Landscapes are shifting as a result of climate change and sea level rise but plant communities in particular may not keep up with the pace of change. Predictive ecological models can help decision makers understand how species are likely...
Approaching the upper boundary of driver-response relationships: Identifying factors using a novel framework integrating quantile regression with interpretable machine learning
Zhongyao Liang, Yaoyang Xu, Gang Zhao, Wentao Lu, Zhenghui Fu, Shuhang Wang, Tyler Wagner
2023, Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering (17)
The identification of factors that may be forcing ecological observations to approach the upper boundary provides insight into potential mechanisms affecting driver-response relationships, and can help inform ecosystem management, but has rarely been explored. In this study, we propose a novel framework integrating quantile regression with interpretable machine learning. In...
Searching for the Achilles heel(s) for maintaining invertebrate biodiversity across complexes of depressional wetlands
Mateus M. Pires, Patricia E. Garcia, Leonardo Maltchik, Cristina Stenert, Luis B. Epele, Kyle McLean, Jamie M. Kneitel, Sophie Racey, Darold P. Batzer
2023, Journal for Nature Conservation (72)
Wetlands are among the most threatened ecosystems worldwide due to climate change and land-use conversion. Regional biodiversity of temporary wetlands is dependent on the existence of habitat complexes with variable hydroperiods. Because temperature and rainfall regimes are predicted to shift globally, together with land-use patterns, different scenarios of wetland loss are expected in...
An aridity threshold model of fire sizes and annual area burned in extensively forested ecoregions of the western USA
Paul D. Henne, Todd Hawbaker
2023, Ecological Modelling (477)
Wildfire occurrence varies among regions and through time due to the long-term impacts of climate on fuel structure and short-term impacts on fuel flammability. Identifying the climatic conditions that trigger extensive fire years at regional scales can enable development of area burned...
“Aftershock Faults” and what they could mean for seismic hazard assessment
Thomas E. Parsons, Eric L. Geist, Sophie E. Parsons
2023, The Seismic Record (3) 1-11
We study stress‐loading mechanisms for the California faults used in rupture forecasts. Stress accumulation drives earthquakes, and that accumulation mechanism governs recurrence. Most moment release in California occurs because of relative motion between the Pacific plate and the Sierra Nevada block; we calculate...
Comparison of ventifact orientations and recent wind direction indicators on the floor of Jezero crater, Mars
Kenneth E. Herkenhoff, Rob Sullivan, Claire E Newman, Gerhard Paar, Mariah Baker, Daniel Viudez-Moreiras, James W. Ashley, Andreas Bechtold, Jorge I Nunez
2023, JGR Planets (128)
Wind-abraded rocks and aeolian bedforms have been observed at the Mars 2020 Perseverance landing site, providing evidence for recent and older wind directions. This study reports orientations of aeolian features measured in Perseverance images to infer formative wind directions. It compares these measurements with orbital observations, climate model predictions, and wind...
Modeled production, oxidation, and transport processes of wetland methane emissions in temperate, boreal, and Arctic regions
Masahito Ueyama, Sarah Knox, Kyle B. Delwiche, Sheel Bansal, William J. Riley, Dennis Baldocchi, Takashi Hirano, Gavin McNicol, Karina Schafer, Lisamarie Windham-Myers, Benjamin Poulter, Robert B. Jackson, Kuang-Yu Chang, Jiquan Chen, Housen Chu, Ankur R. Desai, Sebastien Gogo, Hiroki Iwata, Minseok Kang, Ivan Mammarella, Matthias Peichl, Oliver Sonnentag, Eeva-Stiina Tuittila, Youngryel Ryu, Eugenie S. Euskirchen, Mathias Goeckede, Adrien Jacotot, Mats B. Nilsson, Torsten Sachs
2023, Global Change Biology (29) 2313-2334
Wetlands are the largest natural source of methane (CH4) to the atmosphere. The eddy covariance method provides robust measurements of net ecosystem exchange of CH4, but interpreting its spatiotemporal variations is challenging due to the co-occurrence of CH4 production, oxidation, and transport dynamics. Here, we estimate these...
Spatial modeling of two mosquito vectors of West Nile virus using integrated nested Laplace approximations
Kristin J. Bondo, Diego Montecino-Latorre, Lisa Williams, Matt Helwig, Kenneth Duren, Mike Hutchinson, W. David Walter
2023, Ecosphere (14)
The abundance of Culex restuans and Culex pipiens in relation to ecological predictors is poorly understood in regions of the United States where their ranges overlap. It is suspected that these species play different roles in spreading West Nile virus (WNV) in these regions, but few studies have modeled these species separately or accounted...
Density-habitat relationships of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in Finland
Jenni Poutanen, Angela K. Fuller, Jyrki Pusenius, J. Andrew Royle, Mikael Wikström, Jon E Brommer
2023, Ecology and Evolution (13)
In heterogeneous landscapes, resource selection constitutes a crucial link between landscape and population-level processes such as density. We conducted a non-invasive genetic study of white-tailed deer in southern Finland in 2016 and 2017 using fecal DNA samples to understand factors influencing white-tailed deer density and space use in late summer...
Influence of camera model and alignment on the performance of paired camera stations
Tim Swearingen, Robert W. Klaver, Charles R. Anderson Jr., Christopher N. Jacques
2023, Wildlife Society Bulletin (47)
The probability of obtaining images of target species may vary across camera models or relative position of cameras at survey locations. Alignment of cameras within paired camera stations (hereafter, stations) could affect species detection due to issues with image exposure. We quantified effects of 3 camera models and alignment (staggered,...
Sound-side inundation and seaward erosion of a barrier island during hurricane landfall
Christopher R. Sherwood, Andrew C. Ritchie, Jin-Si R. Over, Christine J. Kranenburg, Jonathan A. Warrick, Jenna A. Brown, Wayne Wright, Alfredo Aretxabaleta, Sara L. Zeigler, Phillipe Alan Wernette, Daniel D. Buscombe, Christie Hegermiller
2023, JGR - Earth Surface (128)
Barrier islands are especially vulnerable to hurricanes and other large storms, owing to their mobile composition, low elevations, and detachment from the mainland. Conceptual models of barrier-island evolution emphasize ocean-side processes that drive landward migration through overwash, inlet migration, and aeolian transport. In contrast, we found that...
A comprehensive multi-state conditional occupancy model for evaluating interactions of non-native and native species
Patti J. Wohner, Paul D. Scheerer, Michael H. Meeuwig, James T. Peterson
2023, Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution (10)
A major challenge in ecology is disentangling interactions of non-native, potentially invasive species on native species. Conditional two-species occupancy models examine the effects of dominant species (e.g., non-native) on subordinate species (e.g., native) while considering the possibility that occupancy of one species may affect occupancy and/ or detection of...
Long-term, high-resolution permafrost monitoring reveals coupled energy balance and hydrogeologic controls on talik dynamics near Umiujaq (Nunavik, Québec, Canada)
Philippe Fortier, Jean-Michel Lemieux, Nathan L Young, Michelle A. Walvoord, Richard Fortier
2023, Water Resources Research (59)
Rising temperatures in the Arctic and subarctic are driving the rapid thaw of permafrost by reducing permafrost cooling, increasing active layer thickness, and promoting talik formation. In this study, the cyrohydrogeology of a permafrost mound located within the discontinuous permafrost zone near Umiujaq (Nunavik, Québec, Canada) is...
Simulating post-dam removal effects of hatchery operations and disease on juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) production in the Lower Klamath River, California
Russell W. Perry, John M. Plumb, Michael J. Dodrill, Nicholas A. Som, H. Eve Robinson, Nicholas J. Hetrick
2023, Open-File Report 2022-1106
Executive SummaryThe Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has been considering the approval to breach four dams on lower Klamath River in southern Oregon and northern California. Approval of this application would allow for Strikeouts indicate text deletion hereafter. decommissioning and dam removal, beginning as early as 2023. This action would...
Quality of groundwater used for domestic supply in the Modesto, Turlock, and Merced Subbasins of the San Joaquin Valley, California
Zeno F. Levy, Mariia Balkan, Jennifer L. Shelton
2023, Open-File Report 2022-1116
Summary More than 2 million Californians rely on groundwater from privately owned domestic wells for drinking-water supply. This report summarizes a water-quality survey of domestic and small-system drinking-water supply wells in the Modesto, Turlock, and Merced subbasins of the San Joaquin Valley where more than 78,000 residents are...
Modeling coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) population response to streamflow and water temperature extremes
J. Ryan Bellmore, Christopher J. Sergeant, Rebecca A. Bellmore, Jeffrey A. Falke, Jason B. Fellman
2023, Article
Models that assess the vulnerability of freshwater species to shifting environmental conditions do not always account for short-duration extremes, which are increasingly common. Life cycle models for Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) generally focus on average conditions that fish experience during each life stage, yet many floods, low flows, and elevated water...
Out of the frying pan and into the fire: Effects of volcanic heat and other stressors on the conservation of a critically endangered plant in Hawaiʻi
Nathan S. Gill, Jeff Stallman, Linda Pratt, Jennifer L. Lewicki, Tamar Elias, Patricia A. Nadeau, Stephanie G. Yelenik
2023, Environmental Conservation (20) 108-115
Loss of local biodiversity resulting from abrupt environmental change is a significant environmental problem throughout the world. Extinctions of plants are particularly important yet are often overlooked. Drawing from a case in Hawai‘i, a global hotspot for plant and other extinctions, we demonstrate an effort to better understand and determine...
Intensified warming and aridity accelerate terminal lake desiccation in the Great Basin of the western United States
Dorothy K. Hall, John S. Kimball, Ron Larson, Nicolo E. DiGirolamo, Kimberly Ann Casey, Glynn Hulley
2023, Earth and Space Science (10)
Terminal lakes in the Great Basin (GB) of the western US host critical wildlife habitat and food for migrating birds and can be associated with serious human health and economic consequences when they desiccate. Water levels have declined dramatically in the last 100+ years due to diversion...
Geologic map of the source region of Shalbatana Vallis, Mars
Daniel C. Berman, J. Alexis Palmero Rodriguez, Catherine M. Weitz, David A. Crown
2023, Scientific Investigations Map 3492
Xanthe Terra is a high-standing cratered plain located southeast of Lunae Planum and south of Chryse Planitia in the western equatorial region of Mars. It contains landforms shaped by diverse geologic processes, including various scales of channels and valleys, chaotic terrains, delta fan deposits, and landslides. An extensive outflow channel...
Natal contributions of Kokanee salmon to Flaming Gorge Reservoir, Wyoming–Utah: An evaluation using otolith microchemistry
Aaron Black, John D. Walrath, Marte Willmes, Michael C. Quist
2023, Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management (14) 90-107
In a system that uses supplemental stocking to enhance a fishery that serves a dual purpose, an understanding of the contributions from natural and hatchery-produced fish is important so that hatchery resources can be appropriately allocated. Kokanee Oncorhynchus nerka were first stocked in Flaming Gorge Reservoir (FGR), Wyoming–Utah, in 1963 and serve...
Experimental infection of Mexican free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis) with SARS-CoV-2
Jeffrey S. Hall, Erik K. Hofmeister, Hon S. Ip, Sean Nashold, Ariel Elizabeth Leon, Carly Marie Malave, Elizabeth Falendysz, Tonie E. Rocke, M. Carossino, U. Balasuriya, Susan Knowles
2023, mSphere (8)
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus is thought to have originated in wild bats from Asia, and as the resulting pandemic continues into its third year, concerns have been raised that the virus will expand its host range and infect North American wildlife species, including bats. Mexican free-tailed...
Hydrogeologic framework of the Red River alluvial aquifer and Carrizo-Wilcox aquifer in northwestern Louisiana
Phillip D. Hays, Anna M. Nottmeier, Robert B. Fendick, William J. Daugherty, Kayla Carter
2023, Water Resources Technical Report of the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, Office of Public Works 82
Groundwater in northwestern Louisiana is a valuable resource needed for expanding public-supply needs as well as possible energy development needs arising from Haynesville Formation natural-gas production. The Red River alluvial and the Carrizo-Wilcox aquifers are two of the most important and heavily pumped aquifers in northwestern Louisiana; however, little documentation...
Maximizing the water quality benefits of wetlands in croplands
Owen P. McKenna, Caryn D Ross, Joseph Prenger
2023, Report
Key Takeaways Nutrient loads from croplands continue to negatively affect surface water quality, despite considerable investments in and adoption of agricultural conservation practices aimed at reducing nutrient losses. Numerous studies indicate that effective restoration and management of wetlands in and adjacent to cultivated croplands could reduce surface and subsurface nutrient...
Geologic map of Okmok Volcano
Jessica Larsen, Christina A. Neal, Janet Schaefer, Christopher J. Nye
2023, Report of Investigations of the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys 2023-1
The geologic map and description of map units presented here cover approximately 880 km2 of northeastern Umnak Island, Aleutian Islands, Alaska. This report focuses on Okmok Volcano and its eruptive products and updates the mid-20th-century geologic map of Byers (1959). Mapped deposits reflect the state of the volcano just prior...
Inferring geologic structure from gravity anomalies: Proceed with caution
Geoffrey Phelps
2023, Conference Paper, Geologic mapping forum 22/23 abstracts
Characterization of key geologic structures within a study region, such as basin depths, fault offsets, and fault dip, are often derived from gravity data. Gravity modeling of such subsurface geologic structure generally assumes either homogeneous or spatially uncorrelated densities within modeled rock bodies and overlying sediments. This assumption allows modeling...
