USGS National Wildlife Health Center quarterly mortality report – April 2012 to June 2012
U.S. Geological Survey National Wildlife Health Center Field Investigations Team
2012, Wildlife Disease Association Newsletter 14-17
No abstract available....
Evidence for occurrence, persistence, and growth potential of Escherichia coli and enterococci in Hawaii’s soil environments
Muruleedhara N. Byappanahalli, Bruce M. Roll, Roger S. Fujioka
2012, Microbes and Environments (27) 164-170
High densities of Escherichia coli and enterococci are common in freshwaters on Oahu and other Hawaiian Islands. Soil along stream banks has long been suspected as the likely source of these bacteria; however, the extent of their occurrence and distribution in a wide range of soils remained unknown until the...
Validation of ground-motion simulations for historical events using SDoF systems
C. Galasso, F. Zareian, I. Iervolino, R.W. Graves
2012, Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America (102) 2727-2740
The study presented in this paper is among the first in a series of studies toward the engineering validation of the hybrid broadband ground‐motion simulation methodology by Graves and Pitarka (2010). This paper provides a statistical comparison between seismic demands of single degree of freedom (SDoF) systems subjected to past...
Using spatially detailed water-quality data and solute-transport modeling to improve support total maximum daily load development
Katherine Walton-Day, Robert L. Runkel, Briant A. Kimball
2012, Journal of the American Water Resources Association (48) 949-969
Spatially detailed mass-loading studies and solute-transport modeling using OTIS (One-dimensional Transport with Inflow and Storage) demonstrate how natural attenuation and loading from distinct and diffuse sources control stream water quality and affect load reductions predicted in total maximum daily loads (TMDLs). Mass-loading data collected during low-flow from Cement Creek (a...
Changing Arctic ecosystems - measuring and forecasting the response of Alaska's terrestrial ecosystem to a warming climate
John M. Pearce, Anthony R. DeGange, Paul L. Flint, Tom F. Fondell, David D. Gustine, Leslie E. Holland-Bartels, Andrew G. Hope, Jerry W. Hupp, Joshua C. Koch, Joel A. Schmutz, Sandra L. Talbot, David H. Ward, Mary E. Whalen
2012, Fact Sheet 2012-3144
The Arctic Coastal Plain of northern Alaska is a complex landscape of lakes, streams, and wetlands scattered across low relief tundra that is underlain by permafrost. This region of the Arctic has experienced a warming trend over the past three decades, leading to thawing of on-shore permafrost and the disappearance...
Thermodynamic method for generating random stress distributions on an earthquake fault
Michael Barall, Ruth A. Harris
2012, Open-File Report 2012-1226
This report presents a new method for generating random stress distributions on an earthquake fault, suitable for use as initial conditions in a dynamic rupture simulation. The method employs concepts from thermodynamics and statistical mechanics. A pattern of fault slip is considered to be analogous to a micro-state of a...
Availability and distribution of low flow in Anahola Stream, Kauaʻi, Hawaiʻi
Chui Ling Cheng, Reuben H. Wolff
2012, Scientific Investigations Report 2012-5264
Anahola Stream is a perennial stream in northeast Kauaʻi, Hawaiʻi, that supports agricultural, domestic, and cultural uses within its drainage basin. Beginning in the late 19th century, Anahola streamflow was diverted by Makee Sugar Company at altitudes of 840 feet (upper intake) and 280 feet (lower intake) for irrigating sugarcane...
Reversion to virulence and efficacy of an attenuated canarypox vaccine in Hawai'i 'Amakihi (Hemignathus Virens)
Carter T. Atkinson, Kimberly C. Wiegand, Dennis Triglia, Susan I. Jarvi
2012, Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine (Vol. 43) 808-819
Vaccines may be effective tools for protecting small populations of highly susceptible endangered, captive-reared, or translocated Hawaiian honeycreepers from introduced Avipoxvirus, but their efficacy has not been evaluated. An attenuated Canarypox vaccine that is genetically similar to one of two passerine Avipoxvirus isolates from Hawai‘i and distinct from Fowlpox was tested to evaluate...
Thermal and hydrologic suitability of Lake Erie and its major tributaries for spawning of Asian carps
Patrick M. Kocovsky, Duane Chapman, James E. McKenna
2012, Journal of Great Lakes Research (38) 159-166
Bighead carp Hypophthalmichthys nobilis, silver carp H. molitrix, and grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idella (hereafter Asian carps) have expanded throughout the Mississippi River basin and threaten to invade Lakes Michigan and Erie. Adult bighead carp and grass carp have been captured in Lake Erie, but self-sustaining populations probably do not exist....
Timing of large earthquakes during the past 500 years along the Santa Cruz Mountains segment of the San Andreas fault at Mill Canyon, near Watsonville, California
Thomas E. Fumal
2012, Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America (102) 1099-1119
A paleoseismic investigation across the Santa Cruz Mountains section of the San Andreas fault at Mill Canyon indicates that four surface‐rupturing earthquakes have occurred there during the past ~500 years. At this site, right‐lateral fault slip has moved a low shutter ridge across the mouth of the canyon, ponding latest Holocene...
Wave-induced mass transport affects daily Escherichia coli fluctuations in nearshore water
Zhongfu Ge, Richard L. Whitman, Meredith B. Nevers, Mantha S. Phanikumar
2012, Environmental Science & Technology (46) 2204-2211
Characterization of diel variability of fecal indicator bacteria concentration in nearshore waters is of particular importance for development of water sampling standards and protection of public health. Significant nighttime increase in Escherichia coli (E. coli) concentration in beach water, previously observed at marine sites, has also been identified in summer...
USGS National Wildlife Health Center mortality report October-December 2011
Barbara Bodenstein
2012, Wildlife Disease Association Newsletter (2012) 9-10
Trophic transfer efficiency of methylmercury and inorganic mercury to lake trout Salvelinus namaycush from its prey
C.P. Madenijian, S.R. David, D. P. Krabbenhoft
2012, Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology (63) 262-269
Based on a laboratory experiment, we estimated the net trophic transfer efficiency of methylmercury to lake trout Salvelinus namaycush from its prey to be equal to 76.6 %. Under the assumption that gross trophic transfer efficiency of methylmercury to lake trout from its prey was equal to 80 %, we...
USGS National Wildlife Health Center quarterly mortality report – January 2012 to March 2012
U.S. Geological Survey National Wildlife Health Center Field Investigations Team
2012, Wildlife Disease Association Newsletter 11-13
No abstract available....
Characterizing invertebrate traits in wadeable streams of the contiguous US: differences among ecoregions and land uses
Robert E. Zuellig, Travis S. Schmidt
2012, Freshwater Science (31) 1042-1056
Much is known about invertebrate community traits in basins across Europe, but no comprehensive description of traits exists for the continental US. Little is known about the trait composition of invertebrates in reference or least-disturbed basins of the US, how trait composition varies among ecoregions, or how consistently traits respond...
Absence of fractionation of mercury isotopes during trophic transfer of methylmercury to freshwater fish in captivity
Sae Yun Kwon, Joel D. Blum, Michael J. Carvan, Niladri Basu, Jessica A. Head, Charles P. Madenjian, Solomon R. David
2012, Environmental Science & Technology (46) 7527-7534
We performed two controlled experiments to determine the amount of mass-dependent and mass-independent fractionation (MDF and MIF) of methylmercury (MeHg) during trophic transfer into fish. In experiment 1, juvenile yellow perch (Perca flavescens) were raised in captivity on commercial food pellets and then their diet was either maintained on unamended...
A vectorial capacity product to monitor changing malaria transmission potential in epidemic regions of Africa
Pietro Ceccato, Christelle Vancutsem, Robert Klaver, James Rowland, Stephen J. Connor
2012, Journal of Tropical Medicine (2012) 1-6
Rainfall and temperature are two of the major factors triggering malaria epidemics in warm semi-arid (desert-fringe) and high altitude (highland-fringe) epidemic risk areas. The ability of the mosquitoes to transmit Plasmodium spp. is dependent upon a series of biological features generally referred to as vectorial capacity. In this study, the...
Thiamine status of rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax) eggs in the Great Lakes, USA
Marc A. Chalupnicki, H. George Ketola, Micheal H. Zehfus, Jonathan R. Crosswait, Jacques Rinchard
2012, Journal of Freshwater Ecology (27) 31-39
During spring 2006–2009, eggs were collected for analysis of total thiamine from gravid rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax) captured in each of the Great Lakes and two other waters as references for comparison. Mean standard length (mm ± standard error) of gravid females significantly differed between sample waters, with the Atlantic Ocean population...
Competitive Interactions of Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata) and Damesrocket (Hesperis matronalis)
Stacey A. Leicht-Young, Noel B. Pavlovic, Jean V. Adams
2012, Invasive Plant Science and Management (5) 27-36
Competitive interactions between native plants and nonnative, invasive plant species have been extensively studied; however, within degraded landscapes, the effect of interspecific interactions among invasive plants is less explored. We investigated a competitive interaction between two sympatric, invasive mustard species that have similar life history strategies and growth forms: garlic...
Diel feeding periodicity of Ephemera simulans nymphs in summer and winter
James H. Johnson, Jack E. Ruggirello, Christopher C. Nack
2012, Journal of Freshwater Ecology (27) 305-308
We examined diel feeding periodicity of Ephemera simulans nymphs during summer and winter in a third-order stream in central New York. A total of 245 nymphs were collected at 4-h intervals over two 24 h periods and were immediately preserved in 80% ethanol. In the laboratory, we weighed each nymph and...
Novel approach for computing photosynthetically active radiation for productivity modeling using remotely sensed images in the Great Plains, United States
Ramesh K. Singh, Shu-Guang Liu, Larry L. Tieszen, Andrew E. Suyker, Shashi B. Verma
2012, Journal of Applied Remote Sensing (6)
Gross primary production (GPP) is a key indicator of ecosystem performance, and helps in many decision-making processes related to environment. We used the Eddy covariancelight use efficiency (EC-LUE) model for estimating GPP in the Great Plains, United States in order to evaluate the performance of this model. We developed a...
Recent strikes in South Africa’s platinum-group metal mines: effects upon world platinum-group metal supplies
Thomas R. Yager, Yadira Soto-Viruet, James J. Barry
2012, Open-File Report 2012-1273
The recent labor disputes over wages and working conditions that have affected South Africa’s three leading platinum-group metal (PGM) producers have affected an industry already plagued by market pressures and labor unrest and raised the specter of constraints in the world’s supply of these metals. Although low demand for these...
Low prevalence of VHSV detected in round goby collected in offshore regions of Lake Ontario
Emily R. Cornwell, Rodman G. Getchell, Geoffrey H. Groocock, Maureen G. Walsh, Paul R. Bowser
2012, Journal of Great Lakes Research (38) 575-579
Since the first reports of mortalities due to viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) type IVb in the Laurentian Great Lakes basin during 2005 (Lake St. Clair, USA and Bay of Quinte, Lake Ontario, Canada), many groups have conducted surveillance efforts for the virus, primarily in nearshore areas. The round goby...
Encroachment of oriental bittersweet into Pitcher’s thistle habitat
Stacey A. Leicht-Young, Noel B. Pavlovic
2012, Natural Areas Journal (32) 171-176
Common invasive species and rare endemic species can grow and interact at the ecotone between forested and non-forested dune habitats. To investigate these interactions, a comparison of the proximity and community associates of a sympatric invasive (Celastrus orbiculatus; oriental bittersweet) and native (C. scandens; American bittersweet) liana species to federally...
Advanced methods for modeling water-levels and estimating drawdowns with SeriesSEE, an Excel add-in
Keith Halford, C. Amanda Garcia, Joe Fenelon, Benjamin B. Mirus
2012, Techniques and Methods 4-F4
Water-level modeling is used for multiple-well aquifer tests to reliably differentiate pumping responses from natural water-level changes in wells, or “environmental fluctuations.” Synthetic water levels are created during water-level modeling and represent the summation of multiple component fluctuations, including those caused by environmental forcing and pumping. Pumping signals are modeled...
