Review of rare earth element concentrations in oil shales of the Eocene Green River Formation
Justin E. Birdwell
2012, Open-File Report 2012-1016
Concentrations of the lanthanide series or rare earth elements and yttrium were determined for lacustrine oil shale samples from the Eocene Green River Formation in the Piceance Basin of Colorado and the Uinta Basin of Utah. Unprocessed oil shale, post-pyrolysis (spent) shale, and leached shale samples were examined to determine...
Water chemistry and electrical conductivity database for rivers in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
Laura E. Clor, R. Blaine McCleskey, Mark A. Huebner, Jacob B. Lowenstern, Henry P. Heasler, Dan L. Mahony, Tim Maloney, William C. Evans
2012, Data Series 632
Chloride flux has been used to estimate heat flow in volcanic environments since the method was developed in New Zealand by Ellis and Wilson (1955). The method can be applied effectively at Yellowstone, because nearly all of the water discharged from its thermal features enters one of four major rivers...
Spatial and temporal diet patterns of subadult and small adult striped bass in Massachusetts estuaries: Data, a synthesis, and trends across scales
K.H. Ferry, Martha E. Mather
2012, Marine and Coastal Fisheries: Dynamics, Management, and Ecosystem Science (4) 30-45
Subadult and small adult (375–475 mm total length) striped bass Morone saxatilis are abundant and represent an important component of the recovered U.S. Atlantic coast stocks. However, little is known about these large aggregations of striped bass during their annual foraging migrations to New England. A quantitative understanding of trends...
Eco-virological approach for assessing the role of wild birds in the spread of avian influenza H5N1 along the central Asian flyway
Scott H. Newman, Nichola J. Hill, Kyle A. Spragens, Daniel Janies, Igor O. Voronkin, Diann J. Prosser, Baoping Yan, Fumin Lei, Nyambayar Batbayar, Tseveenmyadag Natsagdorj, Charles M. Bishop, Patrick J. Butler, Martin Wikelski, Sivananinthaperumal Balachandran, Taej Mundkur, David C. Douglas, John Y. Takekawa
2012, PLoS ONE (7)
A unique pattern of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 outbreaks has emerged along the Central Asia Flyway, where infection of wild birds has been reported with steady frequency since 2005. We assessed the potential for two hosts of HPAI H5N1, the bar-headed goose (Anser indicus) and ruddy shelduck (Tadorna...
Modified Mercalli Intensity for scenario earthquakes in Evansville, Indiana
Chris Cramer, Jennifer Haase, Oliver Boyd
2012, General Information Product 138
Evansville, Indiana, has experienced minor damage from earthquakes several times in the past 200 years. Because of this history and the fact that Evansville is close to the Wabash Valley and New Madrid seismic zones, there is concern about the hazards from earthquakes. Earthquakes currently cannot be predicted, but scientists...
Latitudinal species diversity gradient of marine zooplankton for the last three million years
Moriaki Yasuhara, Gene Hunt, Harry J. Dowsett, Marci M. Robinson, Danielle K. Stoll
2012, Ecology Letters (15) 1174-1179
High tropical and low polar biodiversity is one of the most fundamental patterns characterising marine ecosystems, and the influence of temperature on such marine latitudinal diversity gradients is increasingly well documented. However, the temporal stability of quantitative relationships among diversity, latitude and temperature is largely unknown. Herein we document marine...
Selection of nest-site habitat by interior least terns in relation to sandbar construction
Mark H. Sherfy, Jennifer H. Stucker, Deborah A. Buhl
2012, Journal of Wildlife Management (76) 363-371
Federally endangered interior least terns (Sternula antillarum) nest on bare or sparsely vegetated sandbars on midcontinent river systems. Loss of nesting habitat has been implicated as a cause of population declines, and managing these habitats is a major initiative in population recovery. One such initiative involves construction of mid-channel sandbars...
Understanding earthquake hazards in urban areas - Evansville Area Earthquake Hazards Mapping Project
Oliver S. Boyd
2012, Fact Sheet 2012-3014
The region surrounding Evansville, Indiana, has experienced minor damage from earthquakes several times in the past 200 years. Because of this history and the proximity of Evansville to the Wabash Valley and New Madrid seismic zones, there is concern among nearby communities about hazards from earthquakes. Earthquakes currently cannot be...
Quality of major ion and total dissolved solids data from groundwater sampled by the National Water-Quality Assessment Program, 1992–2010
Eliza L. Gross, Bruce D. Lindsey, Michael G. Rupert
2012, Scientific Investigations Report 2011-5153
Proper interpretation of water quality requires consideration of the effects that contamination bias and sampling variability might have on measured analyte concentrations. The effect of contamination bias and sampling variability on major ion and total dissolved solids data in water samples collected in 48 of the 52 National Water-Quality Assessment...
Uranium isotopes (234U/238U) in rivers of the Yukon Basin (Alaska and Canada) as an aid in identifying water sources, with implications for monitoring hydrologic change in arctic regions
Thomas F. Kraemer, Timothy P. Brabets
2012, Hydrogeology Journal (20) 469-481
The ability to detect hydrologic variation in large arctic river systems is of major importance in understanding and predicting effects of climate change in high-latitude environments. Monitoring uranium isotopes (234U and 238U) in river water of the Yukon River Basin of Alaska and northwestern Canada (2001–2005) has enhanced the ability to...
Diversity and distribution of mayflies (Ephemeroptera), stoneflies (Plecoptera), and caddisflies (Trichoptera) of the South Platte River Basin, Colorado, Nebraska, and Wyoming, 1873-2010
Robert E. Zuellig, Brian D. Heinold, Boris C. Kondratieff, David E. Ruiter
2012, Data Series 606
The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the C.P. Gillette Museum of Arthropod Diversity (Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado), compiled collection record data to document the historical and present-day occurrence of mayfly, stonefly, and caddisfly species in the South Platte River Basin. Data were compiled from records collected between...
Social values for ecosystem services (SolVES): Documentation and user manual, version 2.0
Benson C. Sherrouse, Darius J. Semmens
2012, Open-File Report 2012-1023
In response to the need for incorporating quantified and spatially explicit measures of social values into ecosystem services assessments, the Rocky Mountain Geographic Science Center (RMGSC), in collaboration with Colorado State University, developed a geographic information system (GIS) application, Social Values for Ecosystem Services (SolVES). With version 2.0 (SolVES 2.0),...
Preliminary assessment of channel stability and bed-material transport in the Rogue River basin, southwestern Oregon
Krista L. Jones, Jim E. O'Connor, Mackenzie K. Keith, Joseph F. Mangano, J. Rose Wallick
2012, Open-File Report 2011-1280
This report summarizes a preliminary assessment of bed-material transport, vertical and lateral channel changes, and existing datasets for the Rogue River basin, which encompasses 13,390 square kilometers (km2) along the southwestern Oregon coast. This study, conducted to inform permitting decisions regarding instream gravel mining, revealed that:The Rogue River in its...
Assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources of the Amu Darya Basin and Afghan-Tajik Basin Provinces, Afghanistan, Iran, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, 2011
T. R. Klett, Christopher J. Schenk, Craig J. Wandrey, Ronald R. Charpentier, Michael E. Brownfield, Janet K. Pitman, Richard M. Pollastro, Troy A. Cook, Marilyn E. Tennyson
2012, Fact Sheet 2011-3154
Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated volumes of undiscovered, technically recoverable, conventional petroleum resources for the Amu Darya Basin and Afghan–Tajik Basin Provinces of Afghanistan, Iran, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The mean volumes were estimated at 962 million barrels of crude oil, 52 trillion cubic feet...
Population size of island loggerhead shrikes on Santa Rosa and Santa Cruz Islands
Thomas R. Stanley, Susan Teel, Linnea S. Hall, Linda C. Dye, Lyndal L. Laughrin
2012, Wildlife Society Bulletin (36) 61-69
Island loggerhead shrikes (Lanius ludovicianus anthonyi) are an endemic, genetically distinct subspecies of loggerhead shrike on California's Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, and Santa Catalina Islands (USA). This subspecies is listed as a Species of Special Concern by the California Department of Fish and Game and has been petitioned for federal...
Effects of resource chemistry on the composition and function of stream hyporheic biofilms.
E. K. Hall, K. Besemer, L. Kohl, C. Preiler, K. Reidel, T. Schneider, W. Wanek, T.J. Battin
2012, Frontiers in Microbiology (3)
Fluvial ecosystems process large quantities of dissolved organic matter as it moves from the headwater streams to the sea. In particular, hyporheic sediments are centers of high biogeochemical reactivity due to their elevated residence time and high microbial biomass and activity. However, the interaction between organic matter and microbial dynamics...
Book review: Seismic acquisition from yesterday to tomorrow
Seth S. Haines
2012, The Leading Edge (January 2012) 102-102
In this 236-page volume, Julien Meunier presents a thorough description of P-wave seismic data acquisition. The treatment includes historical aspects along with some discussion of trends for the future, but the main focus is on present-day approaches and their theoretical underpinnings. Although it was written as the text for the...
Genetic diversity of a newly established population of golden eagles on the Channel Islands, California
Sarah A. Sonsthagen, Timothy J. Coonan, Brian C. Latta, George K. Sage, Sandra L. Talbot
2012, Biological Conservation (146) 116-122
Gene flow can have profound effects on the genetic diversity of a founding population depending on the number and relationship among colonizers and the duration of the colonization event. Here we used data from nuclear microsatellite and mitochondrial DNA control region loci to assess genetic diversity in golden eagles of...
Multi-scale remote sensing sagebrush characterization with regression trees over Wyoming, USA: laying a foundation for monitoring
Collin G. Homer, Cameron L. Aldridge, Debra K. Meyer, Spencer J. Schell
2012, International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation (14) 233-244
agebrush ecosystems in North America have experienced extensive degradation since European settlement. Further degradation continues from exotic invasive plants, altered fire frequency, intensive grazing practices, oil and gas development, and climate change – adding urgency to the need for ecosystem-wide understanding. Remote sensing is often identified as a key information...
Inflation rates, rifts, and bands in a pāhoehoe sheet flow
Richard P. Hoblitt, Tim R. Orr, Christina Heliker, Roger Denlinger, Ken Hon, Peter F. Cervelli
2012, Geosphere (8) 179-195
The margins of sheet flows—pāhoehoe lavas emplaced on surfaces sloping <2°—are typically delineated by structures that form to accommodate vertical flow inflation. We refer to these structures as inflation rifts. The surfaces of inflation rifts almost always exhibit bands of varying color and texture. Various explanations for the bands have...
Microanatomy of passerine hard-cornified tissues: Beak and claw structure of the black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)
Caroline R. Van Hemert, Colleen M. Handel, John E. Blake, Rhonda Swor, Todd M. O'Hara
2012, Journal of Morphology (273) 226-240
The microanatomy of healthy beaks and claws in passerine birds has not been well described in the literature, despite the importance of these structures in avian life. Histological processing of hard‐cornified tissues is notoriously challenging and only a few reports on effective techniques have been published. An emerging epizootic of...
Selection indicates preference in diverse habitats: A ground-nesting bird (Charadrius melodus) using reservoir shoreline
Michael J. Anteau, Mark H. Sherfy, Mark T. Wiltermuth
2012, PLoS ONE (7) e30347
Animals use proximate cues to select resources that maximize individual fitness. When animals have a diverse array of available habitats, those selected could give insights into true habitat preferences. Since the construction of the Garrison Dam on the Missouri River in North Dakota, Lake Sakakawea (SAK) has become an important...
Effects of biotic disturbances on forest carbon cycling in the United States and Canada
James E. Vogelmann, Craig D. Allen, Jeffrey A. Hicke, Ankur R. Desai, Michael C. Dietze, Ronald J. Hall, Edward H. (Ted) Hogg
2012, Global Change Biology (18) 7-34
Forest insects and pathogens are major disturbance agents that have affected millions of hectares in North America in recent decades, implying significant impacts to the carbon (C) cycle. Here, we review and synthesize published studies of the effects of biotic disturbances on forest C cycling in the United States and...
Utilizing multichannel electrical resistivity methods to examine the dynamics of the fresh water–seawater interface in two Hawaiian groundwater systems
Natasha T. Dimova, Peter W. Swarzenski, Henrieta Dulaiova, Craig R. Glenn
2012, Journal of Geophysical Research C: Oceans (117)
Multichannel electrical resistivity (ER) measurements were conducted at two contrasting coastal sites in Hawaii to obtain new information on the spatial scales and dynamics of the fresh water–seawater interface and rates of coastal groundwater exchange. At Kiholo Bay (located on the dry, Kona side of the Big Island) and at...
Long-term creep rates on the Hayward Fault: Evidence for controls on the size and frequency of large earthquakes
James J. Lienkaemper, Forrest S. McFarland, Robert W. Simpson, Roger G. Bilham, David A. Ponce, John Boatwright, S. John Caskey
2012, Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America (102) 31-41
The Hayward fault (HF) in California exhibits large (Mw 6.5–7.1) earthquakes with short recurrence times (161±65 yr), probably kept short by a 26%–78% aseismic release rate (including postseismic). Its interseismic release rate varies locally over time, as we infer from many decades of surface creep data. Earliest estimates of creep...
