Status and distribution of the Kittlitz's Murrelet Brachyramphus brevirostris along the Alaska Peninsula and Kodiak and Aleutian Islands, Alaska
Erica N. Madison, John F. Piatt, Mayumi L. Arimitsu, Marc D. Romano, Thomas I. van Pelt, S. Kim Nelson, Jeffrey C. Williams, Anthony R. DeGange
2011, Marine Ornithology: Journal of Seabird Research and Conservation (39) 111-122
The Kittlitz's Murrelet Brachyramphus brevirostris is adapted for life in glacial-marine ecosystems, being concentrated in the belt of glaciated fjords in the northern Gulf of Alaska from Glacier Bay to Cook Inlet. Most of the remaining birds are scattered along coasts of the Alaska Peninsula and Aleutian Islands, where they...
Leaders' perspectives in the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative
D.J. Mattson, S.G. Clark, K.L. Byrd, S.R. Brown, B. Robinson
2011, Policy Sciences (44) 103-133
The Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative (Y2Y) was created in 1993 to advance conservation in a 1.2 million km2 portion of the North American Rocky Mountains. We assembled 21 people with influence over Y2Y in a workshop to elucidate perspectives on challenges and solutions for this organization at a key...
Effects of humic substances on precipitation and aggregation of zinc sulfide nanoparticles
Amrika Deonarine, Boris Lau, George R. Aiken, Joseph N. Ryan, Heileen Hsu-Kim
2011, Environmental Science & Technology (45) 3217-3223
Nanoparticulate metal sulfides such as ZnS can influence the transport and bioavailability of pollutant metals in anaerobic environments. The aim of this work was to investigate how the composition of dissolved natural organic matter (NOM) influences the stability of zinc sulfide nanoparticles as they nucleate and aggregate in water with...
Structural stability of methane hydrate at high pressures
J. Shu, X. Chen, I-Ming Chou, W. Yang, Jiawen Hu, R.J. Hemley, Ho-kwang Mao
2011, Geoscience Frontiers (2) 93-100
The structural stability of methane hydrate under pressure at room temperature was examined by both in-situ single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction techniques on samples with structure types I, II, and H in diamond-anvil cells. The diffraction data for types II (sII) and H (sH) were refined to the known structures...
Multi-channel analysis of surface waves MASW of models with high shear-wave velocity contrast
J. Ivanov, R. D. Miller, S. Peterie, C. Zeng, J. Xia, T. Schwenk
2011, SEG Technical Program Expanded Abstracts (30) 1384-1390
We use the multi-channel analysis of surface waves MASW method to analyze synthetic seismic data calculated using models with high shear-wave velocity Vs contrast. The MASW dispersion-curve images of the Rayleigh wave are obtained using various sets of source-offset and spread-size configurations from the synthetic seismic data and compared with...
On the powerful use of simulations in the quake-catcher network to efficiently position low-cost earthquake sensors
K. Benson, T. Estrada, M. Taufer, J. Lawrence, E. Cochran
2011, Conference Paper, Proceedings - 2011 7th IEEE International Conference on eScience, eScience 2011
The Quake-Catcher Network (QCN) uses low-cost sensors connected to volunteer computers across the world to monitor seismic events. The location and density of these sensors' placement can impact the accuracy of the event detection. Because testing different special arrangements of new sensors could disrupt the currently active project, this would...
Intercontinental gene flow among western arctic populations of lesser snow geese
Rainy I. Shorey, K.T. Scribner, Jeannette Kanefsky, M.D. Samuel, S.V. Libants
2011, Conference Paper, Condor
Quantifying the spatial genetic structure of highly vagile species of birds is important in predicting their degree of population demographic and genetic independence during changing environmental conditions, and in assessing their abundance and distribution. In the western Arctic, Lesser Snow Geese (Chen caerulescens caerulescens) provide an example useful for evaluating...
Heterogeneous pumice populations in the 2.08-Ma Cerro Galán Ignimbrite: Implications for magma recharge and ascent preceding a large-volume silicic eruption
Heather M. Wright, Christopher B. Folkes, Ray A.F. Cas, Katharine V. Cashman
2011, Bulletin of Volcanology (73) 1513-1533
Triggering mechanisms of large silicic eruptions remain a critical unsolved problem. We address this question for the ~2.08-Ma caldera-forming eruption of Cerro Galán volcano, Argentina, which produced distinct pumice populations of two colors: grey (5%) and white (95%) that we believe may hold clues to the onset of eruptive activity....
The 16 May 1909 northern Great Plains earthquake
W. H. Bakun, M. C. Stickney, Gary C. Rogers
2011, Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America (101) 3065-3071
The largest historical earthquake in the northern Great Plains occurred on 16 May 1909. Our analysis of intensity assignments places the earthquake location (48.81° N, 105.38° W) close to the Montana–Saskatchewan border with an intensity magnitude MI of 5.3–5.4. Observations from two seismic observatories in Europe give an average Ms...
Long-term change in perennial vegetation along the Colorado river in Grand Canyon national park (1889-2010)
R. H. Webb, Jayne Belnap, M. L. Scott, Todd Esque
2011, Park Science (28) 83-87
Long-term monitoring data are difficult to obtain for high-value resource areas, particularly in remote parts of national parks. One long-used method for evaluating change uses ground-based repeat photography to match historical images of landscapes. River expeditions that documented a proposed railroad route through Grand Canyon with large-format photographs occurred in...
Thiamine concentrations in lake whitefish eggs from the upper Great Lakes are related to maternal diet
Stephen Riley, J. Rinchard, M.P. Ebener, Donald E. Tillitt, K.R. Munkittrick, J.L. Parrott, J.D. Allen
2011, Journal of Great Lakes Research (37) 732-737
Thiamine deficiency is responsible for reproductive impairment in several species of salmonines in the Great lakes, and is thought to be caused by the consumption of prey containing thiaminase, a thiamine-degrading enzyme. Because thiaminase levels are extremely high in dreissenid mussels, fish that prey on them may be susceptible to...
Water and heat transport in boreal soils: Implications for soil response to climate change
Z. Fan, J. C. Neff, J.W. Harden, T. Zhang, H. Veldhuis, C.I. Czimczik, G.C. Winston, J. A. O'Donnell
2011, Science of the Total Environment (409) 1836-1842
Soil water content strongly affects permafrost dynamics by changing the soil thermal properties. However, the movement of liquid water, which plays an important role in the heat transport of temperate soils, has been under-represented in boreal studies. Two different heat transport models with and without convective heat transport were compared...
A predator-prey model with a holling type I functional response including a predator mutual interference
G. Seo, D.L. DeAngelis
2011, Journal of Nonlinear Science (21) 811-833
The most widely used functional response in describing predator-prey relationships is the Holling type II functional response, where per capita predation is a smooth, increasing, and saturating function of prey density. Beddington and DeAngelis modified the Holling type II response to include interference of predators that increases with predator density....
Modeling hydrologic and geomorphic hazards across post-fire landscapes using a self-organizing map approach
Michael J. Friedel
2011, Environmental Modelling and Software (26) 1660-1674
Few studies attempt to model the range of possible post-fire hydrologic and geomorphic hazards because of the sparseness of data and the coupled, nonlinear, spatial, and temporal relationships among landscape variables. In this study, a type of unsupervised artificial neural network, called a self-organized map (SOM), is trained using data...
Distinguishing between stress-induced and structural anisotropy at Mount Ruapehu volcano, New Zealand
J. H. Johnson, M.K. Savage, J. Townend
2011, Journal of Geophysical Research B: Solid Earth (116)
We have created a benchmark of spatial variations in shear wave anisotropy around Mount Ruapehu, New Zealand, against which to measure future temporal changes. Anisotropy in the crust is often assumed to be caused by stress-aligned microcracks, and the polarization of the...
Ontogenetic and diel variation in stream habitat use by brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) in a headwater stream
J. H. Johnson, R. M. Ross, D. S. Dropkin, Lori A. Redell
2011, Journal of Freshwater Ecology (26) 143-152
Although considerable information exists on habitat use by stream salmonids, only a small portion has quantitatively examined diurnal and nocturnal habitat variation. We examined diel variation in habitat use by age-0 and age-1+ brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) during summer and autumn in a headwater stream in northern Pennsylvania. Habitat variables...
Self-potential investigations of a gravel bar in a restored river corridor
N. Linde, J. Doetsch, D. Jougnot, O. Genoni, Y. Durst, B. J. Minsley, T. Vogt, N. Pasquale, J. Luster
2011, Hydrology and Earth System Sciences (15) 729-742
Self-potentials (SP) are sensitive to water fluxes and concentration gradients in both saturated and unsaturated geological media, but quantitative interpretations of SP field data may often be hindered by the superposition of different source contributions and time-varying electrode potentials. Self-potential mapping and close to two months of SP monitoring on...
New insights from well responses to fluctuations in barometric pressure
J.J. Butler, W. Jin, G.A. Mohammed, E.C. Reboulet
2011, Ground Water (49) 525-533
Hydrologists have long recognized that changes in barometric pressure can produce changes in water levels in wells. The barometric response function (BRF) has proven to be an effective means to characterize this relationship; we show here how it can also be utilized to glean valuable insights into semi-confined aquifer systems....
Evidence for low-grade metamorphism, hydrothermal alteration, and diagenesis on Mars from phyllosilicate mineral assemblages
Bethany L. Ehlmann, John F Mustard, Roger N. Clark, Gregg A. Swayze, Scott L. Murchie
2011, Clays and Clay Minerals (59) 359-377
The enhanced spatial and spectral resolution provided by the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) has led to the discovery of numerous hydrated silicate minerals on Mars, particularly in the ancient, cratered crust comprising the southern highlands. Phases recently identified using visible/near-infrared spectra...
Evaluation of Nobuto filter paper strips for the detection of avian influenza virus antibody in waterfowl
Robert J. Dusek, Jeffrey S. Hall, Sean W. Nashold, Joshua L. Teslaa, Hon S. Ip
2011, Avian Diseases (55) 674-676
The utility of using Nobuto paper strips for the detection of avian influenza antibodies was examined in mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) experimentally infected with low pathogenic avian influenza viruses. Blood was collected 2 wk after infection and was preserved either as serum or whole blood absorbed onto Nobuto strips. Analysis of...
Methodology to assess water presence on speleothems during periods of low precipitation, with implications for recharge sources - Kartchner Caverns, Arizona
Kyle W. Blasch
2011, Journal of Cave and Karst Studies (73) 63-74
Beginning in January 2005, recharge processes and the presence of water on speleothems were monitored in Kartchner Caverns during a 44-month period when annual rainfall rates were 6 to 18 percent below the long-term mean. Electrical-resistance sensors designed to detect the presence of water were used to identify ephemeral streamflow...
Ecological strategies in california chaparral: Interacting effects of soils, climate, and fire on specific leaf area
Brian Anacker, Nishanta Rajakaruna, David Ackerly, Susan Harrison, Jon E. Keeley, Michael Vasey
2011, Plant Ecology and Diversity (4) 179-188
Background: High values of specific leaf area (SLA) are generally associated with high maximal growth rates in resource-rich conditions, such as mesic climates and fertile soils. However, fire may complicate this relationship since its frequency varies with both climate and soil fertility, and fire frequency selects for regeneration strategies (resprouting...
Survey of stranded gas and delivered costs to Europe of selected gas resources
Emil D. Attanasi, Philip A. Freeman
2011, Conference Paper
Two important trends affecting the expected growth of global gas markets are (1) the shift by many industrialized countries from coal-fired electricity generation to the use of natural gas to generate electricity and (2) the industrialization of the heavily populated Asian countries of India and China. This paper surveys discovered...
The effect of structural complexity, prey density, and "predator-free space" on prey survivorship at created oyster reef mesocosms
Austin T. Humphries, Megan La Peyre, Gary A. Decossas
2011, PLoS ONE (6)
Interactions between predators and their prey are influenced by the habitat they occupy. Using created oyster (Crassostrea virginica) reef mesocosms, we conducted a series of laboratory experiments that created structure and manipulated complexity as well as prey density and “predator-free space” to examine the relationship between structural complexity and prey...
Tourmaline as a recorder of ore-forming processes
John F. Slack, Robert B. Trumbull
2011, Elements (7) 321-326
Tourmaline occurs in diverse types of hydrothermal mineral deposits and can be used to constrain the nature and evolution of ore-forming fl uids. Because of its broad range in composition and retention of chemical and isotopic signatures, tourmaline may be the only robust recorder of original mineralizing processes in some...
