Migration water temperature and heat stress assessments in western Alaska Chinook salmon overlapping the 2019 heatwave
Vanessa R. von Biela, Amy M. Regish, Stephen D. McCormick, Joseph Spaeder, Kevin Whitworth, Justin Leon, Daniel Gillikin, Zachary Liller, Renae Ivanoff, Jenefer Bell, Sean D. Larson, Michael P. Carey, Christian E. Zimmerman
2026, Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
Chinook salmon population declines span their geographic range with climate hypothesized as a major driver. Concerns of warming freshwater temperatures in their northern range gained urgency during 2019 when a heatwave coincided with premature mortality. This study examined heat stress during the 2019 heatwave compared to subsequent years and described...
Earthquake catalog for the Fairbanks region of central Alaska, 2014–2024, based on waveform cross-correlation
Nealey E. Sims, Carl Tape, Natalia A. Ruppert, Michael E. West
2026, Seismological Research Letters (97) 877-896
The Fairbanks region of central Alaska is part of a broad zone of intraplate crustal deformation, situated north of the Denali fault and north of the ongoing collision and flat‐slab subduction of the Yakutat oceanic plateau. Seismicity in the Fairbanks region occurs both in diffuse areas as well as in...
Living with wildfire in Funny River, Alaska: 2023 Data report
Colleen Donovan, Suzanne Wittenbrink, Hannah Brenkert-Smith, Josh Kuehn, Paul McBride, Patricia A. Champ, Christopher M. Barth, James R. Meldrum, Carolyn Wagner, Christine Taniguchi
2026, Research Note RMRS-RN-109
Homeowner wildfire risk mitigation and preparedness are important components of community wildfire readiness. This report describes the data collected through two efforts conducted in the Funny River, Alaska, study area: (1) parcel-level rapid wildfire risk assessments performed by trained assessors and (2) homeowner surveys in which respondents provided self-assessments of...
Earthquake-hazard exposure of residents with potential access and functional needs in the United States
Nathan J. Wood, Alice Pennaz, Jeanne M. Jones
2026, International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction (134)
Earthquake response plans and earthquake early warning (EEW) systems designed for general populations may not consider potential access and functional needs (AFN) of individuals with physical, sensory, cognitive, or social limitations. Previous efforts to map the distribution of these populations have focused on social-vulnerability indices that ignore or oversimply these...
An energetic tradeoff best explains parturition timing in grizzly bears
C. M. Costello, L. L. Roberts, D. D. Bjornlie, M. D. Cameron, J. G. Clapp, Mark Haroldson, G. V. Hilderbrand, K. Joly, W. Kasworm, J. M. Nicholson, T. Radandt, M. S. Sorum, J. E. Teisberg, Frank T. van Manen, M. A. Vinks
2026, Ecology and Evolution (16)
Timing of grizzly bear (Ursus arctos) parturition during hibernation has been explained by ancestral traits (delayed implantation, altricial young, obligate maternal denning), but the ultimate driver underlying precise timing has not been fully explored. Capitalizing on an observed latitudinal increase in denning duration among four populations in interior North America,...
Harmonization of aggregated freshwater biotic data to support continental and global assessment
Jennifer Lento, Sarah M. Laske, Joseph M. Culp, Willem Goedkoop, Maria Kahlert, Danny C.P. Lau, Isabelle Lavoie, Jordan Musetta-Lambert, Jón S. Ólafsson, Kirsten S. Christoffersen
2026, PLOS Water (5)
Biodiversity loss and conservation are increasingly coming into focus in global policy fora, requiring information and assessments at wider spatial and temporal scales than previously considered. However, the monitoring framework required to support such data collection and assessment is lacking in many countries and is not harmonized...
Season and antecedent conditions impact concentration-discharge relationships for dissolved organic carbon and alkalinity in southeast Alaskan watershed
Claire Delbecq, Jason B. Fellman, J. Ryan Bellmore, Emily J. Whitney, Kevin Fitzgerald, Jeffrey A. Falke
2026, JGR Biogeosciences (131)
Fluvial export of dissolved carbon plays an important role in watershed-scale biogeochemistry. Predicted changes in climate are expected to impact watershed hydrologic regimes, and in turn, the sources and export of dissolved carbon from watersheds. Here, we utilize high resolution measurements of discharge and dissolved carbon concentration...
Integrating climate data and river modeling to reveal Chinook salmon habitat conditions in subarctic river basins
Rebecca Shaftel, Megan L. Feddern, Stephanie A. McAfee, Erik R. Schoen, Curry Cunningham, Vanessa R. von Biela, Josh Paul, Yifan Cheng, Andrew Newman, Margaret Perdue, Jon Schwenk, Al von Finster, Jeffrey A. Falke
2026, Ecosphere (17)
Climatic extremes can impact the productivity of aquatic species, affecting ecosystems and fishery-dependent communities. Advances in climate products, such as gridded datasets and downscaled projections, may be useful for quantifying freshwater habitat conditions and predicting climate change effects on fish. However, limited guidance exists for selecting climate...
Tectonic implications of transitional melting regimes from petrological, geochronological, and compositional characterization of the ophiolitic Seventymile terrane, Alaska, USA
Erin Todd, Jonathan Saul Caine, Michael Bizimis, Andrew R.C. Kylander-Clark, Robert Reece Hammond, Alicja Wypych
2026, Geosphere (22) 296-339
New geochemical, U-Pb geochronology, and Sr-Nd-Hf isotope data provide evidence for the tectonic evolution of the Seventymile terrane in interior Alaska, USA. Ultramafic and mafic rocks of the Seventymile terrane are thought to represent components of a dismembered ophiolite and provide unique constraints on regional terrane evolution and accretion. The...
Toward an efficient framework for remote sensing of river bathymetry: Comparing sensors and algorithms on an inaccessible proglacial river in Alaska
Carl J. Legleiter, Christina M. Leonard, Paul A. Burger, Addison G. Pletcher, Paul J. Kinzel
2026, Geomorphology (495)
Remote sensing can provide reliable information on river depths and this approach might be particularly valuable in areas that are difficult to survey via conventional field methods. In this study, we assessed the potential to map the bathymetry of an inaccessible proglacial river in Alaska from both aerial orthophotos and...
A time-space model of graphite mineral systems
George N.D. Case
2026, Mineralium Deposita (61) 783-810
Increasing demand for graphite in energy storage systems warrants review of graphite ore genesis in a mineral systems framework. Orogenic graphite encompasses the metamorphic and orogenic mineral systems that produce flake graphite and hydrothermal vein (lump and chip) graphite deposits, respectively. A common feature of orogenic graphite deposits is an...
Land cover, elevation, and precipitation predict distribution and hotspots of three bird species of concern in boreal Alaska
Emily L. Weiser, Katherine Christie, Casey T. Burns, Julie C Hagelin, Steven M. Matsuoka, James A. Johnson, Colleen M. Handel
2026, Ornithological Applications (128) 1-14
The boreal forest biome is an important breeding area for migratory birds and is undergoing rapid changes, including drying of wetlands, changes to vegetation composition, and human development. Many boreal bird populations are declining, but information is often lacking on how these species associate with habitat characteristics and thus how...
The 1912 Ms 7.2 earthquake in the Denali region of central Alaska
Carl Tape, Marco Aquino-Lopez, Sean Bemis, Peter J. Haeussler, Jessalyn Ginnaty
2026, Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America (116) 322-354
The 2002 Mw 7.9 earthquake in central Alaska ruptured 340 km on three faults—Susitna Glacier thrust fault, Denali fault, Totschunda fault—crossing both the Richardson Highway and the Alaska Pipeline. Its occurrence prompted renewed interest in historical large earthquakes that possibly originated on the Denali fault. One of these earthquakes was a Ms 7.2...
High-precision earthquake catalog for Minto Flats fault zone, central Alaska, reveals complex and conjugate faulting
Nealey E. Sims, Carl Tape, Natalia A. Ruppert, Michael E. West
2026, Bulletin of Seismological Society of America (116) 375-396
The Minto Flats fault zone (MFFZ) in central Alaska is a left‐lateral strike‐slip fault system situated between the continental‐scale right‐lateral Denali and Kaltag‐Tintina faults. The MFFZ has the potential to generate magnitude 7 earthquakes, and it hosted a magnitude 6 earthquake in 1995. It has also produced exotic events, such...
Cumulative effects analysis to inform public land management in the United States: Key characteristics and legal challenges
Tait K. Rutherford, Tim O. Hammond, Alison C. Foster, Megan A. Gilbert, Travis S. Haby, Richard J. Lehrter, Jennifer K. Meineke, Ella M. Samuel, Sarah K. Carter
2026, Environmental Impact Assessment Review (117)
Considering potential cumulative effects of proposed actions is fundamental to environmental impact analysis. However, cumulative effects analyses historically are not robust, especially for site-specific decisions. We sought to identify opportunities to strengthen cumulative effects analysis in a large United States public land management agency, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)....
Reducing bias in shorebird nest survival rates across a large Arctic landscape
Sarah T. Saalfeld, Emily L. Weiser, Stephen C. Brown, Christopher Latty, Shiloh Schulte, R. B. Lanctot
2026, Ibis (168) 25-41
Reproductive success is a key demographic parameter that can have profound impacts on a species' population trend. Indeed, poor reproductive success has been suggested as a contributing factor to the declines observed in many species of birds, including Arctic-breeding shorebirds. However, the available information on Arctic-breeding shorebird nest survival is...
Upper Triassic igneous rocks of the southern Kenai Peninsula, Alaska – Prelude to Early Jurassic subduction along the western Wrangellia composite terrane margin
Travis L. Hudson, Frederic H. Wilson, Paul O’Sullivan
2026, Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences (61) 941-965
New U–Pb zircon geochronology identifies a latest Triassic (ca 214–201 Ma) igneous suite of tuff, hypabyssal dikes, and a pluton on the southern Kenai Peninsula, Alaska. The igneous suite was emplaced within Upper Triassic sedimentary rocks along the southern margin of Western Wrangellia, the western-most fragment of the Wrangellia composite...
A laboratory-based spectrometer intercomparison for the measurement of snow spectra
Benjamin M. Roberts-Pierel, Christopher J. Crawford, Steven W. Brown, Raymond F. Kokaly, Kelly E. Gleason, Anne W. Nolin, Edward H. Bair, Brenton A. Wilder, Anton J. Surunis, S. McKenzie K. Skiles, Joachim Meyer, Allyson E. Fitts, Jeremy M. Johnston, Adam G. Hunsaker, Martin Steufer, Trond Løke
2025, Cold Regions Science and Technology (245)
Seasonal snow is an integral component of global hydrological systems, global energy budget and Earth's climate. As an important part of many Earth systems, seasonal snow is also an essential source of water for many human populations and ecosystems around the world. As such, the measurement of...
U.S. Geological Survey—Department of the Interior, Region 11, Alaska—2023–24 biennial science report
Elizabeth M. Powers, Dee M. Williams, editor(s)
2025, Circular 1554
IntroductionU.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Mission—The USGS national mission is to monitor, analyze, and predict the current and evolving dynamics of complex human and natural Earth-system interactions and to deliver actionable information at scales and timeframes relevant to decision makers. Consistent with the national mission, the USGS in Alaska provides timely...
Multi-temporal surface water mapping with high-resolution elevation and image data through weakly supervised deep learning
Larry Stanislawski, Rongjun Qin, Jung-Kuan Liu, Ethan J. Shavers, Shaowen Wang, Nattapon Jaroenchai, Philip T. Thiem
2025, Conference Paper, Abstracts of the International Cartographic Association
Monitoring the extent of surface water features (hydrography), accurately storing them in databases, and representing them on topographic maps are essential for various applications such as navigation and policy-making for legislative boundaries and permitting. In this context, hydrographic data includes features that generally have water present or image data showing...
Hair growth rate estimation in North American ursids
Jennifer H. Stern, Karyn D. Rode, Craig A. Stricker, Sheriden Ploof, Cindy L.J. Roberts, Celess Edinger, Mary Humbyrd, Nate Wagner, Megan A. Owen, John P. Whiteman, Thea Bechshoft, Brent White, Kristin L. Laidre
2025, Conservation Physiology (13)
The feeding ecology of wildlife populations has important implications for individual health, population productivity and distribution patterns. For ursids (bears), food resources and feeding behaviour primarily affect population dynamics via effects on cub production and survival. Much of what is known about the feeding ecology of bears...
Toward co-designed Earth System Models: Reflecting end-user priorities in local applications from a modeler's perspective
Yifan Cheng, Nicole M. Herman-Mercer, Andrew J. Newman, Keith Musselman, Cleo Woelfle-Hazard, Dylan Blaskey, Cassandra M. Brooks, Tvetene Carlson, Joshua C. Koch, Monica Morrison, Edda A. Mutter, Daniel Sarna-Wojcicki, Peyton Thomas, Jenessa Tlen, Ryan C. Toohey
2025, AGU Advances (6)
Earth System Models (ESM) are crucial for quantifying climate impacts across Earth's interconnected systems and supporting science-based adaptation and mitigation. However, not including end-users, especially decision-makers representing communities vulnerable to climate change, can limit model utility, increase epistemic risks, and lead to information misuse in decision-making. While the...
Power source, data retrieval method, and attachment type affect success of dorsally mounted tracking tag deployments in 37 species of shorebirds
Emily L. Weiser, Richard Lanctot, Daniel R. Ruthrauff, Sarah T. Saalfeld, Lee Tibbitts, José Abad-Gómez, Joaquín Aldabe, Juliana Bose de Almeida, José A. Alves, Guy Anderson, Phil F. Battley, Heinrich Belting, Joël Bêty, Kristin Bianchini, Mary Anne Bishop, Roeland A. Bom, Katharine Bowgen, Glen S. Brown, Stephen C. Brown, Leandro Bugoni, Niall Burton, David R. Bybee, Camilo Carneiro, Gabriel Castresana, Ying-Chi Chan, Chi-Yeung Choi, Katherine Christie, Nigel A. Clark, Jesse R. Conklin, Medardo Cruz-López, Stephen J. Dinsmore, Steve Dodd, David C. Douglas, Luke Eberhart-Hertel, Willow B. English, Harry Ewing, Fernando A. Faria, Samantha E. Franks, Richard A. Fuller, Robert E. Gill Jr., Marie-Andrée Giroux, Cheri L Gratto-Trevor, David Green, Rhys E. Green, Ros Green, Tómas Gunnarsson, Jorge S. Gutiérrez, Autumn-Lynn Harrison, C. Alex Hartman, Chris J. Hassell, Sarah Hoepfner, Jos C. E. W. Hooijmeijer, James Johnson, Oscar W. Johnson, Bart Kempenaers, Marcel Klaassen, Eva Kok, Johannes Krietsch, Clemens Küpper, Andy Kwarteng, Eunbi Kwon, Jean-François Lamarre, Christopher Latty, Nicolas Lecomte, A.H. Loonstra, Zhijun Ma, Lucas Mander, Christopher Marlow, Peter P. Marra, Jose A. Masero, Laura Anne McDuffie, Rebecca L McGuire, Johannes Melter, David S. Melville, Verónica Méndez, Tyler Michels, Christy Morrissey, Tong Mu, David Newstead, Gary W. Page, Allison K. Pierce, Theunis Piersma, Márcio Repenning, Brian H. Robinson, Afonso Rocha, Danny I. Rogers, Amy L. Scarpignato, Shiloh Schulte, Emily Scragg, Nathan R. Senner, Paul Smith, Audrey R. Taylor, Rachel C. Taylor, Böðvar Þórisson, Mihai Valcu, Mo A. Verhoeven, Lena Ware, Nils Warnock, Michael Weber, Lucy J. Wright, Michael B. Wunder
2025, Journal of Avian Biology (2025)
Animal-borne trackers are commonly used to study bird movements, including in long-distance migrants such as shorebirds. Selecting a tracker and attachment method can be daunting, and methodological advancements often have been made by trial and error and conveyed by word of mouth. We synthesized tracking outcomes across...
River ice controls permafrost bank erosion across an Arctic delta
J Arcuri, Irina Overeem, Marisa Repasch, R. S. Anderson, S. P. Anderson, Joshua C. Koch, Frank Urban
2025, Earth Surface Processes and Landforms (50)
Bank erosion in Arctic rivers helps shape channel geometry, mobilizes carbon from permafrost and influences sediment delivery to the Arctic Ocean. On Alaska's Arctic coastal plain, rivers begin flowing during snowmelt in late spring while extensive river ice persists in channels, such that hydraulics are altered and water is kept...
Rusting rivers: Assessing the causes and consequences in Alaska and across the Arctic
Jonathan A. O'Donnell, Michael P. Carey, Joshua C. Koch, Carson Baughman, Kenneth Hill, Taylor Evinger, Abagael Pruitt, Claire Thompson, Emily B. Graham, Brett A Poulin
2025, NOAA Technical Report OAR ARC 25-14
No abstract available....
