Calibration of the U.S. Geological Survey National Crustal Model
Oliver S. Boyd
2020, Open-File Report 2020-1052
The U.S. Geological Survey National Crustal Model (NCM) is being developed to include spatially varying estimates of site response in seismic hazard assessments. Primary outputs of the NCM are continuous velocity and density profiles from the Earth’s surface to the mantle transition zone at 410-kilometer (km) depth for each location...
Quarterly wildlife mortality report July 2020
Bryan J. Richards, Anne Ballmann, Barbara L. Bodenstein, Robert J. Dusek, Jonathan M. Sleeman
2020, Newsletter
The USGS National Wildlife Health Center (NWHC) Quarterly Mortality Report provides brief summaries of epizootic mortality and morbidity events by quarter. The write-ups, highlighting epizootic events and other wildlife disease topics of interest, are published in the Wildlife Disease Association quarterly newsletter. A link is provided in this WDA newsletter...
seawaveQ—An R package providing a model and utilities for analyzing trends in chemical concentrations in streams with a seasonal wave (seawave) and adjustment for streamflow (Q) and other ancillary variables, version 2.0.0
Karen R. Ryberg, Benjamin C. York
2020, Open-File Report 2020-1082
The seawaveQ R package provides functionality and help to fit a parametric regression model, SEAWAVE-Q, to pesticide concentration data from stream-water samples to assess trends. The model incorporates the strong seasonality and high degree of censoring common in pesticide data, and users can incorporate numerous ancillary variables such as streamflow...
Implanted satellite transmitters affect sea duck movement patterns at short- and long-term time scales
Juliet S. Lamb, Peter WC Paton, Jason E. Osenkowski, Shannon S. Badzinski, Alicia Berlin, Timothy D. Bowman, Chris Dwyer, Luke J. Fara, Scott G. Gilliland, Kevin P. Kenow, Christine Lepage, Mark L. Mallory, Glenn H. Olsen, Matthew Perry, Scott A. Petrie, Jean-Pierre L. Savard, Lucas Savoy, Michael L. Schummer, Caleb S. Spiegel, Scott R. McWilliams
2020, Condor
Studies of the effects of transmitters on wildlife often focus on survival. However, non-lethal behavioral changes resulting from radiomarking have the potential to affect inferences from telemetry data and may vary based on individual and environmental characteristics. We used a long-term, multi-species tracking study of sea ducks to assess behavioral...
Estimating streamflow and base flow within the nontidal Chesapeake Bay riverine system
Patrick C. Buffington, Paul D. Capel
2020, Scientific Investigations Report 2020-5055
Daily mean streamflow was estimated for all the nontidal parts of the Chesapeake Bay riverine system with the Unit Flows in Networks of Channels computer application using measured streamflow at the most downstream gage of selected rivers. The streamflows estimated by the Unit Flows in Networks of Channels computer application...
Nutrient removal and uptake by native planktonic and biofilm bacterial communities in an anaerobic aquifer
John T. Lisle
2020, Frontiers in Microbiology (11)
Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) offers a collection of water storage and storage options that have been used by resource managers to mitigate the reduced availability of fresh water. One of these technologies is aquifer storage and recovery (ASR), where surface water is treated then recharged into a storage zone within...
Recording the aurora borealis (northern lights) at seismometers across Alaska
C. Tape, Adam T. Ringler, D.L. Hampton
2020, Seismological Research Letters (91) 3039-3053
We examine three continuously recording data sets related to the aurora: all‐sky camera images, three‐component magnetometer data, and vertical‐component, broadband seismic data as part of the EarthScope project (2014 to present). Across Alaska there are six all‐sky cameras, 13 magnetometers, and >200"><span...
Legacy effects of hydrologic alteration in playa wetland responses to droughts
Micah T. Russell, Jennifer M. Cartwright, Gail H. Collins, Ryan A. Long, Jan H. Eitel
2020, Wetlands (40) 2011-2024
Wetland conservation increasingly must account for climate change and legacies of previous land-use practices. Playa wetlands provide critical wildlife habitat, but may be impacted by intensifying droughts and previous hydrologic modifications. To inform playa restoration planning, we asked: (1) what are the trends in playa inundation? (2) what are the...
Quantifying development to inform management of Mojave and Sonoran desert tortoise habitat in the American southwest
Sarah K. Carter, Kenneth Nussear, Todd Esque, Ian IF Leinwand, Elroy H. Masters, Richard D. Inman, Natasha B. Carr, Linda J. Allison
2020, Endangered Species Research (42) 167-184
Two tortoise species native to the American southwest have experienced significant habitat loss from development and are vulnerable to ongoing threats associated with continued development. Mojave desert tortoises Gopherus agassizii are listed as threatened under the US Endangered Species Act, and Sonoran desert tortoises G. morafkai are protected in Arizona...
Complex patterns of genetic and morphological differentiation in the Smallmouth Bass subspecies (Micropterus dolomieu dolomieu and M. d. velox) of the Central Interior Highlands
Joe C. Gunn, Leah K. Berkman, Jeff K. Koppelman, A. T. Taylor, Shannon K. Brewer, James M. Long, Lori S. Eggert
2020, Conservation Genetics (21) 891-904
Due to geologic processes and recent anthropogenic introductions, patterns of genetic and morphological diversity within the Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus dolomieu), which are endemic to the central and eastern United States (USA), are poorly understood. We assessed genetic and morphological differentiation between the widespread Northern Smallmouth Bass (M. d. dolomieu) and...
Hypogeous, sequestrate fungi (genus Elaphomyces) found at small-mammal foraging sites in high-elevation conifer forests of West Virginia
Corinne A. Diggins, Michael A. Castellano, W. Mark Ford
David Richardson, editor(s)
2020, Northeastern Naturalist (27) N40-N47
Little is known about hypogeous, sequestrate (i.e., truffles) fungi in the eastern United States. Since the fruiting bodies of these fungi are part of the diet of multiple rodent species, filling data gaps is important to understanding more about truffle species distribution and habitat associations. During a microhabitat study on...
Biotelemetry data for Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) captured in coastal southern California, February 2017–December 2019
Jeff A. Tracey, Melanie C. Madden, James C. Molden, Jeremy B. Sebes, Peter H. Bloom, Robert N. Fisher
2020, Data Series 1128
Because of a lack of clarity about the status of golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) in coastal southern California, the U.S. Geological Survey, in collaboration with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Bureau of Land Management, and San Diego Management and Monitoring Program, began a multi-year...
Quality of pesticide data for groundwater analyzed for the National Water-Quality Assessment Project, 2013–18
Laura M. Bexfield, Kenneth Belitz, Mark W. Sandstrom, Delicia Beaty, Laura Medalie, Bruce D. Lindsey, Lisa H. Nowell
2020, Scientific Investigations Report 2020-5072
The National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Project of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) submitted nearly 1,900 samples collected from groundwater sites across the United States in 2013–18 for analysis of 225 pesticide compounds (pesticides and pesticide degradates, hereafter referred to as “pesticides”) by USGS National Water Quality Laboratory schedule 2437 (S2437)....
Assessing the influence of natural copper-nickel-bearing bedrocks of the Duluth Complex on water quality in Minnesota, 2013–15
Sarah M. Elliott, Perry M. Jones, Laurel G. Woodruff, Carrie E. Jennings, Aliesha L. Krall, Daniel L. Morel
2020, Scientific Investigations Report 2020-5039
The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the University of Minnesota-Duluth Natural Resources Research Institute, completed an assessment of regional water quality in areas of potential base-metal mining in Minnesota. Bedrock, soil, streambed sediment, and surface-water samples were collected in three watersheds that cross the basal part of the Duluth...
Citizen science collaboration with the U.S. Geological Survey in Alaska
Elizabeth Powers, Dee Williams
2020, Fact Sheet 2020-3026
Citizen science is science undertaken by the public, usually in collaboration with professional scientific institutions. It encourages citizens to tackle real-world scientific problems and augments traditional science by expanding the coverage of data collection and by reducing costs of fieldwork in remote locations. Information collected by volunteers enables us all...
A not so sudden impact—Historical relations between conifers and insects can help predict damage by nonnative insects
Lekeah A. Durden, Ashley N. Schulz, Angela M. Mech, Kathryn A. Thomas
2020, Fact Sheet 2020-3039
The arrival and establishment of nonnative insects in North America is increasingly problematic. International trade has created opportunities to move wood products and nursery stock worldwide, which has increased the risk of insect introduction to regions or countries where they are not native. One group of researchers, the High-impact Insect Invasions Working Group (HIIWG), has developed...
Chemical constituent concentrations in stream water, streambed sediment, and soils of Fort Belvoir, Virginia—A characterization of ambient conditions in 2019
Karen C. Rice, Douglas B. Chambers
2020, Open-File Report 2020-1059
IntroductionThe U.S. Army Fort Belvoir (FTBL) installation is on the banks of the Potomac River in Fairfax County, northeastern Virginia. The installation was founded by the U.S. Army during World War I. It has been home to a variety of military organizations over the course of its more than 100-year...
Groundwater quality in relation to drinking water health standards and geochemical characteristics for 54 domestic wells in Clinton County, Pennsylvania, 2017
John W. Clune, Charles A. Cravotta III
2020, Scientific Investigations Report 2020-5022
Despite the reliance on groundwater by approximately 2.4 million rural Pennsylvania residents, publicly available data to characterize the quality of private well water are limited. As part of a regional effort to characterize groundwater in rural areas of Pennsylvania, samples from 54 domestic wells in Clinton County were collected and...
The role of phosphorus and nitrogen on chlorophyll a: Evidence from hundreds of lakes
Zhongyao Liang, Patricia A. Soranno, Tyler Wagner
2020, Water Research (185)
The effect of nutrients on phytoplankton biomass in lakes continues to be a subject of debate by aquatic scientists. However, determining whether or not chlorophyll a (CHL) is limited by phosphorus (P) and/or nitrogen (N) is rarely considered using a probabilistic method in studies of hundreds of lakes across broad spatial extents....
A guidebook to spatial datasets for conservation planning under climate change in the Pacific Northwest
Jennifer M. Cartwright, Travis Belote, Kyle W. Blasch, Steve Campbell, Jeanne C. Chambers, Raymond J. Davis, Solomon Dobrowski, Jason B. Dunham, Diana Gergel, Daniel Isaak, Kristin Jaeger, Meade Krosby, Jesse Langdon, Joshua J. Lawler, Caitlin E. Littlefield, Charles H. Luce, Jeremy D Maestas, Anthony Martinez, Arjan J.H. Meddens, Julia Michalak, Sean A. Parks, Wendy Peterman, Ken Popper, Chris Ringo, Roy Sando, Michael Schindel, Diana Stralberg, David M. Theobald, Nathan Walker, Chad Wilsey, Zhiqiang Yang, Andrew Yost
Jennifer M. Cartwright, editor(s)
2020, Report
This guidebook provides user-friendly overviews of a variety of spatial datasets relevant to conservation and management of natural resources in the face of climate change in the Pacific Northwest, United States. Each guidebook chapter was created using a standardized template to summarize a spatial dataset or a group of closely...
Integrating perspectives to understand lake ice dynamics in a changing world
Sapna Sharma, Michael F. Meyer, Joshua Culpepper, Xiao Yang, Stephanie Hampton, Stella A. Berger, Matthew R. Brousil, Steven C. Fradkin, Scott N. Higgins, Kathi Jo Jankowski, Georgiy Kirillin, Adrianne P Smits, Emily C. Whitaker, Foad Yousef, Shuai Zhang
2020, Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences (125)
Ice cover plays a critical role in physical, biogeochemical, and ecological processes in lakes. Despite its importance, winter limnology remains relatively understudied. Here, we provide a primer on the predominant drivers of freshwater lake ice cover and the current methodologies used to study lake ice, including in...
Comparison of storm runoff models for a small watershed in an urban metropolitan area, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Zachary M. Shephard, Kyle R. Douglas-Mankin
2020, Scientific Investigations Report 2020-5058
In order to comply with a current U.S. Environmental Protection Agency watershed-based National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit, the City of Albuquerque required a better understanding of the rainfall-runoff processes in its small urban watersheds. That requirement prompted the initiation of the assessment of three existing watershed models that were...
Key components and contrasts in the nitrogen budget across a US-Canadian transboundary watershed
Jiajia Lin, Jana Compton, Chris Clark, Shabtai Bittman, Donna Schwede, Peter Homann, Peter Kiffney, David Hooper, Gary Bahr, Jill S. Baron
2020, Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences (125)
Watershed nitrogen (N) budgets provide insights into drivers and solutions for groundwater and surface water N contamination. We constructed a comprehensive N budget for the transboundary Nooksack River Watershed (British Columbia, Canada, and Washington, USA) using locally derived data, national statistics, and standard parameters. Feed imports...
Pesticide concentrations associated with augmented flow pulses in the Yolo Bypass and Cache Slough Complex, California
James L. Orlando, Matt De Parsia, Corey J. Sanders, Michelle L. Hladik, Jared Frantzich
2020, Open-File Report 2020-1076
Surface-water and suspended-sediment samples were collected and analyzed by the U.S. Geological Survey for multiple current-use pesticides and pesticide degradates approximately every 2 weeks at up to five sites in the Yolo Bypass and Cache Slough Complex before, during, and after augmented flow pulses in summer and fall 2016 and...
Application of empirical land-cover changes to construct climate change scenarios in federally managed lands
Christopher E. Soulard, Matthew B. Rigge
2020, Remote Sensing (12)
Sagebrush-dominant ecosystems in the western United States are highly vulnerable to climatic variability. To understand how these ecosystems will respond under potential future conditions, we correlated changes in National Land Cover Dataset “Back-in-Time” fractional cover maps from 1985-2018 with Daymet climate data in three federally managed preserves in the sagebrush...
