Multi-decadal shifts in the distribution and timing of Pacific herring (Clupea pallasii) spawning in Prince William Sound, Alaska
David W. McGowan, Trevor A. Branch, Stormy Haught, Mark David Scheuerell
Trevor A. Branch, editor(s)
2021, Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences (78) 1611-1627
The location and timing of spawning play a critical role in pelagic fish survival during early life stages and can affect subsequent recruitment. Spawning patterns of Pacific herring (Clupea pallasii) were examined in Prince William Sound (1973–2019) where the population has failed to recover since its collapse in 1993. Abrupt...
Golden Eagle
Todd E. Katzner, Michael N. Kochert, Karen Steenhof, Carol L. McIntyre, Erica H. Craig, Tricia A. Miller
2021, Book chapter, Birds of the world
The Golden Eagle inhabits a wide range of latitudes and habitats throughout the Palearctic and into northern Africa, where it is largely resident. In North America, its breeding distribution includes most of Canada and Alaska, as well as the western half of the United States and northern and western Mexico....
Abundance of a recently discovered Alaskan rhodolith bed in a shallow, seagrass-dominated lagoon
David H. Ward, Courtney Amundson, Patrick Fitzmorris, Damian M. Menning, Joel Markis, Kristine M. Sowl, Sandra C. Lindstrom
2021, Botanica Marina (64) 119-127
Rhodoliths are important foundation species of the benthic photic zone but are poorly known and rarely studied in Alaska. A bed of Lithothamnion soriferum rhodoliths was discovered in 2008 in Kinzarof Lagoon, Alaska, a shallow-water embayment dominated by eelgrass (Zostera marina). Rhodolith presence and biomass were estimated to...
Nitrogen biogeochemistry in a boreal headwater stream network in interior Alaska
Richard L. Smith, Deborah A. Repert, Joshua C. Koch
2021, Science of the Total Environment (764)
High latitude, boreal watersheds are nitrogen (N)-limited ecosystems that export large amounts of organic carbon (C). Key controls on C cycling in these environments are the biogeochemical processes affecting the N cycle. A study was conducted in Nome Creek, an upland headwater tributary of the Yukon River,...
Metabarcoding of environmental samples suggest wide distribution of eelgrass (Zostera marina) pathogens in the north Pacific
Damian M. Menning, Hunter A Gravley, Melissa N. Cady, Daniel J Pepin, Sandy Wyllie-Echeverria, David H. Ward, Sandra L. Talbot
2021, Metabarcoding and Metagenomics (5) 35-42
Seagrass meadows provide important ecological services to the marine environment but are declining worldwide. Although eelgrass meadows in the north Pacific are thought to be relatively healthy, few studies have assessed the presence of known disease pathogens in these meadows. In a pilot study to test the efficacy...
Reconstructing the dynamics of the highly similar May 2016 and June 2019 Iliamna Volcano, Alaska ice–rock avalanches from seismoacoustic data
Liam Toney, David Fee, Kate E. Allstadt, Matthew M. Haney, Robin S. Matoza
2021, Earth Surface Dynamics (9) 271-293
Surficial mass wasting events are a hazard worldwide. Seismic and acoustic signals from these often remote processes, combined with other geophysical observations, can provide key information for monitoring and rapid response efforts and enhance our understanding of event dynamics. Here, we present seismoacoustic data and analyses for two very large...
Effects of midazolam on corticosterone and blood gases in spectacled eiders prior to transmitter implantation
Maria Spriggs, Daniel Rizzolo, Kate Martin, Gwen E. Myers, Matthew G. Sexson
2021, Journal of Wildlife Management (85) 909-919
Stress and physical exertion may affect the physiology and behavior of wildlife during and after capture, and consequently, survival following release. Such effects may reduce the quality and quantity of the data obtained from captured wildlife. We captured spectacled eiders (Somateria fischeri), a species listed as...
The extent and variability of storm‐induced temperature changes in lakes measured with long‐term and high‐frequency data
Jonathan P. Doubek, Orlane Anneville, Gael Dur, Aleksandra M. Lewandowska, Vijay P. Patil, James A. Rusak, Nico Salmaso, Christian T. Seltmann, Dietmar Straile, Pablo Urrutia‐Cordero, Patrick Venail, Rita Adrian, Maria B. Alfonso, Curtis L. DeGasperi, Elvira de Eyto, Heidrun Feuchtmayr, Evelyn Gaiser, Scott F Girdner, Jennifer L. Graham, Hans-Peter Grossart, Josef Hejzlar, Stéphan Jacquet, Georgiy Kirillin, María E. Llames , Shin-Ichiro S. Matsuzaki, Emily Nodine, Maria Cintia Piccolo, Donald C. Pierson, Alon Rimmer, Lars G. Rudstam, Steven Sadro, Hilary M. Swain, Stephen J. Thackeray, Wim Thiery, Piet Verburg, Tamar Zohary, Jason D. Stockwell
2021, Limnology and Oceanography (66) 1979-1992
The intensity and frequency of storms are projected to increase in many regions of the world because of climate change. Storms can alter environmental conditions in many ecosystems. In lakes and reservoirs, storms can reduce epilimnetic temperatures from wind‐induced mixing with colder hypolimnetic waters, direct precipitation...
The American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) genoscape: Implications for monitoring, management, and subspecies boundaries
K. C. Ruegg, M. Brinkmeyer, C. M. Bossu, R. Bay, E. C. Anderson, Clint W. Boal, R. D. Dawson, A. Eschenbauch, C. J. W. McClure, K. E. Miller, L. Morrow, J. R. Morrow, M. D. Oleyar, B. Ralph, S. Schulwitz, T. Swem, J. F. Therrien, Rich Van Buskirk, T. B. Smith, J. A. Heath
J-F. Therrien, editor(s)
2021, Ornithology (138)
Identifying population genetic structure is useful for inferring evolutionary process and comparing the resulting structure with subspecies boundaries can aid in species management. The American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) is a widespread and highly diverse species with 17 total subspecies, only 2 of which are found north of U.S./Mexico border (F....
Water reliability in the west -- SECURE Water Act Section 9503(C)
Marketa McGuire, Subhrendu Gangopadhyay, Justin Martin, Gregory T. Pederson, Connie A. Woodhouse, Jeremy Littell
2021, Report, Technical Memorandum No. ENV-2021-001
No abstract available....
Investigating the morphological and genetic divergence of arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) populations in lakes of arctic Alaska
Stephen L. Klobucar, Jessica A. Rick, Elizabeth G. Mandeville, Catherine E. Wagner, Phaedra E. Budy
2021, Ecology and Evolution (11) 3040-3057
Polymorphism facilitates coexistence of divergent morphs (e.g., phenotypes) of the same species by minimizing intraspecific competition, especially when resources are limiting. Arctic char (Salvelinus sp.) are a Holarctic fish often forming morphologically, and sometimes genetically, divergent morphs. In this study, we assessed the morphological and genetic diversity and divergence of 263...
Linear deconvolution applied to ASTER imagery of terrestrial dune analog sites
Donald M. Hooper, Bernard E. Hubbard
2021, Conference Paper
Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflec-tion (ASTER) radiometer onboard NASA’s Terra satellite has nearly complete global coverage in the 8 – 14 µm thermal infrared (TIR) atmospheric window and is the highest resolution sensor providing TIR emissivity data at 90-m spatial resolution and five multispectral bands. ASTER imagery enables mapping...
Biological correlates of sea urchin recruitment in kelp forest and urchin barren habitats
Ben Weitzman, Brenda H. Konar
2021, Marine Ecology Progress Series (663) 115-125
Shifts between the alternate stable states of sea urchin barren grounds and kelp forests correspond to sea urchin density. In the Aleutian Archipelago, green sea urchins Strongylocentrotus polyacanthus are the dominant herbivores that graze kelp forests. Sea urchin recruitment is an important driver that influences sea urchin density, particularly in the absence...
Glacial dust surpasses both volcanic ash and desert dust in its iron fertilization potential
Bess G. Koffman, Meg F. Yoder, Taylor Methven, Lena Hanschka, Helen B. Sears, Patrick L. Saylor, Kristi L. Wallace
2021, Global Biogeochemical Cycles (35)
The subarctic Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea comprise the second-largest high nitrate, low chlorophyll region in the world, where primary production is limited by the availability of iron (Fe). To estimate the potential impact of different terrestrial aerosol Fe sources on marine ecosystems, we performed a suite of laboratory assessments...
U.S. Geological Survey Arctic ecosystem assessments
John M. Pearce, Caroline R. Van Hemert
2021, Fact Sheet 2021-3016
The U.S Geological Survey (USGS) conducts natural hazard and resource assessments of the Earth’s ecosystems and the response of those ecosystems to environmental change, human activities, and land use. Arctic regions of Alaska are important for cultural and economic sustainability and host a wide variety of wildlife species, many of...
Investigation of algal toxins in a multispecies seabird die-off in the Bering and Chukchi seas
Caroline R. Van Hemert, Robert J. Dusek, Matthew M. Smith, Robert Kaler, Gay Sheffield, Lauren M. Divine, Kathy J. Kuletz, Susan Knowles, Julia S. Lankton, D. Ransom Hardison, R. Wayne Litaker, Timothy Jones, Hillary K. Burgess, Julia K. Parrish
2021, Journal of Wildlife Diseases (57) 399-407
Between 2014 and 2017, widespread seabird mortality events were documented annually in the Bering and Chukchi seas, concurrent with dramatic reductions of sea ice, warmer than average ocean temperatures, and rapid shifts in marine ecosystems. Among other changes in the marine environment, harmful algal blooms (HABs) that produce the neurotoxins...
Dating fault damage along the eastern Denali fault zone with hematite (U-Th)/He thermochronometry
Robert G. McDermott, Alexis K. Ault, Jonathan Caine
2021, Earth and Planetary Science Letters (563)
Unraveling complex slip histories in fault damage zones to understand relations among deformation, hydrothermal alteration, and surface uplift remains a challenge. The dextral eastern Denali fault zone (EDFZ; southwest Yukon, Canada) bounds the Kluane Ranges and hosts a variety of fault-related rocks, including hematite fault surfaces, which have been exhumed...
Whole‐genome resequencing reveals persistence of forest‐associated mammals in Late Pleistocene refugia along North America’s North Pacific Coast
Jocelyn P. Colella, Tianying Lan, Sandra L. Talbot, Charlotte Lindqvist, Joseph A. Cook
2021, Journal of Biogeography (48) 1153-1169
AimNumerous glacial refugia have been hypothesized along North America's North Pacific Coast that may have increased divergence of refugial taxa, leading to elevated endemism and subsequently clustered hybrid zones following deglaciation. The locations and community composition of these ice‐free areas remains controversial, but whole‐genome sequences now enable...
Ecosystem response persists after a prolonged marine heatwave
Robert M. Suryan, Mayumi L. Arimitsu, Heather A. Coletti, Russell R. Hopcroft, Mandy Lindeberg, Steven J. Barbeaux, Sonia Batten, William J. Burt, Mary Anne Bishop, James L. Bodkin, R. Brenner, Robert W. Campbell, Daniel A. Cushing, Seth L. Danielson, Martin W. Dorn, Brie Drummond, Daniel Esler, Thomas S. Gelatt, Dana H. Hanselman, Katrin Iken, David B. Irons, Scott A. Hatch, Stormy Haught, Kris Holderied, David G. Kimmel, Brenda H. Konar, Kathy J. Kuletz, Arthur B. Kettle, Benjamin J. Laurel, John M. Maniscalco, Daniel Monson, Craig O. Matkin, Caitlin McKinstry, John Moran, D. Olsen, John F. Piatt, Wayne A. Palsson, W. Scott Pegau, Lauren A. Rogers, Nora A. Rojek, Anne Schaefer, Ingrid B. Spies, J.M. Straley, Suzanne L. Strom, Marysia Szymkowiak, Ben P. Weitzman, Kathryn L. Sweeney, Ellen M. Yasumiishi, Stephanie Zador
2021, Scientific Reports (11)
Some of the longest and most comprehensive marine ecosystem monitoring programs were established in the Gulf of Alaska following the environmental disaster of the Exxon Valdez oil spill over 30 years ago. These monitoring programs have been successful in assessing recovery from oil spill impacts, and their continuation decades later has now provided...
U.S. Geological Survey—Department of the Interior Region 11, Alaska —2020 annual science report
Elizabeth M. Powers, Dee M. Williams, editor(s)
2021, Open-File Report 2021-1010
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Mission: The USGS national mission is to monitor, analyze, and predict 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...
Determinants of gray wolf (Canis lupus) sightings in Denali National Park
Bridget L. Borg, Stephen M. Arthur, Jeffrey A. Falke, Laura R. Prugh
2021, Arctic (74) 51-66
Wildlife viewing within protected areas is an increasingly popular recreational activity. Management agencies are often tasked with providing these opportunities, yet quantitative analyses of factors influencing wildlife sightings are lacking. We analyzed locations of GPS-collared wolves and wolf sightings from 2945 trips in Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska, USA,...
Using bottom trawls to monitor subsurface water clarity in marine ecosystems
Sean K. Rohan, Stan Kotwicki, Kelly A. Kearney, Jennifer A Schulien, Edward A. Laman, Edward D. Cokelet, David Beauchamp, Lyle L. Britt, Kerim Y. Aydin, Stephani G. Zador
2021, Progress in Oceanography (194)
Biophysical processes that affect subsurface water clarity play a key role in ecosystem function. However, subsurface water clarity is poorly monitored in marine ecosystems because doing so requires in-situ sampling that is logistically difficult to conduct and sustain. Novel solutions are...
Extending seasonal discharge records for streamgage sites on the North Fork Fortymile and Middle Fork Fortymile Rivers, Alaska, through water year 2020
Janet H. Curran
2021, Scientific Investigations Report 2021-5014
Daily mean discharge records are needed for management of selected streams in the Fortymile River Basin. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, updated a technique for estimating seasonal (partial year) discharge at two short-record streamgage sites in the basin and evaluated the...
Reduced quality and synchronous collapse of forage species disrupts trophic transfer during a prolonged marine heatwave
Mayumi L. Arimitsu, John F. Piatt, Scott Hatch, Rob Suryan, Sonia Batten, Mary Anne Bishop, Rob Campbell, Heather Coletti, Dan Cushing, Kristen Gorman, Stormy Haught, Russell Hopcroft, Kathy Kuletz, Caitlin Elizabeth Marsteller, Caitlin McKinstry, David McGowan, John Moran, R. Scott Pegau, Anne Schaefer, Sarah K. Schoen, Jan Straley, Vanessa R. von Biela
2021, Book chapter, The Pacific marine heatwave: Monotoring during a major perturbation in the Gulf of Alaska
The Gulf of Alaska forage fish community includes a few key species that differ markedly in their timing of spawning, somatic growth and lipid storage, and in their migration behavior. This diversity in life history strategies facilitates resilience in marine food webs because it buffers predators against the naturally high...
A study of marine temperature variations in the northern Gulf of Alaska across years of marine heatwaves and cold spells
Seth L. Danielson, Tyler D. Hennon, Daniel Monson, Rob M. Suryan, Rob W. Campbell, Steven J. Baird, Kristine Holderied, Thomas Weingartner
2021, Report, The Pacific marine heatwave: Monotoring during a major perturbation in the Gulf of Alaska
We use over 100 in situ and remotely sensed temperature datasets to investigate thermal variability within and across the intertidal nearshore, coastal and offshore waters of the northern Gulf of Alaska. For the years 1970 through 2019 we document a warming trend of 0.24±0.10 °C per decade for the coastal...
