The potential for coral reef restoration to mitigate coastal flooding as sea levels rise
Lauren Toth, Curt D. Storlazzi, Elizabeth M. Whitcher, Ilsa B. Kuffner, Ellen Quataert, Johan Reyns, Robert T. McCall, Anastasios Stathakopoulos, Zandy Hillis-Starr, Nathaniel H. Holloway, Kristin A. Ewen, Clayton G. Pollock, Tess Code, Richard B. Aronson
2023, Nature Communications (14)
The ability of reefs to protect coastlines from storm-driven flooding hinges on their capacity to keep pace with sea-level rise. Here, we show how and whether coral restoration could achieve the often-cited goal of reversing the impacts of coral-reef degradation to preserve this essential function. We...
Parallel shifts in trout feeding morphology suggest rapid adaptation to alpine lake environments
Lucia L. Combrink, William C. Rosenthal, Lindsey J. Boyle, Jessica A. Rick, Amy C Krist, Elizabeth G. Mandeville, Annika W. Walters, Catherine E. Wagner
2023, Evolution (77) 1522-1538
Eco-evolutionary interactions following ecosystem change provide critical insight into the ability of organisms to adapt to shifting resource landscapes. Here we explore evidence for the rapid parallel evolution of trout feeding morphology following eco-evolutionary interactions with zooplankton in alpine lakes stocked at different points in time in the Wind...
Modeling impacts of saltwater intrusion on methane and nitrous oxide emissions in tidal forested wetlands
Hongqing Wang, Zhaohua Dai, Ken Krauss, Carl C. Trettin, Gregory E. Noe, Andrew J. Burton, Eric Ward
2023, Ecological Applications (33)
Emissions of methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) from soils to the atmosphere can offset the benefits of carbon sequestration for climate change mitigation. While past study has suggested that both CH4 and N2O emissions from tidal freshwater forested wetlands (TFFW) are generally low, the...
Investigating geomorphic change using a structure from motion elevation model created from historical aerial imagery: A case study in northern Lake Michigan, USA
Jessica D. DeWitt, Francis Ashland
2023, ISPRS International Journal of Geo-information (12)
South Manitou Island, part of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in northern Lake Michigan, is a post-glacial lacustrine landscape with substantial geomorphic changes including landslides, shoreline and bluff retreat, and sand dune movement. These changes involve interrelated processes, and are influenced to different extents by lake level, climate change, and...
The effects of management practices on grassland birds—Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)
Robert K. Murphy, John P. DeLong, Lawrence D. Igl, Jill A. Shaffer
2023, Professional Paper 1842-O
Keys to Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) management in western North America’s grasslands, particularly those of the Great Plains region, include maintaining open, mostly undeveloped landscapes that sustain at least modest population levels of suitable prey (most typically rabbits [Leporidae] and prairie dogs or ground squirrels [Sciuridae]); safeguarding nesting territories (that...
Hydrology, water-quality, and watershed characteristics in 15 watersheds in Gwinnett County, Georgia, water years 2002–20
Brent T. Aulenbach, Joshua C. Henley, Kristina G. Hopkins
2023, Scientific Investigations Report 2023-5035
The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources, established the Long-Term Trend Monitoring program in 1996 to monitor and analyze the hydrologic and water-quality conditions in Gwinnett County, Georgia. Gwinnett County is a suburban to urban area northeast of the city of Atlanta in north-central...
Method for identification of reservoir regulation within U.S. Geological Survey streamgage basins in the Central United States using a decadal dam impact metric
Mackenzie K. Marti, Karen R. Ryberg
2023, Open-File Report 2023-1034
Researchers routinely study streamflow data to understand the effects of natural climate variability and anthropogenic climate change, and to develop methods for estimating streamflow at ungaged locations. These studies require streamflow data that are not modified or largely altered by other anthropogenic activities, such as reservoirs or diversions. This report...
An integrated hydrologic model to support the Central Platte Natural Resources District Groundwater Management Plan, central Nebraska
Jonathan P. Traylor, Moussa Guira, Steven M. Peterson
2023, Scientific Investigations Report 2023-5024
The groundwater and surface-water supply of the Central Platte Natural Resources District supports a large agricultural economy from the High Plains aquifer and Platte River, respectively. This study provided the Central Platte Natural Resources District with an advanced numerical modeling tool to assist with the update of their Groundwater Management...
Redefinition of the Petersburg batholith and implications for crustal inheritance in the Dinwiddie terrane, Virginia, USA
Mark W. Carter, Ryan J. McAleer, Christopher S. Holm-Denoma, Marcie E. Occhi, Brent E. Owens, Jorge A. Vazquez
2023, Geosphere (19) 900-932
Field relations as well as geochemical and petrologic studies of metaigneous rocks assigned to the Pennsylvanian–Permian Petersburg batholith identify at least two distinct rock types: foliated metagranitoid gneiss and massive to porphyritic granite. Foliated metagranitoid gneiss of mostly granodioritic composition is geochemically distinct from associated massive and porphyritic granitic rocks....
Revealing the extent of sea otter impacts on bivalve prey through multi-trophic monitoring and mechanistic models
Clinton B. Leach, Benjamin P. Weitzman, James L. Bodkin, Daniel Esler, George G. Esslinger, Kimberly A. Kloecker, Daniel Monson, Jamie N. Womble, Mevin B. Hooten
2023, Journal of Animal Ecology (92) 1230-1243
Sea otters are apex predators that can exert considerable influence over the nearshore communities they occupy. Since facing near extinction in the early 1900s, sea otters are making a remarkable recovery in Southeast Alaska, particularly in Glacier Bay, the largest protected tidewater glacier fjord in the world. The expansion...
Movement ecology of adult and juvenile spotted turtles (Clemmys guttata) in a seasonally dynamic environment
Ellery Lassiter, Jinelle Sperry, Brett Alexander DeGregorio
2023, Wildlife Research
ContextUnderstanding the temporal and spatial scales at which wildlife move is vital for conservation and management. This is especially important for semi-aquatic species that make frequent inter-wetland movements to fulfil life-history requirements.AimsWe aimed to investigate the drivers of movement and space-use of the imperilled spotted turtle...
Survey evaluation of Florida’s freshwater fisheries long-term monitoring program
Kimberly I. Bonvechio, Ramesh Paudyal, Chelsey Crandall, Andrew Kenneth Carlson
2023, Fishes (8)
Natural resource monitoring programs benefit from routine evaluation. Here, Florida’s statewide Freshwater Fisheries Long-Term Monitoring (LTM) program is used to show how stakeholder surveys can be integral to this process. In 2022, an online questionnaire was sent to internal stakeholders, i.e., state agency personnel who collect, enter, or use freshwater...
Haliaeetus leucocephalus (bald eagle) and Aquila chrysaetos (golden eagle) mortality and exposure to lead, mercury, and anticoagulant rodenticides in eight western and midwestern States, 2014–17
Barbara L. Bodenstein, Julia S. Lankton, Robin E. Russell, Matthew S. Schwarz
2023, Open-File Report 2023-1016
The U.S. Geological Survey National Wildlife Health Center measured environmental contaminants in Haliaeetus leucocephalus (bald eagles) and Aquila chrysaetos (golden eagles) to evaluate dietary exposure to lead, mercury, and anticoagulant rodenticides (AR), all of which were identified by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as a priority issue of concern for...
Characterization of maternal immunity following vaccination of broodstock against IHNV or Flavobacterium psychrophilum in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)
Jie Ma, Jesse T. Trushenski, Evan M. Jones, Timothy J. Bruce, Doug G. McKenney, Gael Kurath, Kenneth D. Cain
2023, Fish and Shellfish Immunology (137)
Infectious hematopoietic necrosis (IHN) is a significant viral disease affecting salmonids, whereas Flavobacterium psychrophilum (Fp), the causative agent of bacterial coldwater disease (BCWD), remains one of the most significant bacterial pathogens of salmonids. We explored maternal immunity in the context of IHN and BCWD management in rainbow...
Karst terrain promotes thermal resiliency in headwater streams
Karmann G. Kessler, Karli M. Rogers, Charles Marshak, Nathaniel P. Hitt
2023, Conference Paper, Proceedings of the West Virginia Academy of Science
The response of stream ecosystems to climate change will depend in part on groundwater processes that reduce the sensitivity of streams to atmospheric conditions. We investigated the thermal sensitivity of streams across a gradient of groundwater inputs defined by karst terrain (carbonate parent materials) in the headwaters of the Potomac...
A scuticociliate causes mass mortality of Diadema antillarum in the Caribbean Sea
Ian Hewson, Isabella T. Ritchie, James S. Evans, Ashley Altera, Donald Behringer, Erin Bowman, Marilyn E. Brandt, Kayla A. Budd, Ruleo A. Camacho, Tomas O. Cornwell, Peter D. Countway, Aldo Croquer, Gabriel A. Delgado, Christopher M. DeRito, Elizabeth Duermit-Moreau, Ruth Francis-Floyd, Samuel Gittens, Leslie Henderson, Alwin Hylkema, Christina A. Kellogg, Yasu Kiryu, Kimani A. Kitson-Walters, Patricia Kramer, Judith C. Lang, Harilaos Lessios, Lauren Liddy, David Marancik, Stephen Nimrod, Joshua T. Patterson, Marit Pistor, Isabel C. Romero, Rita Sellares-Blasco, Moriah L. B. Sevier, William C. Sharp, Matthew Souza, Andreina Valdez-Trinidad, Marijn van der Laan, Brayan Vilanova-Cuevas, Maria Villalpando, Sarah D. Von Hoene, Matthew Warham, Tom Wijers, Stacey M. Williams, Thierry M. Work, Roy P. Yanong, Someira Zambrano, Alizee Zimmermann, Mya Breitbart
2023, Science Advances (9)
Echinoderm mass mortality events shape marine ecosystems by altering the dynamics among major benthic groups. The sea urchin Diadema antillarum, virtually extirpated in the Caribbean in the early 1980s by an unknown cause, recently experienced another mass mortality beginning in January 2022. We investigated the cause of this mass mortality event...
Geographic distribution of the Puerto Rican Harlequin Butterfly (Atlantea tulita): An ensemble modeling approach
Carlos Ramirez-Reyes, Francisco Vilella, Kristine O. Evans, Garrett Street, Carlos Pacheco, Omar Monzon, Alcides L. Morales Perez
2023, Caribbean Journal of Science (53) 37-44
Species distribution models have become increasingly important tools for species conservation. This modeling approach can help guide conservation practitioners and inform decisions. Distribution models are particularly relevant for rare species, whose habitat associations are often not well understood. Using species occurrence data, and a variety of predictor variables, we developed...
Documentation of linear regression models for computing water-quality constituent concentrations using continuous real-time water-quality data for the North Fork Ninnescah River and Cheney Reservoir, Kansas, 2014–21
Ariele R. Kramer, Kyle A. Puls
2023, Scientific Investigations Report 2023-5037
Cheney Reservoir, in south-central Kansas, was constructed to provide a reliable municipal water supply for the city of Wichita, Kansas, and to provide downstream flood control, wildlife habitat, and recreation. Cheney Reservoir will continue to be important for municipal water supply use as needs increase with ongoing population growth and...
Environment affects sucker catch rate, size structure, species composition, and precision in boat electrofishing samples
Douglas L. Zentner, Shannon K. Brewer, D. E. Shoup
2023, Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management (14) 135-152
Catostomidae (catostomids) are suckers of the order Cypriniformes, and the majority of species are native to North America; however, species in this group are understudied and rarely managed. The popularity in bowfishing and gigging for suckers in the United States has increased concerns related to overfishing. Little information exists about...
Understanding and mitigating thiaminase activity in silver carp
Patricia C. Wolfe, Amber M. Tuske, Donald E. Tillitt, Fred Allen, Katie A. Edwards
2023, Food Science (6)
A deficiency of thiamine (vitamin B1), an essential cofactor for enzymes involved in metabolic processes, can be caused by the enzyme thiaminase. Thiaminase in food stocks has been linked to morbidity and mortality due to thiamine depletion in many ecologically and economically important species. Thiaminase activity has been detected in certain...
The invasive Asian benthic foraminifera Trochammina hadai Uchio, 1962: Identification of a new local in Normandy (France) and a discussion on its putative introduction pathways
Vincent Bouchet, Jean-Charles Pavard, Maria Holzmann, Mary McGann, Eric Armynot de Chatelet, Apolyne Courleux, Jean-Phillipe Pezy, Jean-Claude Dauvin, Laurent Seuront
2023, Aquatic Invasions (18) 23-38
The invasive benthic foraminifera Trochammina hadai has been found for the first time in Europe along the coast of Normandy. Its native range of distribution is in Asia (Japan and Korea), and it has also been introduced along the coasts of western North America,...
Help build the Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US)
Roger M. Johnson
2023, Fact Sheet 2023-3013
IntroductionPAD-US provides a comprehensive geospatial database of protected and managed areas in the United States. We assemble known protected areas whose primary purpose is biodiversity conservation, as well as lands and waters that provide public access to nature. As a National Geospatial Data Asset (https://ngda-portfolio-community-geoplatform. hub.arcgis.com/), the PAD-US database (https://www.usgs.gov/programs/gap-analysis-project/science/protected-areas)...
Investing in a nest egg: Intraspecific variation in the timing of egg laying across a latitudinal gradient
Carl G. Lundblad, Courtney J. Conway
2023, Oecologia (202) 83-96
Avian reproductive strategies vary widely, and many studies of life-history variation have focused on the incubation and hatching stages of nesting. Birds make proximate decisions regarding reproductive investment during the laying stage, and these decisions likely constrain and tradeoff with other traits and subsequent behaviors. However, we know relatively little...
Community for data integration 2019 project report
Amanda N. Liford, Caitlin M. Andrews, Aparna Bamzai-Dodson, Joseph A. Bard, David S. Blehert, John B. Bradford, Wesley M. Daniel, Sara L. Caldwell Eldridge, Frank L. Engel, Jason A. Ferrante, Amy K. Gilmer, Margaret E. Hunter, Jeanne M. Jones, Benjamin Letcher, Frances L. Lightsom, Richard R. McDonald, Leah E. Morgan, Sasha C. Reed, Leslie Hsu
2023, Open-File Report 2022-1120
The U.S. Geological Survey Community for Data Integration annually supports small projects focusing on data integration for interdisciplinary research, innovative data management, and demonstration of new technologies. This report provides a summary of the 14 projects supported in fiscal year 2019 and outlines their goals, activities, and accomplishments. Proposals in...
Forest structure and residual tree growth at the Northwest Gateway project area, Lassen Volcanic National Park, California
Micah C. Wright, Phillip J. van Mantgem, Calvin Farris
2023, Open-File Report 2023-1021
Mechanical thinning and prescribed fire are common mitigation treatments to reduce fire hazards. However, these treatments are infrequently applied together within national parks. The Northwest Gateway project at Lassen Volcanic National Park is an exception to this pattern. Various thinning prescriptions were applied to the project area in 2014, with...
