Observations in the Saturn system during approach and orbital insertion, with Cassini's visual and infrared mapping spectrometer (VIMS)
R. H. Brown, K. H. Baines, G. Bellucci, B. J. Buratti, F. Capaccioni, P. Cerroni, R. N. Clark, A. Coradini, D. P. Cruikshank, P. Drossart, V. Formisano, R. Jaumann, Y. Langevin, D. L. Matson, T. B. McCord, V. Mennella, R.M. Nelson, P. D. Nicholson, B. Sicardy, Christophe Sotin, N. Baugh, C.A. Griffith, G. B. Hansen, C. A. Hibbitts, T.W. Momary, M.R. Showalter
2006, Astronomy and Astrophysics (446) 707-716
The Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer observed Phoebe, Iapetus, Titan and Saturn's rings during Cassini's approach and orbital insertion. Phoebe's surface contains water ice, CO2, and ferrous iron. lapetus contains CO2 and organic materials. Titan's atmosphere shows methane fluorescence, and night-side atmospheric emission that may be CO2 and CH3D. As...
Site response and attenuation in the Puget Lowland, Washington State
T. L. Pratt, T.M. Brocher
2006, Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America (96) 536-552
Simple spectral ratio (SSR) and horizontal-to-vertical (HN) site-response estimates at 47 sites in the Puget Lowland of Washington State document significant attenuation of 1.5- to 20-Hz shear waves within sedimentary basins there. Amplitudes of the horizontal components of shear-wave arrivals from three local earthquakes were used to compute SSRs with...
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi associated with Populus-Salix stands in a semiarid riparian ecosystem
Vanessa B. Beauchamp, J.C. Stromberg, J.C. Stutz
2006, New Phytologist (170) 369-380
??? This study examined the activity, species richness, and species composition of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) community of Populus-Salix stands on the Verde River (Arizona, USA), quantified patterns of AMF richness and colonization along complex floodplain gradients, and identified environmental variables responsible for structuring the AMF community. ??? Samples...
Minding the gap: Frequency of indels in mtDNA control region sequence data and influence on population genetic analyses
John M. Pearce
2006, Molecular Ecology (15) 333-341
Insertions and deletions (indels) result in sequences of various lengths when homologous gene regions are compared among individuals or species. Although indels are typically phylogenetically informative, occurrence and incorporation of these characters as gaps in intraspecific population genetic data sets are rarely discussed. Moreover, the impact of gaps on estimates...
Sources of variation in survival of breeding female wood ducks
Kevin M. Hartke, J.B. Grand, Gary R. Hepp, T.H. Folk
2006, Condor (108) 201-210
In waterfowl, reproduction is physiologically demanding and females are exposed to varying risks of mortality at different periods of the breeding cycle. Moreover, differences among females may influence survival within breeding periods. We captured and fitted female Wood Ducks (Aix sponsa) with radio-transmitters before nest initiation during two breeding seasons...
Ponderosa pine snag densities following multiple fires in the Gila Wilderness, New Mexico
Z.A. Holden, P. Morgan, M.G. Rollins, R.G. Wright
2006, Forest Ecology and Management (221) 140-146
Fires create and consume snags (standing dead trees), an important structural and ecological component of ponderosa pine forests. The effects of repeated fires on snag densities in ponderosa pine forests of the southwestern USA have not been studied. Line intercept sampling was used to estimate snag densities in areas of...
Effects of El Niño on distribution and reproductive performance of Black Brant
James S. Sedinger, David H. Ward, Jason L. Schamber, William I. Butler, William D. Eldridge, Bruce Conant, James F. Voelzer, Nathan Chelgren, Mark P. Herzog
2006, Ecology (87) 151-159
Climate in low-latitude wintering areas may influence temperate and high-latitude breeding populations of birds, but demonstrations of such relationships have been rare because of difficulties in linking wintering with breeding populations. We used long-term aerial surveys in Mexican wintering areas and breeding areas in Alaska, USA, to assess numbers of...
Urban contributions of glyphosate and its degradate AMPA to streams in the United States
D.W. Kolpin, E.M. Thurman, E.A. Lee, M. T. Meyer, E. T. Furlong, S.T. Glassmeyer
2006, Science of the Total Environment (354) 191-197
Glyphosate is the most widely used herbicide in the world, being routinely applied to control weeds in both agricultural and urban settings. Microbial degradation of glyphosate produces aminomethyl phosphonic acid (AMPA). The high polarity and water-solubility of glyphosate and AMPA has, until recently, made their analysis in water samples problematic....
Influence of depositional setting and sedimentary fabric on mechanical layer evolution in carbonate aquifers
Wall B.R. Graham
2006, Sedimentary Geology (184) 203-224
Carbonate aquifers in fold-thrust belt settings often have low-matrix porosity and permeability, and thus groundwater flow pathways depend on high porosity and permeability fracture and fault zones. Methods from sedimentology and structural geology are combined to understand the evolution of fracture controlled flow pathways and determine their spatial distribution. Through...
Linking landscape characteristics to mineral site use by band-tailed pigeons in Western Oregon: Coarse-filter conservation with fine-filter tuning
C.T. Overton, R.A. Schmitz, Michael L. Casazza
2006, Natural Areas Journal (26) 38-46
Mineral sites are scarce resources of high ion concentration used heavily by the Pacific Coast subpopulation of band-tailed pigeons. Over 20% of all known mineral sites used by band-tailed pigeons in western Oregon, including all hot springs, have been abandoned. Prior investigations have not analyzed stand or landscape level habitat...
Mineralogy and arsenic mobility in arsenic-rich Brazilian soils and sediments
de Mello, William R. Roy, J.L. Talbott, J.W. Stucki
2006, Journal of Soils and Sediments (6) 9-19
Background. Soils and sediments in certain mining regions of Brazil contain an unusually large amount of arsenic (As), which raises concerns that mining could promote increased As mobility, and thereby increase the risks of contaminating water supplies. Objectives. The purpose of t his study was to identify the most important...
Containing arsenic-enriched groundwater tracing lead isotopic compositions of common arsenical pesticides in a coastal Maine watershed
Robert A. Ayuso, Nora K. Foley, Glipin R. Robinson Jr., A.S. Colvin, G. Lipfert, A.S. Reeve
2006, Conference Paper, Association for Environmental Health and Sciences - 21st Annual International Conference on Contaminated Soils, Sediments and Water
Arsenical pesticides and herbicides were extensively used on apple, blueberry, and potato crops in New England during the first half of the twentieth century. Lead arsenate was the most heavily used arsenical pesticide until it was officially banned. Lead arsenate, calcium arsenate, and sodium arsenate have similar Pb isotope compositions:...
Hydrologic-hydraulic analysis of the Toa Vaca Dam
T.-S. Heriberto, A.C. MillerArthur
2006, Conference Paper, Association of State Dam Safety Officials - Dam Safety 2006, Proceedings from the 2006 Annual Conference
[No abstract available]...
Degradation of water quality by bird feces in and around managed wetlands
G.G. Shellenbarger, A.B. Boehm
2006, Conference Paper, Proceedings of the South Bay Science Symposium
No abstract available....
Detrital zircon provenance of the Late Triassic Songpan-Ganzi complex: Sedimentary record of collision of the North and South China blocks
Amy Weislogel, Stephan A. Graham, E. Z. Chang, Joseph L. Wooden, George E. Gehrels, H. Yang
2006, Geology (34) 97-100
Using detrital zircon geochronology, turbidite deposystems fed from distinct sediment sources can be distinguished within the Songpan-Ganzi complex, a collapsed Middle to Late Triassic turbidite basin of central China. A southern Songpan-Ganzi deposystem initially was sourced solely by erosion of the Qinling-Dabie orogen during early Late Triassic time, then by...
Extending electromagnetic methods to map coastal pore water salinities
J. Greenwood, S. Kruse, P. Swarzenski
2006, Ground Water (44) 292-299
The feasibility of mapping pore water salinity based on surface electromagnetic (EM) methods over land and shallow marine water is examined in a coastal wetland on Tampa Bay, Florida. Forward models predict that useful information on seabed conductivity can be obtained through <1.5 m of saline water, using floating EM-31...
The effect of creosote on vitellogenin production in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)
J.P. Sherry, J.J. Whyte, N.A. Karrow, A. Gamble, H.J. Boerman, N.C. Bol, D.G. Dixon, K.R. Solomon
2006, Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology (50) 65-68
As part of a broader investigation into the effects of creosote treatments on the aquatic biota in pond microcosms, we examined the possible implications for vitellogenin (Vtg) production in Oncorhynchus mykiss [rainbow trout (RT)]. Vtg is the precursor of egg yolk protein and has emerged as a useful biomarker of...
Quaternary fans and terraces in the Khumbu Himal south of Mount Everest: their characteristics, age and formation
P.L. Barnard, L.A. Owen, R.C. Finkel
2006, Journal of the Geological Society (163) 383-399
Large fans and terraces are frequent in the Khumbu Himal within the high Himalayan valleys south of Mt. Everest. These features are composed of massive matrix- and clast-supported diamicts that were formed from both hyperconcentrated flows and coarse-grained debris flows. Cosmogenic radionuclide (CRN) exposure ages for boulders on fans and...
Enantiomeric separation of metolachlor and its metabolites using LC-MS and CZE
C. John Klein, R.J. Schneider, M. T. Meyer, D.S. Aga
2006, Chemosphere (62) 1591-1599
The stereoisomers of metolachlor and its two polar metabolites [ethane sulfonic acid (ESA) and oxanilic acid (OXA)] were separated using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS) and capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE), respectively. The separation of metolachlor enantiomers was achieved using a LC–MS equipped with a...
Interpreting the spatio-temporal patterns of sea turtle strandings: Going with the flow
K.M. Hart, P. Mooreside, L.B. Crowder
2006, Biological Conservation (129) 283-290
Knowledge of the spatial and temporal distribution of specific mortality sources is crucial for management of species that are vulnerable to human interactions. Beachcast carcasses represent an unknown fraction of at-sea mortalities. While a variety of physical (e.g., water temperature) and biological (e.g., decomposition) factors as well as the distribution...
Seismic imaging of deep low-velocity zone beneath the Dead Sea basin and transform fault: Implications for strain localization and crustal rigidity
Uri S. ten Brink, A. S. Al-Zoubi, C.H. Flores, Y. Rotstein, I. Qabbani, S.H. Harder, Gordon R. Keller
2006, Geophysical Research Letters (33)
New seismic observations from the Dead Sea basin (DSB), a large pull-apart basin along the Dead Sea transform (DST) plate boundary, show a low velocity zone extending to a depth of 18 km under the basin. The lower crust and Moho are not perturbed. These observations are incompatible with the...
Surveillance for Asian H5N1 avian influenza in the United States
S. Ip, Paul G. Slota
2006, Fact Sheet 2006-3025
Increasing concern over the potential for migratory birds to introduce the Asian H5N1 strain of avian influenza to North America prompted the White House Policy Coordinating Committee for Pandemic Influenza Preparedness to request that the U.S. Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Interior (DOI) develop a plan for the early detection...
The Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative (ARMI): 5-year report
Erin Muths, Alisa L. Gallant, Evan H. Campbell Grant, William A. Battaglin, David E. Green, Jennifer S. Staiger, Susan C. Walls, Margaret S. Gunzburger, Rick F. Kearney
2006, Scientific Investigations Report 2006-5224
The Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative (ARMI) is an innovative, multidisciplinary program that began in 2000 in response to a congressional directive for the Department of the Interior to address the issue of amphibian declines in the United States. ARMI’s formulation was cross-disciplinary, integrating U.S. Geological Survey scientists from Biology,...
Conservation genetics in the USGS
Ruth Jacobs, Susan Haig, Sandra L. Talbot, James Winton, Tim King, Kate Kendall
2006, Fact Sheet 2006-3108
Conservation genetics is the application of the tools and concepts of genetics to the conservation of biological resources. Once too sophisticated and expensive for routine use, the tools of conservation genetics are now widely used to address many complex management questions. These novel methods of analysis can augment assessments made...
Novel ecosystems: Theoretical and management aspects of the new ecological world order
R.J. Hobbs, S. Arico, J. Aronson, Jill Baron, P. Bridgewater, V.A. Cramer, P.R. Epstein, J.J. Ewel, C.A. Klink, A.E. Lugo, D. Norton, D. Ojima, D.M. Richardson, E.W. Sanderson, F. Valladares, M. Vila, R. Zamora, M. Zobel
2006, Global Ecology and Biogeography (15) 1-7
We explore the issues relevant to those types of ecosystems containing new combinations of species that arise through human action, environmental change, and the impacts of the deliberate and inadvertent introduction of species from other regions. Novel ecosystems (also termed ‘emerging ecosystems’) result when species occur in combinations and relative...
