Evaluating evidence of changing regional occupancy of four bat species in response to forest management practices
Richard D. Inman, Bradley James Udell, Amy Kristine Wray, Bethany R. Straw, Andrea Nichole Schuhmann, Helen Trice Davis, Sarah C. Sawyer, Brian E. Reichert
2026, Forest Ecology and Management (609)
Coordinated, regional strategies to guide effective management and conservation of forests can be used to balance conservation with management for other objectives such as timber, scenic viewsheds, and fire. A key part of these regional strategies is incorporating knowledge of how management actions may affect certain species,...
Site response models based on geometric parameters for southern California sedimentary basins
Rashid Shams, Chukwuebuka C. Nweke, Grace Alexandra Parker
2026, Earthquake Spectra (42)
Site response in sedimentary basins is influenced by complex three-dimensional (3D) features, including trapping of seismic waves, focusing of seismic energy and basin resonance. Current ground motion models (GMMs) incorporate basin effects using one-dimensional parameters like VS30 and shear wave velocity isosurface depths, which are limited in capturing lateral...
Multireservoir allocation framework considering societal and ecological needs in a time-frequency domain
Dol Raj Chalise, Lucas Ford, Kumar Mahinthakumar, Ranji Ranjithan, Mitchell J. Eaton, A. Sankarasubramanian
2026, Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management (152)
Existing reservoir management frameworks traditionally consider historical (predam) flow conditions to deliver environmental flows. Such frameworks may not be feasible because current demand and/or climate could be different from predam conditions. Hence, we developed a multireservoir framework that explicitly considers both human water demands and environmental flow...
Wavelet Inversion for SliP (WISP): Open-source earthquake slip modeling software
Dara Elyse Goldberg, Heather Elizabeth Hunsinger, Pablo Koch, Kirstie Lafon Haynie, Diego Melgar, Sebastian Riquelme
2026, Seismological Research Letters
Models of the spatiotemporal evolution of earthquake slip, termed finite-fault models, are a critical component of rapid earthquake and tsunami response, earthquake forecasting, seismic ground-motion estimates, and studies of earthquake kinematics. Here, we detail a newly released finite-fault modeling software, Wavelet Inversion for SliP (WISP), in use at the U.S. Geological Survey’s...
Detecting volcanic deformation in Hawaii using trustworthy multimodal deep learning techniques
Tyler Grant Paladino, Emily K. Montgomery-Brown, Marco Bagnardi, Michael Poland, R. Lopaka Lee
2026, Bulletin of Volcanology (88)
Monitoring volcanoes involves a variety of data sources and methods to maintain complete continuity of coverage. Global navigation satellite system (GNSS) and interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) are commonly used complementary methods to assess the deformation state of a volcano as magma migrates beneath the surface. The...
Chronic exposure to waterborne nickel significantly reduced growth of juvenile crayfish (Faxonius virilis)
Adrian Parr Moore, Mark L. Wildhaber, Zachary D Beaman, Kendell Ray Bennett, Karlie K Ditter, Danielle M. Cleveland, J. Blanton, Tyler J. Grant
2026, Ecotoxicology (35)
Crayfish are critical functional components of aquatic ecosystems. Previous research has documented adverse effects of mineral extraction on crayfish. Here, we characterize potential risks of mining-derived waterborne nickel (Ni) to crayfish by documenting the effects of dissolved Ni on growth and food consumption of juvenile virile crayfish (Faxonius virilis) in a...
Trust-building as a keystone activity in beaver-related restoration practice
Brian D. Erickson, Megan Siobhan Jones
2026, Environmental Management (76)
North American beavers (Castor canadensis) are increasingly being used to achieve restoration goals, prompting practitioners to engage with private landowners in efforts to promote beaver coexistence. Through 23 semi-structured interviews with restoration practitioners in Oregon, USA, we explored how practitioners from government agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), service...
American kestrel population trends and vital rates at the continental scale
Paige E. Howell, Abigail Jean Lawson, Davis Kristin P., Guthrie S. Zimmerman, Orin J. Robinson, Matthew A. Boggie, Mitchell J. Eaton, Fitsum Abadi, Jessi L. Brown, Julie A. Heath, John A. Smallwood, Karen Steenhof, Ted Swem, Brian W. Rolek, Christopher J.W. McClure, Jean-Francois Therrien, Karl E. Miller, Brian A. Milsap
2026, Ecosphere (17)
The American kestrel (Falco sparverius, hereafter referred to as kestrel) has declined across much of its North American range since at least the mid-1960s. Kestrel population dynamics have been explored through a multitude of local studies and two broad reviews of available data. Across large geographic extents, however, the demographic...
Generating geochemical and mineralogy distributions of soil in the conterminous United States using Bayesian hierarchical spatial models
Kristin J. Bondo, Tiffany M. Wolf, W. David Walter
2026, MethodsX (16)
Characterizing geochemical and mineralogical soil distributions across large spatial extents is essential for understanding mineral resources, ecosystem processes, and environmental risks. Rasters of soil geochemical distributions for the conterminous United States, however, are limited. We present a Bayesian modeling workflow and tool for generating predictive geochemical and...
Artificial intelligence strategy for the U.S. Geological Survey
Janice M. Gordon, Alison P. Appling, Alfredo Aretxabaleta, John F. Bechtell, Thomas E. Burley, Janet M. Carter, Peter C. Esselman, Jason C. Fisher, Graham W. Lederer, James M. Mitchell, Neal J. Pastick, Jake Weltzin, Tim Woods
2026, Circular 1562
Artificial intelligence (AI) can offer opportunities to enhance the science, science delivery, and business operations of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Although USGS staff have proactively adopted AI into our workflows for many years, a comprehensive USGS strategy for AI has not previously been developed. The strategy described here is...
Assessing natural recharge in Indian Wells Valley, California: A Basin Characterization Model case study
Dina Saleh, Lorraine E. Flint, Michelle A. Stern
2026, Scientific Investigations Report 2026-5114
The communities in Indian Wells Valley (IWV), in the northern Mojave Desert in California, rely on groundwater for domestic and agricultural use. Mountain front recharge from the surrounding Sierra Nevada is the main source of natural recharge to the valley. Increased urbanization, agricultural development, and groundwater pumping during recent decades...
A comparison of non-contact methods for measuring turbidity in the Colorado River
Natalie K. Day, Tyler V. King, Adam R. Mosbrucker
2026, Remote Sensing (18)
Monitoring suspended-sediment concentration (SSC) is essential to better understand how sediment transport could adversely affect water availability for human communities and ecosystems. Aquatic remote sensing methods are increasingly utilized to estimate SSC and turbidity in rivers; however, an evaluation of their quantitative performance is limited. This study evaluates the performance...
Channel change and sediment transport in the Puyallup River watershed through 2022
Scott W. Anderson
2026, Preprint
The Puyallup River drains a 990 square mile watershed in western Washington, with headwaters on the glacier-covered flanks of Mount Rainier. Major tributaries include the White, Carbon, and Mowich Rivers. In the levee-confined reaches of the lower watershed, loss of flood conveyance due to sand and gravel deposition has been...
Decreased water transparency of nearshore Laurentian Great Lakes habitats is driven by increased dissolved organic carbon.
Nicole Lynn Berry, David B. Bunnell, Thomas J. Fisher, Erin P. Overholt, Elizabeth M. Mette, Todd Howell, Craig E. Williamson
2026, Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences (83) 1-9
Little is understood of lake browning (due to increased dissolved organic carbon; DOC) in large lakes such as the Laurentian Great Lakes. Lake browning can alter whole lake ecosystems, including decreasing exposure to damaging ultraviolet radiation (UV-B) which is strongly and selectively attenuated by DOC more so...
Action in uncertainty: Data-driven decisions that acknowledge emotional responses and transcendental connections
Nicole K. Ward, Kelly G. Guilbeau, Amanda L. Sesser, Abigail J. Lynch
2026, ESA Bulletin
The increasing uncertainty with global change often stifles action and results in calls for more data before moving beyond status quo environmental decisions (Mahapatra & Ratha 2017; Ripple et al. 2017; Montefalcone et al. 2025). Advancing science and collecting more data is crucial; however, science alone (i.e., “western” or “positivist”...
Rising atmospheric CO2 reduces nitrogen availability in boreal forests
Kelley R. Bassett, Stefan F. Hupperts, Sandra Jämtgård, Lars Östlund, Jonas Fridman, Steven S. Perakis, Michael J. Gundale
2026, Nature 629-635
Anthropogenic nitrogen (N) pollution has been emphasized as a cause of eutrophication globally. However, several recent datasets have suggested widespread oligotrophication may be occurring in some ecosystems, which is suggested to be a response to rising atmospheric carbon dioxide (eCO2). Plant δ15N chronologies have served as primary evidence for oligotrophication,...
A targeted approach for mapping groundwater discharge to surface water and fish thermal refuge in four Lake Ontario tributaries
Joshua Woda, Neil Terry, David J Kelley, Jason S. Finkelstein, Christopher L. Gazoorian, James E. McKenna Jr.
2026, Hydrologic Processes (40)
The duration, magnitude, and frequency of heatwaves are predicted to increase in the coming decades, a combination that can reduce the survival of many fish species. Across the world, there is broad interest in identifying thermal refuge for heat-intolerant fish species and exploring opportunities to enhance or protect these areas....
Preliminary bedrock geologic map of the Port Henry quadrangle, Essex County, New York, and Addison County, Vermont
Peter M. Valley, Mercer Parker, Gregory J. Walsh, Randall C. Orndorff, Matt S. Walton Jr., E. Allen Crider, Jr.
2026, Open-File Report 2026-1062
Introduction The bedrock geology of the 7.5-minute Port Henry quadrangle consists of deformed and metamorphosed Mesoproterozoic gneisses of the Adirondack Highlands unconformably overlain by weakly deformed lower Paleozoic sedimentary rocks of the Champlain Valley. The Mesoproterozoic rocks occur on the eastern edge of the Adirondack Highlands and represent an extension of...
Genomics reveals extensive population structure and undescribed phylogenetic relationships in the Cascade torrent salamander (Rhyacotriton cascadae)
Christopher D Cousins, Deanna H Olson, Lindsay S Millward, Michael J. Adams, Christopher Pearl, Jennifer Rowe, Tiffany S Garcia
2026, Journal of Biogeography (53)
AimAims of the study are to examine patterns of range-wide genetic differentiation and population structure in a headwater obligate salamander living in a geologically rich region, to identify genetically distinct populations and areas of gene flow between them.LocationOregon and Washington in the Pacific Northwest,...
Characterizing operational signatures of reservoirs with the SWOT satellite by comparing natural lake and reservoir dynamics
Ryan Matthew Riggs, Jesse E. Dickinson, Craig B. Brinkerhoff, Md. Safat Sikder, Jida Wang, Huilin Gao, George H. Allen
2026, Environmental Research Letters (21)
Due to a lack of management operations data, hydrological models may represent reservoirs as natural lakes, leading to poor discharge predictions in regulated basins. To parse seasonal operational signatures, we compare the dynamics of natural lake and reservoir systems across North America using Surface Water and Ocean...
Environment, taxonomy, and socioeconomics predict non-imperilment in freshwater fishes
Christina Amy Murphy, J. Andres Olivos, Ivan Arismendi, Emili García-Berthou, Sherri L. Johnson, Jason Dunham
2026, Nature Communications (17)
Freshwater fishes are among the most threatened taxa, yet conservation assessments remain incomplete for many species. Freshwater fishes provide essential ecosystem services such as food security, recreational opportunities, and cultural significance. Despite heavy alterations to freshwater ecosystems, the reasons for species’ sensitivity and resistance to imperilment are...
Effects of groundwater withdrawals for water bottling and municipal use, Wards Brook Valley, Maine and New Hampshire
John R Mullaney, Janet R. Barclay, Jennifer S. Stanton, Carl S Carlson, Madeleine Holland
2026, Preprint
Hydrologic models for the Wards Brook valley near Fryeburg, Maine were developed for historical (2016 – 2021) and hypothetical future conditions (2046 – 2065 and 2080 – 2099) to understand the effects of groundwater withdrawals for bottled water and municipal use on hydrologic conditions (stream base flows and groundwater levels)....
Habitat-based predictions of bridle shiner (Notropis bifrenatus) in the northeastern U.S.
Lara S. Katz, Stephen M. Coghlan Jr., Matthew A. Carpenter, Michael T. Kinnison, Joseph D. Zydlewski
2026, Ecology and Evolution (16)
We sought to assess bridle shiner (Notropis bifrenatus) habitat associations at local and regional scales across southern Maine and New Hampshire. We used local habitat data at 95 Maine sites to predict occupancy with classification and regression trees (CART). We then used ensemble species distribution models (SDMs)...
Experimental translocation of a rare Hawaiian tree reveals disparity between remnant and potential habitat
Julia Douglas, Mingzhou Bai, Lucas Berio Fortini, Stephanie G. Yelenik, Nina Rønsted
2026, Biological Conservation (316)
Translocation is implemented worldwide as a conservation strategy for rare and endangered plant species, yet the factors that influence long-term success remain poorly understood. Remnant wild populations are often used as indicators to model habitat preference and select translocation sites, but such populations may be refugia from past biological or...
Intraspecific contact among white-tailed deer: A literature review and chronic wasting disease case study
Nathaniel H. Wehr, Kristin J. Bondo, Christopher S. Rosenberry, David Stainbrook, Bret D. Wallingford, W. David Walter
2026, Ecology and Evolution (16)
White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) are a valuable game mammal in the eastern United States necessitating detailed understanding of disease transmission. We conducted a literature review on intraspecific contact (i.e., interactions wherein disease transmission may occur) among deer. From 69 studies, we identified five themes underlying research on...
