Quantifying suspended sediment loads delivered to Cheney Reservoir, Kansas: Temporal patterns and management implications
Mandy L. Stone, Kyle E. Juracek, Jennifer L. Graham, Guy M. Foster
2015, Journal of Soil and Water Conservation (70) 91-100
Cheney Reservoir, constructed during 1962 to 1965, is the primary water supply for the city of Wichita, the largest city in Kansas. Sediment is an important concern for the reservoir as it degrades water quality and progressively decreases water storage capacity. Long-term data collection provided a unique opportunity to estimate...
Modeling risk of pneumonia epizootics in bighorn sheep
Sarah N. Sells, Michael S. Mitchell, J. Joshua Nowak, Paul M. Lukacs, Neil J. Anderson, Jennifer M. Ramsey, Justin A. Gude, Paul R. Krausman
2015, Journal of Wildlife Management (79) 195-210
Pneumonia epizootics are a major challenge for management of bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) affecting persistence of herds, satisfaction of stakeholders, and allocations of resources by management agencies. Risk factors associated with the disease are poorly understood, making pneumonia epizootics hard to predict; such epizootics are thus managed reactively rather than...
Real-time validation of the Dst Predictor model
James P. McCollough, Shawn L. Young, E. Joshua Rigler, Hal A. Simpson
2015, Air Force Research Laboratory Technical Report AFRL-RV-PS-TR-2015-0073
The Dst Predictor model, which has been running real-time in the Space Weather Analysis and Forecast System (SWAFS), provides 1-hour and 4-hour forecasts of the Dst index. This is useful for awareness of impending geomagnetic activity, as well as driving other real-time models that use Dst as an input. In...
Obtaining valid geologic models from 3-D resistivity inversion of magnetotelluric data at Pahute Mesa, Nevada
Brian D. Rodriguez, Donald S. Sweetkind
2015, Open-File Report 2015-1019
We summarize the results of a three-dimensional (3-D) resistivity inversion simulation that we conducted with the intent of characterizing the subsurface 3-D distribution of volcanic composite units of Pahute Mesa, Nevada, without any a priori information on the actual 3-D distribution of the known subsurface geology. The 3-D methodology involved...
Using a laboratory-based growth model to estimate mass- and temperature-dependent growth parameters across populations of juvenile Chinook Salmon
Russell W. Perry, John M. Plumb, Charles Huntington
2015, Transactions of the American Fisheries Society (144) 331-336
To estimate the parameters that govern mass- and temperature-dependent growth, we conducted a meta-analysis of existing growth data from juvenile Chinook Salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha that were fed an ad libitum ration of a pelleted diet. Although the growth of juvenile Chinook Salmon has been well studied, research has focused on...
Climate change implications in the northern coastal temperate rainforest of North America
Colin S. Shanley, Sanjay Pyare, Michael I. Goldstein, Paul B. Alaback, David M. Albert, Colin M. Beier, Todd J. Brinkman, Rick T. Edwards, Eran Hood, Andy MacKinnon, Megan V. McPhee, Trista Patterson, Lowell H. Suring, David Tallmon, Mark S. Wipfli
2015, Climate Change (130) 155-170
We synthesized an expert review of climate change implications for hydroecological and terrestrial ecological systems in the northern coastal temperate rainforest of North America. Our synthesis is based on an analysis of projected temperature, precipitation, and snowfall stratified by eight biogeoclimatic provinces and three vegetation zones. Five IPCC...
Landslide modeling and forecasting—recent progress by the u.s. geological survey
Rex L. Baum, Jason W. Kean
2015, Conference Paper, Proceedings of Time to Face the Landslide Hazard Dilemma—Bridging Science, Policy, Public Safety, and Potential Loss
Landslide studies by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) are focused on two main objectives: scientific understanding and forecasting. The first objective is to gain better understanding of the physical processes involved in landslide initiation and movement. This objective is largely in support of the second objective, to develop predictive capabilities...
“Points requiring elucidation” about Hawaiian volcanism
Michael P. Poland
Rebecca Carey, Valerie Cayol, Michael P. Poland, Dominique Weis, editor(s)
2015, Book chapter, Hawaiian volcanoes: From source to surface
Hawaiian volcanoes, which are easily accessed and observed at close range, are among the most studied on the planet and have spurred great advances in the geosciences, from understanding deep Earth processes to forecasting volcanic eruptions. More than a century of continuous observation and study of Hawai‘i's volcanoes has also...
Wide-ranging phylogeographic structure of invasive red lionfish in the Western Atlantic and Greater Caribbean
John S. Butterfield, Edgardo Diaz-Ferguson, Brian R. Silliman, Jonathan W. Saunders, Dayne Buddo, Antonio A. Mignucci-Giannoni, Linda Searle, Aarin Conrad Allen, Margaret E. Hunter
2015, Marine Biology (162) 773-781
The red lionfish (Pterois volitans) is an invasive predatory marine fish that has rapidly expanded its presence in the Western Hemisphere. We collected 214 invasive red lionfish samples from nine countries and territories, including seven unpublished locations. To more comprehensively evaluate connectivity, we compiled our d-loop sequence data...
Status and understanding of groundwater quality in the Northern Coast Ranges study unit, 2009: California GAMA Priority Basin Project
Timothy M. Mathany, Kenneth Belitz
2015, Scientific Investigations Report 2014-5215
Groundwater quality in the 633-square-mile (1,639-square-kilometer) Northern Coast Ranges (NOCO) study unit was investigated as part of the Priority Basin Project (PBP) of the Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment Program. The study unit is composed of two study areas...
GRIDGEN Version 1.0: a computer program for generating unstructured finite-volume grids
Jyh-Ming Lien, Gaisheng Liu, Christian D. Langevin
2015, Open-File Report 2014-1109
GRIDGEN is a computer program for creating layered quadtree grids for use with numerical models, such as the MODFLOW–USG program for simulation of groundwater flow. The program begins by reading a three-dimensional base grid, which can have variable row and column widths and spatially variable cell top and bottom elevations....
Atlas of relations between climatic parameters and distributions of important trees and shrubs in North America: Revisions for all taxa from the United States and Canada and new taxa from the western United States
Robert S. Thompson, Katherine H. Anderson, Richard T. Pelltier, Laura E. Strickland, Sarah L. Shafer, Patrick J. Bartlein, Andrew K. McFadden
2015, Professional Paper 1650-G
This is the seventh volume in an atlas series that explores the relations between the geographic distributions of woody plant species and climatic variables in North America. A 25-kilometer (km) equal-area grid of modern climatic and bioclimatic variables was constructed from weather data. The geographic distributions of selected tree and...
Wildlife, urban inputs, and landscape configuration are responsible for degraded swimming water quality at an embayed beach
Muruleedhara N. Byappanahalli, Meredith Nevers, Richard L. Whitman, Zhongfu Ge, Dawn A. Shively, Ashley Spoljaric, Katarzyna Przybyla-Kelly
2015, Journal of Great Lakes Research (41) 156-163
Jeorse Park Beach, on southern Lake Michigan, experiences frequent closures due to high Escherichia coli (E. coli) levels since regular monitoring was implemented in 2005. During the summer of 2010, contaminant source tracking techniques, such as the conventional microbial and physical surveys and hydrodynamic models, were used to determine the reasons for...
The Landscape Evolution Observatory: a large-scale controllable infrastructure to study coupled Earth-surface processes
Luke A. Pangle, Stephen B. DeLong, Nate Abramson, John Adams, Greg A. Barron-Gafford, David D. Breshears, Paul D. Brooks, Jon Chorover, William E. Dietrich, Katerina Dontsova, Matej Durcik, Javier Espeleta, T.P.A. Ferre, Regis Ferriere, Whitney Henderson, Edward A. Hunt, Travis E. Huxman, David Millar, Brendan Murphy, Guo-Yue Niu, Mitch Pavao-Zuckerman, Jon D. Pelletier, Craig Rasmussen, Joaquin Ruiz, Scott Saleska, Marcel Schaap, Michael Sibayan, Peter A. Troch, Markus Tuller, Joost van Haren, Xubin Zeng
2015, Geomorphology (244) 190-203
Zero-order drainage basins, and their constituent hillslopes, are the fundamental geomorphic unit comprising much of Earth's uplands. The convergent topography of these landscapes generates spatially variable substrate and moisture content, facilitating biological diversity and influencing how the landscape filters precipitation and sequesters atmospheric carbon dioxide. In light of these significant...
Large-scale dam removal on the Elwha River, Washington, USA: river channel and floodplain geomorphic change
Amy E. East, George R. Pess, Jennifer A. Bountry, Christopher S. Magirl, Andrew C. Ritchie, Joshua B. Logan, Timothy J. Randle, Mark C. Mastin, Justin Toby Minear, Jeffrey J. Duda, Martin C. Liermann, Michael L. McHenry, Timothy J. Beechie, Patrick B. Shafroth
2015, Geomorphology (228) 765-786
A substantial increase in fluvial sediment supply relative to transport capacity causes complex, large-magnitude changes in river and floodplain morphology downstream. Although sedimentary and geomorphic responses to sediment pulses are a fundamental part of landscape evolution, few opportunities exist to quantify those processes over field scales. We investigated the downstream...
Toxicity of sediments from lead-zinc mining areas to juvenile freshwater mussels (Lampsilis siliquoidea) compared to standard test organisms
John M. Besser, Christopher G. Ingersoll, William G. Brumbaugh, Nile E. Kemble, Thomas W. May, Ning Wang, Donald D. MacDonald, Andrew D. Roberts
2015, Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (34) 626-639
Sediment toxicity tests compared chronic effects on survival, growth, and biomass of juvenile freshwater mussels (28-d exposures with Lampsilis siliquoidea) to the responses of standard test organisms—amphipods (28-d exposures with Hyalella azteca) and midges (10-d exposures with Chironomus dilutus)—in sediments from 2 lead–zinc mining areas: the Tri-State Mining District and Southeast Missouri...
A plant toxin mediated mechanism for the lag in snowshoe hare population recovery following cyclic declines
Donald L. DeAngelis, John P. Bryant, Rongsong Liu, Stephen A. Gourley, Charles J Krebs, Paul B Reichardt
2015, Oikos (124) 796-805
A necessary condition for a snowshoe hare population to cycle is reduced reproduction after the population declines. But the cause of a cyclic snowshoe hare population's reduced reproduction during the low phase of the cycle, when predator density collapses, is not completely understood. We propose that moderate-severe browsing by snowshoe...
Conceptual and numerical models of groundwater flow in the Ogallala and Arikaree aquifers, Pine Ridge Indian Reservation area, South Dakota, water years 1980-2009
Kyle W. Davis, Larry D. Putnam, Anneka R. LaBelle
2015, Scientific Investigations Report 2014-5241
The Ogallala and Arikaree aquifers are the largest sources of groundwater on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and are used extensively for irrigation and public and domestic water supplies. To assess the potential for decreased water levels and discharge to streams in the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, conceptual and numerical...
A comparison of hydrologic models for ecological flows and water availability
Peter V Caldwell, Jonathan G. Kennen, Ge Sun, Julie E. Kiang, John B Butcher, Michelle C Eddy, Lauren E. Hay, Jacob H. LaFontaine, Ernie F. Hain, Stacy C Nelson, Steve G McNulty
2015, Ecohydrology (8) 1525-1546
Robust hydrologic models are needed to help manage water resources for healthy aquatic ecosystems and reliable water supplies for people, but there is a lack of comprehensive model comparison studies that quantify differences in streamflow predictions among model applications developed to answer management questions. We assessed differences in daily streamflow...
Modeling elk and bison carrying capacity for Great Sand Dunes National Park, Baca National Wildlife Refuge, and The Nature Conservancy's Medano Ranch, Colorado
Gary Wockner, Randall Boone, Kathryn A. Schoenecker, Linda Zeigenfuss
2015, Open-File Report 2014-1200
Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve and the neighboring Baca National Wildlife Refuge constitute an extraordinary setting that offers a variety of opportunities for outdoor recreation and natural resource preservation in the San Luis Valley of Colorado. Adjacent to these federal lands, the Nature Conservancy (TNC) manages the historic...
Metal Mixture Modeling Evaluation project: 2. Comparison of four modeling approaches
Kevin J. Farley, Joe Meyer, Laurie S. Balistrieri, Karl DeSchamphelaere, Yuichi Iwasaki, Colin Janssen, Masashi Kamo, Steve Lofts, Christopher A. Mebane, Wataru Naito, Adam C. Ryan, Robert C. Santore, Edward Tipping
2015, Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (34) 741-753
As part of the Metal Mixture Modeling Evaluation (MMME) project, models were developed by the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (Japan), the U.S. Geological Survey (USA), HDR⎪HydroQual, Inc. (USA), and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (UK) to address the effects of metal mixtures on biological responses...
Likelihood analysis of spatial capture-recapture models for stratified or class structured populations
J. Andrew Royle, Christopher S. Sutherland, Angela K. Fuller, Catherine C. Sun
2015, Ecosphere (6)
We develop a likelihood analysis framework for fitting spatial capture-recapture (SCR) models to data collected on class structured or stratified populations. Our interest is motivated by the necessity of accommodating the problem of missing observations of individual class membership. This is particularly problematic in SCR data arising from DNA analysis...
Coping with earthquakes induced by fluid injection
Arthur F. McGarr, Barbara Bekins, Nina Burkardt, James W. Dewey, Paul S. Earle, William L. Ellsworth, Shemin Ge, Stephen H. Hickman, Austin F. Holland, Ernest Majer, Justin L. Rubinstein, Anne Sheehan
2015, Science (347) 830-831
Large areas of the United States long considered geologically stable with little or no detected seismicity have recently become seismically active. The increase in earthquake activity began in the mid-continent starting in 2001 (1) and has continued to rise. In 2014, the rate of occurrence of earthquakes with magnitudes (M)...
Reducing soluble phosphorus in dairy effluents through application of mine drainage residuals
Philip L. Sibrell, Chad J. Penn, Robert S. Hedin
2015, Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis (46) 545-563
Three different dairy manure wastewater effluent samples were amended with mine drainage residuals (MDR) to evaluate the suitability of MDR for sequestration of phosphorus (P). Geochemical modeling of the manure wastewater compositions indicated that partially soluble P-bearing minerals including hydroxyapatite, octacalcium phosphate, and vivianite were all oversaturated in each of...
Collaborative decision-analytic framework to maximize resilience of tidal marshes to climate change
Karen M. Thorne, Brady J. Mattsson, John Y. Takekawa, Jonathan Cummings, Debby Crouse, Giselle Block, Valary Bloom, Matt Gerhart, Steve Goldbeck, Beth Huning, Christina Sloop, Mendel Stewart, Karen Taylor, Laura Valoppi
2015, Ecology and Society (20)
Decision makers that are responsible for stewardship of natural resources face many challenges, which are complicated by uncertainty about impacts from climate change, expanding human development, and intensifying land uses. A systematic process for evaluating the social and ecological risks, trade-offs, and cobenefits associated with future changes is critical to...
