Indium: bringing liquid-crystal displays into focus
Celestine N. Mercer
2015, Fact Sheet 2015-3012
Introduction Indium is rare in the Earth’s crust. The continental crust contains an average of about 50 parts per billion of indium, whereas the oceanic crust contains about 72 parts per billion, which is similar to meteoritic abundances and comparable to the crustal abundance of silver. Indium minerals are rare in...
Germanium: giving microelectronics an efficiency boost
Celestine N. Mercer
2015, Fact Sheet 2015-3011
Introduction Germanium is a rare element but is present in trace quantities in most rock types because of its affinity for iron- and organic-bearing materials. The average germanium content of the Earth is about 14 parts per million, but the majority of germanium resides within the Earth’s core (37 parts per...
Water-quality conditions and suspended-sediment transport in the Wilson and Trask Rivers, northwestern Oregon, water years 2012–14
Steven Sobieszczyk, Heather M. Bragg, Mark A. Uhrich
2015, Scientific Investigations Report 2015-5109
In October 2011, the U.S. Geological Survey began investigating and monitoring water-quality conditions and suspended-sediment transport in the Wilson and Trask Rivers, northwestern Oregon. Water temperature, specific conductance, turbidity, and dissolved oxygen were measured every 15–30 minutes in both streams using real-time instream water-quality monitors. In conjunction with the...
Geologic framework of the Alaska Peninsula, southwest Alaska, and the Alaska Peninsula terrane
Frederic H. Wilson, Robert L. Detterman, Gregory D. DuBois
2015, Bulletin 1969-B
The Alaska Peninsula is composed of the late Paleozoic to Quaternary sedimentary, igneous, and minor metamorphic rocks that record the history of a number of magmatic arcs. These magmatic arcs include an unnamed Late Triassic(?) and Early Jurassic island arc, the early Cenozoic Meshik arc, and the late Cenozoic Aleutian...
Estimating wind-turbine-caused bird and bat fatality when zero carcasses are observed
Manuela M.P. Huso, Daniel Dalthorp, David Dail, Lisa Madsen
2015, Ecological Applications (5) 1213-1225
Many wind-power facilities in the United States have established effective monitoring programs to determine turbine-caused fatality rates of birds and bats, but estimating the number of fatalities of rare species poses special difficulties. The loss of even small numbers of individuals may adversely affect fragile populations, but typically, few (if...
Occupancy and abundance of the endangered yellowcheek darter in Arkansas
Daniel D. Magoulick, Dustin T. Lynch
2015, Copeia (103) 433-439
The Yellowcheek Darter (Etheostoma moorei) is a rare fish endemic to the Little Red River watershed in the Boston Mountains of northern Arkansas. Remaining populations of this species are geographically isolated and declining, and the species was listed in 2011 as federally endangered. Populations have declined, in part, due to...
Statistical analysis of soil geochemical data to identify pathfinders associated with mineral deposits: An example from the Coles Hill uranium deposit, Virginia, USA
Denise M. Levitan, Carl E. Zipper, Patricia Donovan, Madeline E. Schreiber, Robert R. Seal, Mark A. Engle, John A. Chermak, Robert J. Bodnar, Daniel K. Johnson, Joseph G. Aylor Jr.
2015, Journal of Geochemical Exploration (154) 238-251
Soil geochemical anomalies can be used to identify pathfinders in exploration for ore deposits. In this study, compositional data analysis is used with multivariate statistical methods to analyse soil geochemical data collected from the Coles Hill uranium deposit, Virginia, USA, to identify pathfinders associated with this deposit. Elemental compositions and...
Rare Earths in 2014
Joseph Gambogi
2015, Mining Engineering (67) 31-31
No abstract available....
Geologic map of the Simcoe Mountains Volcanic Field, main central segment, Yakama Nation, Washington
Wes Hildreth, Judy Fierstein
2015, Scientific Investigations Map 3315
Mountainous parts of the Yakama Nation lands in south-central Washington are mostly covered by basaltic lava flows and cinder cones that make up the Simcoe Mountains volcanic field. The accompanying geologic map of the central part of the volcanic field has been produced by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) on...
Improving estimates of tree mortality probability using potential growth rate
Adrian J. Das, Nathan L. Stephenson
2015, Canadian Journal of Forest Research (45) 920-928
Tree growth rate is frequently used to estimate mortality probability. Yet, growth metrics can vary in form, and the justification for using one over another is rarely clear. We tested whether a growth index (GI) that scales the realized diameter growth rate against the potential diameter growth rate (PDGR) would...
Documentation of mountain lions in Marin County, California, 2010–2013
Virginia L. Fifield, Aviva J. Rossi, Erin E. Boydston
2015, California Fish and Game (101) 66-71
Prior to 2010, mountain lions (Puma concolor) have rarely been documented in Marin County, California. Although there are reports of sightings of mountain lions or observations of mountain lion sign, most have not been verified by photographs or physical samples. Beginning in 2010, we conducted a pilot study of mountain lions...
Sedimentology of SPICE (Steptoean positive carbon isotope excursion): A high-resolution trace fossil and microfabric analysis of the middle to late Cambrian Alum Shale Formation, southern Sweden
Sven Egenhoff, Neil Fishman, Per Ahlberg, Jorg Maletz, Allison Jackson, Ketki Kolte, Heather A. Lowers, James Mackie, Warren Newby, Matthew Petrowsky
2015, Book chapter, Paying Attention to Mudrocks: Priceless!
The Cambrian Alum Shale Formation in the Andrarum-3 core from Scania, southern Sweden, consists of black siliciclastic mudstone with minor carbonate intercalations. Four facies comprise three siliciclastic mudstones and one fine-grained carbonate. The facies reflect deposition along a transect from deep ramp to basin on a Cambrian shelf. The three...
First steps of integrated spatial modeling of titanium, zirconium, and rare earth element resources within the Coastal Plain sediments of the southeastern United States
Karl J. Ellefsen, Bradley S. Van Gosen, David L. Fey, James R. Budahn, Steven M. Smith, Anjana K. Shah
2015, Open-File Report 2015-1111
The Coastal Plain of the southeastern United States has extensive, unconsolidated sedimentary deposits that are enriched in heavy minerals containing titanium, zirconium, and rare earth element resources. Areas favorable for exploration and development of these resources are being identified by geochemical data, which are supplemented with geological, geophysical, hydrological, and...
Detecting the influence of rare stressors on rare species in Yosemite National Park using a novel stratified permutation test
John R. Matchett, Philip B. Stark, Steven M. Ostoja, Roland A. Knapp, Heather C. McKenny, Matthew L. Brooks, William T. Langford, Lucas N. Joppa, Eric L. Berlow
2015, Scientific Reports (5)
Statistical models often use observational data to predict phenomena; however, interpreting model terms to understand their influence can be problematic. This issue poses a challenge in species conservation where setting priorities requires estimating influences of potential stressors using observational data. We present a novel approach for inferring influence of a...
SHRIMP U–Pb and REE data pertaining to the origins of xenotime in Belt Supergroup rocks: evidence for ages of deposition, hydrothermal alteration, and metamorphism
John N. Aleinikoff, Karen Lund, C. Mark Fanning
2015, Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences (52) 722-745
The Belt–Purcell Supergroup, northern Idaho, western Montana, and southern British Columbia, is a thick succession of Mesoproterozoic sedimentary rocks with an age range of about 1470–1400 Ma. Stratigraphic layers within several sedimentary units were sampled to apply the new technique of U–Pb dating of xenotime that sometimes forms as rims...
How do humans affect wildlife nematodes?
Sara B. Weinstein, Kevin D. Lafferty
2015, Trends in Parasitology (31) 222-227
Human actions can affect wildlife and their nematode parasites. Species introductions and human-facilitated range expansions can create new host–parasite interactions. Novel hosts can introduce parasites and have the potential to both amplify and dilute nematode transmission. Furthermore, humans can alter existing nematode dynamics by changing host densities and the abiotic...
Looking beyond rare species as umbrella species: Northern Bobwhites (Colinus virginianus) and conservation of grassland and shrubland birds
Andrew D. Crosby, R.D. Elmore, David M. Leslie Jr., Rodney E. Will
2015, Biological Conservation (186) 233-240
Changes in land use and land cover throughout the eastern half of North America have caused substantial declines in populations of birds that rely on grassland and shrubland vegetation types, including socially and economically important game birds such as the Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus; hereafter bobwhites). As much attention is...
Performance metrics and variance partitioning reveal sources of uncertainty in species distribution models
James I. Watling, Laura A. Brandt, David N. Bucklin, Ikuko Fujisaki, Frank J. Mazzotti, Stephanie S. Romanach, Carolina Speroterra
2015, Ecological Modelling (309-310) 48-59
Species distribution models (SDMs) are widely used in basic and applied ecology, making it important to understand sources and magnitudes of uncertainty in SDM performance and predictions. We analyzed SDM performance and partitioned variance among prediction maps for 15 rare vertebrate species in the southeastern USA using all possible combinations...
High-frequency, long-duration water sampling in acid mine drainage studies: a short review of current methods and recent advances in automated water samplers
Thomas Chapin
2015, Applied Geochemistry (59) 118-124
Hand-collected grab samples are the most common water sampling method but using grab sampling to monitor temporally variable aquatic processes such as diel metal cycling or episodic events is rarely feasible or cost-effective. Currently available automated samplers are a proven, widely used technology and typically collect up to 24 samples...
Spatial and temporal use of a prairie dog colony by coyotes and rabbits: Potential indirect effects on endangered black-footed ferrets
David A. Eads, Dean E. Biggins, Travis M. Livieri
2015, Journal of Zoology (296) 146-152
In western North America, endangered black-footed ferrets Mustela nigripes are conserved via reintroduction to colonies of prairie dogs Cynomys spp., their primary prey. Predation is an important source of mortality; coyotes Canis latrans appear to be the most problematic predator, accounting for 67% of known predation events on radio-tagged ferrets. Little is known about what factors...
Using occupancy models to accommodate uncertainty in the interpretation of aerial photograph data: status of beaver in Central Oregon, USA
Christopher A. Pearl, M. J. Adams, Patricia K. Haggerty, Leslie Urban
2015, Wildlife Society Bulletin (2) 319-325
Beavers (Castor canadensis) influence habitat for many species and pose challenges in developed landscapes. They are increasingly viewed as a cost-efficient means of riparian habitat restoration and water storage. Still, information on their status is rare, particularly in western North America. We used aerial photography to evaluate changes in beaver...
Accounting for multiple climate components when estimating climate change exposure and velocity
Christopher P. Nadeau, Angela K. Fuller
2015, Methods in Ecology and Evolution (6) 697-705
The effect of anthropogenic climate change on organisms will likely be related to climate change exposure and velocity at local and regional scales. However, common methods to estimate climate change exposure and velocity ignore important components of climate that are known to affect the ecology and evolution...
Incidental captures of Eastern Spotted Skunk in a high-elevation Red Spruce forest in Virginia
Corinne A. Diggins, David S. Jachowski, Jay Martin, W. Mark Ford
2015, Northeastern Naturalist (22) N6-N10
Spilogale putorius (Eastern Spotted Skunk) is considered rare in the southern Appalachian Mountains and throughout much of its range. We report incidental captures of 6 Eastern Spotted Skunks in a high-elevation Picea rubens (Red Spruce) forest in southwestern Virginia during late February and March 2014. At 1520 m, these observations...
When Siberia came to the Netherlands: The response of continental black-tailed godwits to a rare spring weather event
Nathan R. Senner, Mo A. Verhoeven, Jose M. Abad-Gomez, Jorge S. Gutierrez, Jos C. E. W. Hooijmeijer, Rosemarie Kentie, Jose A. Masero, T. Lee Tibbitts, Theunis Piersma
2015, Journal of Animal Ecology (84) 1164-1176
Summary Extreme weather events have the potential to alter both short- and long-term population dynamics as well as community- and ecosystem-level function. Such events are rare and stochastic, making it difficult to fully document how organisms respond to them and predict the repercussions of similar events in...
Performance of species occurrence estimators when basic assumptions are not met: a test using field data where true occupancy status is known
David A. W. Miller, Larissa L. Bailey, Evan H. Campbell Grant, Brett T. McClintock, Linda A. Weir, Theodore R. Simons
2015, Methods in Ecology and Evolution (6) 557-565
Populations are rarely censused. Instead, observations are subject to incomplete detection, misclassification and detection heterogeneity that result from human and environmental constraints. Though numerous methods have been developed to deal with observational uncertainty, validation under field conditions is rare because truth is rarely known in these cases. We...
