Impact of fog on California waterfowl flight activity: Historical and modern insights into effects post-Clean Air Act
Fiona McDuie, Cory T. Overton, Austen A. Lorenz, J. Patrick Donnelly, Desmond A. Mackell, Elliott Matchett, Mark J. Petrie, Michael L. Casazza
2026, Environmental Science and Pollution Research (33) 6095-6104
Since establishment of the Clean Air Act in the early 1970s, occurrence of the dense ‘Tule Fog’, historically prevalent throughout winter across California’s Central Valley, has substantially reduced. At the same time, waterfowl body masses have generally increased. Flight is metabolically expensive, and fog visually and navigationally impairs birds in...
Evaluating ichthyoplankton sampling as an effective method for early detection of novel aquatic invasive species in large bays of western Lake Erie
Jessica L. Bowser, Haley N VanScoyoc, Robin L. DeBruyne, Andrew S. Briggs
2026, Management of Biological Invasions (17) 307-323
Early detection and monitoring are critically important for effective management of invasive species in the Laurentian Great Lakes. Specifically, Lake Erie is at high-risk for aquatic invasive species introductions due to many factors such as shoreline development, warm water temperatures, and transoceanic shipping traffic. Rare species captured are often used...
Widespread occurrence of Magnéli phases in wildland-urban interface fire ashes
Mohammed Baalousha, Morgane Desmau, Roberto A. Colina-Ruiz, Antonio Lanzirotti, Sheryl A. Singerling, Michelle A. Stern, Charles N. Alpers
2026, Environmental Science and Technology. (60) 10982-10990
The increasing activity of wildland–urban interface (WUI) fires has raised concerns regarding the potential environmental and human health impacts of residual ash remaining after burning. In this study, we investigated the concentration and speciation of titanium in WUI fire ash. Total titanium concentrations in WUI fire ash ranged from 0.53...
Erosion and transport of sediments in watersheds of southwest Puerto Rico determined from strontium isotopes and mixing models
Aaron O. Reyes, Renee K. Takesue, Curt D. Storlazzi
2026, Applied Geochemistry (203)
Sediment outflow from streams to coastal regions can adversely affect water quality and the health of ecosystems including Puerto Rico's southwestern carbonate platform with shallow marine communities. Knowledge of sediment provenance and erosional areas would aid effective restoration to reduce excessive sedimentation. Strontium (Sr) isotopic ratios (87Sr/86Sr)...
Data-collection methods for total dissolved gases monitoring, Youghiogheny River at Dam Outlet Tunnel near Confluence, Pennsylvania
Allan J. Ruddy, Emily E. Woodward, Gerolamo C. Casile
2026, Open-File Report 2026-1068
Supersaturation of total dissolved gases (TDG) can potentially occur in the tailrace water at the Youghiogheny River at dam outlet tunnel near Confluence, Pennsylvania (U.S. Geological Survey [USGS] streamgaging and monitoring station 03077100). The USGS, in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, established methods to collect and report...
Relative activity of three bat species Impacted by white-nose syndrome on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park
Megan L. Moran, Amber S. Litterer, Jesse L. De La Cruz, Sabrina M. Deeley, W. Mark Ford
2026, Northeastern Naturalist (33) 104-127
White-nose syndrome, a disease caused by the fungal-pathogen Pseudogymnoascus destructans, has caused drastic reductions in populations of several North American hibernating species of bats including Myotis lucifugus (Little Brown Bat), Myotis septentrionalis (Northern Long-eared Bat), and Perimyotis subflavus (Tricolored Bat). Recent data indicate that populations of Little Brown Bats may be stabilizing and/or increasing...
Valuing socio-economic and ecological attributes of forested watershed restoration to reduce wildfire risk in the southwestern U.S.
Mohammad Mashiur Rahman, James R. Meldrum, Julie M. Mueller, Christopher Huber
2026, Forest Policy and Economics (186)
Forest restoration in a watershed can provide numerous ecological improvements and social benefits, including reducing the risk of extreme wildfire. Understanding the values of the accrued benefits can be used to evaluate the use of funds to support restoration. The Rio Grande watershed is a vast watershed...
Controlling invasive carp ichthyoplankton dispersion using a streamwise-oriented bubble screen: A proof-of-concept validation in a laboratory flume
Vindhyawasini Prasad, Henry F. Doyle, Cory Suski, P. Ryan Jackson, Amy E. George, Jesse Robert Fischer, Benjamin H. Stahlschmidt, Anne Marie Herndon, Rafael O. Tinoco
2026, Journal of Great Lakes Research
Recent evidence of invasive grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) reproducing in tributaries to the Laurentian Great Lakes has highlighted the need for control efforts targeting multiple life stages. Initial attempts to control dispersal of downstream-drifting invasive carp ichthyoplankton (i.e., eggs and larvae) using an oblique bubble screen (OBS) revealed that nearly...
The Python Energy Balance model for Snow and Ice (PEBSI): Application and tradeoff analysis on Gulkana Glacier, Alaska
Claire V. Wilson, David R. Rounce, Louis Sass, Albin Wells, Emily H. Baker, Mark Flanner, S. Mackenzie Skiles
2026, Journal of Glaciology (72)
Glacier energy-balance models offer mechanistic insights into glacier mass balance under a changing climate, yet their considerable data requirements hinder large-scale applications. Here we present the open-source Python Energy Balance model for Snow and Ice (PEBSI), which includes physically based albedo evolution using the Snow, Ice and Aerosol Radiative (SNICAR)...
Rare earth element potential in coal and coal ash in the U.S. Gulf Coast
Bridget R. Scanlon, Robert C. Reedy, Brent A. Elliott, James C. Hower, J. Richard Kyle, Marek Locmelis, Nolan Theaker, Peter D. Warwick
2026, International Journal of Coal Science & Technology (13)
United States heavy reliance on imports of critical minerals (CMs), including rare earth elements (REEs), underscores the importance of development of domestic sources. The study objective was to quantify CM and REE concentrations in coal and coal ash in the US Gulf Coast region. CM and REE...
Status of round goby invasion fronts in New York and Quebec: Implications for Lake Champlain
Scott D. George, Hannah Diebboll, Steven Pearson, Jesica Goldsmit, Annick Drouin, Nathalie Vachon, Guillaume Côté, Siena Daudelin, Meredith L. Bartron, Meg Modley, Kate Littrell, Rodman G. Getchell, Rob Fiorentino, Thomas R. Sadekoski, Jason S. Finkelstein, Michael J. Darling, Geneviève Parent, Lauren M. Atkins
2026, Preprint
Invasive round goby Neogobius melanostomus have advanced eastward through the state of New York and provinces of Ontario and Quebec over the past two decades and are approaching Lake Champlain, one of the largest lakes in North America. This manuscript describes international efforts to monitor round goby populations during 2021–2025 on (a)...
Mangrove ecosystems: Importance, threats and opportunities for restoration
Elijah I. Ohimain, Robert Eugene Turner, Beth A. Middleton
2026, Water (18)
Mangroves are crucial for biodiversity conservation, coastal protection, and supporting local livelihoods. Mangroves may also protect coasts from storms and rising sea levels and can play a major role in climate mitigation. Threats to their health include activities such as infrastructural development, urban encroachment, aquaculture and crop farming, and oil...
Population trends of dabbling ducks wintering in the alluvial valleys of Arkansas and Mississippi
Melanie R. Boudreau, Houston Havens, Brett Leach, Luke W. Naylor, James T. Callicutt, Aaron T. Pearse, J. Brian Davis
2026, Wildlife Biology (2026)
Population abundances, distributions, and compositions across a diversity of taxa are changing, partly as a consequence of human-induced global modifications. Although linking population fluctuations to anthropogenic-induced alterations can be challenging, it is increasingly clear that long-term monitoring is critical to understanding changing populations. For waterfowl, concerns over...
Decadal shifts in groundwater age detected by environmental tracers across California, USA
Bryant C. Jurgens, Zeno F. Levy
2026, Geophysical Research Letters (53)
Groundwater age offers important insight into recharge, storage, and contamination risk. Although models predict age changes can be driven by pumping and climate variability, direct observational evidence remains limited. Here, we analyzed paired environmental tracer suites (tritium, carbon-14, and tritiogenic helium-3) collected a decade apart from 268...
Sources and streambed storage of soft sediment and sediment-bound phosphorus in an agricultural Great Lakes tributary
Heidi Mae Broerman, James D. Blount, Faith Fitzpatrick, Tanja N. Williamson, Rebecca Kreiling, Isaac James Mevis, Matthew J. Komiskey
2026, Journal of Great Lakes Research (52)
The East River, an agricultural tributary to the Lower Fox River and Lake Michigan in Wisconsin, USA, has excessive phosphorus (P) and suspended-sediment loads that contribute to downstream eutrophication and habitat-related impairments. Spatial variations and connectivity in the sources and streambed storage of soft, fine-grained (silt and clay) sediment and...
Quantitative microbial risk assessment with microbial source tracking for enteric pathogens in southwest Wisconsin private wells
Tucker R. Burch, Joel P. Stokdyk, Joe Heffron, Sarah A. Opelt, Aaron D. Firnstahl
2026, Journal of Environmental Quality (55)
Private wells supply drinking water for many households, and their contamination by fecal microbes presents a risk of acute gastrointestinal illness (AGI). Risk is thought to vary by contaminating fecal source, but specific associations with fecal source are unknown for most private wells in the United States. This study characterizes...
Net CO2 emissions from dry inland waters persist in the presence of vegetation
K. Sharma, Soren Brothers, S. Bernal, Núria Catalán, P. Keller, M. Koschorreck, S. Kosten, C. Leigh, D. von Schiller, A. Pastor, A. Larrañaga, A. Ari, A. Camacho-Santamans, A. Grinham, A. Lupon, A. Linkhorst, A. Elosegi, B. Obrador, B. D. Eyre, C. Trochine, C. C. Muniz, C. Feijoo, C. Duvert, E. Moreno-Ostos, E. Jacqueline Garcia, E. S. Oliveria, F. Cuassolo, H. R. Fernandez, J. Yeo, J. Oakes, J. R. Paranaíba, J. Pegg, J. Anselmo, J. J. Montes-Perez, L. van den Heuvel, L. Ran, L. L. Wilkinson, L. Gomez-Gener, M. Arroita, M. Shanafield, M. L. Gultemirian, M. I. Arce, M. Cobo, M. M. Sanchez-Montoya, N. Barros, N. Wells, N. Karakaya, P. Erturk Ari, Q. Struik, R. Aben, R. Rimas, S. Kumar, Sheel Bansal, S. Sarkar, S. Rodriguez-Gomez, T. Huang, T. Silverthorn, T. Datry, V. Diaz Villanueva, R. Marce
2026, Global Biogeochemical Cycles (40)
Many inland waters are shrinking due to shifts in climate and water diversion for human uses. As they dry out, their exposed sediments emit large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) to the atmosphere. However, current global estimates of CO2 emissions from dry inland waters are derived exclusively from bare sediment dark-chamber...
Estimation of impounded sediment volume in the Similkameen River upstream of Enloe Dam, Okanogan County, Washington
Alexander O. Headman, Oscar A. Wilkerson, Christopher A. Curran, Andrew S. Gendaszek
2026, Scientific Investigations Report 2026-5126
The Enloe Dam was built in 1920 for hydropower generation and impounds a steep-banked, narrow reach of the Similkameen River in north-central Washington. During the subsequent century, sediment from the Similkameen River watershed, which includes historical mining operations, accumulated within Enloe Dam’s impoundment. Enloe Dam ceased hydropower production in 1958...
Utilization of multiple geochronology techniques to constrain the age of laterization and mineralization of the world-class Mount Weld rare earth element deposit, Western Australia
Philip L. Verplanck, Cameron Mark Mercer, Jay M. Thompson, Martin Danišík, Heather A. Lowers, Leah E. Morgan, Ganesh Bhat
2026, Chemical Geology (709)
Pervasive chemical weathering on stable cratons may form thick regoliths and elemental enrichment, but constraining the age of regolith formation is challenging. In this study we utilize multiple geochronological techniques on different minerals from the world-class Mount Weld rare earth element (REE) deposit, formed by lateritic weathering of a carbonatite,...
Local water use and climate variability drive water stress and alter ecological flows over the conterminous United States
Edward G. Stets, Matthew J. Cashman, Olivia L. Miller, Kathryn Powlen, Anthony J. Martinez, Julie Padilla, Althea A. Archer
2026, Environmental Research: Water (2)
Consistent, large-scale estimates of water availability are needed to identify and avoid potential conflicts among human and ecosystem uses of water. We present an assessment of water limitation, defined as the monthly balance (difference) between water supply (ws) and human consumptive water use (wc), for the conterminous United States (CONUS)...
Lost in translation: Reconciling different streamflow permanence data products
Kristin Jaeger, Susan Wherry, Malia H. Scott, Audrey Marie Martinez, Roy Sando, Evan A. Thaler
2026, Journal of Environmental Management (404)
The objective of this study is to provide a framework to reconcile streamflow permanence products that provide information on whether a stream is perennial or nonperennial. Accurate classification of streams as perennial or nonperennial is important for a variety of land and water resource management decisions. However, resource managers are...
Field performance evaluation of a bayluscide 20-percent suspension concentrate formulation
Nadia Carmosini, Justin R. Schueller, Courtney A. Kirkeeng, Anne M. Wood, Lori A. Criger, James A. Luoma
2026, Open-File Report 2026-1067
Petromyzon marinus (sea lamprey) is a parasitic, invasive fish of the Laurentian Great Lakes. Since the late 1950s, the Great Lakes Fishery Commission has implemented an integrated Sea Lamprey Control Program (SLCP) that relies on two lampricidal chemicals: 3-(trifluoromethyl)-4-nitrophenol (TFM) and niclosamide. Niclosamide is applied using a bayluscide 20-percent emulsifiable...
Organic and isotopic indicators for sorting of sedimentary organic matter along a marginal submarine canyon
Hilary G. Close, Matthew G. McCarthy, Nancy G. Prouty
2026, Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta (421) 375-390
Submarine canyons are incised features of many continental margins that can have significant influence on the hydrodynamic distribution of sediments and organic matter eroded and deposited from the continents. Baltimore Canyon, on the mid-Atlantic margin of the United States, contains a complex set of sedimentary processes that simultaneously create unique...
Multi-objective optimization of a hydro-economic model in an over-allocated agricultural basin
Katherine H. Markovich, Michael N. Fienen, Nicholas Corson-Dosch, Cecile Coulon, Jeremy T. White, Stephen Gingerich
2026, Groundwater (64) 278-294
Groundwater depletion for agricultural irrigation poses significant environmental and economic challenges. This study introduces a proof-of-concept that combines hydro-economic modeling, scenario-based modeling, and multi-objective optimization to manage pumping curtailment in an over-allocated basin in the western United States. Three optimization scenarios were evaluated, each offering different degrees of management flexibility....
Landscape composition and proximity to water affect American badger occupancy in shortgrass prairies
Colleen W. Piper, Ty J. Werdel, Matt S. Peek, Andrew M. Ricketts, Daniel Shelby Sullins, Adam A. Ahlers
2026, Wildlife Letters (4) 23-31
Land use change in prairie ecosystems is pervasive. Prairie obligate species may be affected by these changes, though many carnivore-specific examples are unknown. We used 3 years (2018–2020) of camera-trap (n = 381) data from Kansas, USA, to assess multiscale effects of landscape composition on habitat use by American...
