Understanding the uncertainty in global forest carbon turnover
Thomas A. M. Pugh, Tim Tito Rademacher, Sarah Shafer, Jorg Steinkamp, Jonathan Barichivich, Brian Beckage, Vanessa Haverd, Anna Harper, Jens Heinke, Kazuya Nishina, Anja Rammig, Hisashi Sato, Almut Arneth, Stijn Hantson, Thomas Hickler, Markus Kautz, Benjamin Quesada, Benjamin Smith, Kirsten Thonicke
2020, Biogeosciences (17) 3961-3989
The length of time that carbon remains in forest biomass is one of the largest uncertainties in the global carbon cycle, with both recent historical baselines and future responses to environmental change poorly constrained by available observations. In the absence of large-scale observations, models used for global assessments tend to...
Soil organic carbon stocks and sequestration rates of inland, freshwater wetlands: Sources of variability and uncertainty
Brian Tangen, Sheel Bansal
2020, Science of the Total Environment (749)
Impacts of land use, specifically soil disturbance, are linked to reductions of soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks. Correspondingly, ecosystem restoration is promoted to sequester SOC to mitigate anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, which are exacerbating global climate change. Restored wetlands have relatively high potential to...
A trapping survey targeting head-started alligator snapping turtles in southwest Louisiana
Brad Glorioso, Lindy J. Muse, Cory J Hillard, Brittany R. Maldonado, Jared Streeter, Charles D Battaglia, J. Hardin Waddle
2020, Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management (11) 572-582
The alligator snapping turtle Macrochelys temminckii is the largest freshwater turtle in North America and is sought after as a food source, primarily in Louisiana. Decades of intensive commercial harvest of alligator snapping turtles has been implicated in population declines. The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries initiated a head-start...
Three-dimensional shape and structure of the Susitna basin, south-central Alaska, from geophysical data
Anjana K. Shah, Jeffrey Phillips, Kristen A. Lewis, Richard G. Stanley, Peter J. Haeussler, Christopher J. Potter
2020, Geosphere (16) 969-990
We use gravity, magnetic, seismic reflection, well, and outcrop data to determine the three-dimensional shape and structural features of south-central Alaska’s Susitna basin. This basin is located within the Aleutian-Alaskan convergent margin region and is expected to show effects of regional subduction zone processes. Aeromagnetic data, when filtered to highlight...
Low oxygen: A (tough) way of life for Okavango fishes
Thea M. Edwards, Ineelo J. Mosie, Brandon C. Moore, Guy Lobjoit, Kelsie Schiavone, Robert E. Bachman, Mike Murray-Hudson
2020, PLoS ONE (15)
Botswana’s Okavango Delta is a World Heritage Site and biodiverse wilderness. In 2016–2018, following arrival of the annual flood of rainwater from Angola’s highlands, and using continuous oxygen logging, we documented profound aquatic hypoxia that persisted for 3.5 to 5 months in the river channel. Within these periods, dissolved oxygen...
Causes of variability in suspended‐sand concentration evaluated using measurements in the Colorado River in Grand Canyon
David M. Rubin, Daniel D. Buscombe, Scott Wright, David J. Topping, Paul E. Grams, John C. Schmidt, J.E. Hazel Jr., Matthew A. Kaplinski, Robert B. Tusso
2020, Journal of Geophysical Research, Earth Surface (125)
Rivers commonly exhibit substantial variability in suspended‐sand concentration, even at constant water discharge. Here we derive an approach for evaluating how much of this variability arises from mean bed‐sand grain size. We apply this approach to the Colorado River in Grand Canyon, where discharge‐independent concentration of suspended sand varies by...
Nutrient removal and uptake by native planktonic and biofilm bacterial communities in an anaerobic aquifer
John T. Lisle
2020, Frontiers in Microbiology (11)
Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) offers a collection of water storage and storage options that have been used by resource managers to mitigate the reduced availability of fresh water. One of these technologies is aquifer storage and recovery (ASR), where surface water is treated then recharged into a storage zone within...
Recording the aurora borealis (northern lights) at seismometers across Alaska
C. Tape, Adam T. Ringler, D.L. Hampton
2020, Seismological Research Letters (91) 3039-3053
We examine three continuously recording data sets related to the aurora: all‐sky camera images, three‐component magnetometer data, and vertical‐component, broadband seismic data as part of the EarthScope project (2014 to present). Across Alaska there are six all‐sky cameras, 13 magnetometers, and >200"><span...
Complex patterns of genetic and morphological differentiation in the Smallmouth Bass subspecies (Micropterus dolomieu dolomieu and M. d. velox) of the Central Interior Highlands
Joe C. Gunn, Leah K. Berkman, Jeff K. Koppelman, A. T. Taylor, Shannon K. Brewer, James M. Long, Lori S. Eggert
2020, Conservation Genetics (21) 891-904
Due to geologic processes and recent anthropogenic introductions, patterns of genetic and morphological diversity within the Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus dolomieu), which are endemic to the central and eastern United States (USA), are poorly understood. We assessed genetic and morphological differentiation between the widespread Northern Smallmouth Bass (M. d. dolomieu) and...
Evidence for a diagenetic origin of Vera Rubin Ridge, Gale Crater, Mars: Summary and synthesis of Curiosity's exploration campaign
Abigail A. Fraeman, Lauren A. Edgar, Elizabeth B. Rampe, Lucy M. Thompson, Jens Frydenvang, Christopher M. Fedo, Jeff G. Catalano, William E. Dietrich, Travis S. J. Gabriel, John P. Grotzinger, Jonas L’Haridon, Nicholas Mangold, Vivian Z. Sun, Christopher H House, Alexander Bryk, Craig Hardgrove, Sean Czarnecki, Kathryn M. Stack, Richard V. Morris, Ray E. Arvidson, Steve G. Banham, Kristen A. Bennett, Jon C. Bridges, Christopher S. Edwards, Woodward W. Fischer, Valerie K. Fox, Sanjeev Gupta, Briony H. N. Horgan, Sammantha R. Jacob, Jeffrey R. Johnson, Sarah S. Johnson, David R. Rubin, Mark R Salvatore, Susanne P. Schwenzer, Kirsten L. Siebach, Nathan T. Stein, Stuart Turner, Danika F. Wellington, Roger C. Wiens, Amy J. Williams, G.A. Davidson, Gregory M. Wong
2020, Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets (125)
This paper provides an overview of the Curiosity rover's exploration at Vera Rubin ridge (VRR) and summarizes the science results. VRR is a distinct geomorphic feature on lower Aeolis Mons (informally known as Mount Sharp) that was identified in orbital data based on its distinct texture, topographic expression, and association with a...
Large-scale erosion driven by intertidal eelgrass loss in an estuarine environment
Ryan K. Walter, Jenifer K. O’Leary, Sean Vitousek, Mohsen Taherkhani, Carolyn Geraghty, Ann Kitajima
2020, Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science (243)
Seagrasses influence local hydrodynamics by inducing drag on the flow and dampening near-bed velocities and wave energy. When seagrasses are lost, near-bed currents and wave energy can increase, which enhances bottom shear stresses, destabilizes sediment, and promotes suspension and erosion. Though seagrasses are being lost rapidly globally, the magnitude of...
Establishing Forster’s Tern (Sterna forsteri) nesting sites at pond A16 using social attraction for the South Bay Salt Pond restoration project
C. Alex Hartman, Joshua T. Ackerman, Mark P. Herzog, Yiwei Wang, Cheryl Strong
2020, Open-File Report 2020-1081
Forster’s terns (Sterna forsteri), historically one of the most numerous colonial-breeding waterbirds in South San Francisco Bay, California, have experienced recent decreases in the number of nesting colonies and overall breeding population size. The South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project aims to restore 50–90 percent of former salt evaporation ponds...
Decision analysis for greater insights into the development and evaluation of Chinook salmon restoration strategies in California’s Central Valley
James T. Peterson, Adam Duarte
2020, Restoration Ecology (28) 1596-1609
Considerable amounts of resources have been invested in ecological restoration projects across the globe to restore ecosystem integrity. Restoration strategies are often diverse and have been met with mixed success. In this paper, we describe the Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) decision-support models developed by the Central Valley Project Improvement Act...
An updated genetic marker for detection of Lake Sinai Virus and metagenetic applications
Deborah D. Iwanowicz, Judy Y. Wu-Smart, Tugce Olgun, Autumn H. Smart, Clint Otto, Dawn Lopez, Jay D. Evans, Robert S. Cornman
2020, PeerJ (8)
BackgroundLake Sinai Viruses (LSV) are common RNA viruses of honey bees (Apis mellifera) that frequently reach high abundance but are not linked to overt disease. LSVs are genetically heterogeneous and collectively widespread, but despite frequent detection in surveys, the ecological and geographic factors structuring their distribution in A. mellifera are not...
A 36-year record of rock avalanches in the Saint Elias Mountains of Alaska, with implications for future hazards
Erin K. Bessette-Kirton, Jeffrey A. Coe
2020, Frontiers in Earth Science (8)
Glacial retreat and mountain-permafrost degradation resulting from rising global temperatures have the potential to impact the frequency and magnitude of landslides in glaciated environments. Several recent events, including the 2015 Taan Fiord rock avalanche, which triggered a tsunami with one of the highest wave runups ever recorded, have called attention...
Oregon spotted frog (Rana pretiosa) migration from an aquatic overwintering site: Timing, duration, and potential environmental cues
Jay Bowerman, Christopher Pearl
2020, The American Midland Naturalist (184) 87-97
Relatively few North American anurans overwinter in water and information is sparse on their movement from overwintering habitat to breeding sites. Oregon spotted frogs (Rana pretiosa) breed explosively in early spring and often overwinter submerged at sites that are distanced from breeding habitats. In montane parts of their range, wintering...
Kinematics of fault slip associated with the July 4-6 2019 Ridgecrest, Californai earthquakes sequence
Frederick Pollitz, Jessica R. Murray, Jerry L. Svarc, Charles Wicks, Evelyn Roeloffs, Sarah E. Minson, Katherine M. Scharer, Katherine J. Kendrick, Kenneth W. Hudnut, Johanna Nevitt, Benjamin A. Brooks, David Mencin
2020, Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America (110) 1688-1700
The 2019 Ridgecrest, California, earthquake sequence produced observable crustal deformation over much of central and southern California, as well as surface rupture over several tens of kilometers. To obtain a detailed picture of the fault slip involved in the 4 July M 6.4 foreshock and 6 July M 7.1 mainshock, we combine strong‐motion seismic...
Stable isotope analysis of multiple tissues from Hawaiian honeycreepers indicates elevational movement
Kristina L. Paxton, Jeffery F Kelly, Sandra M Pletchet, Eben H. Paxton
2020, PLoS ONE (15)
We have limited knowledge of the patterns, causes, and prevalence of elevational migration despite observations of seasonal movements of animals along elevational gradients in montane systems worldwide. While a third of extant Hawaiian landbird species are estimated to be elevational migrants this assumption is based primarily on early naturalist’s observations...
Spatial proximity moderates genotype uncertainty in genetic tagging studies
Ben C. Augustine, J. Andrew Royle, Daniel W. Linden, Angela K. Fuller
2020, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (117) 17903-17912
Accelerating declines of an increasing number of animal populations worldwide necessitate methods to reliably and efficiently estimate demographic parameters such as population density and trajectory. Standard methods for estimating demographic parameters from noninvasive genetic samples are inefficient because lower-quality samples cannot be used, and they assume individuals are identified without...
RestoreNet: An emerging restoration network reveals controls on seeding success across dryland ecosystems
Caroline Ann Havrilla, Seth M. Munson, Molly L. McCormick, Katherine M. Laushman, Kathleen R. Balazs, Bradley J. Butterfield
2020, Journal of Applied Ecology (57) 2191-2202
Drylands are Earth's largest terrestrial biome and support one‐third of the global population. However, they are also highly vulnerable to land degradation. Despite widespread demand for dryland restoration and rehabilitation, little information is available to help land managers effectively re‐establish native perennial vegetation across drylands.RestoreNet is an emerging dryland...
Brackish tidal marsh management and the ecology of a declining freshwater turtle
Mickey Agha, Charles B. Yackulic, Melissa K. Riley, Blair Peterson, Brian D Todd
2020, Environmental Management (66) 644-653
Water management practices in tidal marshes of the San Francisco Bay Estuary, California are often aimed at increasing suitable habitat for threatened fish species and sport fishes. However, little is known about how best to manage habitat for other sensitive status species like the semiaquatic freshwater Western Pond Turtle (Actinemys...
Preserving connectivity under climate and land-use change: No one-size-fits-all approach for focal species in similar habitats
Jennifer K. Costanza, James I. Watling, Ron Sutherland, Curtis Belyea, Bistra Dilkina, Heather Cayton, David N. Bucklin, Stephanie Romanach, Nick M. Haddad
2020, Biological Conservation (248)
Habitat connectivity is essential for maintaining populations of wildlife species, especially as climate changes. Knowledge about the fate of existing habitat networks in a changing climate and in light of land-use change is critical for determining which types of conservation actions...
A holistic modelling approach to project the evolution of inlet-interrupted coastlines over the 21st century
Janaka Bamunawala, Ali Dastgheib, Rosh Ranasinghe, Ad van der Spek, Shreedhar Maskey, A. Brad Murray, Trang M. Duong, Patrick L. Barnard, Jeewanthi Gangani Sirisena
2020, Frontiers in Marine Science (7)
Approximately one quarter of the World’s sandy beaches, most of which are interrupted by tidal inlets, are eroding. Understanding the long-term (50-100 year) evolution of inlet-interrupted coasts in a changing climate is therefore of great importance for coastal zone planners and managers. This study therefore focuses on the development and...
Effects of stormwater runoff from selected bridge decks on conditions of water, sediment, and biological quality in receiving waters in South Carolina, 2013 to 2018
Celeste A. Journey, Matthew D. Petkewich, Kevin J. Conlon, Andral W. Caldwell, Jimmy M. Clark, Jeffrey W. Riley, Paul M. Bradley
2020, Scientific Investigations Report 2020-5046
The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the South Carolina Department of Transportation, investigated the effects of stormwater runoff from bridge decks on stream water quality conditions in South Carolina. The investigation assessed 5 bridges in 3 physiographic provinces in South Carolina (Piedmont, Upper Coastal Plain, and Lower Coast Plain)...
Segmentation and supercycles: A catalog of earthquake rupture patterns from the Sumatran Sunda Megathrust and other well-studied faults worldwide
Belle E. Philibosian, Aron J. Meltzner
2020, Quaternary Science Reviews (241)
After more than 100 years of earthquake research, earthquake forecasting, which relies on knowledge of past fault rupture patterns, has become the foundation for societal defense against seismic natural disasters. A concept that has come into focus more recently is that rupture segmentation and cyclicity can be complex, and that...
