Effects of climate change on habitat and connectivity for populations of a vulnerable, endemic salamander in Iran
Mohammad Reza Ashrafzadeh, Ali Asghar Naghipour, Maryam Haidarian, Szilvia Kusza, David S. Pilliod
2019, Global Ecology and Conservation (19)
Habitat loss and fragmentation are among the biggest threats to amphibian populations and anthropogenic climate change may exacerbate these. The response of Iran's amphibians to climate change is uncertain and yet making an accurate prediction of how the species will respond is critical for conservation. We assessed how expected future...
Effect of corolla slitting and nectar robbery by the Eastern Carpenter Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) on fruit quality of Vaccinium corymbosum, L.; (Ericales: Ericaceae).
Sara K Tucker, Howard S. Ginsberg, Steven R. Alm
2019, Environmental Entomology (48) 718-726
Eastern carpenter bees, Xylocopa virginica (L.) (Hymenoptera: Apidae), are among the most abundant native bee visitors to highbush blueberry, Vaccinium corymbosum L., flowers in the northeastern United States, and they sometimes display corolla-slitting behavior to rob nectar. We studied foraging behavior of X. virginica on 14 blueberry cultivars in an experimental planting in Rhode Island, and...
Using an individual-based model to assess common biases in lek-based count data to estimate population trajectories of lesser prairie-chickens
Beth Ross, Daniel S. Sullins, David A. Haukos
2019, PLoS ONE
Researchers and managers are often interested in monitoring the underlying state of a population (e.g., abundance), yet error in the observation process might mask underlying changes due to imperfect detection, availability for sampling, and heterogeneity in abundance. Additional heterogeneity can be introduced into a monitoring program when male-based surveys are...
Volcano deformation: Insights into magmatic systems
Daniel Dzurisin
2019, Book chapter, Encyclopedia of Complexity and Systems Science
Volcano geodesy is the branch of geodetic science that deals with the changing shapes of volcanoes, whether large or small, deep-seated or surficial. Together with seismicity and volcanic gas flux, deformation of the ground surface can be a key indicator of subsurface conditions and processes at volcanoes—information that not only...
Application of electron microscopy TEM and SEM for analysis of coals, organic-rich shales and carbonaceous matter
B. Kwiecinska, Brett J. Valentine, S. Pusz
2019, International Journal of Coal Geology (211)
This paper provides a brief summary of the history, development and variety of applications of electron microscopy techniques to analyze coals, organic-rich shales, and carbonaceous materials. General construction and principles of operation of transmitted (TEM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) are outlined, along with guidance on specimen preparation, and a brief overview of...
Movements of juvenile Pacific Lamprey (Entosphenus tridentatus) in the Yakima and Columbia Rivers, Washington, 2018—A pilot study using acoustic telemetry
Theresa L. Liedtke, Ralph T. Lampman, Z. Daniel Deng, Tyler E. Beals, Michael S. Porter, Amy C. Hansen, Tobias J. Kock, Ryan G. Tomka, Patrick Monk
2019, Open-File Report 2019-1058
Telemetry has been an invaluable tool to improve our understanding of adult Pacific Lamprey (Entosphenus tridentatus) movements and to guide management approaches to protect and restore this species of concern. Juvenile and larval lamprey, however, are much smaller than adults, and have not been monitored with telemetry because available transmitters...
Assessment of Paleozoic Shale-Oil and Shale-Gas Resources in the Tarim Basin of China, 2018
Christopher J. Potter, Christopher J. Schenk, Tracey J. Mercier, Marilyn E. Tennyson, Thomas M. Finn, Cheryl A. Woodall, Heidi M. Leathers-Miller, Kristen R. Marra, Phuong A. Le, Ronald M. Drake II, Michael E. Brownfield, Janet K. Pitman
2019, Fact Sheet 2019-3011
Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated undiscovered, technically recoverable mean resources of 1.4 billion barrels of shale oil and 26.9 trillion cubic feet of shale gas in Paleozoic formations in the Tarim Basin of China....
The 3D Elevation Program—Supporting California's Economy
Carol L. Ostergren, Drew Decker, Carswell Jr.
2019, Fact Sheet 2019-3029
IntroductionCalifornia faces unprecedented challenges presented by shifting weather patterns that are defining a “new normal.” The result has been extreme weather events, prolonged drought, flooding, and debris flows. These conditions drive severe tree mortality, increase wildfire occurrence and intensity, reduce water availability, and hasten subsidence in groundwater basins. Collectively, these...
Assessment of Undiscovered Oil and Gas Resources of the Reggane Basin Province, Algeria, 2018
Christopher J. Schenk, Michael E. Brownfield, Tracey J. Mercier, Cheryl A. Woodall, Phuong A. Le, Marilyn E. Tennyson, Thomas M. Finn, Kristen R. Marra, Stephanie B. Gaswirth, Heidi M. Leathers-Miller, Janet K. Pitman, Ronald M. Drake II
2019, Fact Sheet 2019-3016
Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated undiscovered, technically recoverable mean resources of 1.3 billion barrels of oil and 63 trillion cubic feet of gas in the Reggane Basin Province of Algeria....
Encylopedia of Caves
Katherine J. Knierim, Phillip D. Hays
2019, Book chapter, Encyclopedia of Caves
For many people, a visit to a cave is a wondrous event directing our minds to ponder the mysteries presented by these unique places and inspiring questions: How old is the cave? What was the role of water in forming the cave and where did the water come from? How is the...
Revisions to suspended-sediment concentration, percent smaller than 0.063 millimeter, and instantaneous suspended-sediment discharge reported for a cooperative program between the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the lower Mississippi-Atchafalaya River Basin, October 1989 to February 2015
Katherine K. Norton, Lisa D. Olsen, Todd E. Baumann, Lane B. Simmons, Athena P. Clark, Dennis K. Demcheck, Marlon Johnson
2019, Scientific Investigations Report 2018-5147
This report presents revised results for four parameters reported for suspended-sediment samples that were collected in the lower Mississippi-Atchafalaya River Basin as part of a cooperative program between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mississippi Valley Division, New Orleans District and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The cooperative program has...
Assessment of coal mine methane (CMM) and abandoned mine methane (AMM) resource potential of longwall mine panels: example from Northern Appalachian Basin, USA
C. Ozgen Karacan, Peter D. Warwick
2019, International Journal of Coal Geology (208) 37-53
"Coal mine methane (CMM) and abandoned mine methane (AMM), are by-products of underground coal mining. The quantity and the emission rate of CMM and AMM may vary depending on the type of mine, gas content of the mined coal seam, and gas sourced from strata and coal beds in overlying...
Geochemical factors controlling dissolved elemental mercury and methylmercury formation in Alaskan wetlands of varying trophic status
Brett Poulin, Joseph N. Ryan, Michael Tate, David Krabbenhoft, Mark E Hines, Tamar Barkay, Jeffra Schaefer, George R. Aiken
2019, Environmental Science & Technology (53) 6203-6213
Transformations of aqueous inorganic divalent mercury (Hg(II)i) to volatile dissolved gaseous mercury (Hg(0)(aq)) and toxic methylmercury (MeHg) governs mercury bioavailability and fate in northern ecosystems. This study quantified concentrations of aqueous mercury species (Hg(II)i, Hg(0)(aq), MeHg) and relevant geochemical constituents in pore waters of eight Alaskan wetlands that differ in...
Insights from Rock-Eval analysis on the influence of sample weight on hydrocarbon generation from Lower Permian organic-matter rich rocks, West Bokaro basin, India
B Hazra, C. Ozgen Karacan, Mani T Devleena, Pradeep K. Singh, Ashok K. Singh
2019, Marine and Petroleum Geology (106) 160-170
Among the different Rock-Eval parameters, the hydrocarbons released under S2 peak of Rock-Eval is of significance as it indicates the residual hydrocarbon content of the rock. Further, through its relationship with TOC content, it helps in calculating hydrogen indices (HI) which helps in understanding the type of organic-matter present in...
Relationships between regional coastal land cover distributions and elevation reveal data uncertainty in a sea-level rise impacts model
Erika E. Lentz, Nathaniel G. Plant, E. Robert Thieler
2019, Earth Surface Dynamics (7) 429-438
Understanding land loss or resilience in response to sea-level rise (SLR) requires spatially extensive and continuous datasets to capture landscape variability. We investigate sensitivity and skill of a model that predicts dynamic response likelihood to SLR across the northeastern U.S. by exploring several data inputs and outcomes....
A unified catalog of earthquake hypocenters and magnitudes at volcanoes in Alaska—1989 to 2018
John Power, Paul A. Friberg, Matthew M. Haney, Thomas Parker, Scott D. Stihler, James P. Dixon
2019, Scientific Investigations Report 2019-5037
The Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) has maintained an earthquake catalog since 1989 that now contains over 120,000 hypocenters and magnitudes that occurred near Alaskan volcanoes. Since 1989 the seismic instrumentation and data acquisition and processing techniques have undergone numerous changes as computer systems and seismic processing software have advanced and...
Tools to understand seasonality in health: quantification of microbe loads and analyses of compositional ecoimmunological data reveal complex patterns in Mojave Desert Tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) populations
F. C. Sandmeier, K. L. Leonard, C. R. Tracy, K. Kristina Drake, Todd Esque, K. E. Nussear, J Germano
2019, Canadian Journal of Zoology (97) 841-848
Using data from six wild Mojave Desert Tortoise (Gopherus agassizii (Cooper, 1861)) populations, we quantified seasonal differences in immune system measurements and microbial load in the respiratory tract, pertinent to this species’ susceptibility to upper respiratory tract disease. We quantified bacteria-killing activity of blood plasma and differential leukocyte counts to detect...
Sampling the volatile-rich transition zone beneath Bermuda
Sarah E. Mazza, Esteban Gazel, Michael Bizmis, Robert Moucha, Paul Beguelin, Elizabeth A. Johnson, Ryan J. McAleer, Alexander Sobolev
2019, Nature (569) 398-403
Intraplate magmatic provinces found away from active plate boundaries, provide direct sampling of the Earth’s mantle composition and heterogeneity. Observed chemical heterogeneities in the mantle are commonly attributed to recycling during subduction1-3, which allows for the addition of volatiles and incompatible elements into the mantle. Although many intraplate volcanoes sample...
Geology and assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources of the Northwest Canada Interior Basins Province, Arctic Canada
Marilyn E. Tennyson, Janet K. Pitman
Thomas E. Moore, Donald L. Gautier, editor(s)
2019, Professional Paper 1824-G
The Northwest Canada Interior Basins Province is bounded by the Mackenzie and Richardson Mountains on the southwest and west, by the Eskimo Lakes Arch on the northwest, and by the erosional limit of Paleozoic strata on the east. It lies within the far northwest part of the Paleozoic continent of...
Seed-vectored microbes: Their roles in improving seedling fitness and competitor plant suppression
James F. White, Kathryn L. Kingsley, Susan Butterworth, Lara Brindisi, Judy W Gatei, Matthew T. Elmore, Satish Kumar Verma, Xiang Yao, Kurt P. Kowalski
2019, Book chapter, Seed endophytes: Biology and biotechnology.
This chapter discusses the role of seed-vectored microbes in modulating seedling development and increasing fitness of plants in terms of increased biotic and abiotic stress tolerance....
Mechanisms underlying increased nest predation in natural gas fields: a test of the mesopredator release hypothesis
Lindsey E. Sanders, Anna D. Chalfoun
2019, Ecosphere (10)
Anthropogenic activities are changing landscapes and the context in which predator–prey dynamics evolved, thereby altering key ecological processes and community structure. Yet, the specific mechanisms underlying such changes are rarely understood. We tested whether a mesopredator release explained increased rodent density and concomitant predation of songbird...
Investigating (a)symmetry in a small mammal’s response to warmingand cooling events across western North America over the late Quaternary
Meghan A. Balk, Julio L. Betancourt, Felisa A. Smith
2019, Quaternary Research (92) 408-415
Many mammalian populations conform spatially and temporally to Bergmann’s rule. This ecogeographic pattern is driven by selection for larger body masses by cooler temperatures and smaller ones by warming temperatures. However, it is unclear whether the response to warming or cooling temperatures is (a)symmetrical. Studies of the evolutionary record suggest...
Data management plan for the U.S. Geological Survey Washington Water Science Center
Kathleen E. Conn, Mark C. Mastin, Andrew J. Long, Richard S. Dinicola, Cynthia Barton
2019, Open-File Report 2019-1049
The primary mission of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Water Mission Area is to collect and disseminate reliable, impartial, and timely information needed to understand the water resources of the Nation, including data on streamflow, groundwater, water quality, water use, and availability. Management of data throughout the entire data lifecycle...
Assessing morphologic controls on atoll island alongshore sediment transport gradients due to future sea-level rise
James B. Shope, Curt D. Storlazzi
2019, Frontiers in Marine Science
Atoll islands’ alongshore sediment transport gradients depend on how island and reef morphology affect incident wave energy. It is unclear, though, how potential atoll morphologic configurations influence shoreline erosion and/or accretion patterns, and how these relationships will respond to future sea-level rise (SLR). Schematic atoll models with varying...
It is raining plastic
Gregory A. Wetherbee, Austin K. Baldwin, James F. Ranville
2019, Open-File Report 2019-1048
Atmospheric deposition samples were collected using the National Atmospheric Deposition Program / National Trends Network (NADP/NTN) at 6 sites in the Denver-Boulder urban corridor and 2 adjacent sites in the Colorado Front Range. Weekly wet-only atmospheric deposition samples collected at these sites during winter-summer of 2017 were filtered (0.45...
