Sensitivity of the carbon cycle in the Arctic to climate change
A. David McGuire, Leif G. Anderson, Torben R. Christensen, Scott Dallimore, Laodong Guo, Daniel J. Hayes, Martin Heimann, T.D. Lorenson, Robie W. Macdonald, Nigel Roulet
2009, Ecological Monographs (79) 523-555
The recent warming in the Arctic is affecting a broad spectrum of physical, ecological, and human/cultural systems that may be irreversible on century time scales and have the potential to cause rapid changes in the earth system. The response of the carbon cycle of the Arctic to changes in climate...
Declining global per capita agricultural production and warming oceans threaten food security
Christopher C. Funk, Molly E. Brown
2009, Food Security (1) 271-289
Despite accelerating globalization, most people still eat food that is grown locally. Developing countries with weak purchasing power tend to import as little food as possible from global markets, suffering consumption deficits during times of high prices or production declines. Local agricultural production, therefore, is critical to both food security...
A simple technique for continuous measurement of time-variable gas transfer in surface waters
Craig R. Tobias, John Karl Bohlke, Judson W. Harvey, Eurybiades Busenberg
2009, Limnology and Oceanography: Methods (7) 185-195
Mass balance models of dissolved gases in streams, lakes, and rivers serve as the basis for estimating wholeecosystem rates for various biogeochemical processes. Rates of gas exchange between water and the atmosphere are important and error-prone components of these models. Here we present a simple and efficient modification of the...
Geochemical Evolution of Great Salt Lake, Utah, USA
Blair F. Jones, David L. Naftz, Ronald J. Spencer, Charles G. Oviatt
2009, Aquatic Geochemistry (15) 95-121
"The Great Salt Lake (GSL) of Utah, USA, is the largest saline lake in North America, and its brines are some of the most concentrated anywhere in the world. The lake occupies a closed basin system whose chemistry reflects solute inputs from the weathering of a diverse suite of rocks in its drainage...
Effects of Groundwater Development on Uranium: Central Valley, California, USA
Bryant C. Jurgens, Miranda S. Fram, Kenneth Belitz, Karen R. Burow, Matthew K. Landon
2009, Ground Water (48) 913-928
Uranium (U) concentrations in groundwater in several parts of the eastern San Joaquin Valley, California, have exceeded federal and state drinking water standards during the last 20 years. The San Joaquin Valley is located within the Central Valley of California and is one of the most productive agricultural areas in...
Quantifying terrestrial ecosystem carbon dynamics in the Jinsha watershed, Upper Yangtze, China from 1975 to 2000
Shuqing Zhao, Shuguang Liu, Runsheng Yin, Zhengpeng Li, Yulin Deng, Kun Tan, Xiangzheng Deng, David Rothstein, Jiaguo Qi
Runsheng Yin, editor(s)
2009, Book chapter, An integrated assessment of China’s ecological restoration programs
Quantifying the spatial and temporal dynamics of carbon stocks in terrestrial ecosystems and carbon fluxes between the terrestrial biosphere and the atmosphere is critical to our understanding of regional patterns of carbon storage and loss. Here we use the General Ensemble Biogeochemical Modeling System to simulate the terrestrial ecosystem carbon...
Multi-scale measurements and modeling of denitrification in streams with varying flow and nitrate concentration in the upper Mississippi River basin, USA
J.K. Bohlke, Ronald C. Antweiler, Judson W. Harvey, Andrew E. Laursen, Lesley K. Smith, Richard L. Smith, Mary A. Voytek
2009, Biogeochemistry (93) 117-141
Denitrification is an important net sink for NO3− in streams, but direct measurements are limited and in situ controlling factors are not well known. We measured denitrification at multiple scales over a range of flow conditions and NO3− concentrations in streams draining agricultural land in the upper Mississippi River basin....
2008 Spawning Cisco Investigations in the Canadian Waters of Lake Superior
Daniel Yule, Peter A. Addison, Lori M. Evrard, Ken I. Cullis, Gary A. Cholwek
2009, Report
The Great Lakes Science Center of the United States Geological Survey (USGS) is working cooperatively with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR) on a threeyear study to develop standard procedures for acoustic and midwater trawl (AC-MT) assessments of spawning cisco Coregonus artedi that the OMNR can carry forward as...
Effects of commercial harvest on shovelnose sturgeon populations in the Upper Mississippi River
Jeff D. Koch, Michael C. Quist, Clay L. Pierce, Kirk A. Hansen, Michael J. Steuck
2009, North American Journal of Fisheries Management (29) 84-100
Shovelnose sturgeon Scaphirhynchus platorynchus have become an increasingly important commercial species in the upper Mississippi River (UMR) because of the collapse of foreign sturgeon (family Acipenseridae) populations and bans on imported caviar. In response to concerns about the sustainability of the commercial shovelnose sturgeon fishery in the UMR, we undertook...
Geomorphology and river dynamics of the lower Copper River, Alaska
Timothy P. Brabets, Jeffrey S. Conaway
2009, Scientific Investigations Report 2009-5257
Located in south-central Alaska, the Copper River drains an area of more than 24,000 square miles. The average annual flow of the river near its mouth is 63,600 cubic feet per second, but is highly variable between winter and summer. In the winter, flow averages approximately 11,700 cubic feet per...
Predicting organic floc transport dynamics in shallow aquatic ecosystems: Insights from the field, the laboratory, and numerical modeling
Judson W. Harvey, Gregory B. Noe, Laurel G. Larsen, John P. Crimaldi
2009, Water Resources Research (45)
Transport of particulate organic material can impact watershed sediment and nutrient budgets and can alter the geomorphologic evolution of shallow aquatic environments. Prediction of organic aggregate (“floc”) transport in these environments requires knowledge of how hydraulics and biota affect the entrainment, settling, and aggregation of particles. This study evaluated the...
Importance of light, temperature, zooplankton, and fish in predicting the nighttime vertical distribution of Mysis diluviana
Brent Boscarino, Lars G. Rudstam, S.A. Ellenberger, Robert O’Gorman
2009, Aquatic Biology (5) 263-279
The opossum shrimp Mysis diluviana (formerly M. relicta) performs large amplitude diel vertical migrations in Lake Ontario and its nighttime distribution is influenced by temperature, light and the distribution of its predators and prey. At one location in southeastern Lake Ontario, we measured the vertical distribution of mysids, mysid predators (i.e. planktivorous fishes)...
Predicting the natural flow regime: Models for assessing hydrological alteration in streams
D.M. Carlisle, J. Falcone, D.M. Wolock, M. R. Meador, R.H. Norris
2009, River Research and Applications (26) 118-136
Understanding the extent to which natural streamflow characteristics have been altered is an important consideration for ecological assessments of streams. Assessing hydrologic condition requires that we quantify the attributes of the flow regime that would be expected in the absence of anthropogenic modifications. The objective of this study was to...
Lysimetric Evaluation of Simplified Surface Energy Balance Approach in the Texas High Plains
Gabriel B. Senay, P.H. Gowda, T.A. Howell, T.H. Marek
2009, Applied Engineering in Agriculture (25) 665-669
Numerous energy balance (EB) algorithms have been developed to make use of remote sensing data to estimate evapotranspiration (ET) regionally. However, most EB models are complex to use and efforts are being made to simplify procedures mainly through the scaling of reference ET. The Simplified Surface Energy Balance (SSEB) is...
Deglaciation in the southeastern Laurentide Sector and the Hudson Valley – 15,000 Years of vegetational and climate history
Dorothy M. Peteet, John Rayburn, Kirsten M. Menking, Guy Robinson, Byron D. Stone
2009, Conference Paper, Field trip guidebook: New York State Geological Association 81st annual meeting, September 25-27, 2009
In this field trip, we provide a review of the significant controversy concerning the timing of deglaciation in the Hudson and Wallkill Valleys. We outline the differences in methodology and chronology with a circular route throughout the Hudson and Wallkill valleys. We begin the trip at Lake Mohonk near New...
Discussion on remote sensing for aquatic monitoring
Ralph A. Haugerud
2009, Report, PNAMP special publication: Remote sensing applications for aquatic resource monitoring
The special session on Remote Sensing for Aquatic Resource Monitoring concluded with an expert panel discussion. Panel members were Jennifer Bountry (hydraulic engineer, Bureau of Reclamation), Mimi D’Iorio (GIS analyst and database manager, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), Russ Faux (president, Watershed Sciences, Inc.), Steve Lanigan (team leader, Aquatic and...
Population dynamics of long-tailed ducks breeding on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska
Jason L. Schamber, Paul L. Flint, J. Barry Grand, Heather M. Wilson, Julie A. Morse
2009, Arctic (62) 190-200
Population estimates for long-tailed ducks in North America have declined by nearly 50% over the past 30 years. Life history and population dynamics of this species are difficult to ascertain, because the birds nest at low densities across a broad range of habitat types. Between 1991 and 2004, we collected...
Comparing a quasi-3D to a full 3D nearshore circulation model: SHORECIRC and ROMS
Kevin A. Haas, John C. Warner
2009, Ocean Modelling (26) 91-103
Predictions of nearshore and surf zone processes are important for determining coastal circulation, impacts of storms, navigation, and recreational safety. Numerical modeling of these systems facilitates advancements in our understanding of coastal changes and can provide predictive capabilities for resource managers. There exists many nearshore coastal circulation models, however they...
Constraints on the stress state of the San Andreas fault with analysis based on core and cuttings from SAFOD drilling phases 1 and 2
Cheryl Tembe, David A. Lockner, Teng-fong Wong
2009, Journal of Geophysical Research - Solid Earth (114)
Analysis of field data has led different investigators to conclude that the San Andreas Fault (SAF) has either anomalously low frictional sliding strength (μ < 0.2) or strength consistent with standard laboratory tests (μ > 0.6). Arguments for the apparent weakness of the SAF generally hinge on conceptual models involving intrinsically weak...
Advanced Tools for River Science: EAARL and MD_SWMS: Chapter 3
Paul J. Kinzel
2009, Report, PNAMP Special Publication: Remote Sensing Applications for Aquatic Resource Monitoring
Disruption of flow regimes and sediment supplies, induced by anthropogenic or climatic factors, can produce dramatic alterations in river form, vegetation patterns, and associated habitat conditions. To improve habitat in these fluvial systems, resource managers may choose from a variety of treatments including flow and/or sediment prescriptions, vegetation management, or...
Nitrogen attenuation of terrestrial carbon cycle response to global environmental factors
A.A. Jain, Xiaojuan Yang, H. Kheshgi, A. David McGuire, W. Post, David W. Kicklighter
2009, Global Biogeochemical Cycles (23)
Nitrogen cycle dynamics have the capacity to attenuate the magnitude of global terrestrial carbon sinks and sources driven by CO2 fertilization and changes in climate. In this study, two versions of the terrestrial carbon and nitrogen cycle components of the Integrated Science Assessment Model (ISAM) are used to evaluate how...
Linking hydraulic properties of fire-affected soils to infiltration and water repellency
John A. Moody, David Kinner, Xavier Ubeda
2009, Journal of Hydrology (379) 291-303
Heat from wildfires can produce a two-layer system composed of extremely dry soil covered by a layer of ash, which when subjected to rainfall, may produce extreme floods. To understand the soil physics controlling runoff for these initial conditions, we used a small, portable disk infiltrometer to measure two hydraulic...
Land Cover Change in the Boston Mountains, 1973-2000
Krista A. Karstensen
2009, Open-File Report 2009-1281
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Land Cover Trends project is focused on understanding the rates, trends, causes, and consequences of contemporary U.S. land-cover change. The objectives of the study are to: (1) to develop a comprehensive methodology for using sampling and change analysis techniques and Landsat Multispectral Scanner (MSS), Thematic...
Land-cover change in the Lower Mississippi Valley, 1973-2000
Krista A. Karstensen, Kristi L. Sayler
2009, Open-File Report 2009-1280
The Land Cover Trends is a research project focused on understanding the rates, trends, causes, and consequences of contemporary United States land-use and land-cover change. The project is coordinated by the Geographic Analysis and Monitoring Program of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in conjunction with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency...
Reconnaissance Assessment of the Potential for Roadside Dry Wells to Affect Water Quality on the Island of Hawai'i
Scot K. Izuka, Craig A. Senter, Adam G. Johnson
2009, Scientific Investigations Report 2009-5249
The County of Hawai'i Department of Public Works (DPW) uses dry wells to dispose of stormwater runoff from roads. Recently, concern has been raised that water entering the dry wells may transport contaminants to groundwater and affect the quality of receiving waters. The DPW operates 2,052 dry wells. Compiling an...
