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At least 595 records · Page 33Linked to original sources
USGS2021

Influence of invasive submerged aquatic vegetation (E. densa) on currents and sediment transport in a freshwater tidal system

We present a field study combining measurements of vegetation density, vegetative drag, and reduction of suspended-sediment concentration (SSC) within patches of the invasive submerged aquatic plant Egeria densa . Our study was motivated by concern that sediment trapping by E. densa , which has proliferated in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta, is impacting marsh accretion and reducing turbidity. In the freshwater tidal Delta, E. densa occupies shallow regions, frequently along channel margins. We investigated two sites: Lindsey Slough, a muddy low-energy backwater, and the lower Mokelumne River, with stronger currents and sandy bed sediments. At the two sites biomass density, frontal area, and areal density of the submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) were similar. Current attenuation within E. densa exceeded 90% and the vegetative drag coefficient followed , where is stem Reynolds number. The SAV reduced SSC by an average of 18% in Lindsey Slough. At Mokelumne River the reduction ranged 0–40%, with greatest trapping when discharge and SSC were elevated. This depletion of SSC decreases the transport of sediment to marshes by the same percentage, as the rising tide must pass through fringing SAV before reaching marshes. Sediment trapping in E. densa in the Delta is limited by low flux through the canopy and low settling velocity of suspended sediment (mostly flocculated mud). Sediment trapping by SAV has the potential to reduce channel SSC, but the magnitude and sign of the effect can vary with local factors including vegetative coverage and the depositional or erosional nature of the setting.

California↗
USGS2025

High resolution mapping of submerged sediment size and suitable salmon spawning habitat using topo-bathymetric Lidar in the Santiam Basin, Oregon

The distribution of river-bed grain sizes plays a foundational role in river morphology and ecology. River-bed grain size is a key driver of channel form and process, and has first order effects on aquatic macroinvertebrate assemblages, fish nesting, and biogeochemical processes. Despite this importance, tools to spatially quantify grain-size distributions, particularly submerged grain-size distributions, are lacking. Efforts to address this knowledge gap include developing optical and sonographic tools, however, these approaches have limitations, especially in shallow rivers and over large spatial extents. This study quantifies submerged grain size at high resolution (1 m 2 ) across 260 km of geomorphically diverse river corridors in the Santiam River Basin, Oregon, by pairing bathymetric Lidar point clouds with georeferenced pebble counts. Results suggest that derivatives of Lidar point clouds are able to accurately estimate measured median grain size across seven of the eight river reaches investigated, including reaches above and below high-head dams. Spatial analysis of predicted grain-sizes in the context of Chinook salmon spawning habitat suggests that suitable size sediment patches in the upper, unregulated reaches the study basin is typically small and unorganized. In contrast, the larger rivers downstream of high-head dams typically have larger areas of suitable spawning gravels. This method may be useful for quantification of fish and macroinvertebrates habitats, surface grain-size metrics for sediment transport models, and monitoring of natural and anthropogenic changes in river systems.

Oregon↗
USGS2014

Thresholds for protecting Pacific Northwest ecosystems from atmospheric deposition of nitrogen: state of knowledge report

The National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service manage areas in the states of Idaho, Oregon, and Washington – collectively referred to in this report as the Pacific Northwest - that contain significant natural resources and provide many recreational opportunities. The agencies are mandated to protect the air quality and air pollution-sensitive resources on these federal lands. Human activity has greatly increased the amount of nitrogen emitted to the atmosphere, resulting in elevated amounts of nitrogen being deposited in park and forest ecosystems. There is limited information in the Pacific Northwest about the levels of nitrogen that negatively affect natural systems, i.e., the critical loads. The National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service, with scientific input from the U.S. Geological Survey, have developed an approach for accumulating additional nitrogen critical loads information in the Pacific Northwest and using the data in planning and regulatory arenas. As a first step in that process, this report summarizes the current state of knowledge about nitrogen deposition, effects, and critical loads in the region. It also describes ongoing research efforts and identifies and prioritizes additional data needs.

Idaho;Oregon;Washington↗
USGS2013

Interactions between chemical and climate stressors: A role for mechanistic toxicology in assessing climate change risks

Incorporation of global climate change (GCC) effects into assessments of chemical risk and injury requires integrated examinations of chemical and nonchemical stressors. Environmental variables altered by GCC (temperature, precipitation, salinity, pH) can influence the toxicokinetics of chemical absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion as well as toxicodynamic interactions between chemicals and target molecules. In addition, GCC challenges processes critical for coping with the external environment (water balance, thermoregulation, nutrition, and the immune, endocrine, and neurological systems), leaving organisms sensitive to even slight perturbations by chemicals when pushed to the limits of their physiological tolerance range. In simplest terms, GCC can make organisms more sensitive to chemical stressors, while alternatively, exposure to chemicals can make organisms more sensitive to GCC stressors. One challenge is to identify potential interactions between nonchemical and chemical stressors affecting key physiological processes in an organism. We employed adverse outcome pathways, constructs depicting linkages between mechanism-based molecular initiating events and impacts on individuals or populations, to assess how chemical- and climate-specific variables interact to lead to adverse outcomes. Case examples are presented for prospective scenarios, hypothesizing potential chemical–GCC interactions, and retrospective scenarios, proposing mechanisms for demonstrated chemical–climate interactions in natural populations. Understanding GCC interactions along adverse outcome pathways facilitates extrapolation between species or other levels of organization, development of hypotheses and focal areas for further research, and improved inputs for risk and resource injury assessments.

Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry↗
USGS2019

Applying the ecology of aquatic–terrestrial linkages to freshwater and riparian management

Global stressors such as climate change, invasive species, urbanization, agricultural practices, and pollution can alter aquatic resource subsidies to terrestrial consumers. The effects of these stressors on timing, quality, and quantity of aquatic subsidies, such as adult aquatic insects, to birds, herpetofauna, and mammals, have large implications for wildlife management (Baxter et al. 2004 , Saunders and Fausch 2007 , Walters et al. 2008 , Sullivan and Rodewald 2012 , Morrissey et al. 2015 , Kraus et al. 2016 , Larsen et al. 2016 , Sullivan et al. 2019 ). For example, insect-mediated contaminant transport from polluted rivers expose song bird nestlings and other protected birds to potentially toxic levels of persistent organic contaminants and pharmaceuticals (Walters et al. 2010 , Richmond et al. 2018 ). Recent declines in aquatic insect production caused by pollution and changes in land use have been tied to global declines in terrestrial insectivores such as birds and bats (Hallmann et al. 2014 , Morrissey et al. 2015 , Raby et al. 2018 ). These natural-resource impacts from aquatic–terrestrial exposure and loss of resource subsidies are leading to changes in monitoring protocols and how management agencies evaluate the effectiveness of corrective remedies (Muehlbauer et al. 2019 ). For researchers interested in the application of resource subsidy research, a logical next step is to help practitioners anticipate effects of global stressors on aquatic-terrestrial linkages and incorporate these principles into decision making.

Freshwater Science↗
USGS2010

U.S. Geological Survey activities related to American Indians and Alaska Natives: Fiscal years 2007 and 2008

In the late 1800s, John Wesley Powell, the second director of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), followed his interest in the tribes of the Great Basin and Colorado Plateau and studied their cultures, languages, and surroundings. From that early time, the USGS has recognized the importance of Native knowledge and living in harmony with nature as complements to the USGS mission to better understand the Earth. Combining traditional ecological knowledge with empirical studies allows the USGS and Native American governments, organizations, and people to increase their mutual understanding and respect for this land. The USGS is the earth and natural science bureau within the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) and is not responsible for regulations or land management. Climate change is a major current issue affecting Native lives and traditions throughout the United States. Climate projections for the coming century indicate an increasing probability for more frequent and more severe droughts in the Southwest, including the Navajo Nation. Erosion has claimed Native homes in Alaska. Fish have become inedible due to diseases that turn their flesh mushy. Native people who rely on or who are culturally sustained by hunting, fishing, and using local plants are living with climate change now. The traditional knowledge of Native peoples enriches and confirms the work of USGS scientists. The results are truly synergistic-greater than the sum of their parts. Traditional ecological knowledge is respected and increasingly used in USGS studies-when the holders of that knowledge choose to share it. The USGS respects the rights of Native people to maintain their patrimony of traditional ecological knowledge. The USGS studies can help Tribes, Native organizations, and natural resource professionals manage Native lands and resources with the best available unbiased data and information that can be added to their traditional knowledge. Wise Native leaders have noted that traditional ecological knowledge includes the connections between Earth and her denizens. From this perspective, it is the connections among these ?relatives? that needs to be nurtured. This perspective on nature is finding new adherents among Natives and non-Natives as understanding of climate change and other environmental conditions deepens. Although this report uses the term ?resources,? the USGS, through its interdisciplinary research, acknowledges the interconnectedness of the Earth and the things that live upon it.

Circular↗
USGS2001

A data management life-cycle

Documented, reliable, and accessible data and information are essential building blocks supporting scientific research and applications that enhance society's knowledge base (fig. 1). The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), a leading provider of science data, information, and knowledge, is uniquely positioned to integrate science and natural resource information to address societal needs. The USGS Central Energy Resources Team (USGS-CERT) provides critical information and knowledge on the quantity, quality, and distribution of the Nation's and the world's oil, gas, and coal resources. By using a life-cycle model, the USGS-CERT Data Management Project is developing an integrated data management system to (1) promote access to energy data and information, (2) increase data documentation, and (3) streamline product delivery to the public, scientists, and decision makers. The project incorporates web-based technology, data cataloging systems, data processing routines, and metadata documentation tools to improve data access, enhance data consistency, and increase office efficiency

Fact Sheet↗
USGS2005

Development of ecological indicator guilds for land management

Agency land-use must be efficiently and cost-effectively monitored to assess conditions and trends in ecosystem processes and natural resources relevant to mission requirements and legal mandates. Ecological Indicators represent important land management tools for tracking ecological changes and preventing irreversible environmental damage in disturbed landscapes. The overall objective of the research was to develop both individual and integrated sets (i.e., statistically derived guilds) of Ecological Indicators to: quantify habitat conditions and trends, track and monitor ecological changes, provide early warning or threshold detection, and provide guidance for land managers. The derivation of Ecological Indicators was based on statistical criteria, ecosystem relevance, reliability and robustness, economy and ease of use for land managers, multi-scale performance, and stress response criteria. The basis for the development of statistically based Ecological Indicators was the identification of ecosystem metrics that analytically tracked a landscape disturbance gradient.

Report↗
USGS2014

SAFRR tsunami scenario: Impacts on California ecosystems, species, marine natural resources, and fisheries

We evaluate the effects of the SAFRR Tsunami Scenario on California’s ecosystems, species, natural resources, and fisheries. We discuss mitigation and preparedness approaches that can be useful in Tsunami planning. The chapter provides an introduction to the role of ecosystems and natural resources in tsunami events (Section 1). A separate section focuses on specific impacts of the SAFRR Tsunami Scenario on California’s ecosystems and endangered species (Section 2). A section on commercial fisheries and the fishing fleet (Section 3) documents the plausible effects on California’s commercial fishery resources, fishing fleets, and communities. Sections 2 and 3 each include practical preparedness options for communities and suggestions on information needs or research. Our evaluation indicates that many low-lying coastal habitats, including beaches, marshes and sloughs, rivers and waterways connected to the sea, as well as nearshore submarine habitats will be damaged by the SAFRR Tsunami Scenario. Beach erosion and complex or high volumes of tsunami-generated debris would pose major challenges for ecological communities. Several endangered species and protected areas are at risk. Commercial fisheries and fishing fleets will be affected directly by the tsunami and indirectly by dependencies on infrastructure that is damaged. There is evidence that in some areas intact ecosystems, notably sand dunes, will act as natural defenses against the tsunami waves. However, ecosystems do not provide blanket protection against tsunami surge. The consequences of ecological and natural resource damage are estimated in the millions of dollars. These costs are driven partly by the loss of ecosystem services, as well as cumulative and follow-on impacts where, for example, increased erosion during the tsunami can in turn lead to subsequent damage and loss to coastal properties. Recovery of ecosystems, natural resources and fisheries is likely to be lengthy and expensive. Preparedness is key to enhancing resilience to ecological impacts.

California↗
USGS2003

Data report: geology of reef-front carbonate sediment deposits around Oahu, Hawaii

This Open-File Report presents data and derivative products from an investigation of carbonate sediment deposits on the reef front in four areas around the island of Oahu, Hawaii - in Kailua Bay off Oahu's windward (east) side, off the leeward (west) coast from Makua to Kahe Point, off the north coast from Waimea to Camp Erdman, and off the south coast around Waikiki (Figure 1). The primary purpose of the investigation was to assess the resource potential of the deposits, particularly as a source of sand for beach nourishment. This work builds on previous studies by researchers from the University of Hawaii (Moberly et al., 1975; Coulbourn et al., 1988; Barry, 1995). The field program included collection of high-resolution acoustic-reflection profiles and vibracore sediment samples in Kailua Bay and off the leeward and north coasts. In a related project, in collaboration with the Hawaii State Department of Land and Natural Resources and the University of Hawaii, sidescan images and vibracores were collected in the Halekulani channel and on the adjacent Makua Terrace off Waikiki along the south coast.

Hawai'i↗
USGS2014

U.S. Geological Survey carbon sequestration: Geologic research and assessments

In 2007, the U.S. Energy Independence and Security Act authorized the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to conduct a national assessment of geologic storage resources for anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and to evaluate the national technically recoverable hydrocarbon resources resulting from CO 2 injection and storage through CO 2 -enhanced oil recovery (CO 2 -EOR). In addition, the USGS is addressing several other areas of carbon sequestration research that include study of natural CO 2 and helium reservoirs as analogues for anthropogenic CO 2 storage, the economics of CO 2 storage and CO 2 -enhanced oil recovery, and induced seismicity associated with CO 2 geologic storage.

Energy Procedia↗
USGS2004

Strategic plan for the U.S. Geological Survey status and trends of Biological Resources Program: 2004-2009

The mission of the USGS Status and Trends of Biological Resources Program is to measure, predict, assess, and report the status and trends of the Nation's biological resources to facilitate research, enable resource management and stewardship, and promote public understanding and appreciation of our living resources. Determining the status (abundance, distribution, productivity, and health) and trends (how these variables change over time) of our living natural resources is critical for their Trumpeter swan with numbered wing tags. This tech- protection or restoration. The Progg ran nique allows birds to he monitored remotely without the provides the USGS, other agencies of need for recapture to identify individuals. Photo by the Department of the Interior (DOI), Wayne Miller. other federal and state agencies, and the public with science-based monitoring data and information for local, regional, and national assessment of biological resources and the ecosystems that support them.

Circular↗
USGS2020

Catalogue of polar bear (Ursus maritimus) maternal den locations in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas and nearby areas, 1910–2018

This report presents data on the approximate locations and methods of discovery of 530 polar bear ( Ursus maritimus ) maternal dens observed in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas and neighboring areas from 1910 to 2018, and archived partly by the U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, and partly by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Marine Mammals Management, in Anchorage, Alaska. A description of data collection methods and their associated biases, primary data collection time periods, and estimated position uncertainty are provided. Polar bears in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas den on sea ice and land. Standardized very high frequency (VHF) aircraft surveys and satellite radio telemetry data provide a general understanding of where polar bears have denned in this region over the past 3 decades. Den observations made during other research activities and anecdotal reports from other government agencies, coastal residents, and industry personnel also are reported. These data on past polar bear maternal den locations are provided to inform decision making by natural resource agencies and for public use.

Alaska↗
USGS2004

Suwannee river basin and estuary integrated science workshop: September 22-24, 2004 Cedar Key, Florida

In response to the growing number of environmental concerns in the mostly pristine Suwannee River Basin and the Suwannee River Estuary system, the States of Florida and Georgia, the Federal government, and other local organizations have identified the Suwannee River as an ecosystem in need of protection because of its unique biota and important water resources. Organizations with vested interests in the region formed a coalition, the Suwannee Basin Interagency Alliance (SBIA), whose goals are to promote coordination in the identification, management, and scientific knowledge of the natural resources in the basin and estuary. To date, an integrated assessment of the physical, biological, and water resources has not been completed. A holistic, multi-disciplinary approach is being pursued to address the research needs in the basin and estuary and to provide supportive data for meeting management objectives of the entire ecosystem. The USGS is well situated to focus on the larger concerns of the basin and estuary by addressing specific research questions linking water supply and quality to ecosystem function and health across county and state boundaries. A strategic plan is being prepared in cooperation with Federal, State, and local agencies to identify and implement studies to address the most compelling research issues and management questions, and to conduct fundamental environmental monitoring studies. The USGS, Suwannee River Water Management District and the Florida Marine Research Institute are co-sponsoring this scientific workshop on the Suwannee River Basin and Estuary to: Discuss current and past research findings, Identify information gaps and research priorities, and Develop an action plan for coordinated and relevant research activities in the future. This workshop builds on the highly successful basin-wide conference sponsored by the Suwannee Basin Interagency Alliance that was held three years ago in Live Oak, Florida. This years workshop will focus on identifying information needs and priorities and developing partnerships. The USGS is seeking to define the role of the USGS Florida Integrated Science Center (FISC) in conducting integrated research in the Suwannee River Basin, and to establish a cooperative program with other agencies. Participants interested in river, floodplain, springs, estuary, or basin-wide issues are encouraged to attend. Topics for this years workshop include: Water quality and geochemistry: nutrient enrichment, reduction of nutrient loading to ground water, contaminants, and land use, Hydrogeology: interactions among ground water, surface water and ecosystem, modeling, and baseline mapping, Ecosystem dynamics: structure, process, species, and habitats (estuarine, riverine, floodplain, and wetland), and Information management: data sharing, database development, geographic information system (GIS), and basin-wide models.

Open-File Report↗
USGS2020

Managing state lands for wildlife

State-owned lands are a vital component of state fish and wildlife management programs because they contain valuable habitats for a diversity of wild species and often provide important public access. The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA 2017) reported state agencies manage or administer approximately 188 million hectares of land, including 10 million hectares under fee title ownership with the remainder of those lands leased or licensed in conservation agreements, grazing allotments, or rights-of-ways. State agencies commonly strive to enhance wildlife habitats within their purview, but have also improved areas not directly owned by them. In total, an estimated 22,953,364 additional hectares have been improved by state fish and wildlife agencies through private landowner agreements (AFWA 2017). States also own 192,000 individual water rights and have developed at least 53,000 formal partnership agreements to conserve wildlife. Today, there are a plethora of state land categories including wildlife refuges, wildlife management areas, state forests, parks and trails, state trust lands, research and natural areas, and public fishing areas. Acquisition and/or leasing of properties to provide access for fishing and hunting are often vitally important in meeting local constituents’ desires for consumptive uses of their natural resources. However, state agencies also provide areas for forest conservation, boating, camping, hiking, rock hounding, skiing, wildlife viewing, and other nonconsumptive recreational pursuits. Lastly, states often acquire properties primarily for wildlife habitat management/conservation or to preserve areas of cultural and historic value to their citizens.

Book chapter↗
USGS2020

Variables affecting resource subsidies from streams and rivers to land and their susceptibility to global change stressors

Stream and river ecosystems provide subsidies of emergent adult aquatic insects and other resources to terrestrial food webs, and this lotic–land subsidy has garnered much attention in recent research. Here, we critically examine a list of biotic and abiotic variables—including productivity, dominant taxa, geomorphology, and weather—that should be important in affecting the nature of these subsidy dynamics between lotic and terrestrial ecosystems, especially the pathway from emergent aquatic insects to terrestrial predators. We also explore how interactions between these variables can lead to otherwise unexpected patterns in the importance of aquatic subsidies to terrestrial food webs. Utilizing a match-mismatch framework developed previously, we identify how these variables and interactions may be affected by a broad suite of stressors in addition to contaminants: climate change, land-use conversion, damming and water abstraction, and species invasions and extinctions. These stressors may all act to modify and potentially exacerbate the effects of contaminants on subsidies. The available literature on many variables is sparse, despite strong theoretical underpinnings supporting their importance for lotic–land subsidies. Notably, these understudied variables include those related to physical geomorphology and the structure of the stream/river and floodplain/riparian zone as well as species-specific interactions between aquatic and terrestrial organisms. We suggest that more explicit characterization of these variables and more research directly linking broad-scale stressors to subsidy resource–consumer interactions can help provide a more mechanistic understanding to lotic–land subsidy dynamics within a changing environment.

Book chapter↗
USGS1989

Risk perceptions and behavioral context: U.S. Forest Service fire management professionals

Fire managers from the U.S. Forest Service were surveyed to determine which decision factors most strongly influenced their fire‐risk decisions. Safety, the resources at risk, public opinion, and the reliability of information were important influences on these decisions. This research allowed direct comparison between fire managers’ perceptions of factor importance and how their fire‐risk decisions changed in response to those factors. These risk decisions were highly responsive to changes in context (an escaped wildfire decision versus a prescribed burning decision) as well as to changing factors. The results demonstrate the utility of using scenarios in risk research and the vital importance of context in studying risk‐taking behavior. Research which attempts to remove risk decisions from their real‐world context may well distort the nature of risk‐taking behavior.

Society & Natural Resources: An International Jour↗
USGS2010

Hydromythology and ethnohydrology in the New World

From mythology, archeology, and chronicles of early explorers we can learn how early Americans viewed the cause and effect relations of hydrologic phenomena. Hopes and fears are the basis of religion, and it was through religion that water management was first practiced. Early people used their water resources to develop diverse civilizations in various parts of the western hemisphere. Not only was the rise of these earlier civilizations hydrologically influenced, but also the downfall of some was related to natural or man-made hydrological crises in which gods and mythology continued to play a role.

Water Resources Research↗