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At least 775 records · Page 43Linked to original sources
USGS2020

Growth rates for immature Kemp’s ridley sea turtles from a foraging area in the northern Gulf of Mexico

Examining vital rates helps clarify how environmental characteristics, biological resources and human activities affect population growth. Carapace lengths were gathered for 241 Kemp’s ridley Lepidochelys kempii sea turtles that were marked and recaptured (n = 23) between 2011 and 2019 at a foraging location in northwest Florida, USA. There was a strong correlation between length, width and weight of captured turtles. Mean ± SD size of all captured turtles was 36.6 ± 7.6 cm. Mean recapture interval was 499 ± 475.4 d. Straight-line carapace lengths at initial capture ranged from 20.6 to 53.3 cm. Growth rates from 0.21 to 12.44 cm yr -1 (mean 3.15 ± 2.64 cm) were documented and were greatest for turtles in the 20.0-29.9 cm size class. Growth rates from northwest Florida were slower than those reported from other sites in the Gulf of Mexico. These results indicate that Kemp’s ridleys recruit from oceanic habitat into coastal bays in northwest Florida, where they remain until they reach adulthood. However, some adult-sized turtles may continue to use the nearshore habitat. A gradient in growth rates in the Gulf of Mexico may occur from faster growth in the south to slower growth in the north. Fine-scale variations in resources and environmental conditions may drive regional differences in growth rates, and research on what drives these differences is needed.

Marine Ecology Progress Series↗
USGS2023

Validating a non-lethal method of aging endangered juvenile Lost River and Shortnose Suckers

Populations of imperiled Lost River Deltistes luxatus and Shortnose Chasmistes brevirostris suckers in Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, are experiencing long-term decreases in abundance due to limited recruitment of juvenile suckers into the adult populations. Researchers use estimated ages based on fin rays to study environmental factors affecting year-class formation, generate annual juvenile sucker survival indices, and study variations in early life history. Biased or imprecise age estimates can lead to erroneous conclusions and have implications for age-based survival estimates, indications of recruitment, and growth estimators. We examined fin rays collected from individual suckers captured on multiple occasions and determined that juvenile suckers deposit a translucent increment on fin rays annually. Size-at-age data for suckers first captured as young as age 0 corroborated our finding of annual increment formation and indicate that the first increments are formed at age 1. We used edge and marginal increment analysis conducted on fin rays to determine the timing of annual increment formation. Our results indicate that increment formation occurs on fin rays of juvenile suckers from October to May and peaks between February and April.

Oregon↗
USGS2000

Epilogue: Lessons yet to be learned

This chapter provides a summary of the book Ecotoxicology of Amphibians and Reptiles edited by Sparling, Linder and Bishop. In addition to the comparative lack of information on effects and residue burdens of known contaminants in amphibians and reptiles, there is a plethora of new chemicals being produced and released into the environment on which no data exist at all. According to the Environmental Defense Fund, there are some 75,000 chemicals produced each year, not including pesticides. Of these, 3,000 are produced in high volumes. Of the high volume chemicals, only 29% have been examined for effects of human health and only 5% have been examined for effects on the environment and wildlife. Even of these 150 chemicals, only a small handful have been examined in amphibians or reptiles. Thus there is a tremendous lack of information on the effects of environmental contaminants on these vertebrates. This chapter outlines the major research needs in the area of ecotoxicology of amphibians and reptiles and lists several reasons why these animals would make excellent subjects for monitoring the effects of contaminants.

Book chapter↗
USGS1985

Total chemical management in photographic processing

The mission of the U. S. Geological Survey's Earth Resources Observation Systems (EROS) Data Center is to produce high-quality photographs of the earth taken from aircraft and Landsat satellite. In order to meet the criteria of producing research-quality photographs, while at the same time meeting strict environmental restrictions, a total photographic chemical management system was installed. This involved a three-part operation consisting of the design of a modern chemical analysis laboratory, the implementation of a chemical regeneration system, and the installation of a waste treatment system, including in-plant pretreatment and outside secondary waste treatment. Over the last ten years the result of this program has yielded high-quality photographs while saving approximately 30,000 per year and meeting all Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) restrictions.

Journal of Imaging Technology↗
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↗
USGS2022

Characterization of the partial oxidation products of crude oil contaminating groundwater at the U.S. Geological Survey Bemidji research site in Minnesota by elemental analysis, radiocarbon dating, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry

In oil spill research, a topic of increasing attention during the last decade has been the environmental impact of the partial oxidation products that result from transformation of the petroleum in freshwater, marine, and terrestrial ecosystems. This report describes the isolation and characterization of the partial oxidation products from crude oil contaminating groundwater at the long-term U.S. Geological Survey Bemidji research site in Minnesota. As the result of a pipeline burst in August 1979, a body of light aliphatic crude oil is present from the land surface to 2 meters below the water table in a shallow sand and gravel aquifer in a remote area outside Bemidji, Minnesota, United States. Biodegradation has resulted in the formation of a plume of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) downgradient from the oil body. Groundwater has also been contaminated in an area known as the spray zone, from vertical infiltration of DOC resulting from biodegradation of oil in the soil column, and possibly from photooxidation of oil at the soil surface. The majority of DOC in the contaminated groundwater is in the form of nonvolatile organic acids (NVOAs) which represent the partial oxidation products of the crude oil constituents. The NVOAs have been classified into three fractions according to their isolation on XAD resins: hydrophobic neutrals (HPON), hydrophobic acids (HPOA), and hydrophilic acids (HPIA). These fractions of NVOAs were isolated from wells downgradient from the oil body (sampling well numbers 533, 532, 530, 515), in the spray zone (603), and from an uncontaminated well upgradient of the oil body (310) between the years 1986 and 1989, and again from wells 530 and 603 in 1998. The samples have been characterized by elemental analysis, radiocarbon dating, carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy ( 13 C NMR), and negative-mode (-) electrospray ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (ESI FTICR-MS), with a particular focus on fractions from wells 310, 530, and 603. All the characterization data indicate that the NVOAs from contaminated wells are distinguishable from the background DOC. Carbon-14 ( 14 C) ages of NVOAs from contaminated wells ranged from 3,615 to 18,985 years before the present, whereas the background DOC from the aquifer was post-bomb (post 1950). By elemental analysis, NVOAs from contaminated wells had higher sulfur but lower nitrogen contents than the background. By electrospray ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry, number average molecular weights determined from assigned molecular formulas ranged from 416 to 486 daltons for the HPOA and HPIA fractions from both background and contaminant wells. NVOAs from contaminated wells had significantly greater numbers of assigned molecular formulas containing sulfur, with elevated concentrations of the S 1 O 4-10 species in particular. Compared to the background, HPOA and HPIA fractions from contaminant wells had a broader range of double bond equivalents (DBEs) within O n compound classes (n is number of atoms). Additionally, within O n compound classes, contaminant well HPOA fractions had a greater abundance of lower n (less than eight) than the background. Contaminant well double bond equivalents versus carbon number (C # ) plots of oxygen compound classes suggest oil-derived aliphatic compounds in the range from C 12 to C 22 in HPOA and HPIA fractions and oil-derived compounds containing aromatic or saturated rings in the approximate range from C 20 to C 30 are present in HPOA fractions. The data suggest the NVOAs originate from biodegradation of several classes of C 12 and greater crude oil constituents: sulfur-containing constituents, including possibly the resins and asphaltenes; constituents containing aromatic rings substituted with methyl groups, including alkylaromatic and naph- thenoaromatic compounds, and C 12 to C 22 alkyl constituents. The overall similarities of the carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance spectra for the well 603 and 530 samples from the two sampling dates suggest that a steady state in the composition of the partial oxidation products in each of the two wells had been reached between 1986–1989 and 1998.

Minnesota↗
USGS2016

Arctic Research Plan: FY2017-2021

The United States is an Arctic nation—Americans depend on the Arctic for biodiversity and climate regulation and for natural resources. America’s Arctic—Alaska—is at the forefront of rapid climate, environmental, and socio-economic changes that are testing the resilience and sustainability of communities and ecosystems. Research to increase fundamental understanding of these changes is needed to inform sound, science-based decision- and policy-making and to develop appropriate solutions for Alaska and the Arctic region as a whole. Created by an Act of Congress in 1984, and since 2010 a subcommittee of the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) in the Executive Office of the President, the Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee (IARPC) plays a critical role in advancing scientific knowledge and understanding of the changing Arctic and its impacts far beyond the boundaries of the Arctic. Comprising 14 Federal agencies, offices, and departments, IARPC is responsible for the implementation of a 5-year Arctic Research Plan in consultation with the U.S. Arctic Research Commission, the Governor of the State of Alaska, residents of the Arctic, the private sector, and public interest groups.

Report↗
USGS2024

The Native American Research Assistantship Program—Building capacity for Indigenous water-resources monitoring

Intertribal networks for collecting and analyzing hydrologic and environmental data are growing. The U.S. Geological Survey can be a key partner with Tribal Nations in the further development of network capacity. A first step is the internship opportunity available through the partnership between the USGS and The Wildlife Society: The Native American Research Assistantship Program.

Fact Sheet↗
USGS2013

Environmental, depositional and cultural changes in the upper Pleistocene and early Holocene; the Cinglera del Capello Sequence (Capellades, Spain)

The correlation between environmental and cultural changes is one of the primary archeological and paleoanthropological research topics. Analysis of ice and marine cores has yielded a high-resolution record of millennial-scale changes during the Late Pleistocene and Holocene eras. However, cultural changes are documented in low-resolution continental deposits; thus, their correlation with the millennial-scale climatic sequence is often difficult. In this paper, we present a rare occurrence in which a thick archeological sequence is associated with a high-resolution environmental record. The Cinglera del Capello is a tufa-draped cliff located in the northeastern Iberian Peninsula, 50 km west of Barcelona. This cliff harbors several rock-shelters with Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene deposits. Together, the deposits of four rock-shelters span from 7000 to 70,000 years ago and provide a high-resolution record of the environmental and human dynamics during this timespan. This record allows the correlation of the cultural and environmental changes. The multiproxy approach to the Cinglera evidence indicates that the main cultural stages of the Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene (Middle Paleolithic, Upper Paleolithic and Mesolithic) are associated with significant changes in the environmental and depositional contexts.

Barcelona↗
USGS2007

Investigating the Environmental Effects of Agriculture Practices on Natural Resources: Scientific Contributions of the U.S. Geological Survey to Enhance the Management of Agricultural Landscapes

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) enhances and protects the quality of life in the United States by advancing scientific knowledge to facilitate effective management of hydrologic, biologic, and geologic resources. Results of selected USGS research and monitoring projects in agricultural landscapes are presented in this Fact Sheet. Significant environmental and social issues associated with agricultural production include changes in the hydrologic cycle; introduction of toxic chemicals, nutrients, and pathogens; reduction and alteration of wildlife habitats; and invasive species. Understanding environmental consequences of agricultural production is critical to minimize unintended environmental consequences. The preservation and enhancement of our natural resources can be achieved by measuring the success of improved management practices and by adjusting conservation policies as needed to ensure long-term protection.

Fact Sheet↗
USGS2004

Cyanide hazards to plants and animals from gold mining and related water issues

Highly toxic sodium cyanide (NaCN) is used by the international mining community to extract gold and other precious metals through milling of high-grade ores and heap leaching of low-grade ores (Korte et al. 2000). The process to concentrate gold using cyanide was developed in Scotland in 1887 and was used almost immediately in the Witwatersrand gold fields of the Republic of South Africa. Heap leaching with cyanide was proposed by the U.S. Bureau of Mines in 1969 as a means of extracting gold from low-grade ores. The gold industry adopted the technique in the 1970s, soon making heap leaching the dominant technology in gold extraction (Da Rosa and Lyon 1997). The heap leach and milling processes, which involve dewatering of gold-bearing ores, spraying of dilute cyanide solutions on extremely large heaps of ores containing low concentrations of gold, or the milling of ores with the use of cyanide and subsequent recovery of the gold-cyanide complex, have created a number of serious environmental problems affecting wildlife and water management. In this account, we review the history of cyanide use in gold mining with emphasis on heap leach gold mining, cyanide hazards to plants and animals, water management issues associated with gold mining, and proposed mitigation and research needs.

Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxico↗
USGS2018

Managing forest habitat for conservation-reliant species in a changing climate: The case of the endangered Kirtland’s Warbler

Conservation and recovery of species of concern necessitates evaluating forest habitat conditions under changing climate conditions, especially in the early stages of the delisting process. Managers must weigh implications of near-term habitat management activities within the context of changing environmental conditions and a species’ biological traits that may influence their vulnerability to changing conditions. Here we applied established population-habitat relationships based on decades of monitoring and research-management collaborations for the Kirtland’s Warbler ( Setophaga kirtlandii ) to project potential impacts of changing environmental conditions to breeding habitat distribution, quantity, and quality in the near future. Kirtland’s warblers are habitat-specialists that nest exclusively within dense jack pine ( Pinus banksiana ) forests between ca. 5–20 years of age. Using Random Forests to predict changes in distribution and growth rate of jack pine under future scenarios, results indicate the projected distribution of jack pine will contract considerably (ca. 75%) throughout the Lake States region, U.S.A. in response to projected environmental conditions in 2099 under RCP 4.5 and 8.5 climate scenarios regardless of climate model. Reduced suitability for jack pine regeneration across the Lake States may constrain management options, especially for creating high stem-density plantations nesting habitat. However, conditions remain suitable for jack pine regeneration within their historical and current core breeding range in northern Lower Michigan and several satellite breeding areas. Projected changes in jack pine growth rates varied within the core breeding area, but altered growth rates did not greatly alter the duration that habitat remained suitable for nesting by the Kirtland’s Warblers. These findings contribute to Kirtland’s Warbler conservation by informing habitat spatial planning of plantation management to provide a constant supply of nesting habitat based on the spatial variability of potential loss or gain of lands environmentally suitable for regenerating jack pine in the long-term.

Michigan, Wisconsin↗
USGS2026

The Zooplankton International Geospatial (ZIG) dataset: A global repository of spatiotemporal freshwater zooplankton community composition data from lakes and reservoirs to support ecological research

Zooplankton transfer substantial energy in aquatic food webs and are used as indicators of environmental change. Syntheses of zooplankton community dynamics globally require datasets that span a wide range of environmental gradients; however, these datasets are limited due to methodological differences across programs, taxonomic inconsistencies, and a lack of standardized metadata. To reconcile these challenges, we created the Zooplankton International Geospatial (ZIG) dataset, which includes original zooplankton, water physical and chemical variables, and lake morphometric data from 311 inland lakes and reservoirs. ZIG includes waterbodies ranging in size from 0.005 to 82,100 km 2 and spanning broad latitudinal (−47.26 to 64.90) and longitudinal ranges (−165.04 to 176.53). Temporal coverage for individual waterbodies ranges between 1 and 60 yr with sampling frequency ranging from annually to weekly. With its extensive coverage and content, we consider ZIG to be a cornerstone for future investigations of global scale lake biodiversity change.

Limnology & Oceanography - Letters↗
USGS2011

Interlaboratory comparison of real-time pcr protocols for quantification of general fecal indicator bacteria

The application of quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) technologies for the rapid identification of fecal bacteria in environmental waters is being considered for use as a national water quality metric in the United States. The transition from research tool to a standardized protocol requires information on the reproducibility and sources of variation associated with qPCR methodology across laboratories. This study examines interlaboratory variability in the measurement of enterococci and Bacteroidales concentrations from standardized, spiked, and environmental sources of DNA using the Entero1a and GenBac3 qPCR methods, respectively. Comparisons are based on data generated from eight different research facilities. Special attention was placed on the influence of the DNA isolation step and effect of simplex and multiplex amplification approaches on interlaboratory variability. Results suggest that a crude lysate is sufficient for DNA isolation unless environmental samples contain substances that can inhibit qPCR amplification. No appreciable difference was observed between simplex and multiplex amplification approaches. Overall, interlaboratory variability levels remained low (<10% coefficient of variation) regardless of qPCR protocol.

Environmental Science & Technology↗
USGS2002

Alien invasions in aquatic ecosystems: Toward an understanding of brook trout invasions and potential impacts on inland cutthroat trout in western North America

Experience from case studies of biological invasions in aquatic ecosystems has motivated a set of proposed empirical “rules” for understanding patterns of invasion and impacts on native species. Further evidence is needed to better understand these patterns, and perhaps contribute to a useful predictive theory of invasions. We reviewed the case of brook trout ( Salvelinus fontinalis )invasions in the western United States and their impacts on native cutthroat trout ( Oncorhynchus clarki ). Unlike many biological invasions, a considerable body of empirical research on brook trout and cutthroat trout is available. We reviewed life histories of each species, brook trout invasions, their impacts on cutthroat trout, and patterns and causes of segregation between brook trout and cutthroat trout. We considered four stages of the invasion process: transport, establishment, spread, and impacts to native species. Most of the research we found focused on impacts. Interspecific interactions, especially competition, were commonly investigated and cited as impacts of brook trout. In many cases it is not clear if brook trout invasions have a measurable impact. Studies of species distributions in the field and a variety of experiments suggest invasion success of brook trout is associated with environmental factors, including temperature, landscape structure, habitat size, stream flow, and human influences. Research on earlier stages of brook trout invasions (transport, establishment, and spread) is relatively limited, but has provided promising insights. Management alternatives for controlling brook trout invasions are limited, and actions to control brook trout focus on direct removal, which is variably successful and can have adverse effects on native species. The management applicability of research has been confounded by the complexity of the problem and by a focus on understanding processes at smaller scales, but not on predicting patterns at larger scales. In the short-term, an improved predictive understanding of brook trout invasions could prove to be most useful, even if processes are incompletely understood. A stronger connection between research and management is needed to identify more effective alternatives for controlling brook trout invasions and for identifying management priorities.

western United States↗
USGS2004

Rehabilitation of a lignite mine-disturbed area in the Indian Desert

Extensive lignite mining in the Indian (Thar) Desert commenced within the past decade. Accompanying extraction of this valuable resource there have been visible, important environmental impacts. The resultant land degradation has prompted concern from both public and regulatory bodies. This research assesses the success of rehabilitation plans implemented to revegetate a lignite mine-disturbed area, near the village of Giral in western Rajasthan State. Rehabilitation success was achieved within the environmental constraints of this northwest Indian hot-desert ecosystem using a combination of: (1) backfilling (abandoned pits) with minespoil and of covering the backfilled-surfaces with fresh topsoil to a thickness of about 0??30 m; (2) use of micro-catchment rainwater harvesting (MCWH) technique; (3) soil profile modification approaches; (4) plant establishment methodologies; and (5) the selection of appropriate germplasm material (trees, shrubs and grasses). Preliminary results indicate that the resulting vegetative cover will be capable of self-perpetuation under natural conditions while at the same time meeting the land-use requirements of the local people. The minespoil is alkaline in nature and has high electrical conductance. The average content of organic carbon, N, P and K is lower than in the regional topsoil. However, the concentration of Ca, Mg, Na and total S in the minespoil is much higher than in the topsoil. Further, the spoil material has no biological activity. Enhanced plant growth was achieved in MCWH plots, compared to control plots, where minespoil moisture storage was improved by 18-43 per cent. The rehabilitation protocol used at the site appears to have been successful because, in addition to the planted species, desirable native invasive species have become established. This study developed methods for the rehabilitation of lignite mine-disturbed areas and has also resulted in an understanding of rehabilitation processes in arid regions with an emphasis on the long-term monitoring of rehabilitation success. ?? 2004 John Wiley and Sons, Ltd.

Land Degradation and Development↗
USGS2015

Agencies collaborate, develop a cyanobacteria assessment network

Cyanobacteria are a genetically diverse group of photosynthetic microorganisms that occupy a broad range of habitats on land and water all over the world. They release toxins that can cause lung and skin irritation, alter the taste and odor of potable water, and cause human and animal illness. Cyanobacteria blooms occur worldwide, and climate change may increase the frequency, duration, and extent of these bloom events. Rapid detection of potentially harmful blooms is essential to protect humans and animals from exposure. Information about potential for exposure, such as bloom duration, frequency, and extent, is especially critical for developing environmental management decisions during periods of limited resources and funding. The National Research Council (NRC) report Exposure Science in the 21st Century suggested that effectively assessing and mitigating exposures requires techniques for rapid measurement of a stressor, such as an algal bloom, across diverse geographic, temporal, and biologic scales (e.g., various bloom concentrations) and an enhanced infrastructure to address threats [ NRC , 2012]. The report specifically calls for approaches that use diverse information, such as satellite remote sensing, to identify and understand exposures that may pose a threat to ecosystems or human health. A collaborative effort integrates the work of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to provide an approach for using satellite ocean color capabilities in U.S. fresh and brackish water quality management decisions. The overarching goal of this collaborative project is to detect and quantify cyanobacteria blooms using satellite data records in order to support the environmental management and public use of U.S. lakes and reservoirs. Satellite remote sensing tools may enable policy makers and environmental managers to assess the sustainability of watershed ecosystems and the services they provide, now and in the future. Satellite technology allows us to develop early-warning indicators of cyanobacteria blooms at the local scale while maintaining continuous national coverage.

Eos, Earth and Space Science News↗
USGS2019

Seed bank community and soil texture relationships in a cold desert

Sustainable dryland management depends on understanding environmental factors driving composition of current and future ecological communities. While there has been extensive research on aboveground plant communities, less is known about belowground soil seed bank communities, which can reflect both past and potential future communities. In the Colorado Plateau of the western United States, we explored aboveground and belowground plant communities and how they varied across sites with similar climate but contrasting soil textures. We found that aboveground vegetation and belowground seed bank community composition each varied significantly among sites. However, we also observed marked aboveground-belowground compositional dissimilarity across sites, suggesting that the two spatially-associated communities may respond differently to the same environmental gradient. Lastly, we found that cheatgrass seed prevalence (Bromus tectorum) – one of the region’s major exotic invasive plants – varied strongly by soil texture, a finding with potential implications for invasive species management. From our research findings, we highlight two general patterns for dryland managers. Firstly, we show aboveground and belowground plant communities will not always respond to the same environmental changes in a coordinated manner. Secondly, the data underscore a large potential role for soil texture in mediating the plant community responses to other environmental factors.

Utah↗