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At least 1,387 records · Page 77Linked to original sources

USGS2014

Book review: Amphibians and reptiles in Minnesota

The photograph of a young boy poised to capture a wood frog ( Lithobates sylvaticus ) on page 3 of Amphibians and Reptiles in Minnesota captures perfectly the sense of awe and wonderment that one encounters throughout John Moriarty and Carol Hall’s new book. This is a spirit that most children possess naturally and that is so readily apparent when one of them comes face-to-face with one of the 53 species of frogs, toads, salamanders, turtles, lizards, or snakes that make Minnesota their home. This is a spirit that the authors have maintained in their hearts throughout almost 30 years of chasing, capturing, and studying amphibians and reptiles (a.k.a., herptiles or herps) in Minnesota. It is also the spirit that you will find reawakening in yourself as you turn from one page to the next and encounter the abundant color photos and descriptive text within this book. Review info: Amphibians and Reptiles in Minnesota. By John J. Moriarty and Carol D. Hall, 2014. ISBN: 978-0816690916, 370 pp.

The Prairie Naturalist↗

USGS2015

The Snowmastodon Project: A view of the Last Interglacial Period from high in the Colorado Rockies

In North America, terrestrial records of biodiversity and climate change that span the Last Interglacial Period [or Marine Oxygen Isotope Stage (MIS) 5] are rare. In 2010-11, construction at Ziegler Reservoir near Snowmass Village, Colorado revealed a lacustrine/wetland sedimentary sequence that preserved evidence of past plant communities between ~140 and 55 ka, including all of MIS 5. At an elevation of 2705 m, the Ziegler Reservoir fossil site (ZRFS) also contained thousands of well-preserved bones and teeth of Pleistocene megafauna, including mastodons, mammoths, ground sloths, horses, camels, deer, bison, black bear, coyotes, and bighorn sheep. In addition, the site contained more than 26,000 bones from at least 30 species of small animals, including salamanders, otters, muskrats, minks, rabbits, beavers, frogs, lizards, snakes, fish, and birds. The combination of macro- and micro-vertebrates, invertebrates, terrestrial and aquatic plant macrofossils, a detailed pollen record, and a robust, directly dated stratigraphic framework, shows that high-elevation ecosystems in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado are climatically sensitive and varied dramatically throughout MIS 5.

Conference Paper↗

USGS2015

Terrestrial ecology of semi-aquatic giant gartersnakes ( Thamnophis gigas )

Wetlands are a vital component of habitat for semiaquatic herpetofauna, but for most species adjacent terrestrial habitats are also essential. We examined the use of terrestrial environments by Giant Gartersnakes (Thamnophis gigas) to provide behavioral information relevant to conservation of this state and federally listed threatened species. We used radio telemetry data collected 1995–2011 from adults at several sites throughout the Sacramento Valley, California, USA, to examine Giant Gartersnake use of the terrestrial environment. We found Giant Gartersnakes in terrestrial environments more than half the time during the summer, with the use of terrestrial habitats increasing to nearly 100% during brumation. While in terrestrial habitats, we found Giant Gartersnakes underground more than half the time in the early afternoon during summer, and the probability of being underground increased to nearly 100% of the time at all hours during brumation. Extreme temperatures also increased the probability that we would find Giant Gartersnakes underground. Under most conditions, we found Giant Gartersnakes to be within 10 m of water at 95% of observations. For females during brumation and individuals that we found underground, however, the average individual had a 10% probability of being located > 20 m from water. Individual variation in each of the response variables was extensive; therefore, predicting the behavior of an individual was fraught with uncertainty. Nonetheless, our estimates provide resource managers with valuable information about the importance of protecting and carefully managing terrestrial habitats for conserving a rare semiaquatic snake.

Herpetological Conservation and Biology↗

USGS2011

Growth characteristics and otolith analysis on age-0 American shad

Otolith microstructure analysis provides useful information on the growth history of fish (Campana and Jones 1992, Bang and Gronkjaer 2005). Microstructure analysis can be used to construct the size-at-age growth trajectory of fish, determine daily growth rates, and estimate hatch date and other ecologically important life history events (Campana and Jones 1992, Tonkin et al. 2008). This kind of information can be incorporated into bioenergetics modeling, providing necessary data for estimating prey consumption, and guiding the development of empirically-based modeling scenarios for hypothesis testing. For example, age-0 American shad co-occur with emigrating juvenile fall Chinook salmon originating from Hanford Reach and the Snake River in the lower Columbia River reservoirs during the summer and early fall. The diet of age-0 American shad appears to overlap with that of juvenile fall Chinook salmon (Chapter 1, this reoprt), but juvenile fall Chinook salmon are also known to feed on age-0 American shad in the reservoirs (USGS unpublished data). Abundant, energy-dense age-0 American shad may provide juvenile fall Chinook salmon opportunities for rapid growth during the time period when large number of age-0 American shad are available. Otolith analysis of hatch dates and the growth curve of age-0 American shad could be used to identify when eggs, larvae, and juveniles of specific size classes are temporally available as food for fall Chinook salmon in the lower Columbia River reservoirs. This kind of temporally and spatially explicit life history information is important to include in bioenergetics modeling scenarios. Quantitive estimates of prey consumption could be used with spatially-explicit estimates of prey abundance to construct a quantitative assessment of the age-0 American shad impact on a reservoir food web. Analysis of the age-0 American shad growth trajectory or individual growth records may show evidence of differential growth rates over time that may be linked to environmental conditions such as water temperature (Leach and Houde 1999, Meekan et al. 2003), size-selective mortality (Folkvord et al. 1997), developmental changes in metabolic rate (Bang and Gronkjaer 2005, Bochdanksy et al. 2005), feeding ability (Schmitt and Holbrook 1984, Luecke 1986, Johnson and Dropkin 1995, Johnson and Dropkin 1996), and intra- and inter-specific competition (Crecco and Savoy 1987, Marchand and Boisclair 1998, Gadomski and Wagner 2009). For example, environmental conditions associated with John Day reservoir may eliminate or reduce the availability of many aquatic and terrestrial insect prey types (Rondorf et al. 1990). Many juvenile fishes, including age-0 American shad and juvenile fall Chinook salmon may be foraging on limited insect prey in John Day Reservoir (Gadomski and Wagner 2009). Because larger insect prey has higher energy densities than most zooplankton prey, and insect availability may be limited in John Day reservoir, the growth of American shad may be constrained once fish grow to a size where they could exploit larger, more energy-dense insect prey (Mayer and Wahl 1997). Similarly, as age-0 American shad grow, they are able to forage on larger zooplankton with higher energy densities than smaller individuals of the same species, or other smaller-bodied zooplankton species (Schael et al. 1991, Mayer and Wahl 1997). Intra- and inter-specific demand for larger-bodied and higher energy zooplankton prey may reduce the availability of these prey items (Tabor et al. 1996). Constrained growth increments on the otolith microstructure of juvenile American shad or other planktivorous fish could help identify important interactions between fishes that may be linked to the year class strength of age-0 American shad and prey partitioning in John Day reservoir. The objective of this study was to determine time of hatch and size-at-age of age-0 American shad in lower Columbia River reservoirs for use with the American shad and fall Chinook salmon bioenergetic models. Size-at-age data on age-0 American shad can be used to generate quantitative estimates of prey consumption with the American shad bioenergetics model. Otolith microstructure analysis was used to provide reference points on the temporal availability of early life stages and sizes of American shad in the reservoir (Limburg 1996a,b, Limburg et al. 1999). Additional analyses on the age-0 American shad growth trajectory in John Day reservoir may reveal differential growth patterns during the early life history of these fish that are linked to developmental differences between individual fish, transient environmental conditions, or food web constraints (Limburg 1996a).

Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming↗

USGS2015

An assessment of the impact of the pet trade on five CITES-Appendix II case studies - Boa constrictor imperator

Boa constrictor is a wide ranging snake species that is common in the pet trade and is currently listed in CITES Appendix II. Hog Island boas, or Cayos Cochinos boas, are a dwarf, insular race of Boa constrictor imperator endemic to the Cayos Cochinos Archipelago, Honduras. Cayos Cochinos boas are prized in the international pet trade for their light pink dorsal coloration, as well as for being much smaller and more docile than mainland boas (Porras, 1999; Russo, 2007). The boa population in the Cayos Cochinos was heavily exploited for the pet trade from 1979 to 1993, and researchers reported finding no boas on the islands during a five day herpetological survey trip in the early 1990s (Wilson and CruzDiaz, 1993), leading to the speculation that the population had been extirpated (e.g., Russo, 2007). The Cayos Cochinos Archipelago Natural Marine Monument has been managed by the Honduran Coral Reef Foundation since 1994 and prohibits removal of boas from the area. Poaching for the pet trade continues today, although at a lower level. Due to the endemic nature of this island morph of B. c. imperator it is imperative that we understand the dynamics of the populations and the ongoing threats that could negatively impact their long-term survival.

Cayos Cochinos Archipelago (Hog Islands), Islas de↗

USGS2001

What caused the population decline of the Bridled White-eye on Rota, Mariana Islands?

The Bridled White-eye ( Zosterops conspicillatus rotensis ) was Once thought to be common and widespread on Rota, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, but is now restricted to several patches of native limestone forest in and adjacent to the Sabana region. Surveys conducted in 1990 indicated that the population had declined by 87% between 1982 and 1990 for unknown reasons. The low density and restricted habitat association of the Bridled White-eye on Rota contrasts with the situation on Saipan, Tinian, Agiguan, and formerly on Guam, where the Bridled White-eye is the most common forest bird and occurs at all elevations and in all habitat types. We surveyed the entire range of the Rota Bridled White-eye in 1996 to estimate its current numbers and distribution. We also reviewed existing information on the white-eye and evaluated potential causes of its decline, including predation by Black Drongos ( Dicrurus macrocercus ), rats ( Rattus spp.), and the brown tree snake Boiga irregularis ); pesticides; avian disease; and habitat loss and alteration. We found that 94% of the extant population of 1,165 white-eyes on Rota was restricted to four patches of old-growth, native limestone forest covering only 259 ha. We believe that the population decline and current localized distribution is primarily a result of habitat changes due to agricultural development and typhoons, but the absence of white-eyes from several stands of native forest above 200 m remains unexplained. The Rota white-eye may be a different species from white-eyes found on Saipan, Tinian, Agiguan, and Guam, with different habitat preferences.

Rota↗

USGS2000

Population status of the Tinian Monarch ( Monarcha takatsukasae ) on Tinian, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

We conducted surveys to evaluate the current population status of the Tinian Monarch ( Monarcha takatsukasae ), an insectivorous forest bird restricted to the island of Tinian, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. In 1996, we recounted transects surveyed in 1982 and used the same analysis procedure to compare 1982 and 1996 population estimates. The 1996 population estimate was 55,721 ± 3,846 SE (48,345–63,495 95% CI), which is 57% higher than our estimate of 35,846 ± 2,211 SE (31,668–40,337 95% CI) for 1982. Vegetation density, measured by canopy cover and lateral visibility at each station, has also increased since 1982. Our data suggest that the Tinian Monarch population has increased possibly due to increased habitat availability, but remains at risk both from an accidental introduction of brown tree snakes ( Boiga irregularis ) to the island and stochastic processes.

Tinian↗

USGS2010

Minimizing effects of over-water docks on federally listed fish stocks in McNary Reservoir: A literature review for criteria

McNary Lock and Dam were completed in 1953, creating McNary Reservoir, or Lake Wallula. The shoreline of the reservoir is federally owned and as a result the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has certain land and fish habitat management responsibilities to balance with other multipurpose benefits. The Endangered Species Act (ESA) listing of Columbia and Snake River salmon stocks has changed the management of salmon harvest, hydropower operations, hatchery practices, and habitat management in recent years. There are 12 salmon Oncorhynchus spp., steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss, and bull trout Salvelinus confluentus evolutionarily significant units (ESU‘s) that use this reach of the Columbia River at one or more stages in their life history. Of those 12, 8 are listed as threatened or endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act. The entire portion of the Columbia River in the Hanford Reach and McNary Reservoir is designated critical habitat for seven ESA-listed salmon species. The USACE is in the process of updating the 1983 McNary Lakeshore Management Plan. The updated Shoreline Plan provides criteria for private use of the federal shoreline of McNary Reservoir, specifically the permitting of private docks, over-water structures, and modifications to shoreline vegetation by adjacent land owners. The previous Shoreline Plan was written prior to the federal listing of salmon species. At the request of the USACE, the purpose of this report is to review information from the literature and determine the extent to which the criteria proposed by USACE for the docks and over-water structures are supported by the current body of scientific knowledge.

Oregon, Washington↗

USGS2001

Predation by northern pikeminnow on juvenile salmonids in The Dalles Dam tailrace: field, laboratory, and habitat modeling studies (FY2000)

Predation by resident fish is known to be a substantial cause of juvenile salmonid mortality, especially in dam tailraces and outfall locations. Conditions in The Dalles Dam tailrace are unique compared to other projects on the Columbia or Snake rivers, having a complex basin with a series of downriver islands where predators are known to reside. In May-June of 1999, northern pikeminnow and smallmouth bass were sampled in the tailrace of The Dalles Dam during periods immediately following the release of PIT-tagged juvenile salmonids for survival studies. Over twice as many smallmouth bass (N = 101) were collected as northern pikeminnow (N = 40), but none of the predators had PIT tags within their gut. A laboratory study was conducted to estimate the time required for PIT tags in juvenile salmonids to be evacuated from the gut of northern pikeminnow after consuming a tagged preyfish. Evacuation rate was sensitive to temperature, with median evacuation time being 21 h at 18 oC and 30 h at 14 oC. These results suggest that field studies to estimate predator population sizes, feeding rates, or predation on specific release groups would require considerably more effort than we allocated during 1999.

Oregon, Washington↗

USGS2016

Conservation planning for the Colorado River in Utah

Strategic planning is increasingly recognized as necessary for providing the greatest possible conservation benefits for restoration efforts. Rigorous, science-based resource assessment, combined with acknowledgement of broader basin trends, provides a solid foundation for determining effective projects. It is equally important that methods used to prioritize conservation investments are simple and practical enough that they can be implemented in a timely manner and by a variety of resource managers. With the help of local and regional natural resource professionals, we have developed a broad-scale, spatially-explicit assessment of 146 miles (~20,000 acres) of the Colorado River mainstem in Grand and San Juan Counties, Utah that will function as the basis for a systematic, practical approach to conservation planning and riparian restoration prioritization. For the assessment we have: 1) acquired, modified or created spatial datasets of Colorado River bottomland conditions; 2) synthesized those datasets into habitat suitability models and estimates of natural recovery potential, fire risk and relative cost; 3) investigated and described dominant ecosystem trends and human uses, and; 4) suggested site selection and prioritization approaches. Partner organizations (The Nature Conservancy, National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management and Utah Forestry Fire and State Lands) are using the assessment and datasets to identify and prioritize a suite of restoration actions to increase ecosystem resilience and improve habitat for bottomland species. Primary datasets include maps of bottomland cover types, bottomland extent, maps of areas inundated during high and low flow events, as well as locations of campgrounds, roads, fires, invasive vegetation treatment areas and other features. Assessment of conditions and trends in the project area entailed: 1) assemblage of existing data on geology, changes in stream flow, and predictions of future conditions; 2) identification of fish and wildlife species present and grouping species into Conservation Elements (CEs) based on habitat needs, and: 3) acquisition, review and creation of spatial datasets characterizing vegetation, fluvial geomorphic and human features within the bottomland. Interpretation of aerial imagery and assimilation of pre-existing spatial data were central to our efforts in characterizing resources conditions. Detailed maps of vegetation and channel habitat features in the project area were generated from true color, high resolution (0.3m) imagery flown September 16, 2010. We also mapped channel habitat features at high flow on 1.0-m resolution, publicly available, true color imagery. We obtained additional layers such as land ownership, roads, fire history, non-native vegetation treatment areas, and recreational use features from public sources and project partners. Habitat suitability models were created for groups of terrestrial species by combining spatial datasets with the habitat needs of conservation elements, guided by literature, where available, and extensive use of expert knowledge. Conservation elements for endangered fish species life stages were identified but not modeled. Terrestrial CE’s included: • Riparian Overstory -yellow-billed cuckoo, Bullock’s oriole, black-headed grosbeak, blue grosbeak, warbling vireo, Cooper's hawk, screech owl, saw-whet owl, and bald eagle, (best: tall trees, dense canopy, diverse shrub understory, no tamarisk); • Riparian Understory - southwestern willow flycatcher, common yellowthroat, yellow warbler, yellow-breasted chat, beaver, northern river otter, black-necked garter snake, (best: dense mesic shrubs near still water, no tamarisk); • Bat Feeding - Allen's big-eared bat, Townsend's big-eared bat, fringed myotis, Yuma myotis, big free-tailed bat, spotted bat (best: diverse vegetation, close to still water); • Bat Watering - big free-tailed and spotted bats (best: still water with no tall vegetation); •

Utah↗

USGS1989

Assessment of smolt condition for travel time analysis. Annual report 1988

Estimates of migration rates and travel times of juvenile salmonids within index reaches of the Columbia River basin are collected through the Smolt Monitoring Program for use by the Fish Passage Center. With increased reliance upon travel time estimates in 1988 by the Fish Passage Center, this study was implemented to monitor the biological attributes of juvenile chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha and steelhead trout 0.- mykiss used for the travel time estimates, The physiological ability of fish to respond to stress was assessed by measuring levels of plasma cortisol, glucose, and chloride before and after a stress-challenge test. Most mid-Columbia and Snake river groups responded normally to the stress challenge exhibiting an increase in plasma glucose and cortisol and a slight decrease in chloride. Fish trucked to release sites were more stressed than those released directly from the hatchery, but most still responded to the stress challenge test normally. An abnormal or extreme stress response occurred when there were deviations from preferred protocol, disease problems at hatcheries, or when fish were trucked over long periods (7h). The development of smoltification was evaluated by measuring gill Na+K+-ATPase, plasma thyroxine, purines, and body morphology. Most groups were similar at the hatcheries but differed as the migration to McNary Dam proceeded. Gill ATPase activity increased 2-3 fold during the first 20 days of migration, after which it changed little. Fish with longer in-river travel times appeared to be more smolted than those which were in the river for a shorter period of time. The prevalence of bacterial kidney disease (BKD) in spring chinook salmon was evaluated using the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and fluorescent antibody technique (FAT). Prevalence of BKD in groups tested using the ELISA method was as high as 99% at some downstream locations. A review of indices is presented as a guide, to the development of an index of smolt condition and preliminary data are presented. An index could be used as a tool to synthesize information on fish condition to assist with management and evaluation of the Water Budget.

Report↗

USGS2013

Report A: Fish distribution and population dynamics in Rock Creek, Klickitat County, Washington

The U.S. Geological Survey collaborated with the Yakama Nation starting in fall of 2009 to study the fish populations in Rock Creek, a Washington State tributary of the Columbia River 21 kilometers upstream of John Day Dam. Prior to this study, very little was known about the ESA-listed (threatened) Mid-Columbia River steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) population in this arid watershed with intermittent stream flow. The objectives of the study were to quantify fish habitat, document fish distribution, abundance, and movement, and identify areas of high salmonid productivity. To accomplish these objectives, we electrofished in the spring and fall, documenting the distribution and relative abundance of all fish species to evaluate the influence of biotic factors on salmonid productivity and survival. We surveyed the distribution of perennial pools and established a network of automated temperature recording devices from river kilometer (rkm) 2 to 23 in Rock Creek and rkm 0 to 8 in Squaw Creek, a major tributary entering Rock Creek at rkm 13, to better understand the abiotic factors influencing the salmonid populations. Salmonid abundance estimates were conducted using a mark-recapture method in a systematic subsample of the perennial pools. The proportion and timing of salmonids migrating from these pools were assessed by building, installing, and operating two passive integrated transponder (PIT) tag interrogation systems at rkm 5 and at the confluence with Squaw Creek (rkm 13). From fall 2009 to fall 2012, we PIT-tagged 3,088 O. mykiss and 151 coho salmon (O. kisutch) during electrofishing efforts. In the lowest flow periods of 2010 to 2012, we found that an average of 36% of the surveyed streambed length was dry, and 17% remained as perennial pools. The maximum temperature recorded in those pools was 24.4°C, but most pools had a maximum temperature that was less than 21°C. O. mykiss were present in most pools, and non-native fish species, such as smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu), were typically found downstream of rkm 5. Coho salmon were present in nearly every pool that was sampled in 2011, but were rare in 2009, 2010, and 2012. About 27% of the PIT-tagged O. mykiss and 38% of the PIT-tagged coho were detected outmigrating to the Columbia River. Of those fish, 92% (n=695) were detected leaving Rock Creek as smolts in April and May. As of November 2013, 9 O. mykiss and 4 coho that we tagged in Rock Creek as juveniles have returned as adults to Bonneville Dam. Also, an additional 34 PIT-tagged adult steelhead, and 6 PIT-tagged coho that were tagged by other groups have been detected in Rock Creek, of which, 22 were of known origin (tagged as juveniles). Of these, 85% were tagged or released in the Snake River. The PIT-tag interrogation systems will be operated for several more years to allow time for the fish tagged as juveniles to return as adults and complete their life cycles. The Yakama Nation will use the information collected from this study to prioritize and gauge the effectiveness of ongoing and future restoration actions.

Washington↗

USGS2007

Thamnophis hammondii foraging behavior

Thamnophis hammondii is considered one of the most aquatic of the gartersnakes and is closely associated with creeks and impoundments (Fitch 1940. Univ. California Publ. Zool. 44:1–150) with a diet consisting largely of both the larvae and transformed stages of amphibians (Spea, Bufo, Rana, Pseudacris) and small fish (Oncorhynchus, Gasterosteus, Eucyclogobius, and Cottus) (Jennings and Hayes 1994. Amphibian and Reptile Species of Special Concern in California. Final report contract no. 8023, California Department of Fish Game. 255 pp.; Rossman et al. 1996. The Garter Snakes: Evolution and Ecology. Univ. of Oklahoma Press, Norman. 332 pp.). Little is known regarding the foraging behavior of T. hammondii (Rossman et al., op. cit.). Herein, we describe the details of a predation sequence (approach, strike, and capture) observed in a natural setting.

Herpetological Review↗

USGS2011

Coulomb stress analysis of the 21 February 2008 Mw= 6.0 Wells, Nevada, earthquake

Static Coulomb stress changes imparted by the February 21, 2008 Wells, Nevada earthquake are calculated, using an 8 x 6 km rectangular patch with a uniform slip as a source fault. Stress changes are resolved on nearby active faults using their rake, dip, and strike direction, assuming a fault friction of 0.4. The largest Coulomb stress increase (0.2 bars) imparted to surrounding major active faults from the Wells earthquake occurs on the Clover Hill fault, which may be the southern continuation of the ruptured fault. A 0.1 bar Coulomb stress increase is calculated on the western Snake Mountains fault. Coulomb stress decreases of 0.5 bars are calculated for the northern parts of the Independence and Ruby Mountains faults. The Coulomb stress change is calculated on relocated aftershocks assuming that they have the same strike, dip, and rake, as the source fault. Under this assumption, 75% of the aftershocks received a Coulomb stress increase.

Nevada↗

USGS2018

River flow and riparian vegetation dynamics - implications for management of the Yampa River through Dinosaur National Monument

This report addresses the relation between flow of the Yampa River and occurrence of herbaceous and woody riparian vegetation in Dinosaur National Monument (DINO) with the goal of informing management decisions related to potential future water development. The Yampa River in DINO flows through diverse valley settings, from the relatively broad restricted meanders of Deerlodge Park to narrower canyons, including debris fan-affected reaches in the upper Yampa Canyon and entrenched meanders in Harding Hole and Laddie Park. Analysis of occurrence of all plant species measured in 1470 quadrats by multiple authors over the last 24 years shows that riparian vegetation along the Yampa River is strongly related to valley setting and geomorphic surfaces, defined here as active channel, active floodplain, inactive floodplain, and upland. Principal Coordinates Ordination arrayed quadrats and species along gradients of overall cover and moisture availability, from upland and inactive floodplain quadrats and associated xeric species like western wheat grass (Pascopyrum smithii), cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum), and saltgrass (Distichlis spicata) to active channel and active floodplain quadrats supporting more mesic species including sandbar willow (Salix exigua), wild licorice (Glycyrrhiza lepidota), and cordgrass (Spartina spp.). Indicator species analysis identified plants strongly correlated with geomorphic surfaces. These species indicate state changes in geomorphic surfaces, such as the conversion of active channel to floodplain during channel narrowing. The dominant woody riparian species along the Yampa River are invasive tamarisk (Tamarix ramosissima), and native Fremont cottonwood (Populus deltoides ssp. wislizenii), box elder (Acer negundo L. var. interius), and sandbar willow (Salix exigua). These species differ in tolerance of drought, salinity, inundation, flood disturbance and shade, and in seed size, timing of seed dispersal and ability to form root sprouts. These physiological and ecological differences interact with flow variation and geomorphic setting, resulting in differential patterns of occurrence. For example, in park settings cottonwood is far more abundant than box elder, while the reverse is true in canyons. Synthesis of existing knowledge from the Yampa and Green rivers and elsewhere suggests that the following flow-vegetation relations can be used to assess effects of future flow alterations in the Yampa River. High variability in flow within and between years removes vegetation through erosion, extended inundation and desiccation, creating the broad, open surfaces in and near the channel that are characteristic of lightly regulated rivers in western North America. This flow variability provides opportunities for establishment of disturbance-dependent riparian species. Flow regulation that results in lower peak flows and higher low flows allows proliferation of woody riparian vegetation, mostly tamarisk in canyon reaches, but both tamarisk and cottonwood in parks. Denser near-channel vegetation promotes sediment deposition leading to channel narrowing. Decreasing flow variability also increases area of species associated with extremely high and low inundation durations relative to species associated with moderate inundation duration. In addition, such flow regulation decreases occurrence of species tolerant of fluvial disturbance, while increasing occurrence of species tolerant of extended inundation. Over the long term, establishment of cottonwood and tamarisk requires disturbance by large floods, which provides openings for new individuals. At the annual time scale, establishment can occur in any year or location that provides a moist, open surface free from frequent future disturbance. In canyons, where channel movement is limited, low surfaces are too frequently disturbed for long-term survival of cottonwood, and establishment requirements are generally met only in years of moderate to high peak flows. In park settings cottonwood establishment may also occur in years of low peak flows where survival is promoted by movement of the channel away from the seedling. Peak flows early in the growing season promote establishment of cottonwood and sandbar willow seedlings relative to those of tamarisk. This is because cottonwood and willow seed release occurs early in the summer, while that of tamarisk occurs later. Late season seed release of tamarisk allows it to establish lower on the floodplain than cottonwood. Because of its shade tolerance and the energy stored in its large seeds, box elder can become established beneath existing vegetation, an ability not shared by cottonwood, tamarisk or willow. Although box elder does not require flood disturbance, it does take advantage of soil moisture from floods, which allow this species to become established high above the channel. Decreases in flow peaks, volumes or base flows decrease growth and survival of cottonwood relative to drought-tolerant tamarisk. Storing water from the spring peak in a reservoir for release after the April-July cottonwood growth window may also decrease growth and survival of cottonwood relative to tamarisk. Decreases in peak flows decrease floodplain inundation, which can reduce growth of floodplain species by preventing recharge of the floodplain aquifer. Two or more years in a row with similar flows promote establishment of woody vegetation. Subsequent sediment deposition around this vegetation, especially if the vegetation is tamarisk, results in channel narrowing and simplification. Rapid declines in the descending limb of the hydrograph kill riparian woody seedlings by desiccation. Fluctuations in the descending limb can kill seedlings by desiccation and inundation. Thus rapid declines and fluctuations would be counterproductive following early-season peaks prescribed to promote cottonwood, but would be consistent with the goal of preventing tamarisk establishment following a late-season peak. The tendency of regulated flows to keep returning to a small number of fixed discharge values (such as power plant capacity or a fixed minimum flow) can cause unnaturally sharp banding of geomorphic surfaces, topography and vegetation that is not necessarily erased by large flood peaks. Changes in sediment load relative to transport capacity may promote channel change especially in alluvial settings. For example, decreases in sediment input from the Little Snake River Basin since 1960 (or earlier) could be associated with channel narrowing and temporary increases in establishment of both cottonwood and tamarisk along the Yampa River. Increases in salinity of water or soil promote tamarisk over the native woody species. Even if water salinity does not increase, floodplain soil salinity can be increased by decreasing the flushing caused by overbank flooding.

Dinosaur National Monument, Yampa River↗

USGS1984

Canyon-filling lavas and lava dams on the Boise River, Idaho, and their significance for evaluating downcutting during the last 2 million years

Basalts that periodically dammed the Boise River and its South Fork over the last 2 million years reveal the canyon history and illustrate how lava interacted with impounded river water. Intracanyon basalt flows record a granite canyon successively filled by lava and then recut at least five times in the last 2 million years. The most voluminous flow, Steamboat Rock Basalt, reached 60 kilometers downstream and spread out on the Snake River Plain just east of Boise. Lavas that reached the river were erupted from vents bordering the main canyon and adjacent tributaries. The river canyon was periodically flooded by basalt from these eruptions, reentrenched to a new lower level, then flooded again. This succession resulted in terraces of older flows high above the river and of younger flows lower on the canyon walls. The canyon-filling flows dammed the river and created deltas of pillow basalt and hyaloclastite overlain by massive subaerial basalt. Foreset beds in the hyaloclastite deposits and inclined pillows indicate flow into reservoirs behind the lava dams. A well-documented example of a lava dam is the one formed by the Smith Prairie Basalt, which is about 0.2 million years old. Potassium-argon ages calibrate a canyon history in which the river was lowered at a rate between 0.005 and 0.01 centimeter a year over the last 2 million years. The lava dams interrupted this lowering but were each rapidly incised in about a quarter of a million years at rates averaging 0.03 to 0.07 centimeter a year.

Idaho↗

USGS2020

Geologic map of the Butte City 7.5' Quadrangle, Butte County, Idaho

The geologic map of the Butte City 7.5’ quadrangle is based on mapping summarized in the 1:100,000 scale map of the Idaho National Laboratory, U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Investigations Map I-2330, by Kuntz and others, 1994. New surficial geologic mapping was completed by National Association of Geoscience Teachers (NAGT) interns, Evan Martin (2015) and Samuel Helmuth (2017). Previously published maps and associated data, by various authors, including Kuntz, M.A., Betty Skipp, M.A. Lanphere, W.E. Scott, K.L. Pierce, G.B. Dalrymple, L.A. Morgan, D.E. Champion, G.F. Embree, W.R. Page, R.P. Smith, W.R. Hackett, and D.W. Rodgers from 1994 to 2017, were incorporated into this project. The U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) Idaho National Laboratory Project Office, a field office of the Idaho Water Science Center, conducts subsurface investigations to study the Snake River aquifer at the Idaho National Laboratory. Many subsurface basalts erupted from vents exposed at the surface. Tracing the flows from the surface to the subsurface provides data for numerical models of groundwater flow and contaminant transport.

Idaho↗

USGS2021

Turtles of the World: A guide to every family

Turtles of the World reveals the extraordinary diversity of these amazing reptiles. Characterized by the bony shell that acts as a shield to protect the softer body within, turtles are survivors from the time of the dinosaurs and are even more ancient in evolutionary terms than snakes and crocodilians. Of more than 350 species known today, some are highly endangered. In this beautiful guide, turtle families, subfamilies, and genera are illustrated with hundreds of color photographs. Each genus profile includes a population distribution map, a table of information, and commentary that includes notable characteristics and discussion of related species.

Book↗