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At least 1,585 records · Page 88Linked to original sources

USGS2026

Drought resistance is greater in montane conifers compared to coastal conifers in northern California

Frequent and intense droughts are rapidly altering stand dynamics in western North American forests. The ecological and geographical diversity of northern California provides a unique opportunity to measure these responses across species, habitat types, and levels of competitive pressure. This study used dendrochronological techniques and linear mixed-effects models to assess growth responses to drought in four montane and two coastal conifer species across 54 study sites (nine sites per species, 526 trees total) in northern California. Montane species included Abies magnifica var. shastensis , Picea breweriana , Pinus lambertiana , and Pinus monticola ; coastal species included Picea sitchensis and Tsuga heterophylla . Growth was evaluated from 2002 to 2018 and the drought period was from 2013 to 2015. There were significant differences among species and environments (coastal vs montane) in growth, drought resistance and resilience, and annual latewood proportion. Growth in montane species was generally positively related to moisture availability (Palmer Drought Severity Index) and negatively related to tree competition. The four montane species maintained relatively stable drought resistance, resilience, and latewood proportion across the study period. In contrast, growth in the two coastal species was influenced more by tree size and crown ratio than moisture availability or competition. As the 2013–2015 drought proceeded, coastal species showed marked reductions in drought resistance and resilience and increases in latewood proportion. Across the six conifer species, mean reductions in growth during and after the drought were generally less than 20% and never exceeded 40%. Compared to montane species, the lower resistance measured in coastal species suggests greater risk for increased stress and mortality in the event of more severe, prolonged, and/or frequent droughts.

California↗

USGS2024

Hormetic and transcriptomic responses of the toxic alga Prymnesium parvum to glyphosate

Growth of the toxic alga Prymnesium parvum is hormetically stimulated with environmentally relevant concentrations of glyphosate. The mechanisms of glyphosate hormesis in this species, however, are unknown. We evaluated the transcriptomic response of P. parvum to glyphosate at concentrations that stimulate maximum growth and where growth is not different from control values, the zero-equivalent point (ZEP). Maximum growth occurred at 0.1 mg l −1 and the ZEP was 2 mg l −1 . At 0.1 mg l −1 , upregulated transcripts outnumbered downregulated transcripts by one order of magnitude. Gene Ontology enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analyses indicated that the upregulated transcriptome is primarily associated with metabolism and biosynthesis. Transcripts encoding heat shock proteins and co-chaperones were among the most strongly upregulated, and several others were associated with translation, Redox homeostasis, cell replication, and photosynthesis. Although most of the same transcripts were also upregulated at concentrations ≥ZEP, the proportion of downregulated transcripts greatly increased as glyphosate concentrations increased. At the ZEP, downregulated transcripts were associated with photosynthesis, cell replication, and anion transport, indicating that specific interference with these processes is responsible for the nullification of hormetic growth. Transcripts encoding the herbicidal target of glyphosate, 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS), were upregulated at concentrations ≥ZEP but not at 0.1 mg l −1 , indicating that disruption of EPSPS activity occurred at high concentrations and that nullification of hormetic growth involves the direct interaction of glyphosate with this enzyme. Results of this study may contribute to a better understanding of glyphosate hormesis and of anthropogenic factors that influence P. parvum biogeography and bloom formation.

Science of the Total Environment↗

USGS2021

Climate and Ecological Disturbance Analysis of Engelmann spruce and Douglas fir in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem

The effects of anthropogenic climate change are apparent in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE), USA, with forest die-off, insect outbreaks, and wildfires impacting forest ecosystems. A long-term perspective would enable assessment of the historical range of variability in forest ecosystems and better determination of recent forest dynamics and historical thresholds. The objectives of this study were to (1) develop tree-ring chronologies for Engelmann spruce and Douglas fir growing at the study location, (2) correlate the annual ring widths of each species to monthly climate variables, (3) examine the instrumental climate data for regimes shifts in the mean state of variables, and (4) determine when ecological disturbances occurred through a quantification of growth releases. Finally, we discuss both climate-growth relationships and growth releases in the context of climate regime shifts and known forest disturbances. Engelmann spruce and Douglas fir showed some similar climate responses using moving correlation analysis including negative correlations between ring width and June – August current year temperature and previous growing season temperature. Regime shift analysis indicated significant ( p < 0.05) shifts in minimum and maximum GYE temperature in the latter half of the 20th century. Disturbance analysis indicated that both tree species responded to wildfire and insect outbreak events with growth releases in up to 25% of the trees. Disentangling the influence of climate regime shifts and forest disturbances on the climate-growth relationships can be difficult because climate and forest disturbances are intricately linked. Our evidence indicates that regime shifts in monthly climate variables and forest disturbances as recorded by growth releases can influence the ring width response to climate over time. Trees are key to providing a long-term perspective on climate and ecological health across the GYE because they integrate both climate and ecology in their annual ring widths.

Wyoming↗

USGS1999

60 Myr records of major elements and Pb-Nd isotopes from hydrogenous ferromanganese crusts: Reconstruction of seawater paleochemistry

We compare the time series of major element geochemical and Pb- and Nd-isotopic composition obtained for seven hydrogenous ferromanganese crusts from the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans which cover the last 60 Myr. Average crust growth rates and age-depth relationships were determined directly for the last about 10 Myr using 10Be/9Be profiles. In the absence of other information these were extrapolated to the base of the crusts assuming constant growth rates and constant initial 10Be/9Be ratios due to the lack of additional information. Co contents have also been used previously to estimate growth rates in Co-rich Pacific and Atlantic seamount crusts (Puteanus and Halbach, 1988). A comparison of 10Be/9Be- and Co-based dating of three Co-rich crusts supports the validity of this approach and confirms the earlier chronologies derived from extrapolated 10Be/9Be-based growth rates back to 60 Ma. Our data show that the flux of Co into Co-poor crusts has been considerably lower. The relationship between growth rate and Co content for the Co-poor crusts developed from these data is in good agreement with a previous study of a wider range of marine deposits (Manheim, 1986). The results suggest that the Co content provides detailed information on the growth history of ferromanganese crusts, particularly prior to 10-12 Ma where the 10Be-based method is not applicable. The distributions of Pb and Nd isotopes in the deep oceans over the last 60 Myr are expected to be controlled by two main factors: (a) variations of oceanic mixing patterns and flow paths of water masses with distinct isotopic signatures related to major paleogeographic changes and (b) variability of supply rates or provenance of detrital material delivered to the ocean, linked to climate change (glaciations) or major tectonic uplift. The major element profiles of crusts in this study show neither systematic features which are common to crusts with similar isotope records nor do they generally show coherent relationships to the isotope records within a single crust. Consequently, any interpretation of time series of major element concentrations of a single crust in terms of paleoceanographic variations must be considered with caution. This is because local processes appear to have dominated over more basin-wide paleoceanographic effects. In this study Co is the only element which shows a relationship to Pb and Nd isotopes in Pacific crusts. A possible link to changes of Pacific deep water properties associated with an enhanced northward advection of Antarctic bottom water from about 14 Ma is consistent with the Pb but not with the Nd isotopic results. The self-consistent profiles of the Pb and Nd isotopes suggest that postdepositional diagenetic processes in hydrogenous crusts, including phosphatization events, have been insignificant for particle reactive elements such as Pb, Be, and Nd. Isotope time series of Pb and Nd show no systematic relationships with major element contents of the crusts, which supports their use as tracers of paleo-seawater isotopic composition.

Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta↗

USGS2003

Development of small carbonate banks on the south Florida platform margin: Response to sea level and climate change

Geophysical and coring data from the Dry Tortugas, Tortugas Bank, and Riley’s Hump on the southwest Florida margin reveal the stratigraphic framework and growth history of these carbonate banks. The Holocene reefs of the Dry Tortugas and Tortugas Bank are approximately 14 and 10 m thick, respectively, and are situated upon Pleistocene reefal edifices. Tortugas Bank consists of the oldest Holocene corals in the Florida Keys with earliest coral recruitment occurring at &sim;9.6 cal ka. Growth curves for the Tortugas Bank reveal slow growth (<1 mm/yr) until 6.2 cal ka, then a rapid increase to 3.4 mm/yr, until shallow reef demise at &sim;4.2 cal ka. Coral reef development at the Dry Tortugas began at &sim;6.4 cal ka. Aggradation at the Dry Tortugas was linear, and rapid (&sim;3.7 mm/yr) and kept pace with sea-level change. The increase in aggradation rate of Tortugas Bank at 6.2 cal ka is attributed to the growth of the Dry Tortugas reefs, which formed a barrier to inimical shelf water. Termination of shallow (<15 m below sea level) reef growth at Tortugas Bank at &sim;4.2 cal ka is attributed to paleoclimate change in the North American interior that increased precipitation and fluvial discharge. Reef growth rates and characteristics are related to the rate of sea-level rise relative to the position of the reef on the shelf margin, and are additionally modified by hydrographic conditions related to climate change.

Florida↗

USGS2007

The instantaneous rate dependence in low temperature laboratory rock friction and rock deformation experiments

[1] Earthquake occurrence probabilities that account for stress transfer and time-dependent failure depend on the product of the effective normal stress and a lab-derived dimensionless coefficient a . This coefficient describes the instantaneous dependence of fault strength on deformation rate, and determines the duration of precursory slip. Although an instantaneous rate dependence is observed for fracture, friction, crack growth, and low temperature plasticity in laboratory experiments, the physical origin of this effect during earthquake faulting is obscure. We examine this rate dependence in laboratory experiments on different rock types using a normalization scheme modified from one proposed by Tullis and Weeks [1987]. We compare the instantaneous rate dependence in rock friction with rate dependence measurements from higher temperature dislocation glide experiments. The same normalization scheme is used to compare rate dependence in friction to rock fracture and to low-temperature crack growth tests. For particular weak phyllosilicate minerals, the instantaneous friction rate dependence is consistent with dislocation glide. In intact rock failure tests, for each rock type considered, the instantaneous rate dependence is the same size as for friction, suggesting a common physical origin. During subcritical crack growth in strong quartzofeldspathic and carbonate rock where glide is not possible, the instantaneous rate dependence measured during failure or creep tests at high stress has long been thought to be due to crack growth; however, direct comparison between crack growth and friction tests shows poor agreement. The crack growth rate dependence appears to be higher than the rate dependence of friction and fracture by a factor of two to three for all rock types considered.

Journal of Geophysical Research B: Solid Earth↗

USGS2023

Scaling microseismic cloud shape during hydraulic stimulation using in-situ stress and permeability

Forecasting microseismic cloud shape as a proxy of stimulated rock volume may improve the design of an energy extraction system. The microseismic cloud created during hydraulic stimulation of geothermal reservoirs is known empirically to extend in the general direction of the maximum principal stress. However, this empirical relationship is often inconsistent with reported results, and the cloud growth process remains poorly understood. This study investigates microseismic cloud growth using data obtained from a hydraulic stimulation project in Basel, Switzerland, and explores its correlation with measured in situ stress. We applied principal component analysis to a time series of microseismicity for macroscopic characterization of microseismic cloud growth in two- and three-dimensional space. The microseismic cloud, in addition to extending in the general direction of maximum principal stress, expanded in the direction of intermediate principal stress. The orientation of the least microseismic cloud growth was stable and almost identical to the minimum principal stress direction. Further, microseismic cloud shape ratios showed good agreement when compared with in situ stress magnitude ratios. The permeability tensor estimated from microseismicity also provided a good correlation in terms of direction and magnitude with the microseismic cloud growth. We show that in situ stress plays a dominant role by controlling the permeability of each existing fracture in the reservoir fracture system. Consequently, microseismic cloud growth can be scaled by in situ stress as a first-order approximation if there is sufficient variation in the orientation of existing faults.

Basel↗

USGS2001

Correlates to colonizations of new patches by translocated populations of bighorn sheep

By 1950, bighorn sheep were extirpated from large areas of their range. Most extant populations of bighorn sheep ( Ovis canadensis ) in the Intermountain West consist of <100 individuals occurring in a fragmented distribution across the landscape. Dispersal and successful colonizations of unoccupied habitat patches has been rarely reported, and, in particular, translocated populations have been characterized by limited population growth and limited dispersal rates. Restoration of the species is greatly assisted by dispersal and successful colonization of new patches within a metapopulation structure versus the existing scenario of negligible dispersal and fragmented, small populations. We investigated the correlates for the rate of colonizations of 79 suitable, but unoccupied, patches by 31 translocated populations of bighorn sheep released into nearby patches of habitat. Population growth rates of bighorn sheep in the release patches were correlated to N e of the founder group, and early contact with a second released population in a nearby release patch (logistic regression, p = 0.08). Largest population size of all extant released populations in 1994 was correlated to potential N e of the founder group, the number of different source populations represented in the founder, and early contact with a second released population ( p = 0.016). Dispersal rates were 100% higher in rams than ewes ( p = 0.001). Successful colonizations of unoccupied patches ( n = 24 of 79 were colonized) were associated with rapid growth rates in the released population, years since release, larger area of suitable habitat in the release patch, larger population sizes, and a seasonal migratory tendency in the released population ( p = 0.05). Fewer water barriers, more open vegetation and more rugged, broken terrain in the intervening habitat were also associated with colonizations ( p = <0.05). We concluded that high dispersal rates and rapid reoccupation of large areas could occur if bighorn sheep are placed in large patches of habitat with few barriers to movements to other patches and with no domestic sheep present. Many restorations in the past that did not meet these criteria may have contributed to an insular population structure of bighorn sheep with limited observations of dispersal.

Restoration Ecology↗

USGS2012

Bioenergetic response by steelhead to variation in diet, thermal habitat, and climate in the north Pacific Ocean

Energetic responses of steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss to climate-driven changes in marine conditions are expected to affect the species’ ocean distribution, feeding, growth, and survival. With a unique 18-year data series (1991–2008) for steelhead sampled in the open ocean, we simulated interannual variation in prey consumption and growth efficiency of steelhead using a bioenergetics model to evaluate the temperature-dependent growth response of steelhead to past climate events and to estimate growth potential of steelhead under future climate scenarios. Our results showed that annual ocean growth of steelhead is highly variable depending on prey quality, consumption rates, total consumption, and thermal experience. At optimal growing temperatures, steelhead can compensate for a low-energy diet by increasing consumption rates and consuming more prey, if available. Our findings suggest that steelhead have a narrow temperature window in which to achieve optimal growth, which is strongly influenced by climate-driven changes in ocean temperature.

Transactions of the American Fisheries Society↗

USGS2017

Spatial and temporal consumption dynamics of trout in catch-and-release areas in Arkansas tailwaters

Restrictive angling regulations in tailwater trout fisheries may be unsuccessful if food availability limits energy for fish to grow. We examined spatial and temporal variation in energy intake and growth in populations of Brown Trout Salmo trutta and Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss within three catch-and-release (C-R) areas in Arkansas tailwaters to evaluate food availability compared with consumption. Based on bioenergetic simulations, Rainbow Trout fed at submaintenance levels in both size-classes (≤400 mm TL, >400 mm TL) throughout most seasons. A particular bottleneck in food availability occurred in the winter for Rainbow Trout when the daily ration was substantially below the minimum required for maintenance, despite reduced metabolic costs associated with lower water temperatures. Rainbow Trout growth rates followed a similar pattern to consumption with negative growth rates during the winter periods. All three size-classes (<250 mm TL, 250–400 mm TL, >400 mm TL) of Brown Trout experienced high growth rates and limited temporal bottlenecks in food availability. We observed higher mean densities for Rainbow Trout (47–342 fish/ha) than for Brown Trout (3–84 fish/ha) in all C-R areas. Lower densities of Brown Trout coupled with an ontogenetic shift towards piscivory may have allowed for higher growth rates and sufficient consumption rates to meet energetic demands. Brown Trout at current densities were more effective in maintaining adequate growth rates and larger sizes in C-R areas than were Rainbow Trout. Bioenergetic simulations suggest that reducing stocking levels of Rainbow Trout in the tailwaters may be necessary in order to achieve increased catch rates of larger trout in the C-R areas.

Arkansas↗

USGS2017

Response of fish population dynamics to mitigation activities in a large regulated river

Extensive water development in large rivers has precipitated many negative ecological effects on native fish populations. Mitigation for such development often focuses on restoring biological integrity through remediation of the physical and chemical properties of regulated rivers. However, evaluating and defining the success of those programs can be difficult. We modeled the influence of mitigation-related environmental factors on growth and recruitment of two ecologically important native fish species (Largescale Sucker Catostomus macrocheilus and Mountain Whitefish Prosopium williamsoni ) in the Kootenai River, Idaho. Artificial nutrient (phosphorus) addition best predicted the variability in annual growth of both species. Nutrient addition was positively related to Largescale Sucker growth but negatively related to Mountain Whitefish growth. The best model explained 82% of the annual variability in incremental growth for Largescale Suckers and 61% of the annual variability for Mountain Whitefish. Year-class strength of Largescale Suckers was not closely related to any of the environmental variables evaluated; however, year-class strength of Mountain Whitefish was closely associated with nutrient addition, discharge, and temperature. Most research has focused on biotic assemblages to evaluate the effects of mitigation activities on fishes, but there is an increased need to identify the influence of rehabilitation activities on fish population dynamics within those assemblages. Here, we demonstrate how fish growth can serve as an indicator of rehabilitation success in a highly regulated large river. Future fish restoration projects can likely benefit from a change in scope and from consideration of an evaluation framework involving the response of population rate functions to mitigation.

Idaho↗

USGS2001

Endocrine control of osmoregulation teleost fish

As the primary link between environmental change and physiological response, the neuroendocrine system is a critical part of osmoregulatory adaptations. Cortisol has been viewed as ‘the’ seawater-adapting hormone in fish and prolactin as ‘the’ fresh water adapting hormone. Recent evidence indicates that the growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor I axis is also important in seawater adaptation in several teleosts of widely differing evolutionary lineages. In salmonids, growth hormone acts in synergy with cortisol to increase seawater tolerance, at least partly through the upregulation of gill cortisol receptors. Cortisol under some conditions may promote ion uptake and interacts with prolactin during acclimation to fresh water. The osmoregulatory actions of growth hormone and prolactin are antagonistic. In some species, thyroid hormones support the action of growth hormone and cortisol in promoting seawater acclimation. Although a broad generalization that holds for all teleosts is unlikely, our current understanding indicates that growth hormone promotes acclimation to seawater, prolactin promotes acclimation to fresh water, and cortisol interacts with both of these hormones thus having a dual osmoregulatory function.

American Zoologist↗

USGS2002

Leisingera methylohalidivorans gen. nov., sp. nov., a marine methylotroph that grows on methyl bromide

A marine methylotroph, designated strain MB2T, was isolated for its ability to grow on methyl bromide as a sole carbon and energy source. Methyl chloride and methyl iodide also supported growth, as did methionine and glycine betaine. A limited amount of growth was observed with dimethyl sulfide. Growth was also noted with unidentified components of the complex media marine broth 2216, yeast extract and Casamino acids. No growth was observed on methylated amines, methanol, formate, acetate, glucose or a variety of other substrates. Growth on methyl bromide and methyl iodide resulted in their oxidation to CO2 with stoichiometric release of bromide and iodide, respectively. Strain MB2T exhibited growth optima at NaCl and Mg2+ concentrations similar to that of seawater. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rDNA sequence placed this strain in the alpha-Proteobacteria in proximity to the genera Ruegeria and Roseobacter. It is proposed that strain MB2T (= ATCC BAA-92T = DSM 14336T) be designated Leisingera methylohalidivorans gen. nov., sp. nov..

International Journal of Systematic and Evolutiona↗

USGS2020

Effects of increased temperature on arctic slimy sculpin Cottus cognatus is mediated by food availability: Implications for climate change

Lakes are vulnerable to climate change, and warming rates in the Arctic are faster than anywhere on Earth. Fishes are sensitive to changing temperatures, which directly control physiological processes. Food availability should partly dictate responses to climate change because energetic demands change with temperature, but few studies have simultaneously examined temperature and food availability. We used a fully factorial experiment to test effects of food availability and temperature (7.6, 12.7, and 17.4°C; 50 days) on growth, consumption, respiration, and excretion, and effects of temperature (12 and 19.3°C; 27 days) on habitat use and growth of a common, but understudied, mid-level consumer, slimy sculpin Cottus cognatus , in arctic lakes. We also used bioenergetics modelling to predict consumptive demand under future warming scenarios. Growth rates were 3.4× higher at 12.7°C in high food compared to low food treatments, but the magnitude of differences depended on temperature. Within low food treatments, there was no statistical difference in growth rates among temperatures, suggesting food limitation. Consumption, respiration, and nitrogen excretion increased with temperature independent of food availability. Lower growth rates coincided with lower phosphorus excretion at the highest temperature, suggesting that fish selectively retained phosphorus at high temperatures and low food. In habitat choice experiments, fish were more likely to use the 12°C side of the tank, closely matching their optimal temperature. We predicted a 9% increase in consumption is required to maintain observed growth under a 4°C warming scenario. These results highlight considering changes in food resources and other associated indirect effects (e.g. excretion) that accompany changing temperatures with climate change. Depending on how food webs respond to warming, fish may cope with predicted warming if density-dependent feedback maintains population sizes.

Alaska↗

USGS2025

Effects of riparian forest thinning on resident salmonid fishes in coastal northern California catchments

Resource managers are interested in whether thinning second-growth forests may be a viable restoration strategy for stream and riparian habitats, but may be concerned about the potential impacts that increases in stream temperature associated with riparian thinning treatments may have on cold-water salmonid fishes. We evaluated the effects of riparian forest thinning on resident populations of coastal cutthroat trout ( Oncorhynchus clarkii clarkii ) in coastal northern California catchments using a manipulative field experiment with a replicated before-after-control-impact design (pre-treatment data collected in 2016, thinning treatments occurred in 2017, and post-treatment data collected in 2018). Experimental thinning treatments reduced riparian shade by 20%–30% along five 150–200 m stream reaches. To provide a process-based evaluation of the implications of riparian thinning for coastal cutthroat trout, we combined seasonal observations of trout density, biomass, and growth with bioenergetics modelling. Cutthroat trout density increased by 8%–31% and biomass increased by 27%–111% in thinned reaches 1 year post-treatment, but responses varied widely across sites and seasons so did not always differ statistically. Growth rates of cutthroat trout varied more among seasons than among reach types (upstream reference, thinned, and downstream), peaking in spring and overwinter relative to summer. Bioenergetics modelling indicated that cutthroat trout responded to thinning-induced increases in stream temperature and shifts in prey energy density via higher consumption rates (i.e., fish fed more frequently) in thinned reaches. Additionally, reach-scale consumption estimates indicated that the energy intake of cutthroat trout increased at the population level in thinned reaches. However, thinned reaches exhibited relatively small changes in consumption, suggesting that riparian thinning was unlikely to enhance growth opportunities for cutthroat trout, supporting our empirical growth observations. Collectively, our field experiment suggests that salmonid fishes may be resilient to thinning second-growth riparian forests when treatments do not substantially increase water temperatures. Moreover, our results highlight that pairing empirical data with bioenergetics modelling can provide valuable insights into the mechanisms driving fish responses to riparian forest restoration.

California↗

USGS2013

Observations on the crystallization of spodumene from aqueous solutions in a hydrothermal diamond-anvil cell

Crystallization experiments were conducted in a new type of hydrothermal diamond-anvil cell (HDAC; type V) using LiAlSi 2 O 6 (S) gel and H 2 O (W) as starting materials. A total of 21 experiments were performed at temperatures up to 950°C and pressures up to 788 MPa. In the samples with relatively low W/S ratios, many small crystals formed in the melt phase during cooling. In those with high W/S ratios, only a few crystals with smooth surfaces crystallized from the aqueous fluid in the presence of melt droplets, which were gradually consumed during crystal growth, indicating rapid transfer of material from the melt to the crystals through the aqueous fluid. The nucleation of crystals started at 710 (±70)°C and 520 (±80) MPa, and crystal growth ended at 570 (±40)°C and 320 (±90) MPa, with the cooling P-T path within the stability field of spodumene + quartz in the S-W system. The observed linear crystal growth rates in the aqueous phase, calculated by dividing the maximum length of a single crystal by the duration of the entire growth step, were 4.7 × 10 −6 and 5.7 × 10 −6 cm s −1 for the cooling rates of 0.5 and 1°C min −1 , respectively. However, a rapid crystal growth rate of 3.6 × 10 −5 cm s −1 in the aqueous fluid was observed when the components were supplied by nearby melt droplets. Our results show that when crystals nucleate in the aqueous fluid instead of the melt phase, there are fewer nuclei formed, and they grow much faster due to the low viscosity of the aqueous fluid, which accelerates diffusion of components for the growth of crystals. Therefore, the large crystals in granitic pegmatite can crystallize directly from aqueous fluids rather than hydrosilicate melt.

Geofluids↗

USGS2007

Linking resources with demography to understand resource limitation for bears

1. Identifying the resources that limit growth of animal populations is essential for effective conservation; however, resource limitation is difficult to quantify. Recent advances in geographical information systems (GIS) and resource modelling can be combined with demographic modelling to yield insights into resource limitation. 2. Using long-term data on a population of black bears Ursus americanus, we evaluated competing hypotheses about whether availability of hard mast (acorns and nuts) or soft mast (fleshy fruits) limited bears in the southern Appalachians, USA, during 1981-2002. The effects of clearcutting on habitat quality were also evaluated. Annual survival, recruitment and population growth rate were estimated using capture-recapture data from 101 females. The availability of hard mast, soft mast and clearcuts was estimated with a GIS, as each changed through time as a result of harvest and succession, and then availabilities were incorporated as covariates for each demographic parameter. 3. The model with the additive availability of hard mast and soft mast across the landscape predicted survival and population growth rate. Availability of young clearcuts predicted recruitment, but not population growth or survival. 4. Availability of hard mast stands across the landscape and availability of soft mast across the landscape were more important than hard mast production and availability of soft mast in young clearcuts, respectively. 5. Synthesis and applications. Our results indicate that older stands, which support high levels of hard mast and moderate levels of soft mast, should be maintained to sustain population growth of bears in the southern Appalachians. Simultaneously, the acreage of intermediate aged stands (10-25 years), which support very low levels of both hard mast and soft mast, should be minimized. The approach used in this study has broad application for wildlife management and conservation. State and federal wildlife agencies often possess long-term data on both resource availability and capture-recapture for wild populations. Combined, these two data types can be used to estimate survival, recruitment, population growth, elasticities of vital rates and the effects of resource availability on demographic parameters. Hence data that are traditionally used to understand population trends can be used to evaluate how and why demography changes over time. ?? 2007 The Authors.

Journal of Applied Ecology↗

USGS2005

The accuracy of matrix population model projections for coniferous trees in the Sierra Nevada, California

1 We assess the use of simple, size-based matrix population models for projecting population trends for six coniferous tree species in the Sierra Nevada, California. We used demographic data from 16 673 trees in 15 permanent plots to create 17 separate time-invariant, density-independent population projection models, and determined differences between trends projected from initial surveys with a 5-year interval and observed data during two subsequent 5-year time steps. 2 We detected departures from the assumptions of the matrix modelling approach in terms of strong growth autocorrelations. We also found evidence of observation errors for measurements of tree growth and, to a more limited degree, recruitment. Loglinear analysis provided evidence of significant temporal variation in demographic rates for only two of the 17 populations. 3 Total population sizes were strongly predicted by model projections, although population dynamics were dominated by carryover from the previous 5-year time step (i.e. there were few cases of recruitment or death). Fractional changes to overall population sizes were less well predicted. Compared with a null model and a simple demographic model lacking size structure, matrix model projections were better able to predict total population sizes, although the differences were not statistically significant. Matrix model projections were also able to predict short-term rates of survival, growth and recruitment. Mortality frequencies were not well predicted. 4 Our results suggest that simple size-structured models can accurately project future short-term changes for some tree populations. However, not all populations were well predicted and these simple models would probably become more inaccurate over longer projection intervals. The predictive ability of these models would also be limited by disturbance or other events that destabilize demographic rates. ?? 2005 British Ecological Society.

Journal of Ecology↗