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At least 289 records · Page 16Linked to original sources
USGS1995

Our living resources: A report to the nation on the distribution, abundance, and health of U.S. plants, animals, and ecosystems

This report on the distribution, abundance, and health of our nation's biological resources is the first product of the National Biological Service’s Status and Trends Program. This information has many potential uses: it can document successful management efforts so resource managers will know what has worked well; it can identify problems so managers can take early action to restore the resource in the most cost-efficient manner; and it can be used to highlight areas where additional research is needed, such as to determine why certain ecological changes are occurring. This report will also be useful to teachers, students, journalists, and citizens in general who are interested in national resource issues. Another purpose of this report is to help identify gaps in existing resource inventory and monitoring programs. It contains information collected by a variety of existing research and monitoring efforts by scientists in the National Biological Service, other federal and state agencies, academia, and the private sector. The programs that produced the information in this document were not developed in a coordinated fashion to produce an integrated, comprehensive picture of the status and trends of our nation’s resources; rather, each was developed for its own particular purpose, usually to help manage a specific resource. Thus, even though articles vary greatly in scope, design, and purpose, this report has identified and attempted to combine many of the existing information sources into a broad picture of the condition of our resources. In the future, these sources will be complemented by additional information from other sources - such as state agencies and other inventory and monitoring studies - to fill in the gaps of knowledge and to provide a more complete understanding of the status of our living resources.

Book↗
USGS2024

Water resources inventory of the Las Cienegas National Conservation Area, southeastern Arizona

The Las Cienegas National Conservation Area was established by the Las Cienegas National Conservation Area Establishment Act of 1999 (Public Law 106–538) and is managed by the Bureau of Land Management. Located in southeastern Arizona, the conservation area contains more than 45,000 acres of rolling grassland, wetlands, and woodlands surrounded by isolated mountain ranges that are part of the Madrean archipelago. This report describes the surface-water and groundwater resources within, and hydrologically connected to, the conservation area. Two primary aquifers have been identified within the Las Cienegas National Conservation Area: a Quaternary alluvial aquifer and a Miocene to Pliocene basin-fill aquifer. The Quaternary alluvial aquifer consists of Quaternary saturated stream alluvium along Cienega Creek and its major tributaries. This aquifer provides the water necessary for base flow in the perennial stream reaches that support aquatic life and for wetland and riparian habitat along the stream courses. Wells and piezometers completed in the Quaternary alluvial aquifer show both seasonal and daily water-level fluctuation patterns, as well as responses to flood flows in Cienega Creek. The basin-fill aquifer, in contrast, consists chiefly of Miocene to Pliocene alluvium within a sedimentary basin that is at least 4,800 feet deep. This aquifer is developed for anthropogenic uses more often than the Quaternary alluvial aquifer is developed. Generally, water levels in wells completed in the basin-fill aquifer have gradually declined a few feet between 2011, when measurements began, and 2022, when this report was written. Most water-chemistry samples available from the basin-fill aquifer had either a sodium-bicarbonate or calcium-bicarbonate water type. Previous research has shown that most recharge to the basin-fill aquifer likely comes from mountain-front and mountain-block recharge. Research further shows that this aquifer likely provides most of the recharge to the Quaternary alluvial aquifer. Because no production wells completed in bedrock exist within the conservation area, little is known about the hydraulic properties of the bedrock therein, but usable quantities of water can likely be produced from places where the bedrock has highly developed joint or fracture systems. During 2006–2021, the average combined length of measured perennial stream reaches within the main part of the Las Cienegas National Conservation Area was 6.35 miles. The average annual base flow of Cienega Creek during 2002–2021, estimated with the Standard Base-Flow Index method using data from a streamgage within the conservation area, was 0.62 cubic feet per second. Monthly mean streamflow measured at this streamgage for the same period ranged from a low of 0.29 cubic feet per second (in June) to a high of 9.8 cubic feet per second (in July). The July average is heavily influenced by a flood that occurred in July 2021; the median July streamflow for 2002–2021 is just 0.84 cubic feet per second. Periods with no daily flow are not uncommon at this gage during late May and June.

Arizona↗
USGS2021

Fisheries research and monitoring activities of the Lake Erie Biological Station, 2021

A comprehensive understanding of fish populations and their interactions is the cornerstone of modern fishery management and the basis for Lake Erie’s Fish Community Goals and Objectives (FCOs) developed in 2020 (Francis et al. 2020). The 2021 USGS Lake Erie Biological Station annual report is responsive to these FCOs and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) obligations via a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in 2004 with the GLFC Council of Lake Committees (CLC) to provide scientific information in support of fishery management. Goals for the USGS Great Lakes Deepwater Fish Assessment and Ecological Studies were to monitor long-term changes in the fish community and population dynamics of key fishes of interest to management agencies (MOU 2004). Specific to Lake Erie, expectations of the MOU were sustained investigations of native percids, forage (prey) fish populations, and Lake Trout. Additionally, this work was conducted under the authority of the Great Lakes Fishery Research Authorization Act of 2019.

Lake Erie↗
USGS1981

Environmental geologic studies on the southeastern United States Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf, 1977-1978

This report is a summary of the second year of marine environmental research activities by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) on the southeaster U.S. Atlantic Continental Margin, in accordance with with Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) AA551-MU8-13 between the USGS and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The report covers studies whose fieldwork was conducted during the period from 1 October 1977 to 30 September 1978. The results of the first year of study are reported in Popenoe (1978a and b) and as U.S. Department of Commerce NTIS report PB 300-820. The purpose of these investigations is to provide basic geologic and oceanographic data to the BLM Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Marine Environmental Studies Program in support of management decisions which relate to possible development of oil and gas resources of the continental shelf. The objectives of the USGS-BLM geologic research program for fiscal year 1978 (FY-78) were 1) to determine the sedimentation rates and processes on the upper slope and inner Blake Plateau; 2) to determine the distribution, areal extent, and vertical characteristics of geological features supportive of biological communities; 3) to monitor the transport of bottom sediment across the OCS, evaluate its possible effect on pollutant transfer along the seabed and the potential of sediment as a pollutant sink, determine the implications of erosion/deposition on pipeline emplacement, and aid the interpretation of chemical, biological, and physical data; 4) to determine the concentration levels of chosen trace metals and silica in three chemically defined fractions of the suspended particulate matter (seston); 5) to study the shelf edge and slope near areas of oil and gas interest, and the northern portion of the Blake Plateau for evidence of slope instability and other geologic hazards, and 6) to determine the depth and rate of sediment mixing caused by large storms and/or by benthic organisms and where possible to estimate the rate of active sediment accumulation.

Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf↗
USGS1982

Liming of acidified waters: issues and research - a report of the International Liming Workshop

Acidic deposition is a problem of significant national and international concern. It is strongly suspected that acidic deposition has adversely affected aquatic resources in Scandinavia and North America. While substantial resources are being devoted to understanding the causative factors associated with surface water acidification, much less research is being conducted on mitigative strategies. Mitigative techniques involving liming may be useful for short-term protection of specific component of aquatic communities or for renovation of seriously impacted aquatic ecosystems. The selection of effective liming strategies is based on an integrated understanding of the following key factors: biological systems, water chemistry, sediment chemistry, hydrology, and watershed characteristics, effectiveness of neutralizing materials, and application techniques. Research in Scandinavia, Canada, and the U.S. has led to a partial understanding of some of the key factors for successful neutralization of surface waters (Bengtsson, 1982; Fraser and Britt, 1982). However, conflicting results of liming operations and experiments have been reported. (Fraser et al., 1982; Fraser and Britt, 1982; Sverdrup and Bjerle, 1982). Additional research is required to improve the ability of scientists and resource managers to select effective liming strategies. An International Liming workshop was convened during 19-25 September 1982 at the University of Washington's Friday Harbor Laboratories. The major objective of this workshop were: - To identify the most critical deficiencies in the scientific understanding of liming techniques and their long-term consequences. - To develop and document a research strategy to address information deficiencies that are pertinent to the protection or renovation of acidic surface waters in the United States. The participants who contributed to this workshop are listed in Table 1.

FWS/OBS↗
USGS2002

Land use change and effects on water quality and ecosystem health in the Lake Tahoe basin, Nevada and California: year-1 progress

As part of the requirements for the Geographic Research and Applications Prospectus grants, this Open-File Report is the second of two that resulted from the first year of the project. The first Open-File Report (OFR 01-418) introduced the project, reviewed the existing body of literature, and outlined the research approach. This document will present an update of the research approach and offer some preliminary results from multiple efforts, specifically, the production of historical digital orthophoto quadrangles, the development of the land use/land cover (LULC) classification system, the development of a temporal transportation layer, the classification of anthropogenic cover types from the IKONOS imagery, a preliminary evaluation of landscape ecology metrics (quantification of spatial and temporal patterns of ecosystem structure and function with appropriate indices) and their utility in comparing two LULC systems, and a new initiative in community-based science and facilitation.

Open-File Report↗
USGS2007

Distribution of potential spawning habitat for sturgeon in the Lower Missouri River, 2003-06

We surveyed the Lower Missouri River downstream from Gavins Point Dam near Yankton, South Dakota, to St. Louis, Missouri, during low water conditions in 2003-06 to identify and map coarse substrate deposits and bedrock exposures that might serve as spawning areas for sturgeon and other fishes. More than 330 deposits were identified, including tributary fans, bars, and habitat-enhancement projects. The location and extent of riverside bedrock exposures immediately adjacent to the channel also were mapped. Field surveys identified 48 bedrock exposures whereas the analysis of aerial orthophotographs identified an additional 65 exposures for a total of 113. Maps illustrating the distribution of deposits and their density were developed to aid researchers studying reproductive ecology of sturgeon and other lithophilic fishes.

Open-File Report↗
USGS2022

Southeast Utah Group climate and drought adaptation report: Exposure and perennial grass sensitivity

National Park Service (NPS) managers face growing challenges resulting from the effects of climate change. In particular, as temperatures rise in coming decades, natural resource management in the western United States must cope with expectations for elevated severity and frequency of droughts. These challenges are particularly pronounced for vegetation managers in dryland environments. Developing adaptive strategies requires specific information about the expected magnitude of change in climate and drought conditions as well as insights into how those changes will affect important vegetation resources. This report describes research focused on Southeast Utah Group (SEUG) park units designed to provide information about exposure and sensitivity of perennial grasses to aridification. Analyses at larger regional scales are also reported for context and comparison. This report is a product of an ongoing climate adaptation collaboration between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), NPS, and Northern Arizona University. The study it summarizes contributes quantitative ingredients for vulnerability assessments that are needed in the Climate-Smart Conservation framework. As such, the results informed a series of climate adaptation workshops conducted between 2018 and 2021 for Colorado Plateau scientists and managers. This is a giant step forward in science-informed management. The information in this report can be used to craft management strategies that can be implemented at the right place and time for individual species of concern.

Colorado, Utah↗
USGS2006

Reproductive and early life stages pathology - Histopathology workshop report

Pathology occurring during reproduction and larval development represents an important part of the life cycle of fish, and the diseases that affect eggs and larvae often result in significant losses. However, mortality during this period is frequently ignored or poorly researched as the temptation is to replace the losses rather than investigate the causes. A histopathology workshop organised at the newly refurnished laboratory within the Danish Veterinary School was an opportunity to discuss the pathology of selected diseases associated with Reproductive and Early Life Stages Pathology. Several people also kindly provided reference slides.

Bulletin of the European Association of Fish Patho↗