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At least 487 records · Page 27Linked to original sources

USGS2001

Fish community dynamics in northeastern Lake Ontario with emphasis on the growth and reproductive success of yellow perch ( Perca flavescens ) and white perch ( Morone americana ), 1978 to1997

Fishes were assessed in Guffin, Chaumount, and Black River bays in northeastern Lake Ontario with a 7.9-m (headrope) bottom trawl during late September and early October, 1978 to 1997. Fish density declined in the early 1990s with sharp declines in abundance of spottail shiner ( Notropis hudsonius ), trout-perch ( Percopsis omiscomaycus ), and johnny darter (Etheostoma nigrum) occurring in 1993 to 1995. Rising numbers of piscivores, walleye ( Stizostedion vitreum ) and double-crested cormorant ( Phalacrocorax auritus ), increased predation pressure, presumably acting in concert with oligotrophication to lower fish density, particularly after 1991 when large numbers of adult alewife ( Alosa pseudoharengus ) no longer migrated to the northeast basin in spring. Annual mortality of yellow perch ( Perca flavescens ) from age 2 to 5 rose from 33% in 1980–83 to 65% in 1992–95 and was positively related to piscivore numbers ( P = 0.01, r = 0.96, n = 5). Annual mortality of yellow perch from age 0 to 2 also peaked in 1992–95. Abundance of yellow perch YOY in fall varied 40 fold and was not related to water warming in spring ( P = 0.45, r = −0.19, n = 18) but was negatively related to the abundance of adult alewives in spring ( P = 0.04, r = −0.49, n = 18). Although yellow perch produced moderate to strong year classes each year during 1991–95, stock size failed to increase because of rapidly accelerating mortality. Fully 85% of the variation in mean length of yellow perch YOY was explained by a multiple regression model which included YOY abundance, mean total phosphorus, and cumulative degree days > 13.5°C ( P < 0.01, n = 15). Abundance of white perch ( Morone americana ) YOY varied nearly 200 fold and was not related to water warming or spring alewife abundance ( P > 0.15). Variation in mean length of white perch YOY was related to cumulative degree days > 15°C ( P < 0.01, r = 0.69).

Journal of Great Lakes Research↗

USGS2012

Low prevalence of VHSV detected in round goby collected in offshore regions of Lake Ontario

Since the first reports of mortalities due to viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) type IVb in the Laurentian Great Lakes basin during 2005 (Lake St. Clair, USA and Bay of Quinte, Lake Ontario, Canada), many groups have conducted surveillance efforts for the virus, primarily in nearshore areas. The round goby ( Neogobius melanostomus ) has been identified as a key species to target for surveillance, because they have a very high probability of infection at a given site. Our objective in this study was to document and quantify VHSV in round gobies in offshore waters of Lake Ontario using molecular techniques. We collected 139 round gobies from depths ranging from 55 to 150 m using bottom trawls during the early spring of 2011 and detected VHSV in 4 individuals (1/26 fish at 95 m, 2/12 fish at 105 m, and 1/24 fish at 135 m). These results expand the known depth range of VHSV in the Great Lakes. They also have implications on the management of the spread of VHSV within infected bodies of water related to the mixing of populations of fish that would remain distinct in their breeding habitats, but then have the opportunity to mix in their overwintering habitats, as well as to increase overlap of predator and prey species in overwintering habitats.

Lake Ontario↗

USGS2014

In vivo and in vitro phenotypic differences between Great Lakes VHSV genotype IVb isolates with sequence types vcG001 and vcG002

Viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) is an aquatic rhabdovirus first recognized in farmed rainbow trout in Denmark. In the past decade, a new genotype of this virus, IVb was discovered in the Laurentian Great Lakes basin and has caused several massive die-offs in some of the 28 species of susceptible North American freshwater fishes. Since its colonization of the Great Lakes, several closely related sequence types within genotype IVb have been reported, the two most common of which are vcG001 and vcG002. These sequence types have different spatial distributions in the Great Lakes. The aim of this study was to determine whether the genotypic differences between representative vcG001 (isolate MI03) and vcG002 (isolate 2010-030 #91) isolates correspond to phenotypic differences in terms of virulence using both in vitro and in vivo approaches. In vitro infection of epithelioma papulosum cyprini (EPC), bluegill fry (BF-2), and Chinook salmon embryo (CHSE) cells demonstrated some differences in onset and rate of growth in EPC and BF-2 cells, without any difference in the quantity of RNA produced. In vivo infection of round gobies ( Neogobius melanostomus ) via immersion exposure to different concentrations of vcG001 or vcG002 caused a significantly greater mortality in round gobies exposed to 10 2 plaque forming units ml − 1 of vcG001. These experiments suggest that there are phenotypic differences between Great Lakes isolates of VHSV genotype IVb.

Journal of Great Lakes Research↗

USGS2014

Inference of strata separation and gas emission paths in longwall overburden using continuous wavelet transform of well logs and geostatistical simulation

Prediction of potential methane emission pathways from various sources into active mine workings or sealed gobs from longwall overburden is important for controlling methane and for improving mining safety. The aim of this paper is to infer strata separation intervals and thus gas emission pathways from standard well log data. The proposed technique was applied to well logs acquired through the Mary Lee/Blue Creek coal seam of the Upper Pottsville Formation in the Black Warrior Basin, Alabama, using well logs from a series of boreholes aligned along a nearly linear profile. For this purpose, continuous wavelet transform (CWT) of digitized gamma well logs was performed by using Mexican hat and Morlet, as the mother wavelets, to identify potential discontinuities in the signal. Pointwise Hölder exponents (PHE) of gamma logs were also computed using the generalized quadratic variations (GQV) method to identify the location and strength of singularities of well log signals as a complementary analysis. PHEs and wavelet coefficients were analyzed to find the locations of singularities along the logs. Using the well logs in this study, locations of predicted singularities were used as indicators in single normal equation simulation (SNESIM) to generate equi-probable realizations of potential strata separation intervals. Horizontal and vertical variograms of realizations were then analyzed and compared with those of indicator data and training image (TI) data using the Kruskal–Wallis test. A sum of squared differences was employed to select the most probable realization representing the locations of potential strata separations and methane flow paths. Results indicated that singularities located in well log signals reliably correlated with strata transitions or discontinuities within the strata. Geostatistical simulation of these discontinuities provided information about the location and extents of the continuous channels that may form during mining. If there is a gas source within their zone of influence, paths may develop and allow methane movement towards sealed or active gobs under pressure differentials. Knowledge gained from this research will better prepare mine operations for potential methane inflows, thus improving mine safety.

Journal of Applied Geophysics↗

USGS2025

Drowned river mouth lakes are winter foraging habitats for the expanding Lake Michigan cisco Coregonus artedi population

Characterizing fish movements is required for understanding habitat use, energy flow, and trophic structure and can inform fisheries management. Drowned river mouth (DRM) lakes are productive inland habitats in the Laurentian Great Lakes basin used by migratory fishes. Despite recognition of their ecological connections to the Great Lakes, the value of DRM lakes as seasonal habitats is not well understood for many fishes. One such species, cisco Coregonus artedi , has recently expanded in Lake Michigan from near extirpation to higher relative abundances in the northeastern portion of the lake. Cisco are recreationally harvested in some DRM lakes during winter, but little is known about cisco movement patterns and ecology. In winter 2022 and 2023, we collected cisco from three DRM lakes along the eastern shores of Lake Michigan (Lake Charlevoix, Portage Lake, Muskegon Lake) to characterize genetics, morphometrics, and diets. We also implanted telemetry tags in 20 cisco collected in Lake Charlevoix to examine movement patterns and determine DRM lake residency (i.e., seasonal vs. year-round). We found no consistent genetic or morphometric differentiation across DRM lakes, suggesting that recolonization began from a single stock. Fish were the only diet item found in cisco guts collected during winter months. Movement patterns from Lake Charlevoix indicated strong spawning site fidelity to Grand Traverse Bay as well as non-spawning site fidelity. However, given the presence of cisco in southern DRM lakes and some site-specific differences in morphometrics, managers could benefit from further research to determine whether spawning occurs in southern Lake Michigan.

Journal of Great Lakes Research↗

USGS2019

Efficacy of increasing discharge to reduce tow-mediated fish passage across an electric dispersal barrier system in a confined channel

The Electric Dispersal Barrier System (EDBS) in the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal (CSSC) was built to limit the interbasin transfer of aquatic invasive species between the Mississippi River Basin and the Great Lakes Basin. Commercial barge traffic, or tows, moving downstream through the EDBS can facilitate the upstream passage of small fish through the barrier by reducing the voltage gradient of the barrier and causing localized upstream return currents. This study tested whether it is possible to prevent upstream passage of small fish across the barrier by preventing upstream return currents. Measurements of water velocity, voltage gradient, and tow speed, as well as sonar-based observations of resident fish, were made as a tow transited the EDBS moving downstream. The results indicate that upstream return currents can be prevented for typical flow conditions in the CSSC (ambient velocity = 0.15 to 0.23 m/s) when tow speeds are <0.46 m/s. Similarly, increasing the ambient velocity above typical values can prevent upstream return currents for faster tow speeds and larger tows. Additionally, preventing upstream return currents at the EDBS may reduce, but does not prevent, tow-mediated upstream fish passages because tows also cause a temporary reduction in the streamwise voltage gradient at the EDBS. These results have implications for the management of invasive bigheaded carps in the Illinois Waterway.

Illinois↗

USGS1994

Lake-level history of Lake Michigan for the past 12,000 years: the record from deep lacustrine sediments

Collection and analysis of an extensive set of seismic-reflection profiles and cores from southern Lake Michigan have provided new data that document the history of the lake basin for the past 12,000 years. Analyses of the seismic data, together with radiocarbon dating, magnetic, sedimentologic, isotopic, and paleontologic studies of core samples, have allowed us to reconstruct lake-level changes during this recent part of the lake's history. The post-glacial history of lake-level changes in the Lake Michigan basin begins about 11.2 ka with the fall from the high Calumet level, caused by the retreat of the Two Rivers glacier, which had blocked the northern outlet of the lake. This lake-level fall was temporarily reversed by a major influx of water from glacial Lake Agassiz (about 10.6 ka), during which deposition of the distinctive gray Wilmette Bed of the Lake Michigan Formation interrupted deposition of red glaciolacustrine sediment. Lake level then continued to fall, culminating in the opening of the North Bay outlet at about 10.3 ka. During the resulting Chippewa low phase, lake level was about 80 m lower than it is today in the southern basin of Lake Michigan. The rise of the early Holocene lake level, controlled primarily by isostatic rebound of the North Bay outlet, resulted in a prominent, planar, transgressive unconformity that eroded most of the shoreline features below present lake level. Superimposed on this overall rise in lake level, a second influx of water from Lake Agassiz temporarily raised lake levels an unknown amount about 9.1 ka. At about 7 ka, lake level may have fallen below the level of the outlet because of sharply drier climate. Sometime between 6 and 5 ka, the character of the lake changed dramatically, probably due mostly to climatic causes, becoming highly undersaturated with respect to calcium carbonate and returning primary control of lake level to the isostatically rising North Bay outlet. Post-Nipissing (about 5 ka) lake level has fallen about 6 m due to erosion of the Port Huron outlet, a trend around which occurred relatively small (± ∼2 m), short-term fluctuations controlled mainly by climatic changes. These cyclic fluctuations are reflected in the sed-imentological and sediment-magnetic properties of the sediments.

Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin↗

USGS2019

Spatial patterns of rainbow smelt energetic condition in Lakes Huron and Erie in 2017: Evidence for Lake Huron resource limitation

Rainbow smelt ( Osmerus mordax ) is a key planktivore and prey fish in Lake Huron. Given the declining offshore productivity in the lake since the early 2000s, we described the energy content of rainbow smelt in 2017 across five different regions (North Channel, Georgian Bay, Saginaw Bay, northern main basin, southern main basin) where phytoplankton and zooplankton productivity likely varied. To increase contrast across the productivity gradient, rainbow smelt energy content was also estimated from western Lake Erie. Within the North Channel where large fish (≥90 mm, total length) were sampled most frequently, mean energy density (kJ/g wet weight) varied seasonally: 4.29 in April (month of spawning), 3.86 in June, 3.99 in July, and up to 4.35 in September. Energy density of rainbow smelt from higher productivity western Lake Erie was 37% (large fish ≥90 mm) to 60% higher (small fish <90 mm) than that of fish from Lake Huron. Within Lake Huron, energy density of rainbow smelt from North Channel was slightly higher than those from other regions; rainbow smelt from Georgian Bay generally had the lowest energy density. Across regions, including western Lake Erie, energy density increased with chlorophyll a concentration. Compared with Lake Huron studies prior to 2004, when oligotrophication had not yet accelerated, energy density of rainbow smelt in 2017 was up to 31% lower. The decline in rainbow smelt energy density is likely the result of declining primary and secondary pelagic production and increased resource limitation for planktivorous fish.

Michigan, Ohio, Ontario↗

USGS1973

Flow characteristics of a subsurface-controlled recharge basin on Long Island, New York

Ponding studies at the Woodbury recharge basin on Long Island, N.Y., show that the principal zones controlling infiltration are a surface-loam stratum and an intermediate gravelly, sandy loam stratum. The saturated hydraulic conductivities of these strata are 0.90 and 0.1 ft per day, respectively. The surface loam acts as the principal zone controlling infiltration until a perched ground-water mound develops above the intermediate gravelly, sandy loam and extends to the bottom of the surface loam; then the intermediate gravelly, sandy loam becomes the principal infiltration controlling zone. Infiltration rates at 15.6° Celsius are 1.4 ft per day when the surface loam is acting as the principal controlling zone and 0.5 ft per day when the intermediate gravelly, sandy loam is acting as the principal controlling zone. Projections of the probable infiltration rates associated with both the partial and the complete removal of the surface-loam stratum show that if recharge continues for several days total infiltration would not be greatly different whether or not the loam stratum is completely removed. The principal advantage of completely removing the surface-loam stratum is the resulting greater infiltration capacity during the early stages of ponding. This advantage is offset by potential problems associated with more intensive clogging of the subsurface controlling zone.

New York↗

USGS2006

Imaging the transition from Aleutian subduction to Yakutat collision in central Alaska, with local earthquakes and active source data

In southern and central Alaska the subduction and active volcanism of the Aleutian subduction zone give way to a broad plate boundary zone with mountain building and strike-slip faulting, where the Yakutat terrane joins the subducting Pacific plate. The interplay of these tectonic elements can be best understood by considering the entire region in three dimensions. We image three-dimensional seismic velocity using abundant local earthquakes, supplemented by active source data. Crustal low-velocity correlates with basins. The Denali fault zone is a dominant feature with a change in crustal thickness across the fault. A relatively high-velocity subducted slab and a low-velocity mantle wedge are observed, and high Vp/Vs beneath the active volcanic systems, which indicates focusing of partial melt. North of Cook Inlet, the subducted Yakutat slab is characterized by a thick low-velocity, high-Vp/Vs, crust. High-velocity material above the Yakutat slab may represent a residual older slab, which inhibits vertical flow of Yakutat subduction fluids. Alternate lateral flow allows Yakutat subduction fluids to contribute to Cook Inlet volcanism and the Wrangell volcanic field. The apparent northeast edge of the subducted Yakutat slab is southwest of the Wrangell volcanics, which have adakitic composition consistent with melting of this Yakutat slab edge. In the mantle, the Yakutat slab is subducting with the Pacific plate, while at shallower depths the Yakutat slab overthrusts the shallow Pacific plate along the Transition fault. This region of crustal doubling within the shallow slab is associated with extremely strong plate coupling and the primary asperity of the Mw 9.2 great 1964 earthquake. Copyright 2006 by the American Geophysical Union.

Alaska↗

USGS2012

Reflected and mode-converted seismic waves within the shallow Aleutian subduction zone, southern Kenai Peninsula, Alaska

Pronounced secondary phases observed in local recordings of quarry shots and earthquakes on the southern Kenai Peninsula, Alaska, are identified as reflected P and S and converted S-to-P phases originating within four depth ranges: in the upper few kilometers of the Cook Inlet Tertiary basin, at midcrustal depths within the overthrust North American plate, at about 35 km depth near the top of the Wadati-Benioff seismic zone in proximity to the inferred interplate megathrust, and at about 5–10 km below the megathrust in the subducted Pacific plate. Beneath the landward margin of the accreted Chugach terrane, the mid-upper plate (MUP) discontinuity dips as steeply as 20°–30° to the west-northwest over the depth range 12–18 km. At shallower depths it flattens and possibly arches with the crest at about 10 km depth. Similar midcrustal reflectors have been imaged about 125 km to the southwest and about 350 km to the northeast along the structural trend of the Chugach terrane. The extensive reflectors may have a common origin, possible caused by the presence of underplated rocks. Relative amplitudes and polarities of the secondary phases originating at MUP depths provide few constraints on the nature of the discontinuity. It appears that the MUP discontinuity is seismically inactive and does not represent a brittle-ductile transition zone within the upper plate. The two converted S -to- P phases generated near the top of the subducted plate could indicate a low-velocity zone associated with subducted oceanic crust.

Journal of Geophysical Research Solid Earth↗

USGS2016

Hydrologic connectivity: Quantitative assessments of hydrologic-enforced drainage structures in an elevation model

Elevation data derived from light detection and ranging present challenges for hydrologic modeling as the elevation surface includes bridge decks and elevated road features overlaying culvert drainage structures. In reality, water is carried through these structures; however, in the elevation surface these features impede modeled overland surface flow. Thus, a hydrologically-enforced elevation surface is needed for hydrodynamic modeling. In the Delaware River Basin, hydrologic-enforcement techniques were used to modify elevations to simulate how constructed drainage structures allow overland surface flow. By calculating residuals between unfilled and filled elevation surfaces, artificially pooled depressions that formed upstream of constructed drainage structure features were defined, and elevation values were adjusted by generating transects at the location of the drainage structures. An assessment of each hydrologically-enforced drainage structure was conducted using field-surveyed culvert and bridge coordinates obtained from numerous public agencies, but it was discovered the disparate drainage structure datasets were not comprehensive enough to assess all remotely located depressions in need of hydrologic-enforcement. Alternatively, orthoimagery was interpreted to define drainage structures near each depression, and these locations were used as reference points for a quantitative hydrologic-enforcement assessment. The orthoimagery-interpreted reference points resulted in a larger corresponding sample size than the assessment between hydrologic-enforced transects and field-surveyed data. This assessment demonstrates the viability of rules-based hydrologic-enforcement that is needed to achieve hydrologic connectivity, which is valuable for hydrodynamic models in sensitive coastal regions. Hydrologic-enforced elevation data are also essential for merging with topographic/bathymetric elevation data that extend over vulnerable urbanized areas and dynamic coastal regions.

Journal of Coastal Research↗

USGS2000

Mercury in Long Island Sound sediments

Mercury (Hg) concentrations were measured in 394 surface and core samples from Long Island Sound (LIS). The surface sediment Hg concentration data show a wide spread, ranging from <50 ppb Hg in eastern LIS to >600 ppb Hg in westernmost LIS. Part of the observed range is related to variations in the bottom sedimentary environments, with higher Hg concentrations in the muddy depositional areas of central and western LIS. A strong residual trend of higher Hg values to the west remains when the data are normalized to grain size. Relationships between a tracer for sewage effluents (C. perfringens) and Hg concentrations indicate that between 0-50 % of the Hg is derived from sewage sources for most samples from the western and central basins. A higher percentage of sewage-derived Hg is found in samples from the westernmost section of LIS and in some local spots near urban centers. The remainder of the Hg is carried into the Sound with contaminated sediments from the watersheds and a small fraction enters the Sound as in situ atmospheric deposition. The Hg-depth profiles of several cores have well-defined contamination profiles that extend to pre-industrial background values. These data indicate that the Hg levels in the Sound have increased by a factor of 5-6 over the last few centuries, but Hg levels in LIS sediments have declined in modern times by up to 30 %. The concentrations of C. perfringens increased exponentially in the top core sections which had declining Hg concentrations, suggesting a recent decline in Hg fluxes that are unrelated to sewage effluents. The observed spatial and historical trends show Hg fluxes to LIS from sewage effluents, contaminated sediment input from the Connecticut River, point source inputs of strongly contaminated sediment from the Housatonic River, variations in the abundance of Hg carrier phases such as TOC and Fe, and focusing of sediment-bound Hg in association with westward sediment transport within the Sound.

Connecticut;New York↗

USGS2000

Bottom currents and sediment transport in Long Island Sound: A modeling study

A high resolution (300-400 m grid spacing), process oriented modeling study was undertaken to elucidate the physical processes affecting the characteristics and distribution of sea-floor sedimentary environments in Long Island Sound. Simulations using idealized forcing and high-resolution bathymetry were performed using a three-dimensional circulation model ECOM (Blumberg and Mellor, 1987) and a stationary shallow water wave model HISWA (Holthuijsen et al., 1989). The relative contributions of tide-, density-, wind- and wave-driven bottom currents are assessed and related to observed characteristics of the sea-floor environments, and simple bedload sediment transport simulations are performed. The fine grid spacing allows features with scales of several kilometers to be resolved. The simulations clearly show physical processes that affect the observed sea-floor characteristics at both regional and local scales. Simulations of near-bottom tidal currents reveal a strong gradient in the funnel-shaped eastern part of the Sound, which parallels an observed gradient in sedimentary environments from erosion or nondeposition, through bedload transport and sediment sorting, to fine-grained deposition. A simulation of estuarine flow driven by the along-axis gradient in salinity shows generally westward bottom currents of 2-4 cm/s that are locally enhanced to 6-8 cm/s along the axial depression of the Sound. Bottom wind-driven currents flow downwind along the shallow margins of the basin, but flow against the wind in the deeper regions. These bottom flows (in opposition to the wind) are strongest in the axial depression and add to the estuarine flow when winds are from the west. The combination of enhanced bottom currents due to both estuarine circulation and the prevailing westerly winds provide an explanation for the relatively coarse sediments found along parts of the axial depression. Climatological simulations of wave-driven bottom currents show that frequent high-energy events occur along the shallow margins of the Sound, explaining the occurrence of relatively coarse sediments in these regions. Bedload sediment transport calculations show that the estuarine circulation coupled with the oscillatory tidal currents result in a net westward transport of sand in much of the eastern Sound. Local departures from this regional westward trend occur around topographic and shoreline irregularities, and there is strong predicted convergence of bedload transport over most of the large, linear sand ridges in the eastern Sound, providing a mechanism which prevents their decay. The strong correlation between the near-bottom current intensity based on the model results and the sediment response, as indicated by the distribution of sedimentary environments, provides a framework for predicting the long-term effects of anthropogenic activities.

New York↗

USGS2007

Hydrogeologic controls imposed by mechanical stratigraphy in layered rocks of the Chateauguay River Basin, a U.S.-Canada transborder aquifer

[1] The Châteauguay River Basin delineates a transborder watershed with roughly half of its surface area located in northern New York State and half in southern Québec Province, Canada. As part of a multidisciplinary study designed to characterize the hydrogeologic properties of this basin, geophysical logs were obtained in 12 wells strategically located to penetrate the four major sedimentary rock formations that constitute the regional aquifers. The layered rocks were classified according to their elastic properties into three primary units: soft sandstone, hard sandstone, and dolostone. Downhole measurements were analyzed to identify fracture patterns associated with each unit and to evaluate their role in controlling groundwater flow. Fracture networks are composed of orthogonal sets of laterally extensive, subhorizontal bedding plane partings and bed-delimited, subvertical joints with spacings that are consistent with rock mechanics principles and stress models. The vertical distribution of transmissive zones is confined to a few select bedding plane fractures, with soft sandstone having the fewest (one per 70-m depth) and hard sandstone the most (five per 70-m depth). Bed-normal permeability is examined using a probabilistic model that considers the lengths of flow paths winding along joints and bedding plane fractures. Soft sandstone has the smallest bed-normal permeability primarily because of its wide, geomechanically undersaturated joint spacing. Results indicate that the three formations have similar values of bulk transmissivity, within roughly an order of magnitude, but that each rock unit has its own unique system of groundwater flow paths that constitute that transmissivity.

Chateauguay River Basin↗

USGS2022

Quantifying interdependencies in geyser eruptions at the Upper Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park

The Upper Geyser Basin at Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, USA) harbors the greatest concentration of geysers worldwide. Research suggests that individual geysers are not isolated but rather are hydraulically connected in the subsurface with other geysers and thermal springs. To quantify such connections, we combined techniques from machine learning, causal inference, and dynamical systems to characterize the collective eruptive behavior of a set of 10 geysers over 18 months (April 2007 – September 2008) focusing on geyser-geyser interactions. Model predictions were up to 15 times more accurate when we sought to predict a geyser's eruption time series based on outflow channel temperatures from the network than based on its own time series alone, suggesting the existence of a complex interconnected subsurface groundwater system. On average, cone-type geysers had larger impacts on other geysers than did fountain-type geysers. Similarly, cone-type geysers were on average more insulated from other geysers. However, substantial unexplained variation remained after considering the cone versus fountain dichotomy. Distance between geysers also affected interactions: nearby geysers had stronger effects on focal geysers than did geysers located farther away. Collectively, results support the hypothesis of geyser interdependence at timescales of 5 min–10 days. Our analyses highlight the existence of quantifiable geyser-to-geyser interactions that can be resolved through pairwise and system-level analyses. These findings emphasize the subsurface interconnectedness of thermal features, provide information relevant to visitor experiences in Yellowstone National Park, and suggest strategies for exploring patterns of interdependence that may exist among other episodic geological phenomena.

Wyoming↗

USGS2015

U.S. Geological Survey science for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative—2014 annual report

This is the seventh report produced by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative (WLCI) to detail annual activities conducted by the USGS for addressing specific management needs identified by WLCI partners. In FY2014, there were 26 projects, including a new one that was completed, two others that were also completed, and several that entered new phases or directions. The 26 projects fall into several categories: (1) synthesizing and analyzing existing data to identify current conditions on the landscape and using the data to develop models for projecting past and future landscape conditions; (2) monitoring indicators of ecosystem conditions and the effectiveness of on-the-ground habitat projects; (3) conducting research to elucidate the mechanisms underlying wildlife and habitat responses to changing land uses; (4) managing and making accessible the large number of databases, maps, and other products being developed; and (5) coordinating efforts among WLCI partners, helping them use USGS-developed decision-support tools, and integrating WLCI outcomes with future habitat enhancement and research projects. The new (completed) project was the development and publication of a public outreach piece for visitors of Fossil Butte National Monument. The final product was a USGS Fact Sheet that capitalized on previously collected elk-monitoring data to interpret the ecology of the Monument’s elk population and the importance of the Monument’s habitats to this highly visible wildlife species. One of the completed projects entailed developing and evaluating a synthetic approach to high-resolution satellite imagery for use in effectiveness monitoring, which culminated in a journal article. The other completed project was a coalescing of two similar tasks under data and information management that pertain to Web application development and the development of outreach and graphic products into a single integrated project that focuses on developing and maintaining/upgrading Web applications and other tools for visualizing, mapping, and using geospatial data. Major accomplishments for FY2014 included several publications, including Part B of an energy resources map that (with Part A) depicts coal, wind, oil, gas, oil shale, uranium, and solar energy production in the WLCI region. Two published works associated with sage-grouse included a Wildlife Monograph on prioritizing species’ habitats across large landscapes, multiple seasons, and novel areas (using sage-grouse in Wyoming as an example), and a USGS Data Series report that includes both the data used in the habitat-prioritization models and the habitat prioritization models developed for sage-grouse. Our Science Team also published a framework for conducting large, collaborative projects that rely on geospatial data, and a paper that describes the efficacy of fusing satellite data collected at various resolutions for measuring and monitoring vegetation changes. These products are all invaluable tools for maximizing the efficiency and effectiveness of managing species of concern, conducting future landscape-scale assessments, and monitoring status and trends of landscape conditions. Other highlights of FY2014 included a renewed effort to gather and analyze wildlife and habitat status and trend data for the WLCI Interagency Monitoring Database (IAMD) to assess long-term trends and cumulative effects associated with land-use and climate changes. Water-monitoring efforts included drilling four new groundwater-monitoring wells in the Green and New Fork River basins near the proposed Normally Pressured Lance Formation energy development, and continued data collection at established water-monitoring sites. Three additional wells were sampled as part of the Wyoming Groundwater Monitoring Network, bringing the total to 19 Network wells sampled in the WLCI region since 2010. Combined, these water-monitoring efforts can help to identify potential changes in water quality or levels that may result from land-use changes. Major terrestrial monitoring accomplishments included processing satellite imagery from 1985−2010 to develop a historical perspective of long-term vegetation changes, which can serve as a basis for monitoring current and future trends in sagebrush steppe. Such data are crucial tools for agencies tasked with sage-grouse management and conservation. The USGS WLCI Science Team also continued monitoring and testing methods for evaluating WLCI habitat treatments designed to promote aspen regeneration and enhance sage-grouse habitat, and to assess how those treatments influence invasive species distributions and ungulate herbivory. Highlights included analyzing field data collected to elucidate the relationships between sage-grouse habitat use and the proximity of energy infrastructure, and using new instruments to measure productivity responses of aspen woodlands to various factors. Numerous FY2014 accomplishments specifically addressed agency needs to manage and conserve Wyoming’s wildlife species of concern. A pygmy rabbit habitat model and Wyoming distribution map were completed to identify factors associated with rabbit habitat occupancy. Previous work on sage-grouse population dynamics was expanded to better understand the factors that drive long-term viability of sage-grouse populations and to develop a tool that helps to identify key factors limiting sage-grouse persistence in Wyoming. Field work and data analyses continued for elucidating the relationships between sagebrush songbird abundance and productivity, the intensity of energy development, and community dynamics of nest predators. For the mule deer study, mixed mountain shrublands important to migrating and wintering mule deer were mapped and delivered to WLCI partners. Additionally, the relationships between energy development and crucial winter habitat for mule deer were evaluated, and a new phase of work was implemented to better understand relationships between plant phenology and mule deer migration movements. Finally, initial analyses of data collected to evaluate fish-community composition in relation to habitat quality indicate that water quality, as measured by concentrations of hydrocarbons, water temperature, and others parameters, has been diminished in subwatersheds with higher levels of energy development. Overall, the outcomes and products of these wildlife studies contribute significantly to the information and tools needed for addressing effects of land-use changes on Wyoming’s species of concern. Finally, capabilities of the WLCI Web site and the USGS ScienceBase infrastructure were maintained and upgraded to help ensure access to and efficient use of all the WLCI data, products, assessment tools, and outreach materials that have been developed. Of particular note is the completion of three Web applications developed for mapping (1) the 1900−2008 progression of oil and gas development;(2) the predicted distributions of Wyoming’s Species of Greatest Conservation Need; and (3) the locations of coal and wind energy production, sage-grouse distribution and core management areas, and alternative routes for transmission lines within the WLCI region. Collectively, these applications tools provide WLCI planners and managers with powerful tools for better understanding the distributions of wildlife species and potential alternatives for energy development.

Wyoming↗

USGS2020

Acute toxicity of the lampricides TFM and niclosamide: Effects on a vascular plant and a chironomid species

The lampricides 3-trifluoromethyl-4-nitrophenol (TFM) and niclosamide have been used for about 60 years to control sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) in the Great Lakes Basin and Lake Champlain. To register these chemicals as pesticides in North America, their environmental effects must be reviewed on a periodic basis. As a part of this effort, toxicity of TFM and niclosamide to duckweed (Lemna gibba), and of niclosamide to aquatic midge (Chironomus tentans), was assessed. Results of these studies suggest that for both lampricides, the no-observable and lowest observable effects concentrations (NOEC and LOEC) exceed expected environmental concentrations, with effects only in the highest concentrations tested and the longest exposure times. Duckweed exposed to TFM indicated 7-day LOECs ≥ 4.88 mg/L for average specific growth rate and yield, with the EC50 > 9.74 mg/L. For duckweed exposed to niclosamide, 7-day LOECs for average specific growth rate and yield ranged from 0.271 to 0.569 mg/L, with the IC50 0.725 mg/L or greater depending on the parameter measured. For midge larvae exposed to niclosamide-dosed sediment, the LOEC values based on survival and growth were 26.2 mg/kg and > 82.1 mg/kg, respectively, and the EC50 based on survival was 49.6 mg/kg. Based on these data, deleterious effects on aquatic plants and benthic invertebrates are unlikely to result from use of TFM and niclosamide for lamprey control, given that the effect concentrations are in excess of the expected environmental concentrations.

Great Lakes Basin, Lake Champlain↗