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At least 631 records · Page 35Linked to original sources

USGS2019

Contemporary environmental assessment using a viability analysis in a large river system to inform restoration and adaptive management decisions

As large-scale restoration plans for degraded aquatic habitats evolve, it is essential that multiorganizational collaborations have a common vision to achieve consensus on restoration goals. Development of restoration targets and postrestoration monitoring strategies can be focused using a viability analysis framework that supports an adaptive management process. Viability analysis is a robust and accommodating framework, adaptable to any restoration monitoring program and, through the determination of common desired endpoints, can aid consensus building and collaboration across jurisdictional boundaries. In the St. Clair-Detroit River System, which is the Great Lakes connecting channel between southern Lake Huron and western Lake Erie, a viability analysis framework was used to evaluate environmental parameters associated with fisheries and aquatic restoration efforts and to gauge the overall health of the aquatic environment. Steps to derive the viability analysis were as follows: (1) establishing meaningful baseline metrics, (2) identifying information deficiencies, and (3) placing the context of current conditions into a usable format for managers and practitioners. Most geographic segments were designated in overall fair condition, and the conservation targets were designated in either good or fair condition, based on available assessed indicators. Many indicators were unable to be assessed or assigned condition status, which identified research and monitoring data gaps. Metrics associated with native migratory fishes, Lake St. Clair, and islands are generally in better condition than metrics associated with the coastal terrestrial systems, aerial migrants, and coastal wetlands. These results were not unexpected given the highly urbanized landscape of the St. Clair-Detroit River System. Resource managers in the corridor can use these results to identify knowledge gaps, research and restoration priorities, and to assess progress towards meeting restoration goals.

Michigan, Ontario↗

USGS2025

Effects of nonmotorized recreation on ungulates in the western United States—A science synthesis to inform National Environmental Policy Act analyses

The U.S. Geological Survey is working with Federal land management agencies to develop a series of science syntheses to support National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analyses. This report synthesizes science information about the potential effects of nonmotorized recreation on ungulates in the western United States. We conducted a structured literature search to find published science, data, and analysis methods about the characteristics of nonmotorized recreation, ungulate exposure and response to nonmotorized recreation, and approaches to mitigate negative effects of nonmotorized recreation on ungulates. The sections of the report align with standard elements of the NEPA analysis process. We found that timing, intensity, duration, and spatial distribution of nonmotorized recreation are important factors to understand when assessing effects of recreation on ungulates. Several aspects of ungulate biology, which vary by species, population, and individual, affect ungulate susceptibility to effects from recreation, including diet, migration and movement, and seasonal biology. Techniques for assessing effects include basic spatial analyses based on buffers around trails and recreation sites and more technical analytical methods based on displacement or avoidance of recreation sites. Options for mitigating negative effects of nonmotorized recreation on ungulates include timing and type-of-use restrictions, recreator education, and project design features to avoid human-ungulate conflicts. Public land managers can use this report by incorporating it by reference in NEPA analyses or as a general reference to find literature or identify gaps in the literature about the effects of noise from nonmotorized recreation on ungulates.

Scientific Investigations Report↗

USGS2025

Using public participatory geographic information systems (PPGIS) to explore uses and values for Mojave Trails National Monument, California

Many people ascribe a variety of values to public lands and waters, but some values are more difficult to assess and quantify than others. Public participatory geographic information systems (PPGIS) are tools that have been used to help quantify and map the public’s diverse values for a landscape. This work describes the first known Office of Management and Budget–approved use of PPGIS by a Department of the Interior bureau. The U.S. Geological Survey developed an internet-based application to aid in gathering PPGIS data, called Values Mapping for Planning in Regional Ecosystems (VaMPIRE). Further, this work describes the first pilot of the VaMPIRE application in coordination with the Bureau of Land Management to collect spatial data and other survey data regarding the public’s uses of and values for locations within Mojave Trails National Monument. We emailed the link to the VaMPIRE application to an interested party email list in 2024 with 207 valid emails and received 74 responses; we also received 47 responses from members of an off-roading social media group. Of the list of 16 value options, recreation was the most popular value for the monument, followed by wilderness and inspirational. Over 1,000 points were placed throughout the monument, indicating locations people use or value, with the locations spread throughout the entire monument. Additionally, most survey respondents stated their ability to receive benefits in locations they mapped would not change in response to a hypothetical scenario related to recreational facility development. This report describes exploratory results from the first use of the VaMPIRE tool in Mojave Trails National Monument and includes reflections on how the process went and considerations for future use of VaMPIRE.

California↗

USGS2025

Using visualization science to inform the design of environmental decision-support tools—A case study of the U.S. Geological Survey Waterwatch

Environmental decision-support tools are increasingly being used to serve both expert and non-expert audiences. Many existing tools are primarily expert-focused, and redesigning them can be challenging because experts and non-experts interact with tools differently, existing users may be resistant to changes, and there is little guidance on how to prioritize redesign efforts and demonstrate their efficacy. In this report, we present a case study of a user-centered redesign of an established environmental decision-support tool—the U.S. Geological Survey WaterWatch. WaterWatch supports flood, drought, and other water resource management decisions through the display of water levels at gages across the United States. Using a participatory process, we identified a functional change (replacing the existing rainbow colormap), created an alternative design, and tested the alternative’s usability through two general public surveys. The results showed that replacing the rainbow colormap with a more intuitive diverging colormap improves usability, regardless of the audience’s subjective preference for the rainbow color scheme. In addition, we demonstrated the importance of using legends to improve the audience’s understanding of the map symbols. This study demonstrates how user-centered design approaches can be used to inform the design of high-profile products and tools.

Scientific Investigations Report↗

USGS2014

The Pedestrian Evacuation Analyst: geographic information systems software for modeling hazard evacuation potential

Recent disasters such as the 2011 Tohoku, Japan, earthquake and tsunami; the 2013 Colorado floods; and the 2014 Oso, Washington, mudslide have raised awareness of catastrophic, sudden-onset hazards that arrive within minutes of the events that trigger them, such as local earthquakes or landslides. Due to the limited amount of time between generation and arrival of sudden-onset hazards, evacuations are typically self-initiated, on foot, and across the landscape (Wood and Schmidtlein, 2012). Although evacuation to naturally occurring high ground may be feasible in some vulnerable communities, evacuation modeling has demonstrated that other communities may require vertical-evacuation structures within a hazard zone, such as berms or buildings, if at-risk individuals are to survive some types of sudden-onset hazards (Wood and Schmidtlein, 2013). Researchers use both static least-cost-distance (LCD) and dynamic agent-based models to assess the pedestrian evacuation potential of vulnerable communities. Although both types of models help to understand the evacuation landscape, LCD models provide a more general overview that is independent of population distributions, which may be difficult to quantify given the dynamic spatial and temporal nature of populations (Wood and Schmidtlein, 2012). Recent LCD efforts related to local tsunami threats have focused on an anisotropic (directionally dependent) path distance modeling approach that incorporates travel directionality, multiple travel speed assumptions, and cost surfaces that reflect variations in slope and land cover (Wood and Schmidtlein, 2012, 2013). The Pedestrian Evacuation Analyst software implements this anisotropic path-distance approach for pedestrian evacuation from sudden-onset hazards, with a particular focus at this time on local tsunami threats. The model estimates evacuation potential based on elevation, direction of movement, land cover, and travel speed and creates a map showing travel times to safety (a time map) throughout a hazard zone. Model results provide a general, static view of the evacuation landscape at different pedestrian travel speeds and can be used to identify areas outside the reach of naturally occurring high ground. In addition, data on the size and location of different populations within the hazard zone can be integrated with travel-time maps to create tables and graphs of at-risk population counts as a function of travel time to safety. As a decision-support tool, the Pedestrian Evacuation Analyst provides the capability to evaluate the effectiveness of various vertical-evacuation structures within a study area, both through time maps of the modeled travel-time landscape with a potential structure in place and through comparisons of population counts within reach of safety. The Pedestrian Evacuation Analyst is designed for use by researchers examining the pedestrian-evacuation potential of an at-risk community. In communities where modeled evacuation times exceed the event (for example, tsunami wave) arrival time, researchers can use the software with emergency managers to assess the area and population served by potential vertical-evacuation options. By automating and managing the modeling process, the software allows researchers to concentrate efforts on providing crucial and timely information on community vulnerability to sudden-onset hazards.

Techniques and Methods↗

USGS2008

Chapter A6. Section 6.0. General information and guidelines for field-measured water-quality properties

This report summarizes information, guidelines, and minimum requirements that apply generally to the seven field-measurement sections that comprise the rest of Chapter A6 of this U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Field Manual for the Collection of Water-Quality Data (NFM). Protocols are specified for establishing and maintaining data records, use of field-measurement instruments and methods, and quality assurance of data-collection and reporting methods that are relevant to surface-water and ground-water field-measurement activities. Each chapter of the National Field Manual is published separately and revised periodically. Newly published and revised chapters will be announced on the USGS Home Page on the World Wide Web under 'New Publications of the U.S. Geological Survey.'

Techniques of Water-Resources Investigations↗

USGS2000

Estimation and comparison of potential runoff-contributing areas in Kansas using topographic, soil, and land-use information

Digital topographic, soil, and land-use information was used to estimate potential runoff-contributing areas in Kansas. The results were used to compare 91 selected subbasins representing slope, soil, land-use, and runoff variability across the State. Potential runoff-contributing areas were estimated collectively for the processes of infiltration-excess and saturation-excess overland flow using a set of environmental conditions that represented, in relative terms, very high, high, moderate, low, very low, and extremely low potential for runoff. Various rainfall-intensity and soil-permeability values were used to represent the threshold conditions at which infiltration-excess overland flow may occur. Antecedent soil-moisture conditions and a topographic wetness index (TWI) were used to represent the threshold conditions at which saturation-excess overland flow may occur. Land-use patterns were superimposed over the potential runoff-contributing areas for each set of environmental conditions. Results indicated that the very low potential-runoff conditions (soil permeability less than or equal to 1.14 inches per hour and TWI greater than or equal to 14.4) provided the best statewide ability to quantitatively distinguish subbasins as having relatively high, moderate, or low potential for runoff on the basis of the percentage of potential runoff-contributing areas within each subbasin. The very low and (or) extremely low potential-runoff conditions (soil permeability less than or equal to 0.57 inch per hour and TWI greater than or equal to 16.3) provided the best ability to qualitatively compare potential for runoff among areas within individual subbasins. The majority of subbasins with relatively high potential for runoff are located in the eastern half of the State where soil permeability is generally less and precipitation is typically greater. The ability to distinguish subbasins as having relatively high, moderate, or low potential for runoff was possible mostly due to the variability of soil permeability across the State. The spatial distribution of potential contributing areas, in combination with the superimposed land-use patterns, may be used to help identify and prioritize subbasin areas for the implementation of best-management practices to manage runoff and meet Federally mandated total maximum daily load requirements.

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗

USGS2002

Environmental Characteristics and Geographic Information System Applications for the Development of Nutrient Thresholds in Oklahoma Streams

The U.S.Environmental Protection Agency has developed nutrient criteria using ecoregions to manage and protect rivers and streams in the United States. Individual states and tribes are encouraged by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to modify or improve upon the ecoregion approach. The Oklahoma Water Resources Board uses a dichotomous process that stratifies streams using environmental characteristics such as stream order and stream slope. This process is called the Use Support Assessment Protocols, subchapter15. The Use Support Assessment Protocols can be used to identify streams threatened by excessive amounts of nutrients, dependant upon a beneficial use designation for each stream. The Use Support Assessment Protocols, subchapter 15 uses nutrient and environmental characteristic thresholds developed from a study conducted in the Netherlands, but the Oklahoma Water Resources Board wants to modify the thresholds to reflect hydrologic and ecological conditions relevant to Oklahoma streams and rivers. Environmental characteristics thought to affect impairment from nutrient concentrations in Oklahoma streams and rivers were determined for 798 water-quality sites in Oklahoma. Nutrient, chlorophyll, water-properties, and location data were retrieved from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency STORET database including data from the U.S. Geological Survey, Oklahoma Conservation Commission, and Oklahoma Water Resources Board. Drainage-basin area, stream order, stream slope, and land-use proportions were determined for each site using a Geographic Information System. The methods, procedures, and data sets used to determine the environmental characteristics are described.

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗

USGS2003

Surface-water-resources information for the Ho-Chunk Nation lands and vicinity, Wisconsin

The Ho-Chunk Nation is interested in documenting water-quality conditions in streams adjacent to their Reservation lands in Wisconsin and developing management plans to protect these water resources. The Nation uses these waterways for recreation and as a source for food, and therefore, is dedicated to maintaining and restoring their quality. Ho-Chunk lands encompass more than 10,000 acres ranging primarily over 17 counties in Wisconsin. The study areas for this report include streams adjacent to Ho-Chunk Nation residential lands: Potch-Hah-Chee, Sandpillow, Mission, Bluewing, Chakh Hah Chee, Winnebago Heights, Indian Heights, and Ho-Chunk Village. These residential areas, or housing sites, are located along or near the Middle Branch Embarrass, Black, Lemonweir, and Wisconsin Rivers or their tributaries. Water-quality data were compiled and summarized, and basin maps showing land cover and previous sampling sites are presented. Qualitative assessments of factors that could potentially affect water quality were summarized from the literature. Quantitative data were available from several studies (more than 5) for the Potch-Hah-Chee area, few studies (1?5) for the Sandpillow, Mission, Ho-Chunk Village, and Indian Heights areas, and no studies for the Bluewing, Chakh Hah Chee, and Winnebago Heights areas. Data analysis was limited to averaging basic water-quality constituents for the Middle Branch Embarrass River in the Potch-Hah-Chee area. The mainstem Wisconsin and Black Rivers have been extensively studied elsewhere and are not independently re-evaluated here. Qualitative assessments indicate that agricultural activities are the main contributing factor to water quality and fish habitat problems in the studied areas. Index of Biotic Integrity ratings, based on fish data, were available for 5 sites on 3 streams. Hilsenhoff Biotic Index ratings, based on macroinvertebrate data, were available for 21 sites on 4 streams. This information will serve as baseline data and as a guide to ongoing study and management of these waters by the Ho-Chunk Nation.

Wisconsin↗

USGS1982

Hydrologic-information needs for oil-shale development, northwestern Colorado

Hydrologic information is not adequate for proper development of the large oil-shale reserves of Piceance basin in northwestern Colorado. Exploratory drilling and aquifer testing are needed to define the hydrologic system, to provide wells for aquifer testing, to design mine-drainage techniques, and to explore for additional water supplies. Sampling networks are needed to supply hydrologic data on the quantity and quality of surface water, ground water, and springs. A detailed sampling network is proposed for the White River basin because of expected impacts related to water supplies and waste disposal. Emissions from oil-shale retorts to the atmosphere need additional study because of possible resulting corrosion problems and the destruction of fisheries. Studies of the leachate materials and the stability of disposed retorted shale piles are needed to insure that these materials will not cause problems. Hazards related to in-situ retorts, and the wastes related to oil-shale development in general also need further investigation. (USGS)

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗

USGS1994

Application of a Geographic Information System for regridding a ground-water flow model of the Columbia Plateau Regional Aquifer System, Walla Walla River basin, Oregon-Washington

Computerized Geographic Information Systems (GIS) have become viable and valuable tools for managing,analyzing, creating, and displaying data for three-dimensional finite-difference ground-water flow models. Three GIS applications demonstrated in this study are: (1) regridding of data arrays from an existing large-area, low resolution ground-water model to a smaller, high resolution grid; (2) use of GIS techniques for assembly of data-input arrays for a ground-water model; and (3) use of GIS for rapid display of data for verification, for checking of ground-water model output, and for the cre.ation of customized maps for use in reports. The Walla Walla River Basin was selected as the location for the demonstration because (1) data from a low resolution ground-water model (Columbia Plateau Regional Aquifer System Analysis [RASA]) were available and (2) concern for long-term use of water resources for irrigation in the basin. The principal advantage of regridding is that it may provide the ability to more precisely calibrate a model, assuming chat a more detailed coverage of data is available, and to evaluate the numerical errors associated with a particular grid design.Regridding gave about an 8-fold increase in grid-node density.Several FORTRAN programs were developed to load the regridded ground-water data into a finite-difference modular model as model-compatible input files for use in a steady-state model run.To facilitate the checking and validating of the GIS regridding process, maps and tabular reports were produced for each of eight ground-water parameters by model layer. Also, an automated subroutine that was developed to view the model-calculated water levels in cross-section will aid in the synthesis and interpretation of model results.

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗

USGS1995

Water-quality assessment of the Trinity River Basin, Texas— Analysis of available information on nutrients and suspended sediment, 1974-91

The U.S. Geological Survey is conducting an assessment of water quality in the Trinity River Basin as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program. During the planning phase of this study, existing information on nutrients and suspended sediment was compiled and analyzed. A total of about 5,700 water-quality samples were analyzed from local, State, and Federal agencies. Of these, about 4,200 were from streams and about 1,500 were from wells. Additionally, atmospheric deposition data for two locations were obtained and analyzed. Spatial variations in nutrient concentrations in streams are related primarily to point sources and reservoirs. Median total nitrogen concentrations downstream from major point sources, downstream from reservoirs, and on tributaries were 6.0, 1.3, and 2.4 milligrams per liter, respectively. Median total phosphorus concentrations for the same three settings were 1.6, O. 1, and 0.2 milligrams per liter, respectively. The largest concentrations occurred at low flow downstream from Dallas, Texas, when streamflow dominated by treated wastewater from point sources. The smallest concentrations occurred immediately downstream from reservoirs, which act as sinks for nutrients. Nutrient concentrations in agricultural areas were positively correlated to percent of drainage in agricultural land use and to discharge, indicating washoff of nutrients from nonpoint sources during storms. As with concentrations, nutrient loads were related to the presence of point sources and reservoirs. Loads increased substantially in the Dallas-Fort Worth area with the addition of nutrients from point sources; loads decreased substantially as flow passed through Livingston Reservoir. Concentrations of total nitrogen and total phosphorus did not change significantly, at the 95 percent confidence level, from 1974 to 1991 at most sites. The exception was a decrease in phosphorus concentrations at two sites downstream from major wastewater-treatment plants in the Dallas area. Concentrations of organic nitrogen and ammonia declined and concentrations of nitrite plus nitrate increased at sites below major wastewater-treatment plants. These changes are indicative of improvements in wastewater treatment that converts organic nitrogen and ammonia to nitrite and finally nitrate. Because nitrogen conversion reactions consume oxygen, the occurrence of these reactions at the treatment plants instead of in the streams resulted in reduced loading of biochemical oxygen demand to the streams. The only nutrient measured in ground water was nitrate. Nitrate concentrations varied by aquifer with the largest median concentrations in the Queen City and Nacatoch aquifers. There was a significant rank correlation between nitrate concentrations and depth of well for all seven aquifer groups sampled, with largest concentrations present in shallow wells. The large concentrations could result from nonpoint sources of nitrate associated with agricultural and urban land use; however, attempts to correlate nitrogen fertilizer application rates and agricultural land use to concentrations of nitrate in ground water were inconclusive. Only limited suspended-sediment data were available. Four sites had daily sediment-discharge records for three or more water years (October 1 to September 30) between 1974 and 1985. An additional three sites had periodic measurements of suspended-sediment concentrations. There are differences in concentrations and yields among sites; however, the limited amount of data precludes developing statistical or cause-and-effect relations with environmental factors such as land use, soil, and geology. Data are sufficient, and the relation is pronounced enough, to indicate trapping of suspended sediment by Livingston Reservoir.

Texas↗

USGS1994

Identification of potential public water-supply areas of the Cape Cod aquifer, Massachusetts, using a geographic information system

Potential public water-supply areas of the Cape Cod aquifer, Massachusetts, were identified using a geographic information system (GIS) to aid regional and local ground-water resource management efforts. Criteria were selected to identify potential areas on the basis of data restrictions in addition to State requirements for siting new public water- supply wells, Federal or local restrictions on land use, and general hydrogeologic or water-quality concerns. Data layers were created for each criterion and overliad to eliminate areas from consideration as potential public water supplies. Remaining areas, those not included within the applied criteria, are the primary areas to consider for potential public water supplies. The areas identified in this analysis as potential public water supplies range from 0.5 to 7.9 percent of the individual flow cells, or 5.6 percent of the total flow cell area. The criteria were ranked so that criteria more limiting to potential public water supplies were given a higher rank than other criteria. The ranking scheme allows for the inclusion of areas with lower ranked criteria as potential public water supplies. Results can be viewed on a plat in this report, or accessed using the map-based, menu-driven GIS application, which provides interactive display and query of investigation results.

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗

USGS1995

Water-quality assessment of the Ozark Plateaus study unit, Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma: Analysis of information on nutrients, suspended sediment, and suspended solids, 1970-92

Water-quality data collected during water years 1970-90 (October 1 to September 30) for 83 surface-water sites and during 1970-92 for 395 ground-water sites in the 48,000 square mile Ozark Plateaus study unit of the National Water Quality Assessment Program were analyzed using selected descriptive and statistical methods. The water- quality data include nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorus), suspended sediment, and suspended- solids data, and ancillary information such as fertilizer use, animal waste, sewage treatment plant, and land use. Statistically significant differences exist in surface-water quality that can be attributed to physiography, land use, and other effects. The sites that were considered to be substantially affected by sewage treatment plants had the largest concentrations of nutrients. Nutrient concentrations generally were larger at sites associated with agricultural basins than at sites associated with forested basins. Statistically significant differences existed in the quality of ground water that can be attributed to hydrogeologic and land-use effects. Nutrient concentrations generally were largest where the water source is indicated to be shallow in origin and where parts of the hydrogeologic units are in agricultural land-use areas. Water quality has changed at several surface-water sites since 1970. Nutrient concentrations appear to have increased at some sites and decreased at other sites. Causes of these apparent trends are not known, but many of the sites with apparent trends are in agricultural areas. Surface-water loads of nutrients and suspended sediment were affected by several factors including streamflow, climate, drainage area, reservoir operation, and inputs from point and nonpoint sources. Annual loads were largest in large basins, with large inputs of nutrients or sediment during periods of high streamflows at locations where reservoir operation effects are not substantial.

Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma↗

USGS1999

Estimation of potential runoff-contributing areas in Kansas using topographic and soil information

Digital topographic and soil information was used to estimate potential runoff-contributing areas throughout Kansas. The results then were used to compare 91 selected subbasins representing soil, slope, and runoff variability. Potential runoff-contributing areas were estimated collectively for the processes of infiltration-excess and saturation-excess overland flow using a set of environmental conditions that represented very high, high, moderate, low, very low, and extremely low potential runoff. For infiltration-excess overland flow, various rainfall-intensity and soil-permeability values were used. For saturation-excess overland flow, antecedent soil-moisture conditions and a topographic wetness index were used. Results indicated that very low potential-runoff conditions provided the best ability to distinguish the 91 selected subbasins as having relatively high or low potential runoff. The majority of the subbasins with relatively high potential runoff are located in the eastern half of the State where soil permeability generally is less and precipitation typically is greater. The ability to distinguish the subbasins as having relatively high or low potential runoff was possible mostly due to the variability of soil permeability across the State.

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗

USGS2017

A framework for modeling emerging diseases to inform management

The rapid emergence and reemergence of zoonotic diseases requires the ability to rapidly evaluate and implement optimal management decisions. Actions to control or mitigate the effects of emerging pathogens are commonly delayed because of uncertainty in the estimates and the predicted outcomes of the control tactics. The development of models that describe the best-known information regarding the disease system at the early stages of disease emergence is an essential step for optimal decision-making. Models can predict the potential effects of the pathogen, provide guidance for assessing the likelihood of success of different proposed management actions, quantify the uncertainty surrounding the choice of the optimal decision, and highlight critical areas for immediate research. We demonstrate how to develop models that can be used as a part of a decision-making framework to determine the likelihood of success of different management actions given current knowledge.

Emerging Infectious Diseases↗

USGS2010

Global research priorities for sea turtles: Informing management and conservation in the 21st century

Over the past 3 decades, the status of sea turtles and the need for their protection to aid population recovery have increasingly captured the interest of government agencies, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the general public worldwide. This interest has been matched by increased research attention, focusing on a wide variety of topics relating to sea turtle biology and ecology, together with the interrelations of sea turtles with the physical and natural environments. Although sea turtles have been better studied than most other marine fauna, management actions and their evaluation are often hindered by the lack of data on turtle biology, human–turtle interactions, turtle population status and threats. In an effort to inform effective sea turtle conservation a list of priority research questions was assembled based on the opinions of 35 sea turtle researchers from 13 nations working in fields related to turtle biology and/or conservation. The combined experience of the contributing researchers spanned the globe as well as many relevant disciplines involved in conservation research. An initial list of more than 200 questions gathered from respondents was condensed into 20 metaquestions and classified under 5 categories: reproductive biology, biogeography, population ecology, threats and conservation strategies.

Endangered Species Research↗

USGS2023

Riparian vegetation response amid variable climate conditions across the Upper Gila River watershed: Informing Tribal restoration priorities

Riparian systems across the Southwest United States are extremely valuable for the human and ecological communities that engage with them. However, they have experienced substantial changes and stresses over the past century, including non-native vegetation expansion, vegetation die-offs, and increased fire activity. Vegetation management approaches, such as ecological restoration, may address some of these stressors as well as reduce the risk of future impacts. We apply remote sensing to inform restoration priorities along the upper Gila River within the San Carlos Apache Reservation and Upper Gila River watershed. First, we develop a spatially and temporally explicit trend analysis across three observed climate periods (1985–1993, 1993–2014, 2014–2021) using the Landsat-derived indices to quantify changes in riparian vegetation conditions. These maps can be used to identify areas potentially more at risk for degradation. Second, we analyze changes in riparian vegetation within a climate framework to better understand trends and the potential effect of climate change. Vegetation greenness has largely increased throughout the watershed despite intensifying drought conditions across our study period, though areas within the lower watershed have shown increased stress and higher rates of wildfire and other disturbances over the past 5-years. Nevertheless, small-scale restoration activities appear to show improving vegetation conditions, suggesting efficacy of these restoration activities. Results from this study may be integrated with restoration objectives to develop a restoration plan that will help riparian vegetation communities adapt to change.

Arizona↗