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At least 955 records · Page 53Linked to original sources
USGS2017

The future of fish passage science, engineering, and practice

Much effort has been devoted to developing, constructing and refining fish passage facilities to enable target species to pass barriers on fluvial systems, and yet, fishway science, engineering and practice remain imperfect. In this review, 17 experts from different fish passage research fields (i.e., biology, ecology, physiology, ecohydraulics, engineering) and from different continents (i.e., North and South America, Europe, Africa, Australia) identified knowledge gaps and provided a roadmap for research priorities and technical developments. Once dominated by an engineering‐focused approach, fishway science today involves a wide range of disciplines from fish behaviour to socioeconomics to complex modelling of passage prioritization options in river networks. River barrier impacts on fish migration and dispersal are currently better understood than historically, but basic ecological knowledge underpinning the need for effective fish passage in many regions of the world, including in biodiversity hotspots (e.g., equatorial Africa, South‐East Asia), remains largely unknown. Designing efficient fishways, with minimal passage delay and post‐passage impacts, requires adaptive management and continued innovation. While the use of fishways in river restoration demands a transition towards fish passage at the community scale, advances in selective fishways are also needed to manage invasive fish colonization. Because of the erroneous view in some literature and communities of practice that fish passage is largely a proven technology, improved international collaboration, information sharing, method standardization and multidisciplinary training are needed. Further development of regional expertise is needed in South America, Asia and Africa where hydropower dams are currently being planned and constructed.

Fish and Fisheries↗
USGS2011

BioData: A national aquatic bioassessment database

BioData is a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) web-enabled database that for the first time provides for the capture, curation, integration, and delivery of bioassessment data collected by local, regional, and national USGS projects. BioData offers field biologists advanced capabilities for entering, editing, and reviewing the macroinvertebrate, algae, fish, and supporting habitat data from rivers and streams. It offers data archival and curation capabilities that protect and maintain data for the long term. BioData provides the Federal, State, and local governments, as well as the scientific community, resource managers, the private sector, and the public with easy access to tens of thousands of samples collected nationwide from thousands of stream and river sites. BioData also provides the USGS with centralized data storage for delivering data to other systems and applications through automated web services. BioData allows users to combine data sets of known quality from different projects in various locations over time. It provides a nationally aggregated database for users to leverage data from many independent projects that, until now, was not feasible at this scale. For example, from 1991 to 2011, the USGS Idaho Water Science Center collected more than 816 bioassessment samples from 63 sites for the National Water Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program and more than 477 samples from 39 sites for a cooperative USGS and State of Idaho Statewide Water Quality Network (fig. 1). Using BioData, 20 years of samples collected for both of these projects can be combined for analysis. BioData delivers all of the data using current taxonomic nomenclature, thus relieving users of the difficult and time-consuming task of harmonizing taxonomy among samples collected during different time periods. Fish data are reported using the Integrated Taxonomic Information Service (ITIS) Taxonomic Serial Numbers (TSN's). A simple web-data input interface and self-guided, public data-retrieval web site provides access to bioassessment data. BioData currently accepts data collected using two national protocols: (1) NAWQA and (2) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) National Rivers and Streams Assessment (NRSA). Additional collection protocols are planned for future versions.

Fact Sheet↗
USGS2020

The response of stream ecosystems in the Adirondack region of New York to historical and future changes in atmospheric deposition of sulfur and nitrogen

The present-day acid-base chemistry of surface waters can be directly linked to contemporary observations of acid deposition; however, pre-industrial conditions are key to predicting the potential future recovery of stream ecosystems under decreasing loads of atmospheric sulfur (S) and nitrogen (N) deposition. The integrated biogeochemical model PnET-BGC was applied to 25 forest watersheds that represent a range of acid sensitivity in the Adirondack region of New York, USA to simulate the response of streams to past and future changes in atmospheric S and N deposition, and calculate the target loads of acidity for protecting and restoring stream water quality and ecosystem health. Using measured data, the model was calibrated and applied to simulate soil and stream chemistry at all study sites. Model hindcasts indicate that historically stream water chemistry in the Adirondacks was variable, but inherently sensitive to acid deposition. The median model-simulated acid neutralizing capacity (ANC) of the streams was projected to be 55 μeq L −1 before the advent of anthropogenic acid deposition (~1850), decreasing to minimum values of 10 μeq L −1 around the year 2000. The median simulated ANC increased to 13 μeq L −1 by 2015 in response to decreases in acid deposition that have occurred over recent decades. Model projections suggest that simultaneous decreases in sulfate, nitrate and ammonium deposition are more effective in restoring stream ANC than individual decreases in sulfur or nitrogen deposition. However, the increases in stream ANC per unit equivalent decrease in S deposition is greater compared to decreases in N deposition. Using empirical algorithms, fish community density and biomass are projected to increase under several deposition-control scenarios that coincide with increases in stream ANC. Model projections suggest that even under the most aggressive deposition-reduction scenarios, stream chemistry and fisheries will not fully recover from historical acidification by 2200.

New York↗
USGS2026

Bridging ecology and geosciences in riverscapes: Implications for process-based restoration

There has been a growing interest in integrating geological and ecological processes for sustainable river management and restoration. Lotic systems are shaped by diverse physical processes, including geology, geomorphology, hydrology, and interactions with terrestrial processes. However, restoration practices often prioritize specific habitats or river forms without fully considering the underlying physical processes that support biological communities and ecosystem functions. In this paper, we synthesize studies that integrally examine geological and ecological processes across different scales and components of riverscapes, including geohydrological processes, which have been less investigated in riverscape studies. We begin by examining processes at broader spatial scales, including river–watershed and river–riparian interactions, and gradually narrow our focus to the dynamics that occur among habitats within river channels, through which we highlight the significance of conceptualizing rivers as dynamic “networks” rather than linear features. Finally, we identify both scientific and practical challenges that can be addressed to bridge the gap between basic-science implications and their implementation in riverscape restorations.

Ecological Research↗
USGS2015

Integrated Environmental Modelling: Human decisions, human challenges

Integrated Environmental Modelling (IEM) is an invaluable tool for understanding the complex, dynamic ecosystems that house our natural resources and control our environments. Human behaviour affects the ways in which the science of IEM is assembled and used for meaningful societal applications. In particular, human biases and heuristics reflect adaptation and experiential learning to issues with frequent, sharply distinguished, feedbacks. Unfortunately, human behaviour is not adapted to the more diffusely experienced problems that IEM typically seeks to address. Twelve biases are identified that affect IEM (and science in general). These biases are supported by personal observations and by the findings of behavioural scientists. A process for critical analysis is proposed that addresses some human challenges of IEM and solicits explicit description of (1) represented processes and information, (2) unrepresented processes and information, and (3) accounting for, and cognizance of, potential human biases. Several other suggestions are also made that generally complement maintaining attitudes of watchful humility, open-mindedness, honesty and transparent accountability. These suggestions include (1) creating a new area of study in the behavioural biogeosciences, (2) using structured processes for engaging the modelling and stakeholder communities in IEM, and (3) using ‘red teams’ to increase resilience of IEM constructs and use.

Geological Society of London Special Publications↗
USGS2022

Accessibility of environmental data for sharing: The role of UX in large cyberinfrastructure projects

Incorporating user experience (UX) testing when creating research cyberinfrastructure is often overlooked, but if left too late, the cost of retrofitting is considerable, and the very clients the cyberinfrastructure was built to serve may be lost. Successfully integrating UX testing into the product development cycle can be difficult but rewarding. This paper describes how UX evaluations were incorporated over ten years of operation of DataONE ( www.dataone.org ), a multi-sector science research cyberinfrastructure project created to support the discovery, access, and sustainability of data about life on Earth and the environment that sustains it. The diverse stakeholders in DataONE include data creators and users such as researchers and government workers across the broad scope of the earth and environmental sciences as well as those who hold and manage data such as libraries and data repositories. Between 2009 and 2019 DataONE members designed and constructed data management tools and services to fulfill the DataONE objectives. To assist in achieving its goals, a participatory design approach was used by establishing several largely volunteer and stakeholder-representative working groups, including the Usability and Assessment Working Group. This Working Group conducted over forty UX evaluations to assess the usability of DataONE products and websites at various stages of the development process. In addition to improving the usability of DataONE products, the UX evaluations fostered community involvement by building trust and engagement with the products being developed. The DataONE UX experience yields several important lessons which will improve the success of other projects. It is our conclusion that UX testing should be a mandatory part of the design of any cyberinfrastructure project.

Ecological Informatics↗
USGS2000

Quantification of the microphytobenthic primary production in european intertidal mudflats - A modelling approach

A deterministic model quantifying the dynamics of the microphytobenthic biomass in the first centimeter of the mud was formulated as part of the MAST-III/INTRMUD project. The main modelled processes are production by photosynthesis, active vertical migration of the microphytobenthos and global biomass losses, encompassing grazing, mortality and resuspension during immersion periods. The model emphasizes the role of the interface between mud and air, which is crucial for the production. The microalgal biofilm present at the mud surface during day-time emersion periods induces most of the differences between microphytobenthos and phytoplankton communities dynamics. The study of the mathematical properties of the system, under some simplifying assumptions, shows the convergence of the solutions to a stable cyclic equilibrium, in the whole observed range of the frequencies of the physical synchronizers of the production. Resilience time estimates suggest that microphytobenthic biomass attains an equilibrium rapidly, even after a strong perturbation. Around the equilibrium, the local model solutions agree fairly with the in situ observed dynamics of the total biomass. The sensitivity analysis suggests investigating the processes governing biomass losses, which are so far uncertain, and may further vary in space and time. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd.

Continental Shelf Research↗
USGS2021

Methanogens and their syntrophic partners dominate zones of enhanced magnetic susceptibility at a petroleum contaminated site

Geophysical investigations documenting enhanced magnetic susceptibility (MS) within the water table fluctuation zone at hydrocarbon contaminated sites suggest that MS can be used as a proxy for investigating microbial mediated iron reduction during intrinsic bioremediation. Here, we investigated the microbial community composition over a 5-year period at a hydrocarbon-contaminated site that exhibited transient elevated MS responses. Our objective was to determine the key microbial populations in zones of elevated MS. We retrieved sediment cores from the petroleum-contaminated site near Bemidji, MN, United States, and performed MS measurements on these cores. We also characterized the microbial community composition by high-throughput 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing from samples collected along the complete core length. Our spatial and temporal analysis revealed that the microbial community composition was generally stable throughout the period of investigation. In addition, we observed distinct vertical redox zonations extending from the upper vadose zone into the saturated zone. These distinct redox zonations were concomitant with the dominant microbial metabolic processes as follows: (1) the upper vadose zone was dominated by aerobic microbial populations; (2) the lower vadose zone was dominated by methanotrophic populations, iron reducers and iron oxidizers; (3) the smear zone was dominated by iron reducers; and (4) the free product zone was dominated by syntrophic and methanogenic populations. Although the common notion is that high MS values are caused by high magnetite concentrations that can be biotically formed through the activities of iron-reducing bacteria, here we show that the highest magnetic susceptibilities were measured in the free-phase petroleum zone, where a methanogenic community was predominant. This field study may contribute to the emerging knowledge that methanogens can switch their metabolism from methanogenesis to iron reduction with associated magnetite precipitation in hydrocarbon contaminated sediments. Thus, geophysical methods such as MS may help to identify zones where iron cycling/reduction by methanogens is occurring.

Frontiers in Earth Science↗
USGS2007

Seasonal fish community variation in headwater mangrove creeks in the southwestern everglades: An examination of their role as dry-down refuges

The connectivity between the fish community of estuarine mangroves and that of freshwater habitats upstream remains poorly understood. In the Florida Everglades, mangrove-lined creeks link freshwater marshes to estuarine habitats downstream and may act as dry-season refuges for freshwater fishes. We examined seasonal dynamics in the fish community of ecotonal creeks in the southwestern region of Everglades National Park, specifically Rookery Branch and the North and Watson rivers. Twelve low-order creeks were sampled via electrofishing, gill nets, and minnow traps during the wet season, transition period, and dry season in 2004-2005. Catches were greater in Rookery Branch than in the North and Watson rivers, particularly during the transition period. Community composition varied seasonally in Rookery Branch, and to a greater extent for the larger species, reflecting a pulse of freshwater taxa into creeks as marshes upstream dried periodically. The pulse was short-lived, a later sample showed substantial decreases in freshwater fish numbers. No evidence of a similar influx was seen in the North and Watson rivers, which drain shorter hydroperiod marshes and exhibit higher salinities. These results suggest that head-water creeks can serve as important dry-season refugia. Increased freshwater flow resulting from Everglades restoration may enhance this connectivity. ?? 2007 Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science of the University of Miami.

Conference Paper↗
USGS2009

Changing perceptions of change: The role of scientists in tamarix and river management

Initially introduced to western United States to provide ecosystem services such as erosion control, Tamarix by the mid-1900s had became vilified as a profligate waster of water. This large shrub continues, today, to be indicted for various presumed environmental and economic costs, and millions of dollars are expended on its eradication. In this review, we examine the role of scientists in driving changes in perceptions of Tamarix from valuable import to vilified invader and (in some instances) back to a productive member of riparian plant communities. Scientists over the years have sustained a negative perception of Tamarix by, among other things, (1) citing outmoded sources; (2) inferring causation from correlative studies; (3) applying conclusions beyond the scope (domain) of the studies; and (4) emphasizing findings that present the species as an extreme or unnatural agent of change. Recent research is challenging the prevailing dogma regarding Tamarix ’s role in ecosystem function and habitat degradation and many scientists now recommend management shifts from “pest plant” eradication to systemic, process-based restoration. However, prejudice against this and other non-native species persists. To further close the gap between science and management, it is important for scientists to strive to (1) cite sources appropriately; (2) avoid reflexive antiexotic bias; (3) avoid war-based and pestilence-based terminology; (4) heed the levels of certainty and the environmental domain of studies; (5) maintain up-to-date information on educational Web sites; and (6) prior to undertaking restoration or management actions, conduct a thorough and critical review of the literature.

Restoration Ecology↗
USGS2014

Abundance of host fish and frequency of glochidial parasitism in fish assessed in field and laboratory settings and frequency of juvenile mussels or glochidia recovered from hatchery-held fish, central and southeastern Texas, 2012-13

In 2012–13, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), completed the first phase of a two-phase study of mussel host-fish relations for five endemic mussel species in central and southeastern Texas that were State-listed as threatened on January 17, 2010: (1) Texas fatmucket ( Lampsilis bracteata ), (2) golden orb ( Quadrula aurea ), (3) smooth pimpleback ( Quadrula houstonensis ), (4) Texas pimpleback ( Quadrula petrina ), and (5) Texas fawnsfoot ( Truncilla macrodon ). On October 6, 2011, the USFWS announced the completion of a status review and determined that the five mussel species warranted listing under the Endangered Species Act; however, listing of these species at that time was precluded by higher priority listing actions, and currently (December 2014), they remained unlisted. Freshwater mussels are long-lived, sedentary organisms that spend their larval stage as obligate parasites on the gills or fins of fishes, and many of these larvae, which are referred to as “glochidia,” can survive only on a narrow range of host-fish species. Results from both study phases are likely to provide information useful for propagation of rare mussels, reintroduction of host fish, population and reproduction monitoring, habitat restoration and enhancement, and adaptive management. The abundance of host fish, frequency of parasitism in fish, and frequency of juvenile mussels or glochidia recovered from hatchery-held fish was assessed by collecting fish and mussels at 14 sites distributed among seven streams in central and southeastern Texas (juvenile mussels and glochidia were not differentiated in hatchery-held fish). All fish collected and assessed in this study were wild-caught. Qualitative surveys of the resident mussel communities were made, focusing on the five candidate species. A subsample (3 percent in 2012 and 19 percent in 2013) of the fish collected during aquatic biota surveys was submitted to the USFWS San Marcos National Fish Hatchery and Technology Center to collect juvenile mussels and glochidia recovered from the host fish, which were held for 28 days in holding tanks to allow time for most of the attached glochidia to release from the gills of the fish after transforming into juvenile mussels. All fish not sent to the hatchery were assessed for glochidia in the field or in the USGS Texas Water Science Center laboratory in Austin, Tex. Juvenile mussels and glochidia that were recovered from fish at the hatchery were submitted for use in the second phase of this study, the development of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) identification keys to determine mussel and host-fish relationships through DNA-based molecular identification (DNA typing of the juvenile mussels and glochidia). Reporting on the results of DNA-based molecular identification research is beyond the scope of this report. In 2012, the majority of the fish that were collected, in terms of total number and species types, belonged to the sunfish family Centrarchidae (centrarchids; 1,277 individuals and at least 10 species). Redbreast sunfish ( Lepomis auritus ) was the most common species collected in 2012 (603 individuals), but the largemouth bass ( Micropterus salmoides ) species was caught at all 10 sites. The largest number of species (19) was collected at the San Saba Menard site (San Saba River near Menard, Tex.) on May 22, 2012. In 2013, most of the fish that were collected, in terms of total number and species types, were centrarchids (763 individuals) and cyprinids (10 species), respectively. Blacktail shiner ( Cyprinella venusta ) was the most common species collected in 2013 (287 individuals), but bluegill ( Lepomis macrochirus ) was the only species that was caught at all nine sites. The largest number of individuals (382) and species (19) was collected from the Colorado Columbus site (Colorado River near Columbus, Tex.) on June 11, 2013. A minimum of two fish (any species) parasitized with glochidia was collected from each of the 10 sites sampled during 2012. The highest percentage of parasitized fish (19.1 percent) was measured at the Guadalupe Victoria site (Guadalupe River near Victoria, Tex.). The catfish family Ictaluridae (ictalurids) exhibited the highest proportion of parasitized fish (12.1 percent). Of the nine sites sampled in 2013, the Pedernales Fredericksburg site (Pedernales River near Fredericksburg, Tex.) had the highest proportion of parasitized fish at 22.7 percent. Ictalurids again exhibited the highest frequency of parasitism (26.5 percent). Of the fish that were not sent to the hatchery but assessed for glochidia in the field or in the laboratory in 2012, at least 13 species were parasitized, and longear sunfish ( Lepomis megalotis ) was the species with the highest percentage of parasitized individuals (17.3 percent). Of the fish that were not sent to the hatchery but assessed for glochidia in the field or in the laboratory in 2013, only eight species were parasitized, and flathead catfish ( Pylodictis olivaris ) was the species with the highest percentage of parasitized individuals (42.9 percent). With the exception of the San Antonio Charco site, fish were submitted to the hatchery from all sampling sites in 2013. During the first sampling period in 2013 (April 1–5), slightly more than half (16 out of 29) of the fish species (on a per site basis) that were submitted to the hatchery released juvenile mussels and glochidia. Compared to the other sampling periods in 2013, substantially fewer glochidia per fish were present on fish submitted to the hatchery during the second sampling period in 2013 (April 29–May 2). Although only two sites were sampled during the third sampling period in 2013 (June 10–11), more juvenile mussels and glochidia were recovered at the hatchery during this sampling period (107) than were recovered during the first two sampling periods in 2013 combined (102). An average of 17 juvenile mussels or glochidia was recovered per largemouth bass submitted to the hatchery from the Guadalupe Victoria site during the third sampling period. A total of 19 fish species collected at nine sites was submitted to the hatchery in 2013, and 14 of these species had juvenile mussels or glochidia that were recovered at the hatchery. The three most productive species, in terms of the average number of juvenile mussels or glochidia recovered, were longear sunfish, spotted bass, and largemouth bass, each of which averaged more than two juvenile mussels or glochidia recovered per individual.

Texas↗
USGS2016

Shifting currents: Progress, setbacks, and shifts in policy and practice

The Wisconsin Academy’s initial Waters of Wisconsin project (WOW I) facilitated a statewide conversation between 2000 and 2003 around one main question: How can we ensure healthy aquatic ecosystems and clean, abundant water supplies for tomorrow’s Wisconsin? Robust participation in this conversation underscored the important role citizens have in the stewardship of our waters, and we found enthusiastic support for farsighted policies—based on sound science—to manage our water legacy. Overall, we found that Wisconsinites cherish water and see our waters as essential to our way of life in Wisconsin. Nationally, our state ranks 25th in land area but has the fourth-highest area covered by water. Wisconsin is 20th in population but is second only to Florida in the number of fishing licenses sold each year. Clean water supports billions of dollars’ worth of economic activity through tourism, agriculture, and industry. From the Northwoods cabin to the Port of Milwaukee to the Wisconsin Dells, water shapes our state’s identity. Our tradition of safeguarding Wisconsin’s waters is grounded in values such as responsibility to family and future generations, respect for land and wildlife, protecting public health and safety, and caring for water as a common good, as articulated in the state’s Public Trust Doctrine (see page 9). These deeply held values have also shaped a conservation ethic, and its legacy has served many generations who depend upon and enjoy the waters of the state. Through WOW I, we identified the need to overcome the institutional and disciplinary separation of science, policy, and management protocols through a more integrated approach to water management. WOW also affirmed that the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and other public agencies play a critical role in sound scientific application, citizen participation, and the practical implementation of policy while balancing public and private interests toward the goal of a clean water future. More than a decade has passed since our first statewide WOW conversation and the report that captured recommendations from its participants: Waters of Wisconsin: The Future of Our Aquatic Ecosystems and Resources. Drawing from a diverse and growing set of stakeholders from across the state, the Wisconsin Academy initiated a new conversation in 2012 (known as WOW II) to assess progress in regard to our 2003 recommendations. We also sought to review the status of waters in Wisconsin today. The result of this renewed conversation is Shifting Currents: Progress, Setbacks, and Shifts in Policy and Practice. The new report assesses progress in brief, and explores in greater depth the continuing and emerging challenges to water quality, supply, and aquatic ecosystems in Wisconsin. In this report, we first review the context and frameworks for public decision-making about water and then examine some of the root causes—or “drivers”—and ecological stressors that underlie many of the symptoms we see in the form of pollution or ecosystem degradation in Wisconsin. This is followed by a summary of current water issues, many of which had been identified in the 2003 report and remain relevant today. We examine progress since 2003 but also setbacks, and discuss issues that we are likely to continue to face in the coming decades, including controlling agricultural runoff, mitigating climate change and grappling with its effects on the state’s waters, protecting groundwater from bacterial contamination and other pollutants, and preventing groundwater depletion. We also attempt to anticipate issues on the horizon. We offer a deeper look at some particular challenges, such as phosphorus pollution and groundwater contamination. We then consider the current decision-making framework and how it is shaping our capacity to respond to water challenges in Wisconsin. Finally, we offer recommendations and identify opportunities to safeguard Wisconsin’s waters in the decades ahead. From its inception, the Wisconsin Academy’s Waters of Wisconsin Initiative has brought together a diverse community of experts from across the state and from varied fields and areas of interest, to address challenges and seize opportunities related to our precious waters. We have done so as a matter of both principle and practical reality: the state of our waters reflects the ways we interact not only with them, but also with one another and our institutions. The WOW Initiative has aimed to provide guidance for Wisconsin citizens in sustaining the health of our aquatic ecosystems and the resilience of our water supplies over the long term.

Report↗
USGS2023

Understanding ecological response to physical characteristics in side channels of a large floodplain-river ecosystem

Side channels in large floodplain rivers serve a variety of important ecological roles, particularly in reaches where habitat conditions have been degraded or diminished. We developed hypotheses regarding side channel ecological structure whereby we expected species richness of young-of-year fishes to generally be higher in shallower, more physically heterogeneous side channels with lower velocities, with differences based on reproductive guild. We also hypothesized species richness of adult fishes to be higher in side channels with greater heterogeneity that could support diverse foraging resources and provide refugia during extreme flow conditions. To test these hypotheses, we used a 28-year fish community dataset from the Upper Mississippi and Illinois Rivers. Across six study reaches, we assessed metrics of side channel physical size, heterogeneity, and connectivity that were hypothesized to explain variance of fish community response, while accounting for site-level factors across 52 side channels using multilevel models. We then used these side channel-level characteristics in a K-means cluster analysis to classify 1126 side channels across 32 reaches of the river system. Our results indicated that the relative explanatory contributions of physical metrics varied by response variable, providing varying evidence in support of our hypotheses, and indicating that different forms of heterogeneity matter in different ways. Side channel-level factors were more explanatory of fish community responses in side channels of upstream reaches compared to downstream reaches and percent wet forest was the most explanatory side channel-level factor of fish community responses across all models. Our classification of side channels indicated strong spatial contrasts in the abundance and diversity of side channels across reaches. Scaling up to understand how the diversity and abundance of different types of side channels contributes to landscape-scale ecological functions and processes would be useful for establishing targets for reach-scale physical heterogeneity.

Upper Mississippi River and Illinois River↗
USGS2012

Threats and stressors to the health of the ecosystems of Lakes Mead and Mohave: Chapter 6 in A synthesis of aquatic science for management of Lakes Mead and Mohave

Ecosystem impacts from visitor activities or natural environmental change are important concerns in all units of the National Park system. Possible impacts to aquatic ecosystems at Lake Mead National Recreation Area (LMNRA) are of particular concern because of the designation of Lakes Mead and Mohave as critical habitat for the federally listed endangered razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texanus), the significance of the sport fishery, and the regional importance of its habitats to more than 90 documented species of waterbirds. Potential threats to shoreline habitats are of concern not only for their ecosystem values but also for maintaining the recreational setting. Many areas adjacent to the shorelines of Lakes Mead and Mohave are designated wilderness areas. For purposes of this document, stressors are any chemical, biological, or physical agent that has a detrimental effect on aquatic ecosystems at the organism, population, or community level. Human-made stressors at Lakes Mead and Mohave include direct effects of recreation on the lakes, like boating and fishing, as well as indirect effects of activities away from the lakes, such as growing population and increasing urbanization. Common natural environmental stressors include extended changes in climate (precipitation or temperature), or the erosion, transport, and loading of chemical constituents in rocks and sediments to aquatic environments. Human activity also can exacerbate natural stressors in a variety of ways.

Circular↗
USGS2013

U.S. Geological Survey environmental health science strategy — Providing environmental health science for a changing world

Executive Summary America has an abundance of natural resources. We have bountiful clean water, fertile soil, and unrivaled national parks, wildlife refuges, and public lands. These resources enrich our lives and preserve our health and wellbeing. These resources have been maintained because of our history of respect for their value and an enduring commitment to their vigilant protection. Awareness of the social, economic, and personal value of the health of our environment is increasing. The emergence of environmentally driven diseases caused by exposure to contaminants and pathogens is a growing concern worldwide. New health threats and patterns of established threats are affected by both natural and anthropogenic changes to the environment. Human activities are key drivers of emerging (new and re-emerging) health threats. Societal demands for land and natural resources, quality of life, and economic prosperity lead to environmental change. Natural earth processes, climate trends, and related climatic events will compound the environmental impact of human activities. These environmental drivers will influence exposure to disease agents, including viral, bacterial, prion, and fungal pathogens, parasites, synthetic chemicals and substances, natural earth materials, toxins, and other biogenic compounds. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) defines environmental health science broadly as the interdisciplinary study of relations among the quality of the physical environment, the health of the living environment, and human health. The interactions among these three spheres are driven by human activities, ecological processes, and natural earth processes; the interactions affect exposure to contaminants and pathogens and the severity of environmentally driven diseases in animals and people. This definition provides USGS with a framework for synthesizing natural science information from across the Bureau and providing it to environmental, natural resource, agricultural, and public health managers. USGS specializes in science at the environment-health interface, by characterizing the processes that affect the interaction among the physical environment, the living environment, and people, and the resulting factors that affect ecological and human exposure to disease agents. The USGS is a Federal science agency with a broad range of natural science expertise relevant to environmental health. USGS provides scientific information and tools as a scientific basis for management and policy decisionmaking. This report describes a 10-year strategy that encompasses the portfolio of USGS environmental health science. It summarizes national environmental health priorities that USGS is best suited to address, and will serve as a strategic framework for USGS environmental health science goals, actions, and outcomes for the next decade. Implementation of this strategy is intended to aid coordination of USGS environmental health activities and to provide a focal point for disseminating information to stakeholders. The “One Health” paradigm advocated by the World Health Organization (WHO; World Health Organization, 2011), and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA; American Veterinary Medical Association, 2008), among others, is based on a general recognition that the health of humans, animals, and the environment are inextricably linked. Thus, successful efforts to protect that health will require increased interdisciplinary research and increased communication and collaboration among the broader scientific and health community. This strategy is built upon that paradigm.

Circular↗
USGS2004

World heritage site - Bien du Patrimoine Mondial - Kluane/Wrangell-St. Elias/Glacier Bay/Tatshenshini-Alsek

The four parks depicted on this map make up a single World Heritage Site that covers 24.3 million acres. Together, they comprise the largest internationally protected land-based ecosystem on the planet. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) established the World Heritage Program in 1972 for the identification and protection of the world?s irreplaceable natural and cultural resources. World Heritage Sites are important as storehouses of memory and evolution, as anchors for sustainable tourism and community, and as laboratories for the study and understanding of the earth and culture. This World Heritage Site protects the prominent mountain ranges of Kluane, Wrangell, Saint Elias, and Chugach. It includes many of the tallest peaks on the continent, the world's largest non-polar icefield, extensive glaciers, vital watersheds, and expanses of dramatic wilderness. [Les quatre parcs figurant sur cette carte ne constituent qu?un seul site du patrimoine mondial recouvrant plus de 99 millions de km2, ce qui en fait le plus grand ecosysteme terrestre protege par loi internationale. En 1972, L?UNESCO (l?organisation des Nations Unies pour les sciences, l'education et la culture) a etabli le programme du patrimoine mondial afin d?identifier et de proteger les ressources naturelles et culturelles irremplacables de notre plan?te. Si les sites du patrimoine mondial sont si importants c'est parce qu'ils representent a la fois des livres ouverts sur l?histoire de la Terre, le point de depart du tourisme durable et du developpement des collectivites, des laboratoires pour etudier et comprendre la nature et la culture. Ce site du patrimoine mondial assure la protection des chaines de montagnes de Kluane, Wrangell, Saint Elias, et Chugach. On y trouve plusieurs des plus hauts sommets du continent, le plus grand champ de glace non-polaire du monde, d?immenses glaciers, des bassins hydrologiques essentiels, et de la nature sauvage a perte de vue. ]

Scientific Investigations Map↗
USGS2022

Taking steps to address inequities in open-access publishing through an early career publication honor

Access to resources—whether human, financial, or social—is a key indicator of research output and, in turn, academic career progression. However, resources are not equally distributed among scientists and disparities often stem from external factors. This reality is particularly impactful for early career researchers (ECRs) who have limited control over the resources available to them to advance their careers. The resources needed to fund open-access (OA) publishing are a well-known source of academic inequity (Ross-Hellauer 2022 ). Despite this, wide support for OA publishing exists across the scientific community, largely because OA articles increase access to the scientific literature by removing costly paywalls (Piwowar et al. 2018 ). Benefits of OA publishing also exist for individual researchers; OA studies are read and cited more, so much so that an “open access citation advantage” has been described (McCabe and Snyder 2014 ). Depending on the methods and journals studied, this advantage ranges from an 8 to 40% increase in citation rate (Piwowar et al. 2018 ). The OA publishing model is set to expand further, with influential groups seeking to mandate OA publishing (e.g., Plan S; Else 2021 ) including recent guidance from the United States Office of Science and Technology Policy (The White House 2022 ). However, OA publishing remains expensive, often prohibitively so, and OA fees deter ECRs broadly (Sarabipour et al. 2019 ), and particularly those from the Global South (Kwon 2022 ; Santidrián Tomillo et al. 2022 ).

Limnology and Oceanography Letters↗
USGS2021

An inventory and typology of permanent floodplain lakes in the Mississippi alluvial valley: A first step to conservation planning

The alluvial valley of the Mississippi River is an extensive area harboring hundreds of lakes created by fluvial dynamics. These floodplain lakes are scattered throughout the valley and carved over thousands of years by shifting river courses and other hydro-fluvial processes associated with contemporary and prehistoric rivers. These lakes have significant ecological importance as they support a large component of North American biodiversity. We used remote sensing to catalog lakes, to characterize morphology, and to construct a typology via cluster analysis. We identified over 1,300 permanent lakes totaling over 100,000 ha. The lakes were classified into 12 types according to lake size, shape, depth, connectivity, inundation frequency, and surrounding landcover. We anticipate that biotic characteristics differ among the 12 types, but large-scale systematic analyses of biotic assemblages of floodplain lakes in the region are mostly absent. Our typology can provide the framework essential for organizing research to define water dynamics, water quality, and ecological conditions such as forests, mussel, fish, and avian communities to construct conservation plans. The typology encourages a large-scale view of the properties of floodplain lakes in the alluvial valley. It is a functional tool that can be used to begin identifying conservation and research needs, adapt monitoring and management programs, customize environmental programs, and use conservation resources more effectively to achieve large-scale management objectives.

Mississippi River↗