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USGS2007

Evolving plans for the USA National Phenology Network

Phenology is the study of periodic plant and animal life cycle events, how these are influenced by seasonal and interannual variations in climate, and how they modulate the abundance, diversity, and interactions of organisms. The USA National Phenology Network (USA-NPN) is currently being organized to engage federal agencies, environmental networks and field stations, educational institutions, and citizen scientists. The first USA-NPN planning workshop was held August 2005, in Tucson, Ariz. (Betancourt et al. [2005]; http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/Geography/npn/; by 1 June 2007, also see http://www.usanpn.org). With sponsorship from the U.S. National Science Foundation, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and NASA, the second USA-NPN planning workshop was held at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee on 10–12 October 2006 to (1) develop lists of target species and observation protocols; (2) identify existing networks that could comprise the backbone of nationwide observations by 2008; (3) develop opportunities for education, citizen science, and outreach beginning in spring 2007; (4) design strategies for implementing the remote sensing component of USA-NPN; and (5) draft a data management and cyberinfrastructure plan.

Eos, Transactions, American Geophysical Union↗
USGS2011

Monitoring plan for vegetation responses to elk management in Rocky Mountain National Park

Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) in north-central Colorado supports numerous species of wildlife, including several large ungulate species among which Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphus) are the most abundant. Elk are native to RMNP but were extirpated from the area by the late 1800s. They were reintroduced to the area in 1913-1914, and the elk herd grew to the point that it was actively managed from 1944 until 1968. In 1969, the active control of elk was discontinued and since then the herd has increased to a high point ranging from 2,800 to 3,500 between 1997 and 2001. In recent years, there has been growing concern over the condition of vegetation in the park and conflicts between elk and humans, both inside and outside the park. In response to these concerns, RMNP implemented an Elk and Vegetation Management Plan (EVMP) in 2009 to guide management actions in the park over a 20-year time period with the goal of reducing the impacts of elk on vegetation and restoring the natural range of variability in the elk population and affected plant and animal communities. The EVMP outlines the desired future condition for three vegetation communities where the majority of elk herbivory impacts are being observed: aspen, montane riparian willow, and upland herbaceous communities. The EVMP incorporates the principle of adaptive management whereby the effectiveness of management actions is assessed and adjusted as needed to successfully achieve objectives. Determination of whether vegetation objectives are being achieved requires monitoring and evaluation of target vegetation communities. The current report describes the design and implementation of a vegetation-monitoring program to help RMNP managers assess the effectiveness of their management actions and determine when and where to alter actions to achieve the EVMP's vegetation objectives. This monitoring plan details the process of selecting variables to be monitored, overall sampling design and structure, site selection, data collection methods, and statistical analyses to be used to conduct this monitoring program in conjunction with the EVMP. We report the baseline conditions observed at the time of the establishment of monitoring sites. We include detailed field protocols for site establishment and data collection, as well as timetables for sampling, so that RMNP staff will be able to continue monitoring the sites established during this implementation stage, and continue to add new sites when necessary, as the execution of the EVMP proceeds over the next 20 years.

Colorado↗
USGS2024

Designing count-based studies in a world of hierarchical models

Advances in hierarchical modeling have improved estimation of ecological parameters from count data, especially those quantifying population abundance, distribution, and dynamics by explicitly accounting for observation processes, particularly incomplete detection. Even hierarchical models that account for incomplete detection, however, cannot compensate for data limitations stemming from poorly planned sampling. Ecologists therefore need guidance for planning count-based studies that follow established sampling theory, collect appropriate data, and apply current modeling approaches to answer their research questions. We synthesize available literature relevant to guiding count-based studies. Considering the central historical and ongoing contributions of avian studies to ecological knowledge, we focus on birds as a case study for this review, but the basic principles apply to all populations whose members are sufficiently observable to be counted. The sequence of our review represents the thought process in which we encourage ecologists to engage 1) the research question(s) and population parameters to measure, 2) sampling design, 3) analytical framework, 4) temporal design, and 5) survey protocol. We also provide 2 hypothetical demonstrations of these study plan components representing different research questions and study systems. Mirroring the structure of hierarchical models, we suggest researchers primarily focus on the ecological processes of interest when designing their approach to sampling, and wait to consider logistical constraints of data collection and observation processes when developing the survey protocol. We offer a broad framework for researchers planning count-based studies, while pointing to relevant literature elaborating on particular tools and concepts.

Journal of Wildlife Management↗
USGS2015

Lakes and reservoirs—Guidelines for study design and sampling

The “National Field Manual for the Collection of Water-Quality Data” (NFM) is an online report with separately published chapters that provides the protocols and guidelines by which U.S. Geological Survey personnel obtain the data used to assess the quality of the Nation’s surface-water and groundwater resources. Chapter A10 reviews limnological principles, describes the characteristics that distinguish lakes from reservoirs, and provides guidance for developing temporal and spatial sampling strategies and data-collection approaches to be used in lake and reservoir environmental investigations. Within this chapter are references to other chapters of the NFM that provide more detailed guidelines related to specific topics and more detailed protocols for the quality assurance and assessment of the lake and reservoir data. Protocols and procedures to address and document the quality of lake and reservoir investigations are adapted from, or referenced to, the protocols and standard operating procedures contained in related chapters of this NFM. Before 2017, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) “National Field Manual for the Collection of Water-Quality Data” (NFM) chapters were released in the USGS Techniques of Water-Resources Investigations series. Effective in 2018, new and revised NFM chapters are being released in the USGS Techniques and Methods series; this series change does not affect the content and format of the NFM. More information is in the general introduction to the NFM (USGS Techniques and Methods, book 9, chapter A0, 2018) at https://doi.org/10.3133/tm9A0 . The authoritative current versions of NFM chapters are available in the USGS Publications Warehouse at https://pubs.er.usgs.gov . Comments, questions, and suggestions related to the NFM can be addressed to nfm-owq@usgs.gov .

Techniques and Methods↗
USGS2019

Monitoring five-needle pine on Bureau of Land Management lands in Wyoming summary report for 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017

Whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) grows at high elevations and in subalpine communities in the Pacific Northwest and Northern Rocky Mountains. Limber pine (Pinus flexilis) occurs in western North America across a broad elevational gradient from the Canadian Rocky Mountains into parts of New Mexico and Arizona and from southern California eastward to the few, isolated populations existing on the western boundary of the Dakotas and Nebraska (Steele 1990, Schoettle and Rochelle 2000). Both of these five-needle pine species play a variety of ecological roles and are considered key components in the their environments. Currently, whitebark pine and limber pine are being impacted by multiple ecological disturbances. White pine blister rust, caused by the introduced fungus Cronartium ribicola, mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae), dwarf mistletoe (Arceuthobium spp.), wildfires, and drought all pose significant threats to the persistence of healthy five-needle populations. An effort was initiated in 2013 by the National Park Service and the Wyoming Bureau of Land Management (WYBLM) to evaluate and monitor the long-term health trajectory of five-needle pines on WYBLM lands within the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE). With guidance from the Interagency Whitebark Pine Monitoring Program protocol, and employing a rapid assessment survey technique specifically designed for this endeavor, we monitored whitebark pine trees in 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017. We estimated the proportion of live, five-needle pine trees (>1.4 m tall) infected with white pine blister rust, documented blister rust infection severity by the occurrence and location of persisting and new infections, determined mortality of five-needle pine trees and described potential factors contributing to the death of trees, and assessed the multiple components of recruitment of understory five-needle pine into the reproductive population. White pine blister rust was widespread throughout WYBLM lands within the GYE. Using a combined ratio estimator we found that the proportion of live, >1.4 m tall five-needle pine trees infected with white pine blister rust was 0.156 (±0.054 SE; this estimate combines all surveyed trees). Bole cankers were 25% more prevalent than branch cankers in all five-needle pines observed. Mortality of surveyed trees on WYBLM lands was predominantly attributed to mountain pine beetle. For seedlings and saplings, a total of 4003 live, ≤1.4 m tall five-needle pines were documented. Cones or cone scars were recorded on 745 of the live trees. Of these reproducing trees, 44 were recorded with white pine blister rust infection. Long-term monitoring on five-needle pines on WYBLM lands will continue into the future.

Wyoming↗
USGS2025

Integrating climate change, biological invasions, and infectious wildlife diseases

Climate change is likely to affect infectious diseases that are facilitated by biological invasions, with repercussions for wildlife conservation and zoonotic risks. Current invasion management and policy are underprepared for the future risks associated with such invasion-related wildlife diseases. By considering evidence from bioclimatology, invasion biology, and disease research, we illustrate how climate change is anticipated to affect disease agents (parasites and pathogens), hosts, and vectors across the different stages of invasions. We highlight the opportunity to integrate these disciplines to identify the effects of climate change on invasion related wildlife diseases. In addition, shifting to a proactive stance in implementing management and policy, such as by incorporating climate-change effects either into preventative and mitigation measures for biosecurity or with rapid response protocols to limit disease spread and impacts, could help to combat future ecological, economic, and human health risks stemming from invasion-related wildlife diseases.

Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment↗
USGS2004

The LISST-SL streamlined isokinetic suspended-sediment profiler

The new manually deployed Laser In Situ Scattering Transmissometer-StreamLined profiler (LISST-SL) represents a major technological advance for suspended-sediment measurements in rivers. The LISST-SL is being designed to provide real-time data on sediment concentrations and particle-size distributions. A pressure sensor and current meter provide real-time depth and ambient velocity data, respectively. The velocity data are also used to control pumpage across an internal laser so that the intake velocity is constantly adjusted to match the ambient stream velocity. Such isokinetic withdrawal is necessary for obtaining representative sedimentary measurements in streamflow, and ensures compliance with established practices. The velocity and sediment-concentration data are used to compute fluxes for up to 32 particle-size classes at points, verticals, or in the entire stream cross section. All data are stored internally, as well as transmitted via a 2-wire conductor to the operator using a specially developed communication protocol. The LISST-SL's performance will be measured and compared to published sedimentological accuracy criteria, and a performance summary will be placed on-line.

Conference Paper↗
USGS2025

Lunar grid systems, coordinate systems, and map projections for the Artemis missions and lunar surface navigation

Foreward This document contains design specifications of a navigational standard for the Moon, including a Lunar Transverse Mercator system, a Lunar Polar Stereographic system, a Lunar Grid Reference System, and a unique coordinate structure, Artemis Condensed Coordinates, for Artemis mission navigation and lunar surface science. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Artemis campaign seeks to place humans on the Moon for the first time since the Apollo missions. Early Artemis missions are heavily focused on the lunar south pole, which promises to return valuable data on the Moon’s geologic record, amongst other mission objectives. Coordinate systems in use today for the lunar south pole provides crew members on the surface neither an efficient nor intuitive means to communicate their position and orientation. A novel grid coordinate system, the Lunar Grid Reference System, is proposed to address these concerns for use in real-time extravehicular activity operations on the lunar surface. The many stakeholders involved in the Artemis missions will need a common system to communicate position and orientation while astronauts are operating on the lunar surface. To that end, Artemis crew members will need that system to be efficient and intuitive to promote efficient extravehicular activity timelines and reduce confusion. In the context of this document, these characteristics are addressed on the design of lunar coordinate systems: Efficient.—The number of characters required to communicate a location within a desired precision level in both local and global contexts, and how many steps are required for a recipient or sender to interpret a location. Intuitive.—How well the system aligns with human perceptual abilities, and whether the system yields distances that have the same relationship to actual lunar surface distance in all directions from the point where a person is located. Technological systems are currently being investigated to supplement the crew members’ ability to locate and orient themselves and other assets on the lunar surface; however, it is unlikely that those systems will be fully operational for the first few landed missions. Even with future positional aids, crew members will still need an efficient and intuitive means to communicate position and orientation. In addition, if technological systems fail, the crews will require land navigation skills and have maps available, thus providing further motivation for a crew-centric coordinate system. The contents of this U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) document detail a comprehensive framework for standardizing lunar crewed surface navigation within NASA and outlines the protocols, methods, and designs necessary for achieving consistency and interoperability across relevant space mission teams and lunar surface navigators. Key components of this document include designs of map projections, projected coordinate reference systems (Lunar Transverse Mercator and Lunar Polar Stereographic systems), and a grid system (Lunar Grid Reference System and Artemis Condensed Coordinates) for the Moon. The work proposed in this document seeks to accomplish something similar to the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) document SIG 0012 (NGA, 2014a), but for using grid systems for the Moon. This report incorporates initial feedback and input from NASA’s Artemis Geospatial Data Team, NASA’s Flight Operations Directorate, National Geodetic Survey, USGS Astrogeology Science Center, and NGA and is intended to serve as a resource for all involved with the Artemis missions, as well as for engineers designing and operating lunar infrastructure.

Techniques and Methods↗
USGS2006

A Procedure for the supercritical fluid extraction of coal samples, with subsequent analysis of extracted hydrocarbons

Introduction: This report provides a detailed, step-by-step procedure for conducting extractions with supercritical carbon dioxide (CO2) using the ISCO SFX220 supercritical fluid extraction system. Protocols for the subsequent separation and analysis of extracted hydrocarbons are also included in this report. These procedures were developed under the auspices of the project 'Assessment of Geologic Reservoirs for Carbon Dioxide Sequestration' (see http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/fs026-03/fs026-03.pdf) to investigate possible environmental ramifications associated with CO2 storage (sequestration) in geologic reservoirs, such as deep (~1 km below land surface) coal beds. Supercritical CO2 has been used previously to extract contaminants from geologic matrices. Pressure-temperature conditions within deep coal beds may render CO2 supercritical. In this context, the ability of supercritical CO2 to extract contaminants from geologic materials may serve to mobilize noxious compounds from coal, possibly complicating storage efforts. There currently exists little information on the physicochemical interactions between supercritical CO2 and coal in this setting. The procedures described herein were developed to improve the understanding of these interactions and provide insight into the fate of CO2 and contaminants during simulated CO2 injections.

Open-File Report↗
USGS2013

Optical techniques for the determination of nitrate in environmental waters: Guidelines for instrument selection, operation, deployment, maintenance, quality assurance, and data reporting

The recent commercial availability of in situ optical sensors, together with new techniques for data collection and analysis, provides the opportunity to monitor a wide range of water-quality constituents on time scales in which environmental conditions actually change. Of particular interest is the application of ultraviolet (UV) photometers for in situ determination of nitrate concentrations in rivers and streams. The variety of UV nitrate sensors currently available differ in several important ways related to instrument design that affect the accuracy of their nitrate concentration measurements in different types of natural waters. This report provides information about selection and use of UV nitrate sensors by the U.S. Geological Survey to facilitate the collection of high-quality data across studies, sites, and instrument types. For those in need of technical background and information about sensor selection, this report addresses the operating principles, key features and sensor design, sensor characterization techniques and typical interferences, and approaches for sensor deployment. For those needing information about maintaining sensor performance in the field, key sections in this report address maintenance and calibration protocols, quality-assurance techniques, and data formats and reporting. Although the focus of this report is UV nitrate sensors, many of the principles can be applied to other in situ optical sensors for water-quality studies.

Techniques and Methods↗
USGS2007

Pilot Study of Sublethal Effects on Fish of Pesticides Currently Used and Proposed for Use on Maine Blueberries

Blueberry pesticides have been detected consistently in some Down East Maine rivers, yet little is known about the sublethal effects of these pesticides on fish early life stages. The Maine blueberry industry is proposing to replace the insecticide ImidanTM (active ingredient phosmet) and the herbicide VelparTM (active ingredient hexazinone), two of the pesticides found in these rivers, with candidate alternatives SpinTor TM (active ingredient spinosad) and Callistso TM (active ingredient mesotrione). Our objective is to evaluate potential sublethal effects of these four formulations before the industry adopts the two candidate alternatives. We exposed zebrafish (Danio rerio) early life stages, from fertilization through larval swim-up, to a range of pesticide concentrations and evaluated their response relative to untreated controls. In this report we provide preliminary data on immune function as well as on parameters in addition to those originally proposed: development and performance fitness. We also provide information on our progress towards optimizing chemical protocols for analyzing the concentration of active ingredient in each of our formulation dosing solutions, another new parameter we added to those originally proposed. Preliminary results indicate that at environmentally realistic concentrations, these pesticides may have no significant effect on innate immunity, development rate or behavior (spontaneous swimming), however further replication is needed to confirm these initial findings. We have also observed some degree of developmental abnormalities in both pesticide-treated and control zebrafish embryos; however, additional replication is underway to determine if these groups differ significantly.

Open-File Report↗
USGS2005

Management and protection protocols for nesting sea turtles on Cape Hatteras National Seashore, North Carolina

Executive Summary 1. The southeast U.S. population of the loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) has increased since the species was listed as federally threatened in 1978. Since standardized monitoring began in North Carolina in 1995, the number of nests at Cape Hatteras National Seashore (CAHA) fluctuated from year to year, and was lowest in 1996 and 1997 (39 nests) and highest in 2003 (101 nests). Green turtles (Chelonia mydas) and leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) have nested in small numbers at CAHA, sporadically over time. 2. Hatching success of sea turtle nests typically approaches 80%. At CAHA hatching success from 1999-2003 was low when hurricanes hit during the nesting season (30%-38%), and ranged from 52%-70% otherwise. Hatching success at CAHA is usually correlated with hatching success in the surrounding subpopulation (north Florida to North Carolina). 3. Inclement weather, predation, and human recreation can negatively impact nesting rate and hatching success. 4. Currently there is little protection from recreation at CAHA for nesting females and nests that have not been found by monitors. We propose three management options to provide such protection, and to increase protection for known nests and hatchlings. We propose an adaptive management framework for assessing the effectiveness of these management options in improving sea turtle nesting rate and nest and hatchling survival. 5. We recommend continued efforts to trap and remove mammalian predators from all sea turtle habitat. We further recommend intensive monitoring and surveillance of protected areas to determine the extent and timing of threats to nests and broods, including nest overwash, predation, and disturbance or vandalism by humans. 6. Continue to relocate nests and assist stranded turtles according to North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission guidelines. 7. Artificial light sources pose a serious threat to sea turtles in some parts of CAHA, which must be remedied immediately. We recommend that CAHA enact turtle-friendly lighting regulations and work with the communities within its borders to reduce light pollution and to eliminate artificial light sources that are directly visible from sea turtle nesting areas. 8. We recommend increased education and outreach to CAHA visitors, including requiring participation in an educational program before being granted nighttime beach access. The long-term success of sea turtle recovery will depend on public cooperation and positive public attitudes toward sea turtles and turtle management actions.

Book↗
USGS2024

Systematic assessment of long-read RNA-seq methods for transcript identification and quantification

The Long-read RNA-Seq Genome Annotation Assessment Project Consortium was formed to evaluate the effectiveness of long-read approaches for transcriptome analysis. Using different protocols and sequencing platforms, the consortium generated over 427 million long-read sequences from complementary DNA and direct RNA datasets, encompassing human, mouse and manatee species. Developers utilized these data to address challenges in transcript isoform detection, quantification and de novo transcript detection. The study revealed that libraries with longer, more accurate sequences produce more accurate transcripts than those with increased read depth, whereas greater read depth improved quantification accuracy. In well-annotated genomes, tools based on reference sequences demonstrated the best performance. Incorporating additional orthogonal data and replicate samples is advised when aiming to detect rare and novel transcripts or using reference-free approaches. This collaborative study offers a benchmark for current practices and provides direction for future method development in transcriptome analysis.

Nature Methods↗
USGS2022

Compilation and evaluation of data used to identify groundwater sources under the direct influence of surface water in Pennsylvania

A study was conducted to compile and evaluate data used to identify groundwater sources that are under the direct influence of surface water (GUDI) in Pennsylvania. In the early 1990s, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) implemented the Surface Water Identification Protocol (SWIP) for the identification of GUDI sources. Since the establishment of the SWIP, PADEP has classified more than 500 individual sources across Pennsylvania as GUDI, but Pennsylvania’s complex geology and physiography provide a challenge for a uniform method of GUDI determination. Components used in this study to compile and evaluate data associated with GUDI determination include: (1) a preliminary review of file information for 43 public water-supply wells, (2) quality control and addition of data to PADEP’s database for public water-supply systems to prepare data for analysis, and (3) exploratory evaluation of existing GUDI sources in the database with respect to hydrogeologic and source-construction characteristics that are currently utilized in the assessment methodology. Case files for 43 wells from PADEP’s Northcentral and Southcentral regions were reviewed to: (1) provide a better understanding of how the SWIP was applied in practice, (2) verify and compile missing data, and (3) find additional attributes not previously available that might explain a well’s categorization as GUDI. Review of file information showed that the SWIP outlined in PADEP technical guidance was usually followed, but for some sources, the GUDI determination was more complex and could not be easily summarized. Data compiled for study analyses provided by PADEP include source data derived from public water-supply system case files, a source-information database for public water-supply systems, and Microscopic Particulate Analysis (MPA) results and associated water-quality data for public water-supply system groundwater sources. Data from the Pennsylvania Drinking Water Information System (PADWIS) , which is PADEP’s database for public water-supply systems, were also used for this study. The PADWIS database originally included data for 12,147 groundwater sources (11,812 groundwater sources not under the direct influence of surface water (non-GUDI) wells and 335 GUDI wells). A subset (4,018 wells consisting of 3,842 non-GUDI wells and 175 GUDI wells) of the PADWIS database was created for an analysis and includes only community wells evaluated in accordance with the SWIP. MPA results for 631 community and noncommunity wells were compiled, along with associated water-quality data (alkalinity, chloride, Escherichia coli , fecal coliform, nitrate, pH, sodium, specific conductance, sulfate, total coliform, total dissolved solids, total residue, and turbidity) populated from the PADEP Bureau of Laboratories Sample Information System. Data compiled from sources other than PADEP include spatial data, both naturogenic (for example, average precipitation or distance to closest hydrologic feature) and anthropogenic (for example, percentage of developed or agricultural land cover within a specific vicinity of a public water-supply system well) data representing spatially derived variables. Comparison among wells in the PADWIS dataset subset using the nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis test showed that GUDI wells had significantly older median construction years, shallower depths, and static water levels closer to the land surface than non-GUDI wells and that carbonate aquifers had the highest percentages of wells designated as GUDI (12 percent; 57 wells). Further comparison of wells in the PADWIS database subset using the Spearman’s rho monotonic correlation test illustrated that public water-supply wells designated as GUDI largely occur in unconfined aquifers and have high average yield and shallow static water levels. Assessment of the MPA database subset using the Kruskal-Wallis test showed wells with MPA total risk-factor scores that exceeded zero had older median construction years and shallower casing depths than wells with MPA total risk-factor scores of zero and that carbonate aquifers had the highest percentages of wells with MPA total risk-factor scores exceeding zero (30 percent; 63 wells). Spearman’s rho correlations showed that wells completed in aquifers with depths to major water-bearing zones closer to the land-surface had higher total risk-factor scores resulting from MPA samples. Based on the results of the analyses described in this report, broad conclusions can be drawn regarding site-specific well characteristics as well as anthropogenic and naturogenic factors that could be responsible for a well being designated as GUDI, but the accuracy of these results is dependent on the quality of the data being analyzed. Ultimately, study results serve as an added resource for initial desktop screening of wells to determine if additional site-specific investigation is warranted and underscore the need for field evaluation.

Pennsylvania↗
USGS2025

The acoustic-Doppler current profiler (ADCP): A comprehensive tool for river-reach hydromorphodynamics

This paper introduces the use of acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) measurements as input for the Acoustic Mapping Velocimetry (AMV) method, a technique for characterizing the dynamics of riverine bedforms. The performance of this new approach, ADCP-AMV, is compared with input from a multibeam echosounder through a field study conducted on the Mississippi River (USA). A virtual ADCP tool has been created to support the ADCP-AMV measurements with optimal data density predictions. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first time ADCP measurements have been used in conjunction with the AMV dune-tracking method. Subsequently, the paper discusses the coupling of ADCP-AMV measurements with ancillary data extracted from the ADCP. These ancillary data are processed using previously developed protocols to characterize hydrodynamics and the suspended sediment distribution in the water column. This paper emphasizes the capability of ADCPs to characterize open-channel river hydromorphodynamic parameters with high spatiotemporal resolution. Recommendations to accurately and efficiently acquire these multi-variable measurements and derived datasets are discussed.

Tennessee↗
USGS2019

Population estimates of Antillean manatees in Puerto Rico: An analytical framework for aerial surveys using multi-pass removal sampling

Effective management of the threatened Antillean manatee ( Trichechus manatus manatus ) in Puerto Rico requires reliable estimates of population size. Estimates are needed to assess population responses to management actions, and whether recovery objectives have been met. Aerial surveys have been conducted since 1976, but none adjusted for imperfect detection. We summarize surveys since 1976, report on current distribution, and provide population estimates after accounting for apparent detection probability for surveys between June 2010 and March 2014. Estimates in areas of high concentration (hotspots) averaged 317 ± 101, three times higher than unadjusted counts (104 ± 0.56). Adjusted estimates in three areas outside hotspots also differed markedly from counts (75 ± 9.89 versus 19.5 ± 3.5). Average minimum island-wide estimate was 386 ± 89, similar to the maximum estimate of 360 suggested in 2005, but fewer than the 700 recently suggested by the Puerto Rico Manatee Conservation Center. Manatees were more widespread than previously understood. Improving estimates, locally or island-wide, will require stratifying the island differently and greater knowledge about factors affecting detection probability. Sharing our protocol with partners in nearby islands (e.g., Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola), whose populations share genetic make-up, would contribute to enhanced regional conservation through better population estimates and tracking range expansion.

Puerto Rico↗
USGS2017

The first 50 years of the North American Breeding Bird Survey

The vision of Chandler (Chan) S. Robbins for a continental-scale omnibus survey of breeding birds led to the development of the North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS). Chan was uniquely suited to develop the BBS. His position as a government scientist had given him experience with designing and implementing continental-scale surveys, his research background made him an effective advocate of the need for a survey to monitor pesticide effects on birds, and his prominence in the birding community gave him connections to infrastructure—a network of qualified volunteer birders who could conduct roadside surveys with standardized point counts. Having started in the eastern United States and the Atlantic provinces of Canada in 1966, the BBS now provides population change information for ∼546 species in the continental United States and Canada, and recently initiated routes in Mexico promise to greatly expand the areas and species covered by the survey. Although survey protocols have remained unchanged for 50 years, the BBS remains relevant in a changing world. Several papers that follow in this Special Section of The Condor: Ornithological Advances review how the BBS has been applied to conservation assessments, especially in combination with other large-scale survey data. A critical feature of the BBS program is an active research program into field and analytical methods to enhance the quality of the count data and to control for factors that influence detectability. Papers in the Special Section also present advances in BBS analyses that improve the utility of this expanding and sometimes controversial survey. In this Perspective, we introduce the Special Section by reviewing the history of the BBS, describing current analyses, and providing summary trend results for all species, highlighting 3 groups of conservation concern: grassland-breeding birds, aridland-breeding birds, and aerial insectivorous birds.

The Condor↗
USGS2002

Conditions and limitations on learning in the adaptive management of mallard harvests

In 1995, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service adopted a protocol for the adaptive management of waterfowl hunting regulations (AHM) to help reduce uncertainty about the magnitude of sustainable harvests. To date, the AHM process has focused principally on the midcontinent population of mallards (Anas platyrhynchos), whose dynamics are described by 4 alternative models. Collectively, these models express uncertainty (or disagreement) about whether harvest is an additive or a compensatory form of mortality and whether the reproductive process is weakly or strongly density-dependent. Each model is associated with a probability or 'weight,' which describes its relative ability to predict changes in population size. These Bayesian probabilities are updated annually using a comparison of population size predicted under each model with that observed by a monitoring program. The current AHM process is passively adaptive, in the sense that there is no a priori consideration of how harvest decisions might affect discrimination among models. We contrast this approach with an actively adaptive approach, in which harvest decisions are used in part to produce the learning needed to increase long-term management performance. Our investigation suggests that the passive approach is expected to perform nearly as well as an optimal actively adaptive approach, particularly considering the nature of the model set, management objectives and constraints, and current regulatory alternatives. We offer some comments about the nature of the biological hypotheses being tested and describe some of the inherent limitations on learning in the AHM process.

Wildlife Society Bulletin↗