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At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources
USGS1957

Water levels in observation wells in Nebraska during 1956

The Objective of the observation-well program in Nebraska is to provide an evaluation of the status of the ground-water supplies. Many uses tor water-level data are known but not all potential uses can be foreseen. Among the important uses are the following: (1) To indicate the status of ground water in storage or in transit and the availability or supplies. (2) To show the trend of ground-water supplies and the outlook tor the future. (3) To estimate or forecast the base flow of streams. (4) To indicate areas in which the water level is approaching too close to the land surface (water-logging) or is receding toward economic limits of lift or toward impairment by water of poor quality. (5) To provide long-term evidence for evaluating the effectiveness of land-management and water-conservation programs in relation to water conservation actually effected, and for use in basin or "watershed" studies. (6) To provide long-term continuous records to serve as a framework to which short-term records collected during intensive investigation may be related. The water level in an observation well functions as a gage to indicate the position or the water table. The water table is defined as the upper surface of the zone of saturation except where that surface is formed by overlying impermeable materials. The water table is also the boundary between the zone of saturation and the zone of aeration. It is not a level surface but is a sloping surface that has many irregularities, and it often conforms in a general way to the land surface. The irregularities are caused by several factors. In places where the recharge to the ground-water reservoir is exceptionally large, the water table may rise to form a mound from which the water slowly spreads. Depressions or troughs in the water table indicate places where the ground water is discharging, u along streams that are below the normal level it the water table, or indicate places where water is being withdrawn by wells or vegetation. The several factors that influence the water table vary in fact and amount from time to time because of changes in weather and the water requirements or vegetation and man; thus, the water table is nearly always rising or falling. The fluctuations or the water table are shown by the changes in water levels in wells. Thus, the rate and amount of the fluctuation of the water table can be ascertained by observing the water levels in wells, and the magnitude or the several factors effecting the position of the water table can be interpreted by analyzing the water-level data. Water-level measurements are given, in this report, in feet below the land surface at the well site. Water levels that are above land surface are preceded by a plus (+) sign in the tables, whereas those below land surface have no sign but are understood to be minus (-). The words "land-surface datum" are abbreviated "lsd'' in some places in tables of this report. The altitude above mean sea level (msl) of the land surface at many of the well sites has been determined and is included in the tables or this report. Twenty-eight observation wells in Nebraska are equipped with recording gages. Each recording gage produces a continuous graph of water-level fluctuations in the well. Only the lowest water level on the last day of record in each month, as recorded by the gage, is given in this report; the complete record is on file in the office of the U.S. Geological Survey in Lincoln, Nebr.

Nebraska↗
USGS2019

Agri-tourism and rural outdoor recreation in the US: A framework for understanding economic and employment dynamics

Agri-tourism and rural outdoor recreation are positioned at an important intersection between agricultural, natural resource, economic development and rural issues. This chapter summarizes some of the important dynamics of these sectors, including the role of land use, regional drivers, motivations for farmers and travelers, and economic impacts. As a means to illustrate several key points, highlights of several case studies, papers and reports about rural outdoor and agricultural tourism are summarized. To conclude, a research agenda for those interested in the role of tourism to rural economies is framed.

Book chapter↗
USGS1999

Mapping the glacial geology of the Central Great Lakes region in three dimensions: A model for state-federal cooperation

Planners need to evaluate complex and competing public-policy options for managing water, land, and biological resources; they must ensure economic growth, meet the needs of an increasing population, assess hazards, and manage the environment in a sustainable manner. The State Geological Surveys of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) receive many requests from local, State, and Federal planners and officials for geologic information. Thick and complex layers of glacial and related sediments blanket the bedrock of these States: a three-dimensional understanding of these deposits is critical to making informed resource-management and other planning decisions. At two recent forums (in Indianapolis, March 1997, and Columbus, Ohio, February 1999), more than 200 attendees from more than 60 local, State, and Federal agencies provided a clear message. They need three-dimensional geologic information to use in making decisions on the following issues: • Quality, quantity, distribution, and accessibility of surface and ground water • Aggregate sources and land-use conflicts • Energy and mineral resource management • Environmental management and mitigation of land and water contamination • Acceleration of the permitting processes of regulatory agencies • Industrial, commercial, residential, and infrastructure siting and construction • Agricultural land loss, erosion, sedimentation, and agrichemical use • Waste-disposal planning and mitigation • Habitat alteration and biodiversity • Coastal erosion, landslides, radon, floods, and earthquakes

Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio↗
USGS1997

Recent developments in the reclamation of surface mined lands

A broad review of mine land reclamation problems and challenges in arid lands is presented with special emphasis on work recently completed in India. The economics of mining in the Indian Desert is second only to agriculture in importance. Lands disturbed by mining, however, have only recently been the focus of reclamation attempts. Studies were made and results compiled of problems associated with germplasm selection, soil, plant and overburden characterization and manipulation, plant establishment methods utilized, soil amendment needs, use and conservation of available water and the evaluation of ecosystem sustainability. Emphasis is made of the need for multi-disciplinary approaches to mine land reclamation research and for the long-term monitoring of reclamation success.

Annals of Arid Zone↗
USGS1991

Landscape analysis: Theoretical considerations and practical needs

Numerous systems of land classification have been proposed. Most have led directly to or have been driven by an author's philosophy of earth-forming processes. However, the practical need of classifying land for planning and management purposes requires that a system lead to predictions of the results of management activities. We propose a landscape classification system composed of 11 units, from realm (a continental mass) to feature (a splash impression). The classification concerns physical aspects rather than economic or social factors; and aims to merge land inventory with dynamic processes. Landscape units are organized using a hierarchical system so that information may be assembled and communicated at different levels of scale and abstraction. Our classification uses a geomorphic systems approach that emphasizes the geologic-geomorphic attributes of the units. Realm, major division, province, and section are formulated by subdividing large units into smaller ones. For the larger units we have followed Fenneman's delineations, which are well established in the North American literature. Areas and districts are aggregated into regions and regions into sections. Units smaller than areas have, in practice, been subdivided into zones and smaller units if required. We developed the theoretical framework embodied in this classification from practical applications aimed at land use planning and land management in Maryland (eastern Piedmont Province near Baltimore) and Utah (eastern Uinta Mountains). ?? 1991 Springer-Verlag New York Inc.

Environmental Geology and Water Sciences↗
USGS2019

Integrating landscape simulation models with economic and decision tools for invasive species control

In managing invasive species, land managers and policy makers need information to help allocate scarce resources as efficiently and effectively as possible. Decisions regarding treatment methods, locations, effort, and timing can be informed by the integration of landscape simulation models with economic tools. State and transition simulation models align with conceptual models of ecosystem change often used by practitioners and have been used to characterize the potential consequences of invasions. Outputs of these simulations are typically summarized to describe landscape changes (e.g., infested area), which may provide sufficient information for mangers to make informed decisions. However, it is sometimes helpful or necessary to go a step further to consider the social and economic values associated with treating (or not treating) invasions. Here, we describe when and how to integrate state and transition simulation models with economic and decision tools to aid in the control of emerging and established populations of invasive species. The paper provides an overview of three types of questions that can be addressed: 1) how big is the problem? 2) which management strategy is most appropriate? and 3) what are key sources of uncertainty? For each question, we describe aspects that can be addressed by landscape simulation models alone, and outstanding questions that can be evaluated by integrating economic and decision tools. Through a series of example applications from the literature, we reinforce how the integration of these tools, and the interdisciplinary perspective such an integration requires, can increase relevance and utility of modeling efforts for resource managers and decision makers.

Management of Biological Invasions↗
USGS2003

Biophysical and socio-economic assessments of the coastal zone: The LOICZ approach

The Land-Ocean Interactions in the Coastal Zone Project of the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme focused on quantifying the role of the global coastal zone in the cycling of carbon and nutrients. From 1993 to date, it has developed protocols and tools that allow for site-specific and global assessments of coastal processes and their drivers. Indicators used in coastal assessments include the contribution of population and economic activities to waste load generation, and the resulting coastal system states relative to net production and nitrogen cycling. ?? 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Conference Paper↗
USGS2017

Effects of habitat and climate change on blackbird populations

Global biodiversity loss is proceeding at an accelerating pace (Newbold et al. 2015, 2016) in large part due to land use and, climate change, and associated spread of disease and non-native species (Hobbs et al. 2006, Williams and Jackson 2007, Ellis 2011, Radeloff et al. 2015). Over the last century, U.S. average temperature has increased 0.7–1.1°C, leading to an increased frost-free season, more frequent and intense heat waves, and increased frequency and intensity of winter storms; mean precipitation has increased, with increases in heavy downpours (Melillo et al. 2014). The dominant land uses in the U.S. are lands devoted to forest (671 million acres; 30%), pasture/range (614 million acres, 27%), and agriculture (408 million acres, 18%) (Economic Research Service 2011). Martinuzzi et al. (2015) projected changes in land use to the middle of the 21st century and found that at least 11% of the U.S. land cover (an area larger than Texas) was expected to change cover class (Figure 1). At the same time, mean temperature is expected to further increase 1.1–1.7°C by mid-century and 2.2–3.9°C by end-of-century (Melillo et al. 2014). In this age of unprecedented human-induced environmental change, understanding the relationships of species to the habitat and climatic conditions they experience is crucial to conservation and management. Improved understanding of relationships with habitat and climate will better inform management decisions designed to reduce crop depredation caused by blackbirds.

Book chapter↗
USGS2023

Landscape-scale drivers of tayra abundance in the Ecuadorian Andes

Habitat conversion to agriculture and overexploitation of wildlife are the two largest drivers of biodiversity loss globally. Biodiversity loss is especially prevalent in areas undergoing rapid economic development at the expense of natural land cover as is the case across much of South America. Despite expected declines in wildlife populations associated with ongoing large-scale land conversions, for many species we lack sufficient data on key threats and drivers of abundance in order to inform appropriate management and conservation. Collecting data to estimate critical state variables such as abundance can be expensive, logistically challenging, and even implausible on spatial scales relevant to species management, especially for carnivores which are elusive and difficult to monitor. Here, we use detection-non-detection data collected using a structured camera trap survey repeated over two years in the Ecuadorian Andes to produce insights into the habitat associations and potential threats faced by the tayra, a medium-sized carnivore that despite being perceived to be relatively common in South America, remains largely understudied. We use hierarchical modelling to estimate an index of abundance for the tayra while accounting for imperfect detection. We demonstrate the tayra to be a lowland habitat generalist, with conversion of land to agriculture potentially benefitting this species in the short term, with increasing proportion of core agricultural land being associated with higher indices of abundance. However, we highlight that this state could potentially serve as an ecological trap in the long term. We provide evidence for negative impacts of human population density on tayra abundance. We hypothesize this relationship could be underpinned by conflict and subsequent persecution by humans, which is likely to be exacerbated in agricultural landscapes. These findings suggest that like many carnivores, the tayra may be able to adapt and even thrive in human modified landscapes given societal acceptance, thus, conservation strategies for the tayra that focus on fostering co-existence between humans and this medium-sized carnivore may contribute to its future.

Biodiversity and Conservation↗
USGS2025

Integrating quantitative macroeconomic and ecosystem service modeling methods to assess conservation rograms in Mexico

Conveying the importance of public conservation programs to Government decision makers is challenging given the long-term nature of investments in conservation and competition for scarce public resources. The effectiveness of conservation programs in terms of their impact on ecological and socioeconomic outcomes has been evaluated in the literature though not typically in an integrated way that enables the assessment of trade-offs across environmental, economic and social objectives. Through a novel approach that uses macroeconomic tools that incorporate land use-land cover change and ecosystem services, we conduct policy scenario analysis to investigate the economic, natural capital and ecosystem service impacts of three conservation programs in Mexico. We show their combined impact on Gross Domestic Product and wealth in 2035 to be US$856.9 and US$492.3 million, respectively and that the programs reduce poverty by 1,800 individuals. In addition to macroeconomic effects, our approach illustrates that by accounting for changes in regulating ecosystem service flows, cumulative Gross Domestic Product would be 1.34 times higher. Our results build a business case for ongoing investment and expansion of these conservation programs by demonstrating the benefits to biodiversity, natural capital and the economic well-being of Mexican society. The case study allows for replication in other countries as the tools and data employed are openly available for much of Latin America and the Caribbean, Southeast Asia and increasingly worldwide.

Environmental and Resource Economics↗
USGS2013

Land use and management change under climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies: a U.S. case study

We examine the effects of crop management adaptation and climate mitigation strategies on land use and land management, plus on related environmental and economic outcomes. We find that crop management adaptation (e.g. crop mix, new species) increases Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 1.7 % under a more severe climate projection while a carbon price reduces total forest and agriculture GHG annual flux by 15 % and 9 %, respectively. This shows that trade-offs are likely between mitigation and adaptation. Climate change coupled with crop management adaptation has small and mostly negative effects on welfare; mitigation, which is implemented as a carbon price starting at $15 per metric ton carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) equivalent with a 5 % annual increase rate, bolsters welfare carbon payments. When both crop management adaptation and carbon price are implemented the effects of the latter dominates.

Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Ch↗
USGS2014

Modeling effects of conservation grassland losses on amphibian habitat

Amphibians provide many ecosystem services valued by society. However, populations have declined globally with most declines linked to habitat change. Wetlands and surrounding terrestrial grasslands form habitat for amphibians in the North American Prairie Pothole Region (PPR). Wetland drainage and grassland conversion have destroyed or degraded much amphibian habitat in the PPR. However, conservation grasslands can provide alternate habitat. In the United States, the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is the largest program maintaining grasslands on agricultural lands. We used an ecosystem services model (InVEST) parameterized for the PPR to quantify amphibian habitat over a six-year period (2007–2012). We then quantified changes in availability of amphibian habitat under various land-cover scenarios representing incremental losses (10%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%) of CRP grasslands from 2012 levels. The area of optimal amphibian habitat in the four PPR ecoregions modeled (i.e., Northern Glaciated Plains, Northwestern Glaciated Plains, Lake Agassiz Plain, Des Moines Lobe) declined by approximately 22%, from 3.8 million ha in 2007 to 2.9 million ha in 2012. These losses were driven by the conversion of CRP grasslands to croplands, primarily for corn and soybean production. Our modeling identified an additional 0.8 million ha (26%) of optimal amphibian habitat that would be lost if remaining CRP lands are returned to crop production. An economic climate favoring commodity production over conservation has resulted in substantial losses of amphibian habitat across the PPR that will likely continue into the future. Other regions of the world face similar challenges to maintaining amphibian habitats.

Prairie Pothole Region↗
USGS2022

Herbaceous production lost to tree encroachment in United States rangelands

Rangelands of the United States provide ecosystem services that benefit society and rural economies. Native tree encroachment is often overlooked as a primary threat to rangelands due to the slow pace of tree cover expansion and the positive public perception of trees. Still, tree encroachment fragments these landscapes and reduces herbaceous production, thereby threatening habitat quality for grassland wildlife and the economic sustainability of animal agriculture. Recent innovations in satellite remote sensing permit the tracking of tree encroachment and the corresponding impact on herbaceous production. We analysed tree cover change and herbaceous production across the western United States from 1990 to 2019. We show that tree encroachment is widespread in US rangelands; absolute tree cover has increased by 50% (77,323 km 2 ) over 30 years, with more than 25% (684,852 km 2 ) of US rangeland area experiencing tree cover expansion. Since 1990, 302 ± 30 Tg of herbaceous biomass have been lost. Accounting for variability in livestock biomass utilization and forage value reveals that this lost production is valued at between $4.1–$5.6 billion US dollars. Synthesis and applications . The magnitude of impact of tree encroachment on rangeland loss is similar to conversion to cropland, another well-known and primary mechanism of rangeland loss in the US Prioritizing conservation efforts to prevent tree encroachment can bolster ecosystem and economic sustainability, particularly among privately-owned lands threatened by land-use conversion.

Journal of Applied Ecology↗
USGS2023

Seventy questions of importance to the conservation of the North Central grasslands of the United States in a changing climate

Successful conservation of ecosystems in a changing climate requires actionable research that directly supports the rethinking and revising of management approaches to address changing risks and opportunities. As an important first step toward actionable research, we reviewed and synthesized grassland management-related documents to identify broadly shared questions that, if answered, would help to support collective conservation of the grasslands in the northern Great Plains of the United States in a changing climate. A Management Priorities Working Group reviewed 183 grassland-relevant management documents and identified 70 questions. Feedback was iteratively provided by a Climate and Ecology Working Group, an Advisory Committee, and representatives from grassland management agencies and organizations. The identified questions generally fall under 15 topics: land conversion; restoration; disturbance regimes; woody encroachment; herbaceous invasives; grazing; water quality, quantity, and availability; animal species; private land; public understanding; legal and policy changes; economic incentives; coordination across management entities; accessibility of science and tools; and novel ways of thinking. These questions can inform a research agenda for researchers looking to conduct actionable science in the Great Plains grassland ecosystems. Both the approach and the questions presented here can also be adapted and applied in other regions and ecosystems.

Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota,↗
USGS2015

Strategic Grassland Bird Conservation throughout the annual cycle: Linking policy alternatives, landowner decisions, and biological population outcomes

Grassland bird habitat has declined substantially in the United States. Remaining grasslands are increasingly fragmented, mostly privately owned, and vary greatly in terms of habitat quality and protection status. A coordinated strategic response for grassland bird conservation is difficult, largely due to the scope and complexity of the problem, further compounded by biological, sociological, and economic uncertainties. We describe the results from a collaborative Structured Decision Making (SDM) workshop focused on linking social and economic drivers of landscape change to grassland bird population outcomes. We identified and evaluated alternative strategies for grassland bird conservation using a series of rapid prototype models. We modeled change in grassland and agriculture cover in hypothetical landscapes resulting from different landowner decisions in response to alternative socio-economic conservation policy decisions. Resulting changes in land cover at all three stages of the annual cycle (breeding, wintering, and migration) were used to estimate changes in grassland bird populations. Our results suggest that successful grassland bird conservation may depend upon linkages with ecosystem services on working agricultural lands and grassland-based marketing campaigns to engage the public. With further development, spatial models that link landowner decisions with biological outcomes can be essential tools for making conservation policy decisions. A coordinated non-traditional partnership will likely be necessary to clearly understand and systematically respond to the many conservation challenges facing grassland birds.

PLoS ONE↗
USGS1989

Streamside habitats in southern forested wetlands: Their role and implications for management

The value of streamside forests to fish and wildlife and the influence of forest management on their value have been recognized in a general sense for decades. However, in today’s climate of increasing environmental regulation and intensive forest management, there is need for more detailed understanding of the value of streamside forests to fish and wildlife. Dickson and Huntley (1987:38) described the problem well when they wrote that “quantitative data on the effects of riparian zones on wildlife populations are insufficient to enable wildlife managers to justify the retention of riparian zones in land-use plans on a biological and economical basis.” Due in large part to the passage of water pollution control legislation, as well as legislation mandating multiple-use management in our national forests, progress is being made. During the last l&15 years, a great deal of research has been directed at understanding the value and appropriate management of the riparian zone (Brouha and Parsons 1985). The vast majority of research on riparian habitats has been conducted in western forests and/or narrow zones in otherwise upland areas. Also, much of the work done in southern forested wetlands has applied to entire floodplain forests. In this paper, we review the literature on streamside habitats within southern forested wetlands and, for reasons described in the next section, we make a distinction between streamside forests and floodplain (or riparian) forests. We also discuss in less detail the value of streamside habitats within other southern forest types, such as pine or mixed pine-hardwood.

General Technical Report↗
USGS1973

Geologic map of the Phosphate Reserve in the Lander area, Fremont County, Wyoming

The area was mapped as part of the U.S. Geological Survey program of classifying and evaluating lands in the public domain. Resources of economic interest in the map area include oil, gas, water, phosphate rock, gypsum, and analcime. The area mapped includes the rocks between the Tensleep Sandstone and the Morrison Formation and Tertiary and Quaternary deposits.

Wyoming↗