Geology topics

Christine Lipsky

Publications and source records attributed to Christine Lipsky.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

USGS2024

National Aquatic Environmental DNA Strategy

Aquatic life is the engine of ecosystems and economies. In environments ranging from freshwater through marine, this biodiversity underpins the health, culture, opportunities, and economic wellbeing of the Nation -- from local communities to the entire country. The ability to evaluate the status, trends, and future projections of nature is key to maintaining national prosperity, and this requires timely and trusted information about the condition of aquatic biodiversity on a vast scale. With one of the largest Exclusive Economic Zones in the world and extensive estuaries, lakes, rivers and streams, it is a grand challenge for the United States to explore, monitor, and understand aquatic life.

Report↗

USGS2022

Climate change and ‘alien species in National Parks’: Revisited

The US National Park Service mission includes conserving native species and historical landscapes ‘unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations’. However, humans have increased the introduction of non-native species that can become invasive and which have harmful impacts on native species and landscapes. We revisit two previous papers, ‘Alien Species in National Parks: Drawing Lines in Space and Time’, published in 1995 by D.B. Houston and E.G. Schreiner, and ‘Climate Change and “Alien Species in National Parks”: Revisited’, published in 2014 by T.J. Stohlgren, J.R. Resnik and G.E. Plumb, to demonstrate the organizational progress that has been made in reducing impacts of invasive species despite the increasing pressure of increasing numbers of non-native species. The National Park Service has continued efforts on invasive plant management, established an Invasive Animal Program in 2018 and developed a Pest & Invasive Species Project Kit to compile information to inform management regardless of taxonomic group. Additionally, the Park Service has expanded their toolset to make decisions related to invasive species and climate change to focus on achievable goals. Since the 1995 publication, the scale of invasion has increased, and impacts of climate change are more noticeable since the 2014 publication, increasing the complexity in trying to achieve the National Park Service mission.

Book chapter↗

USGS2013

Physiological and endocrine changes in Atlantic salmon smolts during hatchery rearing, downstream migration and ocean entry

Billions of hatchery salmon smolts are released annually in an attempt to mitigate anthropogenic impacts on freshwater habitats, often with limited success. Mortality of wild and hatchery fish is high during downstream and early ocean migration. To understand changes that occur during migration, we examined physiological and endocrine changes in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) smolts during hatchery rearing, downstream migration, and early ocean entry in two successive years. Gill Na + /K + -ATPase activity increased in the hatchery during spring, increased further after river release, and was slightly lower after recapture in the ocean. Plasma growth hormone levels increased in the hatchery, were higher in the river, and increased further in the ocean. Plasma IGF-I remained relatively constant in the hatchery, increased in the river, then decreased in the ocean. Plasma thyroid hormones were variable in the hatchery, but increased in both river- and ocean-captured smolts. Naturally reared fish had lower condition factor, gill NKA activity, and plasma thyroxine than hatchery fish in the river but were similar in the ocean. This novel data set provides a vital first step in understanding the role and norms of endocrine function in smolts and the metrics of successful marine entry.

Maine↗