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USGS2020

High-throughput sequencing reveals distinct regional genetic structure among remaining populations of an endangered salt marsh plant in California

Conservation of rare species requires careful consideration to both preserve locally adapted traits and maintain genetic diversity, as species’ ranges fluctuate in response to a changing climate and habitat loss. Salt marsh systems in California have been highly modified and many salt marsh obligate species have undergone range reductions and habitat loss with concomitant losses of genetic diversity and connectivity. Remaining salt marshes are threatened by rising sea levels, and so these habitats will likely require active restoration and re-establishment efforts. This study aims to provide a reference point for the current status of genetic diversity and range-wide population structure of a federally and state listed endangered plant, Salt Marsh Bird’s Beak (Chloropyron maritimum subsp. maritimum) that can inform future preservation and restoration efforts. We used historical data and current monitoring information to locate and sample all known occurrences throughout the species range in Southern California, and three additional occurrences from Baja California, Mexico. We used flow cytometry and single nucleotide polymorphic markers (SNPs), generated by double-digest restriction-site associated DNA sequencing (ddRAD), to assess relative ploidy, and estimate genetic diversity and population structure across the region. Overall, we found four to five distinct genetic clusters that coincide with geographic regions. Genetic diversity was greatest in the southern part of the range including Baja California and San Diego. These findings can bolster management and restoration efforts by identifying potentially isolated occurrences and areas that are rich sources of allelic diversity, and by providing insight into the amount of genetic differentiation across the species range.

California↗

USGS2016

Diet of juvenile burbot and insight on gape limitation

Throughout much of their distribution, Burbot (Lota lota ) populations are declining or have been extirpated. Burbot in the Kootenai River, Idaho represent one such imperiled population. In an effort to restore Burbot in the Kootenai River, managers have turned to conservation aquaculture. However, no appreciable increase in natural recruitment has been observed in the system. The lack of natural recruitment is believed to be partly due to a deficiency of high-quality prey. As a result, we sought to i) describe the diet of juvenile Burbot, ii) evaluate the influence of Burbot mouth gape on diet and iii) estimate prey availability at release locations. Burbot were stocked into two earthen ponds at the Boundary Creek Wildlife Management Area (BCWMA) and sampled weekly to evaluate diet. Zooplankton were sampled weekly from each pond and from release locations of hatchery-reared Burbot (i.e., Kootenai River, Goat River, Boundary Creek, Deep Creek) to quantify prey availability. Over the course of the study (~3 months), Burbot primarily fed on Cyclopoida. Burbot never appeared to be gape limited and exhibited little variability in the size of zooplankton ingested. Zooplankton densities at stocking locations were relatively low in comparison to BCWMA ponds. Low zooplankton densities at release sites indicate that alternative management actions may need to be considered to enhance Burbot recruitment in the Kootenai River drainage.

Intermountain Journal of Sciences↗

USGS2023

Selenium hazards in the Salton Sea environment—Summary of current knowledge to inform future wetland management

Quaternary marine and continental shales in the western United States are sources of selenium that can be loaded into the aquatic environment through mining, agricultural, and energy production processes. The mobilization of selenium from shales through agricultural irrigation has been recognized since the 1930s; however, discovery of deformities in birds and other wildlife using agricultural habitats during the 1980s spurred studies to determine the extent and effects of the contamination. Through these early studies, researchers determined that biota in the Salton Sea drainage basin was at risk from legacy selenium contamination in the Colorado River watershed. The Salton Sea and its surrounding managed and unmanaged wetlands provide vital inland habitat and trophic support for diverse assemblages of resident and migratory wildlife, and understanding regional selenium hazards for these trust species is a priority for many Federal and State agencies. The modern Salton Sea is a shallow, landlocked saline lake in Riverside and Imperial Counties (not shown) of California that is sustained by irrigation return and perennial river inflow. Changes in water transfer agreements under the 2003 Quantification Settlement Agreement (QSA) have resulted in reduced irrigation flow, declining lake levels, and the evolution of unmanaged wetlands in areas where drains and rivers no longer reach the Salton Sea. These wetlands provide additional habitat for some species of concern, but their potential to increase selenium hazards for trust species is largely unknown. From the 1980s to 2020, efforts to document selenium contamination and effects throughout the region have resulted in a considerable amount of selenium data from the Salton Sea and its surrounding drainage basin; however, no long-term (greater than 20 years), consistent sampling program has been established, and all data have been collected by different entities using a variety of protocols and analytical techniques. This lack of coordination has been previously documented in regional management plans and has led to difficulty in reliably assessing selenium hazards in the Salton Sea environment. This report provides a summary of the available disparate selenium information collected from water, sediment, and biota in the Salton Sea region since the 1980s and to identify data gaps that need to be filled to understand the potential effects of selenium on species of concern, including federally endangered desert pupfish ( Cyprinodon macularius ) and Yuma Ridgway’s Rail ( Rallus obsoletus yumanensis; formerly Yuma Clapper Rail, Rallus longirostris yumanensis ). Available data from the Salton Sea drainage basin show that water from the Colorado River has the lowest selenium concentration of all surface water sources. All other surface water flowing into the Salton Sea has elevated selenium concentrations due to evaporation and evapotranspiration that occurs in agricultural fields and associated water delivery infrastructure or leaching of selenium from irrigated farmland soils. The Salton Sea has lower selenium concentrations because of various biogeochemical processes that recycle selenium into the sediment or volatilize it to the atmosphere; however, these mechanisms are not well defined, and it is not clear if selenium cycling will change in response to possible changes in the oxidation state of the Salton Sea bottom waters as water levels decline. Agricultural drains have the highest average selenium concentrations, but few drains have been sampled since changes in irrigation practices have occurred (due to the 2003 QSA). Groundwater selenium concentrations are variable; some wells south of the Salton Sea have selenium concentrations as high as 300 micrograms per liter (µg/L), whereas selenium concentrations are below detection in other wells. Groundwater and surface-water geothermal discharge zones around the margins of the Salton Sea and in unmanaged wetlands have not been studied in detail, and published selenium measurements are not available for these surface features. Selenium concentrations in the sediment of the Salton Sea drainage basin are highest in wetland particulate organic matter and the Salton Sea lakebed, indicating that removal of selenium from the water to the sediment has been a primary mechanism for keeping selenium concentrations low in the water column. Sediment selenium concentrations in wetlands are lower than in the Salton Sea but higher than inflowing drains and rivers, indicating the lentic wetland sites also may be important sinks for selenium because of biogeochemical processes. Sediment selenium data have not been collected in agricultural drains since changes in irrigation practices occurred (due to the 2003 QSA), and it is unknown if selenium sequestration from the water column has changed in these systems. We divided biological data into broad taxonomic categories, including primary producers, invertebrates, herpetofauna, mammals, fishes, and birds to facilitate evaluation of selenium concentrations and spatiotemporal trends observed in the Salton Sea. Overall, selenium concentrations were substantially greater in algae samples compared to all vascular plant samples combined. Median selenium concentrations in several invertebrate taxa (Chironomidae, Formicidae, Corixidae, Corbiculidae and Nereididae, and Decapoda) exceeded the maximum suggested dietary threshold of 3.0–4.0 micrograms per gram (µg/g) dry weight (dw) for predators consuming invertebrates in aquatic food webs. The greatest number of samples were collected from fish, and selenium distributions among species and locations showed that the range for most samples was lower than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency selenium criterion for aquatic life (8.5 µg/g dw whole body, 11.3 µg/g dw fillets). The median selenium concentrations for whole body fish were below the selenium criterion in most locations, except for bairdiella ( Bairdiella icistia ) from the Salton Sea and irrigation drains, a few individual tilapia spp. (family Cichlidae, including genera Tilapia, Oreochromis , and their hybrids) from the river and river outlets, and several western mosquitofish ( Gambusia affinis ) and sailfin molly ( Poecilia latipinna ) from irrigation drain outlets. For avian samples combined among years and locations, median selenium concentrations in livers from all families except waders and Ibis (family Threskiornithidae) were higher than levels expected to cause selenium toxicosis (10–20 µg/g dw), and all median egg concentrations were above or near 6.0 μg/g dw, which is a conservative threshold value for reproductive impairment. Most knowledge gaps we identified for water, sediment, and biota were interrelated, and the use of integrated approaches to address knowledge gaps can provide greater insight into the drivers behind selenium hazards. Integrated water, sediment, and biota studies could help identify cost-effective management solutions that serve multiple purposes. A comprehensive analysis of the hydrology, biogeochemistry, and food-web processes in wetlands and other habitats can inform predictive models to identify drivers of selenium bioavailability, uptake from the environment and subsequent trophic transfer, ultimately forming the basis for experimental habitat management manipulations to minimize selenium hazards to wildlife. Furthermore, a comprehensive, long-term sampling and analytical laboratory plan would enable comparison of data among different entities that are sampling at the Salton Sea. Such efforts are well suited to help fill knowledge gaps that preclude understanding of selenium hazards and future management options for biota using Salton Sea habitats, including newly formed wetlands throughout the region. All data compiled for this report are available in two U.S. Geological Survey data releases: Groover and others (2022) for water and sediment samples and De La Cruz and others (2022) for biological samples. The data releases include all publicly available data for selenium concentrations in water, sediment, and biological samples collected in and around the Salton Sea, including the Coachella and Imperial Valleys. The data releases also include previously unpublished data.

California↗

USGS2002

Using Christmas Bird Count data in analysis of population change

The scientific credibility of Christmas Bird Count (CBC) results depend on the development and implementation of appropriate methods of statistical analysis. The key to any successful analysis of CBC data is to begin with a careful review of how the limitations of the data are likely to influence the results of the analysis, then to choose methods of analysis that accommodate as much as possible the limitations of the survey. For our analyses of CBC data, we develop a flexible model for effort adjustment and use information from the data to guide the selection of the best model. We include geographic structuring to accommodate the regional variation in number of samples, use a model that allows for overdispersed poisson data appropriate for counts, and employ empirical Bayes procedures to accommodate differences in quality of information in regional summaries. This generalized linear model approach is very flexible, and can be applied to a variety of studies focused on factors influencing wintering bird populations. In particular, the model can be easily modified to contain covariates, allowing for assessment of associations between CBC counts and winter weather, disturbance, and a variety of other environmental factors. These new survey analysis methods have added value in that they provide insights into changes in survey design that can enhance the value of the information. The CBC has been extremely successful as a tool for increasing public interest in birding and bird conservation. Use of the information for bird conservation creates new demands on quality of information, and it is important to maintain a dialogue between users of the information, information needs for the analyses, and survey coordinators and participants. Our work as survey analysts emphasizes the value and limitations of existing data, and provides some indications of what features of the survey could be modified to make the survey a more reliable source of bird population data. Surveys only remain useful if they adapt to current needs, while still maintaining consistency with historical goals.

American Birds↗

USGS2013

Conservation and Ecology of Marine Forage Fishes--Proceedings of a Research Symposium, September 2012

Locally and globally, there is growing recognition of the critical roles that herring, smelt, sand lance, eulachon, and other forage fishes play in marine ecosystems. Scientific and resource management entities throughout the Salish Sea, agree that extensive information gaps exist, both in basic biological knowledge and parameters critical to fishery management. Communication and collaboration among researchers also is inadequate. Building on the interest and enthusiasm generated by recent forage fish workshops and symposia around the region, the 2012 Research Symposium on the Conservation and Ecology of Marine Forage Fishes was designed to elucidate practical recommendations for science and policy needs and actions, and spur further collaboration in support for the precautionary management of forage fish. This dynamic and productive event was a joint venture of the Northwest Straits Commission Forage Fish Program, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), and The Puget Sound Partnership. The symposium was held on September 12–14, 2012, at the University of Washington, Friday Harbor Laboratories campus. Sixty scientists, graduate students, and fisheries policy experts convened; showcasing ongoing research, conservation, and management efforts targeting forage fish from regional and national perspectives. The primary objectives of this event were to: (1) review current research and management related to marine forage fish species; and (2) identify priority science and policy needs and actions for Washington, British Columbia, and the entire West Coast. Given the diversity of knowledge, interests, and disciplines surrounding forage fish on both sides of the international border, the organizing committee made a concerted effort to contact many additional experts who, although unable to attend, provided valuable insights and ideas to the symposium structure and discussions. The value of the symposium format was highlighted in the closing remarks delivered by Joseph Gaydos, SeaDoc Society and Chair of the Puget Sound Science Panel. Dr. Gaydos’ presentation referenced the 2011 paper by Murray Rudd in the journal Conservation Biology , “How research-prioritization exercises affect conservation policy.” The paper points out that policy makers and funding agencies are more likely to gain a full understanding of issues when they are presented with research findings from an aligned research program. That is, compared to unaligned research strategies, where work is not based on identified research priorities.

Open-File Report↗

USGS2017

Declines revisited: Long-term recovery and spatial population dynamics oftailed frog larvae after wildfire

Drought has fueled an increased frequency and severity of large wildfires in many ecosystems. Despite an increase in research on wildfire effects on vertebrates, the vast majority of it has focused on short-term (< 5 years) effects and there is still little information on the time scale of population recovery for species that decline in abundance after fire. In 2003, a large wildfire in Montana (USA) burned the watersheds of four of eight streams that we sampled for larval Rocky Mountain tailed frogs ( Ascaphus montanus ) in 2001. Surveys during 2004–2005 revealed reduced abundance of larvae in burned streams relative to unburned streams, with greater declines associated with increased fire extent. Rocky Mountain tailed frogs have low vagility and have several unusual life-history traits that could slow population recovery, including an extended larval period (4 years), delayed sexual maturity (6–8 years), and low fecundity (< 50 eggs/year). To determine if abundance remained depressed since the 2003 wildfire, we repeated surveys during 2014–2015 and found relative abundance of larvae in burned and unburned streams had nearly converged to pre-fire conditions within two generations. The negative effects of burn extent on larval abundance weakened> 58% within 12 years after the fire. We also found moderate synchrony among populations in unburned streams and negative spatial autocorrelation among populations in burned streams. We suspect negative spatial autocorrelation among spatially-clustered burned streams reflected increased post-fire patchiness in resources and different rates of local recovery. Our results add to a growing body of work that suggests populations in intact ecosystems tend to be resilient to habitat changes caused by wildfire. Our results also provide important insights into recovery times of populations that have been negatively affected by severe wildfire.

Montana↗

USGS2020

Insights into mercury source identification and bioaccumulation using stable isotope approaches in the Hannibal Pool of the Ohio River

Mercury contamination in river systems due to historic and current Hg releases is a persistent concern for both wildlife and human health. In larger rivers, like the Ohio River, USA, it is difficult to directly link Hg discharges to bioaccumulation due to the existence of multiple industrial Hg sources as well as the varied dietary and migratory habits of biota. To better understand how industrial effluent influences the cycling and bioaccumulation of Hg within the Ohio River, Hg stable isotope analysis was applied to various nonbiological and biological media. High Hg concentrations in suspended particulate matter suggest this vector was the largest contributor of Hg to the water column, and distinct Hg source signatures were observed in effluent particulates from different industrial processes, such as chlor‐alkali activity (δ 202 Hg = −0.52‰) and coal power plant discharge (δ 202 Hg = −1.39‰). Despite this distinction, average sediments (δ 202 Hg = −1.00 ± 0.23‰) showed intermediate isotopic signatures that suggest the accumulation of a mixed Hg source driven by multiple industrial discharges. Biota in the system were shown to have a conserved range of δ 202 Hg and estimation approaches related these signatures back to particulate matter within Hannibal Pool. Mussels were found to conserve Hg isotopes signatures independently of food web drivers and served as ideal water column indicators of bioaccumulated Hg sources. This study highlights the complexity of Hg cycling within an industrialized river and shows that an isotope tracer approach can provide insight to water column sources of Hg. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2021;17:233−242. Published 2020. This article is a US Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Ohio↗

USGS2017

A mosaic-based approach is needed to conserve biodiversity in disturbed freshwater ecosystems

Conserving native biodiversity in the face of human‐ and climate‐related impacts is a challenging and globally important ecological problem that requires an understanding of spatially connected, organismal‐habitat relationships. Globally, a suite of disturbances (e.g., agriculture, urbanization, climate change) degrades habitats and threatens biodiversity. A mosaic approach (in which connected, interacting collections of juxtaposed habitat patches are examined) provides a scientific foundation for addressing many disturbance‐related, ecologically based conservation problems. For example, if specific habitat types disproportionately increase biodiversity, these keystones should be incorporated into research and management plans. Our sampling of fish biodiversity and aquatic habitat along ten 3‐km sites within the Upper Neosho River subdrainage, KS, from June‐August 2013 yielded three generalizable ecological insights. First, specific types of mesohabitat patches (i.e., pool, riffle, run, and glide) were physically distinct and created unique mosaics of mesohabitats that varied across sites. Second, species richness was higher in riffle mesohabitats when mesohabitat size reflected field availability. Furthermore, habitat mosaics that included more riffles had greater habitat diversity and more fish species. Thus, riffles (<5% of sampled area) acted as keystone habitats. Third, additional conceptual development, which we initiate here, can broaden the identification of keystone habitats across ecosystems and further operationalize this concept for research and conservation. Thus, adopting a mosaic approach can increase scientific understanding of organismal‐habitat relationships, maintain natural biodiversity, advance spatial ecology, and facilitate effective conservation of native biodiversity in human‐altered ecosystems.

Kansas↗

USGS2014

Annual variation of spawning Cutthroat Trout in a small Western USA stream: A case study with implications for the conservation of potamodromous trout life history diversity

Little is known about the variability in the spatial and temporal distribution of spawning potamodromous trout despite decades of research directed at salmonid spawning ecology and the increased awareness that conserving life history diversity should be a focus of management. We monitored a population of fluvial–resident Bonneville Cutthroat Trout Oncorhynchus clarkii utah in a tributary to the Logan River, Utah, from 2006 to 2012 to gain insight into the distribution and timing of spawning and what factors may influence these spawning activities. We monitored Bonneville Cutthroat Trout using redd surveys with multiple observers and georeferenced redd locations. We documented an extended spawning period that lasted from late April to mid‐July. The onset, median, and end of spawning was best predicted by the mean maximum water temperature during the first 13 weeks of the year ( F = 130. 4, df = 5, R 2 = 0.96, P < 0.0001) with spawning beginning and ending earlier in years that had warmer water temperatures prior to spawning. The distribution of redds was clumped each year and the relative density of redds was greater in a reach dominated by dams constructed by beavers Castor canadensis . Both dam failure and construction appeared to be responsible for creating new spawning habitat that was quickly occupied, demonstrating rapid temporal response to local habitat changes. Bonneville Cutthroat Trout appeared to establish and defend a redd for up to 2 d, and spawning most often occurred between similar‐sized individuals. Spawning surveys for potamodromous trout are an underutilized tool that could be used to better understand the distribution and timing of spawning as well as determine the size and trends of the reproducing portion of populations of management concern. Without efforts to document the diversity of this important aspect of potamodromous trout life history, prioritization of conservation will be problematic.

Utah↗

USGS2020

Extreme drought and adaptive resource selection by a desert mammal

When animals select areas to occupy, decisions involve trade-offs between the fitness benefits of obtaining critical resources and minimizing costs of biotic and abiotic factors that constrain their use. These processes can be more dynamic and complex for species inhabiting desert environments, where highly variable spatial and temporal distribution of precipitation can create high intra- and inter-annual variability in forage conditions and water availability, and thermal constraints can differ significantly among seasons and diel periods. We examined resource selection in desert bighorn sheep ( Ovis canadensis mexicana ) in Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge, Arizona, USA, at multiple spatial and temporal scales to gain insight into how a desert mammal responds to variations in climatic conditions. We used resource selection functions to test topographic, forage, and environmental features among seasons and diel periods, and between non-drought and drought conditions at the population and home-range scale. When precipitation was average, sheep selected for topographic features that were beneficial for predator avoidance (i.e., escape terrain—steep, rugged areas with high visibility) and locations near perennial water. When drought occurred, they ranged further from preferred escape terrain and perennial water, perhaps seeking forage conditions suitable to meet their nutritional requirements. On early (April–June) and late (July–September) summer days, sheep selected for more northerly aspects and locations with lower solar radiation, and in some periods, selection for these cooler areas coincided with periods when forage covariates, proximity to perennial water, and several topographic features were uninformative in resource selection models. These choices may be necessary trade-offs, foregoing good escape terrain and foraging areas, and access to water, for improved thermoregulation. This study highlights the importance of identifying resource selection at variable spatial and temporal scales when investigating the interrelationship between species and their environment. It provides insight into the dynamics of resource selection in desert mammals, and how they respond to constraints imposed on them by their environment. This work can serve to inform strategies for managing and conserving species living in arid environments when faced with climate change.

Arizona↗

USGS2012

Book review: The requisite reference for the study of Sirenia

Sirenians often are given little or no notice in texts on marine mammals; whales, dolphins, and seals are what come to mind for most when a marine mammal is imagined. An order of only four extant species, the Sirenia is indeed the “other” frequently overlooked group of marine mammals. Dugongs and manatees remain unknown by much of the world, but to those that study these species, the members are extraordinarily unique and fascinating. The three highly respected authors of this newly published volume are all distinguished researchers, with more than a century of combined expertise in the study of this mammalian order. Their collective experience and insight make this book a captivating and valuable read for students, professionals, and anyone interested in having an all-inclusive reference for learning about the Order Sirenia. Review info: Ecology and conservation of the Sirenia-dugongs and manatees . By H. Marsh, T. J. O'Shea, and J. E. Reynolds, III, 2012. ISBN: 978-0521888288, 521 pp.

Journal of Mammalian Evolution↗

USGS2025

Combining acoustic telemetry and side-scan sonar to estimate abundance of endangered shortnose sturgeon in the Hudson River, New York

For endangered shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum), the ability to estimate and monitor population size is critical for tracking species’ recovery. Yet, contemporary abundance estimates have not been completed for many shortnose sturgeon populations, largely owing to the difficulty in using traditional abundance estimators for sturgeons. Here, we estimate the adult shortnose sturgeon population size of the Hudson River, NY by integrating data from two largely passive sampling methods – acoustic telemetry and side-scan sonar – into a Bayesian hierarchical model of abundance. We estimated the adult abundance to be 69,798 individuals (95% CI = 9,207-185,666), making the Hudson River the largest extant shortnose sturgeon population. Despite this, the population remains vulnerable to localized disturbances, as over 40% of the population congregated in a small overwintering habitat that coincides with an area of high anthropogenic activity. Accordingly, recurrent demographic surveys may be beneficial for gaining insight into the relative effects of anthropogenic and naturally stochastic processes shaping shortnose sturgeon demography. Our modeling framework provides a relatively low-cost alternative for future demographic monitoring of species of conservation concern.

New York↗

USGS2012

Health assessment and seroepidemiologic survey of potential pathogens in wild Antillean manatees (Trichechus manatus manatus)

The Antillean manatee (Trichechus manatus manatus), a subspecies of the West Indian manatee, inhabits fresh, brackish, and warm coastal waters distributed along the eastern border of Central America, the northern coast of South America, and throughout the Wider Caribbean Region. Threatened primarily by human encroachment, poaching, and habitat degradation, Antillean manatees are listed as endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. The impact of disease on population viability remains unknown in spite of concerns surrounding the species' ability to rebound from a population crash should an epizootic occur. To gain insight on the baseline health of this subspecies, a total of 191 blood samples were collected opportunistically from wild Antillean manatees in Belize between 1997 and 2009. Hematologic and biochemical reference intervals were established, and antibody prevalence to eight pathogens with zoonotic potential was determined. Age was found to be a significant factor of variation in mean blood values, whereas sex, capture site, and season contributed less to overall differences in parameter values. Negative antibody titers were reported for all pathogens surveyed except for Leptospira bratislava, L. canicola, and L. icterohemorrhagiae, Toxoplasma gondii, and morbillivirus. As part of comprehensive health assessment in manatees from Belize, this study will serve as a benchmark aiding in early disease detection and in the discernment of important epidemiologic patterns in the manatees of this region. Additionally, it will provide some of the initial tools to explore the broader application of manatees as sentinel species of nearshore ecosystem health.

PLoS ONE↗

USGS2026

Fisheries sustainability: Perceptions from the ninth World Fisheries Congress

The World Fisheries Congress (WFC) is one of the largest global gatherings of fisheries professionals and scientists. It is held every 4 years with the purpose of sharing ideas and perspectives about new research, emerging issues, scientific breakthroughs, and governance related to fisheries science, industry, conservation, and management. The ninth WFC, held in Seattle (USA) in 2024, focused on fish and fisheries at the food–water–energy nexus and understanding fisheries sustainability from diverse perspectives. Fisheries sustainability is a goal shared globally that faces challenges across spatial scales from the implementation of good governance and accelerating anthropogenic pressures. Leveraging the unique opportunity to gain insights from WFC delegates, this study assesses perceptions of fisheries sustainability from diverse representation across career stage, geographic region, and professional and cultural backgrounds. Survey results show that respondents (i.e., WFC delegates who chose to take the survey) perceived limited progress towards fisheries sustainability, often with a variable and unclear definition of what sustainability entails. Fish were primarily valued from a provisioning resource perspective, with environmental aspects of fisheries management and conservation seen as the area with the most progress and the greatest needs, rather than economic or social dimensions of fisheries.

Fisheries↗

USGS2010

Structured decision-making and rapid prototyping to plan a management response to an invasive species

We developed components of a decision structure that could be used in an adaptive management framework for responding to invasion of hemlock woolly adelgid Adeleges tsugae on the Cumberland Plateau of northern Tennessee. Hemlock woolly adelgid, an invasive forest pest, was first detected in this area in 2007. We used a structured decision-making process to identify and refine the management problem, objectives, and alternative management actions, and to assess consequences and tradeoffs among selected management alternatives. We identified four fundamental objectives: 1) conserve the aquatic and terrestrial riparian conservation targets, 2) protect and preserve hemlock, 3) develop and maintain adequate budget, and 4) address public concerns. We designed two prototype responses using an iterative process. By rapidly prototyping a first solution, insights were gained and shortcomings were identified, and some of these shortcomings were incorporated and corrected in the second prototype. We found that objectives were best met when management focused on early treatment of lightly to moderately infested but relatively healthy hemlock stands with biological control agent predator beetles and insect-killing fungi. Also, depending on the cost constraint, early treatment should be coupled with silvicultural management of moderately to severely infested and declining hemlock stands to accelerate conversion to nonhemlock mature forest cover. The two most valuable contributions of the structured decision-making process were 1) clarification and expansion of our objectives, and 2) application of tools to assess tradeoffs and predict consequences of alternative actions. Predicting consequences allowed us to evaluate the influence of uncertainty on the decision. For example, we found that the expected number of mature forest stands over 30 y would be increased by 4% by resolving the uncertainty regarding predator beetle effectiveness. The adaptive management framework requires further development including identifying and evaluating uncertainty, formalizing other competing predictive models, designing a monitoring program to update the predictive models, developing a process for re-evaluating the predictive models and incorporating new management technologies, and generating support for planning and implementation.

Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management↗

USGS2024

Wintering grounds leave their mark: Where birds winter influences genomic structure in Arctic nesting common eiders

Information about the distribution of genomic variation within and between nesting locations of waterfowl can aid in defining populations and conservation plans and inform harvest management. Identification of locations where shifts in allelic diversity occur is particularly important for Arctic nesting species nesting, a region currently experiencing rapid change associated with climate and other factors. Here, we build upon previous investigations on spatial patterns of genetic variation in a largely migratory, circumpolar breeding sea duck, the common eider ( Somateria mollissima ) through inclusion of additional sample locations and genomic markers. We analyzed double-digest restriction site-associated DNA sequences from 309 common eiders to estimate genetic variation within, and differentiation among, 21 nesting locations across North America. Our results corroborate previous evidence of four genetic groups that coincide with colonies that share similar winter areas. We found deeper genomic differences between common eiders wintering in the west (Pacific Ocean) versus the east (Atlantic Ocean and Hudson Bay). We also identified subtle structure, not previously recognized, within Hudson Bay nesting common eiders. Our findings add to evidence linking wintering areas and genomic differentiation in waterfowl, offering further insights for management of this culturally important sea duck species.

Conservation Genetics↗

USGS2025

Confluence of time and space: An innovation for quantifying dynamics of hydrologic floodplain connectivity with remote sensing and GIS

Hydrologic connectivity is a crucial determinant of aquatic ecosystem services, governing the exchange of nutrients, sediments, chemicals, and biota. Various indices and metrics exist for quantifying hydrologic connectivity across diverse environments and scales. However, existing methodologies often fail to adequately capture lateral connectivity between floodplain lakes and streams across vast, low-relief, multi-lake floodplain systems. This study introduces a novel approach for quantifying lateral hydrologic connectivity specifically tailored for floodplain lakes connecting to streams within the expansive floodplain of the Lower Mississippi River. This approach centers on the spatial and temporal intersection of lakes and streams, leveraging remote sensing and GIS data to estimate nine distinct metrics of hydrologic connectivity. To assess the reliability of the method, the study estimated connectivity metrics for 92 randomly selected floodplain lakes, comprising 53 lakes connected to large streams (Strahler order >7), 13 lakes connected to medium (order 4-6) streams, and 26 lakes connected to small (order 1-3) streams. As expected, there was significant variability in hydrologic connectivity across different stream size classes. The outlined approach contributes valuable insights into the hydrologic connectivity of floodplain lakes and offers a generalizable framework applicable to other floodplains. Its versatility makes it a practical tool for understanding connectivity requirements for biota and facilitating applications in conservation and water resources management. Thus, this work represents a meaningful step toward advancing our understanding of lateral hydrologic connectivity dynamics in complex aquatic ecosystems.

Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississip↗

USGS2019

Space use, forays, and habitat selection in California Spotted Owls (Strix occidentalis occidentalis): New insights from high resolution GPS tracking

Our current understanding of the relationship between imperiled species and forest management can benefit from global positioning system (GPS) technologies. Fauna of lateseral stage forests have historically been difficult to detect and track in rugged terrain, leading to challenges in movement characterization and conservation. We investigated movement of California Spotted Owls ( Strix occidentalis occidentalis ) using automated GPS loggers affixed to 15 owls in the northern Sierra Nevada, California. We used >17,000 locations from individual owls to characterize homerange size, movement distances, and roosting and foraging habitat selection at four spatio-temporal scales (landscape, home range, foray, nightly) during the breeding season (April–August). Additionally, we assessed owl use of Protected Activity Centers (PACs), which are designated by the U.S.D.A. Forest Service to protect nesting and roosting habitat. Our results corroborated some previous findings about habitat requirements of California Spotted Owls, while also revealing new nuances in space use and habitat selection. Roosting and foraging owls selected stands with high canopy cover and large trees at multiple spatio-temporal scales, with foraging owls showing strongest selection at the largest (landscape) scale investigated. Although owls selected for PACs while foraging and roosting, PACs protected less than one quarter of foraging space use (volume of use) and fewer than half of observed roosts during the breeding season. Female owl home ranges were double the size of male home ranges, and distances travelled from the nest by females were 1.3 times greater than distances travelled by males, with non-breeding females travelling farthest and visiting up to six PACs during a single breeding season. Foraying behavior of this sort has not been documented previously in California Spotted Owls. Our findings support protection of later seral stage forest attributes for roosting and foraging California Spotted Owls. Given their selection for later seral forest attributes, strongest evidence of foraging habitat selection at the landscape scale, long distances travelled by owls and limited habitat protection afforded by PACs, habitat connectivity across the landscape is likely an important component for owl conservation, and distribution of current protected areas may be inadequate for this wide-ranging species.

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