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Search indexed USGS publications on groundwater, aquifers, geologic maps, mineral resources and earthquakes. Explore source records by subject and place.

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At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
USGS1878

Bulletin of the United States Geological and Geographical Survey of the Territories: Volume IV, Number 3

Table of Contents ART. XXV.----Field-notes on Birds observed in Dakota and Montana along the Forty-ninth Parallel during the seasons of 1873 and 1874. By Dr. Elliott Coues, U.S.A., late Surgeon and Naturalist U.S. Northern Boundary Commission.....545-662 ART. XXVI.----Notes on a Collection of Fishes from the Rio Grande, at Brownsville, Texas-Continued. By D.S. Jordan, M.D......663-668 ART. XXVII.---Preliminary Studies on the North American Pyralidae. I. By A.R. Grote..... 669-706 ART. XXVIII.--Paleontological Papers No.6: Descriptions of New Species of Invertebrate Fossils from the Laramie Group. By C.A. White, M.D......707-720 ART. XXIX.----Paleontological Papers No.7: On the Distribution of Molluscan Species in the Laramie Group. By C. A. White, M.D......721-724 ART. XXX.-----On some Dark Shale recently discovered below the Devonian Limestones, at Independence, Iowa\; with a Notice of its Fossils and Description of New Species. By S. Calvin, Professor of Geology, State University of Iowa.....725-730 ART. XXXI.----On the Mineralogy of Nevada. By W.J. Hoffman, M.D......731-745

Report↗
USGS2018

Raptor selection of captive reared and released Galliform birds

Captive rearing and release of birds in the order Galliformes remains a popular management tactic despite low survival rates. We investigated avian predator selection of captive‐reared northern bobwhites ( Colinus virginianus ) as a potential driver of their high mortality. We simulated avian predator hunts on a flushing pair of bobwhites during trials conducted from 6 February 2015 to 14 February 2015 in Texas, USA. When presented a choice of a captive‐reared bobwhite or wild bobwhite, a Harris's hawk ( Parabuteo unicinctus ) pursued a captive‐reared bobwhite in 8 of 10 flight trials. This selective rate, combined with observations from auxiliary research indicate avian predation may be a greater risk for captive‐reared birds than wild birds. The success of captive‐rearing and release efforts may benefit from a better understanding of how to more adequately prepare captive‐reared birds for release.

Texas↗
USGS1973

DDE: Interference with extra-renal salt excretion in the mallard

The effects of DDE on the function of the salt gland, the main route of sodium chloride excretion in marine birds, were investigated in mature mallards, Anas platyrhynchos, maintained on either fresh water or 1 percent salt water and given 0, 10, 100, or 1000 ppm DDE in the diet (12 birds per level). The rate of sodium chloride excretion by the salt gland following injections of concentrated salt solutions was not reduced (from that of controls) in DDE -treated birds maintained on salt water, but was significantly reduced in DDE -treated birds not previously given salt.

Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxico↗
USGS1993

Economics and the national oil and gas assessment: The case of onshore northern Alaska

The National Oil and Gas Assessment of undiscovered recoverable conventional oil and gas resources assigned nearly 36% of the undiscovered U.S. onshore oil resources and 28% of the commercially developable undiscovered oil resources to onshore northern Alaska. Economic screening models were applied to the geologic play assessment to estimate the commercially developable resources. This paper presents the geologic and economic assessment methodology and results; it also focuses on the robustness of estimates of the commercially developable onshore resources to changes in economic assumptions. With the economic assumptions used in the national assessment, about 60% or 6.49 billion bbl of oil of the recoverable undiscovered resources of 10.76 billion bbl of oil assessed in fields larger than 1 million bbl of oil are estimated to be commercially developable. Changes in facilities costs induced the most significant cost-related response in the commercially developable resource estimates. Price increases or cost reductions that reduce the minimum commercially developable field size to 250 million bbl from the base case size of 380 million bbl added 1 billion bbl of oil to the commercially developable resources. If, through facilities sharing or satellite-field development, the minimum commercial field size is reduced to just below 100 million bbl, estimated developable oil woul increase to 9.17 billion bbl of oil or more than 85% of the assessed recoverable oil in onshore plays.

Alaska↗
USGS2011

The 2007 Nazko, British Columbia, earthquake sequence: Injection of magma deep in the crust beneath the Anahim volcanic belt

On 9 October 2007, an unusual sequence of earthquakes began in central British Columbia about 20 km west of the Nazko cone, the most recent (circa 7200 yr) volcanic center in the Anahim volcanic belt. Within 25 hr, eight earthquakes of magnitude 2.3-2.9 occurred in a region where no earthquakes had previously been recorded. During the next three weeks, more than 800 microearthquakes were located (and many more detected), most at a depth of 25-31 km and within a radius of about 5 km. After about two months, almost all activity ceased. The clear P- and S-wave arrivals indicated that these were high-frequency (volcanic-tectonic) earthquakes and the b value of 1.9 that we calculated is anomalous for crustal earthquakes but consistent with volcanic-related events. Analysis of receiver functions at a station immediately above the seismicity indicated a Moho near 30 km depth. Precise relocation of the seismicity using a double-difference method suggested a horizontal migration at the rate of about 0:5 km=d, with almost all events within the lowermost crust. Neither harmonic tremor nor long-period events were observed; however, some spasmodic bursts were recorded and determined to be colocated with the earthquake hypocenters. These observations are all very similar to a deep earthquake sequence recorded beneath Lake Tahoe, California, in 2003-2004. Based on these remarkable similarities, we interpret the Nazko sequence as an indication of an injection of magma into the lower crust beneath the Anahim volcanic belt. This magma injection fractures rock, producing high-frequency, volcanic-tectonic earthquakes and spasmodic bursts.

Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America↗
USGS1999

The response of a Kansas winter bird community to weather, photoperiod, and year

We conducted a bird census along the same route nearly each week for 14 winters (194 censuses), and compared the mean number of species per station and the total number of species recorded on the census with the length of photoperiod and weather variables. We found significant differences among winters for both indicators of species richness. This result is consistent with previous studies in which abundance of food was measured in the same general area. Both indicators of species richness were negatively associated with the number of days after 1 November. This result is consistent with the hypothesis that wintering species dependent on nonrenewed food resources lose individuals to mortality or emigration. Further, there was a positive relationship between photoperiod and both indicators of species richness. This result is consistent with the hypothesis that the detection of individuals in the early morning hours increases with the amount of daylight they have available for foraging and social behaviors. Wind speed and temperature had negative and positive relationships, respectively, to species richness. The number of species per station was greatest on days when the ground was covered with dew and least on days when snow depth was more than 15 cm. When the 'winters' were divided into four 30-day 'quarters', most of the 61 species were recorded with equal frequency in each quarter. Eight species were detected less frequently at the end of winter than in the beginning. Four species exhibited the reverse pattern. Two species were recorded more frequently at the beginning and at the end of the winter than during the middle. Temperature, wind, photoperiod, successive winter day, year, and species-specific evolutionary history all affect winter bird species richness.

The Wilson Bulletin↗
USGS1978

Studies on combined effects of organophosphates or carbamates and morsodren in birds. II. Plasma and cholinesterase in quail fed morsodren and orally dosed with parathion or carbofuran

The degree of interaction between mercury and cholinesterase inhibiting pesticides was determined by comparing enzyme responses to sublethal dosages of parathion or carbofuran in quail fed 0.05, 0.5, or 5.0 ppm morsodren for 18 weeks. A statistically significant interaction was defined as greater brain cholinesterase inhibition in morsodren-fed than in clean-fed birds following pesticide dosage. The tissue residues of mercury that accumulated before significant mercury-parathion interactions occurred were higher than levels that might be expected in natural populations, but significant mercury-carbofuran interactions occurred in birds that had only accumulated 1.0 ppm liver mercury. The results indicate that indiscriminate usage of cholinesterase inhibiting pesticides are dangerous, since natural populations of fish-eating birds oftentimes contain this magnitude of mercury.

Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxico↗
USGS1988

Birds and environmental contaminants in San Francisco and Chesapeake Bays

The direct and indirect effects of human activities, including environmental contamination, upon bird populations in San Francisco Bay and Chesapeake Bay are imperfectly understood, and few data are available. that allow a comparison of the contamination levels in birds from these two areas. Certain trace elements and organochlorine compounds have been found at sufficiently high concentrations in bird tissues or their foods to expect adverse effects in these birds, based upon results of field and laboratory studies conducted with other avian species. The decline and recovery of populations of many avian species have been recorded, including some associated with organochlorine contamination. The present paper summarizes available information on the occurrence and potential effects of contaminants upon birds in these two regions.

Marine Pollution Bulletin↗
USGS1994

Migrating shorebirds and habitat dynamics at a prairie wetland complex

We examined the responses of migrating shorebirds to habitat dynamics in a wetland complex on the Great Plains during 1989-1992. Availability of habitat was variable within and between seasons, but fluctuations in habitat were dampened when wetlands were considered as a complex rather than individually. Shorebirds exhibited an ability to colonize available habitat opportunistically, to occupy wet mud/shallow water habitat that became available during their residency period regardless of wetland history, and to use wet mud/shallow water habitat almost immediately upon its appearance. We found a significant relation between number of shorebirds and the area of wet mud/shallow water habitat, regardless of dramatic changes in habitat. Management for continental stopover sites for shorebirds requires the maintenance of complexes of potential habitat to assure resource alternatives for birds as local conditions vacillate.

The Wilson Bulletin↗
USGS2013

Brain cholinesterase activities of birds from forests sprayed with trichlorfon (Dylox) and carbaryl (Sevin-4-oil)

Brain cholinesterase activities were determined in birds from forests sprayed with Dylox 2 at 1.13 kg/hectare (1 1b/acre — active ingredient [a.i.]) or Sevin-4-oil 2 at 1.13 kg/hectare (1 1b/acre — a.i.) for up to 5 days postspray. Of ten bird species evaluated from the Dylox spray area, four species represented by six individuals had values which were depressed more than 2 standard deviations below the mean. Three of these activities (two species) were about 20% less than the mean. Of 12 species evaluated from the Sevin-4-oil spraying, three individuals representing three species had depressed values. One value was depressed greater than 20% below the mean. Half of the depressed activities were in canopy-dwelling birds collected on the day of spray.

Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxico↗
USGS2006

Can hunting of translocated nuisance Canada geese reduce local conflicts?

Resident Canada geese (Branta canadensis) nest or reside in the temperate latitudes of North America. In past years, translocation-the capture and subsequent release of geese at distant locations-has been used to establish resident goose populations and to reduce nuisance problems. However, with new special hunting seasons designed to target resident Canada geese, we can now evaluate translocation as a management tool when hunting is allowed at release sites. We selected 2 study sites, representative of urban and suburban locations with nuisance resident geese, in central and western New York, USA. In June 2003, we translocated 80 neck-banded adult geese, 14 radiomarked adult females, and 83 juveniles 150 km east and southwest from urban and suburban problem sites in western New York to state-owned Wildlife Management Areas. At these same capture sites, we used 151 neck-banded adult geese, 12 radiomarked females, and 100 juveniles as controls to compare dispersal movements and harvest vulnerability to translocated geese. All observations (n = 45) of translocated radiomarked geese were <20 km from release sites, in areas where hunting was permitted. Only 25 of 538 observations (4.6%) of radiomarked geese at control sites were in areas open to hunting. The remainder of observations occurred at nonhunting locations within 10 km of control sites. More translocated adult geese (23.8%) were harvested than control geese (6.6%; ??2 = 72.98, P = 0.0009). More translocated juvenile geese were harvested (22.9%) than juvenile controls (5.0%; ??2 = 72.30, P = 0.0005). Only 7 (8.8%) translocated adult geese returned to the original capture sites during Canada goose hunting seasons. Translocation of adult and juvenile geese in family groups may alleviate nuisance problems at conflict sites through increased harvest, reducing the number of birds returning in subsequent years.

Wildlife Society Bulletin↗
USGS2006

North Slope, Alaska: Source rock distribution, richness, thermal maturity, and petroleum charge

Four key marine petroleum source rock units were identified, characterized, and mapped in the subsurface to better understand the origin and distribution of petroleum on the North Slope of Alaska. These marine source rocks, from oldest to youngest, include four intervals: (1) Middle-Upper Triassic Shublik Formation, (2) basal condensed section in the Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous Kingak Shale, (3) Cretaceous pebble shale unit, and (4) Cretaceous Hue Shale. Well logs for more than 60 wells and total organic carbon (TOC) and Rock-Eval pyrolysis analyses for 1183 samples in 125 well penetrations of the source rocks were used to map the present-day thickness of each source rock and the quantity (TOC), quality (hydrogen index), and thermal maturity (Tmax) of the organic matter. Based on assumptions related to carbon mass balance and regional distributions of TOC, the present-day source rock quantity and quality maps were used to determine the extent of fractional conversion of the kerogen to petroleum and to map the original TOC (TOCo) and the original hydrogen index (HIo) prior to thermal maturation. The quantity and quality of oil-prone organic matter in Shublik Formation source rock generally exceeded that of the other units prior to thermal maturation (commonly TOCo > 4 wt.% and HIo > 600 mg hydrocarbon/g TOC), although all are likely sources for at least some petroleum on the North Slope. We used Rock-Eval and hydrous pyrolysis methods to calculate expulsion factors and petroleum charge for each of the four source rocks in the study area. Without attempting to identify the correct methods, we conclude that calculations based on Rock-Eval pyrolysis overestimate expulsion factors and petroleum charge because low pressure and rapid removal of thermally cracked products by the carrier gas retards cross-linking and pyrobitumen formation that is otherwise favored by natural burial maturation. Expulsion factors and petroleum charge based on hydrous pyrolysis may also be high compared to nature for a similar reason. Copyright ?? 2006. The American Association of Petroleum Geologists. All rights reserved.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulle↗
USGS2015

GEAR1: A Global Earthquake Activity Rate model constructed from geodetic strain rates and smoothed seismicity

Global earthquake activity rate model 1 (GEAR1) estimates the rate of shallow earthquakes with magnitudes 6–9 everywhere on Earth. It was designed to be reproducible and testable. Our preferred hybrid forecast is a log–linear blend of two parent forecasts based on the Global Centroid Moment Tensor (CMT) catalog (smoothing 4602 m≥5.767 shallow earthquakes, 1977–2004) and the Global Strain Rate Map version 2.1 (smoothing 22,415 Global Positioning System velocities), optimized to best forecast the 2005–2012 Global CMT catalog. Strain rate is a proxy for fault stress accumulation, and earthquakes indicate stress release, so a multiplicative blend is desirable, capturing the strengths of both approaches. This preferred hybrid forecast outperforms its seismicity and strain‐rate parents; the chance that this improvement stems from random seismicity fluctuations is less than 1%. The preferred hybrid is also tested against the independent parts of the International Seismological Centre‐Global Earthquake Model catalog (m≥6.8 during 1918–1976) with similar success. GEAR1 is an update of this preferred hybrid. Comparing GEAR1 to the Uniform California Earthquake Rupture Forecast Version 3 (UCERF3), net earthquake rates agree within 4% at m≥5.8 and at m≥7.0. The spatial distribution of UCERF3 epicentroids most resembles GEAR1 after UCERF3 is smoothed with a 30 km kernel. Because UCERF3 has been constructed to derive useful information from fault geometry, slip rates, paleoseismic data, and enhanced seismic catalogs (not used in our model), this is encouraging. To build parametric catastrophe bonds from GEAR1, one could calculate the magnitude for which there is a 1% (or any) annual probability of occurrence in local regions.

Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America↗