This USGS report is published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology and is available as a free download online.

The use of salt to deice pavement can leave urban streams toxic to aquatic life, according to a new U.S. Geological Survey study on the influence of winter runoff in northern U.S. cities, with a special focus on eastern Wisconsin and Milwaukee.

More than half of the Milwaukee streams included in this study had samples that were toxic during winter deicing. In eastern and southern Wisconsin, all streams studied had potentially toxic chloride concentrations during winter, with lingering effects into the summer at some streams. Nationally, samples from fifty-five percent of streams studied in 13 northern cities were potentially toxic; twenty-five percent of the streams had samples that exceeded acute water quality criteria.  

Toxicity was measured by direct testing of organisms in samples during the local study component; in the regional and the national study components, observed chloride levels were used to assess potential toxicity.

“While winter driving and walking safety are the priority in treating pavements, this study suggests the need for advancements that will reduce salt loads to surface waters without compromising safety,” said Matthew C. Larsen, USGS Associate Director for Water.

“We expected to see elevated chloride levels in streams near northern cities during the winter months,” said Steve Corsi of the USGS Wisconsin Water Science Center. “The surprise was the number of streams exceeding toxic levels and how high the concentrations were,” said Corsi, who led the study.

“This study shows that chloride contamination of urban streams is a problem in many places; it’s not just a Milwaukee problem,” said Corsi.

While road deicing accounts for a significant portion of salt applications, it is not the only source. Salt is also used by many public and private organizations and individuals to deice parking lots, walkways and driveways.

Key Findings:

Nationally: During the winter, samples from fifty-five percent of northern streams in this study had chloride levels that exceeded USEPA chronic water-quality criteria, indicating potential toxicity.  Samples from twenty-five percent of the streams exceeded acute water-quality criteria.

Regionally: In eastern and south-central Wisconsin, potential toxicity was found during winter at all urban streams studied, with lingering effects at some streams in the summer.

• During winter, 100 percent of the streams monitored had chloride levels that exceeded the USEPA chronic water quality criteria with fifty-five percent of samples exceeding acute water quality criteria.  
• Chloride levels higher than 10,000 milligrams per liter were observed at times during winter deicing periods—much greater than the chronic water-quality criteria of 230 milligrams per liter and the acute criteria of 860 milligrams per liter.
• Chloride levels increased as urbanization percentage in the watershed increased.

Locally:  In Milwaukee, more than half of the samples collected from streams during winter deicing periods were toxic.

• Samples from seven of 13 streams collected during 2007 deicing periods were toxic in bioassay tests.
• Chloride levels in 12 out of these 13 streams exceeded USEPA chronic water quality criteria; eight of 13 exceeded acute criteria.
• In long-term testing of one Milwaukee stream between 1997 and 2008, seventy-two percent of 38 samples collected during the winter were toxic in bioassay tests.

The Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene co-authored this study and did the bioassay testing involved. Additionally, this study was conducted in cooperation with the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District and General Mitchell International Airport.

Other major sources of salt to U.S. waters include wastewater treatment, septic systems, farming operations, and natural sources from geologic deposits. These sources may contribute to chloride levels at individual streams in this study, but the geographic, land-use, and seasonal patterns observed in this study suggest deicing activities as the dominant source. This conclusion is also supported by a USGS study published in 2009 on chloride in groundwater and surface water in the northern U.S.

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LARAMIE, Wy. — Previous research has claimed that the reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone National Park in 1995 is helping restore quaking aspen in risky areas where wolves prowl. But apparently elk hungry for winter food had a different idea.

They didn’t know they were supposed to be responding to a “landscape of fear.”   

According to a study set to be published this week in Ecology, a journal of the Ecological Society of America, the fear of wolf predation may not be discouraging elk from eating aspen trees after all.

Previous thinking went like this: Aspen are not regenerating well in Yellowstone National Park.  Elk eat young aspen. But wolves eat elk. Elk will learn to avoid high-risk areas that wolves frequent. Plants in those areas – such as aspen – will then get a chance to grow big enough so that elk cannot kill them. Eventually, an entire habitat is restored because of a landscape of fear.

Over the last 15 years, the reintroduction of wolves in Yellowstone was heralded as a great success, not only because it reestablished the species, but also because wolves were expected to help restore a healthier ecosystem through such cascading indirect effects on other species.

But this recent study led by Matthew Kauffman, a U.S. Geological Survey scientist, suggests that aspen are not benefitting from the landscape of fear created by wolves, and that claims of an ecosystem-wide recovery of aspen are premature.

“This study not only confirms that elk are responsible for the decline of aspen in Yellowstone beginning in the 1890s, but also that none of the aspen groves studied after wolf restoration appear to be regenerating, even in areas risky to elk,” said Kauffman.

Because the fear of wolves does not appear to be benefiting aspen, the authors conclude that if the Northern Range elk population does not continue to decline -- their numbers are 40 percent of what they were before wolves -- many of Yellowstone’s aspen stands are unlikely to recover. “A landscape-level aspen recovery is likely only to occur if wolves, in combination with other predators and climate factors, further reduce the elk population,” Kauffman said. 

Predators play an important role in ecosystems, said Kauffman, and can influence plants by altering how many herbivores there are (by eating the herbivores) or by changing the behavior of herbivores (deterring them from areas where predators lurk). He adds, however, that considerable scientific debate exists regarding the importance of these two ways in which predators influence their prey. And this is especially true for large carnivores.

To complicate matters, predators use different hunting strategies – there is the sit-and-wait strategy (as with a spider in a web, or a rattlesnake waiting for a mouse to leave its burrow) and the more active, go get ’em strategy (think cheetahs and wolves). “So, given that it takes a lot of energy to avoid a predator – energy that could be used to stave off winter starvation – we wanted to find out whether the prey of active-hunting predators such as wolves demonstrated risk-induced changes in areas where they foraged for food,” Kauffman said.

To do this, the authors analyzed tree rings to discern when, in the last century, aspen stands stopped regenerating, examined whether aspen stands have begun to regenerate now that wolves have been reintroduced to the park and tested whether any differences in aspen regeneration were occurring in areas considered safe or risky for foraging elk. They used a landscape-wide risk map of elk killed by wolves over the first 10 years of wolf recovery. Finally, the authors experimentally fenced in young aspen suckers to compare the protection afforded to them by wolves versus that of a physical barrier that prevented elk browsing. 

“The results were surprising and have led us to refute several previous claims regarding interactions among wolves, elk and aspen in Yellowstone,” Kauffman said.

The tree rings showed that the period when aspen failed to regenerate (1892 to 1956) lasted more than 60 years, spanning periods with and without wolves by several decades. “We concluded from this that the failure of aspen to regenerate was caused by an increase in the number of elk following the disappearance of wolves in the 1920s rather than by a rapid behavioral shift to more browsing on aspen once wolves were gone from the park,” said Kauffman. 

Surveys of current conditions indicated that aspen in study stands exposed to elk browsing were not growing to heights necessary to make them invulnerable to elk. The only places where suckers survived to reach a height sufficient to avoid browsing were in the fenced-in areas. In addition, aspen stands identified as risky from the predation risk map were browsed just as often as aspen growing in less risky areas.

“This work is consistent with much of what researchers have learned from studying wolves and elk in Yellowstone,” Kauffman said. “Elk certainly respond behaviorally to the predation risk posed by wolves, but those small alterations to feeding and moving across the landscape don’t seem to add up to long-term benefits for aspen growing in areas risky to elk.”

The paper, Are wolves saving Yellowstone’s aspen? A landscape-level test of a behaviorally mediated trophic cascade, will be published online in Ecology this week.  Co-authors on the study are Matthew Kauffman (USGS), Jedediah Brodie (University of Montana) and Erik Jules (Humboldt State University).

The Ecological Society of America is the world’s largest professional organization of ecologists, representing 10,000 scientists in the United States and around the globe. Since its founding in 1915, ESA has promoted the responsible application of ecological principles to the solution of environmental problems through ESA reports, journals, research, and expert testimony to Congress. Visit the ESA website.

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LEETOWN, W. Va. — A distinct decline in horseshoe crab numbers has occurred that parallels climate change associated with the end of the last Ice Age, according to a study that used genomics to assess historical trends in population sizes.  

The new research also indicates that horseshoe crabs numbers may continue to decline in the future because of predicted climate change, said Tim King, a scientist with the U.S. Geological Survey and a lead author on the new study published in Molecular Ecology.

While the current decline in horseshoe crabs is attributed in great part to overharvest for fishing bait and for the pharmaceutical industry, the new research indicates that climate change also appears to have historically played a role in altering the numbers of successfully reproducing horseshoe crabs. More importantly, said King, predicted future climate change, with its accompanying sea-level rise and water temperature fluctuations, may well limit horseshoe crab distribution and interbreeding, resulting in distributional changes and localized and regional population declines, such as happened after the last Ice Age.

“Using genetic variation, we determined the trends between past and present population sizes of horseshoe crabs and found that a clear decline in the number of horseshoe crabs has occurred that parallels climate change associated with the end of the last Ice Age,” said King.  

The research substantiated recent significant declines in all areas where horseshoe crabs occur along the West Atlantic Coast from Maine to Florida and the eastern Gulf of Mexico, with the possible exception of a distinct population along the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico

These findings, combined with the results of a 2005 study by King and colleagues, have important implications for the welfare of wildlife that rely on nutrient-rich horseshoe crab eggs for food each spring.

For example, Atlantic loggerhead sea turtles, which used to feed mainly on adult horseshoe crabs and blue crabs in Chesapeake Bay, already have been forced to find other less suitable sources of food, perhaps contributing to declines in Virginia’s sea turtle abundance.  Additionally, horseshoe crab eggs are an important source of food for millions of migrating shorebirds. This is particularly true for the red knot, an at-risk shorebird that uses horseshoe crab eggs at Delaware Bay to refuel during its marathon migration of some 10,000 miles.  Since the late 1990s, both horseshoe crabs and red knot populations in the Delaware Bay area have declined, although census numbers for horseshoe crabs have increased incrementally recently.

“Population size decreases of these ancient mariners have implications beyond the obvious,” King said. “Genetic diversity is the most fundamental level of biodiversity, providing the raw material for evolutionary processes to act upon and affording populations the opportunity to adapt to their surroundings. For this reason, the low effective population sizes indicated in the new study give one pause.”

These studies should help conservation managers make better-informed decisions about protecting horseshoe crabs and other species with a similar evolutionary history. For example, the 2005 study indicated males moved between bays but females did not, suggesting management efforts may best be targeted at local populations instead of regional ones since an absence of enough females may result in local extinctions. 

“Consequently, harvest limitations on females in populations with low numbers may be a useful management strategy, as well as relocating females from adjacent bays to help restore certain populations,” King said. “Both studies highlight the importance of considering both climatic change and other human-caused factors such as overharvest in understanding the population dynamics of this and other species.”

Background on Horseshoe Crabs

Horseshoe crabs are not crabs at all – in fact, they are more closely related to spiders, ticks and scorpions. While historically horseshoe crabs have been used in fertilizer, most horseshoe crab harvest today comes from the fishing industry, which uses the crab as bait, and the pharmaceutical industry, which collects their blood for its clotting properties. While the crabs are returned after their blood is taken, the estimated mortality rate for bled horseshoe crabs can be as high as 30 percent.

The research, Population dynamics of American horseshoe crabs—historic climatic events and recent anthropogenic pressures, was published in the June issue of Molecular Ecology and was authored by Søren Faurby (Aarhus University, Denmark), Tim King, Matthias Obst (University of Gothenburg, Sweden) and others.

The 2005 study, Regional differentiation and sex-biased dispersal among populations of the horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus), was published in the Transactions of the American Fisheries Society and authored by Tim King, Mike Eackles Adrian Spidle (USGS) and Jane Brockman (University of Florida).

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Anchorage, Alaska — A secluded island in the Aleutian chain is revealing secrets of how land and marine ecosystems react to and recover from a catastrophic volcanic eruption that appeared at first glance to destroy all life on the island.

Yet little by little – a wingless beetle here, a tuft of grass there, Kasatochi, an island in the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge rarely studied by scientists before its Aug. 7, 2008, volcanic eruption, is showing signs of recovery.

In the summer of 2009, scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the University of Alaska Museum of the North returned to the island to begin long-term studies to better understand the effects of the eruption and how quickly the island’s ecosystems recover.

Kasatochi volcano, Alaska, after its eruption on Aug. 7, 2008. Picture taken at 17,000 feet above seal level. Picture courtesy of Jerry Morris. Summit crater and crater lake of Kasatochi volcano, August 6, 2008, the day before the eruption. The crater shown here is about 4,000 feet in diameter. Photo by Chris Ford, USFWS.

Despite the frequency of volcanic eruptions in Alaska, this is one of the first studies of its kind in the remote Aleutian Islands. Their findings are detailed in a series of 10 reports published in the August 2010 issue of the journal Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research.

Prior to the eruption, Kasatochi was one of the most picturesque of the Aleutian Islands.  Its steep slopes were covered with low-growing grasses and wildflowers, and in the center of the island there was a steep-walled crater filled at the bottom with a small turquoise lake.

Kasatochi Island hosted a colony of about 250,000 least and crested auklets, making it one of the major seabird breeding colonies in the Aleutian Islands. In turn, the numerous seabirds attracted avian predators such as bald eagles, peregrine falcons and ravens. Kasatochi Island was also home to a rookery of endangered Steller sea lions.

But after the eruption, other than sea lions loafing on a newly formed beach, the island appeared to be completely devoid of life. The entire island and neighboring seafloor were covered with thick layers of volcanic ash and deposits from the eruption. 

That first summer after the eruption, teams of geologists, botanists, entomologists, ornithologists and marine ecologists visited Kasatochi and nearby islands four times to document the effects of the eruption and establish a baseline with which long-term observations will be compared. The team also set up sampling plots and equipment such as seismometers, time-lapse cameras and bird song recorders.

 “When we first landed on the island, we were unsure of what we would find,” said project manager Tony DeGange of the USGS. “The formerly lush, green island was uniformly gray and in the 10 months since the eruption, considerable erosion of volcanic ash had occurred.” 

By late summer, the team found several kinds of green plants scattered around the island.

“Even more exciting was the discovery of one small remnant plant community,” said USGS research geneticist Sandra Talbot. “Most of the plants likely originated from underground root systems, rhizomes or seed banks that survived the eruption, particularly in areas that were protected from the hot volcanic flows and where the ash eroded off quickly to expose the pre-eruption soils.”

Entomologist Derek Sikes from the University of Alaska Museum of the North also discovered that terrestrial arthropods had survived the eruption. He found wingless carrion beetles, a centipede and a spider, as well as kelp flies and a blowfly that were eating bird carcasses and kelp that had washed up on the island.

Thousands of seabirds returned to the island that first summer, although none nested successfully, according to Jeff Williams of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge.

“The auklet colony was buried under volcanic debris and ash,” Williams said. “They were unable to locate suitable nesting crevices and laid eggs on the ground or in the water instead. It will be interesting to see if erosion eventually exposes the rock crevices that these birds need for nesting or if they eventually abandon the island. Steller sea lions,” he added, “were the only wildlife species to breed successfully.”

Similar to what the research team found onshore, nearshore habitats were blanketed with sediments and were largely devoid of life. Most of the kelp forests in the ocean around the island had been covered with volcanic debris.

“We are now in the midst of our second year of research at Kasatochi Island, and our intent is to continue this work for many years,” said DeGange. “The Aleutian Islands are a part of the Pacific ring of fire, and destructive volcanic eruptions are a primary form of ecosystem disturbance in these earthquake- and volcano-prone zones that reach from Chile up to Alaska and down through the South Pacific. Kasatochi Island is a natural laboratory that will help us understand how volcanic eruptions shape Aleutian Island ecosystems.”

Many of Asia’s glaciers are retreating as a result of climate change.

This retreat impacts water supplies to millions of people, increases the likelihood of outburst floods that threaten life and property in nearby areas, and contributes to sea-level rise.

The U.S. Geological Survey, in collaboration with 39 international scientists, published a report on the status of glaciers throughout all of Asia, including Russia, China, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Kazakhstan.

“Of particular interest are the Himalaya, where glacier behavior impacts the quality of life of tens of millions of people,” said USGS scientist Jane Ferrigno. “Glaciers in the Himalaya are a major source of fresh water and supply meltwater to all of the rivers in northern India.”

As glaciers become smaller, water runoff decreases, which is especially important during the dry season when other water sources are limited. Climate change also brings warmer temperatures and earlier water runoff from glaciers, and this combined with spring and summer rains can result in flood conditions. The overall glacier retreat and additional melt can increase the amount of water dammed in the vicinity of a glacier, and the added pressure enhances the likelihood of disastrous outburst flooding.

While most glaciers in Asia are in recession, some glaciers have been found to advance. Some of the advancing glaciers are surge-type glaciers, which move forward more rapidly than average in a short period of time. The reason for this is being studied by glaciologists, and is likely due to unique and local condition

Glacier studies in each area started at different times depending on accessibility of glaciers and scientific interest. For example, the earliest description of glaciers in China was in 630 A.D., while studies in the Caucasus area of Russia began in the mid 1800s and modern studies in Nepal started in the 1950s.

The time period for retreat also differs among each glacier. In Bhutan, 66 glaciers have decreased 8.1 percent over the last 30 years.  Rapid changes in the Himalaya is shown in India by the 12 percent retreat of Chhota Shigri Glacier during the last 13 years, as well as retreat of the Gangotri Glacier since 1780, with 12 percent shrinkage of the main stem in the last 16 years.

Glaciers in Russia and in the four republics once part of the Former Soviet Union have the largest area of glaciers in Asia, covering 30,478 square miles, which is about the size of South Carolina. The glaciers of China have the second largest area of glaciers in Asia, covering 22,944 square miles, which is about twice the size of Massachusetts. In Afghanistan, the more than 3,000 small mountain glaciers that occur in the Hindu Kush and Pamir mountains provide vital water resources to the region.

“This report was a collaboration between U.S. and foreign authors, the most knowledgeable glaciologists for each geographic region covered,” said USGS scientist Richard S. Williams, Jr. “The USGS published historical and modern data authored by local experts. Some analyses of past climate conditions were conducted by studying ice cores from high-mountain areas of Asia.”

This report is the 9th in the series of 11 volumes to be published as the USGS Satellite Image Atlas of Glaciers of the World. You can view other publications in this series online.

“The Glaciers of Asia” volume is available online.

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Doug Beard has been selected as the chief of the USGS National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center.

The NCCWSC is helping understand climate change impacts on fish and wildlife and develop tools that resource managers can use to protect these species and their habitats.

“Earth’s climate is expected to have significant impacts on our nation’s fish and wildlife now and in the future,” said Beard. “The USGS NCCSWS is providing sound science on how the climate may change and how landscapes and habitats will respond, helping managers develop effective strategies to protect species survival.”

Beard had already been serving as the interim director of the USGS NCCWSC since September 2009. Previously, he was the USGS program coordinator for fisheries and aquatic and endangered resources. He first joined the USGS in 2003, working as a program manager with the National Biological Information Infrastructure. Before coming to the USGS, he held fishery management positions in Wisconsin and Minnesota Departments of Natural Resources. He received a bachelor’s in biology from the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire, a master’s in fish and wildlife from Pennsylvania State University, and a doctorate in zoology from the University of Wisconsin - Madison.

Beard will also oversee the establishment and program direction of the Department of the Interior’s eight regional Climate Science Centers. These CSCs will provide scientific information, tools and techniques needed to manage land, water, wildlife and cultural resources in the face of climate change. The NCCWSC and other USGS scientific programs will work closely with these CSCs.

The USGS and the DOI CSCs will work with a network of Landscape Conservation Cooperatives in which federal, state, tribal and other managers and scientists will develop conservation, adaptation and mitigation strategies for dealing with the impacts of climate change.

The NCCWSC was established by Congress in 2008. Projects currently underway include studies of alterations in Florida’s ecosystems, potential impacts on Great Lakes’ fish, sea-level rise impacts on San Francisco Bay marshes, and the effects of melting glaciers on Alaska’s freshwater coastal systems.

Get more information about the USGS NCCWSC, and learn more about the DOI CSCs.

The 2010 Ecological Society of America conference is in Pittsburg, Penn., from Aug. 1 to Aug. 6.  This year’s theme is Global Warming: The Legacy of Our Past, the Challenge for Our Future.

Drowning marshes: How High Can the Seas Rise Before Wetlands Go Under? Habitat for many commercially important fish and shellfish populations, recreational fishing, and unique ways of living, coastal wetlands are among the most valuable ecosystems on earth, and of all the threats they face, sea-level rise is one of the most critical.  Already, marshes in many parts of the world seem to be drowning as sea levels steadily increase. USGS scientists Matthew L. Kirwan and Glenn Guntenspergen studied just how high sea level can rise before coastal wetlands are likely to disappear. Their research, based on model experiments, show that the rate of sea-level rise and the amount of sediment available will be the most important determining factors in the survival of coastal wetlands.  If the water rises too fast and with too little sediment deposition, the wetlands worldwide will likely drown by the end of the 21st century.  If sea levels rise more slowly and with a higher amount of sediment deposition associated with the rise, then the coastal wetlands will be more likely to survive. This presentation, Threshold sea level rise rates for wetland survival: limits to ecogeomorphic feedbacks, will be presented on Aug. 3 at 8:40 a.m. in Room 301-302.  Contact Matthew Kirwan at mkirwan@usgs.gov or Glenn Guntenspergen at 218-343-6107 or glenn_guntenspergen@usgs.gov.

Climate Change Likely to Harm Vital Soil Crusts in the Colorado Plateau: Predicted climate change in the Colorado Plateau will likely strongly alter soil crust composition, an essential player in the structure and function of arid and semi-arid ecosystems, according to preliminary USGS research. These communities, composed primarily of cyanobacteria, algae, lichens and mosses, can completely cover plant interspaces in undisturbed areas and make up 70 percent or more of the living ground cover. Biological soil crusts fix atmospheric nitrogen and carbon dioxide and serve as important sources of fixed carbon and nitrogen for these sparsely vegetated systems. USGS scientists conducted a field study to experimentally simulate the more extreme scenario of predicted changes in precipitation and examined the combined effects of pulsing summer precipitation and warming on soils and biological soil crusts. Preliminary results showed that warming alone did not seem to affect soil crusts, but in watered plots a dramatic reduction in soil crusts and mosses occurred, along with lowered amounts of soil carbon, nitrogen and soil phosphorous. These preliminary results suggest that changes to precipitation patterns projected for the Colorado Plateau will likely strongly affect biological soil crust composition, especially moss cover, with important consequences for soil nutrient cycling. This ongoing research project, Responses of biological soil crusts in arid and semi-arid ecosystems to predicted climate change, will be presented on Aug. 3 at 2:10 p.m. Contact Tamara Zelikova at 435-719-2350 or  jzelikova@usgs.gov.

Alien Invaders Leading to More Worldwide Flora Homogenization: Although at regional levels, invasive plants are often the most widely distributed plant species, on a global level, invasive patterns are quite asymmetric, according to a USGS study. The study found that more than half of the widely distributed species in the United States were alien, whereas Europe had almost no alien species on its top 120 list of plant species. Alien plant species were also common on the top 120 list for New South Wales (43 percent), Chile (34 percent), Argentina (30 percent), and the Republic of South Africa (22 percent).  In Europe, only 2 percent of the most common species are alien, whereas in the United States it is 40 percent. In all countries, however, the alien species present were equally or more widely distributed in comparison to native species on the lists. These widespread alien species contribute to the continued homogenization of global flora. This research, Widespread plant species: Natives vs. aliens in our changing world, will be presented on Aug. 4 at 10:30 a.m. in Rooms 315-16. Contact Thomas J. Stohlgren at 970-491-1980 or stohlgrent@usgs.gov.

Invasive Cheatgrass Cheating Sagebrush of its Root Growth: Although it may be best known from the series Rawhide, sagebrush plays a vital role in Western habitats and for many animal species. Yet sagebrush habitat itself is disappearing rapidly, threatened by land-use alteration and rapidly spreading invasive species, such as cheatgrass. A recent USGS laboratory study found that sagebrush roots appear to grow less quickly in the presence of invasive cheatgrass than when grown with other sagebrush individuals.  Yet the study also indicated that sagebrush grown in the presence of activated charcoal, which is found in soils after fires, might be better able to compete with cheatgrass. Further investigations are ongoing; these research results will help provide managers with tools to restore and manage the important sagebrush ecosystem. This research, Effects of root interactions on Wyoming big sagebrush root growth, will be presented on Aug. 5 at 3:20 p.m. in Room COS 11-6. Contact Upekala C. Wijayratne at 541-737-2324, uwijayratne@usgs.gov.

Punk Ducks: Migration Patterns of Elusive Sea ducks: Sea ducks are the least-studied and most bizarrely decorated (think punk ducks) group of ducks, yet most sea duck populations appear to be declining, and two are listed as threatened. USGS scientist Elise Zipkin and colleagues looked at 5 of the 12 sea duck species that winter off the eastern coast of the United States and Canada to help shed light on the ecology and migration patterns of these species: long-tailed ducks, common eiders, and black, surf, and white-winged scoters. While each species responded differently to local environmental characteristics, all five species were significantly affected by the North Atlantic Oscillation, an alternating fluctuation of sea surface pressure that strongly affects the weather patterns in the eastern part of North America. In addition, all species showed some level of site fidelity or loyalty among the 10 ten years of the study and exhibited significant responses to latitudinal gradients suggesting an important, yet diverse, southern boundary for each species. This information is critical to help unravel the complex relationship between the North Atlantic Oscillation, sea surface temperature, and local sea duck abundances, and should help assess the effects of climate change on these remarkable birds. Since current projections suggest that the NAO and sea surface temperature may alter in response to climate change, research that helps clarify the variability in species’ responses to large- scale climatic variables will help with their future protection. This research, Distribution patterns of wintering sea ducks in relation to the North Atlantic Oscillation and implications for a changing climate, will be presented on Aug. 4 at 1:50 p.m. in Room 310-311. Contact Elise Zipkin at 301-497-5810 or ezipkin@usgs.gov.

Wildlife Response to Seasonal Climate Change: Phenology Network Adds Animals: Like to watch bees, bats, butterflies or birds? This year, the USA-National Phenology Network (USA-NPN) is adding about 160 animal species to its existing program of 252 plant species, which means that professional and citizen-scientists will be able to record information about the seasonal patterns of these species to help researchers understand how seasonal patterns of plants and animals are being altered by climate change. The USA-NPN connects backyard and amateur naturalists, resource managers, scientists and policy makers in a collective effort toward understanding the phenology -- or seasonal patterns -- of plants and animals and the interaction of these phenologies with natural ecological systems. The collected data can be used for remote sensing studies, analysis of species response to environmental change, and to understand linkages between biological and hydrological cycles, among other applications. Phenology data are also important for managing human health risks, such as pollen release; the timing of agricultural planting, pest treatments and harvesting; and wildlife and fisheries management. Ultimately, a national phenology database will provide important input for decisions needed for societal adaptation to climate change.  This poster presentation, An integrated plant and animal phenology monitoring system: a new national program for reporting contemporary phenology data, will be shown in Exhibit Hall A on Aug. 2 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Contact Kathryn Thomas at the poster site or at 570-670-5534 or at Kathryn_A_Thomas@usgs.gov.

Oak Savannas: Where East Meets West: The oak savannas of the Midwest are the transition landscape between vast western grasslands and the great forests of the East.  Historically, these savannas covered millions of acres but are today among the most endangered ecosystems on the planet.  Until recently, managers had little information about the value of these oak savannas for plants and animals.  A USGS study by Ralph Grundel and Noel B. Pavlovic found that while some animals and plants occupied all of habitats across this transitional landscape – from grasslands to forests - at about the same rate, others definitely had strong preferences for either grasslands or forest habitats. However, comparatively few plants and animals had strong preferences for the oak savannas, which suggests that plants and animals tend to use savannas more as an ecotonal – or transitional habitat – rather than one whose characteristics strongly differentiate it from other habitats along the grassland-forest continuum.  In addition, the two found that the diversity of the groundlayer in oak savannas increases as fire frequency increases, canopy cover decreases, light increases, and soil productivity increases. Patterns of groundlayer composition suggest that climate change will shift the important and diverse groundlayer composition relative to how much it alters tree canopy cover through changes in fire regime and moisture gradients through increased or decreased seasonal rain or snow. This information will help resource managers plan effective management and restoration activities and to plan for future climate change strategies. The research on Midwest oak savannas – unique or ecotonal? will be presented on Aug. 3 at 8:40 a.m. in Rooms 306-307. The research on Determinants of oak savanna ground layer composition and richness will be in the same room on Aug. 3 at 9:50 a.m. Contact Ralph Grundel at 219-926-8336 x422 or at rgrundel@usgs.gov or contact Noel Pavlovic at 219-926-8336 x428 or at npavlovic@usgs.gov.

Fiery Changes in Southern California Fire Occurrence: USGS researchers found that southern California is the only part of the state that has experienced significant increases in wildfires over the last five decades. Analysis shows that this increase is linked to the rise in atmospheric temperature. Past studies suggest that wildfire activity has increased throughout the western United States. USGS researchers wanted to know whether this pattern has region-specific variations and causes. For the analysis, they divided California into five climate zones and looked at how number of wildfires and area burned have changed over the past 49 years. But this study did not find statewide increases in wildfires. Only southern California experienced increases in fires and area burned. Curiously, the increases are not linked to that region’s enormous change in population growth. However, for northern California, analysis shows that wildfire trends have links to population trends. This research gives new perspectives on wildfire trends in California. The results will inform urban and natural resource planners on their long-term outlook on wildfire management. This research will be presented on Aug. 5 at 2:10 p.m. in Room 301-302. Contact: Dr. Jon Keeley at 559-79-8985 or at jon_keeley@usgs.gov.

 

Mountaintop Removal for Coal Mining Harms Forest Songbirds: Mountaintop removal for coal mining affects diversity and abundance of songbird species differently in reclaimed areas and in intact and fragmented forests, according to a USGS study. Mountaintop removal converts a landscape of predominately mature deciduous forest to one containing reclaimed grassland and scrubland habitats that surround remnant forest patches. USGS researcher Petra Wood found that songbird richness and abundance were highest in reclaimed scrublands and lowest in reclaimed grasslands. Richness and abundance did not differ between intact and fragmented forests because the increased abundance of species that can live on the edges of fragmented and intact forests balanced the loss of species dependent on interior forests.  Grassland, edge, and interior-edge songbirds were more abundant on the post-mining landscape and forest-interior species were more abundant in intact than fragmented forest. The research specifically examined cerulean warblers because southern West Virginia lies within the core range of this at-risk species. These warblers appear to be negatively affected from loss of forested habitat, particularly ridgetops where they occur in greater densities, and from degradation of remaining forests, as evidenced by lower territory density in fragmented forests and lower territory density and abundance closer to mine edges. The severity of habitat loss and fragmentation for this species and other forest-dwelling birds will depend on whether mountaintop removal areas are reforested, which may help lessen the effects of forest loss and fragmentation.  Non-timber post-mining land uses such as grazing or development will result in permanent fragmentation of forest habitats.  This research, Effects of MTR on avian diversity and abundance, cerulean warblers as a case study, will be presented on Tuesday, Aug. 3 at 9:10 a.m. in Blrm A. For more information, contact Petra Wood at 304-293-5090 or atpbwood@usgs.gov.

WASHINGTON – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar today announced joint scientific research projects that address the effects of climate change on freshwater systems and sensitive aquatic species in the northwestern and southeastern United States.

American and Canadian scientists are setting sail this summer to map the Arctic seafloor and gather data to help define the outer limits of the continental shelf.

Each coastal nation may exercise sovereign rights over the natural resources of their continental shelf, which includes the seabed and subsoil. These rights include control over minerals, petroleum, and sedentary organisms such as clams, crabs and coral.

Under international law, specifically the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, every coastal nation automatically has a continental shelf out to 200 nautical miles or to a maritime boundary. The Convention also states that a nation is entitled to continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles if certain criteria are met, an area that is referred to as the “extended continental shelf.”

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The U.S. Geological Survey is the lead science agency for the United States in the 2010 mission. “In this expedition, Canada and the U.S. are working together to delineate the extended continental shelf in the Arctic to better determine where the Convention’s criteria can be met,” said USGS scientist Brian Edwards, chief scientist on the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy.

The Healy will sail August 2 – September 6, 2010, meeting up with the Canadian Coast Guard Ship Louis S. St-Laurent at sea.

The ships will alternately break through the Arctic sea ice for each other. The Healy will map the shape of the seafloor using a multibeam echo sounder, and the Louis S. St-Laurent will collect multi-channel seismic reflection and refraction data to determine sediment thickness.

This is the third year the United States and Canada have collaborated in extended continental shelf data collection in the Arctic. The United States has independently been collecting single ice-breaker data in the Arctic since 2003 in furtherance of the U.S. Extended Continental Shelf Project.

“The Arctic Ocean is an area of great interest for science, resource conservation, and possible economic development,” said USGS scientist Deborah Hutchinson. “Because there is an area with considerable overlap between the U.S. and Canadian extended continental shelves, it makes sense to share data sets and work together in the remote and challenging environments of the Arctic Ocean.”

“This is the last year working in the Canada Basin north of Alaska, and in 2011, we’ll collect data together with Canada in the area north of the Canada Basin around the Alpha Ridge,” said USGS scientist Jonathan Childs, who is leading the U.S. Interagency Task Force Seismic Data Operations Team.

Research is coordinated by the U.S. Extended Continental Shelf Task Force, a government-wide group headed by the U.S. Department of State. Participants in this Task Force include the U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Coast Guard, National Science Foundation, Joint Chiefs of Staff, U.S. Navy, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Executive Office of the President, Minerals Management Service and the Arctic Research Commission.

For additional information on this expedition as well as photographs and video from past cruises, visit the Extended Continental Shelf Project or the Sound Waves April 2009 Newsletter.

Visit Canada’s Extended Continental Shelf website to learn more. 

Information on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea can be found online. 

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A new species of turtle no bigger than a small dinner plate has been discovered, bringing the number of native turtle species in the U.S. to 57.

The Pearl River map turtle, discovered by scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey, is found only in the Pearl River in Louisiana and Mississippi. It is a relict of sea-level fluctuations between glacial and interglacial periods over 10,000 years ago, which isolated map turtles in different rivers along the Gulf Coast. Eventually, the turtles evolved into unique species confined to a single river system.

USGS scientists Josh Ennen and Jeff Lovich said the turtle, whose new scientific name is Graptemys pearlensis, had previously been confused with another turtle species in a nearby river, the Pascagoula map turtle.

Like the Pascagoula map turtle, the Pearl River map turtle is a native freshwater reptile that lives in large rivers to medium-sized streams. Females are much larger than males, measuring between 6 and 11 inches as adults, and use large crushing surfaces on their jaws to open clams. Males, meanwhile, grow to a comparatively puny 4 to 6 inches and eat some mollusks, but mostly insects and fish.

The discovery, published in Chelonian Conservation and Biology, is a reminder that there are still exciting discoveries to be made – and one doesn’t necessarily have to go far to make them, said Ennen.

“We don’t know as much as we sometimes think we do,” said Ennen. “When people think about discovery and new species, they think of rainforests, or unexplored and isolated countries. Coming from southern Mississippi, I basically found this turtle in my own backyard.”

Ennen discovered the species while doing other research on Graptemys species in the region for his Ph.D. dissertation. “The Pascagoula River map turtle was one of the only map turtle species believed to occur in two major drainages. I thought it was strange that it was such an anomaly. My professors, Brian Kreiser and Carl Qualls at the University of Southern Mississippi, encouraged me to look further, so I started doing genetic research on the turtles from the Pearl River and the turtles from the Pascagoula River.”

Once he started finding significant genetic differences between the two turtles, Ennen called USGS scientist Jeff Lovich onto the scene. Lovich had found, described and named the last two turtle species – also of the genus Graptemys – discovered in the United States in 1992. During his own research in the 80’s, Lovich had noticed subtle differences between the turtles in each river, but had not thought they were different species. “Josh asked me to reanalyze my data on color and the way the turtles look to combine with the genetic data,” Lovich said.

Altogether, the data was enough to make it plain: the Pearl River map turtle and the Pascagoula River map turtle are definitely two different species. The genetic data was clear on this, though the visual differences are more subtle -- one of the most obvious is the Pearl River map turtle sports a continuous black stripe down its back whereas the Pascagoula map turtle has a broken black stripe.

Lovich and Ennen are both excited about the discovery of a new turtle species, but think “it could be a long time before another one is discovered.”

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Ten common loons are now sporting satellite transmitters so researchers can study the migratory movements and feeding patterns of these remarkable fish-eating waterbirds as they migrate through the Great Lakes toward their winter homes farther south.

By using satellite tracking devices implanted in the loons from Wisconsin and Minnesota, USGS scientists expect to learn essential information about avian botulism needed by managers to develop important conservation strategies for the loon species.  

Biologist Jeff Wilson releases a loon marked with a geolocator tag on a lake in northern Wisconsin. Geolocator tag is shown attached to a common loon's leg band using marine epoxy and cable ties.

“This study will also help managers better understand how loons fare as they head to their wintering grounds along the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic coasts,” said USGS scientist Kevin Kenow, of the Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center (UMESC) in La Cross, WI. “Right now, little is known about habitat use along their entire migratory routes.”

Common loons, a large black and white waterbird with haunting calls, are an iconic species in the Great Lakes states where they are most abundant. Unlike most birds which have hollow bones, loon bones are dense, helping them to dive to depths of some 250 feet in their search for food.

In addition to satellite transmitter-marked loons, about 70 other loons will have geolocator tags, which will record daily location, temperature, light levels and water-pressure data that will log the foraging depths of these diving birds. “This information will help shed light on how avian botulism may work in the food web on the Great Lakes,” said Kenow, the leader of the migration project.

Botulism, which has caused more than 80,000 bird deaths on the Great Lakes since 1999, causes paralysis and death of vertebrates who ingest neurotoxin produced by the botulism bacterium.  The USGS study on avian botulism on the Great Lakes, funded by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, will examine the pathways by which fish and birds acquire botulinum toxin from Great Lakes food webs and determine how avian botulism outbreaks are related to environmental variables such as water quality and food web structure. Avian botulism outbreaks have resulted in periodic and often huge die-offs of fish-eating birds since at least the 1960s, but outbreaks have become more common and widespread since 1999, particularly in Lakes Michigan and Erie. 

“Understanding feeding patterns and exposure routes of waterbird species at high risk for botulism die-offs, such as the common loon, is central to understanding how botulism exposure happens in the aquatic food chains in the Great Lakes and to eventually identifying what drives botulism outbreaks,” said Kenow, “Only then, can we help provide tools to prevent or lessen such outbreaks.”

Movement of loons from previous studies carrying satellite transmitters can be followed online at the USGS UMESC website.  Loon movements from the current study will be available later this summer. 

More information on avian botulism can be found at USGS National Wildlife Health Center website

In addition to the UMESC, the USGS Great Lakes Science Center, National Wildlife Health Center and Michigan Water Science Center are involved in the Great Lakes botulism study. The University of Florida’s College of Veterinary Medicine, Wisconsin and Minnesota Departments of Natural Resources, and St. John’s Abbey and University provided support to various aspects of the migration project. 

Decision makers need a toolbox full of ideas to understand the large-scale impacts of their choices—to secure water for cities and wildlife, to adapt to climate change, to meet the nation's energy needs and to better conserve biodiversity. Scientists are developing new tools that help decision makers and the public understand the consequences of different choices at the scale of entire landscapes. Learn how researchers look at the natural world and how their perspective can inform public policy.

What: This U.S. Geological Survey briefing will focus on landscape-scale science and how it can be used to make decisions with landscape implications. The briefing will pay particular attention to the Wyoming Conservation Land Initiative, an initiative many other states are paying attention to for its innovative multi-partner, science-based program to assess, monitor and enhance aquatic and terrestrial habitats at a landscape scale. In addition, the briefing will discuss projects using Habitat Conservation Planning and conservation genetics to identify and protect hotspots of diversity; these projects planners and regulators maximize the conservation benefits of land-use decisions to biodiversity, especially for at-risk and endangered species.

Who: Kit Batten, Senior Science Fellow at the Heinz Center (emcee)
K. Bruce Jones, Chief Scientist for Biology, USGS
Justin Caudill, Wyoming Department of Agriculture Program Coordinator to the WLCI
Ron Rempel, Director, San Diego Management and Monitoring Program

Where: 1334 Longworth House Office Building, Capitol Hill, Washington, DC

When: July 23, 2010, 10 a.m.

Host: The Heinz Center for Science, Economics and the Environment

Glaciers that lose their footing on the seafloor and begin floating behave very erratically, according to a new study published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters. Floating glaciers produce larger icebergs than their grounded cousins and do so at unpredictable intervals.

This study presents the first detailed observation of the transition from grounded to floating glaciers, which is currently ongoing at Columbia Glacier, one of Alaska’s many tidewater glaciers. Tidewater glaciers flow directly into the ocean, ending at a cliff in the sea, where icebergs are formed.  Prior to this study, Alaskan tidewater glaciers were believed to be exclusively “grounded” (resting on the ocean floor), and unable to float without disintegrating.

However, Columbia Glacier unexpectedly developed a floating extension in 2007 that has endured far longer than researchers expected. The research team believes that this floating section may have been caused by the speed at which the glacier is receding, according to U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) glaciologist Shad O’Neel, who coauthored the study. Columbia is one of the fastest receding glaciers in the world, having retreated 4 km (2.49 mi) since 2004, and nearly 20 km (12.43 mi) since 1980.

According to Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California at San Diego glaciologist Fabian Walter, who led the study, the transition from grounded to floating ice will play an important role in a larger effort to understand and include calving in large-scale glacier models, which are essential in producing accurate forecasts of sea-level rise. The research team conducted their study on Columbia Glacier by installing a seismometer, a sensor that measures seismic waves that are produced by shifts in geologic formations, including earthquakes, landslides, and glacier calving.  They studied the results from 2004-2005 and 2008-2009, which allowed them to compare the glacier’s activity before and after it became floating.

The formation of icebergs, through a process known as “calving,” is a leading source of additional water for the global ocean basin.  As this study confirms, grounded glaciers and floating glaciers often show fundamentally different calving mechanics.  However, iceberg calving is also one of the least understood processes involved in ice mass loss and consequential sea level rise.  The study, which is funded by the National Science Foundation, sheds light on the process by comparing the size and frequency of icebergs calved by a glacier during both floating and grounded conditions.

Calving occurs when fractures in the ice join up and cause a piece of ice to completely separate from the main glacier to form an iceberg.  Unlike the floating glaciers, grounded glaciers calve icebergs nearly continuously, but they are generally quite small.

Through this study, scientists can begin to analyze the mechanics of the calving process in glaciers (both floating and grounded) and ice shelves, which will allow them to better understand and predict iceberg production from glaciers and ice sheets.  These predictions, in turn, will provide a more accurate estimate of sea-level rise in the coming years.

As of the date of this press release, the paper has not yet been published, but journalists and public information officers of educational and scientific institutions who have registered with AGU can download a PDF copy of this paper from their website.  Journalists who are not registered with AGU may email Kathleen O’Neil at koneil@agu.edu to order a copy of the pdf.  Please provide the journalist’s name, the name of his or her publication, and their phone number.

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The Greater Everglades Ecosystem Restoration Conference (Planning, Science, Policy) 2010 meets from July 12-16 in Naples, Fla. Below are a few USGS presentation highlights from the conference. For more information visit the conference website. 

High Mercury Levels Found in Burmese Pythons: Some invasive Burmese pythons have high levels of mercury, enough to merit concern from anyone interested in hunting them to eat, according to preliminary research by USGS researchers. Pythons are at the top of the food chain –they eat over 35 different species of mammals and birds, some of which are endangered and even alligators. As predators, these pythons are at a higher risk of mercury bioaccumulation because mercury builds up in organisms higher on the food web. One possible strategy to reduce the population of invasive pythons is to allow hunting; however, if the mercury content of the pythons is too high, the flesh of the pythons could present an unsafe level of mercury exposure to those humans who consume it. So far, the USGS Mercury Research Laboratory has analyzed over 50 python tail-tissue samples, with about equal numbers of adults and hatchlings.  These results show that on average, tissue from the adults contained high levels of mercury, and the hatchlings were on average 22 times lower in mercury levels than their mother. An additional 100 samples are scheduled for further examination. This study, Mercury Bioaccumulation in Everglades Pythons, will be presented on July 15 in the afternoon poster session. For more information, contact David Krabbenhoft at 608-335-4234 or atdpkrabbe@usgs.gov.

More Northern African Pythons Found in the Wild in South Florida:  When it comes to nonnative species, southern Florida is no stranger to big snakes, but recently there were 7 credible sightings of a newcomer called the Northern African python along the western border of Miami, alarmingly close to the eastern edge of the Everglades. A close relative to the invasive Burmese python, the African python can reach lengths of up to 20 feet and weigh over 150 pounds, although the largest one found in Florida was 14 feet and 138 pounds. In response to fears that a second large python species might establish itself in the Everglades, the Exotic Animal Strike Team organized an intensive 3-day search for the python in January of 2010, turning up five adult African pythons in the wild. Since then, several more African pythons have been removed from the same area. Scientists hope to assess the prospects for eradicating this new invader to help prevent it from becoming as widespread as the Burmese python. The Northern African Python in south Florida will be presented on July 13 from 5 to 7 p.m. in the exhibit hall.  For more information, contact Christina Romagosa at 334-844-8030 or at romagch@auburn.edu.

Florida Crocodile Would be Further Threatened by Sea-Level Rise: Predicted sea-level rise would likely inundate historical American crocodile nesting areas and increase salinity so that much of the habitat crocodiles now use would become less favorable, according to new modeling research by USGS researchers and their UF colleagues. Everglades restoration alone would have little effect on the crocodile population, but in combination with sea-level rise, restoration will significantly help offset the negative effects of climate change on the American crocodile population. This study, Using a Spatially Explicit Crocodile Population Model to Predict Potential Impacts of Sea Level Rise and Everglades Restoration Alternatives, will be presented on July 15 at 4 p.m. in Royal Palm III. For more information, contact Tim Green at 352-317-7506 or at tgreen@usgs.gov.

Manatees Take Shelter Below the Cold: Manatees in the Ten Thousand Islands and Everglades National Park do not have access to springs or power plants that provide warm water in other parts of the state. This may account for the high manatee mortality during the especially severe winter of 2010 in the Everglades National Park, but in the Ten Thousand Islands, scientists discovered that artificial canal systems provided manatees with warm water refuges beneath the colder surface water. These warm- water pockets occur beneath the cold surface water because freshwater is lighter than saltwater and can flow over it, forming a sharp freshwater-saltwater gradient that scientists call a halocline. This prevents the cold water from sinking and the warm water from rising, allowing the manatees to stay warm along the bottom. This study highlights a previously unappreciated mechanism, amenable to management actions that can provide thermal protection for manatees and other cold-sensitive species. Manatees, Restoration, and Severe Winters: How Haloclines Shelter Manatees from Cold in Southwest Florida, will be presented on July 15th at 11:40 a.m. in Royal Palm IV-V. For more information, contact Brad Stith at 352-264-3529 or at bradley_stith@usgs.gov.

Pet or Threat? Invasive Species May be Both: In a risk assessment to determine which reptile species are most likely to invade South Florida, USGS scientists and their University of Florida colleagues found four factors effectively predict whether a nonnative species can establish itself: what kind of animal it is, temperatures the animal can live in, manageability, and sale price. Since most invasive wildlife species originate from the pet trade, the scientists suggest that screening imported wildlife using these criteria could prevent future invasion. To test this, models based on the four factors were applied to the 33 most frequently imported reptiles in Florida, 12 of which the model predicted as potential invaders. Adapting these new prediction and modeling procedures to screen the South Floridian pet and aquarium trade might help to slow down the addition of nonnative, invasive species to the Everglades. This study, Risk Assessment of Invasive Wildlife Species in South Florida, will be presented on July 13 at 9:40 a.m. in Royal Palm III. For more information, contact Kristen Hart at 954-577-6335 or at kristen_hart@usgs.gov.

Cuban Treefrogs Dining on Florida’s Native Treefrogs: South Floridians have noticed that in areas where the invasive Cuban treefrog is present, fewer or no native treefrog species are around. A USGS study is adding to mounting evidence that Cuban treefrogs are a threat to native green treefrogs and squirrel treefrogs. While the exact ecological consequences of the invasion are still being unraveled, the study found that sites occupied by Cuban treefrogs were 9 times less likely to have green treefrogs and 16 times less likely to have squirrel treefrogs. Other studies indicate that Cuban treefrogs are outcompeting native treefrogs for resources and also preying upon the native treefrogs, which are considerably smaller than the Cuban treefrog – a 6-inch adult Cuban treefrog can easily dine upon the 2 1/2 –inch green treefrog and the even smaller 1 1/2 –inch squirrel treefrog. With predicted climate change, the Cuban treefrog may even be able to invade more northern areas of the United States. The study revealed that already the Cuban treefrogs seem to be invading farther eastward in the state. This study, Presence of Invasive Cuban Treefrog Reduces Probability of occurrence of Native Treefrog Species in Southern Florida, will be presented on July 13 at 5 p.m. in the exhibit hall. For more information, contact Susan Walls at 352-264-3507 or at swalls@usgs.gov.

Disappearing Islands and Mangrove Forests Documented in South Florida: By using historical charts and aerial photos, USGS scientists based in Florida documented that between 1928 and 2004, 80 islands have disappeared from Whitewater Bay, likely because of hurricanes, sea-level rise, and storm surges. Traditionally the coast has been dominated by mangrove forests, but since 1910 seven major hurricanes have devastated the mangroves, converting them to intertidal mudflats. Meanwhile, the combination of saltwater-bearing canals, storm surge, and sea-level rise has caused an increase in water salinity and coastal erosion, converting substantial marshland to open water and causing the disappearance of islands in Whitewater Bay, and the shrinking in size of numerous other islands. Understanding the cause of island loss in Whitewater Bay may assist in management and conservation efforts of the more than 145,000 acres of mangrove forest from Cape Romano to Cape Sable. This study, The Disappearing Islands of Whitewater Bay, Everglades National Park, will be presented on July 13 at 6 p.m. in the exhibit hall. For more information, contact Paul R. Nelson at prnelson@usgs.gov or at 727-803-2032.

 Sea-Level Rise, Storms, Freezes, and Fire: Change in the Coastal Everglades: By using historical charts and aerial photos, USGS researchers were able to show changes that have occurred in the coastal Everglades since the early 20th century. They found that sea-level rise, major storms, altered fire regimes and artificial canals have caused numerous changes, including the conversion of the intertidal area, historically dominated by mangrove forests, to intertidal mudflats. On Cape Sable, the combination of canals from the gulf into freshwater marshes and storm surges has increased salinity and coastal erosion, leading to the conversion of thousands of hectares of marsh to open water or to mangrove forests. In more upstream marsh locations, mangroves are migrating into and replacing marsh. As sea-level continues to rise, these shifts are likely to be permanent with consequences for numerous at-risk species, such as the Cape Sable seaside sparrow, a species first found in the now-vanished marshes. Not all consequences are harmful, though – the endangered small-tooth sawfish and roseate spoonbill, for example, use the newly formed open-water habitats.  This research reveals that as restoration proceeds, it is clear that climate change and other factors must be considered. This study, Vectors of Change in the Coastal Everglades: Sea Level Rise, Storms, Freezes and Fire, will be presented on July 15 at 2:40 p.m. in Royal Palm III. For more information, contact Tom Smith at Tom_J_Smith@usgs.gov or at 727-803-8747 ext. 3130.

Wildlife, Fish, and Toxic Mercury: Considerations for Restoration: Two years of surveys of surface water and forage fish from about 70 sites across Everglades National Park show several regions of elevated methylmercury – the most toxic form of mercury -- in the head of Shark River Slough, the C111 Basin, and the mouths of the Shark River and Taylor sloughs. Scientists from the USGS and the National Park Service found that large-scale factors, including land use, water use and management, disturbances such as fires and droughts, and atmospheric mercury levels all play a role in controlling mercury accumulation across the Everglades. Consequently, these factors are vital to address in the Everglades Restoration Program, especially since almost all of the mercury in top predators is the toxic methylmercury. Since the methylation process occurs on a much smaller scale, scientists must link large-scale land and water-use factors and small-scale biogeochemical processes to inform decision makers on how various restoration efforts may affect future methylmercury production and potential exposure to wildlife, fish, and humans. This study, The Influence of Canal Water Releases on the Distribution of Mercury, Methylmercury, Sulfate, and Dissolved Organic Carbon in Everglades National Park: Implications for Ecosystem Restoration, will be presented on July 13 at 4:40 p.m. in Royal Palm III. For more information, contact David P. Krabbenhoft at 608-335-4234 or at dpkrabbe@usgs.gov.

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FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — A revised web page with new tools enabling researchers to link planetary features and names directly to programs such as ArcGis and GoogleEarth was unveiled today, greatly simplifying the work of standardizing terminology and locations of planetary features throughout the solar system.

This new “web feature service,” which links the planetary database to the end-user’s program, is part of a comprehensive renovation of the Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature website. This website, run by the U.S. Geological Survey’s Astrogeology Science Center, is the official site for accessing the current and complete list of International Astronomical Union approved names for rings, satellites, and features on the surfaces of planets other than Earth.

Once a user’s computer-mapping, or Geographic Information Systems program, is linked, the user can explore the database using a variety of visualization tools and detailed searches.  The service ensures that updates, refinements, and additions to the planetary database are automatically streamed to the user, encouraging the consistent use of IAU approved planetary names. A web map service also allows users to link to and explore planetary maps hosted by the USGS.  The web feature and map services both adhere to Open Geospatial Consortium standards.

The USGS runs this website to assist planetary scientists during the course of new missions. “We help scientists obtain IAU approved names in order to ensure that planetary features of high scientific interest, such as craters, mountains, and channels are officially named and described,” said Jennifer Blue, planetary nomenclature expert with the Astrogeology Science Center.

The new “web feature service” has also precipitated the redesign of the website’s user interface. “The technical requirements of implementing the web feature service provided a unique opportunity to also make visual improvements to the Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature website,” said USGS web-developer Ryan Raub. 

The new website is intended to enhance the user’s visual experience and provide intuitive and efficient exploration of the planetary nomenclature database. It provides an interactive homepage, complete with rotating planets, where users can quickly select a planet or body of interest. International Astronomical Union approved names are displayed as annotated points or areas on an image of the planet, where users can pan to different regions or zoom for increased detail.  With a few clicks, users can display detailed information about surface features such as a size and location as well as what the name means.

USGS web-developer Mark Bailen notes the new website benefits scientists and enthusiasts alike. “The new ‘target chooser’ provides a fun way to explore the planets while revealing valuable information about the Solar System,” said Bailen.

The web feature and map services are the first of several improvements that will take place to the Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature over the coming months and years.  To explore the new website and access its new web feature and map services, please visit Planetary Nomenclature website. For more information on linking to the services, visit the Astrodocs Webservices website.

The mission of the USGS Astrogeology Science Center is to serve the Nation, the international planetary science community, and the general public’s pursuit of new knowledge of our Solar System. The Science Center’s vision is to be a national resource for the integration of planetary geosciences, cartography, and remote sensing. As explorers and surveyors, with a unique heritage of proven expertise and international leadership, USGS astrogeologists enable the ongoing successful investigation of the Solar System for humankind. For more information, visit http://astrogeology.usgs.gov

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Space Policy announced by the White House today recognizes and endorses the Department of the Interior’s expertise and accomplishments in land imaging and remote sensing to advance global climate change research and provide data for science and natural resource management.

It’s National Pollinator Week, and you can get the inside buzz on North America’s pollinators by listening to re-broadcast podcasts about the essential birds, bees, bats, and even beetles that pollinate your food and flowering plants, and make our wild areas beautiful and healthy. You can also find out about USGS research on our nation’s wild pollinators.

The National Academy of Sciences has reported that not only is there direct evidence for decline of some pollinator species in North America, but also very little is known about the status and health of most of the world's wild pollinators.  Yet without them, the ability of agricultural crops and wild plants to produce food products and seeds is jeopardized. Over 75 percent of flowering plants rely on pollinators, and they are responsible for an estimated $15 billion in services to agriculture alone in the United States. Pollinators are equally as important to sustaining ecosystem functions and food supplies for wildlife.

Podcasts: These podcasts were originally produced for National Pollinator Week 2008 and 2009 by the North American Pollinator Protection Campaign and its federal partners in the Department of the Interior.

Bees are Not an Option: The tremendous importance of native bees and pollinators in general, and how you can easily lend a hand to these tiny titans. 

Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Altitudes: Pollinators, Phenology, and Climate Change: How climate change may be affecting pollinators and the timing of their life events.

USGS Studies on Wild Pollinators:

Bee Mysteries: What Do Native Bees Want? At Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, USGS scientist Ralph Grundel is working to unravel some of the many mysteries surrounding native bee communities. He and his colleagues surveyed bees in five different habitats from dense forests to open fields, hoping to find out if the plant community predicted the bee community, or if other things, such as soil type, tree density, or disturbances such as fire, were more important. The researchers collected close to 5,000 native bees, representing at least 171 species. They had anticipated that the closer collecting sites were to each other the more similar the bee communities would be – but, said Grundel, they were wrong. Mere physical proximity wasn’t a very good predictor of how similar bee communities would be, which means that local factors – such as soil type and the presence of woody debris (many native bees are ground- and cavity-nesters) – are important in determining bee communities. In fact, bee abundance – the actual numbers of bees of all species -- was lower in areas with a lot of tree canopy cover and higher if fire had occurred recently. Bee diversity – the number of different species – was higher in areas with more kinds of plants and an abundance of nesting resources (such as woody debris), and the kinds of bees in the bee community was significantly related to plant diversity, nesting suitability, and canopy cover.  Specialist bees – those that gather pollen from a limited number of plants – were most likely to live in more open areas, indicating that the diversity of specialist bees lessens as the density of trees increases. Specialist bees, not surprisingly, were also more associated with the presence of native plants in the area, but a lot of these native plants were more likely to occur in disturbed areas, including areas that had recently been burned. So when pollinator organizations promote having pollinator gardens even in urban areas, there is science behind it, Grundel said, noting that there are native bee communities even on the rooftops of buildings in Manhattan. Contact: Ralph Grundel, rgrundel@usgs.gov, 219-926-8336, x422.

Research on Endangered Karner Blue Butterflies: The federally endangered Karner blue butterfly is a resident of oak savannas. The butterfly used to live in all states and Canadian provinces bordering the Great Lakes but across most of that range, many populations have disappeared or diminished in size. Beginning in the early 1990's, USGS scientist Ralph Grundel has carried out extensive research in the Indiana Dunes on the habitat use patterns of adult Karner blue butterflies, as well as the distribution and population characteristics of wild lupine, the specific host plant of the butterfly. Although that research has clearly indicated the importance of canopy diversity for the Karner blue, restoring such diverse landscapes has not proven sufficient for maintaining Karner blue populations – Karner blue population counts at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore declined 81 percent from 1999-2008, despite active habitat management.  These trends raise the possibility that other factors, such as climate change, are negatively affecting this species.  To examine this possibility, Grundel, along with USGS colleagues and scientists at the University of Notre Dame, are examining how large- and micro- scale climatic variation is affecting the distribution, demography, and genetics of Karner blue populations. Contact: Ralph Grundel, rgrundel@usgs.gov 219-926-8336, x422.

Living Alongside Butterflies and Mosquitoes: How Measuring Pesticide Exposure Levels can Support Management of At-Risk Pollinators: Two at-risk butterfly species that are found in the National Key Deer Refuge on Big Pine Key in Florida may be harmed by currently allowed aerial application of a mosquito control insecticide over the refuge. The butterflies – the Florida leafwing butterfly and Bartram’s hairstreak butterfly – are candidates for listing under the Endangered Species Act. Since the refuge is one of a few locations where the butterflies are found, refuge managers want to make sure that mosquito-control insecticides do not harm the butterflies. Consequently, USGS researcher Tim Barger is conducting laboratory and field studies to assess if the amount of exposure to these insecticides on the refuge adversely affects the species or not. The results of these studies will also help the mosquito control district understand if its spray patterns should be changed to reduce impacts in areas not targeted by the sprays. Contact: Timothy Bargar, tbargar@usgs.gov, 352-264-3520.

Calling All Shutterbugs: Go On Safari for Pollinators: Did you know that roughly one-third of the food you eat requires insect pollination? However, bees and other pollinators face increasing risk from pesticide use, habitat loss, climate change and diseases. You can help scientists find out more about how bees are doing by taking digital photographs for “Bee Hunt.” This citizen science project is part of Discover Life, a key partner of the USGS-NBII Invasive Species Information Node. So go grab your pith helmet, watch a short video describing how to take photographs in the field, and join us for an exciting small-scale safari. Discover Life is also rallying citizen scientists to monitor plants, fungi, lichens, ladybugs, moths, butterflies, caterpillars and other critters. Contact Nancy Lowe at nancy@discoverlife.org.

The Nectar Corridor and Pollinating Bats: Three species of nectar- and pollen-feeding bats unique to the southwestern United States may be critical to the health and maintenance of ecosystems in the U.S.-Mexico borderland area. The lesser long-nosed bat and greater long-nosed bat are endangered; the Mexican long-tongued bat is noted by some as being a species of concern. Vandalism and destruction of roosting sites and loss of habitat and food resources may jeopardize all three species.  With the aim of helping to guide conservation and management strategies for nectar-feeding bats in the Southwest, USGS researchers have a long history of studying the distribution, abundance, and activity patterns of these important migratory pollinators. Contact: Paul Cryan, cryanp@usgs.gov, 970-226-9389.

Do Invasive Plants Influence Pollinator Visits to Native Plants? If pollinators choose to visit invasive plants instead of native ones, it could influence or even reduce native plant reproduction. USGS studies on the effects of competition between native and non-native plants for pollination services include:

In North Dakota USGS researcher Diane Larson has studied the effects of nonnative plant invasion on pollination of native plants in natural areas.  One study by Larson and her colleagues revealed that in natural areas where the invasive plant, leafy spurge, is present, there were fewer visits by native sweat bees to native plants.  Even though visits by bees to native flowers increased in uninfested areas in the second year of the study, they declined in infested areas. In addition, native plants received less of their own species’ pollen in both years, which could potentially limit reproduction. Contact: Diane Larson, dlarson@usgs.gov, 651-649-5041.

In Badlands National Park in South Dakota, nine rare plant species compete for pollinator services with several kinds of invasive plants. USGS scientists Diane Larson and Sam Droege are documenting the interaction webs that that link rare and invasive plants with pollinators and, consequently, with each other. As park managers work to reduce populations of invasive plants, it becomes important to know if pollinators are relying on them; if so, it will be important to restore the floral resources lost when the invasives are removed. Understanding the linkages between pollinators of both rare and invasive species will help prevent inadvertent damage to pollinator communities and reproduction of rare plants. The list of species associated with the webs and associated trapping will provide a baseline assessment of the pollinators at the park, allowing managers and researchers to see if the kinds of pollinators change over time in response to climate change. Contact: Diane Larson, dlarson@usgs.gov, 651-649-5041.

In Acadia National Park in Maine, USGS research Howard Ginsberg also looked at how invasives affect the number of pollinator visits to native species. He and his colleagues found that the number of flower visitors to natives was lower or the kind of pollinators that visited flowers were different when invasives were present, that invasives sometimes attracted more pollinators, and that generally the invasives were more rewarding as far as nectar and pollen availability for pollinators. They also found that native plant fruit set and seed set was usually not significantly lowered in the presence of the invasive. In fact, in one year fruit set of the plant meadowsweet was significantly greater in the presence of the invasive plant purple loosestrife. The number of invasive pollen grains on native stigmas was extremely low; on average less than one grain per stigma. These fruit set and pollen deposition findings indicate that native plant reproduction was not adversely affected in the short term by these invasive species and that therefore competition between the native and invasive species for pollinators did not occur. Contact: Howard Ginsberg, hginsberg@usgs.gov, 401-874-4537.

For Experts and Backyard Bugcatchers: Butterflies and Moths of North America (BAMONA) Database: The BAMONA database is a user-friendly database that contains the most comprehensive online distribution record of butterfly and moth species available for North America. More than 275,000 records and nearly 4,500 species accounts are accessible via the website through dynamic distribution maps, checklists, and species accounts that are generated in “real time,” offering users the most up-to-date information with each visit. The data-rich website was unveiled by the National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII) Mountain Prairie Information Node (MPIN) and the Big Sky Institute (BSI) at Montana State University in June 2006. BAMONA has since drawn rave reviews from professional lepidopterists to backyard bugcatchers and has attracted up to 115,000 visits and more than 1.1 million page views per month.

North American Butterfly Association (NABA) Butterfly Counts Go Digital: Every summer, for more than 30 years, hundreds of volunteers have spread out across America to count butterflies as part of the North American Butterfly Association's (NABA) 4th of July and other summer season butterfly counts. Until recently, the task of collecting, collating, and analyzing the data from these counts was done entirely by hand and on paper. But with co-funding from the USGS NBII, the NABA was able to develop a new web-based system for automated data entry that streamlined this process. The new system was first used by volunteers to enter data for more than 300 counts completed during the 2008 monitoring period. Contact: Andrea Ostroff, aostroff@usgs.gov, 703-648-4070.

The Very Handy Bee Manual: How to Catch and Identify Bees and Manage a Collection: A simple net is no longer sufficient to catch bees.  Traps of various sorts are much more efficient and less biased when doing survey work.   It is also true that over the past 20 years many of the institutes that harbored bee taxonomists and specialists have dwindled and few groups are left to teach students of entomology how to catch, clean, label, store, and database a collection of bees. This online guide to North American bee identification is a first attempt at bridging that gap and provides detailed instructions on bee monitoring techniques including specimen collection, processing and management, and bee identification, compiled from the experiences and suggestions of the continent’s best bee researchers and collectors. Copies of The Very Handy Manual (PDF) may be downloaded. Contact: Sam Droege, sdroege@usgs.gov, 301-497-5840.

Online Interactive Bee Identification Guides: According to a 2006 National Research Council report, pollinator populations in North America are in decline or lack sufficient data to be effectively evaluated. Effective surveillance and monitoring of bee populations is highly dependent on valid species identification and robust taxonomic classifications. In response to this lack of data, DOI and USDA, as well as various academic groups, have completed much of the work necessary to best survey and monitor native bees and are beginning to survey bees in national parks, refuges, states, and other areas. In 2005, the National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII) provided a grant to its partner Discover Life to support a project on developing online interactive identification keys or Guides to the Bee Genera of North America East of the Mississippi River. With additional support from the Ambrose Monell Foundation and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and led by USGS researcher Sam Droege, scientists and taxonomists from the American Museum of Natural History and the University of Georgia-Athens are working together to create online identification guides for the bees of North America based on specimens and Charles Duncan Michener’s The Bees of the World (2000). The guides are being developed using technology provided by The Polistes Foundation, a 501C-3 nonprofit organization that coordinates the Discover Life project. Contact: Sam Droege, sdroege@usgs.gov, 301-497-5840. Note: A fact sheet with more detailed information about the Bee Guides is available online (PDF).

Pollinator Experts Database: The NBII Pollinators Project provides in-kind support to the Inter-American Biodiversity Information Network (IABIN)  Pollinators Thematic Network (PTN) by hosting and maintaining the IABIN PTN website and providing technology design, data management, and quality review support in the development of an online Pollinator Experts Database; DarwinCore Extensions for Pollinator Data Exchange; a pollinator data digitization and standardization tool; and the IABIN Pollinator Data Portal. By facilitating pollinator information access and exchange, the NBII and IABIN PTN support successful monitoring and management of pollinator populations throughout the Western Hemisphere. Contact: Elizabeth Sellers esellers@usgs.gov, 703-648-4385.

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U.S. Geological Survey scientists Margaret Hiza Redsteer and Asbury (Abby) H. Sallenger have been named as lead authors in the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). 

“We are delighted to see Margaret and Abby’s selection to the IPCC’s Assessment Report,” said Matt Larsen, Associate Director for Water at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).  “They are at the forefront of global-change research, a USGS science priority. Margaret and Abby will bring a combination of strong scientific skill and excellent field-based experience to their IPCC assignments.”

Sallenger has been assigned to co-author Chapter 5, which will be an international assessment of climate change impacts, adaptation and vulnerabilities in Coastal Systems and Low-Lying Areas. Hiza Redsteer has been assigned to Chapter 15 of the Fifth Assessment Report (AR5), entitled Adaption, Planning, and Implementation, which will assess current adaption to climate variability, all levels of adaptation policies, as well as the dissemination of knowledge and links between adaptation, development, technology transfer and adaptive capacity.

The AR5 has a 4-year drafting process, with publication expected in 2014.  The IPCC has issued four of these reports since its creation in 1988, with the purpose of assessing the major scientific and technical issues confronting governments and other parties interested in climate change.

Hiza Redsteer, a member of the Crow Nation, is a research geologist who leads the Navajo Land Use Planning Project in Flagstaff, AZ. Much of her work has been centered on studying the linkages between geology, climate and land-use history to assess climate change impacts to communities and the landscape they live on. Her education includes a B.S. in geology with extended hydrogeology emphasis; an M.S. in sedimentology from Montana State University; and a Ph.D. in isotope and trace element geochemistry from Oregon State University.

Sallenger is an oceanographer who leads the USGS National Assessment of Coastal Change Hazards, based in St. Petersburg, FL, which investigates how coastal environments (e.g. barrier islands, sand dunes, beaches, and cliffs) change over the long term and during extreme storms.  Sallenger’s research has recently focused on the processes forcing changes to barrier islands in Louisiana where rapid land subsidence simulates the long term sea level rise that could impact the world’s coasts in the next century. He received his B.A. in geology and his Ph.D. in marine science from the University of Virginia. 

Hiza Redsteer and Sallenger are among 311 coordinating lead authors, lead authors, and review authors, who were chosen from 1,208 nominees submitted by governments all around the world for the Working Group 2 contribution to IPCC Fifth Assessment Report.  The position of lead author is voluntary, as no pay is given by the IPCC.

The IPCC is a joint project of the United Nations Environment Programme and the World Meteorological Organization.  It provides non-partisan, independent scientific information on the effects and processes of climate change to governments and other stakeholders.

A full list of the authors may be accessed at http://www.ipcc-wg2.gov/AR5/AR5_authors.html.

More information about the IPCC’s 5AR may be found at http://www.ipcc-wg2.gov/AR5/ar5.html.

The USGS’ Global Change Program may be found at http://www.usgs.gov/global_change/.

The Navajo Land Use Planning Project may be found at http://geomaps.wr.usgs.gov/navajo/.

The National Assessment of Coastal Change Hazards may be found at http://coastal.er.usgs.gov/national-assessment/.

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In the next 50 years, it is estimated that drinking water needs in the Kabul Basin of Afghanistan may increase sixfold due to population increases resulting from returning refugees. It is also likely that future water resources in the Kabul Basin will be reduced as a result of increasing air temperatures associated with global climate change. These are the findings of a new study conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey.

The study estimates that at least 60 percent of shallow groundwater-supply wells would be affected and may become dry or inoperative as a result of climate change. Groundwater in the basin’s less widely used deep aquifer may supply future needs; however, the sustainability of this resource for large withdrawals, such as agricultural uses, is uncertain. Contamination is also a concern in shallow drinking water sources in Kabul.

“Water resources in the Kabul Basin are a critical issue for both the people of Afghanistan and U.S. military personnel serving there,” said USGS Director Dr. Marcia McNutt. “The work the USGS has done in providing insight about the water situation in the basin can help with future water-resource planning and management efforts and can be applied to other areas of Afghanistan.”

This study presents the results of a multidisciplinary water-resources assessment conducted between 2005 and 2007 to address questions of future water availability for a growing population and of the potential effects of climate change.

Although there is considerable uncertainty associated with climate change projections, warming trends forecast for southwest Asia would likely result in adverse changes to recharge patterns and further stresses on limited water resources. Such stresses were simulated to result in 50 percent of shallow groundwater wells in the basin becoming inoperable.

“Investigating water resources in a country affected by war and civil strife — which have left a more than 20-year gap in the scientific record — is challenging,” said Thomas Mack, USGS scientist and lead author on the report. “However, our collaborative investigation and the USGS's capacity-building efforts help empower our Afghan colleagues to manage their resources and their future.”

The research for this study was conducted in collaboration with the Afghanistan Geological Survey, a division of the Afghanistan Ministry of Mines, and the Afghanistan Ministry of Energy and Water under an agreement with the U.S. Agency for International Development.

“Training with USGS scientists has helped our engineers to modernize their skills and improve their capabilities,” said Afghanistan Geological Survey Director Mohammed Omar. “Our engineers are using these improvements as they monitor groundwater levels and water quality in the Kabul Basin.”

The study assessed climate trends, water use, surface and groundwater availability and water quality by integrating several forms of data, including surface and groundwater analyses, satellite imagery, geologic investigations, climate change analyses, and estimates of public-supply and agricultural water uses, to provide a comprehensive overview of water resources in this basin.

The full report can be accessed at http://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2009/5262.

The  Little Missouri River in Southwest Arkansas experienced a flash flood Friday, with waters that rose over 20 feet in just 5 hours, killing 20 people. In response to this severe and unusual flooding the USGS deployed a team of scientists to document and study the flow and height of the floodwater as it coursed down the Little Missouri River and its tributaries.

Related Podcasts

Science in the Aftermath of the Arkansas Flood

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“Flash flooding is one of the biggest causes of natural hazard-related deaths in the United States and we are here collecting data to understand what happened from a hydrologic standpoint, in order to help the emergency management community and National Weather Service better protect and educate the public,” said Dr. Robert Holmes, USGS National Flood Specialist. “For those camping in one of these beautiful spots near flowing water, it is important to know how high and how fast the water can rise in the case of flash floods."

Flash flooding happens when intense thunderstorms dump large quantities of rain into steep or urban watersheds in a short period of time. Flash floods are hard to predict, but data collected by the USGS is crucial to formulating better predictive models. These models are needed by forecasters and emergency responders to warn the public and improve planning, in order to minimize the impacts of future floods.

The team of USGS scientists in Arkansas is using hydrologic forensics to reconstruct the discharge, elevation, and velocities of the flood. These scientists are surveying the high water marks and geometry of the river for input into hydraulic models. The models estimate the peak flow rate of the flood as the water rushes down the streams.

Information from these models is compared to long-term records collected by the USGS on nearby rivers to determine how often such floods are likely to occur. Knowing how often a flood is likely to occur helps area communities decide whether to require higher construction elevations, warning systems, or flood-control works.

“In addition to collecting data for long-term uses, the USGS collects real-time data to aid those making daily decisions about water-related activities, whether for resource management, business operations, flood response or recreation,” said Robert Mason, a USGS hydrologist. “This recent flash flood illustrates the importance of constantly monitoring the flow of our Nation’s waters and quickly disseminating the information to those who need it.”

The USGS recently released a new service, called WaterAlert, that allows users to receive text or email updates about specific river flows, groundwater levels, water temperatures, rainfall and water quality at any of the sites where USGS collects real-time water information. WaterAlert helps inform emergency responders, recreationalists, campers and others about current water conditions, such as flooding, so that they can take appropriate action.  The service is located at http://water.usgs.gov/wateralert/.

The USGS operates approximately 7,500 streamgages as part of the National Streamflow Information Program, which provides emergency responders and the public with long term, accurate and unbiased information on streamflow in real-time.

The recent flooding occurred early Friday morning, June 11, 2010. According to Mason, this area in Arkansas is a known flood “hot spot” because of the relatively steep terrain and proximity to the Gulf of Mexico. The Gulf supplies vast quantities of humid air, and as this air flows over the mountains and hills, it rises and cools, resulting in intense rains.

A podcast interview with Dr. Robert Holmes is available as episode 128 of CoreCast.