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Manatee Research (Sirenia Project)

Web page for the Sirenia Project, a USGS Florida Integrated Science Center project that conducts studies on the West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus). Includes links to manatee research in the news, international research, publications and presentations, and project staff contact information.

  • close up of a manatee

Water Use in Florida, 2005 and Trends 1950-2005

Water is among Florida's most valued resources. The State has more than 1,700 streams and rivers, 7,800 freshwater lakes, 700 springs, 11 million acres of wetlands, and underlying aquifers yielding quantities of freshwater necessary for both human and environmental needs (Fernald and Purdum, 1998). Although renewable, these water resources are More...

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USGS Workshop on Sea-Level-Rise Impacts Held in Menlo Park, California

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)'s Western Region held an internal USGS workshop on Sea-Level-Rise Impacts on November 6-7, 2007, in Menlo Park, California. The meeting was attended by 30 scientists from four USGS disciplines (geology, geography, biology, and water) and 13 different science centers in the Western Region. In part a follow-up to the More...

  • Typical wetland in Puget Sound that now faces

Relations between and among contaminant concentrations and biomarkers in black bass (Micropterus spp.) and common carp (Cyprinus carpio) from large U.S. rivers, 1995-2004

Environmental contaminant and biomarker monitoring data from major U.S. river basins were summarized for black bass (Micropterus spp.) and common carp (Cyprinus carpio) sampled over a nine year period. Cumulative frequency distributions revealed taxon differences for many organochlorine residue concentrations, elemental contaminant concentrations, More...

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Streamflow and Endangered Species Habitat in the Lower Isleta Reach of the Middle Rio Grande

San Acacia Dam is located in a reach of the Rio Grande that has been designated as critical habitat for two endangered species, the Rio Grande silvery minnow (Hybognathus amarus) and the southwestern willow flycatcher (Empidonax traillii extimus). Presently, Rio Grande upstream from the dam is used to convey irrigation water to the Socorro main More...

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Evaluation of Potentially Nonlethal Sampling Methods for Monitoring Mercury Concentrations in Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus dolomieu)

This project is an evaluation of three potentially nonlethal alternatives to fillet sampling for the determination of mercury (Hg) concentrations in smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) to monitor mercury concentrations in smallmouth bass (micropterus dolomieu) from six sites in southern Missouri were captured by electrofishing. Blood samples More...

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Effects of Management and Climate on Elk Brucellosis in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem

Every winter, government agencies feed ;6000 metric tons (63 106 kg) of hay to elk in the southern Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) to limit transmission of Brucella abortus, the causative agent of brucellosis, from elk to cattle. Supplemental feeding, however, is likely to increase the transmission of brucellosis in elk, and may be affected by More...

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Identification and Thermal Requirements of Larval Pacific, River, and Western Brook Lampreys, and Thermal Requirements of Early Life History Stages of Lampreys

The U.S. Department of Energy's Benneville Power Administration proposes to address two fundamental aspects of lamprey biology by describing diagnostic characters of egg and larval stages of Pacific, river, and western brook lampreys, preparing a meristic and morphometric identification key, and developing molecular techniques suitable for More...

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Fisheries Investigations for Lost River and Shortnose Suckers in Upper Klamath Lake

The value of this long-term monitoring program will provide data crucial for understanding demographic and reproductive characteristics of these endangered sucker populations. This research will have wide applicability to federal, state, and tribal agencies in the basin for management and recovery efforts.

  • Biologist holding female Lost River sucker (Deltistes luxatus)

Preyfish Population Assessment

In 2002, scientists from the Great Lakes Science Center assessed the health of the populations of preyfish for the biennial State of the Lakes Ecosystem Conference (SOLEC) to provide information to policy makers on the status of the lakes and future needs. Preyfish population is one of the 80 indicators used by SOLEC to determine the health of the More...

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Fish Passage through Dams in Large Temperate Floodplain Rivers: An Annotated Bibliography

This report describes an electronic database containing 474 annotated citations that are relevant to fish passage through dams in large temperate floodplain rivers. The goal of this project was to survey the literature to help define the potential ecological consequences of restricted fish passage through dams in the Upper Mississippi River System More...

  • Upper Mississippi River dam

Bioaccumulation and Effects of PCBs on Tree Swallows Nesting along the Housatonic River, Massachusetts

Research at the Upper Midwest Environmental Center, which gathered detailed observations on tree swallow nesting success and contaminant concentrations in 1998-2000, to guide EPA and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in effectively managing the risk of chemical contaminants to wildlife and the environment.

  • Warning sign near the Housatonic River