USGS Newsroom

In this edition of USGS Science Picks, learn about the rapid disappearance of Antarctica's ice shelves, the hazards posed by sand dunes moving due to climate change and how the USGS is spending its $140 million from the President's Recovery Act. You can also discover increasing population numbers for the endangered humpback chub, new life forms found in Southwest caves and an environmentally friendly way to measure snowfall. As you head out camping this summer, you may also want to learn what to do if you come face to face with rattlesnakes! If you would like to receive Science Picks via e-mail, would like to change the recipient or no longer want to receive it, please e-mail jrobertson@usgs.gov.

May Highlights:

• Rapid Disappearance of Antarctica's Ice Shelves
• Sand Dunes on the Loose Due to Climate Change
• Recovery Act Funding: Stimulating USGS Science
• $5 Million in Earthquake Research Grants
• Good News for an Endangered Grand Canyon Fish
• New Life Forms Found in Southwest Caves
• Green Ways to Measure The White Stuff
• Severe Dust Storms in the Colorado Plateau
• Campground Stories: Face-to-Face with Rattlesnakes
• Looks like a Cutthroat, Smells like a Cutthroat, but...
• Can Harvesting Timber Increase Wildfire Hazards?
• New Web Site: Deadly White Nose Syndrome in Bats
• Salmons' Journey No Longer Blocked in Washington
• Small Lake Invader Tilts the Mercury Scales

Climate change is seriously impacting Antarctica's ice, and the Wordie Ice Shelf and the northern part of the Larsen Ice Shelf have completely disappeared. An area more than three times the size of Rhode Island (more than 8,500 km²) has broken off the central Larsen Ice Shelf since 1986. Moreover, the Jones, Müller, George VI, and Wilkins Ice Shelves have retreated substantially. These floating ice shelves are especially sensitive to climate change, so their rapid retreat may be a forecast for losses of the land-based ice on the Antarctic continent if warming continues. This could result in sea-level rise, threatening low-lying coastal communities and islands. A report and accompanying map showing these changes, authored by the USGS in collaboration with the British Antarctic Survey. This research, and other products, are part of a larger USGS project monitoring the entire Antarctic coastline. For more information, contact Jessica Robertson at jrobertson@usgs.gov or (703) 648-6624.

Climate change is increasing the mobility of sand dunes in the Southwest, posing threats to roadways, infrastructure, human health, cultural practices of the Navajo Nation, and much more. Vegetation on sand dunes serves as stabilizers, but as the climate warms and precipitation decreases, there is less vegetation growth and therefore more actively moving sand dunes. Moving dunes can alter ecosystems permanently, which is of special concern since some dune plants are endangered and commonly used for Navajo traditional cultural and medicinal practices. To understand what changes are occurring, the USGS is studying the dunes' plant diversity and how they are coping under the current conditions, helping decision makers maintain sand dune stability and enhance the area's ecology. A podcast interview with scientists on their research and preliminary findings is available in USGS CoreCast episode 94. This report will be completed soon, but for more information on related projects, visit USGS Navajo Nation Studies Web site. You can also contact Margaret Hiza at mhiza@usgs.gov.

The USGS received approximately $140 million as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. So where will the money go? Funding will help upgrade and improve some USGS laboratories and research capabilities as well as the energy efficiency, health and safety of some of the bureau's facilities. This money will also go toward modernizing streamgages, upgrading volcano monitoring networks by adding equipment to the Advanced National Seismic System, expanding volcano monitoring efforts, and collecting imagery as part of The National Map. For more information regarding USGS ARRA activities, visit the USGS DOI Recovery Web site. You can also contact recovery@usgs.gov and in the subject line state "USGS recovery act feedback or comment."

The USGS is awarding $5 million in grants and cooperative agreements in 2009 for earthquake research. Funding will go to 84 recipients, including universities, state geological surveys and private firms. In addition, applications are being accepted for up to $7 million in grants and cooperative agreements for earthquake research in 2010. "These grants underscore once again the importance to our nation of the earth science work accomplished by the USGS," Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar said. "Earthquakes are one of the most costly natural hazards faced by the nation, posing a risk to 75 million Americans in 39 states." To apply for 2010 funding, visit Grants.gov under the funding opportunity number 10HQPA0001. Applications are due May 13, 2009. For a complete list of funded projects and reports, visit http://earthquake.usgs.gov/research/external/research.php. For more information, contact Elizabeth Lemersal at lemersal@usgs.gov or (703) 648-6701.

The number of adult humpback chub increased approximately 50 percent between 2001 and 2008 in the Grand Canyon, with current populations estimated between 6,000 and 10,000. The humpback chub is a federally listed endangered species and after monitoring was initiated in 1989, the population steadily declined until 2001. The USGS and cooperators are currently pursuing research to understand why humpback chub and other native fish populations are increasing. Experimental flows from Glen Canyon Dam and above average water temperatures as the result of drought conditions may have supported native fish population increases. Removal of some nonnative fish species in select locations may also have helped. More information is available from the Status and Trends of the Grand Canyon Population of Humpback Chub factsheet and open file report. You can also contact Matthew Andersen at mandersen@usgs.gov or (928) 556-7379, or Lara Schmit at lschmit@usgs.govor (928) 556-7327.

Scientists have found that Southwestern caves are home to life forms found nowhere else on Earth. Research on these lightless and nutrient-poor caves is limited, and new findings have identified unique communities of insects, arachnids, crustaceans and other arthropods. To date, scientists have found three new genera (groups of species) of arthropods and at least 15 new species, some of which are only known to exist in a single cave. This exciting research is yielding information that will be used by resource managers to better understand and protect fragile and important Southwestern cave ecosystems. For more information, visit http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2009/3024/. You can also contact Jut Wynne at Jut.Wynne@nau.edu or (928) 523-7757, or Charles Drost at charles_drost@usgs.gov or (928) 556-7187.

Scientists have figured out a way to measure snowfall in Maine using only a bucket, a small windmill, and the sun-all the while saving money and energy, and ultimately helping to save lives. Although the USGS has about 15 snowmelt measurement sites in Maine, they needed a way to measure snowfall in remote areas where power grids are scarce. What scientists created is an energy-efficient system in which a windmill powers measurements on windy and cloudy days, and solar panels power them on calm, sunny days. Emergency managers need accurate information on snowfall to prepare for forthcoming hazards such as floods, and energy companies need to plan ahead for how much water to expect in reservoirs. For more information, read Measuring Snow with a Bucket, a Windmill, and the Sun? The Government Goes Off the Power Grid in Maine. You can also contact Robert Lent at rmlent@usgs.gov or (207) 622-8202 x102, or Gregory Stewart at gstewart@usgs.gov or (207) 622-8201, ext. 118.

Severe dust storms in the Colorado Plateau are a cause for concern for nearby communities, especially since three large storms have already occurred this spring. Dust storms affect human health, roadway visibility, machinery, lead to loss of soil fertility, and more. Dust storms can also cause snowpacks to melt more than 30 days earlier than normal, as the dark-colored dust on the snow's surface absorbs more heat from sunlight. Faster melt rates leave soils exposed to evaporation longer, reducing the amount and quality of water entering streams and the Colorado River, and decreasing late season water for wildlife and human demands. Causes for accelerated dust production include grazing, fire, energy development, land clearing and/or plowing. To help residents understand these dust storms, USGS scientists and colleagues have posted satellite videos, pictures, news stories and research at Canyonlands Research Station Web site. For more information, contact Jayne Belnap at jayne_belnap@usgs.gov or (435) 719-2333.

As many of you venture out camping to enjoy the warm spring weather, you may find yourself face to face with wildlife species such as venomous snakes. Will you know what to do? If not, here are some tips. Snakes that are hidden or moving will tend to remain doing so unless approached closely. Venomous snakes should not be handled unless they are posing an immediate threat to human safety or are being threatened by humans. If the snake has to be moved, use special snake-catching tongs to gently but firmly grasp the animal about one-third of the body length behind the head. Snakes should never be grasped by the head, just behind the head, or by the tail, as snakes held in these locations are extremely likely to injure themselves or their handler. For their best chance of survival, snakes should not be moved more than 1000 yards (less than a mile) from where they were captured. For more information on snake ecology, behavior and handling training, visit http://sbsc.wr.usgs.gov/about/contact/bio/nowak_erika.aspx?id=326. You may also contact Erika Nowak at enowak@usgs.gov or (928) 523-7760.

Native cutthroat trout populations are declining in the Western United States, and a major cause is unwelcome relatives. Rainbow trout introduced to this area are muddying up the native cutthroat gene pool and wreaking havoc on the biodiversity of native fish in Western waters. Recently USGS scientist and partners have gathered data that shows that hybridization between native cutthroat trout and non-native rainbow trout may change the ecological and evolutionary characteristics of native trout population in the wild. This emphasizes the need to address this issue in the context of wildlife policy and management. Results from the landmark study are currently featured in Biology Letters.

To learn more about the project, visit the Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center Web site, or contact Clint Muhlfeld at cmuhlfeld@usgs.gov or (406) 888-7926.

While logging can reduce wildfires over long-term periods, harvesting timber after a fire incident can also increase fire hazards in the first few years after logging. This is especially true if the surface fuels produced during the logging process are not effectively treated. A new report outlines the effects of timber harvest after a wildfire in the Western United States, highlighting the need to develop effective wildfire mitigation and restoration decisions. Not every forest or wildfire is the same, and sound science is needed on our assorted landscapes, species reliance on forests for habitat, variations in fire severity, and timing and type of harvest activities. A broad-scale understanding is especially needed as we face stressors such as climate change. View the full report (PDF). For more information, contact David Pilliod at dpilliod@usgs.gov or (208) 426-5202.

As hibernating bats in the Northeastern United States emerge this spring, scientists will be watching closely to assess the winter death toll. The killer is white-nose syndrome (WNS), an infectious disease that depletes hibernating bats of vital energy reserves and is identified by a white fuzzy fungus on their noses, ears, and wings. A new USGS Web site provides publicly available information on the history, suspected dynamics and possible implications of the disease, as well as the USGS response to this wildlife crisis. During the winter of 2006 - 2007, colonies of hibernating bats were reduced by 81 - 97 percent at the affected caves and mines that were surveyed. In the two years since, the disease has spread across nine Northeastern states and killed hundreds of thousands of cave bats. For more information, contact Paul Cryan at cryanp@usgs.gov or (970) 226-9389.

Juvenile salmon used to dive great depths to pass through the Little Goose Dam on the Snake River in Washington State, but the installation of a new spillway weir provides a passageway for fish at higher surface levels. Since most juvenile salmon reside in the waters' upper 10 to 20 feet, near the depth of the weir, this new design will improve downstream fish passage rates and do it with less water than before. This weir marks the first time all dams in the federal hydropower system downstream from Lewiston, Idaho will have surface passageways. To evaluate the spillway weir's effectiveness, USGS scientists are monitoring the migration patterns of several thousand radio-tagged juvenile Chinook salmon and steelhead. For more information, visit US Army Corps of Engineers Web site, or contact John Beeman at jbeeman@usgs.gov or (509) 538-2299, ext. 257.

When the threadfin shad fish invaded California's Clear Lake, it shook up the food web by eating the zooplankton that many other small fish depend on. As a result, the resident small fish became more dependent upon bottom-dwelling prey such as midge larvae, which reside in mercury-laden sediments. Mercury is a toxic chemical found in aquatic ecosystems, and at high exposure levels, mercury can affect the nervous and reproductive systems of fish, wildlife and humans. Thus, high levels of mercury in small fish may not only impact their health, but also increase the risk of exposure to animals higher in the food chain that eat them. USGS scientists found that during times of high shad abundance, mercury concentrations in the resident fish increased by approximately 50 percent compared to when shad were not present in the lake. For more information, read the publiation brief Fish Invasions Alter Lake Food Web Structure and Mercury Bioaccumulation, or contact Collin Eagles-Smith at ceagles-smith@usgs.gov or (530) 754-8130.