Geographic regions characterized chiefly by the dominant forms of plant life and the prevailing climate. [Adapted from American Heritage Dic. of the English Language, 4th ed.]
Comprehensive background information on coastal land loss, discussing the influence of waves and storms, the intrinsic characteristics of the shoreline materials, and the role of human activities.
Project of the Gulf of Mexico Integrated Science program that evaluates the transport and sedimentation of contaminates through the Mississippi River and Atchafalaya River delta to the near-shore Gulf of Mexico. Includes aerial photographs.
Biomonitoring of Environmental Status and Trends (BEST) program is designed to assess and monitor the effects of environmental contaminants on biological resources with links to detailed information on specific species.
Explains biological soil crusts, organism-produced soil formations commonly found in semiarid and arid environments, with special reference to their biological composition, physical characteristics, and ecological significance.
Fact sheet on the need to protect biological soil crusts in the desert. These crusts are most of the soil surface in deserts not covered by green plants and are inhabited by cyanobacterium (blue-green algae) and other organisms useful to the ecosystem.
Identification of epiphytes (plants obtaining moisture and nutrients from the air and rain and usually living on another plant) on seaweed in Tampa Bay, Florida. Abstract of symposium presentation with photos.
Detailed publication on the classification system for an inventory of wetlands and deepwater habitats of the United States used to describe ecological taxa and arrange them in a system useful to resource managers.
Coverage of the Coastal Prairie Ecology Research (CPER) Team, National Wetlands Research Center, providing scientific information to aid the conservation, management, and restoration of ecosystems in the greater coastal prairie region.
Assessment of the importance of the Conservation Reserve Program in preventing the decline of grassland breeding birds by preserving grassland habitats in North Dakota. Published as Wilson Bulletin v. 107 no. 4, pp. 709-718 (1995).
Describes biological soil crusts, with special reference to their role in resisting soil erosion, improving soil fertility, and increasing water infiltration in the deserts of the Colorado Plateau region.
Maps of the ranges of tree species in North America compiled by Elbert Little and others were digitized for use in USGS vegetation and climate modeling studies. Can be downloaded as ArcView shapefiles and in PDF graphic files.
Comprehensive bibliography on the ecology, conservation, and management of North American waterfowl and their wetland habitats. Facilitates searching or downloading as *.zip files and use with ProCite utility.
Satellite images of geographic areas of interest, cities, deserts, glaciers, geologic features, disaster areas, water bodies, and wildlife linked with articles, maps, and other images such as AVHRR, photographs, and special project images.
Links to grassland bird species with detailed descriptions and bibliographic database in *.zip files to download in ProCite 5, Rich Text Format or ASCII formats.
Study of wildland fire history and fire ecology such as plants in the Sierra Nevada forests, California shrublands, the Mojave, and Sonoran deserts to develop management techniques that will reduce hazards.
Catalog of bird species common to forest and rangeland habitats in the U.S. with natural histories including taxonomic information, range, and habitat descriptions to assist land managers in resource management. Text available as a *.zip file.
A white paper describing a plan for USGS research in Gulf of Mexico estuaries, developed in 2001 using Tampa Bay as an example with links to program strategy and design.
Website of the Gulf of Mexico Integrated Science program to understand the framework and processes of the Gulf of Mexico using Tampa Bay as a pilot study. Links to publications, digital library, water chemistry maps, epiphytes, and field trips.
Photographic survey of the impacts of Hurricane Katrina on the barrier islands, barrier shoreline, and the Mississippi River Delta along the Louisiana coastline. Primary focus is on the ecosystems such as fish, rookeries, and seagrass beds.
Scientific studies on the polar regions will receive greater attention during 2007-2008 as a result of USGS participation in the International Polar Year, coordinated in the US by the National Research Council, NSF, and NASA.
Guide to identification, selection, and management of grassland habitats in Wisconsin to conserve the populations of grassland birds. Includes glossary, references, bird lists, graphs, and maps.
Overview of fire-related hazards for the fire management community and fire effects on the landscape with links to capabilities and programs, directory, and link to other agencies involved in wildfire research and management.
The North American Amphibian Monitoring Program (NAAMP) is a long-term monitoring program designed to track the status and trends of frog and toad populations with links to data access, protocol, and how to volunteer as an observer.
Geographical isolation of the Hawaiian Islands has resulted in the evolution of endemic species unique in the world. Research at the Center aims at preventing the further extinction of these species. Links to projects, publications and other data.
Pacific Northwest Information Node is a regional information network of the National Biological Information Infrastructure intended to provide access to information and services relevant to forest resources in the Pacific Northwest.
Research results (publications, photographs, maps) on ecological processes within the Mojave Desert Ecosystem to provide land managers with scientific understanding and tools needed to conserve and restore threatened desert landscapes.
Portal of the South Florida Information Access (SOFIA) system providing multiple links to projects, products, information, and data for research, decision-making, and resource management of the South Florida ecosystem restoration effort.
Links to explore South Florida and the Everglades ecosystem projects arranged by topic and subtopic, including proposals, project summaries, scopes of work, work plans, publications, and contacts.
A pictorial overview for general audiences of key landscapes and ecosystems in South Florida; includes extensive references and links to past and current research activities relating to the South Florida ecosystem restoration effort.
Interactive Mapping Service (IMS) is an Internet based Geographic Information System designed to provide users with online mapping capability of habitats, land use and land cover, and seagrass for areas of Tampa Bay.
Overview of interdisciplinary research on the Tampa Bay estuary of the Gulf of Mexico with links to digital library, interactive mapping, reports, posters, water chemistry maps, meetings and conferences, scientist directory, and field trips.
Database entry page to search keywords and product type (document, map, data, metadata, photos, video, animation, aerial photo) for information on the Tampa Bay estuary and related research studies.
An introduction to three related USGS digital libraries: the general-purpose Marine Realms Information Bank (MRIB); the regionally focused Monterey Bay Science (MBS) Digital Library; and the topically focused Coastal Change Hazards (CCH) Digital Library.
This report serves as an environmental review and framework for developing USGS programs in the south Florida ecosystem, especially the Everglades and its watershed, and stresses the critical role of water in natural and human environment.
Links for the Tides and Inflows in the Mangroves of the Everglades (TIME) project on the effects of freshwater and tidal flows on the Everglades mangroves. With links to software & manuals, time data, photos, animations, and bibliography.
Links to studies at the Amargosa Desert Research Site by the USGS Toxic Substances Hydrology Program studying the subsurface migration and fate of contaminants in arid environments. Links to news, remediation, photos, bibliography and techniques.
This bibliography is intended to provide scientists, managers, educational institutions (or students), and policy-makers with online access to current information on wetland restoration.
Information on the NWRC Wetlands Ecology Branch, which conducts research related to sustainable management and restoration of the nation's coastal saltwater wetlands, freshwater wetlands, submerged aquatic ecosystems, and coastal prairie.
Thematic descriptions of research to meet the varied needs of the fire management community and to understand the role of fire in the landscape including fire management support, studies of postfire effects, and fire history and ecology.