USGS Office of Communications
Science Picks—Leads, Feeds and Story Seeds
October 2006 Edition
For Release: UPON RECEIPT
Leaves are changing and pumpkins are peeking from every corner. October hosts a multitude of story possibilities and an opportunity to "Be a Citizen Scientist” with this year’s Earth Science Week, Oct. 8-14, an annual event sponsored by the American Geological Institute and its member organizations. October Science Picks provide the most current USGS science news and information. Science Picks help you cover ongoing earth and natural science research, investigations and technology. Photos and Web links are also provided to enhance your story. If you would like to receive Science Picks via email, would like to change the recipient or no longer want to receive it, please email dmakle@xxxxxxxx.
October Highlights:
· First-of-Its-Kind Operation Tells Tale of Towering Water
· USGS Reports First Spawning of White Fish in Detroit River Since 1900s
· Monitoring Project Fosters Stewardship and Enthusiasm for Unusual Bird
· Local Students Put Mussel into Stream Surveys
· Decline of the Glacier Murrelet, a Pleistocene Relict in an Age of Global Warming
· In a Spin — Wind Power, Birds and Bats
and more … upcoming local events in “SEEDS” below
LEADS:
First-of-Its-Kind Operation Tells Tale of Towering Water: While the Gulf Coast was evacuating in the wake of Hurricane Rita, USGS scientists were driving into the storm zone to install a network of 47 pressure transducers (devices that record water level and barometric pressure) at 33 sites. The scientists strapped their instruments to piers and poles in the area where the hurricane was forecasted to make landfall and finished their work just hours ahead of the storm’s arrival. The network covered about 4,000 square miles and extended east from the Sabine River on the Texas–Louisiana border to Lafayette, La., and inland from the coast approximately 30 miles. The data and findings are available in a new USGS report, “Hurricane Rita Surge Data, Southwestern Louisiana and Southeastern Texas, September to November 2005,” The report can be found on the Internet at http://pubs.water.usgs.gov/ds220/. For more information on the report contact Benton McGee at (318) 251-9630 or bdmcgee@xxxxxxxx or Charles Demas at (225) 298-5481 or crdemas@xxxxxxxx.
USGS Reports First Spawning of White Fish in Detroit River Since 1900s: In November of 2005, scientists from the USGS and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) discovered the first documented spawning of Lake Whitefish and fertilized whitefish eggs in the Detroit River since 1916 — providing further evidence of progress in the ecological recovery of the Detroit River. In honor of the accomplishment, the USGS and FWS are planning a symbolic release of these fish at 11 a.m., Oct. 24, at the Elizabeth Park Amphitheatre in Trenton, Mich. The public, media, Huron-Erie Corridor Initiative partners, interested members of Congress and staff are all invited. For more information on the event or to learn more about restoration work on the Detroit River, contact Diane Noserale at (703) 648- 4333 or dnoseral@xxxxxxxx.
Monitoring Project Fosters Stewardship and Enthusiasm for Unusual Bird: Local volunteers can make a difference. This summer more than 70 volunteers from Oregon (some from natural resources agencies, birders and community members) helped USGS and (FWS) scientists survey the black oystercatcher. With a species size of only 11,000, the black oystercatcher is a rare bird and species of conservation concern. According to scientists, the bird is relatively easy to spot with its long pink legs and orange-red bill (http://fresc.usgs.gov/news/images/black_oystercatcher.jpg). Although limited surveys have been conducted since 1997, this summer was the first time reproductive success of these birds has been assessed in Oregon. Volunteers made weekly visits to observe breeding behavior and to count chicks. Want to know what they learned? To find out more about black oystercatchers, the survey and volunteer involvement, contact Elise Elliott-Smith at (541) 750-7390 or eelliott-smith@xxxxxxxx.
Local Students put Mussel into Stream Surveys: With technical assistance from the USGS, local high school students are collecting preliminary information about the distribution of western pearlshell mussels in Oregon coastal streams. Although pearlshell mussels are a member of the most endangered group of aquatic organisms in the United States, their status and distribution in the Pacific Northwest is not known. The student-driven effort is lead by Eddyville High School with support and funding from the Oregon State University Extension, Lincoln County Secured Rural Schools funding, Oregon Youth Conservation Corp and Community Services Consortium, and Oregon State Hatchery Research Center. The students’ work will assist in planning future research to better understand the distribution of western pearlshells along the Oregon coast. For more information on the mussel stream survey, contact Jason Dunham at (541) 750-7397 or jdunham@xxxxxxxx.
Decline of the Glacier Murrelet, a Pleistocene Relict
in an Age of Global Warming: The birth of a cooler climate in
the late Pliocene was accompanied by rapid increase in seabird species,
including several new species of murrelets. These "new" murrelets
includes the marbled murrelet (B. marmoratus),which nests in coastal
old-growth conifers from California to Alaska, and the Kittlitz's murrelet
( B. brevirostris), which developed an unusual and intimate association
with glacial ice during the Pliocene and subsequent Pleistocene ice ages.
Surveys conducted by scientists from the USGS, FWS and the National Park
Service, however, indicate that populations of glacier murrelets have
declined by more than 80 to 90 percent during the past 20 years. This corresponds
to an almost universal and increasingly rapid recession of glaciers and
ice fields throughout Alaska. Find out the potential fate of these rapidly
declining seabirds and how certain human activities may hasten their decline.
For more information, please see http://www.absc.usgs.gov/research/seabird_foragefish/
or contact John Piatt at (360)-774-0516.
Elk Calf Mortality Following
Wolf Restoration in Yellowstone National Park: With wolves having been
restored to Yellowstone National Park, many people believed that these
newcomers would be the main source of mortality for newborn elk calves.
True, elk form the main part of the wolf's diet in the park. However,
studies by the U.S. Geological Survey, Yellowstone National Park, and the
University of Minnesota show that wolves only accounted for about 15 percent
of newborn calf deaths whereas grizzly and black bears caused about 60
percent of their deaths. Calves with higher gamma globulin levels, a possible
indicator of superior condition, survived better than those with lower
levels. Thus environmental factors are also important contributing factors
to predation and survival with Yellowstone elk calves. To find out more,
contact David Mech at (651) 649-5231 or david_mech@xxxxxxxx.
In a Spin — Wind Power, Birds
and Bats: Concerns have arisen about potential impacts of wind power
development in the Appalachians on migrating birds and bats, creating a
need for information on their distribution and flight characteristics as
they pass through the region. USGS is studying the birds and bats that
migrate at night. Weather surveillance radar data are being analyzed to
provide a broad view of migration through the Appalachians, and to assess
the response of migrants to mountain ridges or other landforms. Migration
is also being monitored acoustically, recording the calls made by birds
in flight to index their abundance and species composition at different
locations, and with portable marine radar, to provide information on migrant
flight altitudes and directions. The data will be used to model the effects
of location, topography, and weather on migrant abundance and flight, to
assess where or when they might be at risk from wind power development.
Project partners include the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service; New Jersey
Audubon Society; U.S. Forest Service; states of Maryland, Virginia, and
West Virginia; The Nature Conservancy; and Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology.
For more information, contact Deanna Dawson at (301) 497-5642 or ddawson@xxxxxxxxx
FEEDS:
Avian Influenza Detection System
Now Available to the Public: Scientists and the public can now view
a Web site (http://wildlifedisease.nbii.gov/ai/)
that shows current information about wild bird sampling for the purpose
of early detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in the United
States. This information is stored in a newly developed database and Web
application called HEDDS (HPAI Early Detection Data System). The database
is available to agencies, organization, and policymakers involved in avian
influenza monitoring and response. The general public may also view certain
sections of the database. For more information, contact Ron Sepic at (703)
648-4218 or ron_sepic@xxxxxxxx.
See for Yourself! Geomac.gov Puts
Fire on the Map: Check out GeoMAC (www.geomac.gov), an interactive-tool
that puts the latest fire information online. It allows users to view fire
locations and fire perimeters along with satellite images, weather and
historic fire data. For example, take a look at this year’s fire statistics.
According to the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, this year’s
burned-acreage is almost double the 10-year average. In fact, wildfires
across the country have burned more land in 2006 than in any year since
at least 1960, burning an area twice the size of New Jersey. With a click
of the mouse, GeoMAC provides the statistics you need. You can log-in and
use the “Jump to Fire” tool to go directly to the fire of interest. Need
to zoom-in? Users can. So far, the extreme fire season in the west has
led to more than 38 million requests served by GeoMAC? For more information
on GeoMAC, contact Elizabeth Lile at (303) 202-4326 or ellile@xxxxxxxx
.
Citizen Science Goes Seismic:
Been through an earthquake? Did you know that reporting your earthquake
experience can help save lives and property during future quakes? As a
result of work by the USGS with the cooperation of various regional seismic
networks, the world can log in on the Internet and tell USGS scientists
what they felt during an earthquake. Just log onto http://earthquake.usgs.gov
and click on the "Did You Feel It" link. The responses are compiled
in a database and a Community Internet Intensity Map is generated that
shows where and how strongly the quake was felt as well as the damage that
has been reported. For more information, contact Tom Brocher at (650) 329-5637
or brocher@xxxxxxxx.
STORY SEEDS:
Loma Prieta Earthquake Anniversary:
New seismic Hazard Maps and Online Reports Featured: On Oct.17, 1989,
an earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale rocked the San Francisco
Bay Area. The total estimated direct economic loss was valued at more than
$5.9 billion in public and private property damage. In remembrance of the
event, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and California Geological Survey
(CGS) will conduct a joint media briefing, 10 a.m., October 16, at the
USGS Menlo Park office, which is located at 345 Middlefield Road in Menlo
Park, Calif. Three new Seismic Hazard Zone maps will be shown, covering
areas of the Menlo Park, Morgan Hill, Palo Alto and Redwood City. Find
out the latest in earthquake technology. For real-time earthquake information,
see http://earthquake.usgs.gov
or contact Tom Brocher at (650) 329-5637 or brocher@xxxxxxxx
or Tom Holzer at (650) 329-5637 or tholzer@xxxxxxxx.
World Water Monitoring Day,
Oct. 18, Event, Planned on the Anacostia River in Washington, D.C.: The
Water Environment Federation and International Water Association are inviting
citizens and organizations from around the globe to participate in World
Water Monitoring Events on Oct. 18. Tim Miller, USGS scientist, will be
one of the keynote speakers during a planned event on the Anacostia River
from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Matthew Henson Earth Conservation Center
at 2000 Half Street, S.W. in Washington, D.C. A press breakfast, orientation
and water sampling demonstrations with local youth are planned. For more
information about the event in your local waters, go to http://www.worldwatermonitoringday.org.
See http://www.usgs.gov/homepage/science_features/world_water_2006.asp
for USGS sponsored events. For more information on water related outreach
activities, contact Pixie Hamilton at pahamilt@xxxxxxxxx
The USGS Presents at the 118th
Annual Geological Society of America Conference: USGS scientists will
present research findings on emerging contaminants, work in Afghanistan,
coastal storms, geology and human health, ground-water, energy and more
during the 2006 Geological Society of America annual meeting in Philadelphia,
PA, October 22-25. For more information, contact Diane Noserale at (703)
648- 4333 or dnoseral@xxxxxxxx.
National Geography Awareness
Week: In 1987, President Ronald Reagan signed legislation establishing
the third week in November as Geography Awareness Week. Mark your calendars
for November 12-18. Another special day, GIS Day will also be held Wednesday,
November 15. Check the USGS Web site (http://www.usgs.gov),
for upcoming activities. For more information, contact Karen Wood at (703)
648-4447 or kwood@xxxxxxxx.
