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Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Our Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center's priority is to continue the important work of the Department of the Interior and the USGS, while also maintaining the health and safety of our employees and community. The Center is open with operations adjusted based on guidance from the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force and federal policies and informed by local community transmission level.

News

New study of bat habitats and wind energy can help energy providers minimize collisions

New study of bat habitats and wind energy can help energy providers minimize collisions

USGS Friday's Findings - July 12, 2024

USGS Friday's Findings - July 12, 2024

USGS deploys equipment to measure waves in Upper Mississippi River’s Pool 13

USGS deploys equipment to measure waves in Upper Mississippi River’s Pool 13

Publications

Restoration of common loon (Gavia immer) in Minnesota—2023 annual report

The Deepwater Horizon mobile drilling platform exploded on April 20, 2010. The resulting massive oil spill injured natural resources in the Gulf of Mexico, including wintering common loons (Gavia immer). We report on activities completed under the “Restoration of Common Loons in Minnesota” project in calendar year 2023, which was funded by the Open Ocean Trustee Implementation Group. In 2022, a su
Authors
William S. Beatty, Kelly Amoth, Katelyn Bergstrom, Luke J. Fara, Brian R. Gray, Steven C. Houdek, Jayden Jech, Kevin P. Kenow, Robert Rabasco, Spencer Rettler, Michael Wellik, Steven Yang

Smallmouth buffalo (Ictiobus bubalus Rafinesque) population trends and demographics in the Upper Mississippi River System

Smallmouth buffalo (Ictiobus bubalus Rafinesque) are a large-bodied fish highly valued and commercially exploited across most of their range. Despite this, relatively little is known of their population demographics compared to other exploited species. To fill these knowledge gaps, we analyzed two independent long-term datasets (30 and 57 years, respectively) and population demographic data (age s
Authors
Kristopher A. Maxson, Levi E. Solomon, Taylor A. Bookout, Steven A. DeLain, Andrew Bartels, Melvin C. Bowler, Eric J. Gittinger, Eric N. Ratcliff, John L. West, Seth A. Love, Jason A. DeBoer, Andrya L. Whitten-Harris, Michael J. Spear, Brian Ickes, Andrew F. Casper, James T. Lamer

Comparative toxicity of emulsifiable concentrate and suspension concentrate formulations of 2′,5-dichloro-4′-nitrosalicylanilide ethanolamine salt

The 2-aminoethanol salt of niclosamide (2′,5-dichloro-4′-nitrosalicylanilide) is a pesticide known as Bayluscide that is used in conjunction with TFM (4-nitro-3-[trifluoromethyl]phenol), also known as 3-trifluoromethyl-4-nitrophenol) to treat tributaries to the Great Lakes infested with invasive parasitic Petromyzon marinus (sea lamprey). Adding 0.5 to 2 percent Bayluscide with TFM can substantial
Authors
James A. Luoma, Justin R. Schueller, Nicholas A. Schloesser, Courtney A Kirkeeng, Samantha L. Wolfe

Science

Aerial Camera System Boresight Development and Deployment

Plane-mounted aerial camera systems are used across the U.S. Department of the Interior for science, resource monitoring, emergency management, and disaster recovery, among many other applications. A critical step in deploying aerial cameras is calibrating these systems to ground control points (GCP). This allows the camera systems, when combined with photo rectification software, to precisely...
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Aerial Camera System Boresight Development and Deployment

Plane-mounted aerial camera systems are used across the U.S. Department of the Interior for science, resource monitoring, emergency management, and disaster recovery, among many other applications. A critical step in deploying aerial cameras is calibrating these systems to ground control points (GCP). This allows the camera systems, when combined with photo rectification software, to precisely...
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Environmental DNA (eDNA)

Environmental DNA (eDNA) is organismal DNA that can be found in the environment. eDNA originates from cellular material shed by organisms (e.g., skin, hair, saliva, or feces) into aquatic and terrestrial environments. Researchers sample the air, soil, water or other areas to track or detect invasive, endangered, or rare species.
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Environmental DNA (eDNA)

Environmental DNA (eDNA) is organismal DNA that can be found in the environment. eDNA originates from cellular material shed by organisms (e.g., skin, hair, saliva, or feces) into aquatic and terrestrial environments. Researchers sample the air, soil, water or other areas to track or detect invasive, endangered, or rare species.
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Genetic control of Grass Carp through RNA interface

Grass Carp are one of the Invasive Carp species monitored by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources in the Upper Mississippi River, navigation pools 1-8. Grass Carp are herbivores that feed heavily on vegetation and have been found to damage and even irradicate aquatic vegetation communities vital to many native fish and waterfowl species. Loss of aquatic vegetation can also disrupt food...
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Genetic control of Grass Carp through RNA interface

Grass Carp are one of the Invasive Carp species monitored by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources in the Upper Mississippi River, navigation pools 1-8. Grass Carp are herbivores that feed heavily on vegetation and have been found to damage and even irradicate aquatic vegetation communities vital to many native fish and waterfowl species. Loss of aquatic vegetation can also disrupt food...
Learn More