USGS Newsroom

Crowd-Sourcing the Nation: Using Volunteers for Enhanced Data Collection

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Mon, 1 Apr 2013 18:41:01 EDT

The USGS is expanding the involvement of volunteers to enhance data collection about structures for The National Map.

This program, known as The National Map Corps, focuses on encouraging citizens to collect data relating to structures by both adding new features and/or correcting existing data within The National Map database. These structures can include schools, hospitals, post offices, police stations and other important public places.

Collaborative pilot projects in Colorado were recently used to test the concept of crowd-sourcing. While the project is on-going, early indications point to positive results and show the success of using TNMC volunteers to enhance data sets.

Over a trial period of ten months, 143 volunteers collected, improved, or deleted data on more than 6,400 structures in Colorado. The volunteers’ actions were accurate and exceeded USGS quality standards. In the Colorado pilot project the volunteer-collected data showed an improvement of approximately 25 percent in both location and attribute accuracy for existing data points. Completeness, or the extent to which all appropriate features were identified and recorded, was nearly perfect.

The significant results of the Colorado pilot have led to a phased, nation-wide expansion of the crowd-sourcing /volunteer project. The states in the first expansion of TNMC are: Arkansas, Alaska, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, North Dakota, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Utah, Washington, West Virginia

After an evaluation of the quality and procedures of the first group of states, the second set will be made available. Ultimately, by the end of 2013, the third batch of states will complete the expansion of the program.

"The response by volunteers in Colorado exceeded our expectations both in terms of the number of volunteers and the quality of the data they collected”, said Kari Craun, the Director of the USGS National Geospatial Technical Operations Center. “The Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) community represents a fantastic, untapped resource to assist USGS in maintaining data that are part of The National Map.”

While some familiarity with the area that a volunteer chooses is helpful, one doesn’t have to live near a particular place to contribute. The tools on TNMC website, along with ancillary information available on the Internet, are generally sufficient to edit a distant area.

There have been several instances of crowd-sourced geographic information making significant contributions to research and databases in government, private sector, and non-profit organizations. The goal of the TNMC is to provide data for the nation’s primary federal mapping agency in its effort to provide accurate and authoritative spatial data via the web-based National Map.

The citizen geographers/cartographers who participate in this program will make a significant addition to the USGS’s ability to provide accurate information to the public. Data collected by volunteers become part of TNM Structures dataset which is available to users free of charge.

Without a network of volunteers, the desired information would not be collected this year and the existing data would not be updated. TNMC volunteers perform important work that otherwise will not be accomplished in the foreseeable future.

Becoming a volunteer for TNMC is easy; go to the National Map Corps website to learn more and to sign up as a volunteer. If you have access to the Internet and are willing to dedicate some time to editing map data, we hope you will consider participating!

Mining Waste Byproduct Capable of Helping Clean Water

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 13:49:17 EDT

LEETOWN, W.Va. – A byproduct resulting from the treatment of acid mine drainage may have a second life in helping clean waters coming from agricultural and wastewater discharges, according to a recent study by scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey Leetown Science Center.

The report, published in the Journal Water, Air, and Soil Pollution, shows that dried acid mine drainage sludge, or residuals, that result from treating acid mine drainage discharges can be used as a low-cost adsorbent elsewhere to efficiently remove phosphorus from agricultural and municipal wastewaters. The phosphorus that has been adsorbed by the mine drainage residuals can later be stripped from the residuals and recycled into fertilizer. The mine drainage residuals can be regenerated and reused for a number of additional treatment cycles. Application of this novel, patented technology has the potential to simultaneously help to decrease acid mine drainage treatment costs, prevent degradation of aquatic ecosystems, and recycle valuable nutrients.

"This wonderful result shows the inventive application of some very sophisticated environmental chemistry to create a new life cycle for what otherwise would have been some problematic waste products," said USGS Director Marcia McNutt. "It sets the bar high for future studies in environmental remediation."

Acid mine drainage is produced whenever sulfide minerals associated with coal and metal deposits are exposed to air and moisture. The resulting acid and dissolved metals are toxic to most forms of aquatic life, and untreated acid mine drainage has impacted more than 5000 miles of streams in the Appalachian region, with associated economic impacts of millions of lost dollars in the tourism and sport fishing industries.

When acid mine drainage is remediated, it is neutralized with a base, such as limestone or lime, and an iron-rich sludge is formed that must be disposed of, sometimes at considerable cost. The new process of using the sludge to filter wastewaters has the potential to reduce the need to dispose of the sludge, while providing an added and previously unknown benefit of using the residuals to effectively reduce phosphorus from wastewater discharges wherever needed.

Excess phosphorus releases to the environment from agricultural and municipal wastewaters have resulted in significant impairment of aquatic ecosystems such as the Chesapeake Bay and other bodies of water worldwide. At the same time, as depletion of high-grade phosphorus-bearing deposits continues, the possibility of future shortages of fertilizer phosphorus has been suggested.

Current technology for the removal of phosphorus from wastewater consists of addition of aluminum or iron salts to precipitate and adsorb phosphorus, but this is too expensive for the low concentrations and high volumes often encountered in many wastewaters. This new technology provides a more efficient and cost effective option.

"As environmental scientists, we kind of hesitate to use this analogy, but it really is like killing two birds with one stone," says Philip Sibrell, lead author of the study. "This new technology could reduce or eliminate the need to dispose of acid mine drainage sludge, instead making that same sludge useful in addressing the urgent need to reduce the amount of phosphorus going into aquatic ecosystems; it's a win-win situation."

Study citation:

Sibrell, P. L. and Tucker, T. W. 2012. Fixed bed sorption of phosphorus from wastewater using iron oxide-based media derived from acid mine drainage. Water, Air and Soil Pollution, 223:5105-5117.

Groundwater Quality Generally Good in West Virginia

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Thu, 6 Dec 2012 13:23:13 EDT

The report is posted online.

Charleston, W.Va. -- The quality of West Virginia's groundwater is generally good, according to a recent 10-year U.S. Geological Survey study, the most comprehensive assessment of West Virginia's groundwater quality to date. In the majority of cases, raw, untreated groundwater samples met primary drinking-water criteria meant for finished, supplied drinking water.

However, in more than half of the groundwater samples, naturally occurring iron and manganese exceeded secondary drinking-water criteria, which are non-enforceable guidelines, and, in the northwest portion of the state and the Eastern Panhandle, radon gas concentrations in groundwater frequently exceeded a proposed maximum concentration level, according to the report done in cooperation with West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Water and Waste Management. Recent research has linked manganese and excess iron to developmental delays in children and breathing radon gas, which can also accumulate indoors from running water, increases the risk for lung cancer.

The results highlight the importance of private well owners testing and potentially treating their water. While public water supplies are treated to ensure that water reaching the tap of households meets federal requirements, there are no such requirements for private supplies.

"I want to personally thank the scientists who persisted in this monumental effort to gather an immense amount of data in a state with complex geology on a very important topic: the safety of the water we drink," said USGS Director Marcia McNutt. "Overall, the results of this study are very good news for those who rely on ground water in West Virginia, although those with private wells would be wise to get their water tested for a few elements of possible concern."

About 42 percent of all West Virginians rely on groundwater for their domestic water supply; however, prior to 2008, the quality of the state’s groundwater was largely unknown.

"This report shows where groundwater contamination is most likely for a variety of substances," said USGS scientist Doug Chambers, who led the study. "This research is intended to help inform decisions ranging from water and land management to public health. Although this study primarily sampled public-supply wells, we would remind private well owners in West Virginia that it remains important to test their water."

Private wells are not regulated and it is the owner's responsibility to test and treat the water. Many of the contaminants identified can be reduced or eliminated through a variety of treatments. Private well owners can find more information at the WV DEP website.

For this study, scientists sampled groundwater for a wide range of natural and manmade chemical characteristics, including metals, nutrients, volatile organic compounds, fecal indicator bacteria, and radon from 1999-2008. Some samples were further analyzed for pesticides or semi-volatile organic compounds. All samples were of raw, untreated groundwater.

Organic compounds and trace elements exceeding drinking-water criteria were found at much lower frequencies than iron, manganese, and radon. Pesticides occurred most frequently and in higher concentrations in limestone areas of the state where agriculture is concentrated.

"In much of West Virginia, local geology has the strongest influence on groundwater quality," said Chambers, noting the frequency of natural contaminants. "Man-made compounds are more closely related to aquifer susceptibility, including areas of limestone geology, river valleys, and areas with high use of these compounds."

Information about water quality nationwide is found on the USGS National Water-Quality Assessment Program website.

Access the USGS West Virginia Water Science Center for more information about water in West Virginia.

USGS Releases First Assessment of Shale Gas Resources in the Utica Shale: 38 trillion cubic feet

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Thu, 4 Oct 2012 17:24:04 EDT

The Utica Shale contains about 38 trillion cubic feet of undiscovered, technically recoverable natural gas (at the mean estimate) according to the first assessment of this continuous (unconventional) natural gas accumulation by the U. S. Geological Survey. The Utica Shale has a mean of 940 million barrels of unconventional oil resources and a mean of 208 million barrels of unconventional natural gas liquids.

The Utica Shale lies beneath the Marcellus Shale, and both are part of the Appalachian Basin, which is the longest-producing petroleum province in the United States. The Marcellus Shale, at 84 TCF of natural gas, is the largest unconventional gas basin USGS has assessed. This is followed closely by the Greater Green River Basin in southwestern Wyoming, which has 84 TCF of undiscovered natural gas, of which 82 TCF is continuous (tight gas).

"Understanding our domestic oil and gas resource potential is important, which is why we assess emerging plays like the Utica, as well as areas that have been in production for some time" said Brenda Pierce, USGS Energy Resources Program Coordinator. "Publicly available information about undiscovered oil and gas resources can aid policy makers and resource managers, and inform the debate about resource development."

The Utica Shale assessment covered areas in Maryland, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Some shale rock formations, like the Utica and Marcellus, can be source rocks – those formations from which hydrocarbons, such as oil and gas, originate. Conventional oil and gas resources gradually migrate away from the source rock into other formations and traps, whereas continuous resources, such as shale oil and shale gas, remain trapped within the original source rock.

This USGS assessment is an estimate of continuous oil, gas, and natural gas liquid accumulations in the Upper Ordovician Utica Shale of the Appalachian Basin. The estimate of undiscovered oil ranges from 590 million barrels to 1.39 billion barrels (95 percent to 5 percent probability, respectively), natural gas ranges from 21 to 61 TCF (95 percent to 5 percent probability, respectively), and the estimate of natural gas liquids ranges from 4 to 16 million barrels (95 percent to 5 percent probability, respectively).

USGS is the only provider of publicly available estimates of undiscovered technically recoverable oil and gas resources of onshore lands and offshore state waters. The USGS Utica Shale assessment was undertaken as part of a nationwide project assessing domestic petroleum basins using standardized methodology and protocol.

The new assessment of the Utica Shale may be found online. To find out more about USGS energy assessments and other energy research, please visit the USGS Energy Resources Program website, sign up for our Newsletter, and follow us on Twitter.

The Utica Shale is a formation in the Appalachian Basin that lies beneath the Marcellus Shale. It was recently assessed for the first time by the USGS, and is estimated to contain 38 TCF of natural gas, 940 MMB of oil, and 9 MMB of natural gas liquids.

A Big Day for Science: Citizens Have Contributed One Million Observations to Top Nature Database

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Thu, 3 May 2012 9:00:00 EDT

RESTON, Va. — Thanks to citizen-scientists around the country, the USA National Phenology Network hit a major milestone this week by reaching its one millionth nature observation.

The millionth observation was done by Lucille Tower, a citizen-scientist in Portland, Ore., who entered a record about seeing maple vines flowering. Her data, like all of the entries, came in through USA-NPN’s online observation program, Nature's Notebook, which engages more than 4,000 volunteers across the country to observe and record phenology – the timing of the recurring life events of plants and animals such as when cherry trees or lilacs blossom, when robins build their nests, when salmon swim upstream to spawn or when leaves turn colors in the fall.

Each record not only represents a single data point — the status of a specific life stage of an individual plant or animal on one day – but also benefits both science and society by helping researchers understand how plants and animals are responding to climate change and, in turn, how those responses are affecting people and ecological systems.

"My dream is that through the wonders of modern technology and the National Phenology Network we could turn the more than six billion people on the planet into components of our scientific observing system," said USGS Director Marcia McNutt. "We could make giant leaps in science education, improve the spatial and temporal coverage of the planet, lower the cost of scientific data collection, and all while making ordinary citizens feel a part of the scientific process."

Jake Weltzin, a U.S. Geological Survey scientist and the executive director of USA-NPN, concurs. "Hitting the one millionth observation is exciting because researchers and decision-makers need more information to understand and respond to our rapidly changing planet. More information means better-informed decisions that ensure the continued vitality of our natural areas that we all depend on and enjoy."

For example, said Weltzin, the data in Nature's Notebook are already being used to benefit society, including the development of more accurate indicators of spring, forecasting the onset of allergy seasons or the chances of western wildfires, managing wildlife and invasive plants, and setting goals for habitat restoration. Ultimately, such information can be used for better managing water resources, wildlife and ecosystem management, and even help farmers and ranchers across the nation.

Changes in phenology are among the most sensitive biological indicators of global change. Across the world, many springtime events are occurring earlier — and fall events happening later — than in the past. These changes are happening quickly for some species and more slowly, or not at all, for others, altering relationships and processes that have been dynamically stable for thousands of years. Some wildlife —like caribou and butterflies — are becoming mismatched from their plant food resources, which are responding differently. Migrations for some birds are changing too, as they can now overwinter instead of moving south for the winter, or as they fly north more quickly to keep pace with an advancing front of spring flowering.

Because of this, said Weltzin, scientists need more and better information about the pace and pattern of nature — locally to nationally — to answer important scientific and societal questions, and to build the tools and models needed to help people understand and adapt to the changes.

"So much of our improved understanding about global environmental changes is driven by varied and valuable sources of information that include networks of citizen-scientists," said John Wingfield, National Science Foundation’s assistant director for biological sciences. "The public at large has played an important role collecting observations and data for a hundred years and more. Knowledge and data gained from their work will continue to have a lasting effect on how we understand regularly recurring biological phenomena for hundreds of plant and animal species and contribute to the policy arena."

Gwen Lundburg in Seattle is one citizen-scientist who has contributed hundreds of entries into Nature’s Notebook. "Just noticing small changes like tiny purple lilac buds suddenly turning green has taught me to look more closely at my plants," Lundburg said. "I see things in my garden I never saw before."

With the help of citizen-scientist volunteers, working in concert with professionals, the USA-NPN, which was established in 2007, collects, stores and freely shares phenological data on more than 800 species of plants and animals. The Nature’s Notebook observing program has been in operation since 2009. The coordinating office of the organization is located at 1955 E. 6^th St., Tucson, Ariz., 85721. For more information, visit the USA National Phenology Network, or contact Jake Weltzin at 520-626-3821 or jweltzin@usgs.gov.

Leetown Scientist Receives National Publications Award

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Thu, 8 Sep 2011 17:11:03 EDT

LEETOWN, W.Va. — USGS scientist Vicki Blazer received the American Fisheries Society 2010 Publications Award for her article investigating the mortality of fish in the Potomac River basin. Blazer, a fish biologist at the Leetown Science Center, received the award at the AFS 141st Annual Meeting in Seattle on Sept. 6. The research was a collaborative effort between the USGS, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, state agencies in West Virginia, Maryland, and Virginia, and the Potomac Riverkeeper.

AFS awards one article from each of its six journals every year. Blazer’s paper, “Mortality of Centrarchid Fishes in the Potomac Drainage: Survey Results and Overview of Potential Contributing Factors,” was published in the Journal of Aquatic Animal Health. Blazer was also recently recognized as the Protector of the Potomac by the Potomac RiverKeeper for her research on pathogenic factors that affect fish health.

USGS Releases New Assessment of Gas Resources in the Marcellus Shale, Appalachian Basin

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 11:30:00 EDT

The Marcellus Shale contains about 84 trillion cubic feet of undiscovered, technically recoverable natural gas and 3.4 billion barrels of undiscovered, technically recoverable natural gas liquids according to a new assessment by the U. S. Geological Survey (USGS).

These gas estimates are significantly more than the last USGS assessment of the Marcellus Shale in the Appalachian Basin in 2002, which estimated a mean of about 2 trillion cubic feet of gas (TCF) and 0.01 billion barrels of natural gas liquids.

The increase in undiscovered, technically recoverable resource is due to new geologic information and engineering data, as technological developments in producing unconventional resources have been significant in the last decade. This Marcellus Shale estimate is of unconventional (or continuous-type) gas resources.

Since the 1930's, almost every well drilled through the Marcellus found noticeable quantities of natural gas. However, in late 2004, the Marcellus was recognized as a potential reservoir rock, instead of just a regional source rock, meaning that the gas could be produced from it instead of just being a source for the gas. Technological improvements resulted in commercially viable gas production and the rapid development of a major, new continuous natural gas and natural gas liquids play in the Appalachian Basin, the oldest producing petroleum province in the United States.

This USGS assessment is an estimate of continuous gas and natural gas liquid accumulations in the Middle Devonian Marcellus Shale of the Appalachian Basin. The estimate of undiscovered natural gas ranges from 43.0 to 144.1 TCF (95 percent to 5 percent probability, respectively), and the estimate of natural gas liquids ranges from 1.6 to 6.2 billion barrels (95 percent to 5 percent probability, respectively). There are no conventional petroleum resources assessed in the Marcellus Shale of the Appalachian Basin.

These new estimates are for technically recoverable oil and gas resources, which are those quantities of oil and gas producible using currently available technology and industry practices, regardless of economic or accessibility considerations. As such, these estimates include resources beneath both onshore and offshore areas (such as Lake Erie) and beneath areas where accessibility may be limited by policy and regulations imposed by land managers and regulatory agencies.

The Marcellus Shale assessment covered areas in Kentucky, Maryland, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.

USGS is the only provider of publicly available estimates of undiscovered technically recoverable oil and gas resources of onshore lands and offshore state waters. The USGS worked with the Pennsylvania Geological Survey, the West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey, the Ohio Geological Survey, and representatives from the oil and gas industry and academia to develop an improved geologic understanding of the Marcellus Shale. The USGS Marcellus Shale assessment was undertaken as part of a nationwide project assessing domestic petroleum basins using standardized methodology and protocol.

The new assessment of the Marcellus Shale may be found online. The previous Marcellus Shale assessment can be found online. To find out more about USGS energy assessments and other energy research, please visit the USGS Energy Resources Program website

2011 Children's Fishing Derby! Leetown Tradition Takes

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 16:43:10 EDT

LEETOWN, W. Va. -- What better way to kick off summer than a day of fishing! Yet there are some who would disagree.

"Fishing is hard work!" declared derby participant Ellen, a student in Jefferson County Public Schools.

On Friday, June 3, about 45 children with special needs enjoyed a day of fishing in Leetown. With smiles of anticipation, the children arrived -- some with parents and skilled caregivers in tow – at a bucolic pond nestled on the grounds of a research center on West Virginia’s panhandle.

On most days the center is dedicated to improving fish health throughout the eastern U.S. During this fishing derby, the focus was on the health and wellbeing of children.

For more than 35 years, some of the area's special needs children have come to a specially equipt pond at the USGS Leetown Science Center to fish and to get outside -- ordinary activities for most people. Stocked with trout and bass, the pond has become a haven for mighty outdoor fans who face significant roadblocks in getting outside.

The man behind this tradition is Frank Roach, an administrative specialist for USGS in Leetown. Frank relies on his 25 plus volunteers from the USGS and the local community to support this activity.

With long-time partners throughout Jefferson County and beyond, fishing at Leetown has developed into weekly fishing events offered on Fridays throughout the summer months for special needs children, senior citizens and wounded veterans from the surrounding area.

"Making a day of fishing available to children with special needs is rewarding to the volunteers who have a long history of supporting this event," said Bill Palmisano, director of the USGS Leetown Science Center. "This event is a wonderful morale booster for the center."

Out of necessity for many participants, the organizers aim for a festive but low key environment. As a result, these events are not widely known outside the community.

"There are children who have been here several years in a row," said Bill Ott of the Charles Town Kiwanis Club. "Often times they will ask their teacher the first day of the year when they will get to go fishing again." The organization has sponsored the children's derby since its inception more than 30 years ago, providing lunch and prizes for every participant.

Health, family, fun, and stewardship are the four key principles of First Lady Michelle Obama's Let’s Move campaign. The campaign has grown in recent months to emphasize the importance of exercise to the health of Americans. Let's Move Outside is an effort led by the Department of the Interior to focus the nation on the physical and emotional benefits of outdoor activities.

As for this year's derby results? Lacie was the winner in the girl's competition, catching a 26-inch fish! Tucker and his dad had a total of nine fish! But everybody won!

Lichens May Aid in Combating Deadly Chronic Wasting Disease in Wildlife

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Tue, 17 May 2011 15:00:50 EDT

MADISON, Wis. – Certain lichens can break down the infectious proteins responsible for chronic wasting disease (CWD), a troubling neurological disease fatal to wild deer and elk and spreading throughout the United States and Canada, according to U.S. Geological Survey research published today in the journal PLoS ONE.

Like other "prion" diseases, CWD is caused by unusual, infectious proteins called prions. One of the best-known of these diseases is "mad cow" disease, a cattle disease that has infected humans. However, there is no evidence that CWD has infected humans. Disease-causing prions, responsible for some incurable neurological diseases of people and other diseases in animals, are notoriously difficult to decontaminate or kill. Prions are not killed by most detergents, cooking, freezing or by autoclaving, a method used to sterilize medical instruments.

"When prions are released into the environment by infected sheep or deer, they can stay infectious for many years, even decades," said Christopher Johnson, Ph.D., a scientist at the USGS National Wildlife Health Center and the lead author of the study. "To help limit the spread of these diseases in animals, we need to be able to remove prions from the environment."

The researchers found that lichens have great potential for safely reducing the number of prions because some lichen species contain a protease enzyme (a naturally produced chemical) capable of significantly breaking down prions in the lab.

"This work is exciting because there are so few agents that degrade prions and even fewer that could be used in the environment without causing harm," said Jim Bennett, Ph.D., a USGS lichenologist and a co-author of the study.

CWD and scrapie in sheep are different than other prion diseases because they can easily spread in sheep or deer by direct animal-to-animal contact or through contact with contaminated inanimate objects like soil. Chronic wasting disease was first diagnosed in the 1960s and has since been detected in 19 states and two Canadian provinces. CWD has been detected in wild elk, mule deer, white-tailed deer and moose in North America.

Lichens, said Johnson, produce unique and unusual organic compounds that aid their survival and can have antibiotic, antiviral and other chemotherapeutic activities. In fact, pharmaceutical companies have been examining the medicinal properties of lichens more closely in recent years.

Lichens - which are often mistaken for moss - are unusual plant-like organisms that are actually a symbioses of fungi, algae and bacteria living together. They usually live on soil, bark, leaves and wood and can live in barren and unwelcoming environments, including the Arctic and in deserts.

Future work will examine the effect of lichens on prions in the environment and determine if lichen consumption can protect animals from acquiring prion diseases.

The study, “Degradation of the disease-associated prion protein by a serine protease from lichens,” was published in PLoS ONE and is freely accessible to the public. The study was authored by USGS scientists Christopher Johnson, James Bennett and Tonie Rocke, as well as authors from Montana State University and the University of Wisconsin.

Bats Worth Billions to Agriculture: Pest-control Services at Risk

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 16:38:46 EDT

Additional Media Contacts:

Paul Cryan, USGS, 970-226-9389, cryanp@usgs.gov
Gary McCracken, University of Tennessee, 865-974-3065, gmccrack@utk.edu
Thomas Kunz, Boston University, 617-353-2474, kunz@bu.edu

Pest-control services provided by insect-eating bats in the United States likely save the U.S. agricultural industry at least $3 billion a year, and yet insectivorous bats are among the most overlooked economically important, non-domesticated animals in North America, according to an analysis published in this week’s Science magazine Policy Forum.

"People often ask why we should care about bats,” said Paul Cryan, a U.S. Geological Survey research scientist and one of the study’s authors. “This analysis suggests that bats are saving us big bucks by gobbling up insects that eat or damage our crops. It is obviously beneficial that insectivorous bats are patrolling the skies at night above our fields and forests — these bats deserve help."

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The value of the pest-control services to agriculture provided by bats in the U.S. alone range from a low of $3.7 billion to a high of $53 billion a year, estimated the study’s authors, scientists from the University of Pretoria (South Africa), USGS, University of Tennessee and Boston University. They also warned that noticeable economic losses to North American agriculture could occur in the next 4 to 5 years as a result of emerging threats to bat populations.

“Bats eat tremendous quantities of flying pest insects, so the loss of bats is likely to have long-term effects on agricultural and ecological systems,” said Justin Boyles, a researcher with the University of Pretoria and the lead author of the study. “Consequently, not only is the conservation of bats important for the well-being of ecosystems, but it is also in the best interest of national and international economies.”

A single little brown bat, which has a body no bigger than an adult’s thumb, can eat 4 to 8 grams (the weight of about a grape or two) of insects each night, the authors wrote. Although this may not sound like much, it adds up — the loss of the one million bats in the Northeast has probably resulted in between 660 and 1320 metric tons of insects no longer being eaten each year by bats in the region.

“Additionally, because the agricultural value of bats in the Northeast is small compared with other parts of the country, such losses could be even more substantial in the extensive agricultural regions in the Midwest and the Great Plains where wind-energy development is booming and the fungus responsible for white-nose syndrome was recently detected,” said Tom Kunz, a professor of ecology at Boston University, another co-author.

Although these estimates include the costs of pesticide applications that are not needed because of the pest-control services bats provide, Boyles and his colleagues said they did not account for the detrimental effects of pesticides on ecosystems nor the economic benefits of bats suppressing pest insects in forests, both of which may be considerable.

Bat populations are at risk in some areas of the country as a result of the emerging disease of white-nose syndrome. The loss of bats to white-nose syndrome has largely occurred during the past 4 years, after the disease first appeared in upstate New York. Since then, the fungus thought to cause white-nose syndrome has spread southward and westward and has now been found in 16 states and 3 Canadian provinces. Bat declines in the Northeast, the most severely affected region in the U.S. thus far, have exceeded 70 percent. Populations of at least one species, the little brown bat, have declined so precipitously that scientists expect the species to disappear from the region within the next 20 years.

Scientists are also concerned with the potential for losses of certain species of migratory bats at wind-energy facilities. By one estimate, published by Kunz and colleagues in 2007, about 33,000 to 111,000 bats will die each year by 2020 just in the mountainous region of the Mid-Atlantic Highlands from direct collisions with wind turbines as well as lung damage caused by pressure changes bats experience when flying near moving turbine blades. The issue raised by the authors is that the impacts on bat populations from white nose syndrome and wind turbines are just beginning to interact and might result in economic consequences.

“We hope that our analysis gets people thinking more about the value of bats and why their conservation is important,” said Gary McCracken, a University of Tennessee professor and co-author of the analysis. “The bottom line is that the natural pest-control services provided by bats save farmers a lot of money.”

The authors conclude that solutions to reduce threats to bat populations may be possible in the coming years, but that such work is most likely to be driven by public support that will require a wider awareness of the benefits of insectivorous bats.

The article, “Economic importance of bats in agriculture,” appears in the April 1 edition of Science. Authors are J.G. Boyles, P. Cryan, G. McCracken and T. Kunz.

Tattered Wings: Bats Grounded by White-Nose Syndrome's Lethal Effects on Life-Support Functions of Wings

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 11:47:54 EDT

Madison, Wisconsin—Damage to bat wings from the fungus associated with white-nose syndrome (WNS) may cause catastrophic imbalance in life-support processes, according to newly published research.

This imbalance may be to blame for the more than 1 million deaths of bats due to WNS thus far, proposes Carol Meteyer, a pathologist with the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Wildlife Health Center and a lead author of the research published in BMC Biology.

Physiological problems caused by the novel fungus, may, in fact, represent a completely new disease paradigm for mammals, Meteyer and her colleagues wrote. Other skin infections in mammals due to fungi (ringworm, athlete’s foot) remain superficial and do not invade living tissue—typically they only affect the surface of skin, hair and nails.

Not so for the aptly named Geomyces destructans.

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“This fungus is amazingly destructive — it digests, erodes, and invades the skin — particularly the wings — of hibernating bats,” said Meteyer. “The ability of this fungus to invade bats’ wing skin is unlike that of any known skin fungal pathogen in land mammals.”

The authors examined nearly 200 bats that had died from WNS, and also reviewed the critical function and physiology of bat wings during hibernation. As a result, they propose that G. destructans may cause unsustainable dehydration in hibernating bats, triggering thirst-associated arousals. In addition to the direct damage to the wings that would alter flight control, the erosion and invasion of skin may also cause significant changes in circulation, body-temperature regulation and respiratory function.

Since signs of the disease were first observed in New York during the winter of 2006-07, the fungus has spread through 11 states and 2 Canadian provinces, resulting in the first sustained high-mortality disease affecting bats in recorded history. Biologists assume that as the disease spreads to new areas, cave-hibernating bats in those areas will also be at risk, including some that are endangered.

“The high number of bat deaths and range of species being affected far exceeds the rate and magnitude of any previously known natural or human-caused mortality event in bats, and possibly in any other mammals,” said Paul Cryan, a lead author of the paper and a USGS bat ecologist at the Fort Collins Science Center.

Although the powdery white muzzles of affected bats gave the disease its name, the authors believe that the skin of bat wings is the most significant, though often less obvious, target of the fungus.

The order of bats is called Chiroptera, Greek for “hand-wing,” appropriately named since bat wings are essentially modified arms. Imagine, for a moment, your human hand with its fingers spread apart. Then imagine your fingers are 6 feet long, and the whole skeletal affair is covered with two layers of thin, somewhat transparent membranes attached to the sides of your torso and legs. Sandwiched between the membranes are blood and lymphatic vessels, delicate nerves, muscles and special connective tissues that help you fly and help keep you physiologically healthy.

“The disproportionately large areas of exposed skin that make up bat wings play critical roles in maintaining safe internal body conditions during hibernation,” noted Cryan. “Healthy wings are essential for day-to-day survival, even during winter when bats are mostly just hanging around. Wings damaged by the fungus may not always look so bad to the naked eye, but under the microscope things get ugly fast.”

When Meteyer examined wings of diseased bats microscopically, she discovered wing damage was often so severe that it led her and her colleagues to suggest multiple life-threatening effects on hibernating bats.

“A bat’s wings,” said Meteyer, “are obviously critical for flying, but they also play a vital part in essential functions such as body temperature, blood pressure, water balance and blood and gas circulation and exchange.”

Healthy bats occasionally rouse themselves from hibernation, probably to change roosts, drink, mate and even overcome sleep deprivation, biologists think. But bats afflicted with WNS arouse much more often. In fact, a characteristic of hibernation sites with WNS is daytime flights of affected bats outside caves.

“The prevailing hypothesis is that daytime winter flight is a last-ditch effort for starving bats to find insect prey,” Cryan said. “What we propose is that thirst, and maybe not always hunger, is driving these arousals. Unusual thirst during hibernation may result from water essentially leaking out of wings damaged by the fungus.”

Anecdotally, bats at hibernacula affected by WNS are sometimes seen flying over and drinking from water surfaces or eating snow, highlighting the plausibility of this hypothesis, the authors noted.

Hibernation itself is one reason this emerging disease is so successful. During hibernation, a bat’s immune function and metabolism are dramatically reduced, and body temperature drops significantly. Also, some of the worst-affected bat species roost in humid areas in dense clusters to conserve energy and decrease moisture loss.

“These ideal environmental conditions, combined with the hibernating bat’s suppressed immune system, likely allow the fungus to invade body tissues for nutrients without resistance, making the hibernating bat a most accommodating host for this new disease,” Meteyer said.

The researchers compare the ability of this novel bat fungus to destabilize internal functions with the electrolyte imbalance that occurs in frogs infected by chytrid fungus, which, like G. destructans, is a novel disease of vertebrates. Chytrid infection impairs the ability of frog skin to regulate hydration and internal equilibrium, causing electrolyte imbalance and ultimately cardiac arrest.

“The skin plays a critical role in the physiology of both amphibians and bats,” Meteyer said. “We suggest that a similar, but less subtle, disturbance could be occurring in the wing membranes of bats with WNS.”

The journal article can be accessed online.

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Climate Change Implicated in Decline of Horseshoe Crabs

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 11:24:03 EDT

Decline may affect at-risk shorebirds

LEETOWN, W. Va. — A distinct decline in horseshoe crab numbers has occurred that parallels climate change associated with the end of the last Ice Age, according to a study that used genomics to assess historical trends in population sizes.

The new research also indicates that horseshoe crabs numbers may continue to decline in the future because of predicted climate change, said Tim King, a scientist with the U.S. Geological Survey and a lead author on the new study published in Molecular Ecology.

While the current decline in horseshoe crabs is attributed in great part to overharvest for fishing bait and for the pharmaceutical industry, the new research indicates that climate change also appears to have historically played a role in altering the numbers of successfully reproducing horseshoe crabs. More importantly, said King, predicted future climate change, with its accompanying sea-level rise and water temperature fluctuations, may well limit horseshoe crab distribution and interbreeding, resulting in distributional changes and localized and regional population declines, such as happened after the last Ice Age.

“Using genetic variation, we determined the trends between past and present population sizes of horseshoe crabs and found that a clear decline in the number of horseshoe crabs has occurred that parallels climate change associated with the end of the last Ice Age,” said King.

The research substantiated recent significant declines in all areas where horseshoe crabs occur along the West Atlantic Coast from Maine to Florida and the eastern Gulf of Mexico, with the possible exception of a distinct population along the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico

These findings, combined with the results of a 2005 study by King and colleagues, have important implications for the welfare of wildlife that rely on nutrient-rich horseshoe crab eggs for food each spring.

For example, Atlantic loggerhead sea turtles, which used to feed mainly on adult horseshoe crabs and blue crabs in Chesapeake Bay, already have been forced to find other less suitable sources of food, perhaps contributing to declines in Virginia’s sea turtle abundance. Additionally, horseshoe crab eggs are an important source of food for millions of migrating shorebirds. This is particularly true for the red knot, an at-risk shorebird that uses horseshoe crab eggs at Delaware Bay to refuel during its marathon migration of some 10,000 miles. Since the late 1990s, both horseshoe crabs and red knot populations in the Delaware Bay area have declined, although census numbers for horseshoe crabs have increased incrementally recently.

“Population size decreases of these ancient mariners have implications beyond the obvious,” King said. “Genetic diversity is the most fundamental level of biodiversity, providing the raw material for evolutionary processes to act upon and affording populations the opportunity to adapt to their surroundings. For this reason, the low effective population sizes indicated in the new study give one pause.”

These studies should help conservation managers make better-informed decisions about protecting horseshoe crabs and other species with a similar evolutionary history. For example, the 2005 study indicated males moved between bays but females did not, suggesting management efforts may best be targeted at local populations instead of regional ones since an absence of enough females may result in local extinctions.

“Consequently, harvest limitations on females in populations with low numbers may be a useful management strategy, as well as relocating females from adjacent bays to help restore certain populations,” King said. “Both studies highlight the importance of considering both climatic change and other human-caused factors such as overharvest in understanding the population dynamics of this and other species.”

Background on Horseshoe Crabs

Horseshoe crabs are not crabs at all – in fact, they are more closely related to spiders, ticks and scorpions. While historically horseshoe crabs have been used in fertilizer, most horseshoe crab harvest today comes from the fishing industry, which uses the crab as bait, and the pharmaceutical industry, which collects their blood for its clotting properties. While the crabs are returned after their blood is taken, the estimated mortality rate for bled horseshoe crabs can be as high as 30 percent.

The research, Population dynamics of American horseshoe crabs—historic climatic events and recent anthropogenic pressures, was published in the June issue of Molecular Ecology and was authored by Søren Faurby (Aarhus University, Denmark), Tim King, Matthias Obst (University of Gothenburg, Sweden) and others.

The 2005 study, Regional differentiation and sex-biased dispersal among populations of the horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus), was published in the Transactions of the American Fisheries Society and authored by Tim King, Mike Eackles Adrian Spidle (USGS) and Jane Brockman (University of Florida).

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From Drowning Coastal Marshes and Punk Ducks to Soil Crusts

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Tue, 3 Aug 2010 10:13:25 EDT

USGS Research at the Ecological Society of America Conference Focuses on Climate Change

The 2010 Ecological Society of America conference is in Pittsburg, Penn., from Aug. 1 to Aug. 6. This year’s theme is Global Warming: The Legacy of Our Past, the Challenge for Our Future.

Drowning marshes: How High Can the Seas Rise Before Wetlands Go Under? Habitat for many commercially important fish and shellfish populations, recreational fishing, and unique ways of living, coastal wetlands are among the most valuable ecosystems on earth, and of all the threats they face, sea-level rise is one of the most critical. Already, marshes in many parts of the world seem to be drowning as sea levels steadily increase. USGS scientists Matthew L. Kirwan and Glenn Guntenspergen studied just how high sea level can rise before coastal wetlands are likely to disappear. Their research, based on model experiments, show that the rate of sea-level rise and the amount of sediment available will be the most important determining factors in the survival of coastal wetlands. If the water rises too fast and with too little sediment deposition, the wetlands worldwide will likely drown by the end of the 21^st century. If sea levels rise more slowly and with a higher amount of sediment deposition associated with the rise, then the coastal wetlands will be more likely to survive. This presentation, Threshold sea level rise rates for wetland survival: limits to ecogeomorphic feedbacks, will be presented on Aug. 3at 8:40 a.m. in Room 301-302. Contact Matthew Kirwan at mkirwan@usgs.gov or Glenn Guntenspergen at 218-343-6107 or glenn_guntenspergen@usgs.gov.

Climate Change Likely to Harm Vital Soil Crusts in the Colorado Plateau: Predicted climate change in the Colorado Plateau will likely strongly alter soil crust composition, an essential player in the structure and function of arid and semi-arid ecosystems, according to preliminary USGS research. These communities, composed primarily of cyanobacteria, algae, lichens and mosses, can completely cover plant interspaces in undisturbed areas and make up 70 percent or more of the living ground cover. Biological soil crusts fix atmospheric nitrogen and carbon dioxide and serve as important sources of fixed carbon and nitrogen for these sparsely vegetated systems. USGS scientists conducted a field study to experimentally simulate the more extreme scenario of predicted changes in precipitation and examined the combined effects of pulsing summer precipitation and warming on soils and biological soil crusts. Preliminary results showed that warming alone did not seem to affect soil crusts, but in watered plots a dramatic reduction in soil crusts and mosses occurred, along with lowered amounts of soil carbon, nitrogen and soil phosphorous. These preliminary results suggest that changes to precipitation patterns projected for the Colorado Plateau will likely strongly affect biological soil crust composition, especially moss cover, with important consequences for soil nutrient cycling. This ongoing research project, Responses of biological soil crusts in arid and semi-arid ecosystems to predicted climate change, will be presented on Aug. 3 at 2:10 p.m. Contact Tamara Zelikova at 435-719-2350 or jzelikova@usgs.gov.

Alien Invaders Leading to More Worldwide Flora Homogenization: Although at regional levels, invasive plants are often the most widely distributed plant species, on a global level, invasive patterns are quite asymmetric, according to a USGS study. The study found that more than half of the widely distributed species in the United States were alien, whereas Europe had almost no alien species on its top 120 list of plant species. Alien plant species were also common on the top 120 list for New South Wales (43 percent), Chile (34 percent), Argentina (30 percent), and the Republic of South Africa (22 percent). In Europe, only 2 percent of the most common species are alien, whereas in the United States it is 40 percent. In all countries, however, the alien species present were equally or more widely distributed in comparison to native species on the lists. These widespread alien species contribute to the continued homogenization of global flora. This research, Widespread plant species: Natives vs. aliens in our changing world, will be presented on Aug. 4 at 10:30 a.m. in Rooms 315-16. Contact Thomas J. Stohlgren at 970-491-1980 or stohlgrent@usgs.gov.

Invasive Cheatgrass Cheating Sagebrush of its Root Growth: Although it may be best known from the series Rawhide, sagebrush plays a vital role in Western habitats and for many animal species. Yet sagebrush habitat itself is disappearing rapidly, threatened by land-use alteration and rapidly spreading invasive species, such as cheatgrass. A recent USGS laboratory study found that sagebrush roots appear to grow less quickly in the presence of invasive cheatgrass than when grown with other sagebrush individuals. Yet the study also indicated that sagebrush grown in the presence of activated charcoal, which is found in soils after fires, might be better able to compete with cheatgrass. Further investigations are ongoing; these research results will help provide managers with tools to restore and manage the important sagebrush ecosystem. This research, Effects of root interactions on Wyoming big sagebrush root growth, will be presented on Aug. 5 at 3:20 p.m. in Room COS 11-6. Contact Upekala C. Wijayratne at 541-737-2324, uwijayratne@usgs.gov.

Punk Ducks: Migration Patterns of Elusive Sea ducks: Sea ducks are the least-studied and most bizarrely decorated (think punk ducks) group of ducks, yet most sea duck populations appear to be declining, and two are listed as threatened. USGS scientist Elise Zipkin and colleagues looked at 5 of the 12 sea duck species that winter off the eastern coast of the United States and Canada to help shed light on the ecology and migration patterns of these species: long-tailed ducks, common eiders, and black, surf, and white-winged scoters. While each species responded differently to local environmental characteristics, all five species were significantly affected by the North Atlantic Oscillation, an alternating fluctuation of sea surface pressure that strongly affects the weather patterns in the eastern part of North America. In addition, all species showed some level of site fidelity or loyalty among the 10 ten years of the study and exhibited significant responses to latitudinal gradients suggesting an important, yet diverse, southern boundary for each species. This information is critical to help unravel the complex relationship between the North Atlantic Oscillation, sea surface temperature, and local sea duck abundances, and should help assess the effects of climate change on these remarkable birds. Since current projections suggest that the NAO and sea surface temperature may alter in response to climate change, research that helps clarify the variability in species’ responses to large- scale climatic variables will help with their future protection. This research, Distribution patterns of wintering sea ducks in relation to the North Atlantic Oscillation and implications for a changing climate, will be presented on Aug. 4 at 1:50 p.m. in Room 310-311. Contact Elise Zipkin at 301-497-5810 or ezipkin@usgs.gov.

Wildlife Response to Seasonal Climate Change: Phenology Network Adds Animals: Like to watch bees, bats, butterflies or birds? This year, the USA-National Phenology Network (USA-NPN) is adding about 160 animal species to its existing program of 252 plant species, which means that professional and citizen-scientists will be able to record information about the seasonal patterns of these species to help researchers understand how seasonal patterns of plants and animals are being altered by climate change. The USA-NPN connects backyard and amateur naturalists, resource managers, scientists and policy makers in a collective effort toward understanding the phenology -- or seasonal patterns -- of plants and animals and the interaction of these phenologies with natural ecological systems. The collected data can be used for remote sensing studies, analysis of species response to environmental change, and to understand linkages between biological and hydrological cycles, among other applications. Phenology data are also important for managing human health risks, such as pollen release; the timing of agricultural planting, pest treatments and harvesting; and wildlife and fisheries management. Ultimately, a national phenology database will provide important input for decisions needed for societal adaptation to climate change. This poster presentation, An integrated plant and animal phenology monitoring system: a new national program for reporting contemporary phenology data, will be shown in Exhibit Hall A on Aug. 2 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Contact Kathryn Thomas at the poster site or at 570-670-5534 or at Kathryn_A_Thomas@usgs.gov.

Oak Savannas: Where East Meets West: The oak savannas of the Midwest are the transition landscape between vast western grasslands and the great forests of the East. Historically, these savannas covered millions of acres but are today among the most endangered ecosystems on the planet. Until recently, managers had little information about the value of these oak savannas for plants and animals. A USGS study by Ralph Grundel and Noel B. Pavlovic found that while some animals and plants occupied all of habitats across this transitional landscape – from grasslands to forests - at about the same rate, others definitely had strong preferences for either grasslands or forest habitats. However, comparatively few plants and animals had strong preferences for the oak savannas, which suggests that plants and animals tend to use savannas more as an ecotonal – or transitional habitat – rather than one whose characteristics strongly differentiate it from other habitats along the grassland-forest continuum. In addition, the two found that the diversity of the groundlayer in oak savannas increases as fire frequency increases, canopy cover decreases, light increases, and soil productivity increases. Patterns of groundlayer composition suggest that climate change will shift the important and diverse groundlayer composition relative to how much it alters tree canopy cover through changes in fire regime and moisture gradients through increased or decreased seasonal rain or snow. This information will help resource managers plan effective management and restoration activities and to plan for future climate change strategies. The research on Midwest oak savannas – unique or ecotonal? will be presented on Aug. 3 at 8:40 a.m. in Rooms 306-307. The research on Determinants of oak savanna ground layer composition and richness will be in the same room on Aug. 3 at 9:50 a.m. Contact Ralph Grundel at 219-926-8336 x422 or at rgrundel@usgs.gov or contact Noel Pavlovic at 219-926-8336 x428 or at npavlovic@usgs.gov.

Fiery Changes in Southern California Fire Occurrence: USGS researchers found that southern California is the only part of the state that has experienced significant increases in wildfires over the last five decades. Analysis shows that this increase is linked to the rise in atmospheric temperature. Past studies suggest that wildfire activity has increased throughout the western United States. USGS researchers wanted to know whether this pattern has region-specific variations and causes. For the analysis, they divided California into five climate zones and looked at how number of wildfires and area burned have changed over the past 49 years. But this study did not find statewide increases in wildfires. Only southern California experienced increases in fires and area burned. Curiously, the increases are not linked to that region’s enormous change in population growth. However, for northern California, analysis shows that wildfire trends have links to population trends. This research gives new perspectives on wildfire trends in California. The results will inform urban and natural resource planners on their long-term outlook on wildfire management. This research will be presented on Aug. 5 at 2:10 p.m. in Room 301-302. Contact: Dr. Jon Keeley at 559-79-8985 or at jon_keeley@usgs.gov.

Mountaintop Removal for Coal Mining Harms Forest Songbirds: Mountaintop removal for coal mining affects diversity and abundance of songbird species differently in reclaimed areas and in intact and fragmented forests, according to a USGS study. Mountaintop removal converts a landscape of predominately mature deciduous forest to one containing reclaimed grassland and scrubland habitats that surround remnant forest patches. USGS researcher Petra Wood found that songbird richness and abundance were highest in reclaimed scrublands and lowest in reclaimed grasslands. Richness and abundance did not differ between intact and fragmented forests because the increased abundance of species that can live on the edges of fragmented and intact forests balanced the loss of species dependent on interior forests. Grassland, edge, and interior-edge songbirds were more abundant on the post-mining landscape and forest-interior species were more abundant in intact than fragmented forest. The research specifically examined cerulean warblers because southern West Virginia lies within the core range of this at-risk species. These warblers appear to be negatively affected from loss of forested habitat, particularly ridgetops where they occur in greater densities, and from degradation of remaining forests, as evidenced by lower territory density in fragmented forests and lower territory density and abundance closer to mine edges. The severity of habitat loss and fragmentation for this species and other forest-dwelling birds will depend on whether mountaintop removal areas are reforested, which may help lessen the effects of forest loss and fragmentation. Non-timber post-mining land uses such as grazing or development will result in permanent fragmentation of forest habitats. This research, Effects of MTR on avian diversity and abundance, cerulean warblers as a case study, will be presented on Tuesday, Aug. 3 at 9:10 a.m. in Blrm A. For more information, contact Petra Wood at 304-293-5090 or atpbwood@usgs.gov.

Presidential Rank Award -- Top Federal Honor -- Given to USGS Deputy Director Robert Doyle

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 12:45:32 EDT

U.S. Geological Survey Deputy Director Robert Doyle has been selected as a Distinguished recipient of the Presidential Rank Award, a prestigious award that commends outstanding leadership and long-term accomplishments.

The President annually recognizes a small group of career senior executives and senior career employees with the Presidential Rank Award. Recipients are strong leaders, professionals and scientists who achieve results and who consistently demonstrate strength, integrity and commitment to excellence in public service. There are two categories of rank awards: Distinguished and Meritorious. Only one percent of the 7,000 career senior executives may earn the award in the Distinguished category.

After beginning his federal career at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in 1974, Mr. Doyle has, as noted in the award citation, consistently demonstrated superb business skills and excelled as an effective change agent, risk taker, and problem solver.

"Not only has Bob been a critical asset to the Survey, he is frequently called upon by senior officials throughout the Department of the Interior for his leadership, strategic thinking, and management expertise," said USGS Director Mark Myers. "Again and again, he displays sharp, experienced judgment in analyzing situations. Equally important, he has exercised a strong and unusually versatile ability to get things done."

Mr. Doyle serves as the chief operating officer and deputy director for the USGS, a science agency within the DOI. The USGS is a $1.4 billion dollar enterprise with more than $400 million reimbursed from customers - a significant indication of the scientific relevancy, value and importance of its work. The highly decentralized agency employs about 8,500 employees deployed across three national regions in more than 400 locations with offices in every state. For almost five years, he has provided steady leadership while overseeing significant scientific accomplishments during transitions between bureau directors.

Mr. Doyle played a key role designing the reorganization plans for the USGS regional structure designed to strengthen and improve science integration across all science disciplines - a critical step for implementing the newly adopted USGS 10-year science strategy. Under his leadership, the USGS has established and maintained an outstanding record of organizational performance as measured by DOI and Office of Management and Budget standards.

Mr. Doyle initiated and implemented a plan to open the vast USGS archives of satellite (Landsat) imagery and aerial photography for broader use by the general public and commercial interests. This information has proven invaluable to land planners, resource managers and emergency responders as well as policy makers for attempting to understand the impacts of land uses and climate variability and for developing meaningful adaptive and mitigation strategies.