FRESC Snake River Field Station
FRESC Cascadia Field Station
FRESC Olympic Field Station
Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center
Scientists from the Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center capitalize on their diverse expertise to answer scientific questions shaped by the environments of the western United States. We collaborate with each other and with partners to provide rigorous, objective, and timely information and guidance to support management, conservation, and restoration of the Nation's natural resources.
FRESC Research Teams
FRESC Research Teams
FRESC scientists, individually or collaboratively with partners, investigate high-priority questions about biological systems.
News
White-nose syndrome detections in two Pacific Northwest National Parks
White-nose syndrome detections in two Pacific Northwest National Parks
Inaugural USGS Wildlife Health Awareness Day - April 25, 2025
Inaugural USGS Wildlife Health Awareness Day - April 25, 2025
New study on the economics of public land treatments reveals treatment characteristics influence costs
New study on the economics of public land treatments reveals treatment characteristics influence costs
Publications
Aridity reduces lag times between aquatic and terrestrial dry-down among watersheds and across years in the northwest US Aridity reduces lag times between aquatic and terrestrial dry-down among watersheds and across years in the northwest US
Landscapes encompass both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems that experience the same climate but may respond to climate in divergent ways. For example, the time lag between seasonal dry-down of terrestrial soil moisture and decline in streamflow has important implications for species and ecosystem processes across the aquatic–terrestrial interface. How these lags between aquatic and...
Amphibian diversity of the western Colorado canyonlands including potential threats from nonnative bullfrogs and disease Amphibian diversity of the western Colorado canyonlands including potential threats from nonnative bullfrogs and disease
Throughout the canyons of the Colorado and Uncompahgre Plateaus, water is a limited resource for wildlife, with patchy distribution and seasonal availability. Tributary creeks within these canyons drain into mainstem rivers, providing habitat and breeding sites for native amphibians. Yet, little is known about the diversity and distribution of amphibians that live in these harsh, dynamic...
Environmental drivers of Greater Sage-grouse population trends over 25 years in Idaho, USA Environmental drivers of Greater Sage-grouse population trends over 25 years in Idaho, USA
Greater Sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) populations have been in decline for decades across much of the US Intermountain West. However, findings from 25 years of lek counts in Idaho indicate that some populations are stable or even increasing. After accounting for potential biases in past lek count data, we sought to explain the variability in population trends among all 70 lek...
Science
USGS Science Syntheses for Public Lands Management
Scientific information is fundamental to understanding how proposed actions on public lands may impact the environment. Development of new science is occurring at rates that can make it challenging for biologists, resource managers, decision makers, private landowners, and other stakeholders to ensure they are using up-to-date, high-quality science information to inform their decisions. Further...
USGS research on coastal and nearshore ecosystems informs wildlife and fisheries management
Coastal ecosystems are where the land and sea meet. USGS coastal science plays a critical role in supporting effective, science-based management of coastal ecosystems. USGS helps decision-makers navigate complex ecosystem challenges.
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Cooperative Research Units, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Western Fisheries Research Center, Western Geographic Science Center, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center
eDNA and the Efficacy of Management Actions
Environmental DNA (eDNA) is a powerful feedback tool, giving managers fast, clear, and cost-effective evidence to guide decisions and improve conservation outcomes.
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Environmental Health Program, Species Management Research Program, Alaska Science Center, Columbia Environmental Research Center, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Fort Collins Science Center, Great Lakes Science Center, National Wildlife Health Center, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center, Southwest Biological Science Center, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC), Western Fisheries Research Center, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center , Pacific Northwest Environmental DNA Laboratory