Where we WERC
Our scientists conduct studies from the deserts of the Mojave to the diverse ecosystems of the Great Basin
Our scientists conduct studies from the deserts of the Mojave to the diverse ecosystems of the Great Basin
Our Scientists at WERC
Ecologists collecting field samples to detect contaminants in the environment
Ecologists collecting field samples to detect contaminants in the environment
Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
The Western Ecological Research Center (WERC) is a USGS Ecosystems Mission Area operation serving primarily California and Nevada. WERC scientists work closely with Federal, State, academic, and other collaborators to address a diverse array of high-profile topics. Topics include research on effects of wildfire, sea level rise, drought, energy development and more on federal Trust species.
WERC Quick Links
WERC Quick Links
Check out our most up-to-date data, events and science.
News
USGS-led Study: Sediment Management is Key to Preserving Puget Sound's Estuarine Habitats
USGS-led Study: Sediment Management is Key to Preserving Puget Sound's Estuarine Habitats
San Francisco Bay Shallow Water Strategic Placement Pilot Project
San Francisco Bay Shallow Water Strategic Placement Pilot Project
Latest science findings from Ocean Ecology Research to be presented at Conferences in February 2024
Latest science findings from Ocean Ecology Research to be presented at Conferences in February 2024
Publications
Stony coral tissue loss disease indirectly alters reef communities
Many Caribbean coral reefs are near collapse due to various threats. An emerging threat, stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD), is spreading across the Western Atlantic and Caribbean. Data from the U.S. Virgin Islands reveal how SCTLD spread has reduced the abundance of susceptible coral and crustose coralline algae and increased cyanobacteria, fire coral, and macroalgae. A Caribbean-wide struct
Global mercury concentrations in biota: Their use as a basis for a global biomonitoring framework
An important provision of the Minamata Convention on Mercury is to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the adopted measures and its implementation. Here, we describe for the first time currently available biotic mercury (Hg) data on a global scale to improve the understanding of global efforts to reduce the impact of Hg pollution on people and the environment. Data from the peer-reviewed lit
Post-fire reference densities for giant sequoia seedlings in a new era of high-severity wildfires
Many forests globally are experiencing increases in large, high-severity wildfires, often with increasingly inadequate post-fire tree regeneration. To identify areas that might need post-fire planting, forest managers have a growing need for seedling reference densities – the natural seedling densities expected to be adequate to regenerate a forest – to compare with observed post-fire seedling den
Science
Stephens’ Kangaroo Rat Research and Monitoring Program
Western Ecological Research Center (WERC) scientists provide valuable support to management agencies as they work toward recovery of the threatened Stephens’ kangaroo rat (Dipodomys stephensi). The Stephen’s kangaroo rat (SKR) occupies a limited range of habitat within southern California. WERC’s long-term monitoring of SKR at several sites has revealed local trends in distribution and abundance...
Estimating spatial variation in greater sage-grouse lek buffers using seasonal space use models
Greater sage-grouse ( Centrocercus urophasianus ) management relies on the identification and protection of core habitat for the species. Core areas are often centered on leks where the potential impacts of anthropogenic development and other disturbances can be evaluated based on buffer distances around active leks. While buffer distances have been quantified for some regions, sage-grouse space...
A user-friendly decision support tool for monitoring and managing greater sage-grouse populations
Researchers within the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Colorado State University (CSU) worked with BLM and State Wildlife Agencies to develop a hierarchical population monitoring framework for managing greater sage-grouse ( Centrocercus urophasianus ) populations and the sagebrush ecosystems that they depend upon for survival and reproduction. This hierarchical population monitoring strategy now...