Research By Topic

This site describes USGS participation in the US Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) in the area of biology. This work is conducted under the Biological Resources Discipline's (BRD) Ecosystems Program Element. BRD's global change activities contribute to the broader global change programs of the USGS and the Department of the Interior (DOI) and the U.S. Climate Change Science Program. A primary focus of BRD global change research and monitoring is on the effects of global change on Department of Interior lands and resources. Research is conducted in several varied biogeographic regions and within specific thematic areas.

The 24 projects in the Global Change Research in Biology Program are grouped under 6 themes. Principal investigators within each theme are encouraged to work together to assure the maximal integration of information and data, and the widest geographic reach possible, given the objectives of each individual project.  Integration of research efforts among projects is more feasible within some themes than others. These differences are reflected in the theme pages:

• Bird/Habitat Interactions
• Climate and Human-induced Changes to Arid Lands in the Western U.S.
• Coastal and Interior Wetland Ecosystems
• Sensitive Species and Island Ecosystems
• Watershed Biogeochemistry
• Western Mountain Initiative
  

12 projects initiated in 2004 are described here. These projects are scheduled for completion in early 2008. A earlier round of projects was conducted during Fiscal Years 1999-2003. Information about these projects can be found in the Previous Research section of this site.  New Cycle Projects can be found under the following topics:

• Atmospheric Composition
• Climate Variability
• Carbon Cycle
• Ecosystems
• Human Contributions
• Land Use
• Water Cycle