Well, the lazy days of summer are coming to a close, but don't let the back-to-school blues get you down! This month's science picks take you back to the beach, tackle disasters with preparation; and fill you in on a few tidbits about some of our favorite animal friends.

Included this month
· Find out What Pretty Flower is Making it Tough on Turtles
· Can Sugar Give Native Grasses a Helping Hand?
· Flood-Warning Network Provides the Info Needed, Now
· Can Winter Snow Cool Amphibian Amore?

LEADS:
Invasive Species are a pesky problem. Losses in the United States from all types of invasive plants, animals, and microorganisms are estimated to total about $138 billion per year. Here are three leads related to the USGS Invasive Species program (http://biology.usgs.gov/invasive/index.htm):

For this Plant, Life’s a Beach: This plant is living it up, lying out on the sand, soaking up the sun, practically making the beach its own--literally. Beach vitex, which has been dubbed “beach kudzu,” is a pesky invasive plant species that is taking over the beaches of South Carolina. Vitex, with a lovely fragrance and purple flowers, was originally imported for use in landscaping, and was even used to control beach erosion. But then its true nature became known. Sea turtles can’t get through the thick vegetative mat that vitex creates to lay their eggs. Vitex is just one of many exotic plant species brought into the United States each year that may have started out seeming to be good plant citizens in their new land but then have taken over, pushing out native vegetation and creating other problems as well, like for the poor mother turtles. USGS is working to get to the roots of this problem with early detection of unfriendly invaders, rapid response to the threats they pose, and how to prevent them from getting here and taking hold. Check out the vicious vegetation of vitex at: http://www.usgs.gov/features/beach_vitex.html. For more, contact Randy Westbrooks at 703-648-4041 or email at rwestbrooks@usgs.gov.

Fire-Friendly Invaders: Well, it's happened. Aliens have invaded and are proving to be a threat in fire-prone areas around the world. But never fear! USGS scientists have teamed up with scientists from North America, Australia, and South Africa, to study the aliens and develop ways to fight the invasion. We're talking about alien plants, of course, plants that not only thrive in places that are fire prone but actually may make fires more likely to occur. Invasive plants are widely recognized as significant threats to the biological diversity of plants and animals, and managing these pesky proliferators requires an understanding of what promotes invasion and what the impacts are once they’ve established a beachhead in their new terrain. Scientists have devised a nifty computer model that helps them understand what happens between plant invaders and the fire-prone lands in which they’re taking root and how they affect native vegetation. With this cool tool in hand, managers can better tell just how much trouble an invading plant might be and which ones they should target first for elimination. USGS scientists are also looking at ways to get the landscape back to the way it was before the invaders arrived, restoring native vegetation, and, hopefully, making fire a less likely hazard. For more, contact Matt Brooks 702-564-4615 or email at matt_brooks@usgs.gov.

Kill Them with Sweetness? As children, most of us were taught the age-old proverb that the way to defeat a bully is to overwhelm them with sweetness. Who would have thought that there might be a scientific application for this moral methodology? Well, USGS scientists are experimenting with the idea as they explore ways to give native vegetation a competitive advantage over bullying exotic grasses when restoring native plants. USGS researchers want to understand how sugar application affects the amount of nitrogen and plant growth in native sagebrush and exotic grass communities in eastern Oregon and southwestern Idaho. Preliminary results suggest that sugar reduces the availability of inorganic nitrogen in the top soil layer. Because many exotic grasses thrive when nitrogen is abundant, but native vegetation does reasonably well with low nitrogen levels, there may be some promise for sugar in the fight against invasive plants. For more, contact David Pyke at 541-750-7334 or email at david_a_pyke@usgs.gov.

FEEDS:
At the USGS, every day is Natural Disaster Reduction Day, but the World Natural Disaster Reduction Day (October 13, 2004) will be here before you know it. Be prepared, visit http://www.usgs.gov/themes/hazard.html.

Flood-Warning Network Provides the Info Needed, Now: If you've ever been caught unaware by rapidly-rising flood waters, you've probably wished you had a friend upstream, someone who could let you know when a flood was heading your way. Well, the USGS and the National Weather Service have set up a method that could provide that kind of information. They've established a flood-warning network and appropriate water-level thresholds that provide warning when floods are approaching. In Greensboro, N.C., for example, recent heavy rains caused flash flooding that forced more than 100 people from their homes, trapping many in cars and forcing the closure of I-40. Once the waters rose to the established level that says “Flood!,” USGS streamgaging stations transmitted data at 15-minute intervals, enabling the National Weather Service to communicate water levels and approaching flooding to the city’s 911 emergency response system. According to Jeff Orrock of the National Weather Service, "it was amazing how well the system worked." Local weathercasters reported to the National Weather Service that they were very impressed with the level of detail and precision of the warnings and statements. For more, contact Jeanne Robbins 919-571-4017 or email at jrobbins@usgs.gov.

Dinosaur Descends on Desert: No, not a real dinosaur, but from August 19-23, the ground will shake and the Earth will tremble as T-Rex invades Garner Valley, California. "T-Rex" is the affectionate name for a large ground-shaking truck that is helping scientists learn about the effects of seismic waves. During its visit to California it will be perched over the San Jacinto fault, where it will shake the ground at varied frequencies while USGS and partner scientists surround the area with sensitive real-time ground sensors to learn more about how sediment-filled basins trap, amplify, and modify seismic waves during earthquakes. Many of America’s major cities are built over sediment basins and are at risk of major damage and economic disruption from earthquakes. Particularly in the eastern United States, major earthquakes occur too infrequently to obtain this kind of information locally. Results from the experiment in Garner Valley can assist engineers and decision makers in designing safer structures and establishing safe building codes across the United States. T-Rex will be brought from its home at the University of Texas with primary funding from the National Science Foundation’s Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation Consortium (NEES). For more, contact Stephanie Hanna at 206-331-0335 or email at shanna@usgs.gov, or contact Joan Gomberg at 323-854-7727 or email at gomberg@usgs.gov.

Let's Talk....About Disasters: Are you looking for a source of information about disasters from top experts in the United States? Do you want to know the difference between disaster facts and fiction? Do you disseminate disaster preparedness information to the public? If so, the USGS and other disaster preparedness organizations have developed a guide just for you. To download your free copy of Talking about Disaster: Guide for Standard Messages, visit www.disastereducation.org. The disaster resource guide is designed for use by a wide audience, including emergency managers, homeland security professionals, meteorologists, teachers, disaster and fire educators, public relations personnel and the news media. It provides current information on various types of disasters, as well disaster preparedness and safety. It includes safety messages on natural, technological, and human-induced hazards such as earthquakes, flooding, landslides, and volcanic eruptions. For more, contact A.B. Wade at 703-648-4483 or email at abwade@usgs.gov.

SEEDS:
We don't just study animals because they're cute and cuddly; our biological resources play an important role in the health of our environment and our economy. For more information visit our Biological Resources Division at http://biology.usgs.gov/

Can Winter Snow Cool Amphibian Amore? It’s a given that amphibians have little love for snow--think about their boisterous croaking as they greet the arrival of spring. If those mating calls of spring have seemed a bit off, we now have an answer from a USGS study that shows that more snow in winter may affect amphibian ardor. It would appear that for each inch of snow water equivalent (a measure of the amount of snow moisture), the date of breeding changes by one day. That might not seem like much but the timing of when amphibians breed can affect the survival of eggs and tadpoles. And that can impact amphibian populations. When amphibians breed is largely determined by weather, and, in mountainous areas, amphibian ardor doesn’t get under way until snowmelt begins and ponds are largely free of ice. For more, contact Stephen Corn 406-542-4191 or email at steve_corn@usgs.gov.

The Mark of Zorro, Manatee-style: Much like the identifying Z etched on Zorro’s face, the pattern of scars on different manatees helps scientists tell something about them and distinguish them from other manatees. The scars, scrapes and bumps of daily life as a manatee may actually help the species. The pattern of scarring allows scientists to photograph individual manatees and compile information about them. In three studies--the first comprehensive population analysis published in 9 years--scientists from the USGS, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Mote Marine Laboratory, and the Florida Park Service have documented survival, reproduction, and population growth rates of the endangered Florida manatee. The USGS led studies show populations are growing at healthy rates in two of four regions off Florida's coast, but may be stalled or declining in the remaining regions. For more, contact Michael Runge at 301-497-5748 or email at michael_runge@usgs.gov.

Swan Lake, not just a Ballet but a Habitat Preference: Apparently, a large and luxuriant lake with a nice river running into or out of it is considered prime real estate by swans. In a recently published study, USGS scientist Susan Earnst evaluated tundra swan habitat selection on the largest river delta on the north coast of Alaska. Most tundra swan sightings during aerial surveys were on or within 150 meters of lakes or river channels. On a regional scale, swans preferred large lakes, lakes that were connected to rivers or had been partially drained by rivers, and lakes with certain pond and wet meadow cover types on their perimeters. At a more localized scale, foraging swans selected ponds and wet meadows relative to drier habitats. Among river channels and river-associated lakes, swans preferred those with sheathed pondweed, a favored food, over those without. For more, contact Susan Earnst 208-426-5209 or email at susan_earnst@usgs.gov.