Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center (NOROCK)

Home

We hope you will enjoy learning about the variety of ecosystems and species we are studying throughout the United States. We are part of the Northwest Region of the USGS and our scientists work on diverse issues such as wildlife health, invasive species, climate, endangered species and much more. Click on Science to begin exploring the places we go and the species and landscapes we study.

NOROCK EcoLunch!

NOROCK EcoLunch!

University of Montana Western's Spruce Schoenemann presents: A full Holocene record of water isotopes from syngenetic pore ice in central Yukon Territory

About EcoLunch

NOROCK in the News

NOROCK in the News

Recent news and media featuring NOROCK Science. Click below for our most recent features.

LiDAR Tree Voles

News

Dubois Badlands Wilderness Study Area, Wyoming
January 19, 2017

The U.S. Geological Survey and the Bureau of Land Management today released a collaborative report with new information and tools to support effective management of millions of acres of BLM public lands.  The report underscores the value of a landscape approach to management, and shows that the BLM manages some of the largest areas of intact public lands in the west. 

Fairfax County Public Schools Secondary Transition to Employment student volunteers
December 22, 2016

"It’s a grand slam for all involved,” said Dawn Childs, USGS Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units.  “Recent high school graduates with special needs get real-world experience while helping USGS scientists on projects ranging from grizzly bears and energy to historic documents and bird migration. And a school system gets to successfully train students to enter the workforce."

Lakefront Airport, LA - A member of the 514th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron and two New Orleans Paramedics
November 29, 2016

USGS has many partnerships, both foreign and domestic, that enhance our science capabilities, provide needed support to others, and expand our ability to serve the global community.  One little-known partnership that serves both foreign and domestic needs is the USGS science support to the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) - U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM).  

Publications

Glaciological measurements and mass balances from Sperry Glacier, Montana, USA, years 2005–2015
Year Published: 2017

Glaciological measurements and mass balances from Sperry Glacier, Montana, USA, years 2005–2015

Glacier mass balance measurements help to provide an understanding of the behavior of glaciers and their response to local and regional climate. In 2005 the United States Geological Survey established a surface mass balance monitoring program on Sperry Glacier, Montana, USA. This project is the first quantitative study of mass changes of a glacier in the US northern Rocky Mountains and continues...

Early detection of nonnative alleles in fish populations: When sample size actually matters
Year Published: 2017

Early detection of nonnative alleles in fish populations: When sample size actually matters

Reliable detection of nonnative alleles is crucial for the conservation of sensitive native fish populations at risk of introgression. Typically, nonnative alleles in a population are detected through the analysis of genetic markers in a sample of individuals. Here we show that common assumptions associated with such analyses yield substantial overestimates of the likelihood of detecting...

Trade-offs and efficiencies in optimal budget-constrained multispecies corridor networks
Year Published: 2017

Trade-offs and efficiencies in optimal budget-constrained multispecies corridor networks

Conservation biologists recognize that a system of isolated protected areas will be necessary but insufficient to meet biodiversity objectives. Current approaches to connecting core conservation areas through corridors consider optimal corridor placement based on a single optimization goal: commonly, maximizing the movement for a target species across a network of protected areas. We show that...