Paper Presentation Abstracts
“Using Herbicides to Restore Native Grasslands in Kentucky” - Tom Barnes and Marvin E. Ruffner, University of Kentucky.
As one of the most endangered ecosystems in North America (and probably
the world), the tall grass prairie (and its related native plant communities)
has become the focus of restoration efforts not only in the Midwest region
of the U.S., but also in Kentucky. Herbicides have been shown to be an
effective restorative tool to rid native prairies of exotic and invasive
plants and enhance the prosperity of their native counterparts. We conducted
two studies to compare the efficacy of herbicides to effectively
eradicate tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) and enhance native plant
communities. In the first study, we examined and compared the effect of
spring application timing of imazapic (Plateau) and clethodim (Select)
at 12 oz/ac to kill tall fescue and enhance remnant barrens plant communities
in the Mississippian Plateau region of Kentucky. We incorporated 14 study
sites throughout Kentucky in our second study to better extrapolate our
results of using herbicides to restore native grasslands across the various
regions of Kentucky. We examined and compared imazapic, clethodim at 12
oz/ac, and sulfosulfuron at 2 oz/ac (Outrider) to eradicate tall fescue
and enhance native grasslands. We also wanted to document from both studies
which native forbs exhibit tolerance to imazapic at the applied rates.
We found no effect of application timing in our first study. In both studies,
all herbicides were effective at reducing or eliminating tall fescue cover.
Generally, imazapic and sulfosulfuron were more effective at releasing
native warm season grass (NWSGH) cover. Clethodim applications did not
decrease nor enhance NWSG cover compared to control plots. As expected,
in both studies we documented that total species richness and forb cover
was typically higher in clethodim treated plots compared to the other herbicide
treated and control plots. Overall, we found these herbicides to be effective
at removing tall fescue and enhancing native plant communities in Kentucky.
We also documented many native broadleaf forbs that exhibit tolerance to
imazapic in natural plant communities.
“Potential effects of restored elk on bird communities in Eastern Kentucky” - Elizabeth Ciuzio, Kentucky Dept. of Fish and Wildlife Resources, and David S. Maehr, University of Kentucky.
Bird communities, abundance of individual bird species, and vegetative
composition and structure in 3 habitat types were compared to determine
the potential impact of restored elk on nesting birds. In addition, home
range size and habitat use of the yellow-breasted chat (Icteria virens)
were compared on sites of low and high elk density. There was no difference
in bird communities between treatments regardless of habitat type; however,
abundance of some bird species was correlated with elk density in shrub
and woodland habitats. Vertical vegetation density in woodlands, shrub
density in shrub and grassland habitat, and litter depth in grassland habitat
were lower in the high versus low elk density sites. There was no differences
in chat home range size between treatments. Although chat and elk habitat
use overlapped by 39%, no negative interactions were observed. Nonetheless,
if elk become overabundant chats could be negatively affected if preferred
nesting habitat is altered through browsing and other activities. Although
extensive grassland and shrub lands are not native to eastern Kentucky,
managing elk at or below carrying capacity may help maintain a mosaic of
habitats that enhance the diversity of songbirds in the region.
“Ecology of the aquatic turtle communities in Madison County, Kentucky” - Chris Distel and Paul Cupp, Eastern Kentucky University.
Studies have explored behavior, life histories, physiology, and long-term
population cycles in freshwater turtles. Few have studied habitat
selection, community structure, or turtle density in multi-species
communities. I sought to catalog turtle communities in Madison County,
KY to determine what variables make habitats preferable for particular
turtles species. Turtles were captured with four types of traps to
minimize biases. Turtles were measured, weighed, aged, sexed, marked, and
released. Red-eared sliders, common snapping turtles, common map turtles,
common musk turtles, and spiny softshell turtles made up the 305 turtles
measured in this study. Highest density and species richness were associated
with ponds also containing beaver and waterfowl, and in close proximity
to larger water bodies. Lowest density and species richness were in ponds
that had no fish or were distant from other water bodies.
“Management Implications for the Conservation of a Small Isolated Population of Black Bear in West-central Florida” - Joshua H. Brown, David S. Maehr, Michael A. Orlando, Mark W. Cunningham, and Mary E. Barnwell, University of Kentucky.
The Greater Chassahowitkza Ecosystem (GCE) black bear (Ursus americanus
floridanus) population of west-central Florida is likely to be the
smallest documented population of American black bear. It has experienced
almost no recruitment since 1997 and exhibits behavior that appears to
be a response to human activities. The local diet is dominated by the fruit
of saw palmetto and sabal palm, species that exhibit patchy distributions
and irregular mast production. These food supplies are often separated
by busy highways that have killed 6 bears since 1997, a number which represents
21% of known individuals. Genetic variation is so low that hair snare surveys
and subsequent microsatellite DNA analysis cannot distinguish between individuals.
Recent remote camera surveys suggest that the bear population is declining
in this rapidly urbanizing part of Florida; results of the 2002 survey
yielded 95% confidence intervals estimating 16-47 bears in the GCE, while
2003 estimates recorded only 7-20 individuals. Although the reason for
limited recruitment in this population is unknown, the regular production
of cubs and their subsequent disappearance during their first summer suggests
that adult males may perceive high density conditions. Subsequent infanticide
may be preventing recruitment. We recommend a different fire regime in
palm-dominated habitats, restoring landscape connectivity to nearby bear
populations, and supplementation of the population. Because the pressure
of this population are manifold and its immediate future is in doubt, a
combination of conservation and management tools will be required to prevent
extinction of this isolated black bear population.
“Resource Selection and Population Dynamics of a Recolonizing Black Bear Population in Eastern Kentucky: Preliminary Findings” - David E. Unger, David S. Maehr, Jeffrey L. Larkin, Hannah B. Harris, & Michael A. Orlando, University of Kentucky.
The Black Bear (Ursus americanus) is returning to eastern Kentucky.
Monitoring these animals represents a unique opportunity to study colonizing
behavior in one of the largest mammals in the eastern United States. Understanding
the resource use, reproductive behavior, population dynamics, and movement
patterns of the black bear in eastern Kentucky might allow us to predict
future movement patterns, project timelines for re-populating suitable
range elsewhere, identify movement pathways and barriers, and estimate
a sustainable population. Bears were captured and collared primarily in
Kingdom Come State Park and Cumberland Gap National Historic Park in southeastern
Kentucky. Two had ear tags from West Virginia, suggesting this area as
a possible source for Kentucky colonizers. We obtained over 600 aerial
and 32 ground locations on 20 different bears. Bears were generally found
in hardwood forest (95.3%), on steep slopes (79.5%), and on south-facing
slopes (33.4%). Home ranges for bears with at least 20 locations were calculated
(n=8). Average home range using 95% harmonic mean and minimum convex polygon
analysis was 38 km2 (S.D.=37.80) and 32 km2 (S.D.=23.17) for females (n=5)
and 201 km2 (S.D.=159.73) and 191 km2 for males (n=3), respectively. Males
had significantly larger home ranges than females. Den hibernacula for
5 females, 4 of which had contained cubs during winter, were located and
examined in August 2003 for microhabitat characteristics. Six dens, 4 of
which contained cubs, were located during February and March 2004. At least
3 black bear cubs were born in Cumberland Gap National Historic Park. This
represents a first at the park and perhaps the first instance of successful
reproduction in that part of Kentucky since 1850.
“Differences in Body Weight and Parasitism of White-footed Mice Between Floodplain and Dry Sites” - Travis Brown and Claire Fuller, Murray State University.
Abiotic environmental factors such as cold and moisture can have a major
effect on host animals and on host-parasite relationships. These factors
have been linked to increased stress and decreased immunity. In this study,
we sampled floodplain areas adjacent to a reservoir and dry areas outside
of the floodplain to assess the effect of flooding as an environmental
stressor. We trapped Peromyscus leucopus on two dry and two floodplain
areas monthly for a one-year period. Each animal was weighed and tested
for Eimeria arizonensis (Protista; Coccidia) parasitism each month.
Male P. leucopus on floodplain sites were parasitized significantly
more often (P=0.015) than on dry sites, but there was no significant differences
in female parasitism between floodplain and dry sites (P=0.660). However,
female P. leucopus caught during fall/winter months on dry
sites were significantly heavier (P=0.012) than those caught on floodplain
sites. Weights of females caught during spring/summer were not significantly
different between site types. There were no significant differences in
male weights between site types. These results suggest, through higher
prevalence of parasites in males and lower body weights in females, that
the floodplain represents an area of increased stress for P. leucopus.
“Anthropogenic disturbance around habitat fragments: Associations with Physiological Condition and Stress in the White-footed Mouse” - Adam Green and Terry Derting, Murray State University.
Habitat loss of small mammals is becoming an increasing problem due to anthropogenic disturbances. When habitats become fragmented, population densities of small mammal species within fragments increases. With increased densities, the competition for mates and food increases as well. Increases in competition along with environmental pollutants can lead to elevated stress. To determine the physiological effects of habitat fragmentation on white-footed mice, traps were placed in 1-3 ha patches of forest that were surrounded by either agriculture fields or housing. Control groups were trapped in areas with minimal disturbance. Subjects were immunochallenged by injections of phytohemmaglutinin (PHA) and sheep red blood cells. The immune system was then assessed using white blood cell counts, hemagglutination assays, and the reaction to PHA. Our results indicated that maice from disturbed areas had a reduced humoral immune response and a lower hematocrit, but a stronger cell-mediated immune system than controls, at least during summer. Mice from residential areas had a smaller stomach and caecum mass than mice form control and agricultural habitats, perhaps due to a higher quality diet. The reproductive system and corticosterone level were not affected by anthropogenic disturbance. Collectively, our results indicated that habitat fragmentation was associated with specific, rather than genera, impacts on the health of white-footed mice.