Meet the Mentors

UNDERC-East 2009

Dr. Todd Crowl

Aquatic ecology Population and

community ecology Fish, insects Abiotic effects

Past UNDERC projects

Prevalence of parasitism and predation in three freshwater gastropods at UNDERC.

Predator-avoidance responses in native and exotic freshwater snail species.

Nest site selection and predation of Chrysemys picta and Chelydra serpentine.

The role of bullfrog tadpoles (Rana catesbeiana) on stream ecosystem dynamics.

Dr. Andy Mahon

Molecular Ecology at UNDERC-East Summer 2009

Projects will utilize molecular methods to detect aquatic invasive species in UNDERC waters

DNA extraction PCR Others….

Molecular Ecology at UNDERC-East Summer 2009

Mahon

Detection capabilities of native crayfish species

Detection and monitoring for invasive rusty crayfish in UNDERC lakes

Detection capabilities for invasive fish and gastropod species

Barcoding parasites in UNDERC mammal population– In collaboration w/ Dr. M. Cramer

Project Ideas

Mahon

All projects will involve both lab and field based experiments

Skills gained will include a suite of molecular methods/techniques

Projects are likely to result in peer reviewed manuscript

Molecular Ecology at UNDERC-East Summer 2009

Mahon

Heidi Mahon

Research Interests– Optimal foraging and energy maximization

strategies of benthic macroinvertebrates.– Functional morphology of benthic invertebrates.

Optimal foraging/Energy Maximization

Mahon

Functional Morphology

Mahon

Project Ideas

Study the aquatic invertebrate species in water masses with different nutrient availability.

Study optimal foraging in molluscan species.

Or anything else that you want to do involving invertebrates….

Mahon

Brandon Feasel

Understanding Ojibway land use practices from a sociological perspective

Cultural sociology: understanding culture as “processes of meaning-making” (Spillman 2004)

Symbolic interaction (Blumer 1969):– (1) human beings act towards things on the basis of the

meanings those things have for them, – (2) such meanings arise out of the interaction of the

individual with others – (3) an interpretive process is used by the person in each

instance in which he must deal with things in his environment

Use this framework to examine land use practices, i.e. rituals, of Ojibwe; e.g. harvesting manoomin (wild rice)

Analyze practices of Ojibwe as:– Microsociological process

How is the ritual carried out?

– Historical process How has the practice changed over time?

Research Goal

Feasel

Methods

Conduct qualitative interviews with members of Lac du Flambeau tribe in Vilas

Use historical data regarding Ojibway land use practices/rituals

Develop an in-depth understanding of the social processes of interest through inductive reasoning

Feasel

David Flagel

Top-down effects of natural predators on forest dynamics

Effect on vegetation composition of wolf predation on deer

Deer exclosures to measure the effect of deer on vegetation

Project Ideas

Earthworm effects: do dominant tree species have competitive advantage over others after earthworm invasion?– Monitor root-to-shoot ratios– Root biomass of saplings

Seed predation: what are the effects that seed predators have on forest regeneration?– Measure variation in seed predation using seeds

of trees that occur at UNDERC

Flagel

Dave Choate

Wildlife ecology– Behavioral ecology of predator-prey

dynamics– Predator-induced behavioral plasticity– Foraging theory– Behavioral mechanisms that influence

population dynamics– Conservation applications

Dissertation research– Cougar-induced behavioral plasticity in

elk, mule and white-tailed deer on National Bison Range, Montana

UNDERC Student ResearchForaging Decisions under the Risk of Predation

Small Mammal giving up densities for an artificial resource (e.g., sunflower seeds left in feeding stations) were determined in student studies for environments that differed in:

– their use by mammalian predators

– vegetative cover (i.e., risk from different types of predators)

– vegetation type, etc.

See: e.g., Seilie 2006, Szewczyk 2007

Choate

UNDERC Student ResearchCarnivore diversity, distribution, &

relations to habitat features

Student studies included:

– Sign surveys: track plates track boxes camera traps

– Habitat analysis various vegetation

plot sampling

Choate

Matt Michel

Predator-prey dynamics in aquatic systems Plasticity in tadpole development

– Predator-induced plasticity– Competitor-induced plasticity

Predator-induced plasticity

Competitor-induced plasticity

Relyea 2004 Ecology

Miner et al. 2005. TREE; Photo: R. Relyea

Photo courtesy of Brett PetersPhoto courtesy of Brett Peters

Past Projects:

• Fish-induced tadpole plasticity

• Effects of structural complexity on predator foraging success and behavior

• Field surveys of tadpoles in natural ponds

• Survival of malformed tadpoles from predation

Dr. Sunny Boyd

Amphibian Mate ChoiceA complex interaction between internal and external stimuli

Male and female perspective

http://www.nd.edu/~sboyd/

How do females evaluate the acoustic signals of males and choose?

Photo from: http://www.sbs.utexas.edu/ryan/Multimedia/ptaxis.JPG

Play calls from speakers and track females

A female frog!

Boyd

How do males choose their territories in the bog – for maximum likelihood of success in

attracting females?

Map territories and determine call quality

Boyd

Good times -- frog hunting

Boyd

Which species will respond positively? Negatively?

What factors or traits predict vulnerability?

Where should conservation efforts be focused?

What steps can be taken to reduce negative impacts?

Climate changeInvasive speciesHabitat loss and fragmentation

Dr. Jessica Hellmann

Study organisms: insects and plantsHellmann

Past UNDERC Projects

- Do fish vs. fishless lakes have different plant communities due to a trophic cascade involving dragonflies and insect pollinators?

- Do patch size, resource availability, or habitat connectivity predict the diversity of the butterfly community at UNDERC?

Hellmann

Dr. Walt Carson

Forest ecology Shifts in forest composition from several

factors– Overbrowsing by deer– Fire ecology– Gap dynamics

Past UNDERC Projects

Abundance and distribution of north woodland tree species with relation to canopy gaps at UNDERC.

Evaluating a stand of potential old growth white pine-hemlock forest at the University of Notre Dame Environmental Research Center.

Preferred areas of deer browsing in relation to canopy cover and forest gaps.

Dr. Michael J. Cramer

Small mammal ecology and behavior

Non-consumptive effects – Effect of predators on

Peromyscus behavior– Effect of fisher scent on

porcupines

Past UNDERC Projects

Effects of coyote urine on trappability of Peromyscus leucopus and Peromyscus maniculatus gracilis. 

Optimal foraging and predation pressures: the importance of woody debris to the foraging behavior of Peromyscus maniculatus gracilis. 

The effect of water barriers on the homing ability of Peromyscus maniculatus and Myodes gapperi. 

Edge effects of natural and anthropogenic field types on small mammal individual condition, population density and species composition at UNDERC-East. 

Cramer

http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu

www.enature.com

Southern flying squirrel

(Glaucomys volans)

Northern flying squirrel

(Glaucomys sabrinus)

Stephanie Steinhoff

Flying SquirrelResearch Objectives

To determine how Northern flying squirrels modify their home ranges in sympatric areas with Southern flying squirrels

To compare Southern flying squirrels’ home ranges and habitat selection in the presence and absence of Northern flying squirrels

Louis Agassiz

Steinhoff

Radio Collaring Flying Squirrels

Steinhoff

Triangulation

Nest Site Searching

Radio Telemetry

Steinhoff

Chris Patrick

Biodiversity and ecosystem Biodiversity and ecosystem functioning at multiple spatial functioning at multiple spatial scalesscales– Community ecologyCommunity ecology– Aquatic systemsAquatic systems– DecompositionDecomposition– InvertebratesInvertebrates– Empiricism (as opposed to field Empiricism (as opposed to field

surveys)surveys)

Investigating the effect of arthropod shredder species identity on organic matter processing

Comparing decomposition and insect colonization rates in two streams with similar physical characteristics and different arthropod shredder communities

Laboratory Experiment

Leaf Pack Field Experiment

Picking up leaf packsEnd of a day in the

field

Past Projects: 2007

Patrick

Past Projects: 2008

• Spatial and temporal changes of nutrients and organisms in lake outflow streams

• Effect of macroinvertebrate colonization on decomposition rates of Speckled Alder (Alnus incanca) leaves in northern Michigan streams

Plum Creek

Tenderfoot CreekTipulidae

Limnephilidae

Patrick

Proposed Projects 2009

1) Do differences among bacteria and fungi of the lakes and streams at UNDERC lead to different leaf decomposition rates?

2) What is the effect of the native crayfish on lake plant densities?

Patrick

Questions?

Crowl – facrowl@gmail.com Baldridge – ashely.k.baldridge.1@nd.edu Andy Mahon – amahon@nd.edu Heidi Mahon – heidi.k.mahon.18@nd.edu Feasel – bfeasel@nd.edu Flagel – david.g.flagel.1@nd.edu Choate – dchoate@nd.edu Michel – mmichel1@nd.edu Boyd – sboyd@nd.edu Hellmann – hellmann.3@nd.edu Carson – walt+@pitt.edu Cramer – mcramer@nd.edu Steinhoff – ssteinhoff@wisc.edu Patrick – cjpatster@gmail.com