Small mammals as indicators of environmental change and ecosystem health in northern New England forests. (Addresses mandated research areas 3, 1, 5).

SMALL MAMMALS AS INDICATORS OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE AND ECOSYSTEM HEALTH IN NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND FORESTS. (ADDRESSES MANDATED RESEARCH AREAS 3, 1, 5).

Sponsoring Institution

National Institute of Food and Agriculture

Project Status

NEW

Funding Source

MCINTIRE-STENNIS

Reporting Frequency

Annual

Accession No.

1006881

Grant No.

(N/A)

Project No.

NHNH00085-M

Proposal No.

(N/A)

Multistate No.

(N/A)

Program Code

(N/A)

Project Start Date

Oct 1, 2015

Project End Date

Sep 30, 2018

Grant Year

(N/A)

Project Director
Rowe, R.

Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
(N/A)
DURHAM,NH 03824

Performing Department
Natural Resources and the Environment

Non Technical Summary
Small mammals are an integral part of the northern forest landscape. They represent nearly half of the mammals in the region, and can provide many valuable ecosystem services, including the dispersal of a symbiotic fungus that improves tree health. Because of the services they provide, maintaining small mammal biodiversity is particularly important within a managed forest landscape. Our research will inform on the habitat affinities and functional roles of small mammals in the northern forests of New England.Through field surveys and the analysis of a pre-existing USFS dataset, we will identify which small mammal species occur in what forest types and where each is most common. We will also assess the sensitivity of these patterns from year to year. For hardwood, mixed, and softwood forests we will determine the relative role of local habitat features and landscape characteristics in influencing where species occur and how abundant they are. For each forest type, we will determine what food resources are being consuming, with a focus on ectomycorrhizal fungi.In forested ecosystems, ectomycorrhizal fungi (EMF) help vascular plant species in the uptake of nitrogen, minerals, and water. In northern forests, most tree species rely on these fungi, including birch, beech, oak, pine, hemlock, fir, and spruce. Maintaining a diverse fungal community is vital for forest composition and resilience to disturbance. Many species of fungi reproduce with subterranean fruiting bodies called truffles. Truffles rely almost exclusively on animals for spore dispersal, particularly small mammals (mice, voles, and squirrels). Consumption of truffles by small mammals thus represents a critical link between the fungi, forest plant composition and ecosystem health. This research will be the first to quantify both the diversity of truffles in the forests of New England (through field surveys on our small mammal grids) and which small mammals consume and disperse which truffles (through stable isotope analysis of hair, and fecal analysis).The outcomes of our study will ultimately enhance biodiversity conservation within a sustainable forest management framework and will begin to realize the role that this ecologically diverse and important group of mammals plays in the northeastern forest landscape.

Animal Health Component

20%

Research Effort Categories

Basic

50%

Applied

50%

Developmental

(N/A)

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
135	0850	1070	100%

Knowledge Area
135 - Aquatic and Terrestrial Wildlife;

Subject Of Investigation
0850 - Wildlife habitats;

Field Of Science
1070 - Ecology;

Keywords

white mountain national forest

small mammals

ectomychorrizal fungi

ecosystem health

biodiversity

wildlife-habitat associations

Goals / Objectives
Proper managment of forest ecosystems must incorporate the dynamics of wildlife-habitat associations. This project aims to develop a robust understanding of the relationships between small mammals, forest habitats, and anthropogenic impacts in northern New England.Small mammals (rodents and shrews) are an integral part of forest ecosystems, performing diverse and important functions including the dispersal of seeds and fungal spores, and serve as a prey base for larger mammals and some reptiles and birds. Although small mammals represent nearly half of the 61 native mammals in New England, little is known about how small mammal species are distributed across forest types, the factors that structure local communities, and the functional roles these species play in these ecosystems. Understanding these issues has implications for the management of forests as habitat for wildlife and the potential role small mammals may play as facilitators of reforestation and ecosystem health.The specific objectives are:1. To evaluate the abiotic factors that structure the occurrence, abundance, and diversity of small mammals in the forests of northern New England.2. To quantify the resource use of small mammal species in order to assess their functional role (and potential redundancy in that role) within and among forest types.3. To assess differences in small mammal communities between mature and early successional forests, and how patch composition and configuration impact the persistence of early-successional specialists in a fragmented landscape.

Project Methods
Objective 1. To evaluate the abiotic factors that structure the occurrence, abundance, and diversity of small mammals in the forests of northern New England This research will combine an existing regional dataset on small mammal occurrence and abundance in the White Mountain National Forest (WMNF) with a local mark-recapture study at Bartlett Experimental Forest (BEF) to determine the environmental factors that structure small mammal communities across forest types. From 1995 to 1997, the USFS sampled small mammals in the WMNF. Using a stratified sampling approach, sites were selected under both managed and unmanaged regimes and over forest types (hardwood, softwood, mixed). A total of 54 sites were sampled and 8,780 individuals were captured representing 22 species. Standardized habitat surveys were conducted at each site to estimate forest structure, ground cover (e.g., stems per hectare, downed woody debris, % cover), and soil moisture. Using a Geographic Information System (GIS), elevation and distance to the nearest stream or wetland were calculated. To augment site-level covariates, we calculated landscape characteristics in a GIS. We measured percent forest cover type, mean forest age, and percent cover of wetlands within 100 m, 300 m, and 500 m radii around each site. Metrics were calculated in FRASTATS (v4.2; McGarigal et al. 2002). Forest age was based on stand origin date estimated from a combination of early legal records, timber harvest sales, and tree cores.For the most common small mammal species, we will model occupancy and abundance for the region using the site- and landscape-level variables. For abundance, we will use an open hierarchical population model (Dail and Madsen 2011) within a Bayesian framework, deriving estimates of abundance (λ), population change between sampling periods (γ), and detection (p). Detection will be modeled as a function of Julian day, rain accumulation, and minimum daily temperature, and λ and γ modeled as a function of the habitat covariates. Models will be implemented in R 3.0.2 (R Core Team 2013) using r2jags (Plummer 2013). MCMC methods will be used to generate posterior distributions for model parameters.At BEF, we have established 12 mark-recapture grids, 4 each in hardwood, softwood and mixed forest. Small mammal sampling is ongoing; station level data on habitat structure, arthropods, and truffles have been collected. For the most common species, we will evaluate density using spatially explicit capture-recapture (SECR) models (Efford 2004, Royle and Young 2008). For microhabitat associations we will combine the encounter histories from mark-recapture surveys and habitat structure data using occupancy modeling (MacKenzie et al. 2006) in a Bayesian framework (Royle and Dorazio 2008).Objective 2. To quantify the resource use of small mammal species in order to assess their functional role (and potential redundancy in that role) within and among forest typesOur assessment of resource use examines three axes: space, habitat, and diet. Here, we focus on diet. Space and habitat are included in Objective 1, and will be combined with diet to identify functional roles and estimates of dispersal potential.To characterize diet we will use stable isotope analysis of hair and fecal pellet microscopy. These are complementary approaches, with fecal material integrating a short term diet signal (days) and hair a longer term signal (weeks to months). Hair and fecal samples are collected from each individual upon first capture per month. Because the chemical signal recorded in an animal's tissue reflects its diet, stable isotope analysis is an excellent tool for dietary studies (West et al. 2006). We will use carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) to compare diet breadth among species and forest types. With reference to the isotopic signals of resource base items (truffles, seeds, and insects), we will use Bayesian mixing models to quantify the contribution of different food sources to each species' diet at each site (Parnell et al. 2010), and will quantify diet breadth using Bayesian ellipse analysis (Jackson et al 2011).Fecal pellet microscopy will focus on truffle spores and spore count data will be assessed relative to the field-based inventories of truffle diversity and abundance. Truffle sampling covered an area of 1024 m2 (per forest type) and unearthed over 6,000 truffles (≥ 6 genera). For mycophagy we will focus on common rodent species known to consume truffles: white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus), deer mice (P. maniculatus), southern red-backed voles (Myodes gapperi), woodland jumping mice (Napaeozapus insignis), and eastern chipmunks (Tamias striatus). Fecal sample preparation will follow Vernes et al. (2001) and Vernes and Dunn (2009). In brief, 5 pellets per individual will be dried and ground. Half of the material will be rehydrated in distilled water and 10% ethanol and further homogenized to form a solution. Using a pipette, the fine material containing fungal spores will be spread on a microscope slide and stained. Fungal spores will be assessed under 25 random fields of view. Identification will follow keys developed by Castellano et al. (1989) and reference spores from field collection. Fecal material will also be assessed genetically to identify the truffle genera and species (when possible) consumed.We will then expand our research on mycophagy by using voucher specimens collected within silviculture treatments at BEF (by the USFS) to examine the effects of forest management on mycophagy. For this, we can use spores from stomach contents as an index of truffle diversity and abundance. Spore frequency among genera can then be compared between mature forest (n = 4) and young forest(n = 4) sites to determine management effects on truffle diversity and abundance.Objective 3. To assess differences in small mammal communities between mature and early-successional forests, and how patch composition and configuration impact the persistence of early-successional specialists in a fragmented landscapeTo address land-use impacts on biodiversity we will quantify the factors which structure distributions and diversity across the modern-day landscape mosaic. Sampling will occur within the 13 oldfield patches, 6 hay fields, and adjacent mature forest on the Blue Hills Foundation land. Among early-successional specialists we focus on two species: meadow vole (Microtus pennsylvanicus) and meadow jumping mouse (Zapus hudsonius). Encounter histories from mark-recapture surveys will be used to estimate density under program MARK (White and Burnham 1999). Patch area and isolation will be classified using a variety of landscape metrics using FRAGSTATS (v4.2; McGarigal et al. 2002). Connectivity will be assessed using landscape genetic approaches in collaboration with Dr. Adrienne Kovach (UNH). DNA will be extracted from the ear tissue sample taken from each captured individual using DNeasy Blood and Tissue Extraction Kits (Qiagen, Valencia, CA). Microsatellite genotyping (using 8-10 species-specific primers) will be conducted to characterize genetic relationships for both species. PCR will be performed using standard protocols and amplified products electrophoresed on an automated DNA sequencer at the UNH Hubbard Center for Genome Studies. Alleles will be scored manually using PEAKSCANNER software. From these population genetic data, dispersal patterns will be inferred in relation to the features of the landscape. From there we will discern whether agricultural fields, roadways, and riparian corridors are facilitating connectivity among these otherwise isolated patches.

Progress 10/01/16 to 09/30/17

Outputs
Target Audience:Our McIntire-Stennis funded research targets the following audiences: (1) university-based research scientists (including graduate and undergraduate students), (2) land managers for the northeastern forest, (3) the managers and users of natural history collections, and (4) educated land owners and community members with an interest in biodiversity and forest health. During this second project year, our efforts reached members of each of these audiences. University-based scientists and students were reached through class seminars, the graduate research conference, and through a university-wide 3-minute thesis competition in which AES-funded PhD student Ryan Stephens participated. The two class seminars were NR501 Studio Soils (25 students), and NR740 Inventory & Monitoring Ecological Communities (35 students). In addition, four undergraduate students were trained in field and/or lab techniques. Project findings were presented to the broader scientific community through 4 scientific publications and 4 conference presentations. In addition, a presentation was made to USDA program officer Informal presentation to USDA National Program Leader Dr. Blanche and Program Specialist Latasha Lyte during their on-site visit in April 2017. Our collaboration with the USFS remains strong. Our research occurs at the Bartlett Experimental Forest (BEF), White Mountain National Forest (NH) and we are in regular communication with BEF supervisors, and formally communicate our progress at the Annual Cooperators Meeting. Also in collaboration with the USFS, we have prepared 371 voucher specimens of small mammals captured at BEF and have deposited those specimens in natural history collections in the United States. These materials represent a contribution to scientific infrastructure and will be used to support future research in ecology, conservation, and evolution. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?1 PhD student, 1 MS student and 3 undergraduate students (1 female, 2 male) received extensive training in field methods (mark-recapture and telemetry) during this project year. In addition, one of these students was also trained in lab-based fecal microscopy and 2 additional student volunteers were trained in museum specimen preparation. Three former undergraduate students mentored in our lab on this research were co-authors on manuscript published this year (Tyler Remick, Lily Poland, Chris Burke) and two of these individuals are currently in graduate school. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?During this project year our objectives and findings have been communicated within the University community through class seminars and the Graduate Research Conference, to the USFS through the Annual Cooperators Meeting, and to the broader scientific community through 4 conference presentations, and 3 scientific publications. Two of the conference presentations were to local societies where members of the public with an interest in fungi attend. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?In the current project year, we are finalizing our analyses of home range and habitat use and also conducted a network analysis to quantify and summarize the role that the dominant 5 rodent species play in the consumption and dispersal of fungal species within and among forest types. During the summer, we will continue our mark-recapture field surveys at Bartlett Experimental Forest. In addition, we will expand that work to include experimental food tray studies to assess microhabitat use (open vs closed understory) and foraging behavior (which seed types and the duration of foraging) of forest dwelling rodents. Differences in seed consumption among small mammal species may impact seedling recruitment and tree establishment. Undergraduate students will continue to be incorporated in all field project activities.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? The overarching goal of our research is to develop a robust understanding of the relationships between small mammals, forest habitats, and disturbance in northern New England. In managed forests, conservation of biodiversity is a central component to a sustainable ecosystem. Because small mammals (rodents and shrews) are embedded within the food web as consumers (and dispersers) of primary producers and as a prey base for predators, they also can influence ecosystem function and serve as indicators of ecosystem health. A large component of the small mammal diet in northeastern forests is composed of ectomycorrhizal fungi, which form symbiotic associations with roots of many vascular plant species. Thus, like pollinators, small mammals increase fungal diversity which supports tree establishment and plays a critical role in reforestation and nutrient cycling. To date, little work has been done examining the role of animals in mycorrhizal dispersal. Our research investigates this linkage and in doing so will advance the understanding of fundamental principles in ecology and identify important implications for forest management. The objectives of the proposed study are: (1) to evaluate the abiotic factors that structure the occurrence, abundance, and diversity of small mammals in the forests of northern New England. (2) to quantify the resource use (diet and habitat) of small mammal species in order to assess their functional role (and potential redundancy in that role) within and among forest types, and (3) to assess how landscape context impacts small mammal community dynamics. We have made great progress toward accomplishing these goals. Obj1: Our mark-recapture surveys at Bartlett Experimental Forest were designed to evaluate the factors that influence the occurrence, abundance, and diversity of small mammals. In this project year, we conducted our fifth summer of mark-recapture surveys. Analyses this year focused on the two most common and closely related rodent species, the deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) and white-footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus). Specifically, quantified how seed availability (tree masting events) and forest type (mixed, hardwood, softwood) impact their population density, probability of co-occurrence, and home range. This work was led by postdoctoral research Allyson Degrassi and implemented spatially explicit capture recapture (SECR) models. We found seed mast increases the density of only one species, the deer mouse, which reaches peak density in hardwood forests where its home range is significantly smaller than in the other forest types. Our analyses also suggest that the deer mouse is the competitive dominant, influencing the probability of cooccurrence of these species, but only in high mast years. Obj 2: Resource use encompasses three axes: diet, habitat, and space. This project year, we completed two projects associated with diet. We characterize diet using stable isotope analysis (δ13C and δ15N) of hair and fecal pellet microscopy. First, we conducted a field-based inventory of truffle diversity at Bartlett Experimental Forest. These surveys were necessary to place isotopic signals of resource use in the appropriate context of the resource base. We unearthed over 6,000 truffles and found New England has some of the highest truffle biomass in the world. The softwood forests at Bartlett have an average of 32 kg/ha of dry truffle biomass with the most dominant taxa associated with eastern hemlock. This work was published this year in the journal Fungal Ecology. Second, stable isotope analysis of hair from the two most common generalist rodents (deer mouse, Peromyscus maniculatus and white-footed mouse, Peromyscus leucopus) shows that the consumption of fungi varies among years as seed availability (specifically of beech and red maple) fluctuates with more mycorrhizal spores being dispersed in non-masting years. The dietary niche breadth of these species was consistent with predictions of optimal foraging theory and patterns in niche overlap consistent with competition theory. A manuscript detailing this work is currently under review in the Journal Ecology. Analysis of habitat and space use has focused on the southern red-backed vole which is a fungal specialist and has an affinity for eastern hemlock. The size and placement of an individual's home range is a common measure of space use. This past year, we also expanded our efforts to include telemetry on one target species (the red backed vole) to provide greater resolution on home range size and microhabitat affinity. A total of 20 individuals were collared, 9 females and 11 males. We are in the process of modeling home range using kernel density estimators and examining trends in home range size and overlap (within and among sexes), and will integrate those ranges with interpolated ground cover, forest structure, and physiographic data to identify the microhabitat features that define how this species uses the forest. Obj 3: Using an existing Forest Service dataset for the White Mountain National Forest region, we examined whether small mammal populations were synchronized over a three-year period, the influence of those population dynamics on community composition and similarity, and the role of forest type in structuring communities. We modeled occupancy and abundance for the 8 most common species at 54 locations using site-and landscape-level environmental variables. We found marked synchrony in population fluctuations that led to largely concordant regional community dynamics within a year, but low among-year similarity, even for communities within the same forest type and for years with similar richness. Our findings provide support for source-sink metacommunity dynamics across the region. This works was conducted in collaboration with Mariko Yamasaki at the USFS and was published this past year in the journal Ecography.

Publications

Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Castellano, M.A. and R.B. Stephens. (2017). Elaphomyces species (Elaphomycetaceae,Eurotiales) from Bartlett Experimental Forest, New Hampshire, USA. IMA Fungus 8:49-63.
Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Stephens, R.B., T. Remick , M.J. Ducey and R.J. Rowe (2017). Richness and biomass of truffle-producing fungi in the northeastern US from field surveys and eastern chipmunk (Tamias striatus) scat. Fungal Ecology 29:30-41
Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2017 Citation: Stephens, R. B., Erik A. Hobbie, and R. J. Rowe. 2017. Quantifying temporal and spatial variability in fungivory by eastern chipmunks (Tamias stratus). 85th Meeting of the Mycological Society of America, Athens, GA. (oral)
Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2017 Citation: Stephens, R. B., Erik A. Hobbie, and R. J. Rowe. 2017. Pulsed resource availability changes dietary niche breadth and partitioning between two generalist rodent consumers. 97th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Mammalogists, Moscow, ID. (oral)
Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2017 Citation: Stephens, R. B., Erik A. Hobbie, and R. J. Rowe. 2017. Pulsed resource availability changes dietary niche breadth and partitioning between two generalist rodent consumers. University of New Hampshire, Graduate Research Conference, Durham, NH. (oral)
Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2016 Citation: Stephens, R. B. 2016. Truffles: the mycorrhizal hitchhiker. Invited speaker for the December Cascade Mycological Society meeting, Eugene, OR.
Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2016 Citation: Stephens, R. B. 2016. Truffles: the mycorrhizal hitchhiker. Invited speaker for the December North American Truffling Society meeting, Corvallis, OR.
Type: Other Status: Other Year Published: 2017 Citation: Stephens, R. B. 2017. Small mammals: the forest pollinators. UNH Three Minute Thesis, Durham, NH. (oral)

Progress 10/01/15 to 09/30/16

Outputs
Target Audience:Our McIntire-Stennis funded research targets the following audiences: (1) university-based research scientists (including graduate and undergraduate students), (2) land managers for the northeastern forest, (3) the managers and users of natural history collections, and (4) educated land owners and community members with an interest in biodiversity and forest health. During this first project year, our efforts reached members of each of these audiences. University-based research scientists and students were reached through class lectures, a departmental seminar, and a scientific publication. Two undergraduate students were mentored on independent research projects, and five on lab or field techniques. Our research occurs at the Bartlett Experimental Forest (BEF), White Mountain National Forest (NH) and our collaboration with the USFS remains strong. We are in regular communication with BEF supervisors, formally communicate our progress to the USFS at the Annual Cooperators Meeting, and co-authored a publication with USFS personnel. Also in collaboration with the USFS, we have prepared 850 voucher specimens of small mammals captured at BEF and have deposited those specimens in three natural history collections in the United States. These materials represent a contribution to scientific infrastructure and will be used to support future research in ecology and evolution. Lastly, we are communicating our work to the popular press. A recent article (November 2016) in the New Hampshire Wildlife Journal entitled "Moles, shrews, mice, and more" educates the public about small mammal biodiversity in the region, the role these animals play in ecosystem health, and in doing so, directly references our research and highlights UNH PhD student Ryan Stephens. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?1 PhD student, 1 MS student and 8 undergraduate students (6 female, 2 male) have received extensive training and mentoring. Undergraduate students have been trained in field survey techniques (mark-recapture and telemetry), lab-based fecal microscopy and/or museum specimen preparation. Four undergraduates participated in the summer field study. Two undergraduate students conducted independent research projects associated with the McIntire-Stennis funded research, and both projects were presented at the UNH Undergraduate Research Conference in April 2016. That work is currently being edited in manuscript form to be submitted in 2017 with the undergraduate students as co-authors. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?During this project year our objectives and findings have been communicated within the University community through informal seminars and class lectures, to the USFS through the Annual Cooperators Meeting, and to the broader scientific community through 3 conference presentations, and 2 scientific publications. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?In the coming year we will continue our mark-recapture field surveys at Bartlett Experimental Forest and will expand that work to include radio telemetry to better assess space use (e.g., model home range size and habitat affinity). New MS student Honora Tisell will focus on population ecology, using encounter histories over multiple years to test the density dependence of space use. Incoming Postdoc Ally Degrassi will support these efforts using spatially explicit capture-recapture (SECR) models to quantify density and better determine dispersal potential. PhD student Ryan Stephens will complete his assessment of competition among the two co-dominant mice species and will identify whether specific mammal species prefer certain truffles as food sources. We will also publish our findings on the abiotic factors that structure truffle diversity in the region. These findings indicate close associations between truffle diversity and hemlock. Undergraduate students will continue to be incorporated in all project activities.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? The overarching goal of our research is to develop a robust understanding of the relationships between small mammals, forest habitats, and anthropogenic impacts in northern New England. In managed forests, conservation of biodiversity is a central component to a sustainable ecosystem. Because small mammals (rodents and shrews) are embedded within the food web as consumers (and dispersers) of primary producers and as a prey base for predators, they can also influence ecosystem function and serve as indicators of ecosystem health. Specifically, a large component of the small mammal diet in northeastern forests is composed of ectomycorrhizal fungi, which form symbiotic associations with roots of many vascular plant species. Thus small mammals, as dispersers of fungal spores, may play a critical role as facilitators of reforestation and nutrient cycling. To date, little work has been done examining the role of animals in mycorrhizal dispersal. Our research will investigate this linkage and in doing so will advance the understanding of fundamental principles in ecology and identify important implications for forest management. The objectives of the proposed study are: (1) to evaluate the abiotic factors that structure the occurrence, abundance, and diversity of small mammals in the forests of northern New England; (2) to quantify the resource use (diet and habitat) of small mammal species in order to assess their functional role (and potential redundancy in that role) within and among forest types; and (3) to assess how landscape context impacts small mammal community dynamics. Anticipated outputs include (1) the training of undergraduate and graduate students, (2) field surveys providing information on small mammal population and community dynamics over time and space, (3) a comprehensive assessment of resource use (diet and space) for the 6 most common species in the region and an understanding of how stable that resource use is over time and space, and (5) data-driven assessments that can directly inform regional management policy and practices, especially with respect to hemlock. We have made great progress toward accomplishing these goals in this first project year. To quantify species' abundance, distribution, and resource use we continue to survey our mark-recapture grids. This past summer we expanded our efforts to include telemetry to provide greater resolution on space use. Field work is complemented by lab analysis on diet using both fecal microscopy and stable isotope analysis of hair. Current PhD Student Ryan Stephens has modeled the abiotic factors structuring the richness and biomass of truffle producing fungi, and is currently characterizing small mammal diets and testing for competition among a key species pair. He also described five new species of truffles in the genus Elaphomyces from Bartlett Experimental Forest, New Hampshire, USA (E. americanus, E. bartlettii, E. macrosporus, E. oreoides, and E. remickii) in a publication which is currently in review. This research supported numerous (8) undergraduate students as lab and field assistants, as well as two independent research projects. In addition, using an existing forest service dataset, we examined the influence of population dynamics on community structure across the White Mountain National Forest region. This work was recently accepted for publication in Ecography. We found marked synchrony in population fluctuations that led to largely concordant regional community dynamics within a year, but low among-year similarity, even for communities within the same forest type and for years with similar richness. Our findings provide support for source-sink metacommunity dynamics and underscore the value of our longer term work at Bartlett on local community dynamics and density-dependent processes.

Publications

Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Stephens, R. B., D. J. Hocking, M. Yamasaki, and R. J. Rowe. 2016. Synchrony in small mammal community dynamics across a forested landscape. Ecography. Online early DOI: 10.1111/ecog.02233
Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Stephens, R. B., T. J. Remick, M. J. Ducey, R. J. Rowe. 2016. Biomass and richness of truffle?producing fungi from field surveys and eastern chipmunk (Tamias striatus) scat. MassMyco Conference, Amherst, MA. (oral)
Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Stephens, R. B., T. J. Remick, M. J. Ducey, R. J. Rowe. 2016. Richness and biomass of truffle-producing fungi in the northeastern US from field surveys and eastern chipmunk (Tamias striatus) scat. 84th Meeting of the Mycological Society of America, Berkeley, CA. (oral)
Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Stephens, R. B., R. J. Rowe. 2016. Quantifying variation in fungivory by eastern chipmunks (Tamias striatus). 96th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Mammalogists, Minneapolis, MN. (oral)
Type: Other Status: Other Year Published: 2016 Citation: Stephens, R. B. 2016. Chipmunks, truffles, and trees. UNH Department of Natural Resources and the Environment Seminar Series, Durham, NH. (oral)