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Long-Term Dynamics of Oak and Chestnut in Central Massachusetts from 3500 BP to Present
Despite decades of study we have limited insights into the nature of the pre-European landscape of the northeastern USA and the forces and changes that shaped modern forest patterns. Information on such long-term forest dynamics would provide critical insights into the relationships among environmental change, land-use history and biotic responses and is greatly needed for conservation planning. To address these issues we used modern, historical, and paleoecological approaches to reconstruct the 3500-year history of a New England upland region dominated by oak and (formerly) chestnut forests and to interpret the interactions among climate change, natural and human disturbance, and site factors in controlling vegetation patterns and dynamics at different spatial scales. The results indicate that stand, landscape and regional forest dynamics were most strongly driven by climate, notably an apparent cooling and increase in moisture availability c. 1500 yr BP, and European land-use activities commencing 260 yr BP. However, the abundance of oak and chestnut (fire-tolerant, sprouting species) and the distribution of hemlock (fire-intolerant) at a stand to landscape scale were also influenced by fire, which, in turn, varied with climate and human activity. Despite, or perhaps as a consequence of ongoing disturbance by fire and presumably windstorms in this hurricane-prone region, the pre-European period was marked by two 1000+ year periods of remarkably stable forest composition, separated by an abrupt compositional shift. In contrast, over the past 260 years the vegetation has changed rather continuously in response to human activity, producing stand, landscape and regional patterns that are novel as well as recent in origin. Chestnut was a major component of some pre-European landscapes in New England, in part because of occasional fire, and that cultural and physical factors have interacted over millennia to control vegetation patterns and dynamics. Our analyses also su
Salamander Abundance at Harvard Forest 2003-2004
1. Eastern redback salamander relative abundance Eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), an important late successional tree species, is currently threatened in this region by the hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae), a small aphid-like invasive insect from Japan. While many species of birds and mammals have found to be associated with eastern hemlock dominated stands, there have been very few studies examining amphibian relative abundance in this forest type. Eastern redback salamanders (Plethodon cinereus) are important components of the forest ecosystem as they are extremely abundant with a biomass found to be twice that of breeding birds and equal to small mammals in the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest. In addition, redbacks are positioned in the middle of the food web where they are important predators of soil invertebrates, potentially impacting soil respiration rates, and prey for larger vertebrates such as birds, reptiles, and small mammals. Redbacks have been cited as excellent indicators of forest health due to these characteristics as well as their low annual variation in abundance compared to other forest fauna. The objectives of this study was to 1) establish baseline data on eastern redback salamander relative abundance in eastern hemlock dominated stands and mixed deciduous stands in the Harvard Forest in Petersham, MA using artificial cover objects (ACOs) 2) test for differences in redback relative abundance based on forest type, 3) test for correlations between redback relative abundance and soil pH and forest floor temperature. 2. Juvenile eastern red-spotted newt minimum density This study provides baseline estimates of juvenile eastern red-spotted newt (Notophthalmus viridescens viridescens) or "red eft" minimum density through visual surveys of transects in ten forest stands, five eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) dominated and five mixed deciduous, located in the Prospect Hill, Slab City, Simes, and Tom Swamp tracts of Harvard Forest. The obj
Influence of Little Ice Age on New England Vegetation from 2000 BP to Present
This multi-proxy study uses paleoecological, paleolimnological, and historical approaches to reconstruct climate, vegetation, and cultural dynamics over the past 1500 years at sites arrayed across the climatic and forest gradients of New England and to place these results in a regional framework through analysis of pollen records from the North American Pollen Database. High resolution records were obtained using pollen to interpret vegetation history; chironomids, stable isotopes, geochemistry, and diatoms, supplemented by historical reconstructions, to interpret climate history; charcoal and land-use data to document the human impacts; and Pb-210 and C-14 for chronological control. Results will provide: (1) an objective characterization of the Little Ice Age and climate history in New England, (2) comparison of pre- and post-European forest dynamics in relationship to independent environmental and land-use histories, (3) a reexamination of historical vegetation dynamics in light of prior climate an vegetation change, and (4) widespread availability of data and results through publications, symposium presentation, and the Harvard Forest Archives and web pages.
Invasive Species Mapping at Harvard Forest 2005
We are monitoring vegetation at the Harvard Forest for invasive plant populations with respect to land use history and other factors. Using our historical database for the Harvard Forest Prospect Hill tract, we have begun mapping the current distribution of non-native plants as a function of past land use. The 320 ha tract of Prospect Hill is mapped by parcels with known land-use history, soils, vegetation composition, and long-term vegetation dynamics. We plan to conduct annual vegetation surveys at Harvard Forest and the adjacent Quabbin Reservation to document six key non-native species currently present in the area: A. petiolata, the non-native shrubs B. thunbergii, Rhamnus cathartica, R. frangula, Lonicera spp. and the climbing vine, Celastrus orbiculatus. We will map the GPS coordinates and record cover estimates of each species and conduct spatial analyses on these data using our extensive records and GIS maps of land use histories at these locations. Detailed site histories will be determined certain species of interest, using field and archival records. Using similar techniques, we also plan to monitor invasive plant populations at key experimental plots (including the hemlock removal experiment at Simes Tract, and the "recovery phase" of the Chronic N addition plots). Together, these landscape-level studies will provide a novel historical context for understanding biological invasions in a historical context.
Chronic Nitrogen Amendment Experiment at Harvard Forest since 1988
The purpose of this study is to increase our understanding of ecosystem nitrogen dynamics in response to elevated nitrogen inputs. With atmospheric nitrogen deposition in the Northeastern United States currently at 10 to 20 times above historic background levels, it is possible that excessive nitrogen inputs could saturate the retention capacity of a forest ecosystem. Potential effects of nitrogen saturation include increased nitrate leaching and simultaneous base cation losses, soil acidification, altered fluxes of trace gases and forest decline. Two adjacent stands were chosen for the study: an even-aged red pine (Pinus resinosa Ait.) stand planted in 1926 and a 50-year-old mixed hardwood stand that had regenerated naturally after clearcutting in approximately 1945. The hardwood stand is dominated by black and red oak (Quercus velutina Lam.; Q. rubra L.) with significant amounts of black birch (Betula lenta L.), red maple (Acer rubrum L.) and American beech (Fagus grandifolia Ehrh.). The dominant soil types are stony- to sandy-loams formed from glacial till, and are classified as Typic Dystrochrepts of the Canton or Montauk series. Four treated plots were established within each stand: control, low N, low N plus sulfur (N+S) and high N. Each plot measures 30 x 30 meters (0.09 ha) and is divided into thirty-six 5 x 5 m subplots.
Massachusetts Timber Harvesting Study 1984-2003
Sustainability of the forest at a regional scale in landscapes dominated by non-industrial private forest (NIPF) ownership depends on the often-independent actions and behaviors of thousands of private families and individuals. These NIPF lands comprise the dominant forest ownership in many parts of the United States, and represent an important part of the greater forest landscape matrix even in parts of the region where industrial and/or public lands dominate. In northeastern states, NIPF lands can represent 75% or more of total forest area. While forest landowner attitudinal survey work in the past several decades has explored reasons for ownership, motivations, and perspectives on traditional management (e.g., do you intend to harvest in the next 10 years?), little if any study has focused on attitudes and, importantly, documented behaviors related to sustainability on their lands. Some landowner attitudes pertaining to the notion of sustainability can be inferred from earlier work (e.g., documented interest in wildlife habitat and nature, aesthetics, and privacy), but these do not directly link to sustainability or timber productivity on their own lands. As the urban-rural interface expands from metropolitan centers, though this wooded landscape may appear to be forested from the air, it no longer sustains a number of benefits upon which society has grown to depend. In particular, timber harvesting declines as a viable and sustainable land use activity. We seek to: 1. Study the decision-making process, priorities, and behaviors of different types of NIPF owners, in terms of sustainable harvesting, and sale/ development; 2. Use landscape-scale spatial data and associated demographic data to assess the extent to which such landscapes can remain sustainable producers of wood products in the face of expanding urban/ suburban influence; and 3. study sites that have sustained harvests and document the successional trajectory, in an effort to estimate the future compos
Landscape Response to Hemlock Woolly Adelgid in Southern New England 1997-2011
The hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae Annand; HWA), a small, aphid-like insect native to Japan, is currently migrating northward through eastern North America and threatens to eliminate eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carriere), one of the most abundant, long-lived shade tolerant species, across its range. In addition, a second invasive pest, the elongate hemlock scale (Fiorinia externa; EHS), often co-occurs with HWA on hemlock with unknown long-term consequences. The major objectives of this study were: (1) To characterize the pre-HWA distribution, composition, and structure of hemlock stands; (2) to characterize the spatial patterns of damage generated by HWA across southern New England since the time of its arrival in 1985; (3) to examine environmental and stand factors that are associated with declines in crown vigor and mortality of hemlock; (4) examine the dynamics of HWA and EHS in hemlock stands over time; and (5) assess whether there is a difference in the response of these insects to abiotic conditions (winter temperature, summer temperature, summer precipitation), and whether the distribution and abundance of each insect species is dependent on biotic interactions with the co-occurring insect species. Connecticut Stands (originally sampled in 1997 and 1998) Aerial photographs, photographic overlays, and extensive field study were used to map and develop GIS overlays of almost 6000 hemlock stands in a 4900 km2 study region extending from Long Island Sound northward to the Massachusetts border and including the Connecticut River Valley in Connecticut, USA. Intensive sampling of a random selection of 114 hemlock stands across the study area was used to document patterns of hemlock infestation, vigor, and mortality in relation to stand and site characteristics. Mantel tests were utilized to assess the relative importance of environmental and stand variables in controlling the intensity of HWA infestation and damage. Most stands were located along
Ecosystem and Vegetation Response to Hemlock Logging in Southern New England 1999-2005
This study compares the magnitude and trajectory of vegetation and ecosystem function dynamics associated with the direct impact of hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae; HWA) infestation versus the indirect consequences of HWA-induced damage in the form of salvage and pre-emptive logging of hemlock (Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carriere) forests. The study was conducted within an area extending from southern Connecticut up to and including the Connecticut River lowlands west to the Berkshire Plateauin central Massachusetts, USA. Overstory and understory vegetation and ecosystem function parameters such as decomposition and nitrogen cycling were examined in logged and unlogged portions of 10 hemlock stands varying in HWA damage intensity. Intensive hemlock logging generated more rapid and pronounced microenvironment and vegetation changes than chronic HWA damage. Black birch (Betula lenta L.) seedling densities and percent cover of brambles (Rubus L. spp.), sedges (Carex L. spp.) and hay-scented fern (Dennstaedtia punctilobula Michx.) were significantly higher in recent harvests versus HWA-damaged and undamaged sites. High black birch sapling densities (greater than 7000 ha –1) were common in the older harvests but not in adjacent, HWA-damaged portions of these sites. Undamaged sites had 20% more forest floor mass than HWA-damaged sites and double the mass of older cuts. Mass loss rates of cellulose paper suggest that conditions were more favorable for decomposition in the damaged and older logged sites. Recently cut sites had significantly larger inorganic N pools than undamaged forests, although total net nitrogen (N) mineralization rates were not significantly different among treatments. Nitrification rates of 0.2 kg ha-1 day-1 measured in the oldest cuts were three times greater than in HWA-damaged sites and over 200 times greater than in undamaged hemlock sites. However, resin bag capture in the older cuts was similar to amounts captured in undamaged and damaged fore
Ecosystem Response to Hemlock Woolly Adelgid in Southern New England 1998-2019
In 1998 we began examining the response of ecosystem processes to the stress and mortality caused by the introduced hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA) in southern New England. Healthy hemlock forests typically have slow decomposition and N cycling rates due to their low foliar N content and cool microclimate. However, thinning canopies associated with HWA infestations are starting to reverse this trend, due to dramatic increases in light levels and soil temperature. Within 8 study sites varying in HWA infestion level, we continue to investigate the magnitude and duration of N dynamics associated with HWA infestations by measuring nitrogen (N) mineralization rates using close-topped soil cores during the last five years. In addition, ion-exchange resin bags are used to estimate the spatial availability of N within sites and the extent to which NO3 is being lost. Measurements of gravimetric moisture content and soil temperature were used with hemispherical photographs to assess microenvironmental changes. During the first five years of this study, thinning canopies from heavy HWA damage resulted in increased light, soil temperature, and mineral soil moisture, and decreased forest floor moisture content. Heavily infested sites continue to have larger extractable NH4 and NO3 – N pools, and significantly higher net nitrification rates than healthy hemlock forests. In addition, resin bags captured more ammonium and nitrate in infested versus uninfested stands. Results indicate that introduced pests and selective tree decline can rapidly and dramatically alter ecosystem processes, even prior to the onset of extensive tree mortality. In 2001, we began examining 2 additional stands that contain high overstory hemlock mortality and a dense black birch understory. We will continue to sample these stands as they deteriorate to determine the extent to which changes in overstory composition, microenvironment, and soil conditions produce fundamental changes in the cycling of nitrogen. S
Impact of Hemlock Woolly Adelgid on Canopy Throughfall in Southern New England 2002
Non-native insect pests may strongly disrupt forest ecosystems and trigger major shifts on nutrient cycling, structure and composition. Although the immediate impact of these pests are frequently examined as physical disturbances (i.e., defoliation, decline in leaf area, and tree mortality) that initiate changes in ecosystem function, the insects often generate fundamental biochemical and trophic changes in tree canopies that may be equally important in altering ecosystem dynamics. Consequently, investigation of the linkages between canopy-level, ecosystem and environmental impacts may be critical for a thorough understanding of functional, structural, and compositional changes resulting from pest infestation. We sought to establish a better understanding of these linkages for the hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA), which is devastating hemlock forests in an expanding region across eastern North American and has the potential to eliminate this long-lived and extremely shade-tolerant species across much of its range. We examined the impact of the adelgid on hemlock needle chemistry and epiphytic microorganisms, litter production, and shoot growth in stands differing in their levels of infestation and linked these to shifts in canopy nutrient cycling and stand and landscape dynamics. HWA initiated major changes in canopy biomass and distribution. Whereas uninfested trees exhibit a decline in canopy biomass from the center to the periphery and a positive correlation between total needle litter and estimated biomass, infested trees support predominantly woody biomass, have significantly less total canopy biomass, produce less new foliage and exhibit no correlation between litter and canopy biomass. Foliar %N was strongly influenced by needle age and the level of infestation and was highest in young foliage supporting the highest densities of HWA. Foliar %C was unaffected by HWA or foliar age. Epiphytic microorganisms on hemlock needles exhibited little variation in abundance
Avian Response to Hemlock Woolly Adelgid in Southern New England 2000-2001
This study examines changes in avian community composition associated with the decline and loss of eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carr.) resulting from chronic hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae Annand; HWA) infestations. Overstory hemlock mortality was highly correlated with avian community composition. Abundance of eastern wood-pewee (Contopus virens), brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater), tufted titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor), white-breasted nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis), red-eyed vireo (Vireo olivaceus),hooded warbler (Wilsonia citrina), and several woodpecker species was highest at points with greater than 60% mortality. Black-throated green warbler (Dendroica virens), Acadian flycatcher (Empidonax virescens), blackburnian warbler (Dendroica fusca), and hermit thrush (Catharus guttatus) were strongly associated with intact hemlock stands that exhibit little or no mortality from HWA. Eastern hemlock has unique structural characteristics that provide important habitat for numerous bird species in the northeastern U.S. As a result, removal of hemlock by HWA has profound effects on avian communities. Black-throated green warbler, blackburnian warbler, and Acadian flycatcher are very strongly associated with hemlock forests in southern New England and appear to be the species that are particularly sensitive to hemlock removal. The hooded warbler, a species whose status is of regional concern, may actually benefit from the development of a dense seedling layer associated with high hemlock mortality.
Dendrochronological Record in Hemlock Removal Experiment at Harvard Forest 2004-2006
As part of the long-term goal of reconstructing the stand and land-use history of the Simes Tract at Harvard Forest, trees were cored from the 8 hemlock and hardwood plots in the Hemlock Removal Experiment. Cores were sanded and growth was measured. The data were used for the 2006 senior thesis (Division III paper) of Peter Bettman-Kerson at Hampshire College ("Dendrochronological reconstruction of historical disturbances in a hemlock forest at the Harvard Forest, Petersham, MA"). This dataset is the raw growth data for 230 trees sampled across the 8 plots.
Witness Tree Data in Southern New England and Long Island 1640-1999
Early surveyors' witness-tree records from initial land divisions are often used to reconstruct the vegetation at the time of European settlement and before extensive Euro-American land use. The following description of methods comes from the published paper (Hall, B., G .Motzkin, D. R. Foster, M. Syfert and J. Burk. 2002. Three hundred years of forest and land-use change in Massachusetts, USA. Journal of Biogeography 29, 1319-1335): "Following methods described more fully in Cogbill et al. (2002), we used early surveyors' tree records from initial land divisions in each town to reconstruct the vegetation at the time of European settlement and before extensive Euro-American land use. All available original 17th - early 19th century survey records located at the state archives and individual town halls were examined and colloquial or common names of marker trees were noted... With few exceptions, only surveys that occurred within 80 years of town settlement were gathered in order to limit the potential influence of European land use on species composition."
Massachusetts Growing Degree Day and Precipitation Maps 2003
A regression model that estimates monthly temperature and precipitation as a function of latitude, longitude, and elevation for the New England area was used to estimate annual growing degree days and precipitation for the state of Massachusetts. For details of the regression model please see the published paper (Ollinger, S.V., Aber, J.D., Federer, C.A., Lovett, G.M., Ellis, J.M., 1995. Modeling Physical and Chemical Climate of the Northeastern United States for a Geographic Information System. US Dept of Agriculture, Forest Service, Radnor, PA, USA).
Environment and History in a Rich Mesic Forest in Western Massachusetts 1999-2001
In rich mesic forests, modern vegetation varies among primary versus post-agricultural, secondary forests, in part as a result of differential rate and ability of forest herbs to colonize after disturbance. Species with seeds lacking morphological adaptations for dispersal (barochores) and those which produce seeds with elaisomes to encourage ant dispersal (myrmecochores) may remain less frequent in secondary forests for decades or more.
Source-Sink Dynamics of Garlic Mustard Invasion at Harvard Forest 2004-2006
We are investigating the role of disturbance history, source-sink metapopulation dynamics, and genetic adaptation to different canopy environments in the invasion success of Alliaria petiolata in the New England understory. In these studies, we employ a combination of population-level experiments, metapopulation studies, and landscape-level historical analyses. We have initiated a statewide survey of forested locations to determine the presence and absence of garlic mustard with respect to major pathways of invasion via past and present habitat disturbances. More explicit spatial analyses will test whether past sites of open canopy could have acted as corridors for the spread of invasive populations to present locations. This broad analysis will enable us to evaluate the generality of emerging conclusions from our population-level studies for predicting the broad-scale factors controlling the distribution, pattern and abundance of non-native species. At the population-level, we have begun long term demographic modeling of A. petiolata and experiments to test for habitat-specific natural selection on physiological, phenological, and allocational traits in sites with different canopy structure (edge or understory). In long term demographic analyses, we will use matrix population models to determine the relative contributions of subpopulations in different habitats to forest invasion. In ongoing reciprocal transplant studies, we will asses whether the maternal source habitat of a propagule contributes to its germination and survival in contrasting habitats.
Hydraulic Pathways in Leaves of Temperate Trees at Harvard Forest 2002
The transport of water, sugar and nutrients in trees is restricted to specific vascular pathways, and thus organs may be relatively isolated from one another (=sectored). Strongly sectored leaf-to-leaf pathways have been shown for the transport of sugar and signal molecules within a shoot, but not previously for water transport. The hydraulic sectoriality of leaf-to-leaf pathways was determined for current year shoots of six temperate deciduous tree species (three ring-porous: Castanea dentata, Fraxinus americana and Quercus rubra, and three diffuse-porous: Acer saccharum, Betula papyrifera and Liriodendron tulipifera). Hydraulic sectoriality was determined using dye staining and a hydraulic method. In the dye method, leaf blades were removed, and dye was forced into the most proximal petiole. For each petiole we counted the vascular traces shared with the proximal petiole. For other shoots, measurements were made of the leaf-area specific hydraulic conductivity for leaf-to-leaf pathways (kLL). In five of six species patterns of sectoriality reflected phyllotaxy; both the sharing of vascular bundles between leaves and kLL were higher for orthostichous than non-orthostichous leaf pairs. Species-differences in leaf-to-leaf sectoriality were determined as the proportional differences between non-orthostichous vs. orthostichous leaf pairs in their staining of shared vascular bundles and in their kLL; for the six species these two indices of sectoriality were strongly correlated (R2 = 0.94; P less than 0.001). Species varied 8-fold in their kLL-based sectoriality, and ring-porous species were more sectored than diffuse-porous species. Differential leaf-to-leaf sectoriality has implications for species-specific coordination of leaf gas exchange and water relations within a branch, especially during fluctuations in irradiance, water and nutrient availability.
Headwater Habitat Streams in Central Massachusetts 2002-2005
Headwater streams, particularly those that flow only during part of the year, are understudied and underprotected in Massachusetts. Research being conducted elsewhere suggests that these "Headwater Habitat Streams" are important both for aquatic biodiversity and for ecological function of lower stream reaches. We are carrying out baseline research, involving research scientists and volunteers, on hydrology and habitat characteristics in headwater streams in northern Worcester County, MA. We hypothesized that headwater streams exhibit a longitudinal gradient of hydrology, from (1) ephemeral channels that flow only in response to storms, through (2) intermittent sections that flow seasonally until the groundwater table falls below the channel and are dry the rest of the year, to (3) interstitial reaches that flow seasonally and retain pools connected by subsurface flow during the summer, to (4) the perennial stream. Results to date show a high degree of longitudinal heterogeneity in the study streams, with interspersion of perennially flowing reaches among low-gradient sections of vegetated wetland, high-gradient boulder piles, and braided channels. Perennial flow is found high up in some watersheds. We expect our methods and results will have implications throughout the Commonwealth for local conservation commissions and other municipal officials responsible for land-use planning and regulation, state agencies responsible for land management and the protection of wildlife, regulators reviewing projects affecting streams, watershed managers, teachers and their students, private land trusts, conservation advocates, and citizen-naturalists.
Nitrogen Cycling Dynamics in Sarracenia Purpurea at Harvard Forest 2004-2005
In nutrient poor systems, plants employ many strategies in order to acquire and recycle scarce nutrients, including nitrogen. Low leaf N content is associated with low photosynthetic rates, but carnivorous plants have unusually low photosynthetic rates given their N content. The northern pitcher plant Sarracenia purpurea readily uses any available nitrogen: NH4 and NO3 dissolved in precipitation; N mineralized from captured prey; the scant N in saturated peat; and N remobilized from storage. However, the dynamics of N cycling within S. purpurea are poorly understood. We conducted two greenhouse experiments to examine N-cycling dynamics of S. purpurea at the whole-plant and individual-leaf levels. In the first experiment we assessed assimilation, translocation, storage, and remobilization of 15N supplied to pitchers and roots. In the second experiment, we examined how 15N assimilated by the first pitcher produced at the start of the growing season contributed to the production and maintenance of subsequent pitchers, roots, and rhizomes. Patterns of N cycling were similar at the individual-leaf and whole-plant level. Pitchers assimilated 55 - 69% of available 15N and served both as the largest sink for newly assimilated N (more than 90% of the 15N assimilated during 2004) and the largest source of N remobilization the following spring. In contrast, N assimilated by roots was low and accounted for less than 2.5% of the overall S. purpurea N budget. S. purpurea uses both stored N and newly-acquired N throughout the growing season. The importance of stored N decreases throughout the growing season as newly assimilated N contributes more to later pitcher production.
Inventory of Ants at the Black Rock Forest in Cornwall NY 2006-2015
Ants are key indicators of ecological change, but few studies have investigated how ant assemblages may respond to dramatic changes in vegetation structure in temperate forests. Pests and pathogens are causing widespread loss of dominant canopy tree species; ant species composition and abundance may be very sensitive to such losses. Prior to the experimental removal of red oak trees to simulate effects of sudden oak death and examine the long-term impact of oak loss at the Black Rock Forest (Cornwall, New York), we carried out a rapid assessment of the ant assemblage in the 10-hectare experimental area. We also determined the efficacy in a northern temperate forest of five different collecting methods - pitfall traps, litter samples, tuna-fish and cookie baits, and hand collection - routinely used to sample ants in tropical systems. A total of 33 species in 14 genera were collected and identified; the myrmecines Aphaenogaster rudis and Myrmica punctiventris, and the formicine Formica neogagates were the most common and abundant species encountered. Ninety-four percent (31 of 33) of the species were collected by litter sampling and structured hand sampling together, and we conclude that in combination, these two methods are sufficient to assess species richness and composition of ant assemblages in northern temperate forests. Using new, unbiased estimators, we project that 38-58 ant species are likely to occur at Black Rock Forest. Loss of oak from these forests may favor Camponotus species that nest in decomposing wood and open-habitat specialists in the genus Lasius.
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Allen Brain Atlas
Allen Brain Atlas is an Allen Institute collection of brain map atlases, datasets, APIs, and analysis tools covering mouse, human, and non-human primate brain resources.
Annotated Behaviour and Observability Dataset (ABODe)
ABODe is a University of Edinburgh DataShare dataset for behavior classification in group-housed mice using home-cage video, identities, bounding boxes, ground-plate positions, and annotator labels.
DANDI Archive for NWB datasets
DANDI is a BRAIN Initiative archive for publishing and sharing neurophysiology data, including electrophysiology, optophysiology, and behavioral data packaged as NWB and related standards.
International Brain Laboratory public data
The International Brain Laboratory public data releases expose standardized mouse decision-making experiments, including Neuropixels recordings, widefield calcium imaging, behavior, and session metadata accessed through the ONE API.
OpenNeuro
OpenNeuro is a free, open platform for sharing neuroimaging datasets, with public search, dataset pages, and download paths for web, S3, DataLad, and the OpenNeuro CLI.