During the summer of 2012, 1500 semiochemical-baited detection traps targeting Anoplophora glabripennis (Asian Longhorned Beetle [ALB]) were deployed on the periphery of a large quarantine area in central Massachusetts. This large-scale survey effort provided an opportunity to investigate cerambycids other than ALB that were captured from a subset of these traps as bycatch. We captured a total of 278 cerambycids (long-horned beetles) representing 39 species during 3 months of trapping; Graphisurus fasciatus, Brachyleptura rubrica, Astylopsis macula, Aegomorphus modestus, and Elaphidion mucronatum (long-horned beetles) were the most abundant. The data presented here indicate that pest-detection activities involving semioehemieal-baited traps provide an important opportunity to survey non-target insects.

In March 2012 and April—May 2013, we collected three dead specimens of Elliptio complanata (Eastern Elliptio) in the tidal, freshwater portion of the Patapsco River, providing the first evidence of this species from the river. Although these specimens do not definitively confirm the presence of an extant population, they indicate that a remnant population may well persist in the tidal, freshwater portion of the river. If it exists, this population could serve as a source for natural recolonization into the non-tidal reaches of the river where the species is believed to have once occurred but is now likely extirpated. Further mussel surveys are needed in the tidal, freshwater portion of the river to confirm the presence of an Eastern Elliptio population, and to determine its size, age structure, and distributional extent.

We review and revise the taxonomic history of Nitzschia sturionis parasitizing North American Acipenser spp. (sturgeon), and provide data regarding its anatomy. The currently accepted diagnostic character of speciation (hamuli lengths) is unreliable, suggesting the synonymy of Nitzschia superba and Nitzschia monticelli under N. sturionis, resulting in two recognized species of Nitzschia spp. in North America—N. sturionis along the Atlantic coast and Nitzschia quadritestes along the Pacific coast.

We documented a new population of Fundulus diaphanus (Banded Killifish) in Burton's Pond, within the City of St. John's, Newfoundland. To our knowledge, the Burton's Pond population is at the eastern limit of Banded Killifish's known occurrence in North America, and it has only existed since 1999. It represents a significant change in the species' continental distribution, and a very significant addition to its occurrence in Newfoundland, where Banded Killifish are listed under provincial and federal species-at-risk legislation.

We explored topographic patterns in forest composition and diversity on unlogged slopes along ≈3 km of Zoar Valley Canyon, a 150-m deep east—west gorge in western New York. We catalogued all trees along 3 north- and 3 south-facing 20-m wide vertical belt transects on slopes of up to 50°. North-facing exposures were the more mesic, and were dominated by Acer saccharum (Sugar Maple) on the lower slopes and by Tsuga canadensis (Eastern Hemlock) on the upper slopes. South-facing slopes were more xeric and displayed distinct upper- and lower-slope species assemblages. Lower slope-forest composition was generally similar to that across the canyon, but upper slopes and ridges supported sparse and stunted Quercus prinus (Chestnut Oak), Quercus rubra (Northern Red Oak), Pinus resinosa (Red Pine), and Pinus strobus (Eastern White Pine). Canopy trees on upper slopes were typically shorter (<6 m vs. 30 m) and had smaller diameter at breast height (40 cm vs. 80 cm) than those on lower slopes. However, some upper-slope trees exceeded 165 years of age. Results of non-metric multidimensional scaling ordination distinguished between north- and south-facing upper slopes, and showed a broad similarity among forests on lower slopes of both aspects and fluvial terraces at slope bases. The elevationally diverse southfacing slopes contributed more to site-wide (i.e., slopes and terraces) species richness (34) and gamma diversity (Shannon H' = 2.462), than did north-facing slopes.

Nigronia serricornis (Dark Fishfly) males were observed patrolling the borders of a small stream in northern Virginia. They flew toward females perched low in streamside vegetation. The first male to reach a female mated with her. Later arrivals left after a brief inspection of the mating pair. The mating system of this species appears to be based on nonaggressive scramble competition for widely scattered receptive females. Copulation in this member of the Corydalidae was prolonged.

Research related to resting-site selection among native Neovison vison (American Mink) populations in North America is scarce. We radio-tracked 35 American Minks from March 2008-September 2011 along the Hudson River, NY, and its tributaries to evaluate restmg-site characteristics and selection. We located 583 resting sites, consisting primarily of boulder piles and riprap along the Hudson River (35.6%) and bank burrows along tributaries (29.0%). Results of logistic regression analysis revealed that the percentage of shoreline cover with woody debris best predicted resting-site selection <10 m from water and shoreline cover was the most important single-parameter model. Shorelines that provide abundant cover may help to conceal American Mink activity while also providing resting sites that are safe from predators.

We collected statoblasts of the bryozoans Pectinatella magnifica, Lophopodella carteri, and Cristatella mucedo from multiple locations within the Hudson River Estuary and at the confluence of the Mohawk and the Hudson Rivers during benthic invertebrate sampling activities October 2009-November 2011. We identified both P. magnifica and L. carteri at geographically separated locations within the estuary. Although these animals are exclusively freshwater organisms, we found P. magnifica and L. carteri statoblasts in both freshwater and brackish water environments; only P. magnifica is considered indigenous to New York. Based upon the distribution of statoblasts, it is unknown whether C. mucedo is resident in the estuary. However, our findings indicate that the estuary and the Mohawk River have established populations of L. carteri and P. magnifica.

In this study, we investigated the relative influence of habitat variables on the decision by Sterna dougallii (Roseate Tern) parents to move from (movers) or to stay at (stayers) the nest after chick hatch. At Country Island, NS, Canada, 75% of the 21 Roseate Tern breeding pairs in this study were movers. Using a model-selection approach, we found that the chicks were more likely to be moved from nest sites in cobble beach habitat with low vegetation height and high nest densities of congener terns. However, differences in reproductive parameters among movers and stayers were not statistically significant. Though we could not establish whether moving the chicks or staying were adaptive strategies, we provide firm evidence that Roseate Tern chicks are moved to areas of lower tern densities. Chicks move further away from other terns as they age, perhaps as a mechanism to avoid kleptoparasitism as their nutritional requirements increase. Based on our findings, Roseate Terns appear more likely to rear their chicks to fledging at the original nest site when nest densities of other tern species are low (≤0.02 nests/m²) in highly vegetated areas. Thus, to enhance Roseate Tern productivity in places where they are endangered, such as Atlantic Canada, we suggest that species recovery programs place artificial nest cover, e.g., next boxes and wooden logs, in areas with potential for taller vegetation growth that are suboptimal nesting habitat for S. paradisaea (Arctic Tern)and S. hirundo (Common Tern).

I examined seasonal patterns in the abundance of the ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi (Atlantic Comb Jelly) to determine whether unusually early ctenophore blooms occur outside the range in which they were originally reported (Narragansett Bay, RI) and whether ctenophore abundance is correlated with sea surface temperature (SST) or with declines in zooplankton prey. Sampling was conducted from 23 April to 16 November 2004 in the Thames River Estuary, CT. Adult (≥1 cm) ctenophores first appeared in the estuary on 20 May 2004, with a seasonal peak in mean (± SD) density (9.9 ± 2.5 individuals m^-3, n = 7 stations) and biovolume (26.6 ± 9.9 ml m^-3, n = 7 stations) on 9 July 2004. Adult Atlantic Comb Jelly abundance was positively correlated with SST, but only during the spring and early summer. Food availability also likely played an important role in ctenophore-population growth early in the year. However, I observed a delay between copepod density and ctenophore biovolume, possibly due to unusually cold winter temperatures that reduced ctenophore survivorship in the months preceding the study. Ctenophore diets in 2004 consisted primarily of copepods. I observed an inverse correlation between ctenophore biovolume and copepod density, but my data suggest that adult Atlantic Comb Jellies consumed only 0.0–2.2% of the copepod standing stock per day. Overall, my results are consistent with the hypothesis that early summer ctenophore blooms occured over a relatively large spatial scale; however, trophic impacts in the Thames River Estuary in 2004 appeared to be relatively low.

We sampled fish assemblages in 41 floodplain lakes in the Ohio River Basin in the summer of 2012. We collected 2427 individual fishes in 70 species. Mean abundance of individuals at sites was 66, and mean species richness per site was 8.1. We used two multivariate procedures to predict fish-assemblage variation from habitat and environmental variables: an indirect gradient approach (reciprocal averaging [RA]) and a direct gradient approach (canonical correspondence analysis [CCA]). When we applied a forward selection process in the CCA, the habitat and environmental variables that contributed significantly to explaining variation in fishes were mean elevation, latitude, maximum depth, conductivity, longitude, dissolved oxygen, cobble and sand substrates, and lake-surface area. RA provided different results that suggested the presence of additional environmental gradients we did not quantify. Our results show that floodplain lakes in the Ohio River basin contain high species richness and are important habitats to conserve because they have the potential to act as source pools for river fish populations.

With dramatic declines of bat populations due to mortality caused by Pseudogymnoascus destructans (White-nose Syndrome), assessing habitat preferences of bats in the northeastern US is now critical to guide the development of regional conservation efforts. In the summer of 2012, we conducted fixed-station simultaneous telemetry to determine nocturnal spatial use and fixed-kernel home-range estimates of available habitat of a Myotis lucifugus (Le Conte) (Little Brown Bat) maternity colony in an artificial bat house. In summers of 2011 and 2012, we also deployed a 52-ha grid of 4 × 4 Anabat acoustic detectors over five 6–8-day sampling periods in various riparian and non-riparian environments in close proximity to the same bat house. The mean telemetry home range of 143 ha for bats (n = 7) completely overlapped the acoustic grid. Rankings of habitats from telemetry data for these 7 bats and 5 additional bats not included in home-range calculations but added for habitat-use measures (n = 13) revealed a higher proportional use of forested riparian habitats than other types at the landscape scale. Pair-wise comparisons of habitats indicated that bats were found significantly closer to forested riparian habitats and forests than to open water, developed areas, fields, shrublands, or wetland habitats at the landscape scale. Acoustic sampling showed that naïve occupancy was 0.8 and 0.6 and mean nightly detection probabilities were 0.23 and 0.08 at riparian and non-riparian sites, respectively. Our findings suggest that Little Brown Bats select forested riparian and forested habitats for foraging at the landscape scale but may be most easily detected acoustically at riparian sites when a simple occupancy determination for an area is required.

Ants inhabiting inland dune and ridge woodlands in Worcester County, MD, were surveyed in 2008 and 2009 using a combination of pitfall traps and litter samples. We employed both methods in 2008 and pitfall traps only in 2009. Thirty dune sites were targeted for survey work. We collected and identified a total of 44,930 ants representing 67 species. Data on annual and seasonal variation in the ant community are reported, as is variation in species composition based on trapping method. Expanding survey efforts to include multiple years, seasons, and trapping methodology served to increase the overall number of species encountered primarily through documenting the presence of rare or infrequent species. We provide a list of ant species collected from inland dune and ridge woodlands and discuss the significance of apparent habitat-restricted species.

We compared genetic variation at five nuclear simple sequence repeat loci between three populations of Black Cherry (Prunus serotina subsp. serotina) at the edge of its western range in Kansas to four populations from within the range interior. Although within-population expected heterozygosity did not differ between edge and core populations, allelic richness was significantly lower in the edge populations. This finding is consistent with a loss of rare alleles due to genetic drift in demographically unstable edge populations.

Mytilus edulis (Blue Mussel) is an ecologically important species in the Gulf of Maine. However, many introduced species that have a direct negative impact on the Blue Mussel have entered this system, some as predators (e.g., Carcinus maenas [Green Crab]) and others as aggressive epibionts (e.g., Didemnum vexillum [Carpet Sea Squirt]). Didemnum vexillum has been increasing in abundance throughout the Gulf for the past 10 years and form large mat-like growths on mussel beds, covering individual mussels completely. The first part of our study used a predator-exclusion experiment to determine the impact of predators on the plantigrade stage of the Blue Mussel life cycle. During this stage, no epibiosis occurs due to a protective periostracum layer on the mussel shell. The second part of our study used laboratory trials to assess how overgrowth by D.vexillum impacts predator choice, handling time, and consumption of mussels. There were a significantly greater number of Blue Mussel plantigrades on exclusion panels than on the exposed-cage control panels. Green Crab and Nucella lapillus (Dog Whelk) predators were present on our non-exclusion panels. In laboratory trials, Green Crab handling time of Blue Mussels was not significantly different between mussels that were clean and mussels that were overgrown, but crab behavior and overall consumption showed a greater selection for clean mussels. This selection indicates an associational predator-resistance effect of D.vexillumt epibiont on Blue Mussels. The results of our study, while focused on one specific predator species, suggest that while young Blue Mussels with no epibionts are preyed upon heavily, D.vexillum likely deters predators from older mussels. Because D.vexillum form large mat-like colonies that can cover a large area, their presence may have a significant impact on community structure in the Gulf of Maine.

Few annual survival and capture-probability estimates exist for sittid and picid species common in North America. We used a mark—recapture study and robust design analysis in Program MARK to estimate annual survival rates based on a sample of 51 Sitta carolinensis (White-breasted Nuthatch), 12 Picoides pubescens (Downy Woodpecker), and 15 Picoides villosus (Hairy Woodpecker) wintering in central Wisconsin, 2006–2013. Apparent survival probability was similar between the two woodpecker species (Downy Woodpecker: p = 0.51, 95% CI = 0.34–0.68; Hairy Woodpecker: p = 0.52, 95% CI = 0.36– 0.68). Apparent annual survival modeled as constant across time was low for both sexes of White-breasted Nuthatch (0.25 [CI = 0.12–0.44] and 0.28 [CI = 0.14–0.49] for males and females, respectively), but there was some evidence for annual variation in survival. All three species showed evidence for a trap-happy response in which recapture probability was higher than original capture probability, but it was stronger in the White-breasted Nuthatches than the two woodpecker species. There is little evidence of temporary emigration for any of the woodpecker taxa we studied. Our results provide baseline demographic data for these species in Wisconsin and will be useful in planning future trapping studies.