We propose that Nephila clavipes (Golden Silk Orbweaver) be used as a model species to track climate change in the southeastern United States. As an ectotherm, it is sensitive to changes in local climatic conditions. More importantly, this large, unmistakable spider elicits a strong emotional reaction, especially from those unfamiliar with it. As its range expands, people will take notice, photograph it, and then post those pictures in the public domain via blogs and social or scientific websites that can be easily viewed by scientists. For a starting point, we present the most complete range map to date for this species. This map shows that N. clavipes, traditionally restricted to the Gulf and Atlantic coastal areas of the southeastern United States, has recently (since 2000) expanded its range out of the Coastal Plain into counties north of the Fall Line.

Spiders' nesting sites may vary depending on species-specific requirements and environmental conditions. I report on the use of leaves of Sarracenia purpurea (Purple Pitcher Plant) as oviposition sites by 5 species of spiders in Virginia and North Carolina. The presence of egg sacs, webbing, and a protective female spider inside the pitchers confirmed the spiders' use of the carnivorous plant trap as a safe and secure nest rather than a deadly mechanism by which many spiders have commonly become victims. I also collected spiders in the surrounding environment to determine if this microhabitat is used by uncommon species or ones that are often found nearby. Almost all spiders found within pitchers of S. purpurea were also found in the surrounding environment, but not at high densities near S. purpurea. The decaying pitchers of S. purpurea may create an ideal home for many spider species in environments where suitable oviposition sites are hard to come by.

Alliaria petiolata (Garlic Mustard) is an invasive plant species which displaces native communities by lowering levels of mycorrhizal fungi essential to native plant nutrient acquisition. Consequently, the diets of arthropods using these native plants as a primary food source may be altered. To assess the magnitude of this disruption, stable-isotope analyses of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and hydrogen were used to trophically differentiate the diets of arthropods in Garlic Mustard-invaded areas. In invaded areas, arthropods were depleted in δ¹³C and enriched in δ¹⁵N relative to arthropods in uninvaded areas, suggesting a change in trophic position among generalist predators. Slight trophic repositioning was observed in all 4 isotopes, indicating interactions of 3 primary predators throughout the study area. Most observable shifts are likely due to predators either altering prey source or traveling further to acquire nutrients.

Field collections made by the authors in pineland ecosystems in southern Georgia during 2011 significantly expand the previously published range limits of the scorpion Centruroides hentzi in Georgia. We commonly found specimens beneath the exfoliating bark of Pinus palustris (Longleaf Pine) and P. elliottii (Slash Pine) snags, stumps, and logs in sandhills and pine flatwoods habitats, documenting this scorpion from 50 sites in 34 south Georgia counties, and extending the known range of C. hentzi 150 km north (from near Waycross, Ware County, GA) to Statesboro, Bulloch County, GA. Our collections indicate that the species is widespread in pine-dominated uplands throughout much of the lower and middle Coastal Plain of southern Georgia. We comment on the life history, ecology, and habitat requirements of the species based on this survey and the existing literature. In Georgia, C. hentzi is a characteristic associate of Longleaf Pine and Slash Pine ecosystems, is often locally abundant, and is part of an arthropod-vertebrate food web that includes the endangered Picoides borealis (Red-cockaded Woodpecker).

An inventory of the vascular flora of the Tennessee River Gorge (TRG) was conducted between April 2009 and July 2011. The TRG is a 41-km-long river canyon located on the Cumberland Plateau physiographic province within Hamilton and Marion counties, TN. According to prior ecological surveys, the 4970-ha study area contains 12 natural communities. This survey documented 123 families, 392 genera, and 700 species and sub-specific taxa, including 138 county range extensions. Approximately 13% of the flora (92 species) is considered non-native. Fifteen imperiled species were reported, including 3 that are undescribed and 9 not documented in any previous Cumberland Plateau flora. In addition to the floristic component of this work, a phytogeographical analysis was conducted for the TRG and 12 other Cumberland Plateau floras in Tennessee and Kentucky. An important finding of this research was the identification of a biogeographical transition zone, from a higher northern to a higher southern species richness. This biogeographic break was identified in the vicinity of Fentress, Scott, and Morgan counties, TN.

The Berry College Longleaf Pine Management Area consists of old-growth fire-suppressed mountain Pinus palustris (Longleaf Pine) stands embedded within an encroaching matrix of mixed pines and hardwoods. Since 2001, portions of this area have been subjected to restoration efforts involving logging followed by burning, foliar herbicide application, and planting, as well as burning and hardwood control using herbicides in unlogged old-growth stands. To document the herbaceous plants and grasses of this site and to begin to address questions concerning the short-term impacts of management practices on these species, flowering specimens were systematically collected in managed and unmanaged stands in 2008 and 2009. We recorded 201 species in 35 families, including 70 species of Asteraceae, 35 species of Poaceae, 17 species of Fabaceae, and 10 grass-like species other than Poaceae (Cyperaceae, Iridaceae, and Juncaceae). Native herbaceous plants most commonly found included: Houstonia caerulea, Hypoxis hirsuta, Solidago odora, Oxalis stricta, Coreopsis major, Hypericum hypericoides, Lespedeza procumbens, Hieracium venosum, and Packera paupercula. While only 14 species were found in unmanaged old growth, 127 were found in managed old growth, and 167 in logged areas. Fire suppressed old-growth mountain Longleaf Pine forests are generally virtually devoid of understory plant diversity; these results suggest that reduction in canopy density and leaf litter can substantially recover herbaceous and grass species diversity. However, the extent to which understory diversity can be fully recovered in any specific site remains in question, particularly if local propagule sources have vanished during the period of fire suppression. A comparison with historical species lists at our site, and with other mountain Longleaf Pine forests in various stages of fire maintenance, is presented to help define characteristic understory species for mountain Longleaf Pine forests.

This study characterizes the seed bank prior to and immediately following dormant-season prescribed fire in mature, mixed-Quercus spp. (oak) forests in the southern Appalachian Mountains. Thirty samples from the litter/duff (LD) and the top 5 cm of the mineral soil (MS) were collected from five 5-ha burn units (6 plots per experimental unit) before and immediately after low-intensity prescribed fires, where maximum fire temperatures varied from <79 to 316 °C. A split-plot ANOVA and multi-response permutation procedures (MRBP) were utilized to assess the effects of burn treatment (pre- or post-fire) and seed bank layer (LD and MS) on the diversity and density of the buried seed bank. An average of 471 emergents/m² was observed in the buried seed bank comprising 133 identifiable taxa. No differences in total seed-bank density, Shannon-Weiner's diversity index (H′) or overall species composition between pre- and post-fire sampling or between the LD and MS layers were observed. Species richness (S) of the seed bank, however, was slightly greater pre-fire than post-fire, regardless of layer. Similarity, as defined by Sørenson's index, of species common to the seed bank and aboveground forest understory was low, with a slight increase in Sørenson's index observed during post-fire sampling of the seed bank and aboveground vegetation. Although we observed only negligible effects of a once-applied, low-intensity prescribed fire on the buried seed bank, the effects of a low-intensity prescribed fire management regime—one that involves repeated low intensity burns—on the buried seed bank are unknown and should be a focus of future studies across mixed-oak forests in the eastern US.

Small nocturnal mammals, such as Peromyscus leucopus (White-footed Mouse), tend to avoid open spaces due to the threat of predation. Previous studies have shown that Peromyscus and other small-mammal species are captured at higher frequencies at mature forest sites with higher densities of woody debris. Reported trapping frequencies along forest edges relative to continuous forest have varied in previous literature, possibly due to regional differences in forest composition and Peromyscus distribution. We hypothesized that mice in an urban forest setting would be captured at a higher frequency in trapping sites with higher volumes of woody debris and capture rates would be lower at the edge than the interior. We trapped mice in 100 to 121 Sherman live traps in a permanent 1-ha plot in an urban, fragmented forest on the Meredith College campus in Raleigh, NC over a two-year period. We also measured volume of woody debris at each trapping site in one (2007) of the two years. Between the two years (2007 and 2008), trapping rates of P. leucopus were lower in 2008 than in 2007, but we estimated a higher population size in 2008 than in 2007. We found no correlation between volume of woody debris and number of P. leucopus captured in 2007 and that capture rates did not vary with distance from the forest edge in both years. Our results support previous findings that P. leucopus are nonspecific users of microhabitat, but are contrary to other research that found a positive correlation between amount of woody debris and abundance of Peromyscus.

Forage availability is often used as a measure of habitat quality for Odocoileus virginianus (White-tailed Deer; hereafter “Deer”). Many studies have evaluated treatment effects on forage availability, but the effects of other abiotic factors, such as drought, on native forages and Deer diet selection are poorly understood. We measured diet selection and nutritional quality of commonly occurring forages following extreme drought (2007) and normal rainfall years (2008) in 4 closed-canopied hardwood stands in the Central Hardwoods region. Deer selected 6 forage species in both years of the study. Within these 6 species, crude protein (CP) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) were not different, and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) increased during the year of normal rainfall. Thirteen other commonly occurring forages showed a different trend, with CP negatively affected by drought and ADF and NDF unaffected. Less-selected species in the drought year and a greater selection-index cut-off value suggest Deer were more selective of species consumed during extreme drought because fewer plants met their nutritional requirements. Our data support the selective quality hypothesis, predicting Deer become more selective of plant species to meet nutritional requirements when resources are limited. Our data suggest more frequent and intense droughts predicted as a result of global climate change may influence diet selection of deer and decrease forage quality enough to limit lactation during the late-summer stress period in the Southeast.

We describe a process for developing an index of biotic integrity (IBI) for resident fish communities in an ecoregion that exhibits low natural species richness. From 1990 to 2006, fish community samples were collected by the North Carolina Division of Water Quality (NCDWQ) at 36 sample sites in the Cape Fear, Lumber, and Yadkin river basins within the Sandhills region of North Carolina. The NCDWQ does not currently have an IBI capable of distinguishing significant differences between reference and non-reference streams. To develop a more robust method of measuring responses to anthropogenic disturbance, we delineated contributing watersheds for each of the 36 sample sites using a geographic information system, hydrologic modeling, and 20-foot-resolution digital elevation models derived from light-detection and ranging data. The 2001 National Land Cover Database (NLCD) and in situ habitat data were used to determine various land-use/land-cover and hydrologic variables within each watershed. These variables were then used to select the sites with absolute minimal anthropogenic impacts. We used the Kruskal-Wallis test to identify 11 fish-community metrics, 2 chemical metrics, and 9 individual species that were significantly different between reference and non-reference sites. Of the final 15 metrics, only 3 exhibited higher values in reference streams. Our results demonstrate that the abundance and richness of the Sandhills fish fauna are greater in areas more highly impacted by anthropogenic activities. By automating the process by which reference sites are chosen, we were able to produce a multi-metric IBI that reflects the varying levels of anthropogenic impacts on wadeable streams in the Sandhills.

Recovery of imperiled freshwater mussels requires knowledge of suitable host fishes and other early life-history traits. We provide quantitative host information for 6 mussel species from the Altamaha River Basin, GA, 3 of which previously had no host information. Glochidia of Alasmidonta arcula (Altamaha Arcmussel) metamorphosed on 2 species of suckers (Moxostoma spp.); Elliptio hopetonensis (Altamaha Slabshell) on Lepomis macrochirus (Bluegill), Pimephales promelas (Fathead Minnow), and Micropterus salmoides (Largemouth Bass); E. shepardiana (Altamaha Lance) on 2 species of Bullheads (Ameiurus spp.) and L. macrochirus; Lampsilis dolabraeformis (Altamaha Pocketbook) on Bluegill and Largemouth Bass; and L. splendida (Rayed Pink Fatmucket) and Villosa delumbis (Eastern Creekshell) on Largemouth Bass. We also provide descriptions of glochidia morphology for the above mussel species and E. spinosa (Altamaha Spinymussel). Glochidia were correctly identified to species in 88.7% of cases by discriminant function analysis of 3 shell dimensions. Glochidia morphology may be useful for identification of glochidia attached to wild fish, thereby providing additional host information.

Continued loss of coastal wetlands due to anthropogenic causes along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts has increased the need to restore eroded or hardened structures along the shoreline back to natural marsh systems. The source of plant material used in these restoration plantings may have unintended consequences for the reestablishment of marsh systems, especially if the plant material is not adapted to the local environment. In this two-year field study, we tested the hypothesis that locally collected Spartina alterniflora (Smooth Cordgrass) will have higher plant performance than non-local commercially available plant material from native plant nurseries. We found that locally collected S. alterniflora plants had higher survivorship, aboveground biomass, and cumulative stem length than plants from non-local sources. There was a significant association between plant performance and genetic similarity at the end of the first field season. Based on our findings, we recommend the use of locally collected S. alterniflora from adjacent salt marshes for small-scale salt marsh restoration projects; however, care should be taken to not degrade the donor marsh during the process.

We investigated if relative abundance of invertebrate prey for Athene cunicularia floridana (Florida Burrowing Owl) differed between two pre-translocation (i.e., non-mined) sites and one translocation (i.e., reclaimed mine) site. We trapped a combination of 21 arthropod families and orders. We observed some differences among non-mined sites and the reclaimed mine site in invertebrate prey abundance and owl diet. Fewer than 50% (10 of 21) of trapped prey items were present in pellets, suggesting that our traps may have limited capture of particular prey. Additionally, it appears that owls were hunting in nearby aquatic habitats due to the remains of frogs, turtles, and crayfish in pellets. The general similarity in prey abundance and diet between the pre-translocation and translocation sites suggests that reclaimed mine sites may serve as adequate refugia for Florida Burrowing Owls. However, more work is needed to determine to verify the general applicability of our results.

Florida has the most species of introduced and established reptiles in the world. There are more species of non-native lizards reproducing in Florida than native species. Tupinambis merianae (Argentine Black and White Tegu) is established in parts of Hillsborough and Polk counties, FL. No evidence of reproduction has been published in other areas of Florida, although this species has been sighted in various other Florida locations, especially in southeastern sites. Using radio-telemetry, we tracked an adult female tegu in Miami-Dade County to a ruderal thicket with a suspected nest mound. Upon excavation of the mound, we found one clutch of 21 eggs from the current year, and one clutch of 22 hatched egg shells and 13 unhatched eggs from a past year. This is the first evidence confirming expansion of a reproducing population of Argentine Black and White Tegus into southeastern Florida. If this population is small and localized, there is potential for removal if swift, decisive action is taken.

Allopreening is a form of social grooming that has not been extensively studied in most birds. Observations of allopreening in Sitta pusilla (Brown-headed Nuthatch) are described where sex, age, and kin relationships were known for the individuals performing the behavior. Young of the year allopreened adults and nest mates, adult male helpers allopreened breeding females and unrelated adults, and breeding adults allopreened one another as well as young of the year. Previous observations suggested allopreening served to maintain pair bonds in the Brown-headed, but these observations suggest the behavior may have expanded functions. Although most allopreening focused on neck and head regions where the behavior may primarily serve hygienic functions, wings and backs also were allopreened frequently in a manner consistent with the social functions suggested for other birds.

Sternula antillarum (Least Tern) and other waterbirds have nested on tar-and-gravel roofs in Florida starting from the early 1950s. Habitat disturbance and loss has been implicated as the primary reason for this shift from the ground to roofs. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission conducted a statewide survey of rooftop-nesting birds between April and July 2010. Two buildings with non-gravel roofs were found to contain Least Tern nests; one was located on Islamorada in the Florida Keys, and the other on Pensacola Beach in the Florida Panhandle. Both of these sites were formerly gravel roofs and were used for nesting by Least Terns for several years; however, they had both been recently reroofed. The Islamorada site has a spray polyurethane foam roof, and the Pensacola Beach site has a mineral built-up roof. Both sites produced chicks, but only the Pensacola site fledged young. These are the first published records of a waterbird species nesting on a non-gravel roof. This discovery may have future implications as gravel roofs, particularly in Florida, are being replaced by newer types of roofs that are safer to humans and surrounding structures during tropical storms and are more energy efficient. Further surveys are needed to determine the extent of Least Tern nesting on non-gravel roofs and the productivity of these rooftop breeding colonies.

Notropis photogenis (Silver Shiner) and Etheostoma zonale (Banded Darter) were collected from the Flint River in Madison County, AL, a northern tributary to the Tennessee River. Both species have been found in other northern tributaries to the Tennessee River in Alabama, but have not been widely reported from the Flint River. The Flint River is currently considered to be impaired water due to elevated turbidity, and has also been impaired in recent years from organic enrichment/low dissolved oxygen and pathogens in the form of fecal coliform.