Biological Diversity
Hermit Warbler migration tracked
"Hermit Warblers (Setophaga occidentalis) are an endemic-breeding species in the Pacific Northwest that winters in Mexico and the Central Americas. This species faces threats from mature forest loss and climate change throughout its range, but we know little about its migration ecology. To understand the annual movements of Hermit Warblers, researchers tracked 22 adult male Hermit Warblers.
Spotted Skunk Spatial Ecology
A major threat to small mammalian carnivore populations is land use change, but conservation and management are inhibited by limited knowledge about the animals' ecology and natural history. To fill a key knowledge
A photographer captures life in America’s last remaining old-growth forests
In the last 10 years, David Herasimtschuk has photographed forests across the Pacific Northwest, documenting the inhabitants of these last remaining old-growth ecosystems. From salamanders and salmon to bears and mountain lions, his images illustrate not only the beauty of the forests and their creatures but the symbiotic relationships which are vital to the forests’ health and the planet’s welfare.
Stream Ecology Spring 2024
Seeking Research Assistants in Forest Ecology Summer 2024
News Brief Description:
Seeking Research Assistants in Forest Ecology – Temperate old-growth forest dynamics
Position Overview: The LaManna lab in the Department of Biological Sciences at Marquette University is currently looking to hire 3 enthusiastic research technicians with experience in forest-survey techniques and/or Pacific Northwest tree and plant identification skills to address questions related to the maintenance of plant species diversity in old-growth forests along a 1,000 m elevational gradient in the Western Cascade Mountains of Oregon. The work will occur at the H. J. Andrews Experimental Forest (https://andrewsforest.oregonstate.edu/), an NSF Long-tern Ecological Research (LTER) site that is located roughly 45 minutes east of Eugene, Oregon. The area is known for its recreational opportunities including hiking and backpacking, scenic volcanoes, and the Three Sisters Wilderness Area. Pay will be commensurate with experience, and apartment-style housing at the H. J. Andrews Forest field station will be provided. Anticipated start date is 6/3/2024.
Duties and Responsibilities: Mapping, measuring, and identifying trees, plants, seedlings and other forest ecology techniques. Assessment of tree health and/or causes of tree mortality. Using GPS, laser rangefinders, and other forest survey equipment. Work outside in a beautiful location.
Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: Must have a university degree in appropriate area of biology. Previous experience working in an outdoor setting, measuring ecological processes and patterns. Enthusiasm is a must.
Preferred Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: Experience identifying trees and herbaceous plants of the Pacific Northwest would be preferred, but is not required.
Application Instructions: All applications for this position must be received through Marquette University’s electronic recruiting system (https://employment.marquette.edu/postings/20840). Please attach a cover letter and resume, as well as the names and contact information for at least two professional references. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until all positions are filled. Please apply as soon as possible, and email Dr. Joe LaManna with any questions. Thank you!
Should we cut down trees to save them?
News Brief Description:
An article in "Vox" explores the nuanced topic of managing old-growth and mature forests and Biden's 2022 executive order to protect old-growth forests. https://www.vox.com/down-to-earth/2024/1/12/24023876/biden-forest-service-proposal-old-growth-forests
The Cascade Torrent Salamander
The seeps and cold, fast-flowing headwater streams in the Andrews Forest are home to one of the Pacific Northwest's most charismatic, and yet little understood, species: the Cascade torrent salamander (Rhyacotriton cascadae). The entire family is endemic to the PNW, and two of the four species are currently being considered for listing under the Federal Endangered Species Act. These salamanders are biphasic, with a larval form that can take up to 5 years to metamorphose into a terrestrial form that is still highly sensitive to desiccation and changes in temperature.
Wildfire and Wildlife
What wildlife lives in the HJ Andrews Experimental Forest, and what do those animals do in a wildfire? Marie Tosa, a PhD graduate student at Oregon State University, conducted a camera trap study and scat study of mammalian carnivores in and around the Andrews Forest from 2017-2019. Marie’s surveys detected a diverse array of carnivores including cougars, black bears, coyotes, raccoons, opossums, gray foxes, mink, short-tailed and long-tailed weasels, striped skunks, and Marie’s favorite, western spotted skunks.
Drought Experiment
OSU Professors Dana Warren, Catalina Segura, and PhD student Madelyn Maffia are investigating the response of trout and salamanders to drought conditions in a tributary of McRae Creek. The researchers are using an experimental approach to mimic drought by (1) diverting stream flow to create a low-flow reach and (2) passively heating water through a coil system to increase water temperature.