A5055201193- Amphibian and Reptile Biology
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Plant and animal studies
- Avian ecology and behavior
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Turtle Biology and Conservation
- Rangeland and Wildlife Management
- Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
- Fire effects on ecosystems
- Environmental DNA in Biodiversity Studies
- Plant Parasitism and Resistance
- Identification and Quantification in Food
- Wildlife-Road Interactions and Conservation
- Forest ecology and management
- Animal Vocal Communication and Behavior
- Ecology and biodiversity studies
- Fish Ecology and Management Studies
- Plant Water Relations and Carbon Dynamics
- Animal Behavior and Welfare Studies
- Crystallization and Solubility Studies
- Bat Biology and Ecology Studies
- Hydrology and Watershed Management Studies
- X-ray Diffraction in Crystallography
Illinois Department of Natural Resources
2016-2025
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
2016-2025
U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center
2015-2024
United States Department of the Army
2018-2024
United States Army
2016-2024
Construction Engineering Research Laboratory
2020-2024
United States Department of Defense
2024
United States Army Corps of Engineers
2015-2023
University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
2022
Northern Arizona University
2022
Invasive birds spread native seeds When humans introduce exotic species to sensitive ecosystems, invasion and extinction of often follow. The resulting ecological communities can develop unusual interactions between the survivors newcomers. Vizentin-Bugoni et al. analyzed structure seed dispersal networks in Hawai'i, where bird have been mostly replaced by invaders. They found that plants now depend on invasive for dispersal. network is complex stable, which are features seed-dispersal other...
Abstract Species are entangled within communities by their interactions in such a manner that local extinction may unchain coextinction cascades and impact community dynamics stability. Despite increasing attention, simulation models to estimate the robustness of interaction networks largely neglect important role rewiring, is, ability species switch partners. Here we propose new method incorporate potential replace lost partners into widely used model network robustness. In this model,...
Abstract Arthropods can strongly impact ecosystems through pollination, herbivory, predation, and parasitism. As such, characterizing arthropod biodiversity is vital to understanding ecosystem health, functions, services. Emerging environmental DNA (eDNA) methods targeting trace eDNA left behind on flowers have the potential track interactions. The goal of this study was determine extent which metabarcoding identify plant‐arthropod arthropod‐arthropod interactions assess compared...
Variation in predator behavior has been proposed, but not tested, as a mechanism producing seasonal declines avian nest success. We test this hypothesis by documenting activity of Texas ratsnakes Elaphe obsoleta and failure endangered black‐capped vireos Vireo atricapilla golden‐cheeked warblers Dendroica chrysoparia on which the snakes prey. Nest survival analysis was based 880 vireo 228 warbler nests 3,060 snake locations from 62 radio‐tracked snakes. Although success varied with for both...
Identifying nest predators is of fundamental importance to understanding avian breeding ecology and can contribute identifying broadscale nest-predation patterns. We reviewed 53 North American nest-predator studies, comprising more than 4000 camera-monitored nests, explore geographic patterns in predator identity how predation varied with richness, habitat, height, bird size. Overall, mesopredators (at high latitudes) snakes low were the most frequent guilds. Predation by rodents was...
1 Anthropogenic alteration of landscapes can affect avian nest success by influencing the abundance, distribution, and behavior predators. Understanding predation risk necessitates understanding how predator distribution behavior. 2 From a sample 463 nests 17 songbird species, we evaluated landscape features (distance to forest edge, unpaved roads, power lines) influenced daily survival. We also used video cameras identify predators at 137 events identity. Finally, determined abundance...
Predation is the leading cause of nest failure for most birds. Thus, ornithologists interested in causes and consequences variation success, knowing identity understanding behavior dominant predators likely to be important. Video documentation nests has shown that snakes are frequent predators. Here we reviewed 53 North American studies used cameras these data identify broad patterns snake predation. Snakes accounted 26% (range: 0–90%) recorded predation events, with values exceeding 35% a...
Significance Species invasions and introductions are reshaping ecosystems around the world. In such novel ecological scenarios, it remains unclear whether crucial ecosystem functions played by lost native species may be partially or fully replaced introduced species. We show that plants seed dispersers take over interaction networks, playing key roles governing network structure, with potential implications for its dynamics. The play in networks are, however, defined similar mechanisms shape...
Abstract Environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis is an effective and non‐invasive technique for surveying monitoring rare, threatened, or endangered (RTE) species. Compared to conventional capture‐based sampling, eDNA may offer a more cost‐effective approach RTE species, yet few studies have compared their cost‐efficiency—a critical consideration conservation planning. We the costs, effort, relative performance of aquatic sampling trapping detecting Alligator Snapping Turtle, Macrochelys...
We evaluated an automated telemetry system that can dramatically increase the amount of activity and spatial data collected for snakes. developed methods analyzing from single receiving units (ARUs) ARU arrays, compared results ARUs with conventional hand tracking, assessed previously untested assumptions used in telemetry, using ratsnakes (Pantherophis spp.) Texas Illinois. indicated spent most their time small home ranges (mean = 25 ha) but engaged forays up to 1.5 km core-use areas,...
The ability of wildlife populations to mount rapid responses novel pathogens will be critical for mitigating the impacts disease outbreaks in a changing climate. Field studies have documented that amphibians preferring warmer temperatures are less likely infected with fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis ( Bd ). However, it is unclear whether this phenomenon driven by behavioural fever or natural variation thermal preference. Here, we placed frogs gradients, tested temperature...
Abstract Insect and pollinator populations are vitally important to the health of ecosystems, food production, economic stability, but declining worldwide. New, cheap, simple monitoring methods necessary inform management actions should be available researchers around world. Here, we evaluate efficacy a commercially available, close‐focus automated camera trap monitor insect–plant interactions insect behavior. We compared two video settings—scheduled motion‐activated—to traditional human...
Managing wildlife populations in the face of global change requires regular data on abundance and distribution wild animals, but acquiring these over appropriate spatial scales a sustainable way has proven challenging. Here we present from Snapshot USA 2020, second annual national mammal survey USA. This project involved 152 scientists setting camera traps standardized protocol at 1485 locations across 103 arrays 43 states for total 52,710 trap-nights effort. Most (58) were also sampled...
Abstract As keystone species, apex predators play a role in structuring most ecosystems through competition and facilitation, thereby affecting community structure, prey abundance behavior, vegetation, abiotic processes. Apex are also highly threatened have been extirpated from much of North America, leading to mesocarnivores, such as coyotes ( Canis latrans ), becoming de facto many ecosystems. However, it is unknown if these mesocarnivores can fill the same functional true predators. We...
Drought can have severe ecological effects and global climate-change theory predicts that droughts are likely to increase in frequency severity. Therefore, it is important we broaden our understanding of how drought affects not only individual species, but also multitrophic interactions. Here document vegetation small-mammal abundance associated patterns Texas ratsnake (Elaphe obsoleta) body condition survival before, during, after a central Texas, USA. Vegetation (grass forbs) height...
Higher predation on birds' nests is often associated with habitat fragmentation and edges, but little research has addressed whether these patterns result from non-random use by predators. Using 2 endangered bird species, black-capped vireo (Vireo atricapilla) golden-cheeked warbler (Dendroica chrysoparia), their primary nest predator, the Texas ratsnake (Elaphe obsoleta), we test hypothesis that birds nesting in habitats preferred ratsnakes suffer higher than those non-preferred habitats....
Nocturnal activity is important for many animals, but difficulty in documenting that has hampered efforts to understand factors influence when animals are active at night. We used automated radiotelemetry provide the first detailed tests of hypothesis nocturnal free-ranging snakes should be influenced by temperature, moon phase, and prey abundance using data Ratsnakes (Pantherophis spp.) from Texas Illinois. exhibited some behavior throughout their season both Illinois, although were much...
Abstract Successful conservation of rare, threatened, or endangered (RTE) species is dependent upon rapid and accurate assessment their distribution abundance. However, assessments are challenging as RTE typically exist numerically small populations in often fragmented habitats can possess complex natural histories. Environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis may provide a rapid, cost‐effective means assessing presence/absence viable habitat patches. We evaluated the efficacy eDNA surveillance for...
Abstract Detecting environmental DNA (eDNA) of numerous organisms from the same samples has been revolutionized by metabarcoding. However, utilizing vast amounts data generated metabarcoding to predict occupancy probabilities for co‐occurring species is currently rare. Here, we demonstrate how can be used advance community ecology research through a case study using replicate stream water and Bayesian models test hypotheses eDNA occurrence native fish (brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis ),...
Nest predators can adversely affect the viability of songbird populations, and their impact is exacerbated in fragmented habitats. Despite substantial research on this predator–prey interaction, however, almost all focus has been birds rather than nest predators, thereby limiting our understanding factors that bring nests into contact. We used radiotelemetry to document activity two snake species (rat snakes, Elaphe obsoleta ; racers, Coluber constrictor ) known prey Midwestern bird...
The ecology of ectotherms should be particularly affected by latitude because so much their biology is temperature dependent. Current latitudinal patterns also informative about how will have to modify behavior in response climate change. We used data from a total 175 adult black ratsnakes ( Elaphe obsoleta ) radio‐tracked Ontario, Illinois, and Texas, distance >1500 km, test predictions seasonal activity mortality vary with latitude. Despite pronounced differences temperatures among...
Conspecific cues have been shown to influence habitat selection in many different species. In anurans, conspecific chorus sounds may facilitate location of new breeding ponds, but direct experimental evidence supporting this notion is lacking. We conducted an field study on American toads (Anaxyrus americanus) and Cope's gray tree frogs (Hyla chrysoscelis) determine whether use acoustic find areas by broadcasting at artificial ponds. found that were effective attracting H. chrysoscelis...