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Brining Science to the Adirondacks and the Adirondacks to Science

Current Research Projects

Abstracts of many research projects including graduate student theses and dissertations can be found on the AEC Publications Page.

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ESF Graduate Student and Faculty Research

Zak Danks (MS candidate) - Assessing the Influence of Landscape Characteristics on Vehicle-Animal Collisions Involving Moose

The goal of my research is to assess the influence of landscape characteristics on vehicle-animal collisions involving moose. I intend to analyze land cover, land use, and site-specific characteristics (e.g., roadway, topography, habitat suitability for moose as daily use areas or seasonal migration routes) of moose-vehicle collisions in Maine. This analysis should provide increased understanding of the landscape factors most influential in vehicle-animal collisions.

Frank DeSantis (MS candidate) - A Risk Assessment Model for Chronic Wasting Disease in the Adirondacks

Objectives of the study are to 1) estimate the risk of disease spread within areas of variable population density based on social interaction, site fidelity, home range size, dispersal, and season migration 2) analyze surveillance data to identify descriptive statistics of geographic features associated with positive cases and identify the potential impacts of CWD surveillance efforts on animal movement behavior with a containment area; 3) explore the geographical factors that may act as accelerants of barriers to the spread of the disease; and 4) incorporate spatial components of the field and geographic studies into a model that identifies areas of high disease risk with the State and assesses the risk of disease spread from a point of first occurrence.

Matt Domser (MS candidate) - Chemical Characteristics of 4 Watersheds with a Focus on Determining Sources and Compositions of Dissolved Organic Nitrogen

Four watersheds will be analyzed in order to describe the overall biogeochemical characteristics of each catchment. There will be a focus on the origins of dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) in stream water in Archer Creek Watershed of the Huntington Wildlife Forest using natural 15N-DON abundance. The DON fraction will be analyzed for specific amino acid abundance.

Elizabeth Dowling (MS candidate) - Assessment of Residential Development Impact on Communities of Small Mammals in the Adirondack Mountains

I plan to study small mammals (e.g., mice, shrews, squirrels) and mesopredators (e.g., martens, fishers, weasels, housecats) in both private and public forests throughout the Adirondack Park. By doing so, I will determine which species are found near homes compared to interior forest, and discover how far into the forest this species assemblage changes. This information could be directly applicable to land-use plans made by the Adirondack Park Agency and local governments (e.g., town planning boards), by providing quantitative information about how residences impact wildlife in surrounding forests. This can guide zoning and building decisions, encouraging protection of the wilderness character that makes the Adirondack Park unique.

Nancy Karraker (PhD candidate) - Constraints on Amphibian Populations in the Adirondack Mountain Range, New York, USA

The primary objective of this study is to determine the fractional contribution that different wetland types make to overall amphibian production in forested landscapes for species considered to be vernal pool indicators. We will assess the relative abundance of vernal pools and beaver ponds across the landscape. We will examine water quality such as temperature, conductivity, salinity, pH and habitat parameters in vernal pools and beaver ponds. By determining the importance and constraints of vernal pools for amphibian production can the legitimacy of vernal pool protection for amphibian conservation be properly evaluated.

Dr. Greg McGee - Determination of New Silvicultural Guidelines to Balance Sustainable Production of Forest Products and Critical Wildlife Habitat Structures

Pat McHale - Integrated Major Research Instrumentation for Real Time Analysis within an Experimental Watershed

Seth Myers (PhD candidate) - Model Land Use Change in the Adirondack Park

Dr. Ralph Nyland - New Herbicide Trial at Huntington Wildlife Forest Understory Beech Management; Modeling Effects of Uneven-aged Silviculture upon the Wildlife Habitat and Sawtimber Production Potential of Northern Hardwood Stands

Jeff Organ (MS candidate) - Ecological Modeling of White-tailed Deer Populations for use in Adaptive Wildlife Management

The objectives of this study are to 1) aid wildlife managers in determining Deer Management Permit (DMP) prescriptions by constructing ecologically based simulation and statistical models of deer populations under the harvest regime of New York State that incorporate data routinely collected by the Department of Environmental Conservation, 2) evaluate the potential of the simulation models versus statistical models as tools that can be utilized successfully in the framework of an adaptive management program to aid in the management decision making process and 3) validate the models using historical data and recommend specific tests of the models to be conducted in conjunction with management over the next 5 to 10 years.

Charlotte L. Demers - Assessment of White-tailed Deer Impacts on Forest Vegetation on International Paper Company Lands in Northern New York - Farrell Farm

This program has two primary goals: 1) to provide assistance to International Paper Company in the management of white-tailed deer populations on their timberlands in northern New York, and 2) to assess any impacts of deer on the establishment and development of forest regeneration on these lands. The program is specifically designed to provide International Paper Company with assistance in management of the deer herd and documentation of the impact of deer on forest regeneration on the 11,000 acre Farrell Farm tract located in Saratoga County, New York.

Brent Priz - Assessing the Variation of Aluminum Accumulation in Sporocarps of Basidiomycetes

The objectives of this research project will be to determine if there is a difference in the concentration of aluminum in the sporocarps of Basidiomycetes between acid rich hardwoods and base rich hardwoods in the Adirondack Mountains of New York. Also to investigate any influence aluminum concentrations may have on the uptake of Calcium and Magnesium.

Dr. Brian Underwood - Predicting Potential Effects of Chronic Wasting Disease on Survival and Reproduction in White-tailed Deer

Since 1969, more than 1,000 deer in the Huntington Wildlife Forest have been tagged and released. Encounter data for the animals was then recorded, in both electronic and hardcopy formats. In this study data will be compiled to develop a history file for each animal, which will be used to generate a comprehensive survival analysis of white-tailed deer in the HWF.

Jason Williams (MS candidate) - The Influence of Light and Infochemicals on Zooplankton Swimming Behavior

The objectives of this study are to 1) determine if Polyphemus pediculus shows a behavioral response to chemical cues present within Polyphemus pediculus swarms, and 2) determine if light changes associated with sunrise and sunset are the proximate cue for P. pediculus horizontal migration behavior.

Annie Woods (MS candidate) - Evaluating the Influence of Development on Biotic Integrity in the Adirondacks

The objectives of this study are to quantify the relationship between land use classifications and their impacts (positive or negative) on adjacent landscapes. This will be accomplished by developing indices of biotic integrity (using invasive plants and/or birds) to score integrity of landscapes surrounding development and wilderness. Most assessment will be done using geographic information systems.

Dr. Ruth Yanai - Determining calcium, lead and organic matter changes in forest floors across the northern forest

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Outside Agency Research Projects

Adirondack Loon Cooperative Program

Antioch New England Graduate School - Mark Erler - Bryophyte Habitat and Overstory Vegetation Inventory of First Growth Forest Stand in the Huntington Wildlife Forest, NY

The purpose of this inventory is to generate a perspective of bryophyte habitat, frequency, density, and coverage in relation to vascular overstory vegetation composition in a first growth forest on the Adirondack Plateau. The first objective of this inventory is to calculate the relative frequency, densities, and dominance of live tree species over 4 inches in diameter in both the 11 acre first growth stand and the adjacent 17 acre stand. The resulting data will help to illustrate the stand characteristics of live tree species. The second objective is to inventory the frequencies, densities and dominance of five general bryophyte habitats - dead and down logs, exposed bare soil, tree-fall mounds, tree stumps, and boulders - in both stands noting the extent and type of bryophyte coverage occurring on each habitat. This process helps illuminate the nature and extent of available and occupied moss habitats in each stand.

Biodiversity Research Institute - Dr. David Evers - Developing an Exposure Profile for Mercury and Calcium in New York Songbirds and Bats; Understanding Methylmercury Availability in Herpetofauna of New York

This pilot field-sampling effort in the Adirondack and Catskill Mountains of New York State will be conducted to determine the mercury exposure of songbirds and bats foraging within the insectivorous pathway, relationships with available calcium for insectivorous birds and bats, and to identify geographic areas and habitats that pose the greatest risk. This effort will be linked with a broader network across the Appalachian Mountains. A pilot field-sampling effort will also be conducted for selected herpetofauna to establish an exposure profile of mercury in amphibians and reptiles for selected sites to establish interspecies relationships; identify species that may be at high risk and sample them opportunistically; identify habitats and geographic areas that are highly sensitive to methylmercury production and availability that may create a risk for amphibians and reptiles; and integrate sampling efforts with foodweb models developed for the common loon mercury monitoring program. Even though many species of amphibians and reptiles have declined in recent years, very few studies have documented the potential connection with methylmercury contamination. This project will represent the most comprehensive assessment of mercury in herpetofauna for the Northeast.

Clarkson University - Marilyn Mayer - Mercury Biocomplexity Project

This project is part of a larger project in association with Syracuse University. We are looking at the effect of redox and water chemistry on transport of dissolved organic carbon and mercury as well as methylation of mercury in experimental soil columns. We are using soil from Huntington Forest.

Colgate University - Dr. Richard April - Calcium Depletion in Adirondack Forests Affected by Acid Deposition and its Effect on Aquatic and Terrestrial Food Chains

Focusing on trophic interactions, the project examines ambient conditions within watersheds with different sensitivities to acid deposition and manipulates the availability of calcium in soils and streams. The study will focus on litter decomposition, soil invertebrates, and mammalian insectivores in forests and bacteria, algae, and invertebrates in streams. The project further focuses on the role of episodic pulses of acidic water as disturbances affecting community structure and function.

Colorado State University - Luke Myers (MS candidate) - Stoneflies (Plecoptera) of Adirondack Park, New York Rivers: Developing a Baseline for Water Quality Management

This study will provide a comprehensive species survey for the stoneflies of specific watersheds in the eastern and central Adirondack Park, New York. Stonefly communities will be compared in three Scenic stream reaches, two Recreational stream reaches, one unclassified study reach, and one Wild stream reach. The effect of different hydrological regimes and substrate composition on the occurrence of stonefly taxa will be evaluated.

Cornell University - Krista Capps (PhD candidate) - Linking Ecosystem Engineers and Biogeochemical Hotspots: The Influence of the North American Beaver (Castor canadensis) on Nitrogen Cycling in the Adirondacks

The overarching goal of this study is to determine if ecosystem engineers play an important role in the creation and maintenance of biogeochemical hotspots, and how those hotspots are spatially and temporally changing within a landscape. Specifically, I will examine the role of the North American beaver in the creation and succession of physical structure and biogeochemically active areas within the Huntington Wildlife Forest. I expect debris dams created by beaver will have greater nutrient uptake and denitrification rates than debris dams generated by other natural forces. I hypothesize that landscape features created by beaver (i.e., dams, meadows, and swamps) will have more biogeochemically active areas when compared to the surrounding stream and riparian habitats. Furthermore, I predict these hotspots will change in reactivity through time within the landscape as succession takes place, and dams become meadows or swamps.

Cornell University - Sarah DeLeon (MS candidate) - The Effect of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) on Song Production

The objective of this study is to determine the effect of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) on the songs of five common songbirds: song sparrow (Melospiza melodia), black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus), red-winged blackbird (Agelarius phoeniceus), common yellowthroat (Geothylpis trichas), and yellow-rumped warbler (Dendroica coronata).

Cornell University - Marissa Weiss (PhD candidate) - Does the Response of Soil Carbon to Nitrogen Addition Depend on the Type of Soil Carbon Present?

Labile soil organic matter is the fastest decomposing organic fraction in soil. Standard density separation method will be used to identify the total pool of labile C that has the potential to be quickly decomposed. Solid respiration will quantify the portion of the total labile C pool that was quickly decomposed during laboratory incubation.

Cornell University - Dena Vallano (PhD candidate) - Atmospheric Nitrogen Pollution

The objective of this study is to determine the amount of atmospheric Nitrogen pollution assimilated directly by foliage. Foliar 15N signatures represent the integration of both the direct incorporation of atmospheric N deposition by foliage and indirect incorporation of N via soil uptake by roots. More positive foliar 15N signatures could be indicative of pollution inputs through the foliage. However, the use of foliar N isotopes as an indicator of pollution load is complicated by differences in soil N isotope compositions (i.e., the 15N of soils vary for a variety of reasons). Therefore, we propose to assess the divergence between foliar 15N and soil 15N. Since anthropogenic sources of N tend to be more positive, sites exhibiting the largest differences between soil and foliar 15N should be those that incorporate the most pollution directly via the leaves.

Environmental Protection Agency - Clean Air Status and Trends Network (CASTNET)

Fordham University - Dr. Craig L. Frank - Individual Variation in the Torpor Strategy of Free-Ranging Tamias Striatus

Laboratory studies involving eastern chipmunks suggest that individual members of the same species may be classified as either spontaneous of facultative hibernators. I propose that individual free-ranging T. striatus can also be classified as spontaneous or facultative hibernators. This prediction will be tested in a field study involving free-ranging T. striatus at the Louis Calder Center (Armonk, NY) and the Huntington Wildlife Forest (Newcomb, NY).

Institute of Ecosystem Studies- Dr. Charles D. Canham - Watershed-scale Analyses of Phosphorus, Nitrogen and Organic Carbon in Adirondack Lakes

We will be collecting water samples for measurement of total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and dissolved organic carbon. The data will be used for an analysis of watershed controls on variation in lake chemistry, using a new spatially-explicit, mass-balance based modeling approach we developed several years ago with initial funding from EPA. Our approach provides quantitative estimates of the export of a particular chemical constituent (N, P, DOC, etc.) from different upland and wetland vegetation types within the watershed, and allows us to quantify whether the loading to the lake varies as a function of distance from a source area in the watershed, and as a function of the nature and composition of nearshore and riparian communities.

NYS Department of Agriculture & Markets - Michael Barber and Ken Carnes - Sirex noctilio Survey

The project is part of a statewide survey to determine the extent of the spread of Sirex noctilio in New York. To achieve this goal, funnel traps will be hung in stands of the suspect hosts of S. noctilio and monitored once every 2 weeks throughout the summer. Samples are collected for identification through October.

NYS DEC - Jeff Loukmas - Strategic Monitoring of Mercury in New York State Fish

The project will develop a strategic monitoring and assessment program on long term trends of mercury deposition and effects, statewide, to understand the health and environmental consequences of mercury deposition. We plan to utilize data that are currently available and collect new data to determine whether there have been and changes in the mercury concentrations in specific fish populations. Our efforts are therefore not only directed towards developing a strategic monitoring and assessment program, but also towards making assessments as toe whether we have seen recent changes in the mercury concentrations in NYS fish.

NYS DEC - Sandy Muller - Marsh Bird Survey

As part of a larger project of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, we are documenting the occurrence of secretive marsh birds in emergent vegetation. The survey is completed by doing point counts using play-back calls.

NYS DEC - Ben Tabor - Research, Survey and Inventory of Black Bears

The objectives of this study are to 1) estimate the number, sex and age, and physical condition of bears using the Marcy Dam/Lake Colden area of the High Peaks Wilderness Area (HPWA), 2) determine the home ranges, seasonal movements, and habitat use of collared bears in the HPWA, 3) determine the effectiveness of aversive conditioning techniques used on nuisance bears, and 4) develop a management plan to reduce negative bear/human encounters in the HPWA.

SUNY Cortland - Dr. Christopher P. Cirmo - Archer Creek Watershed / Huntington Wildlife Forest Wetlands Investigations

Work continues of two grants involving Co-PI's Myron Mitchell (USDA-NRI grant; 1999-2002) and with CO-Pi's Mitchell, McDonnell, Schiff, and Kendall (NSF grant; 2000-2003). Performance on both of these contracts is combined into studies aimed at determining and understanding the role of "interface" wetlands in affecting both hydrology and biogeochemistry of nitrogen as water drains through Archer Creek Watershed past the H-flume and into Arbutus Lake.

Syracuse University - Dr. Andria Costello - An Ecosystems Engineering Approach to Integrating Education and Research Using the Adirondack Mountains

The objectives of this project are to determine the methane flux from forest soils (including different soil horizons) that have received varying amounts of acidic deposition. The results of this study will be compared to similar studies underway at Sunday Pond in the western Adirondacks.

Syracuse University - Jason Dittman (PhD candidate) - Mercury and methylmercury export in relation to DOC quality in upland landscapes, northeastern USA

The principal objective of this study is to evaluate the dynamics of total mercury (HgT) and methylmercury (CH3Hg+) in stream water at Lake Inlet (Huntington Forest, NY) with respect to changes in carbon quality and SO42- concentrations over a range of hydrochemical conditions.

Syracuse University - Pranesh Selvendiran (PhD candidate) - Dynamics of Mercury in Forest Wetland Ecosystem in the Adirondack Region of New York, USA

The losses of mercury (Hg) were studied in two forest wetlands in the Adirondack region of New York; one a riparian wetland and the other an abandoned beaver meadow wetland. Upland inputs, wetland pore waters and drainage losses of total mercury (THg), methyl mercury (MeHg) and other relevant water chemistry parameters have been measured monthly since August 2004. In addition, gaseous losses of elemental Hg have been studied. The primary objective of this ongoing project is to conduct mass balances of THg and MeHg and evaluate seasonal patterns in Hg dynamics in these wetlands. In addition to wetlands, surface water samples from Arbutus Lake have been collected since August 2004. The objective regarding Arbutus Lake is to conduct inlet-outlet mercury budget.

University of Vermont - Dr. William S. Keeton - Effects of Old Growth Riparian Forests on Adirondack Streams

Our research a) describes structural attributes associated with late-successional riparian forests; and b) assesses linkages between these characteristics and indicators of in-stream habitat structure. Key linkages investigated include variations in light availability, coarse woody debris, and associated relationships with in-stream habitat structure (e.g. debris dams and plunge pools). We further explore interactions between forest structure and site-related geomorphic factors.

USDA Forest Service - Forest Inventory and Analysis Project

USGS National Water Quality Assessment Program - Karen Riva Murray - Mercury Cycling and Bioaccumulation in Stream Ecosystems

The objective of this project is to determine factors influencing production, transport, and bioaccumulation of methylmercury in lotic systems.

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Undergraduate Research Projects

Undergraduates from SUNY ESF and other universities are fortunate to be able to participate in ongoing research projects or conduct their own projects at the Adirondack Ecological Center. This is a sampling of research projects from the past few years.

2006

2005

2003

2002

2001

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updated 11/06 AMW