To forage optimally, deer select individual plants highest in limiting nutrients, while avoiding individuals that are high in anti-herbivore defenses. For some woody species, deer may selectively browse on larger stems, which can provide a larger amount of younger, more nutritious tissue per individual. However, in some species, larger stems may possess increased levels of anti-herbivore defenses, ultimately discouraging deer from browsing on these larger individuals. We examined differences in the proportion of twigs and stems (individual seedlings/saplings/trees) browsed across three height classes for four species: blue ash (Fraxinus quadrangulata Michx,), white ash (F. americana L.), sassafras (Sassafras albidium Nutt.), and sugar maple (Acer saccharum L.), across multiple sites in central Indiana. Overall, we found that taller stems had a higher likelihood of being browsed, but smaller stems were browsed more heavily. We also found that sugar maple twigs and stems were most likely to be browsed, while sassafras twigs and white ash twigs and stems were least likely to be browsed. Our results indicate that under intense browsing pressure, preference should be given to smaller stems for protection, and that stands with greater vertical stratification of palatable species are more resilient to the effects of deer browsing.

Habitat loss is a major threat to the conservation of endangered species. We measured changes in piping plover (Charadrius melodus) nesting habitat at five alkali wetlands in The Nature Conservancy's John E. Williams Preserve, McLean county, North Dakota, from 1992 to 2021. This site has supported nesting by federally threatened piping plovers for decades. We measured the amount of non-vegetated (open) shoreline, required nesting habitat for plovers, from photo plots at 34 sites historically occupied by plovers distributed across the five wetlands. Twenty-six of 34 plots had significant negative trends (95% credible intervals not including zero) in nesting area availability. Nesting habitat increased significantly at one plot. Seven other plots had no detectable trends (i.e., the 95% credible intervals included zero). Mean percent annual change was –1.2% (±0.17 SE) and estimated total loss of nesting habitat within plots was ∼42%. To assess whether plover nesting habitat might have been created at areas outside of our plots, we compared total open shoreline habitat over all five wetlands in 1992 to that in 2017. We detected a ∼42% decline in total open shoreline area. Although measurement methods differed between 1992 and 2017, we found no evidence that nesting habitat was created at non–photo plot areas. In the absence of habitat restoration and management the decline in piping plover nesting habitat is likely to continue. Climate change projections for North Dakota indicate increased annual rainfall, higher CO₂ levels, and longer growing seasons, all factors likely to promote vegetative growth at alkali wetlands like those we studied.

Land management decisions have profound impacts on biological communities. Various administrative units are likely to implement different management decisions, with the result that consistent biological patterns that track administrative boundaries may emerge. To assess these relationships, we collected data on land cover, disturbance evidence, and tree communities in randomized sampling sites located in National Park, US Forest Service Wilderness, and US Forest Service Non-wilderness distributed across the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Protected Area-Centered Ecosystem (GRSM PACE). We examined how present-day values for these ecological responses were linked to both biophysical site characteristics (as the foundation for ecological communities) and jurisdiction type (as categories that integrate the combination of dynamic social decisions and management practices since initial designation). The variable representing administrative unit, jurisdiction type, acted as an umbrella indicator of the management trajectory and social influences that have affected a site and emerged as an important predictor of groundcover types (grass and litter), tree diversity, and wildlife sign at sites across the GRSM PACE. This was an exploratory study with limited sample size, so more data are needed to explore the mechanisms driving these relationships. These initial findings, however, suggest that differences in management activities alter the ecological trajectory of sites across the PACE. Given dynamic and diverse management practices, our data suggest jurisdiction overlaid on biophysical site information may be useful to rapidly assess how socially defined landscape activities impact biological responses, particularly when both are stressed by global change.

The Buffalo National River is a scenic and ecologically significant resource located in the Ozark Plateau of Arkansas, USA. As a free-flowing and protected river, the Buffalo offers natural benefits to humanity (e.g., food production, carbon storage, recreation), known as ecosystem services. Using both market and survey data, we performed the first comprehensive valuation of the ecosystem services that the Buffalo National River provides to Arkansas residents. The total ecosystem services benefits in 2018 USD were valued at $20.5 million per year ($550/ha). Most of the value was concentrated in cultural services (i.e., recreation, aesthetics, cognitive development), which were responsible for over 70% of total value at $384/ha. Air quality regulation and the provisioning of water also made important contributions to the total, with values of $103/ha and $36/ha, respectively. Our study highlights the considerable economic value provided by the Buffalo National River in its current state. Recent economic activity, in particular intensive agriculture, has threatened these services and in the process created conflicts between different industries. These values are important to consider when making management and policy decisions that affect the region.

The once-common rusty patched bumble bee (RPBB, Bombus affinis) has disappeared from most of its original range in eastern North America. As a result of this dramatic population decline, RPBB was listed as federally endangered in 2017. Unlike many endangered species, remnant populations of the RPBB often occur in urban/suburban parks and natural areas. This paper summarizes photographic records of RPBB floral use collected largely by volunteer community scientists in the midwestern United States, with a focus on Wisconsin, one of the species' remaining strongholds. RPBB were documented in 37 of Wisconsin's 72 counties. We identified flowers to genus in 772 of 803 digital images (some bees were not on flowers). Although 87 plant genera were identified, 76% of the flowers represented just 13 genera. Over half of the flower records (54.6%) were from Monarda, Eutrochium, Veronicastrum, Agastache, or Solidago. Incidental surveys from other states show a similar pattern, although additional genera have been shown to be used by RPBB. Our results support existing recommendations for plantings and habitat management favoring specific plant species, generally associated with native grasslands and savannas. Because the active period of RPBB covers a large part of the growing season, however, we also provide evidence for the importance of spring ephemeral woodland wildflowers (e.g., Dicentra, Anemone, Hydrophyllum) and late-flowering species of wetlands and wet meadows (e.g., Eutrochium, Eupatorium). A landscape that includes woodland, native grassland, and wet meadows provides floral resources that support all RPBB life history stages, including early-season queens, late-season gynes, and males.

Pollinator species have seen recent declines in abundance, generating conservation concern as well as alarm about the ecosystem services they provide. A common approach to alleviate pollinator decline is through habitat management, including restoration of degraded habitats and removal of invasive species, but apparent habitat improvement does not necessarily mean an improvement in pollinator abundance and diversity. We collected pollinators in colored pan traps at three sites at the Lacamas Prairie Natural Area, Washington: remnant wet prairie, restored wet prairie, and an area invaded by reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea). We used model selection to assess whether site and trap color explained variation in pollinator abundance, richness, and diversity. Pollinator abundance was similar at the native and restored sites with predicted averages of 9.06 (7.15, 11.48) and 9.51 (7.52, 12.03), respectively while a heavily invaded reed canary grass site had a significantly lower predicted mean of 7.26 (5.69, 9.26). Site was not included in the top model for species richness or diversity. All three measures varied with trap color. Habitat restoration and invasive species control at Lacamas Prairie appear to have benefited local pollinator populations, but evidence for differences in pollinator richness and diversity was weak. Further work, both characterizing the response of pollinator communities to wet prairie restoration and optimizing trap colors for monitoring in this area, is warranted.

Conservation across jurisdictional boundaries can help achieve recovery goals for species at risk, provide funding for conservation actions by private landowners, and reduce regulatory burdens. Habitat crediting programs, a type of offsite mitigation, are a relatively new form of cross-boundary conservation. To better understand the current status of these programs and their perceived strengths and shortcomings for species conservation, credit providers (e.g., private landowners), and credit purchasers (e.g., federal agencies), we surveyed the literature and online resources, and engaged with a small group of professionals who have been closely involved with habitat crediting programs. From these resources and interactions, we identified nine habitat crediting programs in the United States. Those engaged in these programs suggest that the programs may provide regulatory relief, a positive return on investment for participants, and benefits to species conservation in some contexts. However, economic and institutional challenges include up-front costs of participation and divergent preferences for short-term or permanent contracts. Furthermore, programs tend to measure ecological success by monitoring habitat amount and condition rather than species' abundance, survival, and reproduction. As such, monitoring is not always sufficiently rigorous to assess ecological outcomes and account for environmental change. We suggest that habitat crediting programs hold promise for meeting multiple objectives for at-risk species, landowners, and developers, but their potential often is hampered by high transaction costs and a lack of the ecological information needed to evaluate success.

Although efforts to restore floodplain forests are becoming more popular in the northeastern United States, best management practices are not well defined. In this study, we demonstrate the success of a planting effort in western Massachusetts to increase the extent of a floodplain forest along the Housatonic River. Over 1700 floodplain-adapted tree saplings were planted in an old field and in two hayfields at Bartholomew's Cobble, a property located in Sheffield, Massachusetts, and individually tagged to follow their growth and survival. Planted trees had relatively high rates of survival over a 6 y period, especially the two most commonly planted tree species: silver maple (Acer saccharinum, 42.5% survival) and boxelder (Acer negundo, 71.7%), although plantings were more successful in the old field compared to the two hayfields. Tree dbh after 6 y differed across fields for silver maples and boxelders with those planted within the old meadow significantly larger than those planted into hayfields (silver maple dbh 9.8 cm old field vs. 6.5–6.6 cm hayfields; boxelder dbh 10.4 cm old field vs. 4.4–6.6 cm hayfields). By documenting which floodplain-adapted tree species were successful in establishing under which conditions, our observational study provides valuable insights for future restoration efforts.