The intimate associations between plants and microbes that develop in rhizosphere soils may alter the sensitivity of bacterial communities to environmental filters during the process of community assembly. We compared the sensitivity of rhizosphere and bulk soil communities to ecological variables in several New England salt marshes dominated by Spartina alterniflora (Smooth Cordgrass), characterizing community variation based on linear combinations of 16S rDNA fragments representing bacterial taxonomic units. Rhizosphere microbes showed significantly greater sensitivity to plant biomass and pH, perhaps because of their relationships with the quality of plant exudates and availability of nutrients, respectively, while bulk microbes showed significantly greater sensitivity to elevation and redox potential, perhaps through waterlogging and an absence of plants oxygenating the soil.

Accurate assessment of species distribution is a critical component in conservation planning. We utilized a multi-method approach to assessing the distribution of Cryptobranchus alleganiensis (Hellbender) and the habitat the species occupies in the New York portion of the Susquehanna River watershed, including a ground-validated species-distribution model (SDM), visual assessment of rock cover, rock-lifting surveys, and eDNA sampling. Suitable rock cover was sparsely distributed, and Hellbender distribution was limited to a small subset of the study area. Hellbenders were detected at 9 of 22 historic sites, suggesting considerable decline. Only a single individual was captured, but eDNA identified Hellbender presence at 13 of 51 sites. We suggest that a multi-method approach integrating SDM and eDNA is more effective for monitoring low-density populations than traditional field methods alone.

The Upper Delaware River watershed has historically maintained high water quality and healthy fish assemblages. Emerging threats such as climate change could negatively affect this watershed as increased streamflow, precipitation, and temperature have been observed. We monitored fish assemblages at 6 tributaries in the Upper Delaware River watershed over the last decade (2013–2023). We found an overall stable state of assemblage structure with low amounts of variation, demonstrating the resilience of this community. We calculated index of biotic integrity (IBI) scores and found that biotic integrity appeared stable throughout the course of our study. Lastly, we identified trends in increasing densities for Rhinichthys cataractae (Longnose Dace) and Anguilla rostrata (American Eel) as well as an oscillating pattern in American Eel mean lengths over time.

Little has been published on post-glacial migration corridors of fishes in New England during the Wisconsinan Glaciation. I present an updated review of current literature on the origin of fish species in Vermont, with the focus on the Connecticut River and Champlain–Richelieu–St. Lawrence River drainage networks. A more accurate picture of post-glacial migration routes can provide a basis for determining whether a species is native to Vermont. Vermont supports fishes from 2 main refugial groups: the species-rich western and the relatively species-poor eastern refugia. Eastern species are native throughout the state, while western species are native only to lower elevations of the the Champlain drainage. Vermont's 80 native species far exceeds any other New England state due to the addition of 40 western species. Twenty-three species may have dispersed from both major refugial regions, 12 species dispersed only from the eastern refugia, 4 species are anadromous, and 1 is catadromous. Recently revised aging of ice retreat and subsequent waterbody formation linked to putative recolonization routes can clarify native status, particularly in Vermont, where many western refugial species share their eastern-most limits of their natural distributions. I propose probable origin status to native Vermont species with respect to major Vermont drainages.

Knowledge gaps exist for life-history attributes of common yet secretive species, such as many plethodontid salamanders, which are often difficult to observe. Study of museum specimens supplemented by chance field observations can help address these knowledge gaps. There is a paucity of information on the reproduction and life cycle of Plethodon dorsalis (Northern Zigzag Salamander). We examined 131 preserved specimens collected monthly from southern Illinois to better understand the female reproductive cycle. We also report observations of egg-brooding. We found females containing 2–7 ovarian follicles (mean = 5.03) in March, April, October, and November, and there was a relationship between SVL and number of developing ovarian follicles (P = 0.04). We observed and photographed 5 Northern Zigzag Salamanders brooding clutches of 4–6 eggs (mean = 5) on the walls within 3 small caves during June and July. More study is needed to better understand the natural history of this geographically widespread but overlooked species and its unusual behavior.

Hiodon tergisus (Mooneye) is a member of the big river, mid-water fish assemblage occurring in the Oswegatchie River, a medium-sized river of northern New York. It is classified as a threatened species by the New York Department Environmental Conservation, and agency staff planners need details of its life history for its conservation and recovery. Since there were 8 recent records for Mooneye in the river segment both upstream and downstream of a dam at Heuvelton, we chose this segment of the Oswegatchie River to characterize the river's population of Mooneye. Mooneye records also came from the nearby tributary Indian River, and spawners could travel to the rapids at Rossie upstream of Black Lake without any barriers. We caught 68 Mooneye in April–September 2021 in this study reach, using floating gillnets and boat electrofishing. Catch rates using either method varied widely among seasons. Intentions to find spawning aggregations were finally successful in late April 2023 in 2 of the previously studied locations and 1 new site. On 25 and 28 April, we caught spawners downstream of barriers, 2–3 m in height, to movement on the Oswegatchie River at Heuvelton, Coopers Falls, and at Rossie on the Indian River.

We studied amphibians that breed in vernal pools on protected lands in western Massachusetts to determine their status and provide baseline population data to agencies. Egg-mass counts were used to determine the breeding effort of Lithobates sylvaticus (Wood Frog), Ambystoma maculatum (Spotted Salamander), and A. jeffersonianum (Jefferson Salamander) in 9 vernal pools in a state forest from 2014 to 2017. We also measured water-quality parameters (pH and conductivity) and pool surface area and depth to determine relationships between any of these variables and amphibian egg-mass counts. In a mixed-effects model regression analysis, the effects of survey year, pool area and depth, pH, and conductivity (as fixed effects) were relatively weak, and their relative strength was not consistent for all 3 species, although the effect of area was significant for Spotted Salamanders. Our study identified new populations of the state-listed Jefferson Salamander and identified pools that should be protected during sustainable forestry operations in the state forest.

Rallus elegans (King Rail) is a secretive marsh bird that has experienced substantial population decline due to habitat loss, especially in the northern portion of its range. Life-history characteristics in this region are largely undescribed for King Rails. We summarized morphometric measurements for 14 King Rails that we caught and radio-tracked in western Lake Erie coastal marshes between 2019 and 2021. We opportunistically noted behaviors and events that could, if supported by similar data from elsewhere in the region, inform conservation efforts and advance general understanding of this species. We described habitat at 2 nest sites, monitored nest success, noted adult behaviors at the nest and in the vicinity of chicks, described 3 mortality events, and documented 5 long-distance movements during the breeding season. We also present estimates of fall-departure dates from our study area.