Procyon lotor (Raccoon) are a dominant predator on eggs of Malaclemys terrapin (Diamondback Terrapin), an estuarine specialist turtle endemic to saltmarshes of the eastern and gulf coasts of the United States. The purpose of this study was to determine if broadcast predator vocalizations could potentially deter Raccoons from foraging on Diamondback Terrapin eggs. We used artificial nests arrays to test 2 hypotheses: (1) predator vocalization playbacks (barking Canis lupus familiaris [Domestic Dog]) reduce number of artificial nests depredated by Raccoons compared to non-predator vocalization playbacks (Urocyon cinereoargenteus [Gray Fox]) or control treatments (no playbacks), and (2) predator vocalization playbacks reduce frequency of visits by Raccoons and overall foraging time compared to non-predator playbacks and control treatments. We randomly assigned sound treatments to each night of a 3-day trial, with 3 trials conducted at 4 experimental sites. We counted the number of depredated artificial nests and used trail cameras to document number of Raccoon visits and Raccoon foraging time following each sound treatment. On average, 51% of artificial nests were depredated in the predator vocalization treatments, 66% in the non-predator–vocalization treatments, and 81% of nests in the control treatments. Average number of Raccoon visits was about 3 times higher in the control treatment compared to the predator treatment but auditory treatment did not affect time spent foraging. Response to predator vocalization was attenuated by repeated exposure to recorded predator playbacks. Variation in type of predator vocalization, length, and frequency of playbacks may increase effectiveness of auditory deterrents on predators of Diamondback Terrapin nests.

Throughout history a great many plant species have been purposefully transported to new areas around the globe. Horticulture, the promise of new sources of plant material for industry, forage, food, and stabilization of soil are only a few of the motives for the early transcontinental exchange of plants. Many introductions have been beneficial or benign, but some plants introduced into new areas are now considered invasive and detrimentally impact the environment. Triadica sebifera (Chinese Tallowtree; Euphorbiaceae) is an excellent example of the best intentions leading to unanticipated negative effects many decades later. Native to eastern Asia and now naturalized and widespread in many tropical, subtropical, and temperate areas in the world, Chinese Tallowtree has proven to be one of the worst woody invasive plants. It is known for shading out native vegetation, capable of dominating areas following disturbance or even invading previously diverse undisturbed habitats. It is prevalent in the southern United States, especially along the Gulf Coast. Investigations into classical biological control of Chinese Tallowtree have yielded at least 2 promising candidates but have raised objections among beekeepers and beekeeping organizations who prize the quality honey produced from an abundant spring nectar flow. In this overview, we discuss Chinese Tallowtree's invasive characteristics, detrimental effects, potential use as a biomass crop, and demonstrated or potential direct and indirect effects on native and non-native pollinators. We review the current state of identification and screening of biological control agents and present 4 research topics that are would fill gaps in our knowledge of Chinese Tallowtree and pollinators. Classical biological control has the potential to reduce Chinese Tallowtree populations across the landscape, which would likely result in greater understory and tree diversity, benefitting native and exotic pollinators.

Hurricanes can have strong effects on wildlife populations and their habitats, with complex positive and negative outcomes. I demonstrate the utility of Audubon Christmas Bird Count (CBC) data by comparing results of the first Creole CBC after Hurricanes Laura (Category 4 on 27 August) and Delta (Category 2 on 9 October) in 2020 against 7 years of pre-hurricane Creole CBC baseline data in coastal Cameron Parish, LA. Bird community structure following the hurricanes was significantly different compared to the previous 7 years. Species richness significantly decreased in core (i.e., absent from 2 or fewer baseline CBCs) and irregularly (absent from 3 or more baseline CBCs) occurring bird species. Particularly hard hit were landbirds, whereas waterfowl, waterbirds, and shorebirds were more likely to show positive responses. Marshbird and raptor counts had the most neutral post-hurricane responses. Migratory species across all 6 guilds were also less likely than resident species to show negative responses and more likely to show positive responses to the hurricanes. These results demonstrate differing vulnerabilities of birds to hurricanes, an understanding of which is critical for developing conservation strategies to minimize negative population effects in the face of future increased hurricane intensity.

Habitat loss from human activity and vegetative succession is a major threat to the imperiled Glyptemys muhlenbergii (Bog Turtle). In its southern range, most remaining populations are in open-canopy wetlands with emergent vegetation and a history of livestock grazing. To better understand the natural history of Bog Turtles in an understudied habitat, we studied the movements and habitat use of Bog Turtles in a Castor canadensis (American Beaver)-maintained southern Appalachian bog in North Carolina with no known grazing history and a predominance of shrub/scrub habitat. We tracked 6 adults (4 female, 2 male) using radio telemetry from May to November 2015, calculated daily movement rate and home range, and investigated vegetation and soil components of habitat selection. Our results suggest wetlands with substantial shrub/scrub macrohabitat should be considered potentially suitable Bog Turtle habitat if emergent macrohabitat for nesting and deep, mucky soil are also present. The relative roles of vegetation and soil in habitat selection need further investigation.

Bothriochloa ischaemum (Old World Bluestem) is a problematic invasive grass throughout the southern United States. We measured the long-term effects (12 years) of a single growing-season fire (September 2006) in a grassland dominated by Old World Bluestem. Prescribed fire drastically reduced Old World Bluestem cover (prefire: 76 ± 4% [mean ± standard error], 2007: 8 ± 2%) and cover remained low (21 ± 6%) in 2018 with no additional management. Surprisingly, Old World Bluestem cover in unburned plots decreased 12% during the same time. After the burn, native graminoid cover peaked after 3 years (29 ± 7%) but decreased to 18 ± 5% by 2018, and native annual forb cover, almost absent before the fire, increased dramatically to 39 ± 7% in 2007, then quickly decreased to pre-burn levels. Native perennial forb cover more than doubled in 2007 and continued to increase to 58 ± 5% in 2018. A single growing-season fire greatly reduced the cover of Old World Bluestem, likely due to high fuel loads, low rainfall, and phenological timing; the fire also allowed perennial forbs to establish. Restoring dominance of native grasses after removal of this invasive species will require additional active restoration such as seeding or planting.

We present the first published in-situ photographs of a juvenile Masturus lanceolatus (Sharptail Mola). The photographed individual, about 76 mm TL, was one of 13–15 Sharptail Mola observed schooling together during a blackwater SCUBA dive at night off the coast of Florida near Palm Beach on 25 February 2021. The photographed individual was metallic blue dorsally, fading to a more silver color ventrally, with dark brown spots. The school of Sharptail Mola was 3–9 m below the surface of the water over a bottom depth of 198 m. Individuals were 2–5 body lengths apart and swam rapidly using synchronous side-to-side dorsal and anal fin flexures. We compare the photographed specimen to 2 literature records of juvenile Sharptail Mola from waters off Florida.

The nuclear–follower relationship is a specialized interspecific foraging association in which the nuclear species excavates the substrate while foraging, and follower species access food items flushed or uncovered by the nuclear species. We observed a nuclear–follower association between Apalone spinifera (Spiny Softshell Turtle) and fish (Micropterus salmoides [Largemouth Bass] and Lepomis spp.) in an urban drainage canal (Wards Creek) in Baton Rouge, LA, during June and July of 2020. Groups of Largemouth Bass and Lepomis spp. numbering 0–2 and 1–20, respectively, followed foraging Spiny Softshell Turtles. When foraging, Spiny Softshell Turtles were observed moving along the creek bottom, thrusting their probosces into and vigorously excavating the substrate. The accompanying fish then entered the cloud of suspended sediment to pursue and capture prey. Excavation of the substrate by Spiny Softshell Turtles appears to be the critical component of this nuclear–follower relationship, flushing or exposing prey that would otherwise be unavailable to fish. This nuclear–follower relationship is apparently one of commensalism, i.e., while fish probably benefit from increased foraging success, few if any benefits accrue to foraging turtles.

Rhinella marina (Cane Toad) is a generalist predator that has been found to consume both invertebrate and vertebrate prey. Herein, we detail the first confirmed consumption of hatchling Zenaida macroura (Mourning Dove) and Sialia sialis (Eastern Bluebird) by the non-native invasive Cane Toad in Florida. Although birds are not known to be a large part of the Cane Toad diet, opportunistic consumption of hatchlings that likely fell from nests suggests that ground-nesting birds could also be at risk of predation by Cane Toads.

Vertebrates occasionally deposit eggs in ant nests, but the subterranean chambers of ponerine ants have not previously been reported as nesting sites for squamates. The current study reports the occurrence of Anolis carolinensis (Green Anole) eggs and hatchlings in a nest of the ponerine trap-jaw ant Odontomachus brunneus. Hatching rates suggest that O. brunneus nests may be used communally by multiple females, which share spatial resources with another recently introduced Anolis species in their native range. This opportunistic nesting behavior is placed in the context of known associations between ants and frogs, snakes, and legless worm lizards.