Eastern Upper Peninsula Of Michigan Research Articles

Vascular Plant Communities and Flora of the Seven Lakes Nature Preserve in Michigan's Eastern Upper Peninsula

The Seven Lakes Nature Preserve comprises nearly 2,400 hectares of aquatic, wetland, and upland habitats in southeastern Alger and northeastern Schoolcraft counties in the eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The preserve was obtained and protected by the J.A. Woollam Foundation and has undergone several expansions. In an area of Michigan with relatively limited development and few roads, the natural communities of Seven Lakes are highly intact, and many of its habitats have recovered since the historic logging era. Botanical surveys were conducted in 2016, 2017, 2020, 2021, and 2022 with the goals of describing the natural communities and ecosystem processes and of producing a comprehensive floristic inventory. The post-glacial natural history of the region and a description of climate and soils are provided. A floristic quality assessment was performed, yielding a Total Floristic Quality Index of 99.9, a Total Mean C of 4.5 and a Native Mean C of 5.3. Within the upland forests, shrubby and forested wetlands, and open wetlands, eleven plant communities are described following the classification system proposed by the Michigan Natural Features Inventory. The floristic affinities of rare or otherwise noteworthy taxa are discussed, as are potential threats to the ecosystem. Four-hundred ninety-three species and four hybrids were observed during our surveys, 147 species are represented by specimen vouchers and 440 are recorded as photo vouchers on iNaturalist. Sixteen new species records for Alger County are reported.

Serologic Survey of Selected Arthropod-Borne Pathogens in Free-Ranging Snowshoe Hares (Lepus americanus) Captured in Northern Michigan, USA.

Snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus) in the Upper Peninsula (UP) of Michigan, USA, occupy the southern periphery of the species' range and are vulnerable to climate change. In the eastern UP, hares are isolated by the Great Lakes, potentially exacerbating exposure to climate-change-induced habitat alterations. Climate change is also measurably affecting distribution and prevalence of vector-borne pathogens in North America, and increases in disease occurrence and prevalence can be one signal of climate-stressed wildlife populations. We conducted a serosurvey for vector-borne pathogens in snowshoe hares that were captured in the Hiawatha National Forest in the eastern UP of Michigan, USA, 2016-2017. The most commonly detected antibody response was to the mosquito-borne California serogroup snowshoe hare virus (SSHV). Overall, 24 (51%) hares screened positive for SSHV antibodies and of these, 23 (96%) were confirmed positive by plaque reduction neutralization test. We found a positive association between seroprevalence of SSHV and live weight of snowshoe hares. Additionally, we detected a significant effect of ecological land type group on seroprevalence of SSHV, with strong positive support for a group representing areas that tend to support high numbers of hares (i.e., acidic mineral containing soils with cedar, mixed swamp conifers, tamarack and balsam fir as common overstory vegetation). We also detected and confirmed antibodies for Jamestown Canyon virus and Silverwater virus in a single hare each. We did not detect antibodies to other zoonotic vector-borne pathogens, including Lacrosse encephalitis virus, West Nile virus, Borrelia burgdorferi, Powassan virus, and Francisella tularensis. These results provide a baseline for future serological studies of vector-transmitted diseases that may increase climate vulnerability of snowshoe hares in the UP of Michigan, as well as pose a climate-related zoonotic risk.

Leveraging wastewater surveillance to actively monitor Covid‐19 community dynamics in rural areas with reduced reliance on clinical testing

AbstractThe prevalence of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid‐19) in the community has become more difficult to gauge utilizing clinical testing due to a decrease in reported test results stemming from the availability of at‐home test kits and a reduction in the number of cases seeking medical treatment. The purpose of this study was to examine the trend of diminishing correlation between reported clinical cases of Covid‐19 and wastewater‐based surveillance epidemiological data as home testing became available in the Eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Wastewater grab samples were collected weekly from 16 regional locations from June 2021 to December 2022. Samples were analyzed for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) N1 and N2 viral particles using reverse transcriptase digital droplet polymerase chain reaction (RT ddPCR). N1 and N2 gene copies were correlated with clinical cases. The t test was used to determine the correlation deterioration point. Clinical cases postdeterioration were calculated for high‐correlated predeterioration locations using linear regression. Correlation between the wastewater‐based surveillance of SARS‐CoV‐2 and reported clinical cases deteriorated after February 1, 2022. This corresponds with the timeframe in which commercially available at‐home test kits became available in the United States. The increase in at‐home testing for SARS‐CoV‐2 likely contributed to the decrease in reported clinical positive tests in early 2022, providing an unrealistic picture of the presence of Covid‐19 in the community. As measures to reduce exposure such as personal masking, clinical testing, social isolating, and quarantining continue to decline, wastewater surveillance for the presence of SARS‐CoV‐2 may be the best method for public health professionals to remain aware of virus dynamics in localized regions. Time‐series modeling adds another layer of information when clinical data is unobtainable or underreported.

Monitoring of COVID-19 in wastewater across the Eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

Wastewater-based epidemiology is being used as a tool to monitor the spread of COVID-19 and provide an early warning for the presence or increase of clinical cases in a community. The majority of wastewater-based epidemiology for COVID-19 tracking has been utilized in sewersheds that service populations in the tens-to-hundreds of thousands. Few studies have been conducted to assess the usefulness of wastewater in predicting COVID-19 clinical cases specifically in rural areas. This study collected samples from 16 locations across the Eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan from June to December 2021. Sampling locations included 12 rural municipalities, a Tribal housing community and casino, a public university, three municipalities that also contained a prison, and a small island with heavy tourist traffic. Samples were analyzed for SARS-CoV-2 N1, N2, and variant gene copies using reverse transcriptase droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (RT-ddPCR). Wastewater N1 and N2 gene copies and clinical case counts were correlated to determine if wastewater results were predictive of clinical cases. Significant correlation between N1 and N2 gene copies and clinical cases was found for all sites (⍴= 0.89 to 0.48). N1 and N2 wastewater results were predictive of clinical case trends within 0-7 days. The Delta variant was detected in the Pickford and St. Ignace samples more than 12-days prior to the first reported Delta clinical cases in their respective counties. Locations with low correlation could be attributed to their high rates of tourism. This is further supported by the high correlation seen in the public university, which is a closed population. Long-term wastewater monitoring over a large, rural geographic area is useful for informing the public of potential outbreaks in the community regardless of asymptomatic cases and access to clinical testing.

RT-ddPCR Wastewater Monitoring of COVID-19 Across the Eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan

RT-ddPCR Wastewater Monitoring of COVID-19 Across the Eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan

Siphonaptera Records and Host Associations From the Central and Eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan

Siphonaptera Records and Host Associations From the Central and Eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan

Testing Fladry as a Nonlethal Management Tool for Wolves and Coyotes in Michigan

Several forms of nonlethal management exist, but fi eld testing is problematic, and few such techniques have been tested on free-ranging wolves (Canis lupus) or other predators. We tested fl adry in the eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan during the summers of 2004 and 2005 on treatment farms and control farms. Wolf visitation inside pastures, compared to those outside pastures, was less on fl adry-protected farms (U = 45, n = 7, P = 0.004); whereas, we found no difference in wolf visitation inside and outside of pastures on control farms (U = 30, n = 7, P = 0.24). We found no difference in coyote (Canis latrans) visitation inside and outside of pastures on both treatment (U = 29.5, n = 7, P = 0.26) and control farms (U = 31.5, n = 7, P = 0.19). In our study, fl adry deterred wolves from using livestock areas. Fladry was not effective for coyotes. Fladry may provide livestock owners and management agencies a temporarily effective, nonlethal management tool for reducing wolf-caused depredation of livestock; however, labor and equipment costs can be substantial.

Local Seed Source Availability Limits Young Seedling Populations for Some Species More Than Other Factors in Northern Hardwood Forests

Light is generally regarded as the most important factor affecting tree regeneration in selection managed forests. For decades this paradigm guided forestry in the Great Lakes region, where small harvest gaps were used to promote shade-tolerant species. However, recent attempts to regenerate a more diverse forest community, by varying harvest gap size, have been less successful, bringing the predominance of light into question. Here, we investigate the influence of light availability along with local seed production potential [Σ(diameter2/distance2)] (SPP), substrate availability, site quality, and nontree vegetation (NTV) on 8 tree species' initial density and survival in 19 stands located throughout the Northern Lower and Eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Larger-seeded, shade-tolerant to mid-tolerant sugar maple, red maple, and white ash seedlings were at least twice as abundant as those of any other species. Light availability was not a strong factor predicting seedling density, except for sugar maple, which showed a negative response to increasing light. In contrast, SPP had a strong positive influence on yellow birch, eastern hemlock, black cherry, and white ash seedling density, with evidence of local and regional seed source limitations. Substrate availability was an important factor influencing white pine and paper birch seedling density, as each species was significantly more abundant in plots dominated by bare mineral soil than in plots dominated by leaf litter. Collectively, these results suggest that from seed through two growing seasons, SPP and substrate availability can exert a stronger influence on seedling layer diversity than light availability created by harvest gaps.

Pulses of Podzolization: The Relative Importance of Spring Snowmelt, Summer Storms, and Fall Rains on Spodosol Development

This study was performed in the eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan, where Spodosols are extremely well developed. We instrumented a Typic Durorthod with zero-tension lysimeters to capture water leaving the O, E, and B horizons and with sensors to determine volumetric water contents with depth. We also occasionally measured snowpack depths and determined snow water equivalents. These field data were used to validate a hydrologic model that was run for the site using nearby National Weather Service (NWS) data. Good agreement between the modeled output and field data from the site enabled us to apply 1961 to 2013 NWS data from three additional stations along a transect that spans the range of podzolization strength in Michigan as inputs to the model. Soils remain dry throughout the summer and slowly wet up in fall. The more strongly developed soils in the north are slightly wetter in fall, facilitating breakdown of fresh litter and enhancing production of soluble organic materials. Their translocation into the mineral soil is presumably deepest and most pronounced during snowmelt, facilitated by a strong “pulse” of cold snowmelt water. This pulse comprises well over half of the annual flux of water at 100-cm depth, even though its timespan is short. Snowmelt fluxes are larger and of shorter duration in the north, where podzolization is strongest. By storing precipitation in a thick snowpack, the pedogenic system compresses inputs of water, creating deeper, more concentrated pulses of percolation when soluble organic materials are readily available; this is the essence of podzolization in this region.

The impact of a utility corridor on terrestrial gastropod biodiversity

Utility corridors are often thought to be disruptive to biodiversity because they cause habitat fragmentation that may lead to increases in predation, parasitism, disease transmittance and vagrant species while decreasing migration rates, gene flow and genetic diversity for interior species. Species with poor dispersal abilities, sedentary lifestyles, and specialized habitats have been thought to be potentially the most vulnerable to these effects. Terrestrial gastropods thus serve as a valuable system in which to investigate these impacts because they are among the poorest active dispersers in the animal kingdom. To document the impact of corridor formation on land snail biodiversity, a 75-year old powerline right-of-way in the eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan was chosen for analysis. While terrestrial gastropod richness and abundance was significantly reduced for corridor as compared to adjacent control subsamples, with a 2/3 turnover in species composition, the corridor fauna is similar to nearby native grassland sites in terms of species composition, abundance distribution, and numbers and abundance of species of conservation concern. The fauna of control subsamples immediately adjacent to the corridor remained similar to other undisturbed sites in the region, with multiple species of conservation concern persisting at distances of only 30 m from the corridor. Thus, the net impact of corridor generation has been arguably positive: while the surrounding forest fauna has not been degraded, within the corridor the reduction of forest species has been compensated for by establishment of even rarer grassland species.

Sharp-tailed grouse lek attendance and fidelity in upper Michigan

To assess and improve existing monitoring protocols for sharp-tailed grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus) in the eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan, we used data from 58 radio-collared grouse (46 M, 12 F) monitored within 3 openland landscape types: a xeric, conifer-dominated site, a wetland-dominated site, and a site dominated by low-intensity agriculture. We used lek counts and radio telemetry to determine lek attendance rates, factors affecting lek attendance rates, lek fidelity, and inter-sexual variation in these parameters. Our analysis indicated lek attendance varied with respect to sex of bird, day of year, time after sunrise, and wind speed. Peak male lek attendance rates exceeded those of females by up to 40%, and peak lekking activity for both males and females occurred during the second and third weeks of April. Male lekking activity occurred earlier and was sustained longer than that of females. Lekking activity was negatively related to time of day and wind speed. We observed strong lek fidelity as radio-collared birds attended a primary lek 94% of the time, indicating a low probability of multiple counting of individual birds. We also proposed a method to adjust lek count data for the probability that birds are on a lek during lek counts. Our proposed method can be used by researchers and managers to improve estimates of the number of birds attending a lek by reducing the negative bias associated with observed counts. © 2011 The Wildlife Society.

Evidence for an eolian origin for the silt-enriched soil mantles on the glaciated uplands of eastern Upper Michigan, USA

We provide textural, geochemical, and mineralogical data on a thin, silty deposit that unconformably mantles glaciated uplands in the eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Previous research on this deposit, which we hypothesize to be loess, is nonexistent. The uplands were islands or narrow peninsulas within one or more glacial lakes. We compare the distribution, likely source and nature of the 20–60 cm thick silty mantle by using the loess formation model of Mason et al. [Mason, J.A., Nater, E.A., Zanner, C.W., Bell, J.C., 1999. A new model of topographic effects on the distribution of loess. Geomorphology 28, 223–236], which focuses on the generation of eolian silt by saltating sand across upwind, barren surfaces. Parabolic dunes, with arms open to the NW, are common on former lake floors upwind of the silt-mantled uplands, attesting to the strength and direction of paleowinds. The abrupt termination of the dunes at the footslopes of the uplands, associated with silt deposition on upland soil surfaces in downwind locations, are both consistent with the model of Mason et al. [Mason, J.A., Nater, E.A., Zanner, C.W., Bell, J.C., 1999. A new model of topographic effects on the distribution of loess. Geomorphology 28, 223−236]. Sediments on former lake floors contain abundant strata of fine/medium sand and silt, and thus are likely sources for the silt and dune sand. The cap, dune and lake sediments are similar along many different geochemical axes, whereas the substrate sediment, i.e., the drift below the cap, is unique. Cap sediments, normally containing roughly 30% silt, are enriched in quartz and depleted in Ti and Zr, relative to dune sediment. The dune sediment, a more residual eolian deposit, is enriched in Ti and Zr, relative to the cap, probably due to its greater abundance of heavy minerals. Therefore, we conclude that the silty cap is loess that was deflated from abandoned lake floors after nearby glacial lakes drained, probably contemporaneously with dune migration across the former lake floors.

Population Growth Parameters of a Reintroduced Trumpeter Swan Flock, Seney National Wildlife Refuge, Michigan, USA (1991-2004)

Once an abundant and conspicuous presence in wetlands across much of north-central North America, Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator) poplulations were decimated in the mid- to late 1800s by a combination of market hunting, subsistence hunting, and habitat loss. Since then, restoration has focused primarily on reintroduction efforts in which captive-reared birds are released and then monitored. From 1991 to 1993, 44 birds were released into Seney National Wildlife Refuge (Schoolcraft County, Michigan) in a multi-agency attempt to enhance the breeding population of this species in the Upper Great Lakes region. To provide information useful to swan restoration efforts elsewhere, this paper summarizes 14 years of Trumpeter Swan occupancy and productivity at Seney. In doing so, we document the first substantial inter-annual decline in swans on the Refuge and provide evidence that suggests birds may now be dispersing onto other lakes and wetlands in the eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan. We also present information from which we infer processes regulating swan numbers and rates of productivity and discuss both the continued need for monitoring and the need for research to examine the effects swans might have on other components of aquatic ecosystems at the Refuge.

Factors affecting the regeneration of northern white cedar in lowland forests of the Upper Great Lakes region, USA

Regeneration of northern white cedar ( Thuja occidentalis) has been poor in the Upper Great Lakes region for decades. To understand why, we used a spatially extensive approach to examine which factors limit regeneration in lowland swamp forests at a regional scale. We investigated patterns of seedling establishment and sapling recruitment in 1990–1991 and 1996 among 77 lowland stands distributed across northern Wisconsin and the eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan. These stands differed in ownership, local site conditions, and ambient deer densities, allowing us to evaluate several factors potentially limiting regeneration. Lowland cedar seedlings in this region typically require 10 years to grow to 30 cm and 30 years to attain 3 m. Regression and path analyses demonstrate that initial seedling establishment increases in areas with greater seed input (as inferred from cedar basal area) and (in 1996) higher light levels. Subsequent recruitment to saplings +30 cm tall, however, depends far more on demographic inertia (the number of smaller seedlings) and escape from deer browsing. Surprisingly, estimated deer browse was as significant a factor as demographic inertia, reflecting cedar’s palatability, slow growth, and chronic high browsing pressure. Efforts to regenerate this species seem unlikely to succeed without significant and sustained reductions in deer density or extensive efforts to mechanically protect saplings from browsing.

Widespread middle Holocene dune formation in the eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan and the relationship to climate and outlet-controlled lake level

Research Article| January 01, 2002 Widespread middle Holocene dune formation in the eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan and the relationship to climate and outlet-controlled lake level Alan F. Arbogast; Alan F. Arbogast 1Department of Geography, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824-1115, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Ann G. Wintle; Ann G. Wintle 2Institute of Geography and Earth Sciences, University of Wales, Aberystwyth SY23 3DB, UK Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Susan C. Packman Susan C. Packman 2Institute of Geography and Earth Sciences, University of Wales, Aberystwyth SY23 3DB, UK Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Alan F. Arbogast 1Department of Geography, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824-1115, USA Ann G. Wintle 2Institute of Geography and Earth Sciences, University of Wales, Aberystwyth SY23 3DB, UK Susan C. Packman 2Institute of Geography and Earth Sciences, University of Wales, Aberystwyth SY23 3DB, UK Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 19 Apr 2001 Revision Received: 27 Aug 2001 Accepted: 12 Sep 2001 First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (2002) 30 (1): 55–58. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2002)030<0055:WMHDFI>2.0.CO;2 Article history Received: 19 Apr 2001 Revision Received: 27 Aug 2001 Accepted: 12 Sep 2001 First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Alan F. Arbogast, Ann G. Wintle, Susan C. Packman; Widespread middle Holocene dune formation in the eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan and the relationship to climate and outlet-controlled lake level. Geology 2002;; 30 (1): 55–58. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2002)030<0055:WMHDFI>2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract Dating of five widely spaced (noncoastal) dunes in eastern upper Michigan by optically stimulated luminescence of quartz establishes that eolian sand was last mobilized between ca. 7 and 5.5 ka in the region. Although this interval corresponds to the drier Altithermal- Hypsithermal period, climate alone may not have been sufficiently arid to cause dune formation in this area. Instead, it appears that dune formation may also be linked to depressed water tables, associated with outlet-controlled low levels in Lakes Michigan and Superior. Following dune stabilization, peat began to accumulate in interdune areas ca. 4.4 ka. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.

Ecosystem management in the eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan: A case history

In 1992, a group composed of state and federal government agencies, a non-government organization, and industrial land holders formed to coordinate management efforts in the eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan (EUP). The EUP landscape, characterized by a variety of glacial landforms, encompasses 1.6 million ha. Members of the group represent organizations that manage two-thirds of the land in the EUP. The group's mission is to facilitate complementary management of public and private lands for all appropriate uses, using an ecological approach to sustain and enhance representative ecosystems, globally significant communities and landscapes, and threatened and endangered species. Several factors make this a challenging mission. First, the EUP contains a wide variety of ecological units, each with a unique suite of species and management considerations. Second, the management goals of the stakeholders are diverse, ranging from preservation of natural and cultural resources to economically profitable timber production. Finally, the group has to deal with many of the issues that have recently received national attention: threatened and endangered species management, forest fragmentation, old growth, deer browsing, fire management, forest conversion, effects of management decisions on local and regional economies, and maintenance of ecosystem function. This paper chronicles the efforts and group dynamics of the eastern Upper Peninsula Ecosystem Management Group. The complexity of managing a large and diverse area is illustrated by describing the area's ecology and biological significance, ownership patterns, and management goals of stakeholders. Partners work together informally, making decisions by consensus, stressing communication, understanding, and cooperation, rather than formal procedures and protocols. Working this way, the group communicates openly and honestly and has established working relationships built on trust. We also highlight accomplishments to date including the development of an ecological classification system that serves as a foundation for our efforts. We conclude with a discussion of the direction and projected activities of the group and obstacles the group faces.

Prehistoric, historic, and present settlement patterns related to ecological hierarchy in the Eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan, U.S.A.

The distribution of human occupation across a landscape provides informationabout how people use the landscape, about patterns of economic development,and about social interactions of human groups. When the distributions areexamined over several thousand years, we gain an evolutionary understanding,not only of the people and their cultural patterns, but also of physicallandscape development. The focus of this assessment was to examine andcompare settlement patterns of prehistoric, historic, and present timeperiods, based on known cultural sites in the Eastern Upper Peninsula ofMichigan, U.S.A., and to generate hypotheses about the interaction ofsettlement pattern and landscape change at multiple scales. Patterns ofsettlement among the three time periods were compared at three geographicscales: by subregional ecosystems, by landscape ecosystems and by terraincharacteristics. The Michigan Bureau of History database of archaeologicalsites was searched for prehistoric habitation sites of Middle or LateWoodland period (ca. 3000-300 years before present). Historic occupationswere drawn from pre-European settlement landscape data based on General LandOffice survey notes of the 1850s. We extracted “urban” categories from landcover classified from Landsat Thematic Mapper imagery to measure presentoccupations. Spatial patterns and dynamics of settlement areas in each timeperiod were examined using the ARC/INFO geographic information system (GIS).Results showed a tendency for settlement in all time periods on the bedrockand lowland landscape groups near Great Lakes shorelines, generally occupyingslopes less than two percent. The distribution of present occupations, interms of both slope aspect and geographic subregion (multi-scalar), wassimilar to the distribution of prehistoric occupations. Both prehistoric andpresent sites were primarily south facing and were frequently found alongGreen Bay and Lake Michigan shorelines.

White Pine Blister Rust in the Eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan

Abstract Incidence of blister rust, caused by Cronartium ribicola, found during a survey of eastern white pines on the Hiawatha National Forest in the eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan was unexpectedly low: only 6.8% of all plots had one or more infected white pine and 1 5% of all white pines surveyed had blister rust. North. J. Appl. For. 5:263-264, December 1988.