Ozark Highlands Research Articles

UAV Imagery for Measuring Large Wood Volume and Distribution: Ground Truthing Results and Sources of Error

abstract: UAV imagery offers great potential in determining precise environmental measurements. This study identifies and quantifies errors and their causes/sources between UAV imagery- and field-derived measurements of large wood (LW) and cross-sectional valley topography in several forested headwater stream valleys in the Ozark Highlands, Missouri. UAV imagery was collected at six sites following best practices for producing high resolution orthophotos and elevation models through Structure-from-Motion photogrammetry. Field-based measurements of LW were completed along 5 m wide valley cross-sections in which all LW > 1 m in length and 0.1 m in diameter were recorded. Topographic surveys were performed along the centerlines of the LW transects. The same assessments were performed using UAV imagery and ArcGIS. Our sites showed high (>= 0.85) R2 values between field and UAV-GIS topographic surveys. Differences between measurements of LW dimensions tended to be larger with R2 ranging from 0.42 to 0.88. Overall 78 percent of standing trees and 60 percent of LW pieces were identified in the UAV imagery. The main source of detection and measurement error was due to vegetation/canopy cover. This study furthers our understanding of the applications and limitations of UAV derived data for environmental assessments.

Slips, films, and material choice: Long-distance hydrothermal pigments on Middle Mississippian red ware

Using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (LA-ICP-MS) and Raman spectroscopy, we investigate red pigment applied to ceramic vessels as a slip or film (pigment + liquid + binder mixture) in the midcontinental United States. We find that during the CE 1000–1200 period, potters at Cahokia and nearby sites in the American Bottom region of the Middle Mississippi Valley used pigments originating from hydrothermal deposits. The closest hydrothermal deposits are located over 50 km away in the Ozark Highlands and the pigments may have been collected from areas already exploited for other resources. Approaching slips or films as pigment + liquid + binder mixtures integrates ceramic raw materials research with pigment research and encourages us to consider a variety of pigment options, some of which require binders for use on ceramics.

Human risk to tick encounters in the southeastern United States estimated with spatial distribution modeling.

Expanding geographic distribution and increased populations of ticks has resulted in an upsurge of human-tick encounters in the United States (US), leading to an increase in tickborne disease reporting. Limited knowledge of the broadscale spatial range of tick species is heightened by a rapidly changing environment. Therefore, we partnered with the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program of the Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture and used passive tick surveillance to better understand spatiotemporal variables associated with foresters encountering three tick species (Amblyomma americanum L., Dermacentor variabilis Say, and Ixodes scapularis L.) in the southeastern US. Eight years (2014-2021) of tick encounter data were used to fit environmental niche and generalized linear models to predict where and when ticks are likely to be encountered. Our results indicate temporal and environmental partitioning of the three species. Ixodes scapularis were more likely to be encountered in the autumn and winter seasons and associated with soil organic matter, vegetation indices, evapotranspiration, temperature, and gross primary productivity. By contrast, A. americanum and D. variabilis were more likely to be encountered in spring and summer seasons and associated with elevation, landcover, temperature, dead belowground biomass, vapor pressure, and precipitation. Regions in the southeast least suitable for encountering ticks included the Blue Ridge, Mississippi Alluvial Plain, and the Southern Florida Coastal Plain, whereas suitable regions included the Interior Plateau, Central Appalachians, Ozark Highlands, Boston Mountains, and the Ouachita Mountains. Spatial and temporal patterns of different tick species can inform outdoorsmen and the public on tick avoidance measures, reduce tick populations by managing suitable tick habitats, and monitoring areas with unsuitable tick habitat for potential missed encounters.

Testing and Expanding the Concept of Traditional and Contemporary Localism in Rural Local Food Systems with Ozark Wild Harvesters☆

AbstractWhile research shows the potential benefits of local food systems to improve community economy and quality of life, there is a critique that these studies overlook how informal, non‐market food access practices contribute to local food systems, especially in rural places. McEntee promoted the concepts of traditional and contemporary localism in his work with rural food systems, arguing that the motivations of participants define the categories. Using narrative research with wild harvesters in the Ozark Highlands, we propose that while McEntee's definitions are useful for expanding the conversation about why people may choose local food or not, more efforts should focus on valuing and welcoming the broader intersection of priorities and strategies that people use to engage in local food systems in their communities. Promoting a wider portfolio of local food access strategies is important to communicate that there are a variety of ways to participate in localized food systems, some in regular market transactions and some in informal non‐market ways, and that all are potentially valuable in building sustainable food systems in rural areas.

Putting eDNA to the test: A field comparison of eDNA metabarcoding to established protocols for assessing biodiversity in Missouri's Ozark Highland streams

AbstractAquatic biodiversity monitoring to inform conservation and management efforts in‐stream systems has increasingly begun to incorporate environmental DNA (eDNA)‐based sampling methods. We conducted a comparison of eDNA metabarcoding to a traditional protocol of combined seining and electrofishing methods to assess fish biodiversity of wadeable stream sites in six separate drainages in the Ozark Highlands of Missouri (USA). The study further focused on the headwaters of the Meramec River, which included 11 sites and seasonal sampling (summer and winter). We compared estimates of diversity across sampling methods, assessed the influences of water flow (depth, velocity, and discharge) and season, and tested the effects of sampling method and site locality on fish assemblage composition. eDNA sampling detected approximately double the number of species compared to traditional methods, providing higher diversity estimates while maintaining the relative ranking of sites. eDNA detection probabilities were positively associated with stream depth and velocity and were generally higher in summer than in winter but not for all species. Estimated species richness was positively associated with discharge for both methods but the relationship was stronger with eDNA sampling. Assemblage differences between tributary and mainstem sites were attributable to a small number of species that were found predominantly in one stream size category or the other, indicating that eDNA was sensitive to within‐drainage assemblage structure relationships. We highlight improved species detection, a more comprehensive understanding of assemblage structural dynamics, and the potential ability to integrate data across sampling methods as important benefits that encourage the use of eDNA metabarcoding as a primary collection method in future stream biodiversity assessment and monitoring programs.

The context dependency of fish-habitat associations in separated karst ecoregions.

Fish populations may be isolated via natural conditions in geographically separated ecoregions. Although reconnecting these populations is not a management goal, we need to understand how these populations persist across landscapes to develop meaningful conservation actions, particularly for species occupying sensitive karst ecosystems. Our study objective was to determine the physicochemical factors related to the occurrence of four spring-associated fishes. Arbuckle Uplift and Ozark Highlands ecoregions, USA. We used a hierarchical approach to identify habitat relationships at multiple spatial scales. We collected detection data using snorkeling and seining. We examined the physicochemical relationships related to the detection and occurrence of four spring-associated fishes using occupancy modeling in a Bayesian framework. We found physicochemical relationships that differed and were similar between ecoregions for several fishes. For three species, we found different water temperature relationships between ecoregions. Smallmouth bass were ubiquitous in their use of drainage areas in the Ozark Highlands but only associated with the lower network of the Arbuckle Uplift. There were several mirrored relationships between ecoregions, including an interaction between residual pool depth and water temperature, where sites with deeper pools were more likely to be occupied during warmer water temperatures. There were single-species occurrence relationships with percent vegetation and percent agriculture. Lastly, snorkeling was a more efficient sampling method compared to seining for all fishes. Our results indicate stream temperature mitigation may be possible via the maintenance of key channel morphologies, and we identify shared stressors between ecoregions. Channel mitigation to maintain reaches with deeper pools may be an important strategy for maintaining thermal refugia, particularly when considering climate change. Identifying the mechanistic underpinning of other multiscale ecological relationships would be helpful to discern if some of the different ecoregion relationships represent warning signals or interactions with unmeasured biotic or abiotic factors.

Relationships among apparent electrical conductivity and plant and terrain data in an agroforestry system in the Ozark Highlands

AbstractMinimal research has been conducted relating apparent electrical conductivity (ECa) surveys to plant and terrain properties in agroforestry systems. Objectives were to identify: (i) ECa–forage yield, –tree growth, and –terrain attribute relationships within ECa‐derived soil management zones (SMZs) and (ii) terrain attributes that drive ECa variability within a 20‐year‐old, 4.25‐ha, agroforestry system in the Ozark Highlands of northwest Arkansas. The average of 12 monthly perpendicular (PRP) and horizontal coplanar (HCP) ECa surveys (August 2020 to July 2021) and 14 terrain attributes were obtained. Tree diameter at breast height (DBH) and height (TH) measurements were made in December 2020 and March 2021, respectively, and forage yield samples were collected during Summer 2018 and 2019. Apparent EC‐tree property relationships were generally stronger within the whole site (averaged across tree property and ECa configuration, |r| = 0.38) than within the SMZs (averaged across tree property, ECa configuration, and SMZ, |r| = 0.27). The strength of the SMZs’ terrain‐attribute‐PRP‐ECa relationships were 9% to 205% greater than that for the whole site. In whole‐site, multi‐linear regressions, slope length and steepness factor (10.5%), mid‐slope (9.4%), and valley depth (7.2%) had the greatest influence (i.e., percent of total sum of squares) on PRP ECa variability, whereas valley depth (15.3%), wetness index (11.9%), and mid‐slope (11.2%) had the greatest influence on HCP ECa variability. Results show how ECa relates to plant (i.e., DBH, TH, and forage yield) and terrain data within SMZs in agroforestry systems with varying topography and could be used to precisely manage agroforestry systems.

Common, showy, and perennial species dominate a restoration species pool

Native seed vendors are a primary source of germplasm for restoration projects; however, most plant species are not commercially available. Preferences in the types of species that vendors grow and sell may limit the similarity between reference communities and reconstructed ones established from seed mixes. We tested whether a restoration species pool shows preference for certain groups of species, focusing on the Ozark Highland Ecoregion (midcontinent United States). We identified the pool of 1,082 candidate herbaceous plant species appropriate for restoration projects on upland habitats in this region, and then surveyed nine regional seed vendors to assess their commercial availability. Commercially available species were more likely to be forbs over graminoids, perennials over annuals, and common species with larger ranges and moderate conservatism scores. Within forbs, taller species and those with longer bloom durations were favored. Species with affinity to open habitats (e.g. grassland) were more likely to be available from multiple vendors than those from woodlands and forests. Encouragingly, 454 (42%) of the species in this regional pool were available. However, this means that most species in the region are not likely to be included in seed mixes, unless they are hand‐collected from remnant populations. This restoration pool favors common and showy species, which is consistent with previous studies showing these kinds of species tend to dominate seed mixes and restored plant communities. We identified 39 species that were not available from any of the vendors surveyed, which we recommend as candidates for expansion of the Ozark restoration species pool.

A Fisherman's Tale: An Unusual Observation of the Ozark Cavefish, Troglichthys (= Amblyopsis) Rosae (Eigenmann)

Troglichthys (= Amblyopsis) rosae (Ozark Cavefish) is currently known from 83 locations within the Ozark Highlands ecoregion. We found a cavefish at a new location in the Grand Lake O' the Cherokees on the western side of the Neosho River (Delaware County, OK), which is on the northwest periphery of the Ozark Cavefish range. Examination of the mitochondrial ND2 gene supports that the specimen is an Ozark Cavefish, but distinct (4.6–9.2% pairwise distance) from other specimens that have been genetically sampled, and could represent a unique population. Future research should focus on expanding sampling efforts and conducting a range-wide genetic analysis of the Ozark Cavefish.

Large wood loads in channels and on floodplains after a 500-year flood using UAV imagery in Mark Twain National Forest, Ozark Highlands, Missouri

Anthropogenic climate change has increased the frequency of large floods in rivers draining the Ozark Highlands. This study assesses the effects of a > 500-yr flood in spring 2017 on riparian forests and large wood loads in the North Fork of the White River watershed, Missouri, for six stream reaches with drainage areas from 5 to 124 km2. Standing trees and large wood (LW) were assessed using unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) imagery and calibrated by field surveys. Scaled flood magnitude (flood stage/bankfull depth) correlated with percent urban and agricultural land above each reach suggesting that land use may have contributed to forest damage. Canopy loss on the valley floor ranged from 7 to 63 % by reach and correlated with mean and cross-sectional stream power (p < 0.01). Standing tree density after the flood ranged from 50 to 243 trees/ha. The density of LW pieces ranged from 25 to 147 trees/ha. Most LW was aligned with stream flow, not in jams, and located on floodplains below riffles or bar heads, along channel bends, or in chutes. Wood loads on the valley floor increased downstream from 12 to 45 m3/ha. Channel loads were < 30 m3/ha while floodplain, terrace, and chute loads were > 30 m3/ha at drainage areas >50 km2. Channel LW loads increased with flood magnitude and in narrow valleys (p < 0.02), but not drainage area. Increased wood storage occurred on floodplains and terraces, but it is not clear if the stored wood will be available for downstream transport by future floods.

Assessing Potential Habitat for Freshwater Mussels by Transferring a Habitat Suitability Model within the Ozark Ecoregion, Missouri

Habitat suitability models for freshwater mussels can inform conservation of these imperiled animals. Riverscape-scale hydrogeomorphic variables were previously used to predict suitable mussel habitat in the Meramec River basin, Missouri. We evaluated transferability of the Meramec River habitat suitability model to the Gasconade and Little Black rivers, in the Ozark Highlands ecoregion, Missouri. The best-fit models relied on transferring and adapting the original modeling framework to better represent the unique habitat characteristics of each river. Mussel bed occurrence in both rivers was associated with reaches that were classified as pools. Mussel beds in the Gasconade River were also associated with laterally stable reaches adjacent to small bluffs, distant from gravel bars, and with higher stream power indices. Mussel beds in the Little Black River were associated with reaches with higher surface water availability during low-flow conditions, lower stream power indices, and bluffs located downstream. Our results show that existing habitat models can be transferred to other streams with similar environmental conditions, but differences in watershed characteristics can affect transferability.

Mollusc Remains from an Archaeological Rock Shelter Site on the Buffalo National River, Arkansas, Southeastern USA

ABSTRACT Zooarchaeological mollusc assemblages can show communities as they existed prior to any extensive modern impacts, representing an ecological baseline against which current populations can be evaluated. Here data are presented from the Pruitt Shelter sites (Late Woodland-Early Mississippian; ca. AD 700–1300), located on the Buffalo National River (Arkansas), where over 1000 freshwater mussels and over 20,000 gastropods (aquatic and terrestrial combined) were recovered. To date, these archaeofaunas represent the most detailed and robust mollusc assemblage from the Ozark Highlands, while also demonstrating biogeographical, paleoenvironmental, and population characteristics that should be valuable to modern conservation efforts in the region.

Odonata as Indicators? Dragonflies and Damselflies Respond to Riparian Conditions along Ozark Spring Streams

The Odonata are not typically regarded as informative taxa for stream bioassessment in North America compared to other insects, particularly when monitoring the ecological impacts of organic pollution. However, we hypothesized that stream-dwelling odonates are useful bioindicators of riparian conditions because vegetation associated with streams is used for oviposition and establishing breeding territories and is likely a cue for a suitable nymphal habitat. We sampled odonates from multiple microhabitats and all macroinvertebrates from riffle habitat in 12 Ozark Highlands (USA) spring streams along a gradient of riparian conditions. We also measured a standard suite of physical and chemical variables in each stream. We compared various aspects of the odonate and riffle macroinvertebrate assemblages among sites to evaluate sensitivity to variables associated with riparian structure compared to the other physical and chemical variables measured. The odonates were strongly associated with riparian-specific variables, while riffle macroinvertebrates were associated with riparian variables to a lesser degree. The additional environmental variables explained minimal variation in either assemblage. Overall, our results suggest that Odonata alone could be useful for biomonitoring associated with riparian structure around Ozark spring streams. The sensitivity of odonates to riparian conditions in other Nearctic regions should be further studied to identify regional and species-specific differences.

Predicting Habitat and Distribution of an Interior Highlands Regional Endemic Winter Stonefly (Allocapnia mohri) in Arkansas Using Random Forest Models

Stoneflies are a globally threatened aquatic insect order. In Arkansas, a diverse group of winter stonefly (Capniidae: Allocapnia) have not been surveyed since the 1980s, likely because species-level identification requires the rarely-collected adult form. Allocapnia mohri, a regional endemic, was previously commonly found in mountainous, intermittent streams from the Ouachita Mountains ecoregion north to the Ozark Highlands, but no species distributional models including land use or climate variables exist to our knowledge. We collected adults from 71 stream reaches from the historic Arkansas range from November to April 2020 and 2021. We modeled distributions using random forest (RF) models populated with landscape, climate, and both data to determine which were most predictive of species presence. Correlations between landscape or climate variables and presence were examined using multiple logistic regression. The landscape RF models performed better than the climate or landscape + climate RF models. A. mohri presence sites tended to have a greater elevation, a lower mean July temperature, and a greater percentage of very slow infiltration soils in the watershed, compared to absence sites. A. mohri was absent at the Ouachita Mountains sites and may be experiencing a range contraction or migration northward.

Anthropogenic channel network development in forested watersheds by recent stream channelization practices in Mark Twain National Forest, Missouri Ozarks

Human modifications of stream systems often result in channel instability and sediment pulse- induced problems. While previous research explored the direct anthropogenic impacts of channelization on fluvial systems, the history of repeated channelization, their persistent impacts on headwater streams and subsequent evolution of a drainage system need further investigation. This study evaluates the spatial distribution of channel form and stability in Big Barren Creek watershed, which drains the karst dominated Ozark Highlands of southeast Missouri. The objectives of this research are threefold: (i) describe channel morphology and hydrology in undisturbed and disturbed segments based on field data, (ii) propose a conceptual model of channel modification and response to explain the patterns of channel adjustment and (iii) evaluate the history of channel disturbance using historical aerial photograph analysis. Results show that disturbed reaches have larger channel dimensions than undisturbed reaches because channelization increased stream power and shear stress, particularly for channels that are actively incising. Channelized reaches are primarily identified on private land where headcuts developed and migrated upstream to the national forestland. Sediment supply to the channel increases from both upstream incision and bank and levee collapse resulting in downstream aggradation, which forces landowners to repeat channelization for flood control. The proposed conceptual model suggests that while the disturbed segments evolve into wider and deeper channels following channelization, they exhibit the potential to become stable over time because of biogeomorphic resistance (e.g., in-channel vegetation, armored-cohesive soil) related to the ephemeral nature of the streams in this karst region. This idea is also supported by the slower average headcut migration rate of earlier channelization (2 m/yr) compared to recent channelization (6–8 m/yr). However, channel adjustment largely depends on repeated channelization that resets the evolutionary stages that preclude this fluvial system from attaining stability.

Changes in the Freshwater Mussels of the Missouri Portion of the Ozark Highlands Eleven Point River, 1982–1985 and 2012–2019

Freshwater mussels are important components of aquatic systems, where they cycle nutrients, stabilize streambeds, increase niche habitats, and are sources of food for mammals, birds, fish, and aquatic invertebrates. The biogeographically distinct Ozark Highlands is one of the oldest terrestrial regions on the planet and is home to over 200 endemic species including freshwater mussels. Key to the conservation and management of this mussel fauna is documenting their distribution and determining if any changes have occurred. In this study, our objectives were to document the diversity and distribution of the mussel fauna of the Missouri portion of the Eleven Point River, a National Wild and Scenic River, and determine if any changes had occurred over a 25+ yr period. During 1982–1985 and 2012–2019 we surveyed 29 locations, including 12 surveyed during both periods, in summer to early fall, during low flow conditions with timed visual and tactile searches. We calculated metrics to measure the status, composition, and abundance of the mussel community, and examined the rate populations were experiencing extirpation or colonization. Historically, 21 freshwater mussel species were known from Eleven Point River; 20 were observed live or as shell material in the present surveys. During both surveys, the Eleven Point River basin was dominated by members of the Lampsilini, which exhibit periodic life history strategies. We detected significant declines in the number of live individuals, CPUE, and richness at the 12 resurveyed locations. Freshwater mussel species in the Eleven Point River are being extirpated at a significantly higher rate than colonizing areas of the Eleven Point River. Causes for this decline remain unknown.

Using Apparent Electrical Conductivity to Delineate Field Variation in an Agroforestry System in the Ozark Highlands

Greater adoption and better management of spatially complex, conservation systems such as agroforestry (AF) are dependent on determining methods suitable for delineating in-field variability. However, no work has been conducted using repeated electromagnetic induction (EMI) or apparent electrical conductivity (ECa) surveys in AF systems within the Ozark Highlands of northwest Arkansas. As a result, objectives were to (i) evaluate spatiotemporal ECa variability; (ii) identify ECa-derived soil management zones (SMZs); (iii) establish correlations among ECa survey data and in situ, soil-sensor volumetric water content, sentential site soil-sample EC, and gravimetric water content and pH; and (iv) determine the optimum frequency at which ECa surveys could be conducted to capture temporal changes in field variability. Monthly ECa surveys were conducted between August 2020 and July 2021 at a 4.25 ha AF site in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The overall mean perpendicular geometry (PRP) and horizontal coplanar geometry (HCP) ECa ranged from 1.8 to 18.0 and 3.1 to 25.8 mS m−1, respectively, and the overall mean HCP ECa was 67% greater than the mean PRP ECa. The largest measured ECa values occurred within the local drainage way or areas of potential groundwater movement, and the smallest measured ECa values occurred within areas with decreased effective soil depth and increased coarse fragments. The PRP and HCP mean ECa, standard deviation (SD), and coefficient of variation (CV) were unaffected (p &gt; 0.05) by either the weather or growing/non-growing season. K-means clustering delineated three precision SMZs that were reflective of areas with similar ECa and ECa variability. Results from this study provided valuable information regarding the application of ECa surveys to quantify small-scale changes in soil properties and delineate SMZs in highly variable AF systems.

Lithology and disturbance drive cavefish and cave crayfish occurrence in the Ozark Highlands ecoregion

Diverse communities of groundwater-dwelling organisms (i.e., stygobionts) are important for human wellbeing; however, we lack an understanding of the factors driving their distributions, making it difficult to protect many at-risk species. Therefore, our study objective was to determine the landscape factors related to the occurrence of cavefishes and cave crayfishes in the Ozark Highlands ecoregion, USA. We sampled cavefishes and cave crayfishes at 61 sampling units using both visual and environmental DNA surveys. We then modeled occurrence probability in relation to lithology and human disturbance while accounting for imperfect detection. Our results indicated that occurrence probability of cave crayfishes was negatively associated with human disturbance, whereas there was a weak positive relationship between cavefish occurrence and disturbance. Both cavefishes and cave crayfishes were more likely to occur in limestone rather than dolostone lithology. Our results indicate structuring factors are related to the distribution of these taxa, but with human disturbance as a prevalent modifier of distributions for cave crayfishes. Limiting human alteration near karst features may be warranted to promote the persistence of some stygobionts. Moreover, our results indicate current sampling efforts are inadequate to detect cryptic species; therefore, expanding sampling may be needed to develop effective conservation actions.

Using fiber-optic distributed temperature sensing in fisheries applications: An example from the Ozark Highlands

Studies of thermal selection by organisms, including fishes, are common and provide data that are useful for conservation and management. Advances in temperature sensing technology have improved these studies; however, the benefits of new technology (e.g., increased accuracy and greater deployment flexibility) should be carefully considered and compared to disadvantages (e.g., higher costs and training requirements). Fiber-optic distributed temperature sensing (FO-DTS) has become more common in aquatic applications and may provide a novel and useful method of relating thermal patchiness to habitat selection by fishes or other aquatic organisms. We present a case study using FO-DTS to conduct a microhabitat-scale resource selection study using stream fishes of the Ozark Highland ecoregion in the south-central United States. We describe the setup and deployment of FO-DTS and how it was integrated into traditional microhabitat survey methods at three stream sites that were repeatedly surveyed over consecutive days. We successfully used FO-DTS to characterize thermal selection by Neosho Bass Micropterus velox at our sites and conclude that the technology would be applicable to similar, microhabitat-scale evaluations. We then compare costs, benefits, and disadvantages of FO-DTS to other sensing methods that could have been used to complete our study. We found that FO-DTS provided accurate measures and greater coverage compared to most alternatives but that equipment costs were far greater. We provide suggestions for additional fisheries applications where FO-DTS may be useful while acknowledging that in some instances, the upfront costs of the technology may outweigh the potential benefits.

Roost Characteristics of a Tricolored Bat Perimyotis subflavus in the Missouri Ozarks

The tricolored bat (Perimyotis subflavus) once commonly occurred throughout the eastern and central United States, but is now experiencing range-wide population declines primarily due to white-nose syndrome and forest fragmentation. Conservation efforts for this species require more information regarding summer maternity roost characteristics, especially in the Ozark Highlands of Missouri, where the species has declined precipitously. Herein we report the capture and tracking of one female tricolored bat to two summer roosts in southeastern Missouri. Tree roosts differed by their substrates, as one was within a cluster of dead leaves on a snag and the other was located under exfoliating bark; otherwise, the roosts and surrounding vegetation were similar. Both roosts were located in large (>30 cm diameter breast height) oak (Quercus spp.) trees under a dense canopy of trees with similar basal areas. While our capture success was limited over two years, details regarding tricolored bat roost ecology are imperative for the species' conservation and management.