State Park Research Articles

The use of salt licks by birds in Peninsular Malaysia

Numerous wildlife species visit salt licks to consume soil (geophagy) or to drink water. Studies have mostly focused on salt lick use by mammals as they are easily identified owing to larger body size, predominance in using these resources, and predictable movement and behaviour, as well as several established hypotheses such as mineral supplementation. However, salt licks are also crucial to some birds. The interest in and documentation of avifaunal geophagy at salt licks have increased in recent years. However, few studies have investigated this phenomenon in Southeast Asia. We used camera traps to document bird species richness, diversity and encounter rates at 20 salt licks (nine natural and 11 artificial) within three reserves (the Royal Belum State Park, Perak and Krau Wildlife Reserve, Pahang, both primary forest, and secondary forest in Tembat Forest Reserve) in Peninsular Malaysia. We compared parameters between the two types of salt lick (natural and artificial) and two types of habitats (primary and secondary forest). We found that salt licks were used by 24 bird species, including pheasants, hornbills, rails, herons, doves, cuckoos, pittas, bulbuls, flycatchers, and estrildid finches. Raptors did not exhibit geophagous behaviour, except for the Brown Wood-Owl (Strix leptogrammica). Most salt lick users were resident carnivores and insectivores. The Asian Emerald Dove (Chalcophaps indica) and Red Junglefowl (Gallus gallus) were the most frequent birds at salt licks. Avian species richness in primary forests was similar for both types of salt licks, but species diversity was higher at natural salt licks. Meanwhile, species diversity at artificial salt licks was similar by habitat type, but bird’s species richness was significantly higher at primary forest artificial salt licks than at secondary forest artificial licks. Encounter rates of birds at artificial salt licks were higher than natural salt licks in primary forests. Furthermore, bird encounter rates at secondary forest artificial salt licks were higher than at primary forest artificial licks. We suggest that artificial salt licks can be used to enrich degraded forests since they serve a role similar to that of natural salt licks and can attract birds and other animals. This information is crucial to conservation and biodiversity management planning for protected forests, particularly secondary and degraded forests.

Interaction Gardens and Butterfly Catalogues: a Joint Strategy to Promote Capacity Development in Protected Areas and Reduce the Extinction of Experience in Cities

More than half of the world’s population live in cities. Increasing numbers of generations are now born and raised in urban landscapes with decreasing opportunities towards interacting with natural environments. This extinction of experience leads to environmental apathy and lack of bioliteracy, which is a central aspect to be tackled in conservation strategies. At the same time, people who live near or at non-urban settings are closer to natural habitats but do not have similar access to concepts of environmentalism and may lack incentives to lean towards nature conservation, instead of its exploitation or even illegal activities. We here propose that interaction gardens, that is, gardens with multiple trophic levels (primary producers, herbivores, predators, and parasitoids), can tackle these issues, especially if planned with incentives, such as butterfly catalogues, aimed as a common goal of the garden community. It can also bring benefits to human health and well-being, increase the survival chances of local biodiversity, and strengthen the front line of conservation by promoting income strategies to people who live near protected areas. Our specific aims are to 1) share a case study of capacity development at the Intervales State Park in the Atlantic Forest, Southeast Brazil; 2) present the butterfly catalogue of this protected area; 3) present guidelines for interaction gardens at both urban and non-urban settings; and 4) discuss alternative perspectives about Neotropical conservation. We provide a translated version of the text in Portuguese to encourage students, educators, NGOs and local communities of other protected areas to venture in our proposed joint strategy of interaction gardens with butterfly catalogues.

Once and future changes in climate and phenology within the Adirondack uplands (New York, USA)

Long-term monitoring of the spring and autumn phenology of five animal species, four plant species, phytoplankton communities, lake temperatures and ice cover on the Paul Smith’s College Phenology Trail in the uplands of the Adirondack State Park (NY, USA) has produced time series spanning 1990–2020 for the biological and water temperature records and 1909–2020 for lake ice. In conjunction with climate records from three nearby weather stations these observations demonstrate that the ice on Lower Saint Regis Lake now thaws one week earlier, on average, than it did in 1909 while the region as a whole warmed by 1.7°C and received 19 cm more precipitation annually. Statistically significant warming trends between 1990 and 2020 were restricted to July and September and therefore contributed to a scarcity of temporal shifts in the spring phenologies of species and lake ice during that shorter time frame, but the lake surface warmed by 1.9°C on average in October. Although most of the phenological records displayed no statistically significant directional change within the 1990–2020 time interval they revealed strong correlations between phenology and monthly air temperatures that are of predictive value. Together with projections from regionally down-scaled climate models these relationships suggest that the phenologies of the species and ice dynamics in question could shift by ca. 1–3 weeks by 2100 depending on the analytical approach used and the magnitude of fossil fuel emissions during this century. As Adirondack winters become shorter and milder before potentially losing snow and ice altogether over the longer term, the unique cultural ecology of the region’s human residents will face profound existential challenges along with the ecosystems and species around them.

Minimal Impact of a Long-Distance Hiking Trail on the Plant Community in the Adirondack Park, New York State, U.S.A.

Hiking trails provide the opportunity for people to access, experience, and appreciate natural areas, but they also pose the risk of damage by converting vegetated areas to trail, providing the opportunity for off-trail hiking, and increasing soil compaction. To assess the impact of hiking trails on the plant community of a northeastern forest ecosystem, trail width was measured, and understory vegetation was documented at the trail edge, 3 m from the trail, and 5 m from the trail every 4 km along the Northville–Placid Trail from Benson to Averyville Road in the Adirondack State Park of New York State in August 2018. Soil compaction, canopy cover, and the tree species in the canopy were documented, including from the trail itself. The mean trail width was 65.18 ± 6.06 cm. Within the 183.39 km of trail sampled, 119,533.60 ± 11,113.43 m2 of forest were replaced with trail. Soil compaction was greatest in the trail and significantly lower off the trail. None of the canopies of the tree species was more likely to occur away from the trail than adjacent to or directly above the trail. Canopy cover did not differ significantly among sample locations. Cover of understory species was not significantly different near to or away from the trail. Species richness in the understory was significantly higher adjacent to the trail than 5 m from the trail, but trail width, canopy openness above the trail, canopy openness adjacent to the trail, and soil compaction were not significantly related to species richness adjacent to the trail. Understory community composition was more similar among plots within a sample location than between plots 5 m from the trail at adjacent sample locations. Collectively, the plant community outside of the trail itself is not significantly affected by the presence of the trail. The major impact of the trail is the loss of the plant community at its margins as the trail width increases. Hikers should be further educated and encouraged to use trails in ways that minimize the width of the trail to protect the ecosystem, along with trail managers continuing to increase the sustainability of the trail design.

Amebic infections of the central nervous system.

The report of death of a person from amebic meningoencephalitis, the proverbial "brain-eating ameba," Naegleria fowleri, acquired in a state park lake in Iowa in July 2022 has once again raised the seasonal alarms about this pathogen. While exceptionally rare, its nearly universal fatality rate has panicked the public and made for good copy for the news media. This review will address free-living ameba that have been identified as causing CNS invasion in man, namely, Naegleria fowleri, Acanthamoeba species, Balamuthia mandrillaris, and Sappinia diploidea (Table 1). Of note, several Acanthamoeba spp. and Balamuthia mandrillaris may also be associated with localized extra-CNS infections in individuals who are immunocompetent and disseminated disease in immunocompromised hosts. These ameba are unique from other protozoa in that they are free-living, have no known insect vector, do not result in a human carrier state, and are typically unassociated with poor sanitation. Table 1 Free-living ameba that have been identified as causing CNS invasion in man, namely, Naegleria fowleri, Acanthamoeba species, Balamuthia mandrillaris, and Sappinia diploidea Entity Pathogenic ameba Predisposing disorders Portal of entry Incubation period Clinical features Radiographic findings CSF finding Diagnostic measures Primary amebic meningoencephalitis Naegleria fowleri; N. australiensis; N. italica Previously healthy children or young adults Olfactory epithelium 2-14days (average 5days) Headache, fever, altered mental status, meningeal signs; seizures Brain edema; meningeal enhancement; hydrocephalus; basal ganglia infarctions Increased opening pressure; neutrophilic pleocytosis (~ 1000 cells/cu mm); low glucose Brain biopsy, CSF wet prep, IIF culture or PCR Granulomatous amebic encephalitis Acanthamoeba spp.; Balamuthia mandrillaris; Sappinia diploidea Typically, immunocompromised individual Skin sinuses; olfactory epithelium respiratory tract Weeks to months Headache; altered mental status seizures, focal neurological findings Focal parenchymal lesions with edema; hemorrhagic infarctions; meningeal enhancement Generally, LP contraindicated; when performed lymphocytic pleocytosis; increased protein; low glucose Brain biopsy, CSF culture, wet prep, IIF, or PCR IIF indirect immunofluorescence, LP lumbar puncture, PCR polymerase chain reaction.

MODIS sensors can monitor spatiotemporal trends in fog and low cloud cover at 1 km spatial resolution along the U.S. Pacific Coast

Fog and low cloud cover (FLCC) provide critical moisture for ecosystems along the Pacific Coast during the summer months and it is currently unclear how climate change has affected FLCC occurrence. Additionally, FLCC impacts visibility and transportation safety for both road and air traffic. As such, a method for the monitoring of FLCC is necessary to inform land management decisions for fog-obligate species and to improve transportation safety, among other applications. Several gaps exist in current FLCC detection methodologies and while the Moderate Resolution Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor has previously been used to detect fog, its utility has not been validated. In this study, we create a 20 year (2000–2020) FLCC dataset using the Terra MODIS cloud flags and examine its effectiveness in detecting daily and monthly FLCC presence along the California and southern Oregon coast for the summer months (June–September). We validate the accuracy of this method using an existing FLCC dataset derived from Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) observations collected at 15 min intervals from 2000 to 2009. The two FLCC datasets have a strong linear relationship for FLCC frequency for each summer month, with an average r2 of 0.82 and p-value of <0.01. This strong relationship demonstrates the ability of Terra MODIS to reliably and accurately detect FLCC. Finally, we demonstrate a case study application of our FLCC dataset in a time series analysis over five coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) state parks in the Big Sur region of coastal California. This case study highlights the benefits provided by a 1 km resolution FLCC dataset for ecological applications and for monitoring spatiotemporal FLCC patterns across summer months over two decades. Our case study results showed that the number of foggy days fluctuates considerably year-to-year with no discernible positive or negative trend occurring between 2000 and 2020. Finally, we present a freely-accessible Google Earth Engine application to view and download the monthly FLCC data for all summer months for the years 2000–2020. The methods and dataset presented in this paper provide a means for efficient, daily FLCC monitoring at 1 km2 resolution, as well as the capacity for historical FLCC analyses.

Blood parasites of passerines in the Brazilian Pampas and their implications for a potential population supplementation program for the endangered Yellow Cardinal (Gubernatrix cristata).

Espinilho savanna ("seasonal steppe savanna") is a unique vegetation formation of the Pampas biome that is found near the tri-border of Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina. The Yellow Cardinal (Gubernatrix cristata) is a flagship species of this ecosystem, but it is classified as "critically endangered" in Brazil due to habitat loss and poaching for the illegal trade. Population supplementation through the release of individuals that were captive-bred or apprehended by authorities from the illegal trade has been considered as a conservation strategy for this species; however, the risk of pathogen introduction is a critical concern. We used microscopy and molecular methods to investigate the occurrence of blood parasites in wild passerines (n = 64, including three Yellow Cardinals) at Espinilho State Park, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, and in captive Yellow Cardinals (n = 30) at three facilities in Brazil. Haemosporidian parasites were detected in the blood smears of 10.9% of the wild passerines, comprising the morphospecies Haemoproteus erythrogravidus in Rufous-collared Sparrow (Zonotrichia capensis), H. quiscalus in Grayish Baywing (Agelaioides badius), and H. tyranni in Great Kiskadee (Pitangus sulphuratus); these are the southernmost records for these morphospecies and their first record for the Pampas biome. No haemosporidian parasites were detected in the blood smears of the Yellow Cardinals, wild or captive. Microfilariae were detected in the blood smears of 14.1% of the wild passerines, including all wild Yellow Cardinals, and in 43.3% of captive Yellow Cardinals. Trypanosoma sp. was detected in the blood smear of one captive Yellow Cardinal. Nested PCR and gene sequencing of the cyt-b gene of Haemoproteus/Plasmodium was used to test a subset of wild passerines and captive Yellow Cardinals, allowing for the molecular barcoding of H. quiscalus lineage AGEBAD04 and H. tyranni lineage PITSUL01; additionally, DNA identical to that of lineage PITSUL01 was detected in the blood of one captive Yellow Cardinal. This study provides valuable data to support the conservation management of the Yellow Cardinal and other threatened passerines from the Pampas and highlights the need for further studies on the epidemiology and pathology of filarioid worms and trypanosomes in passerines from this biome.

Decolonial considerations of environmentalism: Observations from a (US) State Park

Decolonial considerations of environmentalism: Observations from a (US) State Park

Patterns of Avian Diversity for a Maritime Ecosystem at Orient Beach State Park on Long Island, New York

We examined patterns of avian diversity in a maritime ecosystem at Orient Beach State Park on the North Fork of Long Island, NY. We compared avian diversity in beach, saltmarsh, shrub, a Juniperus virginiana (Eastern Redcedar) maritime forest, and an interior hardwood forest at nearby Mashomack Preserve. Maritime forest was highest in bird species richness followed by saltmarsh, interior forest, shrub, and beach. Habitat variables best explaining avian species richness were sand cover, vegetation cover, visibility, and height of nearest vegetation. The peninsular shape of the maritime forest supported greater edge habitat compared to the interior forest, encouraging greater avian diversity. This study provides baseline information for the conservation of a rare maritime ecosystem.

Drivers of a temporal change in the adult sex ratio of a Roosevelt elk (Cervus canadensis roosevelti) population

Abstract Ecological processes driving female-skewed adult sex ratios (ASRs; males:females) in populations with polygynous mating systems have been addressed theoretically, but empirical support is scarce. The theoretical framework of the female substitution hypothesis (FSH) asserts that a female-skewed ASR at carrying capacity reflects an overall fitness benefit for females and for males competitive in acquiring access to reproductive females. The FSH predicts that as population abundance increases females should acquire forage more efficiently than males, thereby leading to passive displacement of males. The result is declining ASR associated with differential habitat use by both sexes as food resources are depleted by female scramble competition. We characterized the temporal variation in ASR in a Roosevelt elk population inhabiting the Redwood National and State Parks, California, across 24 years, and determined which of two possible ecological mechanisms was the driver of a declining ASR. The first mechanism explored was that increasing female abundance associated with declining forage in the study area led to the passive displacement of males into the study periphery over time. The second mechanism explored was that a declining ASR was precipitated by a lack of males within the study area and the study periphery. Systematic population surveys from a vehicle were done to estimate abundance and ASR as well as assess male abundance in the study periphery. Forage biomass was estimated in quarter-m2 plots randomly placed in meadows inhabited by female elk. Our multiple regression analysis revealed an inverse relationship between abundance and ASR indicating density dependence. We found numerous males in the study periphery when females were abundant. Our least squares models indicated declining food resources across years when female abundance increased. Our results showed that the first, and not the second, ecological mechanism examined was responsible for a female-skewed ASR. Our findings provide empirical support for the theoretical framework of the FSH in a nonmigratory population protected from hunting.

Estimating density of ocelots in the Atlantic Forest using spatial and closed capture–recapture models

Abstract Monitoring variation in population features such as abundance and density is essential for evaluating and implementing conservation actions. Camera trapping can be important for assessing population status and trends and is increasingly used to generate density estimates through capture–recapture models. Moreover, success in using this technique can vary seasonally given shifting animal distributions and camera encounter rates. Notwithstanding these potential advantages, a gap still exists in our understanding of the performance of such models for estimating density of cryptic Neotropical terrestrial carnivores with low encounter rate probability with cameras. In addition, scanty information is available on how sampling design can affect the accuracy and precision of density estimates for Neotropical carnivores. We evaluate the performance of spatially explicit versus nonspatial capture–mark–recapture models for estimating densities and population size of ocelots (Leopardus pardalis) within an Atlantic Forest fragment in Brazil. We conducted two spatially concurrent surveys, a random camera-trap deployment covering the entire study area and a systematic camera-trap deployment in a small portion of the study area, where trails and unpaved roads were located. We obtained 244 photographs of ocelots in the Rio Doce State Park from April 2016 to November 2017, using 54-double camera stations spaced approximately 1.5 km apart (random placement) totaling 4,320 trap-nights and 15-double camera stations spaced from 0.3–10 km apart (systematic placement) totaling 1,200 trap-nights. Using the random placement design, ocelot density estimates were similar during the dry season, 14.0 individuals/km2 (± 5.6 SE, 6.6–30.0, 95% CI) and 13.78 individuals/km2 (± 4.25 SE, 5.4–22.1, 95% CI) from spatially explicit capture–recapture and nonspatial models, respectively. Using the systematic placement design spatially explicit models had smaller and less precise ocelot density estimates than nonspatial models during the dry season. Ocelot density was 12.4 individuals/100 km2 (± 5.0 SE, 5.8–26.7, 95% CI) and 19.9 individuals/km2 (± 5.2 SE, 9.7–30.1, 95% CI) from spatially explicit and nonspatial models, respectively. During the rainy season, we found the opposite pattern. Using the systematic placement design, spatial-explicit models had higher and less precise estimates than nonspatial models. Ocelot density was 24.6 individuals/100 km2 (± 13.9 SE, 8.7–69.4, 95% CI) and 11.89 individuals/km2 (± 3.93 SE, 4.19–19.59, 95% CI) from spatially explicit and nonspatial models, respectively. During the rainy season, we could not compare models using the random placement design due to limited number of recaptures to run nonspatial models. In addition, a single recapture yielded an imprecise population density estimate using spatial models (high SE and large 95% CIs), thus precluding any comparison between nonspatial and spatially explicit models. We demonstrate relative differences and similarities between the performance of spatially explicit and nonspatial capture–mark–recapture models for estimating density and population size of ocelots and highlight that both types of capture–recapture models differ in their estimation depending on the sampling design. We highlight that performance of camera surveys is contingent on placement design and that researchers need to be strategic in camera distribution according to study objectives and logistics. This point is especially relevant for cryptic or endangered species occurring at low densities and having low detection probability using traditional sampling methods.

COVID-19 and outdoor recreation in the post-anthropause

ABSTRACT The lockdown measures instituted during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a moment of restricted human activity and mobility that researchers have called the ‘anthropause’. Along with accounts of the widespread suspension or disruption of various industries, including sport, recreation, and tourism, media reported on the anthropause’s positive impact on wildlife and environments, evidenced by accounts of animals returning to their previously displaced habitats and thriving in spaces typically marked by human activity. However, the period following these lockdown measures witnessed the re-opening of disrupted industries, and also a marked increase in outdoor human activity, particularly via engagement with forms of outdoor recreation at national and state parks and other protected areas. This analysis asserts that during this post-anthropause, the renewal and increase in outdoor recreation practices within protected areas re-demonstrated the ecological impacts of human activity within those spaces. Utilising media reports regarding outdoor recreation and US national and state parks during the pandemic, this essay explores the implications of leisure after lockdown, arguing that the post-anthropause represents an important conceptual tool for better understanding the complex relations between physical cultures, environments, and the anthropocentric dictates of contemporary ‘burnout society’.

Potential energy sources for the deep continental biosphere in isolated anoxic brines

In isolated fracture networks in the Precambrian Shield, long-term water and rock interactions produce saline anoxic fluids that host extant microbial communities deep within the continental subsurface. Light and oxygen (O2) are absent in these environments. Thus, chemotrophic organisms inhabiting these systems rely on anaerobic reactions for energy. Viable electron donors include short-chain alkanes, such as methane (CH4) and C2+ alkanes, while alternative electron acceptors include sulfate (SO2−4), nitrate (NO−3), and ferric iron (Fe3+). Here, we constrain the potential sources of energy for microorganisms in Neoarchean bedrock on the 27th level west drift of the Soudan Underground Mine State Park, MN, USA (713.5 meters below the surface). The Gibbs Free Energy (ΔG) of 11 reactions are modeled and expressed as available chemical potential energy per mass fluid (J/kgfluid). Metabolic reactions involving CH4 oxidation by SO2−4 would yield the highest potential energy of reactions modeled in this study (−111 J/kgfluid). The free energy for methanogenesis via the breakdown of dimethylamine (DMA; ∑(CH3)2NH(aq)) is exergonic but with near-zero available energy per mass fluid, suggesting that DMA may be cycled quickly to produce biological CH4 at Soudan. We examine all the possible pathways by which CH4 and other short-chain alkanes may be formed. Conventional δ13CCH4 values and C1/C2+ abundance ratios support a mixed biological and non-biological origin of CH4. Doubly substituted ‘clumped’ CH4 isotope 13CH3D values are consistent with formation temperatures of 84-89°C that exceed current environmental conditions of 11.5-12.1°C. These estimated formation temperatures are too low for CH4 to be formed solely through thermogenic degradation of organic matter. Further, low or undetectable H2 rules out active abiogenesis of CH4 from CO2 reduction. It is more likely that the bulk CH4 pool reflects a mixture of microbial CH4 with Δ13CH3D values equilibrated at 11.5-12.1°C and thermogenic CH4 formed at temperatures >100°C. Understanding the origin and cycling of these electron donors contributes to a fundamental understanding of how microbial activity may promote, maintain, or suppress the habitability of these isolated systems over long timescales.

Diving Lessons

Diving Lessons

Vascular flora of Southern Brazilian outcrops associated with Atlantic Forest: small relict environment that needs to be preserved

The rocky outcrops in the municipality of Campo Mourão (Paraná State) are all surrounded by remaining Atlantic Forest, unlike the typical outcrops associated with river courses, fields, or hilltops. Because it is such specific vegetation, it is essential to record the floristic composition, verifying only species and the conservation status of local populations. This study cataloged the species of vascular plants occurring in four rocky outcrops areas of Campo Mourão: Nishida outcrop (1,808 ha); Bica do Rio do Campo outcrop (0.458 ha); Perdoncini outcrop (0.228 ha), and Lago Azul State Park outcrop (0.021 ha). A total of 203 collections were analyzed, representing 152 species (eight exotic to Brazil), distributed in 66 families and 135 genera. The more richness families were Poaceae, Asteraceae, Fabaceae, Rubiaceae, and Bromeliaceae. The predominant life form was herbs and shrubs, and most species are terrestrial and rupicolous. The rocky outcrops of Campo Mourão, despite the small total area (25,150 m2), have 10 % of the exclusive species in the municipality. Also, 14 species are endemic in Brazil, and two are endemic in Paraná, being Portulaca hatschbachii (Portulacaceae) officially threatened to extinction in Brazil. In these areas, several species found have been little collected in Paraná State and Brazil, in addition to the presence of life forms adapted to survival on the exposed rock. This demonstrates that despite being small, these sites are critical environments for preserving biodiversity in the region.

Small anthropogenic landforms from past charcoal production control moisture dynamics and chemistry in northcentral Appalachian soils

Throughout the northeastern United States (U.S.) and Europe, relict charcoal hearths (RCHs) are regularly being discovered in proximity to furnaces once used for the extraction of metal from ore or quick-lime production; charcoal produced in hearths was used as a furnace fuel. Given previous research has shown that topographic and subsurface disturbance can be great when a hearth is constructed, we hypothesize that hearth construction alters surface hydrology and soil chemistry in environments in and near hearths. We used a landscape classification process to identify 6758 hearths near furnaces at Greenwood and Pine Grove Furnace State Park, central and southcentral Pennsylvania, U.S. Two types of digital elevation model wetness indexes were used to quantify surface hydrology effects in and around hearths. Modeled wetness conditions were compared to field soil volumetric water content in RCHs near Greenwood Furnace State Park. Modeled wetness indexes indicate that RCH interiors are significantly wetter than RCH rim areas; RCHs are acting as a landscape moisture sink. Results also indicate that RCHs on slopes result in downslope drier conditions below RCHs. Field measured volumetric water content indicates that as distance from the center of the hearth increases, soil moisture significantly decreases. Geomorphic position was found to not be related to RCH wetness. Soil from RCHs, compared to nearby native soils, has significantly higher total C, a lower Mehlich 3 extractable acidity, higher Ca and P. No trend was evident with RCH soil chemistry and geomorphic position. The high frequency of RCH occurrence, in proximity to the furnace's RCHs supported, suggests that RCHs today could locally be an important niche for understory flora and fauna. Further research could explore how RCHs might be affecting surrounding plant populations and how within RCH patterns, especially on hillslopes, might represent a distinctly different scale of physical and chemical variability.

Building Back Better: Transportation Recovery Challenges From the 2018 Kaua`i Flooding Disaster

This study describes and analyzes the recovery of transportation systems damaged by flooding and landslides in 2018 on the island of Kaua’i, Hawai’i. Following describing the record-setting rainfall and massive landslides that closed the major highway connecting the North Shore communities with the rest of the island, the challenges of “building back better” are investigated. While there was an urgency to finish the roadway repairs as quickly as possible, there was also a need to reduce future risks from flooding and landslides. Strong leadership, coordination, communications, and resource sharing helped improve pre-existing traffic, congestion, parking, and accessibility concerns for residents and tourists. There are important lessons learned concerning the need for timely, accurate data and information. Mitigation and adaptation projects that go beyond simply replacing and repairing assets before the storm are also analyzed. Opportunities to utilize greener, nature-based, and context-sensitive design, engineering, and planning solutions to mitigate and adapt highways to climate-induced extreme events remain challenging even in a community known for scenic beauty, pristine natural areas, and rich cultural heritage. While the community-led efforts to implement improvements to the State park at the end of the road were exemplary, there are still ongoing challenges of increased climate threats and inflexible, limited systems for funding—not just in disaster recovery but also investments in community resilience.

Fabaceae Lindl. in a Conservation Unit in the Semi-Arid Region of Paraíba, Brazil

The present study consists of a synopsis of Fabaceae in the Pico do Jabre State Park, Paraíba state, northeastern Brazil. 36 species were recorded, subordinate to 24 genera and three subfamilies (Caesalpinioideae, Cercidoideae and Papilionoideae). The genera with the largest number of species were: Senna (six spp.); Mimosa and Chamaecrista (four spp. each) and Centrosema (two spp.). The other genera were represented by one species each. The treatment includes an identification key, information on geographic distribution, flowering and/or fruiting data and images for the species in the area.

Solar PV project appraisal and carbon avoidance at a conservation park

Managing conservation parks requires integrating sustainability with ecotourism in order to maintain a sustainable environment. With the growing number of visitors, electricity infrastructures in parks must be in pace with rising energy consumption. In addition, conservation parks in remote areas are not connected to the electric grid and are dependent on fossil fuel generators to generate electricity with environmental implications. Assessing baseline assets and improving energy management are needed to reduce carbon emissions and energy-related costs where transportation of fuel is costly and challenging due to geographic constraints. This study aims to assess the carbon footprint and operational cost resulting from fuel usage in camps of Royal Belum forest park. Further, a Solar PV project appraisal was conducted for all four camps administered by the Perak State Park Corporation. It was understood that the Solar PV system should be highly considered a replacement for the current fossil-fuel-based system. This project would not just avoid a total emission of 4000 tCO2 over its 21 years project lifetime but would substantially save the costs associated with the usage of diesel/petrol generators. The study would enable the administrator or operator to make informed decisions regarding carbon avoidance and energy cost reductions in the context of a conservation park.

Longevity and oviposition of winter-emerging Chironomidae (Insecta: Diptera) at varying low temperatures

Chironomidae (Diptera) are among the few insects with representatives that emerge during temperate winters; past work shows winter-emerging species are long-lived. We extend previous studies, examining the influence that varying air temperatures have on longevity and oviposition rates, and whether oviposition status impacts longevity. Adult chironomids (n = 339) were collected during winter of 2020 near a spring-fed stream in Camden State Park (Minnesota, USA). Insects were separated into 2 °C, 6 °C, and ambient outdoor (AO) temperature treatment groups to determine differential longevity and oviposition rates. Behaviours were monitored daily until death. The 2 °C group lived significantly longer than both 6 °C and AO groups, with mean longevities of 19.8, 14.9, and 13.9 days, respectively. Additionally, females held at 6 °C appear to have higher oviposition rates compared to 2 °C and AO groups. Results suggest low temperatures may delay or inhibit oviposition, suggesting a potential tradeoff of oviposition rate in favour of longevity.