Download Olympic Research Summary 2010

OLYM Research Summaries 2010
(9/2/2010 update)
This document presents summaries of all current NPS-permitted research projects sorted by the
Principal Investigator’s name. All researchers doing studies in the park are required to apply for a
permit through the NPS Research Permits and Reporting System (RPRS), a national database
coordinated from Fort Collins, CO. They are required to summarize their findings at the end of the
year in an “Investigator’s Annual Report.” Investigator’s reports from previous years may be found
on the Sharepoint website. Information on how to apply for a permit may be found at the RPRS
website (http://science.nature.nps.gov/research).
This summary reports the 68 current permits as of today’s date. Several are currently under review
and additional applications are received weekly. All permits expire at the end of the calendar year.
After submitting their Investigator’s Annual Report researchers may ask for a renewal for another
year. Renewals are generally granted so long as no problems have been encountered by resource
staff, rangers, or the public. Each researcher is required to have a current permit in their possession
that they should be able to produce upon request.
These summaries are very brief. More information on any of them may be had from Jerry Freilich
at 360-565-3082. Also, do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns about
any researcher or research project.
Dr. Mike Adams, USGS/BRD, Corvallis Amphibians
This year, continuing with past studies, Dr. Mike Adams will be monitoring the survival patterns
and movements of Cascades frogs (Rana cascadae) near Clear Lake in the Seven Lakes Basin.
Mike’s studies involve quick assessments of large areas combined with in-depth studies of other
areas. The Seven Lakes Basin is one of Mike’s detailed or “Apex” sites. This project began in
2001. Park liaison is Sam Brenkman.
Dr. James Aldrich Peninsula College Structural Geology and Tectonism of Hurricane
Ridge
Dr. Aldrich is a retired USGS geologist who has been teaching at Peninsula College and studying
geology of the Olympic Mountains along with his classes. In this project, he will be studying the
rocks, structure, and tectonic features along the Hurricane Ridge Rd. He will take pictures, describe
and measure the surface geology and write about his findings. He will not be collecting specimens
nor making any surface disturbance. Park liaison is Bill Baccus.
Heidi Andersen US Forest Service Aquatic Health Monitoring
This permit is for monitoring aquatic ecosystem health as part of the Aquatic and Riparian
Effectiveness Monitoring Program (AREMP). This program was established as part of the
Northwest Forest Plan to monitor the health of ecoystems within the range of the Northern Spotted
Owl. Looking at sites in WA, OR, and CA, the AREMP teams will be visiting 250 watersheds
taking samples of aquatic insects and surveying for amphibians. Park liaison is Jerry Freilich.
Royce Anderson University of Washington Water uptake in tree canopies
It is known that rainforest trees send out tiny roots from branches high in the canopy. These aerial
roots are important to the ecology of the trees but water uptake via canopy roots has not yet been
measured. Mats of organic material growing on canopy branches comprise a complex ecosystem
which includes fungi, moss, and soil created in the treetops. Royce Anderson, whose masters thesis
dealt with canopy arthropods will now continue to work on these rainforest trees measuring the
water uptake by aerial roots and the moss mats in which they’re embedded. At least four important
tree species (Sitka spruce, bigleaf and vine maple, and red alder) are known to sprout aerial roots
into canopy soil mats. Exchange of water and nutrients through these roots is likely an important
component of tree growth but its effects are largely unknown. In this study, water transport and
chemistry will be investigated in a series of plots in the Queets River floodplain that that have been
studied by Dr. Bob Naiman and his graduate students for more than 10 years. Park liaison is Steve
Acker.
Dan Ayres, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Razor Clams
Dan Ayres will once again be conducting his annual assessment of the total number of razor clams
on the intertidal portions of the beach between South Beach Campground and Browns Point
(Kalaloch area). His calculations will include mean density and average size and the results will be
used in management decisions concerning harvest limits. Dan uses an electric pump powered by a
gas generator to flush out the razor clams. Park liaison is Steve Fradkin.
Amy Bartow USDA/NRCS Corvallis Plant Materials Center Elwha River Veg Restoration
Amy will be working together with NPS personnel from Steve Acker’s vegetation group looking at
propagating and growing native plants that will be useful in the Elwha restoration. Under terms of
an inter-agency agreement, Amy’s group will collect and rear from seed 100,000 plants from a list
of species. Park liaison is Steve Acker.
Dr. Michael Behrens Pacific Luthern University Sea Urchin Disease
As the world’s climate and oceans warm many organisms show changes that appear linked to
temperature. Diseases in marine systems are known to be increasing and are also recognized as
important drivers of community change. Sea urchin disease of unknown cause has been
documented from Baja California to Central California and recently in Washington. In southern
areas, the disease prevelance appears to be related to water temperature. Dr. Behrens hypothesizes
that urchin disease on the Olympic Peninsula may show temperature-driven geographical patterns.
The study will examine urchins at three places along the Olympic coast (Point of the Arches,
Chilean Memorial, and Taylor Point). The researchers will randomly examine 100-200 purple sea
urchins at each location looking for red-spot and black-ring disease as described in a recent paper
by Lester et al. (2007). They will simultaneously record and document urchin abundance along
their transect lines and will correlate their findings with information from data loggers belonging to
NPS as part of the park’s tidepool monitoring program. Park liaision is Steve Fradkin.
Adam Bettcher University of Florida Soundscapes
Adam Bettcher is a graduate student at the University of Florida interested in the methodology used
for measuring ambient noise. In this project he will install several sound measuring instruments and
record noise levels for 2-3 week periods. He will do this in developed areas near visitor centers as
well as in backcountry areas. He is using a method of community noise planning that includes
elements of soundscape analysis to produce “sound maps” containing information on the
composition of the sounds being measured. The Park Service is concurrently running a sound
monitoring system right now supervised by Ruth Scott. Ruth will also be liaison to Adam
Bettcher’s work with hope that the projects will complement one another.
Dr. Rob Cannings Royal BC Museum Robber Flies
Taxonomy is the study of species to understand their evolutionary relationships. Knowing which
species occur and how they differ from their close relatives is absolutely vital to ecological work
where species abundances, disappearances, or changes are studied. Dr. Cannings has been working
on the robber flies (family Asilidae) for many years. This permit will permit him to study the
robber flies in some western areas of the park including the Hoh, Quinault, and Queets drainages.
In particular, Cannings has studied members of the genus Lasiopogon and is trying to find more
specimens of a species that has not been collected for 40 years in rivers emptying into the Strait of
Juan de Fuca. Robber flies are fast, predatory “raptors” of the insect world. They can attack and kill
other flying insects including bees twice their size. Catching them is done with a net and a quick
hand. Dr. Cannings will collect just a few specimens of robber flies for study in the lab because
species cannot be determined in the field. Park liaison is Jerry Freilich.
Ed Chadd Clallam County Streamkeepers Stream Water Quality Assessment
Ed Chadd is leader of the Clallam County Streamkeepers, a nationally coordinated citizen volunteer
group that keeps an eye on water quality. Using volunteer groups of carefully trained citizens,
Streamkeepers tracks water quality through chemical and biological monitoring. This permit will
allow Streamkeepers to continue their existing monitoring of Peabody Creek, Ennis Creek, Siebert
Creek, (and possibly other sites) up to higher elevations and in the park. This will allow them to
gather a complete range of data from the streams’ pristine beginnings to the more heavily
developed areas where they enter the sea. Park liaison is Pat Crain.
Dr. Howard Conway University of Washington Glaciers/Climate
This study continues since at least the year 2000, monitoring of Blue Glacier by means of an
automated camera. Dr. Conway is interested in the correlation between weather patterns and the
observable features of glaciers including snowline elevation, mass balance, and the equilibrium line
position at the end of the summer. In other words, is the glacier advancing or retreating? The Blue
Glacier study was started in the mid 1950’s and has continued in various forms since then. Dr.
Conway collects film from an automatically triggered camera at Goat Peak. Park liaison is Bill
Baccus.
Zachary Corum Army Corps of Engineers Dickey & Quileute River Hyrdrology
As part of an effort to maintain harbor access and to guide dredging operations in the mouth of the
Quileute River, Zach Corum from the US Army Corps of Engineers will be performing
hydrological surveys looking at flow, water depth, and other parameters. They will create a 2dimensional hydrodynamic model of the Quileute and Dickey Rivers and the La Push Marina
primarily focused on evaluating sea dike repairs. The work will be done with depth sensors
operated from a small boat and through placement of stream bank ‘pressure transducers’ to measure
the height of the water. Park liaison is Pat Crain.
Dr. David Cowles Walla Walla University Sea anemones
Two species of sea anemone (Anthopleura sola and A. elegantissima) are found along the Pacific
coast. Although older literature often confounded the two species, there are diagnostic features that
make them relatively easy to distinguish throughout most of their range. However, in areas where
the two species overlap, the features are not nearly as distinct. Large individuals may have
indistinct but definite oral disk stripes and pinkish-gray tentacle tips, features intermediate between
the two species. Furthermore, anemones which appear like A. elegantissima may be larger than
usual and avoid close contact with neighbors, again, features intermediate between the two species.
This suggests that the northern California region is a region of introgression for these species, or a
center of radiation. Dr. Cowles and his graduate students will take photographs, measurements, and
very small tissue clips from a small number of anemones to try to elucidate the true relationship
among these species. The goal is reliably separate these two species and to learn whether the
species are distinct at all location or whether hybridization is occurring at some sites. Park liaison is
Steve Fradkin.
Dr. David Cowles Walla Walla University Lake Crescent Periphyton
Ultra oligotrophic lakes like Lake Crescent are particularly valued for their scenic beauty. Lake
Crescent is recognized as one of the clearest lakes in Washington with a clarity comparable to or
exceeding that of Lake Tahoe. A number of human habitations around the lake benefit from its
scenic beauty but at the same time could potentially be sources of degradation of that water clarity
which is the source of much of its attraction. Nutrient seepage from septic systems is known to be a
source of eutrophication in lakes. Most of the developed properties around Lake Crescent use septic
systems for their sewage treatment. Recently, spots of algal blooms in the periphyton have been
noted in the lake. In this study, Dr. Cowles and his graduate student, Simeon Redberg, will study
algal growth in five pairs of matched sites, some with and others without nearby human habitation.
The study will measure the shoreline slope and substrate type, as well as the size and species of
shoreline trees in order to separate these influences from the impact of septic systems. Liaison is
Steve Fradkin.
Dr. Amy Draut US Geological Survey Elwha River Sediment and Channel Morphology
Dr. Amy Draut is with USGS's Pacific Science Center in Santa Cruz, CA. She is working with a
team monitoring sediment in the Elwha watershed as part of preparation for removal of the dams.
Her work with sedimentologists and oceanographers since 2003 has focused offshore on the mouth
of the Elwha in an effort to track ocean currents and associated movement of sediment and its
impact on marine systems. This permit is to study river sediments upstream. Dr. Draut will
establish several temporary transects, to be measured twice yearly. Each survey will last 2 days
during which channel topography will be surveyed at 10 cross sections using standard surveying
equipment including a total station and stadia rod. They will monitor sediment grain size and will
collect small quantities of sediment for grain size measurement. Park liaison is Bill Baccus.
David Drummond Wildlife Conservation Trust Merlins
David Drummond is a leading expert on America’s mid-sized falcon, the merlin. This year, as in
previous years, David will be visiting known nest sites of merlins assessing reproductive success.
He collects any feathers he finds around nest sites for use in DNA analysis. Merlin nest sites are
considered very sensitive as the birds are neither common nor doing very well. David also collates
all information on nesting merlins for Puget Sound and anyone with knowledge about them is
urged to contact him. Park liaison is Patti Happe.
Dr. Jason Dunham USGS/FRESC Elwha Brook Trout versus Bull Trout
This project, led by Jason Dunham from USGS in Corvallis, is a joint research effort with Sam
Brenkman and Olympic National Park. Together, the two groups will study abundance and
distribution of non-native Brook Trout in the Elwha River to identify places where the non-natives
will overlap spawning areas for salmon when the Elwha dams are removed. Snorkel surveys will
identify Brook Trout locations followed by a mapping effort to identify habitat likely to be used by
the newly-restored salmon. The project also involves determining levels of genetic hybridization
using fin clips of Brook Trout testing to see if they are hybridized with native Bull Trout. Finally, a
series of temperature loggers will be placed in the Elwha and its tributaries to help in characterizing
the pre-dam removal thermal regime. Park liaison is Sam Brenkman.
Sarah Emel Washington State University Torrent Salamander genetics
Climate change has had and will continue to have strong effects on the distribution of living things
across the landscape. Increasingly, we are becoming aware of species’ sensitivity and their ability
to survive as conditions change. Simultaneously , we are learning about the genetics of species and
how speciation occurs across the landscape. Sarah Emel’s study will look at the factors that
separate two very closely related salamander species, the Olympic Torrent Salamander
(Rhyacotriton olympicus) and its close relative the Southern Torrent Salamander (R. variegatus).
Sarah hopes to identify the landscape factors that are barriers to gene flow within each species,
possibly identifying aspects of R. variegatus that make it a better disperser than R. olympicus. To
do this, she will hike to many diverse locations in the park collecting tiny tissue samples (tail clips)
from a diverse number of locations. The Olympic salamanders will be compared with similar
collections made from the other species outside of the park in OR and California. Park liaison is Pat
Crain.
Rob Fitch Wenatchee Valley College, Walla Walla University Marine Station Marine Algae
In a continuing study running for many years, Rob Fitch will once again inventory marine algae
(seaweed) at various beach locations along the Olympic coast. Each year Rob has provided the park
with a detailed species list which is now well over 100 species. Park liaison is Steve Fradkin.
Dr. Richard Fonda Western Washington University Fire Effects
Working closely with NPS staff, Rich Fonda will be measuring salal and other plants in the Morse
Creek drainage. Rich writes that Douglas Fir forests in the Park are characterized by a mixed fire
regime of frequent low acreage low/moderate intensity fires interspersed with occasional high
acreage, high intensity fires. The current project is intended to determine if 300 year old Douglasfir/salal forests in the Maiden Creek drainage adjacent to the Deer Park Rd are capable of
supporting low intensity fires. These plots were originally studied in 2000 but the proposed burn
was delayed while the Park prepared its Fire Management Plan. Now that the Plan is complete,
burning was completed in Fall 2007. Plots in the burned area will be measured in 2008 and
2009.Two new plots were selected in 2008 and burned in 2009. Post-burn measurements continue
in 2010. Park liaisons are Steve Acker and Todd Rankin.
James Freund University of Washington Douglas Fir Forest Structure
Working together with University of Washington’s Dr. Jerry Franklin, James Freund will be
studying the development of Douglas Fir forests to see how old-growth forest develops. Oldgrowth forests are important for many reasons, including their ability to provide optimal habitat and
conditions for many other plants and animals. However, forests only gradually develop their
distinctive old-growth structural features and this development occurs over several centuries. Most
structural characterization of Douglas-fir have been done in forests from 400-650 years old. This
study, in contrast, will look at younger forests and will try to model the pathways that lead 200 year
old trees into their old growth maturity. James will measure trees and their understory and will take
a few tree cores to age the trees. Park liaison is Steve Acker.
Jack Ganzhorn Peninsula College Brook Trout
Removal of the Elwha River Dams will result in the return of native salmon to waters from which
they’ve been excluded for nearly a century. In anticipation of this change to the ecosystem,
Peninsula College has built an artificial stream channel in which to study interactions among
salmonid fish of various species that will once again interact when the dams are removed. An
important interaction will be between the non-native brook trout and the native bull trout, rainbow
trout, and other salmonid species. A small tributary of the Elwha is an ideal location to capture nonnative brook trout because the brook trout are abundant and few other fish species are present. This
is a joint project in collaboration with the National Park Service. Brook trout collected near the
Elwha campground tributary will be used for behavioral studies of fish interactions. Park liaison is
Pat Crain.
Jeremy Gilman Makah Tribe Hydrology of Lake Ozette and its Sources
Jeremy Gilman will monitor lake level change on Lake Ozette and the late outlet at the Ozette
River. Lake level information will be combined with stream discharge and weather data to develop
a better understanding of lake hydrology. The study involves the monitoring of two pressure
transducers on the south shore of Tivoli Island and a gauge near the Ozette Ranger residence. THis
work began in 2002. Park liaison is Bill Baccus.
Dr. Suzanne Griffin (Olympic NP) Olympic Marmots
Continuing for the tenth year, Sue Griffin is working on behavior, status, and ecology of the
endemic Olympic Marmot. Goals of her continuing research are: to determine the local severity and
causes of marmot decline on Hurricane Ridge; to determine if marmot populations are declining
parkwide; to determine the genetic structure of marmot populations; and to develop a computer
model to simulate flow of genes within metapopulations. Sue’s work has many inter-related
aspects. This year, which may be the last for this project, Sue will be tracking marmots with radio
transmitters that were surgically implanted in 2006, in this way getting as much data from them as
possible. The work will also include searching for predator droppings (scat) to learn which
predators are preying on marmots. Park liaison is Patti Happe.
Dr. Wayne Hamilton, National Park Service (retired) Seismic Event History from Tree Rings
Wayne Hamilton, a career NPS scientist now retired, has been studying the association of tree rings
with global weather events. He has worked on tree rings derived from wind-thrown trees for the
past several years. This is a new permit and a new project using the same materials and methods
but looking at tree ring evidence for giant impacts caused by the 1700 Cascadia Earthquake and
resulting tsunamis or seismic disturbances. The giant 1700 earthquake may have whipped tall trees
violently enough to fracture their trunks. Dr. Hamilton uses “cookies” from downed trees at Heart
of the Hills and the Quinault area examined under the microscope to correlate ring patterns found in
multiple trees that all fall within the same period of historical years. Park liaison is Steve Acker.
Casey Hanell WA Dept of Natural Resources
Groundwater Condition
The WA Dept of Natural Resources restricts timber harvest on State Lands prone to various types
of landsliding. State Forest Practices Regulations require that timber harvest be carried out in ways
that mitigate the potential delivery of sediment to streams. Providing scientifically based mitigation
requires understanding of the surface and subsurface hydrological processes of slide-prone slopes.
Deep-seated landslides are common in the rain-dominated watersheds of the western Olympic
Peninsula. Using groundwater monitoring devices (piezometers) and rain gauges, this project will
monitor pre- and post- harvest groundwater conditions of planar slopes in deeply weathered marine
sandstones in the Kalaloch area. These sediments are typical of those underlying many parts of
western Washington. This project started in 2006. Park liaison is Bill Baccus.
Camila Tejo Haristoy University of Washington Tree Canopy Soil and Litterfall
Several generations of graduate students have studied the ecology of old growth forest in the
Queets River drainage. The growth of these trees, their nutrient requirements, their fate in life and
death, and their enormous loading with soil and epiphytes have all been studied in the Queets.
Camila Haristoy continues in this line of inter-locking and synergistic projects. Purpose of her
study is to quantify water holding capacity and temperature patterns of canopy soils, litterfall
biomass, and composition of the many epiphytic species growing in these trees. Each old growth
tree contains large amounts of soil and harbors enormous weight of epiphytic plants (plants
growing on the trees themselves) in its canopy. The dynamics of the canopy soil and its
microclimate affects the movement of nitrogen from the canopy to the forest floor and gives us
understanding of the role of the tree canopy on the overall functioning of the forest ecosystem.
Camila will climb trees previously rigged by Dr. Robert Naiman and Dr. Bob Van Pelt and studied
by a number of previous researchers. She will take samples from the canopies and also collect
leaves and other materials falling to the ground below these trees. Park liaison is Steve Acker.
Jessica Hellwig University of Illinois Glacial History of Olympic
Spatial variation in precipitation on the two sides of the Olympic Peninsula led to asummetry that
affects our present glaciers in the park. Glacial advances and retreats on the western side of the
Olympic range are well known from detailed radiocarbon, lichenometric, and dendrochronologic
dates. In contrast the timing of events on the eastern side of the range is poorly known This project
aims to determine the timing of glacial recession in the eastern Olympics using a combination of
radiocarbon dating, and lichenometric dating of moraines. Jessica Hellwig, a graduate student at the
University of Illinois will take lichen samples and soil or other organic materials from edges of
glacial moraines. Park liaison is Bill Baccus.
Gay Hunter Olympic NP Native Bees of OLYM
Many native bee species are declining throughout their range in the West. This is documented by
historical collections made in localities where species are no longer present. Olympic National Park
has little historical information on native bee distributions. To support on-going research by native
bee scientists as well as to provide baseline data for the park, this study will survey native bee
species in a variety of locations and habitats throughout the park. Gay Hunter, OLYM’s museum
curator will be assisted in this endeavor by Dr. Don Rolfs, a committed bee biologist and
photographer extraordinaire. The end result is hoped to be a publication illustrating and
documenting known species of bees from the park. Park liaison is Jerry Freilich.
Karen Hutten University of Washington Climate Change and Beetles
This project to investigate distribution of several forest insect pests is part of Karen Hutten’s Ph.D.
work at the University of Washington. Disturbance events like windstorms, snowstorms, fire,
avalanches, and insect pests all shape forest ecosystems. Global climate change is an issue of
national concern because of its effects on biological systems. As human-induced changes begin to
influence the living world, the Pacific Northwest is predicted to have higher temperatures, higher
winter precip, summer drought, and more extreme weather events. And as these factors change the
forest, subtle changes to succession, species composition, stand-age distribution, biomass, and loss
of timber may result. This study seeks to correlate landforms and natural disturbance events to the
distribution patterns of the Balsam wooly adelgid, Adelges piceae, and bark beetles. Karen will be
looking at areas with dead trees, identifying species infesting them, and their distributions mapped.
Karen will describe and explain historic landscape disturbance due to windthrow, fire, and insect
pests using aerial photography, satellite imagery, and ground truthing. Park liaisons are Steve
Acker and Jerry Freilich.
Dr. Michael Jackson Unavco/Plate Boundary Observatory Tectonic movements
As part of a large national project, the Plate Boundary Observatory has established a network of
very sensitive instruments capable of measuring tiny movements of the earth’s crust on the scale of
millimeters. This permit combines the work of three previous permits, all of which were for
installation and startup of various parts of what are now all one project under the Plate Boundary
Observatory and coordinated by UNAVACO, a corporation established to run this program. The
three parts are: a GPS on Mt. Olympus, a borehole strainmeter and attached GPS receiver at
Quinault, and a GPS on Hurricane Ridge. This trio of GPS instruments transmit information about
earth crust movement to a central coordination site in Boulder, CO. The strainmeter records the
direction of bedrock deformation hundreds of feet below Bishop Field in the Quinault area. This
network has been instrumental in detection of deep or “silent” earthquakes and is considered vital
to our knowledge of seismic hazards and earthquake prediction. Park liaison is Bill Baccus.
Steven Jeffries (Ron Jameson) Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Sea Otters
This permit covers a group effort by several agencies and many volunteers to determine population
status and distribution of sea otters on the Washington coast. The study has been on-going for
several years and takes place on a single week in July. Each year the count is made using observers
from WDFW, the Marine Sanctuary, Seattle Aquarium, NOAA, and others. Park liaison is Patti
Happe.
Dr. Dave Kavanaugh California Academy of Sciences Ground Beetles
Dave Kavanaugh is a world’s authority on the taxonomy of the ground beetles (Carabids). This
family includes the large, familiar, somewhat elongate, shiny black beetles we often see scurrying
across the forest floor in Olympic National Park. The Carabids are a large and diverse family with
hundreds of species. One particular group is the genus Nebria whose members are cool or coldadapted and live along the margins of mountain streams, snowfields, and glaciers. Many of these
species are very local with some restricted to single mountains or mountain ranges or even single
drainage systems. Where several species occur in the same drainage system, they each occupy
unique altitudinal ranges forming a complex, partially overlapping zonation pattern. These patterns
are extremely sensitive to climate change and potentially could be of great use in recording and
monitoring climate change in montane ecosystems. Purpose of this study is to determine
genealogical (phylogenetic) relationships among the Nebria species as a prerequisite to
reconstructing their evolutionary, biogeographic, and ecological histories. Park liaison is Jerry
Freilich.
Maria Kavanaugh Oregon State University Biophysical Coastal Provinces
Remote sensing is particularly important to monitoring the large changes that natural ecosystems
are now experiencing. In marine systems, satellite images have been used to complement
investigations in ecology of the open ocean including issues regarding productivity and community
structure shifts. This project, a Ph.D. project for Maria Kavanaugh will focus on the use of remote
sensing for detecting areas with differing amounts of primary productivity, that is, areas with more
or less active growth of marine algae. Due to the extreme complex physical environment of marine
systems the technical difficulties of discerning biological communities is challenging. This project
will study the effect of spatial scale, season, and spectral resolution on the boundaries of these
“biophysical provinces” and will seek to learn whether satellite-derived boundaries capture the
actual ecological variability of the Olympic coastline. Park liaisons are Steve Fradkin and Roger
Hoffman.
Andrew Larson University of Idaho Hot Springs Management
Hot springs are unusual features in the landscape. They attract the attention of both wildlife and
humans. For wildlife they are a source of water and prey even in the depths of winter. For humans
they can be an attractive place to bathe. Because of these attractions, hot springs can be heavily
impacted by human activities. Andrew Larson will be studying Olympic Hot Springs to record and
quantify human impacts including social trails, damage to trees and other veg, and unconcealed
human waste. The goal of the study is to protect hot springs and to recommend best resource
management practices . Park liaison is Ruth Scott.
Dr. Jeremy Littell University of Washington Climate Change and Tree-Rings
The purpose of this study is to correlate the record contained in Northwest US tree rings with
known patterns in recorded weather. The project will use tree rings collected between 1965 and
1995 at locations at several locations including Olympic, Mount Rainier, and other non-park
locations. The trick in using tree rings from diverse locations is to correlate known weather patterns
with the record preserved by the rings. Using multiple locations can be useful in reconstructing the
relationships between tree growth and climate over the recent decades of warmer years particularly
because some trees may be experiencing increased sensitivity to water limitation. NPS liaison is
Bill Baccus.
Dr. John McLaughlin Western Washington University Birds in the Elwha
In 2008, Dr. John McLaughlin took over a bird study begun in 2005 by Carly Gelarden, his former
student. Her study of birds in the Elwha corridor was intended to provide baseline information on
bird populations, especially in the riparian corridor prior to the dams’ scheduled removal in the near
future. Using circular, distance sampling point counts (the same method used in the Park’s
parkwide Landbird Monitoring Program), Carly quantified breeding birds and correlated the bird
numbers with habitat variables based on canopy cover, understory coverage, tree size and species,
and amount of coarse woody debris. John will be continuing this work on his own into the future
with the hope that other graduate students will take an interest in the project. Park liaison is Patti
Happe.
Callie Meredith WA Dept of Ecology Mercury in the Lake Ozette Drainage
Previous WA Dept of Ecology studies have shown unusually high concentrations of mercury in
samples taken from Lake Ozette. The present study is a single-year effort during 2009-2010 to
learn more about the sources of this mercury and to characterize the exact sorts of total mercury
and methyl mercury in the lake and an adjacent drainage. This study will use simple water samples
taken by hand-dipping a bottle. Total suspended solids, Total Organic Carbon, and Dissolved
Organic Carbon samples will be taken at the same time. Data will be posted on DOE’s website in a
continuing effort to learn about this toxic pollutant in our environment. Park liaison is Pat Crain.
Glenn Merritt WA Dept of Ecology Salmon Recovery
The goal of the Watershed Health and Salmon Recovery (WHSR) project is to provide statistically
valid and consistent estimates of the status and trends in physical, chemical, and biological
conditions in Washingtons rivers and streams. The program was designed to be used for monitoring
rivers and streams at multiple scales (e.g., statewide and regionally). The monitoring effort is
mostly among a set of probabalistically chosen “Master Sample” sites selected by the US EPA. In
addition to the rotating “Master Samples” a set of 16 hand-selected “Sentinel Sites” will be
sampled every year to identify inter-year trends such as those influenced by weather or climate
change. The teams stream characteristics, perform chemical analysis of water samples, and collect
stream invertebrates. They will also identify amphibians and use electroshocking to collect and
identify fish in each reach.
Justin Minder Olympic Precipitation Study University of Washington
Purpose of this study is to document the spatial pattern of precipitation in the Queets and Quinault
valleys and on the ridge separating them. A numerical weather prediction model suggests that this
ridge receives 2-3 times the precipitation of either valley. This study will evaluate the effects of
microtopography on the amount of rainfall reaching the ground. The researchers have a rain gauge
and take small scale measurements on the ground. Park liaison is Bill Baccus.
Brooks Miner University of Washington Daphnia in Mountain Lakes
Brooks Miner is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Biology at the University of Washington. His
dissertation focuses on the evolutionary variation seen in populations of Daphnia (water fleas)
subjected to differing levels of organic matter, UV light, and fish predation. He will be following
up work done in past years by Dr. Wendy Palen, using her extensive dataset from the Seven Lakes
Basin to enhance his own data collection. His work will require collecting small numbers of
Daphnia using a hand net which he will then take back to the University lab for study and culturing.
Park liaison is Steve Fradkin.
Dr. David Montgomery University of Washington Large woody debris in rivers
Dr. David Montgomery is a scientist whose research spans the fields of geology and biology. In this
project, Dr. Montgomery and his graduate student Vivian Leung will be studying the role of large
woody debris (that is, dead trees) in the structure and evolution of Olympic park rivers. Trees
falling into streams have long been known to be critical drivers determining the quality of fish
spawning habitat. It is also known that woody debris increases hydraulic and topographic
complexity with the end result that there are more hiding places for spawning and for young fish.
The majority of large pools in forest rivers are also found in conjunction with downed trees and
these pools are essential feeding and spawning habitat. This study will examine several different
rivers examining the types, sizes, and configurations of trees in the water. Experiments suggest that
the amount of scour and sediment deposition are primarily related to the presence of roots and the
obstructional area of the woody debris. So this study will focus strongly on how local sediment
scour and deposition are related to “obstructional area” of the wood. Park liaison is Pat Crain.
Dr. John Moulton University of Tennessee Dixid Flies
Dr. Moulton is a taxonomist at the University of Tennessee working on the systematics of Dixid
flies. These are tiny gnats with aquatic larvae that most people would be unaware of except for their
superficial resemblance to mosquitoes. They are smaller than mosquitoes, lack scales on their
wings, and do not bite people. The larvae look like tiny (not quite microscopic) worms in pond
water that move by twisting into a u-shape and then straightening. Dr. Moulton reports that recent
work has shown that many unknown species are apparently mixed together by the existing keys, so
a complete reorganization is required. Getting these species straight is important for studies where
the number of taxa and their compatability with particular environmental limits are critical to
understanding how freshwater ecosystems function. Park liaison is Jerry Freilich.
Dr. Nalini Nadkarni Evergreen State College Tree canopy microbes
This is a basic descriptive study of an almost completely unknown component of forest ecosystems,
the canopy microbial community. This project will use cutting edge microbial techniques to
differentiate the fungal versus bacterial content of canopy versus forest floor soils. The project will
involve climbing trees in the Queets drainage to gather soil samples from the upper branches.
Samples will be sent to Sweden where Dr. Nadkarni’s colleagues have their analysis equipment.
Project was begun in 2007. Park liaison is Steve Acker.
Brent Norberg NOAA Fisheries Marine Mammal Stranding Network
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Marine Fisheries Service operates the
marine mammal stranding network as a cooperative venture involving professionals from various
agencies and nonprofit organizations. Brent Norberg, with NOAA, is the coordinator of this
network which investigates stranding events involving dead, sick, or injured marine mammals.
Comprised principally of volunteers and cooperating agency personnel, network investigators
collect basic biological information (species, sex, length, location, and evidence of human
interaction) for inclusion in reports to Congress. In addition, samples or specimens may be
collected during investigations in response to scientific research requests or educational purposes.
Park liaison is Patti Happe.
Robert Pabst Oregon State University Maintain Forest Plots
As part of a long term study of forest plots, this permit is for maintenance assessment of the elk
exclosure on the south fork of the Hoh River. Rob Pabst took this project over from Howard Bruner
in 2009. He will inspect the exclosure, determine the condition of the fencing and any needs for
repair, and take accurate GPS readings of the plot corners. The team will also measure and record
the vegetation in and immediately outside of the elk exclosures on a time-available basis. Park
liaison is Steve Acker.
James Pacheco WA Dept of Ecology Lyre River Study
The Department of Ecology has been asked to assist the local watershed planning group (WRIA
19) in setting minimum instream flows for the Lyre River needed to protect native fish populations.
The Department has installed a stream gauge below an anadromous barrier (a natural waterfall) in
the Lyre River, which will be used to assess flows in the anadromous reach. However, minimum
instream flows must also be set for the area above the falls in order to protect resident endemic
(Crescenti) trout. The DOE desires to determine if flows in this upper reach have a predictable
relationship with flows in the lower river. If they do, the existing gauge can be used as a measure of
flow in the river. If they do not, a second gauge might be constructed near the river’s mouth at the
outlet of Lake Crescent. This study will use an existing “staff gauge” at the Lyre River outlet of
Lake Crescent to create a flow assessment. Data from this effort will be compared with the data
from an existing automated gauge near the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Park liaison is Bill Baccus.
George Pess NOAA Elwha Fish
When the two dams on the Elwha River are removed, anadromous fish will return to the river for
the first time in nearly a century. Those returning fish will contain molecules of nitrogen and other
elements obtained from the food they ate at sea. These “marine derived nutrients” have slightly
different isotopic signatures from terrestrial foods and the “marine-derived” component is a way of
measuring the importance of salmon to the forests when the fish return. Jeff Duda (USGS) did
earlier work in 2006 to document the isotopic signatures of fish in the Elwha above and below the
dams. This complementary study will continue the earlier project and will continue collection of
baseline data on “marine nutrient” signatures. This project is a joint effort between the National
Geological Survey, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Park Service. Park
liaison is Pat Crain.
Dr. Cathy Pfister University of Chicago Mussels and Ocean Chemistry
The incorporation of atmospheric carbon dioxide into the world’s oceans is resulting in lowering of
the ocean pH. Although we have little information on chemistry of the ocean in the recent past,
shelled animals can serve as reservoirs of such information and their calcium carbonate skeletons
can reveal both their relative growth rates and the chemical features of the ocean. This project will
compare mussel shells from historic native American middens with those mussels alive today on
the coast. The study will test the hypothesis that ocean chemistry has changed in a way that is not
favorable to optimum shell growth. Park liaisons are Dave Conca and Steve Fradkin.
Ivan Phillipsen Oregon State University Landscape effects on frogs
Ivan is a Ph.D. student at Oregon State University interested in the role of geology and landscape
features in separating populations from one another... and thus influencing genetics of isolated
populations. In this study he will correlate landscape features like elevation. slope, and freshwater
connectivity with the genetic differentiation among populations of the Cascades frog in wet parts of
the Northwest. He will be visiting a large number of lakes in the high country and taking tiny toe
clippings for DNA analysis from frogs in those many different lakes. He will be doing this in the
mainland Cascades range as well as here on the Olympic Peninsula. Park liaison is Pat Crain.
Dr. Theodore W. Pietsch University of Washington Elwha All Taxa Inventory
When the Elwha River dams are removed within the next few years, scientists expect to see farreaching ecological changes up and down the food chain. Although NPS performs inventory on
vascular plants and vertebrate animals, very little is known of the invertebrate animals (insects and
spiders) and non-vascular plants (mosses, lichens, liverworts, etc.) in the ecosystem. This survey,
coordinated by UW’s Ted Pietsch, will establish baseline data on those species now present in the
Elwha Valley. Pietsch will coordinate a diverse team of scientists, mostly from UW, who will
collect and identify as many of these species as possible. The work will focus on aquatic and
riparian invertebrates including those walking or flying near the river. Dr. Bill Eaton from
Peninsula College will identify soil microorganisms. Botanists Katie Glew and Judy Harpel will
work on the lichens and mosses. Rod Crawford of the Burke Museum will work on spiders. This
work is funded by a National Science Foundation grant to Dr. Pietsch. Park liaison is Jerry Freilich.
Dr. Keith Pike Washington State University Aphids
Dr. Pike is an aphid taxonomist at Washington State University, Prosser. He has collected species
of aphids at Olympic, specializing in those species living in specialized environments. This year is
the 8th consecutive year of Dr. Pike’s studies in the park. In 2008 he reported that 108 species of
aphids in 47 genera had been discovered in the park. Collectively these were documented on 107
species (31 plant families) of herbaceous plants, shrubs, and trees, and from 36 species (15
families) of mosses. Most of the species he discovered in past years are naturally occurring. He did
also document presence of the green peach aphid, Myzus persicae, a common pest of potatoes and
other various crops (but not believed to threaten any particular park species). Dr. Pike emphasizes
that prior to the beginning of these surveys that only 15-20 species of aphids were known to inhabit
the park! Park liaison is Jerry Freilich.
Dr. Peter Raimondi UC Santa Cruz Coastal Marine Ecosystems
Dr. Raimondi’s study is a long-term effort to assess changes in the biodiversity of West Coast
rocky intertidal communities. He samples 61 sites between Alaska and California of which
Olympic’s coast is only a small part. His sampling looks at patterns of change and diversity among
intertidal algae and invertebrates in order to correlate these changes with climate change and
coastal development. At each site the presence of each species is mapped in detail. A small number
(1-5) of difficult species are collected only if they are needed to confirm identifications in the lab.
Park liaison is Steve Fradkin.
Dr. Martin Raphael USDA Forest Service/Pacific Northwest Research Station Marbled
Murrelets
Continuing in 2010 for a seventh year, this ambitious study seeks to learn about the nesting ecology
of marbled murrelets. The researchers begin the process by netting these seabirds out on the open
water of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. This is done at night with dip nets from Zodiac boats using a
strong light. Once in hand, the birds are outfitted with radio transmitters. Next, the researchers use
fix-wing aircraft to look for the radio’ed birds at their nest locations high in forest trees inland.
Once nests sites are located, the researchers use sophisticated climbing gear to climb a tree adjacent
to the nest tree. The next step is to install a video camera at the adjacent tree capable of viewing
and videotaping murrelet nest activity. This is a difficult series of tasks each fraught with great
hazard. The results will provide invaluable data, unobtainable any other way, about these
endangered birds. In 2010 it is likely that no new birds will be tagged and that work will focus on
removing cameras and other equipment that remains in the park. Park liaison is Patti Happe.
Clarissa Sabella UC Davis Algae on Sea Anemones
Sea anemones found along the Pacific coast are often covered with symbiotic algae species that are
tied in complex ways with the anemones’ nutrition. For many years it was widely believed that
these symbionts were very specific to the anemone they’re associated with more. More recent study
has challenged this belief and the question is now which species of symbionts are associated with
which species of anemones. And more critically, if the symbionts have particular environmental
requirements (for instance... particular temperature preferences), then climate changes could have a
very quick and significant effect on these important inter-tidal organisms. Clarissa’s work will
sample sea anemones from several areas along the Olympic coast and will examine environmental
conditions in those areas. These results will be added to her additional samples along the California
coast. Her goal is to determine relatedness of both the anemones and their symbionts and to draw
conclusions about their environmental requirements. Park liaison is Steve Fradkin.
Kim Sager- Fradkin Elwha Tribe Dippers and Otters
Many ecological changes will occur when the Elwha River dams are removed. Among these could
well be a shifting of mammal and bird distributions in response to the new resources presented by
the returning salmon. Kim Sager- Fradkin, working with the Elwha tribe, has already done several
research projects on Elwha Valley wildlife, including a study of Elwha bears that formed her
masters thesis. The present study will look at distributions of otters and American Dippers in the
lower river. Otters are weasel-family carnivores that feed on fish and other small animals. Dippers
are small gray birds famous for bobbing as they walk on riverine rocks and for their ability to walk
under the water in fast-moving streams. The project will ultimately document changes in bird and
mammal populations in response to removal of the dams. Park liaison is Patti Happe.
Patti Sandvik WA Dept of Ecology Toxics Monitoring in the Queets River
As part of a statewide effort to monitor toxic substances in water, WA Dept of Ecology will be
deploying a passive sensor in the Queets River as a control site. This large project will be
monitoring nine of the most heavily impacted rivers in Washington for PCB’s, PBDE’s, lead, and
pesticides. To detect these materials, passive semipermeable membrane devices (SPMD’s) are
placed in the river and allowed to sit for 30 days. Toxic materials in the water are absorbed by the
membrane. After that time, the device is removed and the membrane can be analyzed in the lab.
The devices are hidden near the river’s edge twice yearly and are removed after the 30 day periods
in spring and fall. DOE hopes to continue this monitoring as long as funding is available. Needless
to say, the Queets is expected to be relatively pristine and will serve as a “control” site compared to
the other heavily impacted rivers. Park liaison is Bill Baccus.
Christopher Sergeant Tacoma Power Skokomish Fish
Tacoma Power and Light received a new permit to operate the Cushman Dams (on the North Fork
Skokomish River) in 2009 valid for 50 years. As part of the opeating license, the utility is obligated
to monitor fish populations in the river because the new permit includes the requirement for fish
passage. All species of naturally returning salmon will be trapped below the hydroelectric projects
and trucked to Lake Cushman. Additionally, out-migrating juveniles will be captured and
transported safely downstream of the projects. Monitoring will establish baseline conditions prior
to the resumption of anadromous fish access. This permit allows researchers to count fish using
snorkel surveys in the river above Lake Cushman. It also allows them to conduct surveys to
describe existing habitat conditions. Park liaison is Pat Crain.
Dr. Patrick Shafroth USGS/BRD Ft. Collins Elwha Riparian Ecology
This is the eighth year of study for this project looking at baseline monitoring of flood plain
vegetation and geomorphology. When the Elwha River dams are removed as now proposed for
2011, significant changes will occur in the floodplain. The areas now forming reservoirs will return
to being stream channels. This project is intended to develop and establish a monitoring program
that will allow rigorous evaluation of the effects of dam removal on floodplain vegetation. It will
also document the baseline conditions of riparian veg along the Elwha R. and along reference
reaches of the Elwha, Quinault, and Dungeness Rivers for comparison. The chief part of this
project is the repeated sampling of vegetation along transects that cross the Elwha Valley at
intervals from below the dams to above them. Park liaison is Steve Acker.
Dr. William Sidle US EPA Paleotemperatures from springs and seeps
Noble gas concentration in groundwater can be used as a proxy for past air temperatures of
recharge within Olympic watersheds. Age dating of that groundwater can bracket the time period
for these paleotemperatures. Analytical advances in both seep detection and noble gas analytical
chemistry now permit a large number of measurements to be made in most watersheds. In other
words, using isotope ratios it is possible to reconstruct the temperature of water when it was first
entrapped in the ground years or even centuries ago. Dr. Sidle’s group with EPA has been sampling
numerous watersheds around the Olympic Peninsula in order to model climate change over the
whole area and to forecast decadal shifts of recharge patterns. The group sampled outside of the
park in 2007 and will be sampling within park boundaries beginning in 2008. Park liaison is Bill
Baccus.
Dr. Sidle passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on Saturday March 13, 2010. There is no one in
his lab able to take charge of the research. Bill Commins cancelled this permit from WASO so
RPRS considers the permit cancelled and no IAR is necessary.
William Speidel Fugro Corp. Coastal Lidar Mapping
Bill Speidel and Fugro Corp are working as contractors for the US Army Corps of Engineers in a
gigantic project to map the entire west coast of the US from Canada to Mexico using airborne
Lidar, a form of remote sensing that measures surfaces using tiny pulses of laser light. The project
will be done in summer 2010 and requires a precise Global Positioning base station to be
established every 30-40 miles along the shoreline near the flight path of the group’s airplane. For
their sections along the Olympic coast, the Fugro group will install their equipment at Neah Bay
and LaPush through arrangements with the tribes and at Kalaloch Beach through this permit with
Olympic NP. The equipment needs AC power, it runs while the plane is flying overhead, after
which the crews remove the equipment and head south towards Mexico. Thanks to Paul Seyler and
the OLYM Maintenance Division for their assistance with placing the equipment in a secure
location. Project liaison is Bill Baccus.
Dr. Jamie Strange USDA Bee Lab, Logan, UT
Bumblebees
Purpose of this study is to document the geographic range contraction of the western bumble bee,
Bombus occidentalis, and to investigate potential causes for the species’ decline. This project is part
of a larger study sampling locations across the western US where quantified declines of this
important pollinator have already been documented. Because National Parks represent minimally
disturbed areas, they will test the hypothesis that they are serving as refugia for this once
widespread species. At the same time, the researchers will inentory bumble bee species at sample
locations where earlier studies had documented this and other Bombus species.. These data can be
used as baseline for long-term monitoring of pollinators in the parks, particularly valuable in this
time of climate-change. At the same time they will collect specimens that can be used to understand
the prevalence of pathogens in bumble bee populations and the genetic diversity of bumble bee
populations in the park. Dr. Strange is with the USDA Bee Lab in Logan, UT, one of the leading
pollinator study centers in the world. Park liaison is Jerry Freilich.
Dr. Robert Vadas WA Dept of Fish & Wildlife Fish Habitat
Continuing his study of many years, Dr. Vadas has been working in Irely Creek to assess the
habitat of fish using the river. He collects small fry with a seine net, records cutthroat trout redds,
looks at Coho carcasses, and measures many aquatic and riparian habitat variables. The main
purpose of his study is to determine the habitat variability and availability across segments of the
creek. Park liaison is Pat Crain.
Dr. Bob Van Pelt University of Washington 21 Blow
There are major differences between the forests that regenerate after a catastrophic fire versus a
major windstorm. After a major fire, survivors are likely to be the largest trees with the thickest
bark. After a major wind storm, survivors are likely to be the smallest trees in the stand. Due to this
difference, the species composition after a major wind event will include more of the shade-tolerant
tree species than after fire. Repeated wind storms will shift the entire gene pool of available seeds
towards species with higher shade tolerance. A giant hurricane in January 1921 (the “21 Blow”)
was one such storm. Since then, many of the most heavily affected areas now contain mature stands
dominated by western hemlock. Dr. Van Pelt has been studying the canopies of giant trees for years
here at Olympic. But the current study will examine a site heavily impacted by the 21 Blow and
will track the life and mortality of trees in the affected area near Rialto Beach. Park liaison is Steve
Acker.
Dr. Gary Wessen Makah Cultural and Research Center Lake Ozette and Historic Sea
Level
Archaeological studies since the early 1990’s have identified prehistoric midden sites that appear to
be associated with a sea level stand which was somewhere between 10 and as much as 30 feet
higher than present sea level. These sites are currently located on what appear to be old terraces in
the coastal forest as much as 1.2 miles from the current marine shoreline. Radiocarbon dates from
these sites indicate ages of from 5,000 to 1,500 years ago. In addition, shell midden deposition at
some of these sites ended abruptly 1,700-1,500 years ago suggesting that perhaps a seismic event
that long ago may have uplifted the landscape in this region. The inferred event would have
resulted in a lower sea level located further to the west and would have produced other further
changes to the landscape. It would explain why these sites are located where they are and could
provide many other insights into the paleoecology and cultural history of the area. This project will
study sand and soil cores from Sand Point and Lake Ozette to try to recreate historic and prehistoric
sea levels. Park liaisons are Dave Conca and Steve Fradkin.
Clayton Whitesides Texas State University Marmot Habitat
Olympic marmots are unique endemic animals found only in Olympic National Park. They create
burrows in subalpine areas high in the mountains where they shelter during the day and overwinter.
Previous work by Dr. Sue Cox-Griffin in the 1990’s and 2000’s has shown that marmots are
suffering population declines in particular areas from as yet undetermined causes. Now, added as
another factor is climate change. The marmots require open meadows for their burrows, but their
burrowing itself alters the size and vegetation of the meadows where they live. As the climate
grows warmer, will trees begin invading those meadows? And what will be the role of the marmots
on that invasion? Or the effect of these changes on the marmots? These issues are the subject of
Clayton Whitesides’ work where he will be measuring trees, sampling soils, and documenting
conditions in places where marmots are present or absent. Park liaison is Patti Happe.
Jon Williams USDA Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis Program (FIA)
This is the ninth year of the FIA at Olympic. In this very large-scale project, teams of Forest
Service researchers go to randomly located plots and measure forest parameters including stand
condition, the sizes and species of all the plants present, slope aspect and physical layout, take tree
cores, measure all the trees, look for plant diseases and so on. Each year approximately 24 sites will
be visited in the park, many in very remote or difficult places. Park liaison is Steve Acker.
Dr. Peter Wimberger University of Puget Sound
Ice worms
Dr. Peter Wimberger from the University of Puget Sound will be studying the genetic
differentiation of ice worms found on a variety of glaciers around the Northwest. These worms
offer a unique opportunity to study the effects of glaciation on ice-bound organisms. These
relatives of earthworms live solely in glacial ice which they penetrate with apparent ease, coming to
the surface to feed on algae at night. Because these animals live solely on ice and cannot survive in
thawed zones, their distribution will give a detailed picture of the historical connections and
separations of the glaciers we see in today’s landscape. Park liaison is Jerry Freilich.
Hans Christof Zeller Primitive and archaic moths
Christof Zeller is one of a fairly large number of unaffiliated entomologists working on taxonomy
of insect families that are little known to science. Zeller has been working and publishing
internationally concentrating on the primitive moths in the genus Micropterix. These are odd tiny
moths whose larvae feed on mosses and liverworts. Zeller will be coming to the park for a few days
and will try to find members of “his” group here. This may be challenging because there are
probably only a dozen or fewer species known in North America. As with many insect groups,
status, presence, and distribution of most species is all but completely unknown in the park. Park
liaison is Jerry Freilich.