Download 15 Annual Environmental Studies Student Research Symposium

th
15 Annual
Environmental Studies
Student Research Symposium
April 16, 2016
8:45AM-3:15PM
Community Room
Environmental Studies Department
Antioch University New England, Keene, NH
Symposium Director: Peter A. Palmiotto
Student Coordinator: Hana Kiewicz-Schlansker
15th Annual Environmental Studies Student Research Symposium
Antioch University New England, Keene, NH
April 16th 2016
8:55
Welcome – Hana Kiewicz-Schlansker, Student Symposium coordinator
SESSION I. Collaborative Service Initiatives, Local topics
9:00 An Evaluation of the ADK Three Seasons Program: “Let’s Go Get Dirty”
Rachel D’Angio and Lisa Maggio
9:15
Saving Energy in State-Owned Buildings
Andrew Graham, Emily Dreyer, Jake Pipp
9:30
Helping a Land Trust Better Connect with Classrooms: Creating a Student Activity
Booklet to Help Bridge the Gap
Jay DeGregorio, Rich Preyer, Caitlin Holden, and Julia Welch
9:45
The Cutting Edge of Stinky Power: The Past and Future of Electricity Generation
from Landfill Methane
Daniel Prial, Jen Lemoine, Owen Coursin
10:00 Legislative Analysis - House Bill 1101: Prohibiting Charges to New Hampshire
Residents for High Pressure Gas Pipelines.
Meghan Hoskins
10:15 – 10:45
Break
SESSION II
10:45 The role of introduced rats (Rattus rattus) as seed dispersers and predators in La
Olimpia Forest, Adjuntas, Puerto Rico
Jadhiel Torres-Caba
11:00 An assessment of movement patterns and basking habitat use for the Northern RedBellied Cooter in Massachusetts
Nikolis A. Gualco
11:15 Impacts of invasive earthworms on small burrowing mammals in New England
forests
Isis Lawson
11:30 White Pine blister rust in NH in the 21st Century - video
Janine Marr
11:50 Lunch and Poster/Table sessions
Tree species and geomorphic function of logs in streams and rivers, in the Northeast U.S.
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Developing an Ecotheology of Critical Hope
Antioch’s Outdoor Classrooms: Our Forested Properties
Bat Houses: Creating habitat and elevating awareness of the plight regional bat populations
Center for Tropical Ecology and Conservation (CTEC)
Community Garden Connections (CGC)
Monadnock Ecological Research and Education Project (MERE)
Whole Terrain: Antioch University New England’s journal of reflective environmental practice
Center for Climate Preparedness and Community Resiliency
Session III
1:00 Whale watching in Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary: Do specific whale
behaviors affect passenger behaviors?
Hillary Ballantine
1:15
Abundance and Molluscan prey preferences of invasive European green crabs
(Carcinus maenas) in East Harbor, Truro, MA
Heather Conkerton
1:30
Bat species distribution across habitat gradients throughout Massachusetts’ state
properties
Amanda Melinchuk
1:45
Riparian ecosystem services: Evaluating stream bank stability and characteristics of
vegetation along Broad Brook, Vermont
Lindsay (St. Pierre) McGinnis
2:00
Break
Session IV
2:15 Holocene vegetation and climate change on Mt. Monadnock, NH: Understanding
the past to inform the future
Hana Kiewicz-Schlansker
2:30
Farmers perception of climate change and adaptation in the northern highlands of
Rwanda
Apollinaire William
2:45
Conflict transformation: A transdisciplinary approach to intractable social conflict
impacting the endangered Grevy’s Zebra.
Lynn Kimmel
3:00
Closing- Peter Palmiotto, Co-Director of Conservation Biology
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Student Abstracts
The following abstracts represent current research being conducted by Antioch students. Some
students are finalizing results and evaluations, while others are just getting ready to start the datacollection process. The projects and theses described here demonstrate the breadth of student
impact and depth of student passion in the Antioch Environmental Studies Department.
* Presenting
^ Poster
*Hillary Ballantine: Whale watching in Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary: Do
specific whale behaviors affect passenger behaviors?
MS Adviser, Joy Ackerman
Marine wildlife tourism has been shown to create positive intentions of visitors to make
environmentally friendly behavior changes. However, these visitors rarely make actual changes
to their behaviors in the long term. General aspects of whale watches have been studied to
determine what creates positive intentions and/or behavior changes in passengers, but not
specific factors. I propose a research project to look at what specific factors of a whale watch
influence intentions and/or behavior changes in passengers. I expect to find that high numbers of
whales and whale species, calf presence, and specific whale behaviors will affect passengers’
behaviors and intentions.
Isabel Brintnall: Boating and its impact on breeding Loons on eight New Hampshire lakes
MS Adviser, Peter Palmiotto
The Common Loon (Gavia immer) is a migratory water bird that winters in salt water and breeds
in northern freshwater lakes. In New Hampshire this species is threatened. Understanding the
factors that impact the overall loon population is important in developing an effective
management plan for conservation of the species. Studies have looked at the impact of various
types of human disturbance on loon reproductive health with varying findings – some have
concluded that human disturbance negatively impacts loon reproductive behaviors and others
that it does not. During Summer 2014, I observed the behavioral responses of 9 loon pairs to
lake-based human activities on 8 New Hampshire Lakes. Boating did not significantly impact
reproductive success: at the end of the season, 10 chicks hatched and 9 survived to fledge stage.
About 11% of the time, Loon1 (the loon nesting or with chicks) experienced some stress from
boating activity with motor boats being more stressful than non-motor boats (e.g. kayaks,
canoes). Loon2 (the loon mate) experienced less stress (about 6% of all responses) from boats
with virtually no difference between motor and non-motor. Loons were more reactive to other
loons. Loon1 displayed stress responses 20% of the time to other loons and Loon2 did so 35%
of the time. While loon reproductive success was not negatively impacted by boating or other
loons in this season on these lakes, the documented stress experienced by loons raises questions
about its impact over time on a loon’s capacity for breeding, rearing chicks, and/or survival.
This in turn has implications for management strategies for the loon population, particularly as
boating activity increases on lakes in general.
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*Heather Conkerton: Abundance and Molluscan prey preferences of invasive European green
crabs (Carcinus maenas) in East Harbor, Truro, MA.
MS Adviser, Rachel Thiet
The European green crab (Carcinus maenas) is a voracious, invasive predator of mollusks that is
expanding its range throughout the Northwest Atlantic basin. Green crabs have recently
established in East Harbor (EH), a partially restored back-barrier salt marsh lagoon in Truro,
MA, USA, on Cape Cod National Seashore, where their effects on re-establishing molluscan and
halophyte communities have not been documented. In this study, we characterized the population
structure and distribution of green crabs throughout EH, and documented their prey preferences
using both gut content analyses and mesocosm feeding observations. To evaluate prey
availability, we also characterized molluscan community composition and density using benthic
coring. Green crabs were abundant throughout EH, and we observed significantly more males
than females, particularly in the largest sub-basin of EH (Main Lagoon). Male green crabs were
consistently larger than females. We documented 12 dietary groups and 569 individual prey
items in 70 crab stomachs collected from the field; crustaceans, mollusks, and vegetation were
common gut contents. In our mesocosm feeding experiments, green crabs strongly preferred
large soft shell clams (Mya arenaria), and they also chose small M. arenaria and baltic clams
(Macoma balthica) approximately equally. Crabs avoided quahogs (Mercenaria mercenaria)
regardless of their size. We documented 12 mollusk species throughout EH, with Gemma
gemma, Ilyanassa obsoleta, Macoma balthica, Mercenaria mercenaria, and Mya arenaria being
the most abundant. We detected significant positive correlations between mollusk density and
size, mollusk species richness and density, and richness and size for G. gemma, M. mercenaria,
and M. arenaria. Although mollusk species richness and density in East Harbor have fluctuated
since 2005, the mollusk community remains diverse and dense enough to provide ample food
resources for green crabs. Further, green crabs in EH supplement their diets with vegetation and
various other invertebrates. Thus, green crabs may have considerable multi-trophic effects in this
and other salt marshes where they establish, so efforts should be made to retain and augment the
overall resilience of these systems against their possible deleterious effects.
*Jay DeGregorio, Rich Preyer, Caitlin, Holden, and Julia Welch: Helping a land trust better
connect with classrooms: Creating a student activity booklet to help bridge the gap.
CSI Adviser, Susan Gentile
Research shows that students who have the opportunity to take classroom lessons and apply them
within the natural world, perform better in school, develop a better ecological understanding of
themselves and the planet, and in doing so, establish a sense of stewardship for the planet. Our
CSI group created a field-trip activity booklet for 7th and 8th grade science students and teachers
in the north-central Massachusetts region. This activity booklet combines themes of place-based
education and experiential learning to augment what is being taught in school classrooms. The
booklet was designed closely around current Massachusetts Science and
Technology/Engineering Standards (STEM) to ensure that it will remain relevant for teachers,
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administrators, and students for years to come. We worked in conjunction with the Mt. Grace
Land Conservation Trust to utilize local natural resources, habitats, and historic sites as a basis
for the formulation of our activity booklet. The Mt. Grace Land Conservation Trust wanted their
protected lands to better serve as a community resource through establishing these lands as an
extension of the classroom for local schools. The activity booklet we created aims to help bridge
the learning gap from the in-school classroom to local in-field classrooms. The activity booklet
was created to meet the needs of the Mt. Grace Land Conservation Trust along with the needs of
local middle school students and teachers. Determining these needs was completed through
working with Mt. Grace Land Conservation Trust and Ralph C. Mahar Regional Middle School
teachers. The booklet is designed so that many included activities can be performed at a variety
of schools, sites, and locations in the local region. Lastly, the activity booklet is a publicly
accessible resource that can be used to enhance local educators’ teaching, local students’
learning, and enhance the learning of any interested member of the public.
Chana Eva C. Dannenberg: Boreal Calciphiles in Vermont, USA: Predictive modeling and
examination of habitat distribution in rare plant populations.
MS Adviser, Peter Palmiotto
The biogeography of rare plants in New England, USA, is a long-standing topic of interest for
botanists, but recent efforts to document and model some rare plant ranges have determined that
the full extent of their distribution may not be completely known. Concern over climate change
and its effects on rare species, especially those occurring at higher elevations and near the
southern limit of their ranges, increases the importance and urgency of efforts to both identify
potential rare plant populations and monitor those already recorded. The Boreal Calcareous Cliff
Community (BCCC) of Vermont, which is the focus of this study, is home to many rare plant
species. The main objective of this study is to identify new sites for the BCCC in Vermont.
Rediscovery of forgotten examples of the community is also a focus, along with the use of a
geographic information systems (GIS) co-occurrence model to assist the search for examples of
the BCCC. The relatively few known examples of the community occur on cliffs where water,
high in calcium and other cations, seeps out of the rock, encouraging the growth of specialist
plants that mainly inhabit boreal regions north of Vermont, but which manage to survive as far
south as the northern Appalachian mountains. Many of these plants are attractive, tiny alpine
species of great interest to regional plant ecologists. Fewer than ten examples of the BCCC are
known in Vermont, and all of these have been explored by botanists since the mid-late 19th
century. Given Vermont’s geography and the obscure, higher-elevation nature of this
community, however, it is likely that more examples of the BCCC exist, and that known
occurrences may have rare plant populations extending over a larger area than previously known.
This study located some previously unknown occurrences of the BCCC using computer
modeling coupled with knowledge of the region and field surveys. Additionally a long-lost plant
occurrence was relocated through examination of herbarium records. These discoveries and
extensions of known population area are useful to the botanical community within the state and
show that additional research needs to be done to further our knowledge of these edge-of-range
species in the region.
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*Rachel D’Angio and Lisa Maggio: An Evaluation of the ADK Three Seasons Program: “Let’s
go get dirty.”
CSI Adviser: Sue Gentile
We evaluated a portion of the Adirondack Mountain Club’s (ADK) Three Seasons program to
determine if the program is running in a way that students can effectively learn, retain, and apply
information. The Three Seasons program is an environmental education program for 4th grade
students living in the Adirondack region. The long term goals of the program are to increase
environmental literacy and recreation in the Adirondacks, to promote a healthy lifestyle and to
build a sense of place in 4th grade students. The program consists of three portions: one in the
fall, one in the winter, and one in the spring. Each portion consists of a classroom presentation
and then a field trip to ADK’s property. We evaluated the winter portion of the program.
In collaboration with the Three Seasons’ staff, we developed a series of guiding questions, and
then we developed tools to help answer those questions. We conducted interviews with 4th grade
teachers who currently participate in the program, focus groups with 5th grade students who have
participated in the program previously, and observed pieces of the winter program to provide us
with data. Through analysis of the data we created a report to help the Three Seasons’ staff gain
a better understanding of the program and its effectiveness, and we suggested improvements for
the areas that our data indicated needed enhancement. Given our time constraints, we were only
able to evaluate a small portion of the program. Therefore, we provided the staff with the tools
and materials they need both to conduct more in-depth evaluations on the program and also to
instill a culture of evaluation with ADK.
*Nikolis A. Gualco: An assessment of movement patterns and basking habitat use for the
Northern Red-Bellied Cooter in Massachusetts.
MS Adviser, Liz Willey
The Massachusetts population of Pseudemys rubriventris (Northern Red-bellied Cooter) was
listed as a federally endangered species in 1980 when only 200 individuals were estimated to
remain in MA. At the northern extent of its range, basking habitat availability may be a critical
component of maintaining viable populations. Furthermore, as the need to thermoregulate varies
seasonally in response to changing environmental and biological factors, shifts in activity areas
may occur due to migration to and from optimal basking sites. During the summer of 2015, we
quantified basking site usage and movement patterns across freshwater ponds located within a
matrix dominated by fragmented forest lands, residential areas, and cranberry bogs in Plymouth
County, MA. At each focal pond, we conducted visual surveys via kayak during emergence
(April and May), nesting (June) and post-nesting (July and August) seasons and recorded
basking sites used by P. rubriventris during each visit. Within each season, we compared the
characteristics of basking objects (e.g., size, orientation, height above water) with a set of
unused, potential basking objects using generalized linear models. P. rubriventris were shown to
tolerate a wide variety of basking object characteristics, but selected more frequently low
sloping, southerly oriented basking objects located in predominantly open-water habitat with an
average water depth of up to 1.5m. Forty seven percent of total basking observations occurred
during the last 2-weeks of May, while 25% of species movement was detected during the first 2weeks of May. We used our results to describe the optimal characteristics of basking objects and
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evaluate shifts in basking behaviors and seasonal distribution across multiple spatial and
temporal scales as a result of changing weather conditions, seasons, and water levels. This
assessment will be used to inform future management actions to improve P. rubriventris habitat
and detection in Massachusetts.
*Andrew Graham, Emily Dreyer, Jake Pipp: Saving energy in state-owned buildings
New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) - Chris Skoglund (client).
CSI Advisor: Jim Gruber
The State of New Hampshire has committed to reduce fossil fuel energy consumption in stateowned buildings on a square foot basis by 25 percent over 2005 levels by 2025 and to obtain 25
percent of the state’s energy use from renewable energy by 2025. Our CSI project is to identify
the facilities with the best opportunities to reduce fossil fuel energy consumption among those
that NHDES owns and to develop detailed energy management plans for these facilities that will
be incorporated into the NHDES Fiscal Year 2017 Annual Energy Conservation Plan. The
energy management plans will incorporate energy conservation, energy efficiency, and
renewable energy measures to maximize the reduction of fossil-fuel energy consumption and
therefore greenhouse gas emissions, while reducing annual facility energy costs to the degree
that the projects pay for themselves. To achieve these objectives, we have been auditing the
NHDES energy database and are currently analyzing energy use data to identify best-candidate
facilities. We plan to visit the selected facilities, develop energy management and project plans
for each selected facility, and present our findings at the 2016 NH State Agency Energy
Conference on May 6 in Concord.
*Meghan Hoskins: Legislative analysis - House Bill 1101: Prohibiting charges to New
Hampshire residents for high pressure gas pipelines.
Class project, Instructor, Abi Abrash-Walton
The purpose of this study was to analyze the content, purpose, and legislative process of House
Bill 1101: Prohibiting Charges to New Hampshire Ratepayers for the Construction of High
Pressure Gas Pipelines. Research methods included: web-based research, qualitative analysis of
an audio recording of a committee hearing on the bill, and conducting semi-structured phonebased interviews with ten members of the New Hampshire House Ways and Means Committee.
Research results included: identification of the main proponents and opponents of the bill among
the committee members, local grassroots organizations, electric utility companies, and pipeline
companies. Implications for practice: the study included the creation of a list of seven committee
members who were still undecided about whether or not to vote in favor of the bill. The list
included their contact information and was designed to be used as a tool for advocacy groups.
The tool was then shared with a local anti-pipeline group that used it to send emails in favor of
the bill to the targeted committee members.
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Krystal House: The abundance, distribution, and prey preference of the American horseshoe
crab (Limulus polyphemus) in East Harbor, Cape Cod.
MS Adviser: Rachel Thiet
East Harbor is a 291-ha back-barrier salt marsh and coastal lagoon that is located within the Cape
Cod National Seashore, Truro, Massachusetts. East Harbor was artificially isolated from Cape
Cod Bay in 1868 when the original 300-m wide inlet was diked. This tidal restriction caused a
decline in the salinity, which led to a variety of ecological problems in East Harbor, and many
native estuarine fauna and flora were extirpated. Restoration of East Harbor began in 2002, and
since the partial restoration, there have been substantial increases in salinity, benthic invertebrate
diversity and overall estuarine biota. The American horseshoe crab is one of the species that has
re-inhabited East Harbor since the partial restoration. Horseshoe crabs are an essential part of the
marine ecosystem and a significant natural resource in coastal national park units. Their eggs are
used as a food source by migratory shorebirds, minnows, and young sport fish. The biomedical
industry uses blood from horseshoe crabs to screen pharmaceutical products and surgical
instruments for the presence of gram-negative bacterial endotoxin. Horseshoe crabs are also
harvested as the preferred bait for conch and eel fisheries. The importance of this species and
concern that its numbers are dwindling has prompted demand for research on horseshoe crab
populations for management and conservation purposes. The overall goal of this study is to
characterize the population structure and the prey preference of the American horseshoe crab
(Limulus polyphemus) in East Harbor, Cape Cod.
Gabriella Kaminski: Nest site selection and emergence success of sea turtles on a re-nourished
beach in Hutchinson Island, Florida, USA.
MS Adviser, Liz Willey
Marine turtle populations are declining worldwide due to fisheries bycatch, poaching,
predation, pollution, coastal development, and climate change. The resulting population declines
have reduced sea turtles’ abilities to fulfill their vast ecological roles in maintaining healthy
marine and terrestrial ecosystems, including the improvement of nesting beach habitats
and the contribution to and balancing of marine and terrestrial food webs. Under the U.S.
Endangered Species Act of 1973, loggerhead (Caretta caretta), green (Chelonia
mydas), and leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) sea turtles are listed as endangered
(leatherback and green) and vulnerable (loggerhead) in Florida. Sea turtles in the U.S. have
declined from their historical abundance due to a variety of anthropogenic effects, most
notably from nesting habitat loss and alteration. In order to understand how marine turtles will
respond to a rapidly changing environment on a high-density nesting beach, such as Hutchinson
Island, Florida, it is important to identify any environmental factors, including, elevation, beach
slope, beach width, beachfront property development, and nighttime lighting conditions that may
affect nesting and hatching success. Using Classification and Regression Trees (CART) analysis,
I will identify and rank nesting beach characteristics that affect sea turtle nesting and hatching
success on Hutchinson Island. Understanding which variables affect these species will allow
for more informed management decisions in the future, namely with beach nourishment and
coastal development, which have historically altered these prime nesting habitats.
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*Hana Kiewicz-Schlansker: Holocene vegetation and climate change on Mt. Monadnock, NH:
Understanding the past to inform the future.
MS Adviser, Jim Jordon
A poor fen locally known as “Thoreau’s Bog” is one of many upland depressions on Mt.
Monadnock that have accumulated peat for thousands of years. Using a core sample from
Thoreau’s bog, I will address the question “How has local vegetation in Thoreau’s Bog changed
over time?” My hypothesis is: 1) Composition and abundance of macrofossils from core samples
of peat substrate will be correlated to known disturbance and climate change events in New
England. Radiocarbon dating, macrofossil and charcoal analysis, and total organic carbon are
methods included in this study. A study of the current vegetation at Thoreau’s Bog yielded a
contemporary baseline of 32 woody and herbaceous species. Initial radiocarbon dating of two
samples were located 49cm and 247cm from the extracted core. Results of samples are 2410 +/30 BP (Cal BP 2685 – 2350), and 7420 +/- 30 BP (Cal BP 8335 – 8180), respectively.
*Lynn Kimmel: Conflict transformation: A transdisciplinary approach to intractable social
conflict impacting the endangered Grevy’s Zebra.
MS Adviser, Beth Kaplin
Without peace, conservation action cannot succeed. In the fertile plains of El Barta, Kenya,
violent livestock raiding between the local Samburu and Turkana communities over cattle,
natural resources, and land rights, combined with the absence of state security, has imperiled the
local population of endangered Grevy’s zebra (Equus grevyi), whose habitat lies directly in the
conflict area. Intractable inter-ethnic conflict in El Barta has made it difficult for the Grevy’s
Zebra Trust (GZT) to meet critical conservation goals necessary to protect this endangered
species. GZT recognizes that contributing to El Barta’s community peacekeeping efforts could
support sustainable conservation. To address both human-wildlife conflict and peacekeeping
challenges, GZT implemented, at a grassroots level, the transdisciplinary framework of
Conservation Conflict Transformation (CCT) to strengthen its community conservation work and
provide a foundation for peaceful coexistence. I developed an approach that integrates the CCT
platform (Human Wildlife Conflict Collaboration) with peacebuilding and experiential learning
methodologies, including stakeholder interviews, conflict mapping, direct observations, and
customized conflict transformation experiential workshops, to cultivate mutual understanding
towards achievement of local conservation objectives. My analysis found that CCT theory and
practice has application across multiple conservation disciplines, from managerial to field level.
Planning and investing in the appropriate conflict transformation strategy and implementation,
including relevant skill-building workshops has important implications for developing an
individual’s capacity to understand and address conflict situations. Applying conflict
transformation to conservation conflicts can offer new opportunities to build and strengthen
relationships between multiple stakeholders and parties in conflict, effectively facilitating the
development of innovative, constructive, and collaborative strategies to address social conflicts
that are often the root of human-wildlife conflict. Moreover, conservation interventions framed
within the conflict transformation model could be an important new paradigm for peacebuilding
and development, enabling parties in conflict to build a shared vision through conservation.
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*Isis Lawson: Impacts of invasive earthworms on small burrowing mammals in New England
forests.
MS Adviser, Rachel Thiet
In this study, we investigated the effects of invasive earthworms on small burrowing mammal
populations in NH and VT forests. Specific soil characteristics affect small burrowing mammals
such as voles (Microtus spp.), shrews (Sorex spp.) and moles (Parascalops spp. and Condylura
spp.), and earthworm activity affects soil characteristics through bioturbation of O, A and B
horizons. Thus, we set out to test whether earthworms affect the presence of small mammals
where they co-occur. We conducted a small mammal capture-recapture experiment on eleven
forest plots in Cheshire County, NH and Grafton, VT. Five of the plots had invasive earthworms
and six plots had no invasive earthworms. At each site, we quantified small mammal and
earthworm presence and density, as well as characterized soil texture and structure, bulk density,
horizon development, and field moisture capacity. We observed a significantly greater number of
mammals in study sites without earthworms than in sites with earthworms. Earthworms were
related to a decrease in the thickness of the organic horizon and burrowing mammals were
positively correlated with thick organic layers. We observed a positive correlation between soil
structure associated with highly permeable soils and the lack of earthworms and the presence of
burrowing mammals. Our results suggest that the effects of invasive earthworms on the soil are
negatively impacting the abundance of small burrowing mammals in New England forests.
Ha Ngoc Phuong Nguyen: Breeding systems and reproductive biology of sympatric
Appalachian Trilliums.
MS Adviser, Peter Palmiotto
Field studies on the mating systems of North American Trillium spp. have led to conflicting
conclusions on their self-incompatibility, based on species and geographic location. A
comparative experiment on mating systems of red flowered Trillium cuneatum and white
flowered Trillium rugelii cohabiting at the site of Bat Cave Preserve, North Carolina was
conducted (1) to understand their breeding systems, (2) to relate their breeding systems to their
pollination biology, and (3) to examine the relationship between floral morphology and fruit set
ratio. Three treatments including open control, self-pollinated, and hand cross-pollinated
individuals were conducted during two flowering seasons (2010-2011). Results indicated that
both T. cuneatum and T. rugelii are self-incompatible in the Bat Cave study site populations.
Furthermore, comparative analyses between initial developing fruit set and successful fruit set
ratio revealed that both species have severe fruit abortion rates. However, contributions to the
high fruit abortion rate during two field seasons were additionally attributed to external agents
including herbivores (by insects and fungi) and weather related factors. PCA tests and binary
logistic regression coefficients performed for each Trillium species were highly correlated
indicating that in general larger plants had a greater likelihood of initiating fruit.
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*Janine Marr: White Pine blister rust in NH in the 21st Century.
PhD Advisor: Peter Palmiotto
White Pine Blister Rust, caused by the fungus Cronartium ribicola Fischer, was introduced from
Europe in the late 1800s via infected white pine and Ribes nursery stock. Ribes (gooseberries
and currants) are an alternate host. In spring, the disease spreads from pine to Ribes. During the
summer, Ribes infect other Ribes, producing basidiospores that infect pine. A nationwide effort
to eradicate Ribes lasted nearly seven decades. Ribes are still prohibited in NH and Maine, even
though the NH Blister Rust Control Program ended in 1979. Ribes continue to germinate from
the seed bank, which can remain viable for 70+ years. My research focuses on a return of the
disease and its effects on the ecosystem and forest succession, in combination with mutated
strains, new alternate hosts, and climate change. My pilot projects will establish a baseline for
blister rust presence and severity across southern NH, and support my dissertation goal—to
create a hazard ratings map for NH that will indicate which areas are most likely to support the
disease, and which areas are best suited for growing white pine as a crop tree. Current projects
include: an observational study of white pine regeneration and blister rust infection in three
towns; a photo essay of disease progression; a Ribes-to-Ribes study to determine individual plot
size; an experimental Ribes study to determine timing of infection by pine; and an experimental
planting to observe a potential new alternate host for C. ribicola in the Northeast, Pedicularis
canadensis.
Joseph John Martell: Movement Patterns of Trout in Northern New Hampshire and the
Implications on Management of Indian Stream and the Upper Connecticut River
MS adviser, Peter Palmiotto
Understanding the variables that cause movement, and the types of habitat trout are moving into
is critical information for conservation efforts. Indian Stream in northern New Hampshire seems
to be a stream that would support healthy populations of trout; yet the summer 2010
temperatures at the confluence of Indian Stream approached 32°C (90°F). Brook trout were
witnessed in Indian Stream in the spring, and it was found that trout were moving into Indian
Stream to spawn in the fall, but the thermal highs of the summer were too high to support trout. I
quantified trout movement and water temperatures in Indian Stream and the Upper Connecticut
River during 2010 and 2011 field seasons. The objectives of my research were to: 1) Quantify
trout movement in the Connecticut River near the confluence of Indian Stream, 2) Relate the
movement patterns to season, water temperature, and to compare between rivers, 3) Identify
areas trout utilize for thermal refuge in Indian Stream, and 4) Use data to make management
recommendations for Indian Stream and the Upper Connecticut River below Murphy Dam.
Specifically, trout in Indian Stream showed high movement rates compared to the Connecticut
River during the summer months of 2011. Trout movement in Indian stream during the 2011
field season was on average 71.4 meters per day, which was significantly higher than trout
movement in the Connecticut River during the same time period which averaged 25.1 meters per
day. These increased movement rates in Indian Stream were during periods of increased average
temperatures. Trout tended to congregate and occupy smaller, cooler tributaries and cold-water
inputs during periods of thermal stress. When water temperatures would drop trout tended to
spread out and take advantage of optimum foraging habitat. Increasing habitat connectivity,
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eliminating surface release dams, and creating more habitat complexity will be important steps
for the management of Indian Stream as a coldwater fishery. Conversely, trout that occupied the
Connecticut River near the confluence of Indian Stream moved very little. The water
temperature in the Connecticut River fluctuated very little during the study period in 2010 and
2011. The presence of optimal habitat and temperatures resulted in little to no need for trout to
disperse from their original tagging location. Further research on the Connecticut River should
focus on the possibility of a wild trout fishery given the optimum temperatures and habitat
present.
*Amanda Melinchuk: Bat species distribution across habitat gradients throughout
Massachusetts’ state properties.
MS Adviser, Lisabeth Willey
In 2015, Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), in collaboration
with Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife and U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
continued a bat monitoring program to evaluate presence, distribution, and activity level of bat
species on DCR properties across the Commonwealth. We conducted passive acoustic surveys in
various habitats at 46 sites on eight DCR properties to evaluate bat species presence and activity
levels across ecological and habitat gradients. Surveys were conducted during two sessions, 01
July to 15 August 2015 and 16 August to 27 September 2015, on state properties across six
ecoregions. Each site was visited twice and detectors were left in the field for at least four nights
in order to assess the variability in detection across evenings, weather conditions, and season.
Habitat assessments were conducted at each detector location in order to characterize each site.
All nine bat species native to Massachusetts were detected between June and September. Data
are in the process of being manually vetted to confirm auto identification. Bat activity was
highest between 01 July and 15 August 2015. Bat activity levels differed across properties and
between sampling sessions. Results from this research will assist the planning of future bat
survey work throughout the state.
Daniel Prial, Jen Lemoine, Owen Coursin: The cutting edge of stinky power: The past and
future of electricity generation from landfill methane.
CSI advisor, Sue Gentile
In the early 1980s, Brattleboro, Vermont became the first city in the country to turn the methane
gas emissions from their landfill into electricity. Tapping methane wells into the landfill, they
burned the gas in engines to power generators, providing electricity to the grid and making
money on the side. In the 1990s, the Windham Solid Waste Management District took over the
operation and for a number of years, specialized in composting. With the introduction of
Vermont’s Universal Recycling Law, the District anticipates more organic waste. They hope to
digest this waste in an anaerobic digester to create more methane, thus more energy generation
and increase profit. Our goal has been two-fold: 1) chronicle the history of the landfill methane
project and 2) update the District’s feasibility plan for the anaerobic digestion project with the
latest data available. The District will use these products to help sell the idea of anaerobic
digestion to their board - a collection of 20 towns in the region. During our presentation, we will
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show the work we have done on the project, which will be wrapping up around the same time.
We will also discuss our process and partnership with the District. This project was a community
service initiative.
Jason L. Rhoades: Enhancing the resilience of vulnerable groups through participatory climate
change adaptation planning: A case study with the elderly community of Bridgeport, CT.
PhD Advisor, Jim Gruber
Recent reports highlight the vulnerability of the elderly to climate change. Unfortunately, a lack
of research incorporating the perspectives of the elderly on this topic could cause their needs to
go unrecognized and unaddressed. To promote adaptation planning that is responsive to the
concerns of the elderly, this dissertation presents the results of a participatory research and
adaptation planning process conducted in partnership with the elderly community of Bridgeport,
Connecticut. The process combined a five-step climate change adaptation planning model with a
community-based action research approach that placed the elderly participants as key drivers in
the research and planning processes. For this research, the elderly participants began by
exploring their vulnerability to current and predicted climate stressors including extreme heat,
flooding, storms, and air pollution. They then developed adaptation goals and strategies.
Finally, a summative evaluation assessed the planning process itself. Among the key findings,
this research identified personal attributes, including health, economic, and social characteristics,
that interact with a range of contextual factors to influence the elderly population’s vulnerability.
As a result, predicted climate changes could have serious consequences for Bridgeport’s elderly.
Participants recommended adaptation goals and strategies to enhance their resilience with a focus
on encouraging preparedness and providing community services including warning mechanisms,
resources to secure safe shelter, transportation resources, as well as resources to aid in coping
and recovery. A prioritization exercise showed that participants believed all the suggestions
were likely to be effective and feasible to implement. Further, the summative evaluation
revealed that the participatory planning process enhanced the elderly’s resilience by raising
awareness and understanding, increasing communication, and strengthening elders’ ability to
self-advocate. Key themes that contributed to the process’s effectiveness included the value of
collaborating with local organizations, fostering an accessible and inclusive process, connecting
subject matter with the day-to-day concerns of participants, and using an iterative process to
build the capacity of participants. While limited to a single case study, this research offers
potentially transferable insights into the broader elderly community’s vulnerability to climate
change and presents a model for engaging vulnerable groups in adaptation planning.
*Lindsay (St. Pierre) McGinnis: Riparian ecosystem services: Evaluating stream bank stability
and characteristics of vegetation along Broad Brook, VT.
MS Adviser: Peter Palmiotto
Vegetation in riparian areas provides numerous ecosystem services that unless maintained, can
have significant detrimental effects on human and wildlife populations. Climate change
projections, such as more frequent intense precipitation events can degrade the ecosystem
services that riparian areas provide such as flood control and erosion/sediment control. To assess
the relationship between these services and riparian vegetation, this study evaluates riparian
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forest metrics and streambank stability. Along Broad Brook in Green Mountain National Forest
(GMNF), streambank stability was measured with a bank erodibility potential rating (BEPR) and
compared with the adjacent forest metrics for structure and composition (i.e., species basal area
and stem density). Correlation between BEPR and forest metrics were assessed using linear
regression models. Neither canopy tree basal area nor stem density was correlated with BEPR in
this study. However, sapling density had significant correlation with BEPR. A higher sapling
density would support conclusions of other studies in the literature that indicate the coarse root
system of woody plants supports streambank stabilization through mechanical root
reinforcement. The small sample size of this study limits strong conclusions but results suggest
more research could be helpful in understanding riparian forest structure to ecosystem services
like streambank stability. Healthy riparian ecosystems promote ecological resilience within and
beyond the riparian zone. Therefore, further research in understanding the relationship between
ecosystem services and how they are provided may be important for riparian conservation and
management.
*Jadhiel Torres-Caba: The role of introduced rats (Rattus rattus) as seed dispersers and
predators in La Olimpia Forest, Adjuntas, Puerto Rico.
MS adviser, Beth Kaplin
Invasive species are known to cause significant threats to biodiversity, especially on island
ecosystems. In La Olimpia Forest in Adjuntas, Puerto Rico, a secondary subtropical wet forest,
the role of introduced black rats (Rattus rattus) in the dispersal of Sierra palm (Prestoea
montana) seeds was studied. The Sierra palm, a native to the Greater and Lesser Antilles of the
Caribbean islands, is important for maintaining soil stability on steep mountain slopes and its
fruit, a valuable food resource for the endangered Puerto Rican parrot (Amazona vittata). Fruits
of 18 Sierra palm individuals were collected, tagged and placed under their respective parent
trees in depots of 25 seeds each. Approximately 75% of the seeds were removed from these seed
depots. Automated camera traps photographed only black rats interacting with the fruits in the
depots. The majority of the removed fruits had their pulp predated and seeds gnawed and
damaged. However, several fruits were found intact or partially damaged. These results suggest
that dispersal and predation are occurring as an interaction between black rats and the seeds of
native Sierra palm in this forest. Through these interactions, rats are probably influencing the
distribution of this native palm and the forest communities in Puerto Rico. By understanding
such interactions we can focus on strategic management efforts for native plant species and the
maintenance of ecological processes.
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*Apollinaire William: Farmers perception of climate change and adaptation in the northern
highlands of Rwanda.
PhD Adviser. Beth Kaplin
The heavy reliance on subsistence rain-fed agriculture in the Rwandan economy makes Rwanda
particularly vulnerable to climate change. Effective and long-term adaptation is needed to
counteract anticipated negative effects of climate change. I examined climate change awareness
among farmers in the northern highlands of Rwanda and gauged their inclination towards the
adoption of agroforestry as an effective climate change adaptation strategy. I used a structured
questionnaire administered individually to 430 farmers from August through December 2014.
Results showed that farmers in the Musanze District were aware of climate change, particularly
changes in rainfall patterns that have recently been perceived to affect the onset of planting
seasons. An analysis of long-term rainfall data obtained from the Kigali airport weather station
also confirms farmers’ claims. Soil erosion is perceived as an emergent adverse impact of
climate change. Awareness was driven by farmers’ experience on the land and literacy level.
Farmers adapted by adjusting planting seasons and crops planted. Farmers’ adaptation was
driven by short-term economic profitability at the expense of environmental benefits such as
erosion control, long-term soil fertility conservation, and water quality maintenance. Farmers,
especially young educated farmers and those with relatively higher income levels, expressed a
positive attitude towards the adoption of agroforestry as an adaptation strategy. Barriers to
adoption of agroforestry were related to lack of financial support and technological skills. To
ensure long-term climate change adaptation through the adoption of agroforestry, financial
incentives in addition to microcredits which the majority of farmers cannot afford, coupled with
the infusion of knowledge, technology and skills need to be provided to farmers. Results also
indicate certain agroforestry species should be more broadly included in adaptation plans. For
example, according to interviewed farmers, banana plantations have drastically declined in the
region, yet farmers’ perception and prior published research concur on their importance not only
as subsistence food but also as effective crop cover for erosion control. Similarly, sweet potato
production was reported to have declined, but farmers claimed that potatoes are staple,
subsistence food that does not require the use of synthetic fertilizers and supports food security.
Effective adaptation will depend essentially on the effectiveness of extension services in building
farmers’ capacity to adopt innovative strategies including agroforestry in particular, and on
logistic and financial incentives since most farmers cannot afford loans through micro-credits
schemes.
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POSTER PRESENTATIONS
Developing an ecotheology of critical hope.
Cherice Bock
As people of faith begin to recognize in larger numbers that our relationship with creation is one
of the most important challenges facing us today, what is the role of people of faith in the
religious academy and in congregations? It is easy for those involved in the environmental
movement to become discouraged, to see the immensity of the problems facing our climate and
to despair and become paralyzed. We need a way to move from discussion about the problems
into practical action. This paper suggests that theologians enact the role of prophet, holding
together both critique of the socio-economic systems of their day and hope for a renewed future.
Combining this theological basis for action on the part of the oppressed (including the land) with
the pedagogy of critical hope and the psychology of hope and meaning, in this paper I posit an
ecotheology of critical hope. Psychology of hope suggests that our ability to take steps toward
our hopes is based on our stories of success and failure in the past, and that involvement in
community can help us become more hopeful. Communities of faith hold a wealth of stories of
practical action to mitigate injustice in a variety of areas, providing meaning for today’s
struggles against injustice and environmental degradation. Developing communities of faith who
are enacting critical hope, and partnering with such groups, offers a powerful tool for moving
beyond critique of environmental problems and toward hope-filled solutions, resulting in
flourishing social-ecological systems.
Tree species and geomorphic function of logs in streams and rivers, in the Northeast U.S.
^Lindsay (St. Pierre) McGinnis and Dr. Denise Burchsted, KSC
Large instream wood provides critical ecosystem services such as fish habitat, temperature
regulation, and bank stabilization. In the northeastern U.S., the distribution of logs is
documented; however, there is little understanding of the movement and geomorphic function.
This research examines the hypothesis that tree species controls geomorphic function of instream
wood in New Hampshire rivers, including locations in the White Mountain National Forest
(WMNF) and a large rural river in southwestern NH. At each study site, we located all large logs
(>10cm diameter, > 1m length) and log jams (>3 accumulated logs that provide a geomorphic
function) along 100m-700m reaches. We tagged each identified log and recorded species,
diameter, length, GPS location, tag number, and photographs. Logs with geomorphic function
included identification of the following conditions: creation of diversion channels, pool
formation, and sediment storage, among others. Analysis suggests that tree species significantly
affects the function of logs: yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis Britton) and American sycamore
(Platanus occidentalis L.) are highly represented. According to literature, suggested riparian
buffer width to recruit logs in stream is 20-30m. However, our research indicates species that
show potential recruitment are less represented instream. Additionally, geomorphic setting may
play a role, where observations show unconfined reaches to have large logs that provide
important functions rarely contributed by logs in confined channels.
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^Antioch’s Outdoor Classrooms: Our Forested Properties.
Adam Rusk and Peter A. Palmiotto
Antioch University New England owns and manages two properties, Branch River and Glover’s
Ledge, in southwestern New Hampshire. Donated to the University in 2004 the 46 acre Branch
River property is 10 minutes from campus in southeastern Keene. The property has a unique
riparian black ash community and upland white oak pine community that provides quality black
bear habitat. Donated in 2014, the 76.5 acre Glover’s Ledge property is 30 minutes from campus
in Langdon. This property contains a wetland complex, vernal pools, and maintained shrubscrub habitat with a few 4’ diameter legacy white pines on the adjacent property. The property
has mixed hardwood and softwood upland forest classified as a hemlock-beech-oak-pine
community. The properties are managed to maximize learning and recreational opportunities for
AUNE students and surrounding communities. Research goals for the properties include a 100%
species inventory and landscape and wetland connectivity assessments. Conservation easements
guide the management activities on both properties. A no cut deed restriction on Branch River
limits active management whereas a no development easement on Glover’s Ledge allows for
more intensive habitat enhancement and research. Management goals for Glover’s Ledge
include increasing the percentage of young forest and constructing bat houses to enhance wildlife
habitat. These properties provide AUNE students, faculty and staff their own place for research,
recreation and learning.
Acknowledgements
Special thanks to MS students in the Research Seminar class (Olivia Chitayat, Jodi Curtin, Chris
George, Enathe Hasabwamariya, Savannah, McInvale, Jessica Meck, Mark Miranda, Lizzy
Sgambelluri, Sienna Weinstein and Chad Witko) for assisting with setup, clean up, moderating,
timekeeping, and pot luck food.
Thanks to Rebecca Leone for editing the symposium booklet and library staff with support for
videoing the symposium.
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