D. J. Benson, J. Perkins, Kamren P. Jefferson, R. Dowler, Christine C. Rega-Brodsky, R. Stevens
{"title":"Examination of Plains Spotted Skunk (Spilogale interrupta) Burrow Systems","authors":"D. J. Benson, J. Perkins, Kamren P. Jefferson, R. Dowler, Christine C. Rega-Brodsky, R. Stevens","doi":"10.1656/058.022.0306","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1656/058.022.0306","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract - Spilogale interrupta (Plains Spotted Skunk) and other species within the Spilogale genus have often been documented as using burrows for cover; however, schematics of a Plains Spotted Skunk burrow have only been documented once in the literature. While recovering 2 GPS radio transmitters in the Katy Prairie region of Southeast Texas, we excavated 2 active Plains Spotted Skunk burrows. Herein, we describe the schematics of 1 system that likely was excavated initially by a Geomys breviceps (Baird's Pocket Gopher) and the general schematics of a second burrow system frequently used by a different radio-collared individual. Both systems contained an obstructed entrance and a detritus-filled central cavity and were in locations higher in elevation than the surrounding matrix. Our observations further confirm the 3 requirements for Plains Spotted Skunk diurnal rest-location usage—protection from predation, thermoregulatory benefits, and protection from inclement weather—while providing additional insight into the intricacies of the burrow system itself. Further research into the structure of Spilogale burrows is needed to improve future conservation and management efforts of the genus.","PeriodicalId":49490,"journal":{"name":"Southeastern Naturalist","volume":"42 1","pages":"352 - 363"},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2023-08-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"74128288","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Cassandra L. Volker, Jessica H. Pate, D. Herzing, Bethany Augliere
{"title":"Drones Assist in the First Report of a Mixed-Species Group of Tursiops truncatus (Common Bottlenose Dolphin) and a Stenella frontalis (Atlantic Spotted Dolphin) along the Southeast Florida Coast","authors":"Cassandra L. Volker, Jessica H. Pate, D. Herzing, Bethany Augliere","doi":"10.1656/058.022.0301","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1656/058.022.0301","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract - Cetacean mixed-species groups are common around the world, but little is known about how and why they occur. Tursiops truncatus (Common Bottlenose Dolphin) and Stenella frontalis (Atlantic Spotted Dolphin) are delphinidae species that have been sighted, separately, along the southeast coast of Florida. Although these species are observed interacting together in other portions of their range, this is the first report of a known mixed-species group of Atlantic Spotted Dolphins and Common Bottlenose Dolphins off the southeast Florida coast. We observed both foraging and social behaviors using a DJI Mavic Pro 2 drone. The function of mixed-species groups is understudied, yet Florida may provide opportunities for future research.","PeriodicalId":49490,"journal":{"name":"Southeastern Naturalist","volume":"23 1","pages":"N45 - N51"},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2023-07-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"82596000","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Venetia S Briggs-Gonzalez, Cassidy Klovanish, Paul Evans, F. Mazzotti
{"title":"A Species Profile for the Black Spiny-Tailed Iguana (Ctenosaura similis)","authors":"Venetia S Briggs-Gonzalez, Cassidy Klovanish, Paul Evans, F. Mazzotti","doi":"10.1656/058.022.0303","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1656/058.022.0303","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract - Ctenosaura similis (Black Spiny-tailed Iguana) is native to Mexico and Central America, where it is a wide-ranging habitat-generalist that is well adapted to human-altered environments. Black Spiny-tailed Iguana is considered one of the larger, heavier iguanid species, identified by its coloration and a series of enlarged whorls of spiny scales on the tail. Despite harvest rates for human consumption and the pet trade, Black Spiny-tailed Iguana is currently considered a species of least concern in their native range. There have been several introductions outside of their native range, many of which have become established due to their generalist nature. In Florida, Black Spiny-tailed Iguana was first introduced in 1979 and has been reported in 24 counties. Early removal efforts of other introduced iguanids such as Ctenosaura pectinata (Mexican Spiny-tailed Iguana) and Iguana iguana (Green Iguana) could serve as case studies to develop and implement eradication and management plans for this species. We provide a comprehensive summary of natural history findings on Black Spiny-tailed Iguana, including management methods and potential ecological impacts as an invasive species in the southeastern United States.","PeriodicalId":49490,"journal":{"name":"Southeastern Naturalist","volume":"5 1","pages":"292 - 314"},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2023-07-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"87303667","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Winter Bird Population Study (WBPS) in Downtown Rockingham, North Carolina: High Species Richness, Dominance by Resident Generalists, and Low Compositional Change","authors":"D. B. Mcnair","doi":"10.1656/058.022.0302","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1656/058.022.0302","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract - I conducted a winter bird population study (WBPS) in a commercial district of downtown Rockingham, NC. I recorded 44 avian species (40 native suburban adapters, 4 exotic urban invaders) over 10 surveys conducted 20 December 2021 to 19 January 2022 within a 42.4-ha plot containing 25 city blocks. Thirty-one species (including all exotic urban invaders) were residents (74% of observations), whereas 13 native species were winter visitors (26%). Average winter bird species richness was 22.8 and average abundance was 143.5/40 ha. The median difference in species richness and abundance of suburban adapters was greater than exotic urban invaders among all 25 blocks, except species richness in 1 block and abundance in 4 blocks. A vegetation index (measure of the amount of vegetation) was a positive predictor of species richness for all suburban adapters and abundance for 3 species of suburban adapters (Mimus polyglottos [Northern Mockingbird], Cardinalis cardinalis [Northern Cardinal], Thryothorus ludovicianus [Carolina Wren]). Building area was a negative predictor of species richness for all suburban adapters and abundance for Northern Mockingbird. Average abundance was lower than the number of blocks in which each species was detected, except for the 3 most abundant birds (Passer domesticus [House Sparrow], Sturnus vulgaris [European Starling], Zonotrichia albicollis [White-throated Sparrow]) and Bombycilla cedrorum (Cedar Waxwing), all flocking species. Two exotic urban invaders (House Sparrow, European Starling) and 4 suburban adapters (Northern Mockingbird, Northern Cardinal, Carolina Wren, Zenaida macroura [Mourning Dove]) were also among the most abundant species (i.e., those whose average counts were ≥5 birds) and were resident species that nested within the plot the previous breeding season. The degree of compositional change of the avian community during early winter 2021–2022 compared to the last 3 decades was low in downtown Rockingham, NC.","PeriodicalId":49490,"journal":{"name":"Southeastern Naturalist","volume":"28 1","pages":"272 - 291"},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2023-07-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"90984285","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Noteworthy Books","authors":"J. L. Gould","doi":"10.1656/045.019.0417","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1656/045.019.0417","url":null,"abstract":"Nature’s Compass: The Mystery of Animal Navigation. James L. Gould and Carol Grant Gould. 2012. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ. 320 pp. $29.95, hardcover. ISBN 9780691140452. We know that animals cross miles of water, land, and sky with pinpoint precision on a daily basis. But it is only in recent years that scientists have learned how these astounding feats of navigation are actually accomplished. With colorful and thorough detail, Nature’s Compass explores the remark-","PeriodicalId":49490,"journal":{"name":"Southeastern Naturalist","volume":"19 1","pages":"708 - 711"},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2023-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1656/045.019.0417","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41983155","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Rachel Moore, Colby D. Denison, Brandon K. Peoples
{"title":"Comparing Benthic Assemblages between Nocomis Nests and Ambient Substrate in South Carolina Streams","authors":"Rachel Moore, Colby D. Denison, Brandon K. Peoples","doi":"10.1656/058.022.0210","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1656/058.022.0210","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract - Ecosystem engineers modify instream habitat to the benefit or detriment of other species. Nocomis leptocephalus (Bluehead Chub) is a widespread minnow (Actinopterygii: Leuciscidae) native to small- to medium-sized streams in the Atlantic slope of the southeastern United States. By constructing large gravel-mound nests in pools for spawning, Bluehead Chubs are common ecosystem engineers that transport and concentrate gravel to form unique structures on the benthoscape. These nests are occupied by a diversity of benthic taxa and can persist up to 6 months before being destroyed by winter floods. In this study, we surveyed benthic assemblages occurring on chub nests and a similar volume of paired ambient substrate, and identified individuals to the genus or family level. Mixed-effects models indicated that overall counts, taxa richness, and Shannon diversity of benthic assemblages were similar between nests and ambient substrate. However, canonical correspondence analysis revealed differences in taxonomic composition between nests and ambient substrate. Several riffle-associated taxa occurred uniquely in chub nests, while many other taxa were found only in paired samples. Understanding the temporal and spatial scales at which the chub nest –insect interaction is relevant will be important for identifying the role of ecosystem engineering by chubs for structuring benthic assemblages.","PeriodicalId":49490,"journal":{"name":"Southeastern Naturalist","volume":"23 1","pages":"254 - 271"},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2023-06-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"83056469","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kyler B. Hecke, Ben S. Johnson, Autumn F. Henry, Kendall R. Moles, Joseph E. Kaiser
{"title":"Insights on the Distribution of Mussels (Bivalvia: Unionida) in the Moro Creek Watershed, Arkansas","authors":"Kyler B. Hecke, Ben S. Johnson, Autumn F. Henry, Kendall R. Moles, Joseph E. Kaiser","doi":"10.1656/058.022.0209","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1656/058.022.0209","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract - The distribution of mussels is known from most major water bodies in the United States. Even so, the distribution of mussels in tributary systems of these water bodies is not well documented, especially in Arkansas. Moreover, there has never been a watershed-wide mussel survey in the Moro Creek watershed. During a recent study of fishes in this watershed, we observed 5 mussel species at 12 sites: Lampsilis hydiana (Louisiana Fatmucket), Sagittunio subrostratus (Pondmussel), Pyganodon grandis (Giant Floater), Toxolasma texasiense (Texas Lilliput), and Uniomerus declivis (Tapered Pondhorn). We observed a total of 34 live individuals and 8 fresh-dead specimens. The most abundant species documented was the Tapered Pondhorn, with18 (13 alive and 5 fresh-dead) individuals at 5 sites. The least abundant species was Giant Floater, with 1 individual at 1 site. There was evidence of recent recruitment in 2 species, Tapered Pondhorn (median total length [TL] = 71 mm; min–max = 28–99 mm), and Texas Lilliput (median TL = 21 mm; min–max = 13–40 mm). Future studies that target tributaries of the Ouachita, Red, and St. Francis drainages of Arkansas are likely to yield new distributional records for these species as well as others.","PeriodicalId":49490,"journal":{"name":"Southeastern Naturalist","volume":"43 1","pages":"N41 - N44"},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2023-06-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"82958904","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A Review of Common Factors among Successful and Failed Efforts to Eradicate Invasive Vertebrates in Florida","authors":"Zachary T. Steele","doi":"10.1656/058.022.0208","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1656/058.022.0208","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract - Species invasions can alter ecosystems, decimate populations of native species, facilitate the spread of infectious diseases, and threaten industries like fisheries and agriculture. Significant resources and financial investments are often directed towards invasive species management (ISM) to prevent future introductions, to remove smaller populations, and to contain expanding populations. While prevention is the most important goal of ISM, focus may shift to removal (eradication) when prevention fails. Eradication attempts are costly and have not been inclusive of all invasive populations. These efforts are inherently difficult because they require an abundance of resources, must be executed before the population expands, can be disrupted by public opposition, and often require years of monitoring to confirm success. Regardless, even failed eradication attempts provide important lessons to potentially improve future eradication efforts. This review of 20 case studies in Florida assesses successful and failed eradication attempts to identify common factors that contributed to each outcome. More than half of the detailed failed eradication attempts either lacked communication from or were outright disrupted by stakeholders. Most successful eradications targeted fish or small mammals and removed <200 individuals. Nearly half of the successful eradications occurred on islands or within isolated bodies of water. Despite the abundance of invasive herpetofauna in Florida, there has yet to be a documented successful eradication effort targeting these species. While many barriers exist to publishing eradication outcomes, future eradication efforts should prioritize documentation to provide guidance to similar efforts. Future research should address the role of media coverage and outreach efforts regarding eradication success, especially efforts targeting charismatic species.","PeriodicalId":49490,"journal":{"name":"Southeastern Naturalist","volume":"2 1","pages":"222 - 253"},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2023-06-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"90673603","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Robber Flies (Diptera: Asilidae) of Longleaf Pine Habitats on Fort Stewart, Georgia","authors":"Dirk J. Stevenson, Michael C. Thomas, G. Beaton","doi":"10.1656/058.022.0207","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1656/058.022.0207","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract - We inventoried the robber fly (Family Asilidae) fauna of 2 distinct Pinus palustris (Longleaf Pine) habitat types (mesic pine flatwoods, xeric sandhills) on a large, fire-managed landscape (Fort Stewart) located in the Coastal Plain of southeastern Georgia. We conducted aerial-net and sweep-net surveys at 30 sites on 111 dates from October 2020 to November 2022. We also sampled hardwood and mixed pine–hardwood communities. We collected a total of 380 robber flies comprising 25 genera and 62 species. We recorded 47 species from Longleaf Pine habitats, with 42 species collected from xeric Longleaf Pine sandhills and 20 species from mesic Longleaf Pine flatwoods. Thirty-two species were found in hardwood habitats. Machimus polyphemi, a poorly known obligate commensal of Gopherus polyphemus (Gopher Tortoise) burrows, was found at 5 sites. Two species that we documented from xeric Longleaf Pine sandhills, Machimus blantoni and Efferia slossonae, represent the first state records for Georgia. An Echthodopa cf. formosa population found in mesic pine flatwoods represents a significant range extension. Also, we report Stichopogon abdominalis from Georgia for the first time.","PeriodicalId":49490,"journal":{"name":"Southeastern Naturalist","volume":"5 1","pages":"207 - 221"},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2023-06-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"82022624","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}