Natural Selection by Insect Pollinators and Seed Predators on Floral Head Traits of Helianthus grosseserratus (Sawtooth Sunflower)

Flowering plants must invest energy and resources to produce floral displays that are attractive to pollinators, but these same displays may also attract detrimental insects. How floral traits are shaped by the preferences of both pollinators and herbivores/ seed predators is not fully understood. Using Helianthus grosseserratus (sawtooth sunflower) as my study species, I investigated these conflicting selective pressures on floral head traits through a 2-year study in a large, unbroken tract of mesic prairie in Wisconsin.

Warming Winters and the Regional Implications for the Subnivean Climate

Many plants and animals use the stable environment underneath the snowpack, called the subnivium, as a refuge from harsh winter weather. The depth, density, and duration of the snowpack determine the climatic conditions of the subnivium, which are typically much milder due to the insulation provided by the snow.

Urban Pollination Study of Green Roofs on the UWM Campus

Can green roofs help pollinators thrive alongside urbanization? While our cities continue to grow and green space becomes sparse, it is imperative that we supply pollinators with a resource-rich natural habitat. By analyzing pollinator use, insect diversity, floral abundance, and floral diversity, we sought to discover if green roofs can provide crucial habitat for pollinating insects.

Comparison of Population Growth Rates with Anhydrobiotic Survival Rates Across Multiple Temporal and Spatial Scales in a Habrotrocha rosa Metapopulation

Anhydrobiosis, the phenomenon in which organisms undergo complete desiccation then rehydration, has been thoroughly studied in tardigrades and to a lesser extent in some rotifer species. We examined the bdelloid rotifer Habrotrocha rosa which thrives within the rainwater filled pitchershaped leaves of Sarracenia purpurea. This carnivorous plant ranges widely throughout North America and, in some areas, experiences midsummer drought-like conditions.

Wood Duck Nest Box and Small Owl Nest/Roosting Box Project

Beginning in 2012 and through 2015, following traditionally proven protocols for nest box construction, placement, maintenance, and monitoring, the Friends of the Cedarburg Bog (FOCB) installed 14 duck nest boxes in and around the Bog complex. Eleven of the duck nest boxes were installed over land on trees near woodland ponds, lakes, or streams. In 2015 three of the boxes were installed on galvanized steel poles over water—two in a seasonal woodland pond and one on the edge of a small cattail marsh extending 40 feet out from the shoreline of the largest island in Mud Lake.

Breeding Bird Survey at the Cedarburg Bog

The Wisconsin Breeding Bird Atlas II is the second comprehensive field study to document the distribution and abundance of bird species across Wisconsin. The first Wisconsin Breeding Bird Atlas was conducted from 1995 through 2001. The second Atlas (WBBA II) will collect data from 2015 through 2019. Field work for the atlas is conducted in geographic “blocks” based on USGS quads across all of Wisconsin.

Long-term Monitoring of Bat Activity and Temperature at the Neda Mine Bat Hibernaculum

The Neda Mine, an abandoned iron mine located near Iron Ridge in Dodge Co., supports about 150,000 bats each winter, making it among the largest hibernacula in the midwest. The mine is used primarily by little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus), with northern bats (M. septentrionalis), eastern pipistrelles (Perimyotis subflavus), and big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) found in smaller numbers.

Survey of Hymenoptera Pollinator Populations on Washington Island, Wisconsin

Pollinating insects are highly beneficial in both natural ecosystems and agriculture, but many species are in decline. This project’s goal was to survey Hymenoptera pollinators on Washington Island, WI, and to explore factors influencing their abundance and diversity. The two sites included the Washington Island Butterfly House, which has undergone extensive prairie restoration, and Sweet Mountain Farm, an apiary breeding western honey bees.