From 2012 to 2023 we live-trapped small mammals within the two habitats of Hazeldell Meadow State Nature Preserve on the Highland Rim of northern Pulaski County, Kentucky. This is a rare ecosystem and the only protected site of its kind in the state. Seven species were captured during the study. In the wet meadow habitat, white-footed deermice (Peromyscus leucopus) were captured throughout the study with a peak in 2020. This was the first year bot fly larvae were found on white-footed deermice. No other species had them. Prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) were captured for the first time in the fall of 2022. Far fewer white-footed deermice were captured after prairie voles arrived, which then became the most captured species in 2022 and 2023. The eastern harvest mouse (Reithrodontomys humulis) was the third most-often captured species, but only infrequently. Three species were captured in the wet flatwoods; white-footed deermice accounted for 89% of the captures. Over the 12 years of this study, there have been three phases of management of the meadow that included burning, mowing, and removal of sapling trees by hand. These management practices and climate change may be influencing the balance of small mammal species in Hazeldell Preserve. Consequently, this study serves as a baseline to recognize future changes and trends in small mammal ecology in the preserve.
The first occurrence of a fossil asteroid from the Upper Ordovician Grant Lake Limestone in Bath County, east-central Kentucky, is reported. Although incompletely exposed, long, slender, columnar arms, disk-shaped adambulacral plates, and limited data on the more aboral skeleton indicate assignment to the family Urasterellidae (Asteroidea; Echinodermata). The limestone slab bearing the fossil is part of a sequence of storm deposits, or tempestites, which comprise the upper part of the Grant Lake Limestone. The asteroid likely was picked up in a storm, transported, and deposited in the muddy sands that settled out after the storm. Although possibly partially dismembered, skeletal plates are essentially in life positions and buried without significant tissue decay nor discovery by burrowing scavengers, presence of the latter documented by texture of the enclosing sediment.
To date, bigheaded carp have invaded many riverine impoundments and reservoirs within United States waters and can dominate the fish biomass given favorable conditions. Reservoirs provide stepping stones for this invasion. A commercial market for these species exists, but most of the fishing effort is concentrated within rivers instead of reservoirs. Limited data exist on the habitat use of Silver Carp within reservoirs. This tracking study was tailored to partially fill existing knowledge gaps concerning reservoir macrohabitat use of Silver Carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) and to inform commercial fishers of their daily patterns or macrohabitat usage. Our data suggested that Silver Carp use macrohabitats (canal, coves, major-coves, side-channel, and thalweg) evenly throughout the year, regardless of water temperature. Additionally, our data suggest that on days with mean average wind speeds exceeding 3 m/s, Silver Carp favored coves (less than 5 ha) over reservoir thalwegs. These data may be useful for commercial fishers targeting Silver Carp. Key Words: Acoustic telemetry, Movement, Silver Carp, Macrohabitat
Hazeldell Meadow State Nature Preserve is a rare ecosystem located within the Highland Rim region of south-central Kentucky. It is the only state-protected site of its kind. This preserve is comprised of two distinct plant communities, including wet flatwoods and a wet meadow. To date there is only one published study on mammals in the preserve. This was a general survey using cameras with bait stations. Here we present the results of a second study specifically surveying carnivores that ran from 3 September 2022 to 26 March 2023. Stations were set up with cameras attached to trees in the wet flatwoods habitat and aimed at other trees with attractants that included twenty commercially prepared baits and lures. This study demonstrated the value of using scent lures in addition to food baits when doing surveys on carnivorous mammals. A total of 37,193 images were taken with 525 showing nine species of carnivores. The six most photographed and videoed species were raccoons, coyotes, domestic dogs, striped skunks, bobcats, and red fox that comprised 98% of carnivore images. The remaining nine images were of a long-tailed weasel, American mink, and a domestic cat. This study is the first documenting these three species, along with domestic dogs, in the preserve. The results serve as baseline data for comparisons to future surveys to show potential changes in the carnivore community.
The goal of the current study was to see if there was a correlation between the development of Muscle Dysmorphia (MD) and three different pressure types (peer, family, and media) in high school aged students. Participants (n=59) were recruited via the Advanced Placement Psychology and Psychology classes at a local high school. It was hypothesized that there would be a correlation between all three pressure types and the development of MD in the students. To test the hypothesis, the participants were given a survey. The first part of the survey was demographic information, the second part was the Muscle Dysmorphia Questionnaire (Grieve et al. 2014) that was used to evaluate MD symptomatology, and the third part was the Sociocultural Attitudes Toward Appearance Questionnaire (Thompson 2011) that was used to evaluate the pressure types. The results partially supported the overall hypothesis that symptoms of muscle dysmorphia would be related to family, peer, and media pressures. A correlation between MD and peer pressure was found as was a correlation between MD and media pressure. However, no correlation was found for family pressure. In addition, when looked at by gender, there was no correlation between MD and any of the pressure types in males while the female results modeled the overall results.
In the United States, school mathematics standards require students to learn how to read analog clocks in elementary school. However, recent reports show that students may struggle with reading these devices. This study quantified the ability of school students in grades 3-12 to read numbered and numberless clocks. Students reached an 83% proficiency in reading numbered clocks around the 5th grade, but many continued to struggle with reading numberless clocks until about 8th grade. About 10% of the high school students never reached proficiency. Misconceptions included reading the hour hand as the minute hand and vice versa, not reading the minutes in multiples of five, reading the hands counterclockwise, and reading the minute hand in multiples of five but starting in the wrong place.
2016 Enhanced KAS Affiliates Alice Lloyd College Bellarmine University Berea College Brescia University Campbellsville University Centre College Eastern Kentucky University Georgetown College Kentucky Science Center Kentucky State University Midway College Morehead State University Murray State University Northern Kentucky University Spalding University Thomas More College Transylvania University University of Kentucky University of Louisville University of Pikeville Western Kentucky University Kentucky Community and Technical College System (all campuses)
Taylor Fork Ecological Area is a 24-ha natural area on the southern edge of the Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) campus with a long history of agricultural use. Purchased by EKU in 2008, the property is now used for teaching, research, and restoration activities. Restoration activities include the planting of seeds and transplants of native species, as well as the removal of invasive species. A floristic survey was conducted between 2014 and 2018 with the goal of documenting all vascular plants. This project documented 256 species from 184 genera in 73 families. In total, sixty-six non-native species (∼26%) were detected including 13 invasive species ranked as severe threats, 12 invasive species ranked as significant threats, and 11 invasive species ranked as moderate threats. Documented species included three ferns, 189 herbs, 11 vines, 16 shrubs, and 37 trees. Two species of conservation concern in Kentucky, Lespedeza capitata (Bush-clover) and Trifolium stoloniferum (Running Buffalo-clover), are present and persist from plantings. Seven plant communities are described at the site, including two wetland types and two forest types. Of the known planted species, 24 of 29 were persisting, including nine planted by seed and 15 that were transplants. Twenty-five additional species are suspected to have been planted during restoration efforts, but documentation is lacking. This flora will serve as a baseline to document the vascular plant diversity of the Taylor Fork Ecological Area, while also measuring the success of native species plantings.
