Over 100 species of Pinguicula can be found worldwide. In North America, Pinguicula species can be found primarily in the southeastern USA (6 of 9 species). Of these southeastern species, 83% are state listed as threatened or endangered in Florida, and one species, P. ionantha, is also federally listed as threatened. In recent years, new information has emerged regarding the reproductive ecology, prey capture, population genetics, and impact of habitat change for these southeastern species. However, one area that still needs additional research is seed germination, particularly, intraspecific and interspecific germination studies. We investigated intraspecific and interspecific seed germination patterns for three Pinguicula species: P. ionantha, P. lutea, and P. planifolia. Seeds from five sites per species were collected in April 2021 in the Florida Panhandle. Two seed germination trials separated by 1.5 mo were conducted. All seeds received a gibberellic acid (GA3) presoak for 24 hr. Overall, significant differences were found in seed germination among species (P. planifolia = P. ionantha > P. lutea) and among sites within a species for P. ionantha and P. planifolia, but not P. lutea. This work provides a foundation for seed germination protocols for these rare Pinguicula species found in the southeastern USA by expanding knowledge of their seed ecology and providing valuable information for conservation efforts of these at-risk species across the region.
Grassland ecosystems are shaped by interspecific interactions. With grasslands on the Colorado Front Range facing increased fragmentation and decreased species diversity, predators are expected to come into contact with each other more frequently. We used remote wildlife cameras to monitor wildlife activity at American badger (Taxidea taxus) den burrows in a fragmented landscape within the urban–wildland interface. Black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus), coyotes (Canis latrans), cottontails (Sylvilagus spp.), and badgers were the most frequent species detected across den burrows. We observed antagonistic and nonantagonistic interactions between badgers and coyotes. Badger–coyote interactions are well studied in larger, more intact grasslands, and our findings suggest that similar interactions also occur in fragmented landscapes of the urban–wildland interface. By understanding locally specific predator dynamics and movement patterns, we can improve management practices to support these species within the ecosystem.
The Mogollon Highlands is an area of rich biodiversity in central Arizona and western New Mexico. The piñon-juniper/chaparral in the Mogollon Highlands is unique from other piñon-juniper woodlands in both taxonomy and structure. The hybridization of the common piñon there, Pinus × fallax (Mogollon Highlands piñon, MHP), is hypothesized to render it more tolerant to heat and aridity than one of the parent plants, Pinus edulis (Colorado piñon). Yet as Climate Water Deficit continues to increase, so does concern for the future of these woodlands and the MHP. Using demographic data on MHP from the last four decades, we evaluate fecundity and mortality patterns in woodlands where MHP is co-dominant with three Juniperus species and numerous perennial shrubs. Our data indicate that MHP stands continue to reproduce and that mortality is low relative to the more northern P. edulis stands. We also present a simple calculation of historical fire rotation in Prescott National Forest woodlands, estimating a fire rotation of two centuries, far shorter than other piñon-juniper associations. We also explore fire patterns since 1985 across the ecoregion; abundant charcoal indicates small patchy fires were common. In spite of widespread fires, most Mogollon Highlands fires have occurred in Pinus ponderosa (ponderosa pine) forests, leaving piñon-juniper/chaparral intact. Together these trends indicate that MHP and associated perennial co-dominants are tolerant of current climates. We suggest that hybrid genetic combinations, the complex perennial understory (e.g., actinorhizal shrubs, rich diversity of nurse microsites), and fire patterns are responsible for this resiliency.
Donaldson's Woods is a remnant old-growth forest that has been surveyed repeatedly from 1954 through 1994. These surveys recorded species and diameter at breast height (DBH) for every tree within the study population that had a DBH of at least 10 cm. The current study undertook a resurvey of this site during the summer of 2022. The results indicate a progressive decline in the density, basal area, and importance of previously dominant oak (Quercus) and hickory (Carya) species and a progressive increase in sugar maple (Acer saccharum) and American beech (Fagus grandifolia). Changes in the abundance and size class distribution of oak and hickory species were predominantly due to mortality, while changes in maple and beech involved the interplay of mortality and ingrowth and outgrowth among size classes. These changes are interpreted in light of species characteristics and historical changes in disturbance regime and land use after European settlement.
