BIOL 297K: Field Mammalogy

Jessica LaPrice

Higher Canopy Height Potentially Associated with Lower Tick-Borne Pathogen Prevalence in Rodent Hosts
David Li

A scientific poster titled "Higher Canopy Height Potentially Associated with Lower Tick-Borne Pathogen Prevalence in Rodent Hosts" by David Li. The poster investigates whether forest canopy height affects tick-borne disease rates in rodents. The introduction explains that ticks climb low vegetation to latch onto hosts and that understanding forest structure may reduce tick exposure. The hypothesis states that taller canopy forests will have lower tick-borne pathogen prevalence. A U.S. map marks five NEON field sites. A histogram shows most sites had 15–25 meter canopy heights. A boxplot compares canopy height by tick infection status, showing slightly lower canopy in tick-positive cases. A scatterplot shows site-level pathogen prevalence slightly decreasing with increased canopy height, though the trend was only marginally significant (p = 0.07). The conclusion panel notes a weak trend: for every additional meter of canopy height, infection odds decreased by about 3–4%. However, overlapping error bars indicate this effect isn’t statistically robust. It suggests other factors—humidity, understory density, and rodent species—likely influence outcomes. A side graphic illustrates the canopy height vs. tick risk relationship, and a callout box recommends using multivariable models for future research. The poster includes a QR code link to references.

NEON Small Mammal Trapping Data Indicates Species Diversity Increases with Elevation
Hatcher Cook

A scientific research poster titled “NEON Small Mammal Trapping Data Indicates Species Diversity Increases with Elevation” by Hatcher Cook. The study uses National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) data from small mammal traps at various elevations to explore how elevation influences species diversity. The introduction explains that small mammals are good indicators of environmental change and that identifying areas of high biodiversity helps predict ecological shifts. The experimental question asks how species diversity varies by elevation, with a hypothesis expecting more species at low elevations. Contrary to that, the results—shown in four boxplots—indicate that species diversity is highest at high elevations in the Appalachian, Rocky Mountain, and Sierra Nevada regions. The fourth boxplot combines all three regions and reinforces the trend. The methods section outlines the selection of NEON sites from 2018 to 2023 and use of Excel and ANOVA for analysis. The conclusion notes that species diversity was higher at high elevations in two of three regions and when all data were combined. This may be due to greater habitat variety and altitudinal range at higher elevations. The poster ends with a QR code linking to NEON site maps, future research directions, acknowledgements, and references.

Seasonal Precipitation Not Significantly Correlated with Prevalence of Tick-Borne Diseases in Small Rodent Populations
Jake Vo

A scientific research poster titled “Seasonal Precipitation Not Significantly Correlated with Prevalence of Tick-Borne Diseases in Small Rodent Populations” by Jake Vo from Washington & Lee University. The study examines data from three NEON sites (in Massachusetts, Virginia, and Maryland) to determine if seasonal precipitation affects the prevalence of tick-borne pathogens in rodents. The introduction explains that ticks thrive in warm, humid environments and that small rodents are key hosts. The experimental question asks whether seasonal precipitation correlates with disease rates. The hypothesis proposes that higher precipitation increases tick-borne diseases due to higher humidity. Results include: -A boxplot showing summer had the highest proportion of positive tests. -A bar chart showing summer had the most rodents sampled, especially at the HARV site. -A line graph (marginal effects plot) showing no strong trend between precipitation and infection rates. -A Type III ANOVA table indicating no statistically significant relationship between precipitation and tick-borne disease prevalence (p = 0.174). The conclusion notes that while summer showed the highest disease rate, there was no significant correlation with precipitation. The study suggests expanding future research to include temperature, canopy height, and wind. The poster features visuals including lifecycle diagrams of ticks and QR code for references.

After the Burn: Small Mammal Community Change in a Fire-Disturbed Sierra Nevada Forest
Andrew Lehman

A research poster titled “After the Burn: Small Mammal Community Change in a Fire-Disturbed Sierra Nevada Forest” by Andrew Lehman. The study examines how the 2020 Creek Fire in California affected small mammal capture probabilities at the SOAP NEON site. The introduction explains that wildfires are increasing in severity, reshaping ecosystems and potentially increasing zoonotic disease risks. The poster highlights that small mammals are key ecological indicators and disease reservoirs. The central question asks how wildfire influences mammal species captures and whether generalist species are more resilient. The hypothesis suggests species like Peromyscus maniculatus (deer mouse) and P. boylii will persist or increase, while others like Reithrodontomys megalotis and Microtus californicus may decline. Several bar charts show observed and predicted capture rates before and after the fire for six species. Generalist species maintained or increased capture rates post-fire, while more specialized species declined. A regression model was used to adjust for trap effort and improve statistical accuracy. Color-coded visuals show comparisons in capture probability shifts by species. The conclusion notes that fire impacts are species-specific. Generalists are more resilient, and community composition may shift toward generalist dominance. The study suggests that long-term, multi-species ecological monitoring is essential for understanding wildfire effects and related public health implications. The poster includes a flowchart of methods, a QR code link to data sources, and colorful process icons describing data cleaning, modeling, and visualization steps.

Comparing Small Mammal Trapping Success Rates in Riparian vs. Upland Zones Using NEON Data
Jenna Moore

A scientific research poster titled “Comparing Small Mammal Trapping Success Rates in Riparian vs. Upland Zones Using NEON Data” by Jenna Moore. The study uses 2022 NEON small mammal trapping data to compare trapping success rates between “woody wetlands” (riparian zones) and “evergreen forests” (upland zones) at three U.S. sites: TREE (Wisconsin), OSBS (Florida), and DELA (Alabama). The Introduction highlights the importance of identifying habitats that support successful small mammal trapping to improve research outcomes. The Hypothesis proposed that riparian zones would yield higher success rates. The Methods section details how Microsoft Excel was used to filter and analyze trap data, and a two-sample t-test was used to test statistical significance (P > 0.05 = not significant). A map shows the three sites used. In the Results, two graphs are presented: A line chart comparing 2022 trap success rates for each site and ecosystem type, showing slightly higher success in evergreen forests but not significantly so. A bell curve model showing a two-tailed t-distribution with p-value regions, indicating no significant difference in trapping success. The Discussion notes that small mammals showed no strong habitat preference and that other factors like weather may have influenced results. The author suggests expanding future research across more sites and ecosystems. The Conclusion supports the lack of significant differences and highlights the need for broader study. A photo of a forest at an NEON site is shown at the bottom right.

It’s Getting Hot in Here: Increasing Soil Temperatures and Reproductive Cycles in Peromyscus leucopus
Lexi Ossi

A scientific poster titled “It's Getting Hot in Here: Increasing Soil Temperatures and Reproductive Cycles in Peromyscus leucopus” by Lexi Ossi. The study investigates whether rising soil temperatures—linked to climate change—are causing earlier breeding in white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus). Data was collected from 2017 to 2024 at the SCBI NEON site in Virginia using small mammal trapping and soil temperature monitoring. The abstract summarizes the research, stating that while soil temperatures are increasing, no clear link was found between this warming trend and earlier reproduction. In the introduction, the poster explains that the white-footed mouse is common in Virginia and plays an important ecological role. Their normal breeding season runs April to June. Given increasing temperatures in the Blue Ridge region, it was hypothesized that mice might begin breeding earlier. The experimental question asks whether rising soil temperatures are affecting reproductive timing. The hypothesis suggests that higher average soil temperatures would result in earlier breeding. Three graphs in the results section show: Rising soil temperatures in March and April across years. A linear trend of increasing mean early spring soil temperature. A regression plot showing no correlation between soil temperature and number of bred females. In the methods, the study describes using NEON data and Python to analyze temperature trends and female reproductive status (classified as “pregnant” or “plugged”). The conclusion notes that while soil temperatures are significantly rising (p = 0.031), no significant relationship was found between temperature and breeding timing. The poster suggests more research is needed to explore environmental and biological factors influencing reproduction. A photo of a white-footed mouse appears in the bottom right corner. The poster includes citations and a reference to NEON data collection methods.

When Cities Meet Wildlife: The Implication of Urban Development on Zoonotic Disease Risk
Amara Oputa

A research poster titled “When Cities Meet Wildlife: The Implication of Urban Development on Zoonotic Disease Risk” by Amara Oputa. The study explores how urbanization affects tick prevalence in small mammals and whether this relates to human Lyme disease cases. The introduction notes that habitat fragmentation from urban development can increase disease transmission and zoonotic risk, as small mammals often serve as reservoirs for ticks and pathogens. The hypothesis proposes that small mammals in urban NEON sites would have higher rates of tick presence, and that this would correlate with higher human Lyme disease cases in nearby counties. A map highlights 12 NEON sites classified as either urban or rural. Urban sites are within 60.34 miles of highly human-impacted areas, while rural sites are farther from disturbance. In the results, a bar graph shows a higher average percentage of tick-positive captures in urban sites (18%) compared to rural ones (6%), but the difference is not statistically significant. A scatterplot comparing small mammal tick presence with county-level human Lyme disease cases shows a weak correlation that is also not statistically significant. The conclusion emphasizes that while urban sites showed more tick presence in small mammals, the difference wasn’t statistically conclusive. There was also no strong correlation between tick presence in rodents and reported Lyme cases. However, the findings underscore the importance of continued monitoring, especially in urbanizing areas. The next steps include deeper pathogen analysis, mapping transmission hotspots, and using landscape metrics to explore host-parasite dynamics. Suggested applications include collaboration with city planners and wildlife managers to mitigate zoonotic disease risk. The poster includes figures illustrating disease transmission, graphs of data analysis, and logos for NEON, TickCheck, and NSF. An acknowledgment thanks Dr. Jessica LaPrice and mentions that NEON and TickCheck provided data resources.