Dr. Dan Potts of the Biology Department at Buffalo State College is conducting research at Tifft Nature Preserve during the summer of 2008.  His work involves measuring carbon dioxide, water vapor and temperature at the leaf surface and in large gas exchange tents (pictured).  Data were collected in stands of cattails (Typha spp.) and common reed (Phragmites australis), an invasive species, to compare photosynthetic rates of the two plants.  Similar data will be collected in the grassland of the mounds on the preserve this summer in a nutrient addition experiment (treatments: nitrogen, phosphorus, nitrogen & phosphorus, control).
 

Kris and Bill Parsons are just back from their month long field season in central Montana. Their long term objective is to increase paleontological understanding of the paleo-faunal community found within the 122 to 115 million year-old Early Cretaceous Cloverly/Kootenai Formation. This year they focused on the excavation of a very interesting early mammal site. This site has produced a number of individuals of a new taxon as well as evidence of pterosaurs, plant material, possible gut contents and evidence of ankylosaurs. It is exciting but back-breaking work with some of the most rewarding finds being the very small fragments that only turn up through diligent and fastidious sieving.

At least four new dinosaur sites and one new mammal site have also been discovered and mapped out for possible future dig sites. Some of the new dinosaurs are recognizable as ankylosaurids, dromaeosaurids and/or ornithischian plant eaters, but some cannot yet be identified. Two sites have produced evidence of juvenile dinosaurs. One of these dinosaurs was so small that some of its teeth were no larger than a grain of rice, and it may have died before it ever hatched. Compared to the adult teeth of the same genus, these little teeth reveal the amazing difference in the sizes between adult and juvenile dinosaurs.

It was a very successful and rewarding dig season, but the real reward lies carefully documented in their field notes. Within those pages, without prospecting another step, is enough information to provide the Parsons and their crew of friends with at least ten more years of exciting discoveries, and after that, who knows?

Todd Osmundson met with mycologist Ernst Both to examine specimens and discuss the taxonomy and systematics of the bolete genus Tylopilus. Under the direction of Roy Halling (of the New York Botanical Garden, and BMS research associate) Todd is completing his PhD on the systematics and biogeography of Tylopilus and will be taking a post-doctoral position at the University of Berkeley to continue his work on this group.

Canisius College students Melanie Russ and Kelly Kaempf working with Dr. Helen Hull-Sanders are planting wild lupine (Lupinus perennis) on the mounds at Tifft Nature Preserve.  Half of the lupines are grown from seeds from Vermont and half from Wisconsin.  Dr. Hull-Sanders and her students will look for differences such as photosynthetic rate and pollinators between the lupine from the two locations.  Wild lupine is the obligate food source of the Karner blue butterfly larvae.  The Karner blue butterfly is a Federally listed Endangered Species that formerly occurred from Maine to Minnesota, but now only exists in scattered populations.

Under the direction of Richard Laub, the museum completed its 26th season of excavations at the Hiscock field site with the support of approximately 120 volunteers. Interesting items that were collected include a baby mastodon tooth, a mastodon wristbone, mastodon vertebra, an elk jaw, most of the bones of a deer's hindlimb, a shattered mastodon tooth, a mastodon tusk tip, and 19th century musket ball. These and other new finds are now being processes and integrated into the research collection for further study and analysis.

As a nominated recipient for the November 5, 2008 Pioneers of Science awards by the Hauptman-Woodward Institute, Jack Holland was interviewed for a video about his history and research to be presented at the awards ceremony.

John Grehan met with curator John Rawlins at the Invertebrate Section of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History to continue their collaboration on the evolutionary relationships of South American ghost moths. The extent of variation was assessed to identify the probable species limits for Druceiella in preparation for drafting a taxonomic description of the genus and its species.

In early August, Tifft Nature Preserve Ecologist, David Spiering, travelled to Milwaukee, WI to attend the Ecological Society of America's Annual Meeting.  The event is the largest ecological conference in the world with workshops, poster sessions, 100's of talks and over 3000 participants.  The theme of this years conference was "Enhancing Ecological Thought by Linking Research and Education" which is an appropiate topic since this is a goal for Tifft Nature Preserve.  David attended talks on invasive species, ecological theory, urban ecology and many on ecological education.  David even met a fellow Western New Yorker, Dr. Robert Johnson (professor of biology at Medaille College) at the conference and who is interested in research and educaiton opportunities at Tifft Nature Preserve.

This rock might not look like much, but beneath it lies a wildlife treasure.  Under this rock is a male Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus) with a surgically implanted radio transmitter so DEC biologists can track the snake to find its den and learn more about its movements.  The Timber Rattlesnake is a "Threatened Species" in New York and has suffered large population declines due to past bounty hunting and continued needless persecution.  Timber Rattlesnakes are very docile animals that people rarely encounter and pose little threat to hikers, hunters, or others enjoying the outdoors.  Tifft Nature Preserve Ecologist, David Spiering, assisted DEC biologists with tracking this snake to help make sure that Timber Rattlesnakes continue to be part of Western New York's natural heritage.