OBJECTIVES water pan trap was placed 60 cm above ground in the southwest sector ( 1) Record the biod iversity of of each plot and six pitfall traps were Mount Mansfield with respect to installed around the plots at 60° taxonomic composition and intervals. One light trap was placed in abundance. the center plot. Two one m2 plant survey plots were established 10 m to (2) Establish a long-term monitoring the east and west of plot center . strategy for forest through Samples were collected, pressed and permanent survey sites and traps. identified (Table 1) .

(3) Compare and contrast insect Killing agents in the field include a in three forest habitats on 0.05% formalin solution in the pitfall Mount Mansfield . traps, an alcohol/glycerine/acetic acid (AGA) solution in malaise traps, a (4) Develop a fully curated and water/salt/detergent solution in the referenced voucher collection of waterpan traps, and a plaster-of-paris Mount Mansfield forest insects. block saturated with tetrachloroethane in each of the light traps. Specimens (5) Provide a taxonomic foundation were collected twice a week for for future ecological classifications of pitfall, malaise, and water pan traps, insect diversity and associations with while the light traps were operated hosts and other ecosystem once a week from June 1 to October components. 30 1991 .Pitfall trap specimens were sorted at the St. Albans Correctional METHODS Facility. Insects from the light traps and waterpan traps were sorted and Sampling sites were established at stored at the Entomology Research three different elevations, 400 m in a Laboratory. Coleoptera and sugar maple forest at the Proctor were pinned and stored in Maple Research Center (PMRC), 600 Cornell drawers while other insects m in a mixed hardwood forest at and non-insect invertebrates were Underhill State Park (USP), and at stored in 80% alcohol. Insects 1160 m near the summit of Mt. collected from the malaise traps are Mansfield ( 1348 m) in a sub-alpine currently being sorted and cataloged. balsam fir forest (MMS). RESULTS Five circular (20 m diameter) plots were established at each site. In each (a) Water pan Traps of the four outlying plots a canopy malaise trap was installed 10-15 m The two main orders collected were above ground in a dominant sugar Hymenoptera and Diptera. Occasional maple or 2 m above ground in a specimens were also collected from balsam fir tree (sub-alpine habitat) .A Mecoptera, Hemiptera, Plecoptera,

5 Table 1. Plant and number of and individuals (725). individuals found in sample plots within each (parasitoids) were most abundant at of the three main research sites on Mount Mansfield. MMS = Mount Mansfield Summit, all three sites, while (detrital USP = Underhill State Park, PMRC = Proctor feeders) were second most abundant Maple Research Center . in the MMS and PMRC. Locally abundant groups include (detrital feeders) in USP I MMS USP PMRC (detrital feeders) in MMS, and (predacious) in Abies b81s8me8 7 , 1 PMRC (Fig. 2). Acer s8cch8rum 3 3 A. pensylv8nic8 2 A. spicatum , 2 (bJ Pitfall traps Anthyrium femin8 , 3 Betu81a cordifoli8 3 Clintoni8 borealis 2 A range of insects and other Coptis groenlandica 4 invertebrates were collected (Table 2) . Cornus can8densis 4 2 C. cornuta 1 The non-insect macro-invertebrates Dryopteris spinulosa 7 7 4 were represented by six major groups Gr8min8e 1 3 with the Areneda and Philangida Fagus grandifoli8 1 1 Impatiens capensis 5 comprising 88% of all individuals (Fig. Lycopodium lucidum 3 4 3). Insects abundance was Onocle8 sensibilis 1 Osmund8 cinn8momea 2 represented by two Coleoptera Ox81ismont8n8 4 3 families, ants (Formicidae) and one Pice8 rubens 1 Ribes glandulosum 2 3 Table 2. Insects and other invertebrates Rubus idaeus 1 3 Solidago rugos8 1 5 collected from pitfall traps on Mount Thelpteris noveborac 1 1 Mansfield. Trientalis bore81is 2 Trillium gr8ndiflorum Vaccinum corymbosum Viburnum 81nifolium 3 Insecta Viola sp. 2 Carabidae 1741 Staphylindae 814 Coleoptera, and Lepidoptera, but were Formicidae 418 not collated in the present study. Elateridae 57 Gryllacrididae 618 Sample comparisons were confined to Diptera which was the only group Areneda 2201 present in large numbers. Taxa Phalangida 1270 Chilopoda 22 difficult to identify and not collated Diplopoda 375 include the Culicidae (mosquitoes), Gastropoda snails 25 (midges), and slugs 34 Simuliidae (blackflies). species of camel cricket A total of 849 specimens of Diptera (Gryllacrididae) (Fig. 4). were collected from 14 families (Fig. 1 ). The Mt. Mansfield summit site has The ground beetles (Carabidae) were the largest number of families ( 13) identified and compared at the species

54 a. 2% (N = 141 6% (N = 441 Rhagionidae 1% (N = 41

Tachinidae 38% IN = 274) Heleomyzidae 13% (N = 951

Tipulidae 1% IN = 7) 1% IN = 10) 2% IN = 12)

Syrphidae , % IN = 8) Bibionidae , % IN = 5)

Muscidae 25% IN = 250)

b.

c.

Figure 1 .Abundance of Diptera families collected on Mount Mansfield in waterpan traps at: (a) the high elevation survey site (MMS) on Mount Mansfield, (b) the Underhill State Park survey site (USP) on Mount Mansfield, and (c) the Proctor Maple Research survey site (PMRS) on Mount Mansfield .

55 a

b.

Predator' 6% IN = 9) Parasitoid 50% IN = 28)

Phytophage 2% (N = 1 )

/ / , ~ Detritophage 32% IN = '81

c.

Parasitoid 57% (N = 40) Predator' 3% IN = 9)

Detritophage 30% IN = 21 )

Figure 2. Abundance of Diptera feeding guilds (as represented by the larval stage) for families collected in waterpan traps on Mount Mansfield at: (a) the high elevation survey site (MMS) on Mount Mansfield, (b) the Underhill State Park survey site (USP) on Mount Mansfield, and (c) the Proctor Maple Research survey site (PMRS).

56 level. Out of the 32 species collected each habitat was similar (MMS 22, (Table 3) 12 were found at all three USP 22, and PMRC 20), but USP sites while a further 1 2 were each supported the highest total number of present at one site only. The four individuals with 1120 specimens, most abundant species (over 100 compared with 429 in PMRC, and specimens) were present at all three 192 in MMS (Fig. 5). sites. The total number of species in

Figure 3. Abundance of major non-insect macroinvertebrates (as % of total) combined for pitfall trap collections at all three survey sites on Mount Mansfield

Figure 4. Abundance of the most common insect families (as as % of total) combined for pitfall trap collections at all three survey sites on Mount Mansfield.

57 80

-Species -Individuals 70 "~

60

50 C ~ 40 - Q) Do 30

20

10 )--7 0 MMS USP PMRC

Figure 5. Percentage of species and individuals of Carabidae (Coleoptera) collected from pitfall traps for all three sites on Mount Mansfield .

(c) Light Traps expanded to include the About 227 species of microlepidoptera. (Lepidoptera) were collected and identified. Comparisons were confined The results of the macrolepidoptera to "macrolepidoptera" which survey are presented as a summary of represents an artificial grouping of species diversity and abundance for families with relatively large and easily different families (Fig. 6.). The identifiable species. It leaves out a families and Geometridae considerable number of species and were dominant at all three sites in taxonomic groups also of interest to both species and numbers of forest entomology, but the selection individuals. The Notodontidae (closely was necessary because many related to Noctuidae) were the next "microlepidoptera" are difficult to dominant group. The remaining identify without appropriate reference families were minor with respect to material or specialist knowledge and both species and abundance. methods (such as microscopic Comparison of total species and examination or genitalic dissection) . abundance show that PMRC The 1992 Lepidoptera survey will be supported the highest numbers, while MMS supported very few (Fig. 7).

58

/ 6c

7 / / / / / /1

60

50 -Abundance

... 40 -Species c 0) u .. 30 0) 0. 20 ~

10 / 7 0 PMRC USP MMS

Figure 7. Percentage of species and individuals of Lepidoptera families collected from light traps for all three survey sites on Mount Mansfield.

60 SIGNIFICANT FINDINGS climate change and atmospheric pollution. The comparison of insect The taxonomic focus on individual diversity and abundance between insect groups has the advantage of habitats may provide an important providing sufficient detail to recognize primary insight into long-term records of general ecological ecological trends affecting changes in significance. In this respect several the community structure of the forest records from the 1991 season are habitat. noteworthy. Two Lepidoptera (Noctuidae) species -Anomogyna is critically important to rhaetica Staudinger (MMS) and the success of invertebrate ecosystem Platypolia atricornis Grote (PMRC) - studies. Taxonomic detail is possible qualified for inclusion in the special in the present study only for survey category in the Carabidae and Lepidoptera. Several Vermont Nongame and Natural other groups may also be treated in Heritage Program (Department of Fish similar detail within the present and Wildlife). Several species program, but the majority will require collected may represent new records years of work. Available taxonomic for Vermont, but this designation is expertise is limited and dispersed, often uncertain because of the lack of while the published literature is often comprehensive published records. inadequate to meet the general identification requirements of a fauna survey. One partial solution is for the Four specimens of the high elevation Vermont Monitoring Cooperative to species Sohaeroderus nitidicollis develop its own taxonomic resource brevoorti Leconte (Carabidae) were as is currently being prepared for the collected from MMS. This beetle has a Carabidae, Lepidoptera, Diptera, and geographic range from Nova Scotia to Hymenoptera. Even with this the northeastern United States and resource, utilization is dependant on New York, and west to Manitoba the maintenance of staff with (Lindroth 1961 ). It is a "cold climate" appropriate taxonomic skills and species and may be sensitive to experience. Without this resource climate changes. It has been recorded long-term invertebrate ecosystem in Vermont from Camel's Hump, but studies are impossible. has not been sighted for several years (R. T. Bell, pers. comm.). CONTEXT

DISCUSSION The Lepidoptera records are contributing to an inventory of the Mount Mansfield includes the only Vermont Lepidoptera fauna through a extensive sub-alpine/alpine habitat in cooperative project between the Vermont. High elevation habitats have Entomology Research Laboratory, the a fragile ecology susceptible to long- Extension Service, Lyndonville State term environmental changes such as College, and amateur lepidopterists. A comprehensive list of Vermont moths inventory of larval stages. and butterflies is being prepared for publication, and is based on voucher Complementary to the taxonomic specimens maintained in Vermont, work will be a precise documentation including a State reference collection of feeding ecology for the at the Entomology Research invertebrates. In particular, feeding Laboratory comprising over 1,000 associations should be investigated identified species. The carabid for the groups currently under study. collection will contribute to a Vermont The biomass representation of faunal list currently being prepared by invertebrates should be established R. T. Bell, Zoology Department, UVM. relative to the total ecosystem. For example, the Sphingidae and Saturniidae are low in numbers and FUTURE PLANS AND POTENTIAL species, but include the largest bodied OPTIONS insects found in the Mt. Mansfield habitats. A regional context for the The present survey represents only insects should be established through the beginning of a research program a total geographic record of the that will need to address a range of localities. These records will provide questions if the taxonomic and information on the local and regional ecological diversity of invertebrates is significance of the mount Mansfield to be precisely characterized. It is fauna. expected that several years of collecting will be necessary to The light-trap method is constrained establish an accurate inventory of the by recording only those species fauna. The current study concentrates attracted, and does not, therefore, only on certain groups, but future provide a complete record of all work will need to expand the groups and species. For example, the coverage to include the remaining maple leaf cutter (a significant forest invertebrate fauna, particularly the pest) is abundant in the two lower Myriopods (centipedes and sites, but its diurnal habit excludes it millipedes), the Arachnida (spiders), almost entirely from the survey. Other and the Mollusca (snails and slugs). species may be only infrequently Many insects collected are recognized attracted to the trap. An ideallong- pests of recreational and commercial term strategy for surveying the forestry. The composition and relative Lepidoptera would include a variety of abundance of such pests should be methods. Possibilities include the use identified in the future. The larval of different light sources stages of many species are (incandescent, mercury vapor), and economically and ecologically other traps (bait, sticky traps) .Future significant, but they are often not traps for other insects could include well known compared to the adult ground malaise traps and tree trunk stage. The adults surveys should be traps. complemented by establishing an

62 REFERENCE

Lindroth, C. H. 1969. The ground beetles of Canada and Alaska. Entomologiska S81lskapet, Lund

FUNDING SOURCES AND APPROXIMATE EXPENDITURE

The 1 991 season was funded by a $9,112.00 grant from the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources: Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation .

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

Our thanks to Ross T. Bell, University of Vermont; Bob Davidson, Carnage Museum of Natural History; Dale Sweitzer, Nature Conservancy; Mike Sabourin (Burlington); and the staff of the Canadian National Collections, for their time and expertise in determining and confirming many species identifications. Collecting and sorting insects and data entry was made possible through the help of Sumner Williams, David Barnes, Luis Yulfo, Peter Smythe, Kihoon Kim (University of Vermont Research Apprentice Program), Brian Verville, Dan Dillner , Jennifer Neat, Mike Sevigny, Dan Van der Vliet, and Richard Paradis (UVM Natural Areas Manger) for permission to collect near the summit of Mt. Mansfield. Special thanks to Judy Rosovsky for her help in the initial planning of this project.

CONTENTS NOT FOR PUBLICATION WITHOUT AUTHORS PERMISSION

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