Black Rock Forest News

Fall 2012 The Black Rock Forest Consortium Volume XXII, No. 3

Summer + Students + Science: Under the Canopy

Classes and Research The Understory and Woody Debris ummer always brings students to along with Katie Pavlis, the Consor- S the Forest for learning and re- tium’s research associate/envi- ak trees form much of the can- search, but the Consortium added a ronmental educator. The students O opy of our northeastern for- new feature this summer by running stayed in the Forest Lodge, super- ests, but what is happening be- a series of three week-long science vised by two retired local teachers, neath the canopy and how will this classes as a pilot for a larger program Jamie Kamlet and Chris Lee-Kamlet. be affected by the potential loss of in the years to come. The high The students were enthusiastic ? As part of the Black Rock school students who participated in about the program, which also in- Forest Consortium’s Future of this program enjoyed the Forest, as cluded movies, walking to and telling Forest project, researchers are in- did middle school groups and college ghost stories in the Stone House, and vestigating changes in understory and graduate students who helped recreation such as ping-pong, volley- vegetation and how changes in with Forest research or worked on ball, and water balloon fun. Com- coarse woody debris (dead wood) their own projects. ments included “The camp helped me may influence the carbon cycle. discover who I wanted to be,” “I think Led by a team of faculty-level Science Classes that this made me more enthusiastic scientists, the oak study is the first From July 8 through 13, 23 high about the outdoors. It surprised me direct, manipulative investigation of school students, mostly from Consor- how calm I was about the mice and the cascade of impacts likely to fol- tium member schools, attended a insects,” and “I wanna come back low from the loss of oaks, in ad- summer science camp in the Forest next year!” All of the students said vance of what may occur should that offered they enjoyed the they succumb to current or future three intensive summer science threats. It uses a species removal field classes. camp and technique (girdling) to mimic tree The students would recom- loss to a pathogen, such as sudden could either take mend it to oth- oak death, in a series of experimen- an all-day class, ers; 96% said tal plots (some with all oaks girdled, Field Ecology they were more some with half the oaks girdled, and Survey interested in some with all non-oaks girdled, and Methods: A Bio- learning about some controls); part of each plot is diversity Blitz, nature after fenced to exclude deer. Each treat- taught by Bar- participating in ment type is replicated at lower, nard’s Dr. Terry- the program. middle, and higher elevations. Be- anne Maenza- One parent fore girdling, scientists obtained Gmelch, or the noted that the baseline data; more than a dozen two half-day program pro- investigators from eight institutions classes: The vided “terrific have examined biogeochemistry, World of Insects: access to the plant diversity and ecology, micro- Infinite Variety scientists in the bial ecology, insects, small mam- on a Common field . . [It] defi- mals, modeling, and more. Theme, taught nitely helped my by Dr. Julian son to be able to The Understory Stark who came Dr. Julian Stark, with students in the insect see himself in a “The understory is a particularly from Queens- class. career in sci- important aspect of the ecosystem borough Com- ence.” The in- to study for several reasons,” ex- munity College, and Mysterious structors were also excited about the plains Dr. Matthew Palmer, a Colu- : Trapping and Tracking the camp. “I was very pleased with the bia University ecologist. “Since the Creatures of the Night, taught by students’ interest and motivation,” diversity of plants is much greater Stephanie Seto, a said Dr. Stark. “They definitely re- than in the canopy, we can ask science teacher and a former gradu- sembled young entomologists.” ate student researcher in the Forest, (continued on page 5) (continued on page 3) 2 Black Rock Forest News Fall 2012 Report from the Executive Director

lack Rock Forest Consortium’s nisms (see “New Use for Data,” p. 6). B new Strategic Plan (to be high- The Consortium did indeed have the lighted in our next newsletter) repre- required type of data, including his- sents the continuing growth of our torical records collected by staff as organization. It also mirrors changes far back as 1930. But the capability taking place in our society, in science has not existed – the technological and many other endeavors. In our infrastructure and staff expertise – to Strategic Plan, collaboration, use of make these data widely known and new technologies, and sharing infor- easily accessible to anyone inter- mation through universal access are ested. Once Joel and his postdoctoral The Black Rock Forest Consortium ad- central to achieveing our mission of associate Meng Xu obtained these vances scientific understanding through advancing scientific understanding of data, they proved to be a treasure research, education and conservation the natural world. trove. Their first paper, published in programs It is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) The Consortium’s previous stra- the Proceedings of the National Acad- organization supported by membership tegic plans focused inward as we emy of Sciences, confirms their theo- dues, grants, and gifts. built a functional organization that retical predictions with Black Rock Institutional Members served institutions and people. Fol- Forest data. A second manuscript, America Museum of Natural History lowing our Master Plan of 1998, we now in review, helps explain Taylor’s built our Science Center and Forest Law, a widely recognized but incom- The Browning School The Lodge, which have enriched the ex- pletely understood pattern in popula- periences of more than 100,000 stu- tion ecology; more are planned. How dents, teachers, and scientists. Fol- much farther will science advance Cornwall Central School District lowing our Long Range Plan of 2004, when voluminous historical data The we hired an Operations Manager, a from places like the Forest become Frederick Douglass Academy Director of Education, and a Director easily accessible around the world? The Hewitt School of Development to establish our core Information not properly pre- Hunter College staff structure and capabilities. served, documented, and shared too Marine Biological Laboratory at Woods Hole—The Ecosystems Center We will now begin to implement easily becomes knowledge lost forever. Metropolitan Montessori School our 2012-2017 Strategic Plan. Core That is why many journals now re- Newburgh Enlarged City School District foci are development of collaborative quire that underlying data sets be City Department of Parks teams to take advantage of the tre- published along with the resulting and Recreation mendous resources of our Consor- papers. The National Science Founda- New York – New Jersey Conference tium, outreach to a broader audience tion now requires that all funded stud- than ever before, and universal infor- ies implement data management plans The School at Columbia University mation accessibility. Our shared to ensure that data will be preserved The goal, and challenge, are to maximize for use by others. New insights into Teacher’s College the benefits of a true Consortium large-scale patterns are becoming pos- with renewed commitments from sible through the ability to access and Urban Assembly for Applied Math each of our member institutions. And simultaneously analyze large numbers and Science we have included a commitment to of data sets over vast regions. Consortium Staff and Officers interact productively with the rest of When I examined data and tree William Schuster, Ph.D., Executive Director the world to achieve a more sustain- populations in the field, from Penn- John Brady, Forest Manager able future. The first stated goal, of sylvania through Connecticut, for a Emily Cunningham, Director of Program fifteen in the plan, is to provide sim- chapter in The Highlands (see “New and Resource Development plified and universal access to the Book,” Winter 2012), I found that the Jeffrey Kidder, Ph.D., Education Director vast scientific information and collec- most important factors driving Jack Caldwell, Operations Manager Barbara Brady, Office Manager tions developed at the Black Rock change (e.g., excess herbivory, inva- Matthew Munson, Data/Network Manager Forest over the past 82 years sive species, altered disturbance re- Kate Pavlis, Research Associate/ A recent example illustrates why gimes, climate changes) are not local, Environmental Educator this is so important. Dr. Joel Cohen, but shared across the region and Sibyl R. Golden, Chairman of Rockefeller and Columbia universi- sometimes the globe. To address and Frank Moretti, Ph.D., President ties, asked last year if we had certain solve issues like these will require Geoffrey W. Dann, Treasurer types of spatially and temporally ex- thinking outwards, working collabo- Christie Van Kehrberg, Secretary plicit data available from studies of ratively, and a willingness to share. 65 Reservoir Road, Cornwall NY 12518 the trees in Black Rock Forest. He Effective information sharing can Phone: (845) 534-4517 was working on a grant from the Na- only make the scientific process more E-Mail: brfoffice @ blackrockforest.org tional Science Foundation to investi- robust and advance understanding Web: www.blackrockforest.org gate mathematical relationships un- and produce societal benefits we can- Editor: Sibyl R. Golden derlying variations in the spatial dis- not even envision today.  © 2012 Black Rock Forest Consortium tribution of different types of orga- — Dr. William Schuster Fall 2012 Black Rock Forest News 3

Oak Study (continued from page 1) large effects on the understory.” In- loss of one species may have a differ- questions about the effects of diver- terestingly, he also notes that while ent effect than the loss of another. We sity on ecosystem processes. Addi- the amount of vegetation increases are interested in how the loss of oaks tionally, ecological interactions in the when deer are excluded, the species will change the carbon cycle, which understory, such as competition for diversity is quite variable and has will help us understand other changes resources and herbivory, will affect not, so far, responded to the exclu- such as those in understory vegetation the structure and function of the for- sion of deer. and soil decomposition.” est in the future, as the understory Next steps include collecting and Because the pieces of woody de- vegetation may affect the germina- analyzing the 2012 data and prepar- bris generally come in odd shapes tion, growth rates, rates of herbivory, ing a paper, and Dr. Palmer hopes to and are often too heavy to lift, Ms. and mortality of tree seedlings before continue monitoring these plots in Pavlis and the student interns use they grow up to higher layers in the the years ahead as the forest begins measurements and geometry to esti- forest. Finally, understory vegetation mate the volume of objects, and den- responds to change relatively quickly sity values known from previous compared to changes in the tree can- Black Rock Forest studies and pub- opy, providing results in a few years lished information to calculate the rather than a few decades.” dry mass of the pieces of debris. Dr. Palmer and his students es- They also determine the tree species tablished plots within the main oak (easier for newly dead pieces of wood forest study plots. The team annually and harder for wood that has decayed samples all the vascular plants in the more) and the decay class, catego- understory, including ferns, broadleaf rized from class 1, for pieces that still flowering plants, grasses and sedges, have hard wood, bark, and attached and woody plants, and make annual fine twigs, to class 5, for pieces that counts of tree seedlings by tagging barely hold their shape and can be individuals and following them easily broken with one’s hands. They through the years. They look at how have also been examining the decay the canopy treatment affects the un- rates of different species. derstory and the effects of the posi- Ms. Pavlis and Dr. Schuster are Katie Pavlis and Sara Pace surveying tion along the slope and the presence understory vegetation. still analyzing their data, but the or absence of deer exclosures. 2010 results show, not surprisingly, In analyzing the first two years of to recover from the canopy distur- 100 to 1000 times more coarse woody data, the researchers have found that bance. He also hopes to work with debris on the oak-girdled plots than both the canopy and the deer exclo- his colleague Dr. Shahid Naeem on on the controls. The next steps are to sures influence understory vegeta- relating the changes in structure of combine the data on the coarse tion. The plots with all the oaks gir- the understory vegetation to the func- woody debris with data on tree dled have both the greatest abun- tions performed by that vegetation, growth rates, leaf litter, soil carbon, dance of understory vegetation and including effects on soils, hydrology, and respiration (from a study by for- the greatest number of different spe- and nutrient dynamics. mer graduate student Jennifer Levy; cies, known as species richness. The see “Student Research Spotlight,” plots with all the non-oaks girdled Woody Debris Spring 2008) to understand how the have intermediate (and variable) lev- Katie Pavlis, the Consortium’s re- debris affects the carbon cycle, and to els of both abundance and richness. search associate/environmental edu- produce a paper. The remaining two types of plots, cator, has been working on the coarse “One interesting early result of those with half the oaks girdled and woody debris study with a variety of the study is that oak trees not only the control plots, have low understory summer interns, under the guidance store carbon at much faster rates abundance and richness. of Dr. William Schuster, the Consor- than all the other tree species,” says “Our interpretation,” Dr. Palmer tium’s executive director. Coarse Dr. Schuster, “but they also hold on says, “is that removing all the oak woody debris is large (over 7.5 cm in to that carbon for much longer after trees creates the greatest canopy dis- diameter) pieces of dead wood, such death – as long as 60 years in some turbance and therefore releases re- as stumps, branches, logs, and snags specimens examined.” sources such as light, water, and (standing dead trees), Ms. Pavlis ex- “At one time dead wood was con- probably nutrients, a result we ex- plains. “It is important because it re- sidered to be “waste” and was ne- pected. We would have expected lates to other variables we are meas- glected or removed,” he adds. “But it smaller but similar effects for the uring on the study plots, especially is now appreciated that woody debris plots in which fewer canopy trees how the carbon cycle may change is a critical part of the forest ecosys- were removed, rather than the vari- with the loss of oaks. Trees take up tem, conserving nutrients, adding able results for the non-oak plots and carbon as carbon dioxide and release structure, and providing resources the lack of an effect in the 50% oak oxygen, and are therefore very impor- and homes for a great variety of native plots; these results suggest that there tant in acting as carbon reservoirs and organisms. To thoroughly understand is some kind of threshold effect in providing clean air for us to breathe. how ecosystems function and respond which small losses to the oak canopy Different tree species take up carbon to disturbance, understory plants and are buffered, but large losses have and decay at different rates, so the dead wood must be studied.”  4 Black Rock Forest News Fall 2012

Student Spotlight: Interning at the Forest by Emily Jager

or my last six weeks of high ing boots. One of my favorite activities the idea of potentially being a teacher F school at the Calhoun School, I was helping out with school groups. I in the back of my mind, and I was spent three days a week working as really enjoyed having so many differ- able to learn about and experience an intern at Black Rock Forest. I was ent experiences because I got a good what teaching is like. inspired to do this by four class trips overview of everything that happens Working in the Forest has been to the Forest in the past year. at Black Rock and all that the Con- the main influence for my interest in Every day I did something differ- sortium is capable of. biology and ecology. I am currently ent and and learned something new. I I had planned on learning to attending Bucknell University in Lew- mostly worked with Katie Pavlis, the teach a class on my own, and Jeff isburg, PA, and I plan on majoring in Consortium’s research assistant and Kidder (the Consortium’s education environmental studies. I had an inter- environmental educator, and the director) gave me the opportunity to est in biology before I came to work in things I was involved with ranged be the teaching assistant in the mam- the Forest, but the experience I had from collecting and measuring water mal class taught by Katie Pavlis and allowed me to see what more specifi- samples obtained from lysimeters Stephanie Seto in the summer pro- cally I love and am passionate about. throughout the experimental plots in gram for high school students. We During my stay in the Forest, I was the Forest to putting together center- went out each evening to set also inspired to make some sketches pieces for the Consortium’s benefit traps with the students and, each and small watercolors that have fur- luncheon. One day I sat in a class- morning at 7 AM, alternating groups thered my love for art and have moti- room and learned how to differentiate of students went out to check the vated me to consider double majoring mammal skulls, and another day I traps. The class also included class- or at least minoring in studio art.  accidentally fell into Sphagnum Pond room instruction and trivia games Emily Jager graduated from the while I was out searching for macro- that sparked discussion of what had Calhoun School last spring and now is invertebrates with a dip net and wad- been taught earlier. I’ve always had a freshman at Bucknell University.

The Virtual and the Real: Modules on Water Quality and Mammals

eachers from a network of New acidity, and on aquatic pollution and teach about mammal characteristics, T York public schools will bring eutrophication if they have time. adaptations, and classification; now their middle- and high-school classes The students learn about the im- he has created kits (curriculum mod- to the Forest this fall for water chem- portance of dissolved oxygen for the ules) that can travel to schools so istry field investigations based on the health of aquatic systems, its influ- Consortium teachers can use them in web-based, interactive modules ence on which species can live in their own classrooms. Teachers will known as the Virtual Forest, and in them, and the physical, biological, be able to obtain the kits starting the spring for the rapidly developing and human factors that can affect next March, and participate in a mammal/habitat ecology module. dissolved oxygen levels. They meas- teacher-training workshop on using These projects are possible thanks to ure dissolved oxygen in Cascade them. At Black Rock, students can a generous three-year, $500,000 Brook and other ponds and streams participate in live mammal trapping grant from the Toyota USA Founda- and study the relationships between (and release), seeing animals from tion that allows the Consortium to water chemistry and the organisms shrews and flying squirrels to collaborate with Columbia’s Center they find in each location. Back in up close without direct contact. for New Media Teaching and Learning the classroom, they use a graphing These trapping data will be fed (CCNMTL) and New York City and tool in the Virtual Forest module to into habitat maps that the CCNMTL Newburgh public schools (see “Virtual examine long-term data recorded team is creating, dividing the Forest Forest,” Winter 2012). from the Brook to look at how dis- into blocks. Using this grid, GPS, “Two key components of the pro- solved oxygen levels change over compasses, and a 30-meter tape ject are teacher training before time, compare them to measurements measure, students will be able to classes come to the Forest and pro- made at the same time in the Hudson place traps in random locations to gram evaluation,” says Dr. Jeff Kid- and Harlem rivers, and try to figure scientifically sample and document der, the Consortium’s education di- out what causes these changing lev- the spatial diversity of mammals in rector. “The evaluator will develop els of dissolved oxygen and the impli- the Forest. The data they obtain, as methods that teachers can use to cations for aquatic life. well as observational data, will then measure what their students have The mammal module also has become part of the habitat maps. Stu- learned: their subject knowledge, both real and virtual components, dents will be able to study habitat problem-solving abilities, graphing and is the first of a series of planned ecology (where different species of and analysis skills, and facility using modular curricula for use at the For- mammals are found), investigate dif- instruments and technology.” Teach- est and in schools. Dr. Kidder has ferences between the habitats of gen- ers will focus on dissolved oxygen and long been using skulls and skins to eralists and specialists, and more.  Fall 2012 Black Rock Forest News 5

Students (continued from page 1) macroinvertebrate, and stud- Barnard, on her study of the relation- Dr. Jeff Kidder, the Consortium’s ies. They hiked, made observations ships among bird diversity, plant spe- education director, initiated the sum- about animals they saw, learned to cies diversity, and forest structural mer science class program based on identify evidence of animals, observed complexity (see “Student Research his experiences connecting university animals “caught” in camera traps, Spotlight,” Spring 2012). Another professors and graduate students and worked on graphing, data analy- Barnard student, Madeline Hirshan, with middle- and high-school stu- sis, and art and writing projects. who will be a junior, also helped with dents at Cornell and Rutgers univer- Zachary Coto, a student from the general Forest research and worked sities and, most recently, at the Uni- College of Environmental Science and with Dr. William Schuster, the Con- versity of Colorado at Boulder. “This at the State University of sortium’s executive director, Katie year’s camp was a pilot,” he explains, New York in Syracuse, helped Jack Pavlis, and Barnard professor Dr. “so we could get the program up and Caldwell, the Consortium’s operations Peter Bower to design a senior thesis running. We want to expand it to in- manager, with the program. project on the effect of forest use on clude more courses at more locations, Thanks to their winning a com- mammal diversity and behavior that including sites at member schools in petitive grant to participate in New she will work on next summer. New York City, over a longer time pe- York City’s Summer Quest, an initia- Sara Pace, who received a mas- riod, and we plan to increase the tive funded by the city’s Department ter’s from Columbia University’s De- number of classes and sites each of Education and Department of partment of Ecology, Evolution, and year.” The program is designed to Youth and Community Development, Environmental Biology, helped survey provide authentic science learning and by the Fund for Public Schools, the understory vegetation inside and experiences in the classroom, labora- the Urban Assembly School for Ap- outside deer exclosures as part of the tory, and field, as well as to produce plied Math and Science (AMS) Future of Oak Forest research (see revenue for the Consortium, although brought some 100 middle school stu- “Under the Canopy,” p. 1) and also scholarships will be available for dents to the Forest for overnight stays helped with bird surveys. Angelica some students who could not other- as part of its five-week Camp AMS. Patterson conducted research for her wise afford to attend. This year, Like the Newburgh program, doctoral degree at Columbia; she is scholarships were generously funded Summer Quest is intended to avert studying physiological responses to by the David L. Klein, Jr. Foundation summer learning loss, which research increasing temperature of tree species and by the Garden Club of Orange shows accounts for more than 50% of that have northern or southern range and Dutchess Counties. the achievement gap between higher– limits within the The program also serves as a and lower-income communities. The (see “Student Research Spotlight,” teacher development program, as Dr. AMS program was designed to pro- Winter 2012). She was assisted by Kidder hopes to involve teachers from vide “rich, fun, and intellectual activi- Jamie Yu, another Barnard student. Consortium member schools in the ties,” according to David Krulwich, Finally, the Consortium benefit- classes so they can add their class- the school’s principal. Students spent ted from the enthusiastic help of a room expertise. The teachers increase two weeks each at the beginning and variety of interns, including Whit their content knowledge and gain ex- end of the summer at AMS and visited Schuster, Dr. Schuster’s son, and his perience with new laboratory and the Forest during a mid-summer week. friends Shane Ward and Justyn field techniques that they can take For most of the students, it was Trella, all Cornwall High School back to their classrooms. their first overnight camping trip. graduates, as well as Corey Allred This year, Veronica Dunham, a They hiked up Eagle Cliff, carried (Carlton College), Alex Patton (Penn Newburgh Schools teacher, and An- their supplies to and from the Stone State Altoona), and Emily Jager, a drew Peterson, from a Brooklyn pub- House, and cooked dinner over a recent Calhoun School graduate. lic school, assisted with the classes, campfire. “Although the entire pro- They helped with various research as did Emily Jager, a recent Calhoun gram was a huge success,” says Mr. projects. The Consortium also en- School graduate who was interning at Krulwich, “the camping trips were the joyed the assistance of Kelly Seiz, a the Forest (see “Student Spotlight,” p. highlight of the summer. They al- Storm King School graduate now a 4). “As a teaching assistant,” Ms. lowed our students to experience journalism major at SUNY Albany, Dunham notes, “I learned techniques "sleep-away camp" in a beautiful set- who worked in the office as an ad- used in the field by scientists study- ting outside the City. If we get fund- ministrative and program assistant. ing plants, insects, and mammals.” ing in future years, we would love to “Working and living here for ex- expand the program to include longer tended periods in the summer gives Middle School Visits Forest visits with science activities.” students experience conducting re- For a third year, Newburgh students search and training in modern field entering the sixth and seventh grades Student Research and lab methods,” explains Dr. came to the Forest as part of the As usual, a variety of college and Schuster, “and creates a feeling of Newburgh Schools summer STEM graduate students worked in the For- camaraderie and a community com- program funded by a Title I School est over the summer. Sarah Gilly, mitted to deeper understanding of Improvement Grant from the US De- who will be a senior at Barnard Col- nature. And the students provide an partment of Education. About 100 lege in the fall, helped with general enthusiastic workforce that substan- students split their time between the Forest research and, as part of her tially advances the Consortium’s mis- classroom and the Forest, where they senior thesis project, assisted Dr. sion and specific goals in research, participated in tree, , Terryanne Maenza-Gmelch, also from education, and conservation.”  6 Black Rock Forest News Fall 2012

Research at the Forest New Use for Data ata from the Forest’s long-term he Black Rock Forest Consortium is committed to encouraging collabora- plots, in which individual trees tion among member institutions and also between researchers and stu- D T on fixed plots have been counted dents. To help members learn what other members are doing and explore and measured for more than 75 opportunities for collaboration, we here present a list of current research years, have been put to a new use projects at the Forest, along with contact information.  by Dr. Joel Cohen, a mathematical Linking Holocene Vegetation and Carbon Accumulation with Hydrologi- population biologist associated with cal Change using Macrofossils, C/N, Stable Isotopes and Biomarkers both Rockefeller and Columbia uni- from Sutherland Pond/Fen and Tamarack Pond. Dorothy Peteet (Lamont- versities. Working with his col- Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University). Contact: peteet @ ldeo. league Dr. Meng Xu and Dr. William columbia.edu. Schuster, the Consortium’s execu- Analysis of Avian Diversity in Relation to Habitat Diversity in the Black tive director, Dr. Cohen used the Rock Forest- Wildlife Corridor. Sarah Gilly and tree data to test and extend a well- Terryanne Maenza-Gmelch (Barnard College). Contact: Terryanne Maenza- known pattern in population vari- Gmelch (tm263 @ columbia.edu). ability called Taylor’s law: it says that the greater the average popula- Scaling of Variability in Populations, Individuals, and Ecosystems: Tay- tion density of a species or group of lor’s Law and Beyond. Joel E. Cohen (Rockefeller University and Columbia related species, the greater the vari- University), Meng Xu (Rockefeller University), and William Schuster (Black ability in the population density. Rock Forest). Contact: William Schuster (wschuster @ blackrockforest.org). “Variations in time or space of Temperature Tolerance of the Physiological Processes Controlling Car- population density have practical bon Gain in Northeastern Forest. Angelica Patterson and Kevin Griffin consequences for fisheries, forestry, (Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University). Contact Kevin agriculture, and the control of pests Griffin (griff @ ldeo.columbia.edu). that transmit animal and plant dis- Consequences of Oak Loss on Microbial Community Composition and eases,” explains Dr. Cohen. “So it is important to understand the vari- Function. Krista L. McGuire (Barnard College). Contact: kmcguire @ ability of populations.” barnard.edu. The scientists also used data Impacts of Oak Mortality on the Black-Legged Tick (Ixodes scapularis), from the Consortium’s oak forest the Primary Vector of Lyme Disease. Mary Killilea (New York University). study and a 1985 Forest-wide sur- Contact: mek5 @ nyu.edu.. vey. Dr. Cohen adds that because The Future of Oak Forests. William Schuster (Black Rock Forest), Kevin the foresters measured the trees as Griffin (Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University), Shahid well as counting them, he can study Naeem (Columbia University), Kathleen Weathers (Cary Institute for Ecosys- how the variability of population tem Studies), and Jerry Melillo (The Ecosystems Center, Marine Biological sizes is related to the size of trees. Laboratory). Contact: William Schuster (wschuster @ blackrockforest.org). “Connecting individual characteris- tics like body size with population Population Dynamics of Painted in the Black Rock Forest. size is an exciting new area for basic Christopher Raxworthy (American Museum of Natural History) and William and practical ecological research.” Schuster (Black Rock Forest). Contact: William Schuster (wschuster @ black- “This study documents how rockforest.org). important it is to carefully record Native Plant Performance along an Urbanization Gradient. Kevin Griffin and preserve scientific data and and Natalie Boelman (Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory), William Schuster make them available to others,” (Black Rock Forest), Matthew Brown (Central Park Conservancy), and J. D. says Dr. Schuster. “Past Forest re- Lewis (Fordham University). Contact: Kevin Griffin (griff @ ldeo.columbia.edu). searchers like Hal Tryon, Jack Ecology of Slave-Maker Ants and Their Hosts: The Effect of Geographic Karnig, and James and Kathleen Variation in Parasite and Host Range on Co-Evolutionary Trajectories. Friday could not possibly have fore- Christine A. Johnson (American Museum of Natural History). Contact: cjohn- seen the future uses of their data, son1 @ amnh.org. but they kept meticulous records and Forest staff have preserved those The Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics of Coarse Woody Debris in an Oak- data and made them available so Dominated Northern Forest. Matthew Palmer and Dan Flynn (Columbia they can continue to be used to ad- University) and Kevin Griffin (Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia vance our understanding of nature.” University). Contact: Matthew Palmer (mp2434 @ columbia.edu). The first of several reports on Small Mammal Response to Oak Removal. Kate McFadden (Department of this work has been published in the Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology, Columbia University). Con- Proceedings of the National Acad- tact: kwm6 @ columbia.edu. emy of Sciences. Dr. Cohen is grateful to the National Science Insect and Arachnid Diversity of Black Rock Forest. Vladimir I. Foundation for a grant to The Ovtsharenko and Boris Zakharov (American Museum of Natural History). Rockefeller University that sup- Contact: Vladimir Ovtsharenko (ovtshare @ amnh.org).  ported his and Dr. Xu’s work.  Fall 2012 Black Rock Forest News 7

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 Please send me information concerning: Please make checks payable to the Black Rock  Gifts of land/real estate  Memorial gifts Forest Consortium and mail with this coupon to: Black Rock Forest, 65 Reservoir Road,  I would like to volunteer to help with the following: Cornwall NY 12518-2135. All contributions are tax-deductible; the Consortium is a 501(c)(3) organi- ______zation. Thank you!

Forest News in Brief Strategic Planning Process Nears Conclusion. Since the College and its plans for working in the Forest and with the spring of 2011, the Consortium has been engaged in a stra- Consortium in more detail. tegic planning process that has involved almost everyone Our Mail Is Moving, But We’re Not! The Black Rock For- connected to the Consortium: institutional members, board est Consortium is changing its mailing address to 65 Reser- members, staff, scientists and educators working at the voir Road, Cornwall, NY 12518. This address is at the en- Forest, and an outside facilitator, Marc Smiley of Solid trance to the Forest, and so is more convenient for staff Ground Consulting. After discussions and revisions, the than the old mailing address which was on the other side of final plan will be presented to the board for adoption at its Route 9W at the Old Headquarters Building. fall meeting. The plan includes goals for research, educa- Tree Dedicated in Memory of Constantine Sidamon- tion, conservation, and capacity building, and provides Eristoff. On July 14, the family of Connie Sidamon- benchmarks for accomplishing a variety of projects. A de- Eristoff met at the Forest to dedicate a “Northern Spy” heri- tailed article will appear in the next issue of this newsletter. tage apple tree in his memory. Mr. Sidamon-Eristoff, along Spring Benefit on May 8, 2013. Following its successful with his wife Anne, who has served on the board of the 2012 luncheon (see “Festive Luncheon Supports Forest, Consortium since it was created, had been devoted to envi- Spring 2012), the Consortium is planning an even more ronmental causes for decades. In 2003, the Consortium exciting benefit luncheon for May 8, 2013, at the Metropoli- awarded them its E. G. Stillman Award, named for the For- tan Club in . The speaker will be the world- est’s founder, for environmental leadership and support of famous biodiversity expert Dr. Thomas Lovejoy, now the Black Rock Forest and the Hudson Highlands region. Biodiversity Chair at the Heinz Center for Science, Econom- ASTE Returns to Forest for Meeting. In October, the ics, and the Environment. Plans are still being developed, Association for Science Teacher Education will once again and more information will appear in the winter issue of the hold its northeast regional meeting at Black Rock Forest. newsletter, but mark your calendars now! The mission of the organization is to promote excellence in Teacher’s College Joins Consortium. Teacher’s College of science teacher education world-wide through scholarship Columbia University, the oldest and largest graduate school and innovation. According to Dr. Mary Leou, the represen- of education in the country, is the newest member of the tative of New York University’s Steinhardt School of Cul- Consortium. Dr. Thomas James, Provost and Dean of the ture, Education, and Human Development to the Consor- College, is excited about the opportunities for teacher train- tium’s board, ASTE is looking forward to an exciting meet- ing and collaboration with Consortium scientists and edu- ing of science teacher educators, scientists, science coordi- cators. A future newsletter article will describe Teacher’s nators and supervisors, and informal science educators.  Black Rock Forest Consortium NONPROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID 65 Reservoir Road NEWBURGH, NY Cornwall NY 12518-2135 PERMIT No. 6009

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Inside This Issue Summer + Science + Page 1 Students: Classes and Research Oak Forest Research: Page 1 Beneath the Canopy Student Spotlight: Page 4 Interning at the Forest The Virtual and the Real: Page 4 Water Quality and Habitat Ecology New Use for Forest Data Page 6

Report from the Forest Manager

Fall has arrived, and students of all Third-grade teachers from the lease the fish they have come to know ages continue to visit Black Rock For- Cornwall Schools use fall to continue so much about. est, learning and enjoying the ways of their seasonal observations. Environ- Fall is also the time when the the woods. Seasonal changes in the mental measurements of soil, water, Montessori School’s sixth grade starts Forest offer lessons in science and and air, in addition to plant and ani- its annual construction project. The math and develop student under- mal observations, are recorded and projects of past years, which included standing and appreciation. pictured. The students analyze and designing and building , bridges, Primary school students become compare data, and eight- and nine- and boardwalks, have helped Consor- acquainted with the Forest by year-olds will develop their own un- tium members access sites safely. on trails through varied habitats and derstanding of seasonal changes. Stu- This year’s project is very ambitious: then reflecting on top of one of the dents will then work in small groups the students will build a pavilion not Forest’s eight mountains. Along the to present their data and conclusions far from the Stone House. This lean- way, teachers translate the survival to fellow students and parents in to-type structure will be used by the techniques and basic principles of life June. Consortium as a sheltered educa- offered by trees and animals. Autumn is also the time of year to tional outpost and will also assist The appearance of bird, amphib- begin a brook trout nursery. Third- to Consortium overnight campers. The ian, and reptile life brings incessant sixth-grade teachers will take advan- young architects will participate in questions: What is it? Where did it tage of the fall spawning and raise the design, forest lumber preparation, come from? What does it eat? Does it young fish from egg to adult in the and construction. bite? Teachers prod the young minds classroom and here at Black Rock. As While the Forest’s natural for the answers and discuss explana- offspring develop, biology, math, and rhythms turn a new season, so do the tions with the class. water chemistry lessons relate the teachings of the Consortium teachers. Acorns that fall in late September sensitivities of the food web. As winter arrives, the strength and to mid-October become more than a Release of the trout, which is the endurance of the Forest will be their tree seed. Collection, counting, and New York State Fish, in the waters of natural focus until the lessons of viability measurements provide a Black Rock Forest is the final stage, spring burst forth.  hands-on understanding of plant and and these young aquaculturists de- animal connections. termine the best stocking area to re- — John Brady