R e p o r t s Summer 2007 No. 392 INSIDE Diseases of Beneficial Insects Developing a Regional Monitoring Plan for Recent reports of the disappear- its livelihood. For Chicago Wilderness ance of honey bees attributed to a example, in addition 2 mysterious disease called “colony to the recent colony collapse disorder” have brought collapse disorder and CTAP: 10 Years and many issues to the public eye varroa mite infesta- Going Strong! concerning, among others, the tions, a microsporid- 3 importance of beneficial insects, ian pathogen, Nosema the global movement of both ceranae, previously Frequency of Early insects and their diseases, and the thought to occur only Mortality Syndrome impacts of species loss on human in the Asian honey in Southwestern Lake activities and health. Not all bee, Apis cerana, has Michigan Lake Trout insects are pests, nor are all dis- now been found to Populations eases detrimental—many disease occur worldwide in 4 organisms are used in control of colonies of Apis mel- pests and all are part of the natu- lifera, the European Species Spotlight: Southern Flying Squirrel ral cycle of animals. But diseases honey bee. 6 in insects we depend upon are not Like all other always well understood and may animals and plants, The Naturalist's be devastating to agriculture and insects are victims of Apprentice: Looking for the natural environment. many different types Signs Honey bees are the most of diseases-viruses, 7 easily manipulated of the world’s bacteria, fungi, proto- pollinating species and, therefore, zoa, and nematodes. the most intensively studied. Disease organisms of Even with an extensive knowl- any or all of these Bombus griseocollis foraging on purple cone- edge base concerning their patho- groups are found flower. Photo by Lee Solter, INHS gen/parasite complex, researchers in any well-studied The Insect Pathology program and producers still are faced with host species. Like other natural at the Illinois Natural History unexpected epizootics and intro- enemies, diseases are important in Survey partners with federal, maintaining insect populations at state, and university cooperators levels that are actually optimal for to study diseases of both pest the species, preventing popula- and beneficial insects. Some of tions from outstripping their the more recent research proj- own food supplies. In terms of ects have dealt specifically with human interactions with insects, beneficial species. One project we would be much worse off if involves working with the USDA insects such as mosquitoes, black- Forest Service to identify and flies, house flies, and agricultural mitigate the occurrence of disease pests did not succumb regularly in several species of beneficial and in great numbers to diseases. beetles that are being used for There are, however, insects such biological control of the hemlock as bees and silk worms, predatory woolly adelgid. This Asian adel- The bee team (L–R): flies and beetles, and other man- gid pest is devastating popula- Jamie Strange, Terry ductions, and the bee industry is aged beneficial insects that benefit tions of eastern and Carolina Griswold, Sydney constantly focused on identifying, humans, and there may be serious hemlocks in both horticultural Cameron, and Lee Solter. treating, and avoiding various consequences when they are dev- Photo by Joyce Knoblett natural enemies that threaten astated by epizootic diseases. Continued on back page 1 Developing a Regional Monitoring Plan for Chicago Wilderness The Chicago Wilderness consortium is an a regional monitoring plan. The survey discussions and breakout sessions, we alliance of more than 200 public and private has a long history of monitoring the natu- agreed that the two major questions to be organizations working to protect, restore, ral resources of Illinois. A prime example addressed through monitoring are 1) what study, and manage the natural ecosystems of the survey’s efforts is the Critical is the health of the region’s natural com- of the Chicago region; contribute to the Trends Assessment Program, which has munities and how is that changing over conservation of global biodiversity; and been monitoring trends in major natural time, and 2) what impact is management enrich local residents’ quality of life. Since communities around the state for more having on natural community health. its founding more than 10 years ago, the than 10 years. The survey’s charge is to Workshop participants also agreed that all consortium has recognized that monitoring develop a scientifically sound monitor- natural communities in the region should throughout the region is needed to assess ing program that reflects the consortium be monitored, but that special attention the status and trends of natural communi- members’ priorities. This effort has been should be given to rare or endangered ties, which cover more than 225,000 acres. led by Dr. Geoff Levin, director of the plant communities and animal species Reaching agreement among the consortium survey’s Division of Biodiversity and assemblages. In addition, the group rec- members on what should be monitored has Ecological Entomology. ommended that regional monitoring build proven difficult, however. The process of developing a regional on monitoring already being undertaken About two years ago, Chicago Wilder- monitoring plan began with a two-day by consortium members, insofar as those ness asked the Illinois Natural History workshop that brought together repre- efforts can be integrated. Survey (INHS), a charter member of the sentatives of many of the consortium’s Following the workshop, the survey consortium, to coordinate efforts to develop members. Through a series of facilitated spent many months interviewing consor- tium members to determine what monitoring they currently are doing. (This step has focused on terrestrial systems; a sepa- rate effort led by the Chi- cago Wilderness Aquatics Task- force is looking at aquatic monitoring.) Most monitor- ing is being done by govern- mental agen- cies, especially forest preserve districts, the Illinois Depart- ment of Natural Resources, and volunteer groups. A wide Black-crowned Night-Heron hatchling. Photo by Jeff Continued on page 5 Levengood, Division of Ecology and Conservation Science 2 CTAP: 10 Years and Going Strong! The Changing Illinois Environment: Criti- Some typical questions that can be ad- d) Are macroinvertebrates and aquatic cal Trends, a state-of-the-environment dressed with these time-series trend data life re-colonizing streams with improved report published in 1994 by the Illinois are: water quality? Department of Natural Resources conclud- a) How will the arrival of the emerald ash ed that habitats in Illinois were deteriorat- borer affect Illinois forests? e) To what extent are oak-hickory forests ing as the result of habitat fragmentation becoming sugar-maple forests? and biotic/abiotic stressors. This report b) What effect is global climate change recommended that the state begin collect- having on Illinois’s flora and fauna? f) How are changes in surrounding lan- ing statewide data on both the current con- duse affecting flora and fauna? ditions and future trends in these habitats. c) Which invasive species are most Since 1997 the scientists of the Critical common or problematic, and which are Trends Assessment Program (CTAP) have spreading the fastest? Continued on page 5 undertaken this task. CTAP is a long-term habitat monitor- ing program that samples habitats across Illinois. It is sponsored by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (http:// dnr.state.il.us/) and housed at the Illinois Natural History Survey (http://www. inhs.uiuc.edu/). The goal of CTAP is to gather baseline data on the biological health of our forests, wetlands, grasslands, and streams, and to determine how these habitats are changing through time. This information supports efforts to better understand, conserve, restore, and manage Illinois forestlands, wetlands, grasslands, and streams. Over the last 10 years the program has surveyed 176 grasslands, 175 wet- lands, 177 forests, and over 150 streams (Figure 1). We have sampled sites in all 102 Illinois counties, identified over 1,270 species of plants, and found 202 species of birds. The program has produced 31 regional assessments reports for water- sheds throughout Illinois to inform local conservation work. These data are increas- ingly relied upon by public and private institutions throughout Illinois and even across North America to inform their deci- sion making. For example, the CTAP Web site (http://ctap.inhs.uiuc.edu) has received over 1.3 millions hits in only a few years. CTAP has accumulated the data to quantify the state of natural and semi- natural habitats throughout Illinois; it is now poised to address ecological trends through time—changes in the future. Figure 1. CTAP Fact Sheet. 3 Frequency of Early Mortality Syndrome in South- western Lake Michigan Lake Trout Populations Self-sustainable lake trout, Salvelinus The Illinois Natural namaycus, populations in Lake Michigan History Survey, with are a primary but unmet goal of the fisheries collaborators from managers in the region. Large numbers of USGS Great Lakes hatchery-origin lake trout are stocked into Science Center and the Lake Michigan every year. Although these Ohio State University, is fish survive well to adulthood and produce investigating individual viable eggs, no significant natural recruitment variation in thiamine has been recorded. Poor lake trout recruit- levels in the eggs of Lake ment