2011 Active Research Permits
1. Bat Inventories of Six National Park Service Units in the Northeast Region of the United States
Principal Investigator: J. Edward Gates, University of Maryland
Purpose: The primary goal of this project is to identify the bat species using six NPS Units within the northeast region, and their abundance, activity, and health or condition. A thorough inventory will be conducted of bat community composition that covers all potential habitats at the six NPS Units; confirm the presence of previously documented species in specific areas; determine the presence of any rare, threatened, or endangered species; estimate a measure of occurrence for each species, which may be limited to presence/absence; and provide management recommendations for each NPS Unit.
Location: Lovells Island, Thompson Island
Status: Ongoing.
Start Date: April, 2010.
End Date: October, 2011.
2. Bedrock Geologic Mapping of the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area
Principal Investigator: Joseph Kopera, Office of the Massachusetts State Geologist
Purpose: The purpose of the study is to prepare bedrock geologic maps of the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area (BOHA) and surroundings in support of a baseline geological resources inventory (GRI) of BOHA as currently being managed by the NPS's Geologic Resources Division (GRD) through the Geological Resources Inventory Program. The GRD is currently evaluating 270 park units throughout the U.S.
The maps will address several management issues of concern and interpretive needs for these two park units including: 1) better understanding of the connection between geology and historic quarry operations, 2) management of paleontologic resources in the pre-Cambrian bedrock, 3) location of faults and relation to seismicity, 4) understanding better the connection between drumlin morphology and bedrock topography.
Location: All islands and peninsulas within the Boston Harbor Islands national recreation area.
Status: Ongoing.
Start Date: April, 2010.
End Date: October, 2011.
3. Boston Harbor Islands All Taxa Biotic Inventory
Principal Investigator: Jessica Rykken, Harvard University
Purpose: This project seeks to complement goals set forth by the Boston Harbor Islands National Park Area, for resource protection, research and information, and education and interpretation (National Park Service 2002), with an All Taxa Biotic Inventory (ATBI) approach to cataloging the biological diversity of the harbor islands. The ATBI is modeled on similar efforts in areas such as Great Smoky Mountain National Park, the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean, and in the forests of Costa Rica, where the ultimate goals are to quantify and describe the biodiversity of a particular region. The Boston Harbor Islands ATBI will catalog the biological diversity of many major terrestrial, aquatic insects and intertidal invertebrate taxa. Public involvement and outreach activities will be included in sample collection and all phases of the project. The data are expected to fully accessible to the public via an online database, and via other media such as posters distributed to local schools, and museum displays.
Additionally, a comprehensive catalog of invertebrate diversity will be important for resource management on the Boston Harbor Islands. Currently, there are limited data for invertebrates (with the exception of Lepidoptera), and information on invasive species, rare species, and focal taxa for monitoring efforts in the park will be critical for effective resource management.
Location: Bumpkin Island, Calf Island, Grape Island, Great Brewster Island, Langlee Island, Long Island, Lovells Island, Middle Brewster Island, Peddocks Island, Ragged Island, Sheep Island, Snake Island, Spectacle Island, Thompson Island, Webb State Park, and Worlds End.
Status: Ongoing.
Start Date: May, 2011.
End Date: May, 2012.
4. Boston Harbor Islands NRA Salt marsh monitoring protocol development
Principle Investigator: Jim McKenna, Maine Maritime Academy
Purpose: The purpose of this project is to develop a marine tidal wetland (salt marsh) monitoring protocol for Boston Harbor Islands NRA (BOHA). This project will involve adapting existing protocols developed by the NPS Northeast Coastal and Barrier Network for specific application to BOHA. Particular emphasis is to develop site specific, cost effective implementation procedures that maintain the scientific rigor and statistical sensitivity necessary for assessing the biological status and trends in salt marsh vegetation community structure and, where appropriate, incorporate citizen scientist opportunities.
Location: Calf Island, Peddocks Island, Snake Island, Thompson Island
Status: Ongoing.
Start Date: September, 2009.
End Date: December, 2013.
5. New England Aquarium Collecting Permit for Live Plants
Principal Investigator: Carolyn Baker, New England Aquarium
Purpose: This permit authorizes collection of a small number of live plants for the New England Aquarium Boston Harbor Islands exhibit. The exhibit also features live shorebirds, fishes, invertebrates, eelgrass, and sea algae. The plants are under a natural lighting regime and usually last at least one year. Graphics outside the exhibit explain about the Boston Harbor Islands national park area and encourage Aquarium visitors to explore the islands. A few plants, mostly Spartina, are also put in the salt marsh exhibit that features a wide variety of salt marsh fishes.
Location: Calf Island, Great Brewster Island, Middle Brewster Island, Outer Brewster Island
Status: Ongoing.
Start Date: November, 2010.
End Date: December, 2015.
6. Implementation of Coastal Breeding Birds Monitoring Protocol
Principal Investigator: Carol Trocki
Purpose: In 2002, BOHA was designated as a Massachusetts Important Bird Area (IBA), and breeding birds were identified as a high-priority vital sign for NETN parks during the network's vital signs selection process. In 2007, and again in 2008, waterbird surveys were conducted in BOHA as part of the development of a long-term monitoring protocol for monitoring coastal breeding birds in the park.
The following objectives provide the basis for this coastal breeding bird monitoring protocol for Boston Harbor Islands National Park Area:
1) Determine annual changes and long-term trends in relative abundance of high priority coastal breeding bird species (Least Terns, Common Terns, and American Oystercatchers). 2) Conduct an annual surveillance program within the park to identify future use by threatened or endangered coastal breeding bird species, such as Piping Plover or Roseate Tern. 3) Determine long-term trends in species composition and relative abundance of priority coastal breeding bird species (cormorants, gulls, wading birds, eider, sandpipers, and Willets). 4) Improve our understanding of breeding waterbird - habitat relationships and the effects of habitat changes and management actions (such as invasive plant control or predator control) on waterbird species composition and abundance by correlating bird monitoring data with ancillary data on park management actions, rocky intertidal communities, water quality, climate, and other available data.
Location: All islands and peninsulas within the Boston Harbor Islands national recreation area.
Status: Ongoing.
Start Date: March, 2011.
End Date: March, 2012.
7. Investigations to Support Development of a NCBN/NETN Marshbird Monitoring Protocol (in collaboration with SHARP: Conservation of Tidal Marsh Birds Project for BCR 30)
Principal Investigator: Carol Trocki
Purpose: Tidal marsh bird monitoring was selected as one of the NCBN/NETN vital signs. Recently as part of an effort to add to, and/or enhance the existing monitoring program in light of climate change, marsh bird monitoring has again been identified as a high priority for monitoring. Population trends for these species are thought to be declining and therefore they are recognized as species of conservation concern. Due to sea level rise, frequent storm surges, and increased marsh inundation, these species have become an even more important indicator of tidal marsh health.
In 2011, the Northeast Coastal and Barrier Network (NCBN) & selected parks in the Northeast Temperate Network (NETN) will begin to look at the feasibility of marsh bird monitoring in Network parks with the idea of incorporating this into our long-term monitoring program. The first several years of this effort will be conducted in conjunction with a regional partnership effort investigating marsh bird populations throughout the northeast. This partnership is being led by Greg Shriver (U Delaware), Brian Olsen (U Maine), Chris Elphick (U Conn), Tom Hodgman (State of ME), and Dave Curson (Maryland-DC Audubon) and is supported in part by a State Wildlife Grant (SWG) [see http://www.tidalmarshbirds.org/ for more information].
Location: Thompson Island
Status: Ongoing.
Start Date: May, 2011.
End Date: April, 2013.
8. Monitoring Salt Marsh Elevation at Boston Harbor Islands
Principal Investigator: Charles Roman, National Park Service
Purpose: With sea level rise, marshes increase in vertical elevation and migrate, often landward (Redfield 1965, Morris et al. 2002). Under a regime of predicted accelerated rates of sea level rise (Meehl et al. 2007, Frumhoff et al. 2007), the potential for submergence or loss of salt marsh habitat increases (e.g., Orson et al. 1985).
Throughout the northeast region the National Park Service is engaged in long-term monitoring to evaluate vertical marsh elevation change in relation to recent rates of sea level rise and to understand some of the factors or processes that are relevant to salt marsh development and maintenance. This monitoring program, employing the Surface Elevation Table and Marker Horizon Method (see Cahoon et al. 1999), is ongoing at Assateague Island (MD), Cape Cod (MA), and Fire Island (NY) National Seashores and Gateway National Recreation Area (NY and NJ). In Spring 2010 the SET monitoring program will be initiated at Boston Harbor Islands national park area.
Location: Calf Island, Peddocks Island, Thompson Island
Status: Ongoing.
Start Date: June, 2010.
End Date: December, 2015.
9. Multiregional evaluation of pollinator response to climate change in critical habitats service-wide
Principal Investigator: Ann Rodman, National Park Service
Purpose: Bees provide a critical ecosystem service, pollination, yet we know little about their abundances and distributions across NPS lands, and even less about the possible effects of climate change on bee populations and the subsequent ramifications for native plant communities. High elevation, coastal, and arid areas are particularly vulnerable to climate change and these areas are often hot spots for bee and plant endemism. This project will model the distribution of bee species in these sensitive areas across at least 75 NPS units using simple and inexpensive collection methods. The project will yield one of the largest, uniformly collected data sets about the possible effects of climate variation on any fauna. By comparing areas with different climate profiles within each park, we will establish likely effects of climate on these pollinators, share these scenarios with park managers, and provide educational materials for park visitors and staff.
Location: (2010) - Grape Island, Langlee Island, Lovells Island, Thompson Island, Peddocks Island, Worlds End. (2011) - Lovells Island
Status: Ongoing.
Start Date: August, 2010.
End Date: September, 2012.
10. Small Mammal Diversity, Distribution, and Habitat Selection on Bumpkin Island, Boston Harbor Island National Park Area
Principal Investigator: Lauren Nolfo-Clements, Suffolk University
Purpose: Small mammal trapping was conducted on Bumpkin Island July 21 - August 1, 2008 and July 6 - 31, 2009. During the 2008 season, there were 231 capture events and over 120 individual animals were trapped. In 2009, there were 282 capture events and over 108 individual animals were trapped. The only species captured during both of these intervals were native White - Footed Mice (Peromyscus leucopus) and Meadow Voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus). However, the proportion of individuals of each species trapped differed between the 2 seasons. In 2009 it was also noted that while animals moved between trapping grids set in contiguous habitat and crossed trails with ground vegetative cover, they did not appear to cross the paved paths on the island. This project will repeat and expand these trapping exercises for another field season with a special focus on examining whether or not rodents typically cross the paved paths on Bumpkin Island or if the populations on either side of the path are effectively isolated from one another.
Location: Bumpkin Island
Status: Ongoing.
Start Date: June, 2011.
End Date: September, 2011.
11. The Effects of Nonnative European Rabbits and Norway Rats on the Plant Species Composition of Lovells Island, Boston Harbor Islands National Park Area
Principal Investigator: Lauren Nolfo-Clements, Suffolk University
Purpose: Beginning in the spring of 2009, a series of exclosures will be constructed in order to evaluate the effects of European Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and Norway Rat (Rattus norvegicus) herbivory and activity on the plant communities of Lovells Island. Plant species richness, diversity, and evenness within each exclosure versus a control will be evaluated at the peak of growing season in early August for 3 consecutive years. If either or both O. cuniculus and R. norvegicus are serving as either control agents or propagation facilitators to invasive plants, this information would allow the NPS and the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) to tailor their invasive species management techniques accordingly.
Location: Lovells Island
Status: Ongoing.
Start Date: March, 2009.
End Date: September, 2011.
12. Survey of salt marsh fucoid algae in ACAD and BOHA
Principal Investigator: Megan Tyrrell, National Park Service
Purpose: The purpose of this project is to obtain biomass estimates of the ecad form of rocky shore algae that are free-living in salt marshes. Salt marsh fucoid algae are commonly found at the seaward edge of back-barrier and fringing salt marshes, especially in those with sandy sediments.
Location: Peddocks Island, Thompson Island
Status: Ongoing.
Start Date: May, 2011.
End Date: September, 2012.
13. MIT Sea Grant Summer Marine Ecology Internship
Principal Investigator: Rachel VanCott, MIT Sea Grant College Program
Purpose: This project is an annual marine science internship, designed to help high school students gain an understanding of marine science and marine ecology and build the skills that will help them pursue successful careers in ocean sciences. The project includes conducting ecological assessments and collecting information about the water quality of the local ecosystem.
Location: Lovells Island, Spectacle Island
Status: Ongoing.
Start Date: July, 2011.
End Date: August, 2011.
