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Researchers monitor amphibian movements and map forest changes in Acadia National Park
WINTER HARBOR – Two scientists have been awarded Acadia Science Fellowships to conduct research in Acadia National Park. An initiative of the National Park Service, National Park Foundation, Acadia National Park Educational Institute, and the David Evans Shaw Family Foundation, Acadia Science Fellows expands the National Park Service’s ability to understand environmental change within the park. Masu.
The new award supports research that informs forest and wildlife management in Acadia and other national parks. The 2024 Acadia Science Fellows are:
- Peter Howe, graduate student in the Department of Forest Resources, University of Maine
- Marisa Monroe, Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Conservation Biology, University of Maine
Like many national parks, rapid change is occurring in Acadia, the impacts of which are still largely uncertain, and the National Park Service is challenged to manage and protect both its natural and cultural resources. It has become.
“Acadia is not what it used to be. Acadia is still recovering from the deforestation that preceded the park’s founding, and is now simultaneously dealing with rapidly rising temperatures, changing precipitation regimes, and the arrival of new invasive species,” Skoo said. said Nicholas Fisichelli, president and CEO of the Dick Institute. “Protecting Acadia requires scientists and managers to work closely together to understand rapid change and develop management solutions. This is the role of the Acadia Science Fellowship, and Marisa and Peter are working closely together to understand rapid change and develop management solutions. We are pleased to be contributing to our scientific community.”
The Acadia Science Fellowship builds on the success of Second Century Stewardship, which supported 20 fellows from 2016 to 2023.
“Science and scientists play an important role in the management of Acadia National Park,” Director Kevin Schneider said. “We rely on the best science available to make the best decisions for our parks. We welcome Acadia Science Fellows to our team and work with them to help us understand our ever-changing landscape. I look forward to understanding it.”
Howe is creating the Northern Forest Historical Atlas using photogrammetric analysis of archival aerial photographs of the Maine Forest. Mr. Howe will compile a spatially accurate photomosaic of the Acadian forest through time, using images he acquired from the Acadian region from 1949 to 1980.
“This timely project supports the park’s continued efforts to restore the Great Meadow, Bass Harbor Wetlands, and mountaintop ecosystems,” said Resource Management Program Manager Rebecca Coalwill. . “If we don’t understand how ecosystems have evolved, we can’t allow them to thrive in the future. This project will shed light on an important piece of the puzzle.”
Monroe is involving citizen scientists in monitoring Acadia’s 11 amphibian species. Frogs, newts, and salamanders often have to cross roads during their nightly migrations between forests and wetlands. Monroe plans to hire volunteers to monitor the park roads on rainy nights. “Right now, we don’t know when or where amphibians will cross our roads, especially outside of the early spring spawning rush,” said Vic Wheeler, a wildlife biologist with Acadia National Park. “This research will provide a more complete understanding of amphibian movements and how to best protect them.”
Acadia National Park’s Schoodic Institute inspires science, learning, and community for a changing world. As partners in science and education, the Schoodic Institute and Acadia National Park jointly manage the largest of the 17 National Park Service research and learning centers in the United States. For more information, visit schoodicinstitute.org.
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