Other Earth Sciences Commons^™

White-Nose Syndrome At Mammoth Cave National Park: Actions Before And After Its Detection, Rick Toomey, Steven Thomas, Joel Gillespie, Vickie Carson, Shannon R. Trimboli

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

Since it was identified in the United States in 2006, white-nose syndrome (WNS) in bats has become an important issue in the management of caves and bats at Mammoth Cave National Park (MACA). The threat of its arrival has led to more intense monitoring of bat populations, increased studies, and interventions with both the visiting public and researchers. The timeline of MACA’s WNS response is shown in Table 1.

Mercury Analysis In Rafi Nesque Big Eared Bat Populations, Lara Van Der Heiden, Cathleen J. Webb

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

Mercury (Hg) from atmospheric deposition from coal-burning power plants and other anthropogenic sources was analyzed in Rafinesque’s big-eared bats from Mammoth Cave National Park. The mercury from water progressively moves up the food chain through insects, and eventually into bats. In 2011, 58 bats were collected and hair samples were taken for an analysis. The AMA254 Mercury Analyzer was used to determine the mercury concentration from the bat hair in parts per million. A considerable amount of mercury was discovered in the bats analyzed. The mercury concentration of juvenile Rafinesque’s bigeared bats averaged between 0.5-1.0 ppm. Mercury levels in adult …

Influences Of A Cladophora Bloom On The Diets Of Amblema Plicata And Elliptio Dilatata In The Upper Green River, Kentucky, Jennifer Yates, Scott Grubbs, Albert Meier, Michael Collyer

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

Freshwater mussels are the most imperiled group of freshwater invertebrates globally. Recent research suggests a better understanding of mussel feeding ecology may facilitate and improve conservation efforts. The use of stable isotopes is becoming an increasingly common method to study aquatic food webs. Carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) are two of the most frequently employed elements in food web studies. Differences in natural abundance of 13C/12C can indicate which food sources are the basal sources of carbon incorporated into a consumer’s tissue, while the ratio of 15N /14N provides a method of assessing trophic position within a food web. Attached …

Contribution Of Freshwater Bivalves To Muskrat Diets In The Green River, Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky, Kimberly Asmus Hersey, Joseph D. Clark, James B. Layzer

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

Muskrats (Ondatra zibethicus) are known to prey on freshwater bivalves (mussels and clams) and can negatively impact imperiled mussel species. However, factors that infl uence muskrat predation on bivalves are poorly understood. We evaluated the feeding ecology of muskrats at Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky by using stable isotope analysis of muskrat hair samples and by monitoring bivalve shell deposition at muskrat middens. Bayesian mixing-model analysis of stable isotope δ15N and δ13C ratios revealed that the median muskrat biomass derived from bivalves was 51.4% (5th and 95th percentiles were 39.1 to 63.4%, respectively), a much higher dietary proportion than previously …

Fire Regimes, Buff Alo And The Presettlement Landscape Of Mammoth Cave National Park, Cecil C. Frost, Jesse A. Burton, Lillian Scoggins

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

The glory of the caves has long overshadowed other features of the park but the neglected upland landscape has its own extraordinary tale to tell. The park occupies a naturally fire sheltered setting in a historically vast fire landscape of barrens and woodlands once populated by Native Americans, bison and elk. The events above ground, spanning several thousand years before the arrival of Europeans and the subsequent explosive transformation of the land add rich layers of natural and human history, sadly neglected in development and interpretation of the park. This is the tale of the Barrens region itself.

We constructed …

Using Lidar To Link Forest Canopy Structure With Bat Activity And Insect Occurrence: Preliminary Findings, Luke E. Dodd, Nicholas S. Skowronski, Matthew B. Dickinson, Michael J. Lacki, Lynne K. Rieske

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

Bats are an imperiled, yet ecologically-important group of vertebrate predators. Our ongoing research focuses on testing hypotheses about the relationships between the effects of fire on canopy structure and insect prey availability, and how these factors relate to use of foraging space by bats during the pre- and post-hibernation periods at Mammoth Cave National Park (MCNP). LiDAR-derived data (October 2010) were intersected with spatially explicit sampling of bat and insect populations (2010-2011) in order to characterize relationships between canopy structure, insect abundance, and bat activity. A canonical correspondence analysis for bat data suggested that forest canopy structure has a strong …

Assessing The Impact Of Mercury Bioaccumulation In Mammoth Cave National Park, Cahtleen Webb

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

This project will examine the fate and transport of mercury in Mammoth Cave National Park, which has an extensive karst ecosystem. Contaminant transport in karst systems (limestone based surface geology) is rapid and extensive. Mercury’s mobility in surface and ground water is of great concern due to its toxicity and ability to bio-magnify within food chains. However, mercury interacts with limestone, thus impairing its mobility. A number of federally listed species are declining in the parks. Further, Kentucky has issued a statewide mercury fish consumption advisory. With eight new coal-fired power plant applications under consideration in Kentucky, the potential exists …

Establishment Of Long-Term Forest Vegetation Monitoring Plots Within Mammoth Cave National Park, Bill Moore, Teresa Leibfreid, Rickie White

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

Beginning in 2011, the Cumberland Piedmont Network (CUPN) of the National Park Service (NPS) in cooperation with NatureServe, began monitoring forested vegetation communities within all 14 network parks, including Mammoth Cave National Park (MACA). The primary objectives of this effort are to: detect meaningful changes in species composition and vegetation structure within each park’s forested habitat and determine whether these changes are correlated with trends in “key stressors.” Thus far, 16 permanent long-term monitoring plots have been established within MACA. An additional 16 plots will be established in 2013- 2014. Within the permanent plots, data are collected on forest structure; …

A Functional Visual System In The Cave Beetle Ptomaphagus Hirtus, Markus Friedrich, Rui Chen, Elke K. Buschbeck, Stewart Peck

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

Cave species exhibit a suite of dramatic differences in comparison to their surface living relatives, commonly referred to as troglomorphy (Christiansen 2005). One hallmark feature of troglomorphy is the severe reduction or complete loss of eyes and functional vision. The two most abundant cave beetle species in Mammoth cave, the 2-3 mm small carrion beetle Ptomaphagus hirtus (Packard 1888; Peck 1973; Peck 1975; Tellkampf 1844) and the 6-8 mm long predatory ground beetle Neaphaenops tellkampfii are good examples of this (Barr 1979). P. hirtus tends to hide in crevices and usually goes unnoted to the regular visitor of Mammoth cave. …

Disjunct Eastern Hemlock Populations Of The Central Hardwood Forests: Ancient Relicts Or Recent Long Distance Dispersal Events?, F. Collin Hobbs, Keith Clay

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

Eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) is an evergreen conifer with a contiguous distribution extending from the southern Appalachian Mountains north to Nova Scotia and west across the Great Lakes region. Eastern hemlock is threatened with extirpation from much of this range by an introduced pest, the hemlock woolly adelgid (Orwig et al. 2002). In addition to the contiguous distribution, many small, isolated populations are located within the central hardwood forest region of Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio (Braun 1928, Potzger and Friesner 1937, Van Stockum 1979). These disjunct populations form clearly delineated, often monospecific stands associated with unique natural features such as …

Breeding Bird Survey Summary From Mammoth Cave National Park, 1995 - 2012, Steve Kistler

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

Breeding bird surveys are used by ornithologists to study the variations in bird populations across the United States and Canada. Initiated in 1966, the surveys were originally created by Chandler Robbins and colleagues to study the effects of pesticide use on bird populations.

Today, these data are used to monitor changes in avian populations due to habitat loss, habitat fragmentation, land-use changes, and chemical contamination. The administration of these surveys is jointly run by the US Geological Survey and the Canadian Wildlife Service. Almost fifty years of continuous surveying also provides excellent baseline data which can be used to determine …

Landscape Genetics Of The Marbled Salamander, Ambystoma Opacum, In A Nationally Protected Park, Kevin Tewell, Jarrett Johnson

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

Landscape features may influence the patterns of migration and dispersal of amphibian species and create genetic structure. A primary goal of landscape genetics is to analyze these influences in order to make more informed management decisions. We sampled larvae from 50 breeding ponds within the boundaries of Mammoth Cave National Park and genotyped 12 individuals per pond at 10 microsatellite loci to estimate gene fl ow between ponds. We used GIS layers of habitat types to conduct a least-cost path analysis and determine the relative cost of movement through each habitat type. We were interested in answering two questions: does …

Evaluating Interactions Between River Otters And Muskrats At Bridge Crossings In Kentucky, Ryan Williamson, Joseph Clark

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

Muskrats (Ondatra zibethicus) prey on freshwater mussels in the Green River within Mammoth Cave National Park (MACA), many species of which are threatened or endangered. Reportedly, muskrat populations have been reduced in some streams where North American river otters (Lontra canadensis) were reintroduced and it has been suggested that river otter reintroduction at MACA might help conserve endangered mussels. To test that idea, we used occupancy estimation methods to evaluate the ecological relationship between muskrats and otters by collecting presence/absence data based on field sign found at bridge crossings in eastern and central Kentucky. Mean detection (p) and occupancy probabilities …

Mammoth Cave In Poetry: Davis Mccombs’ Ultima Thule, Judith Hatchett

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

Davis McCombs, former Mammoth Cave park ranger, received the Yale Younger Poets Award for Ultima Thule, his collection of poems based on his experiences in and with Mammoth Cave, not only of his actual experiences as ranger and cave explorer, but also of the history of the cave, including poems in the voice of Stephen Bishop, cave explorer, cave guide, and also a slave. The detail of McCombs’ examination produces what poet W.S. Merwin called “a grave, attentive holding of a light.” In a sense, his poetry illuminates the cave the way ancient torches and modern lighting have done. This …

First Underground Photograph Taken In America, Wm. Gross Magee

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

The presentation covers the work of Charles Waldack in Mammoth Cave. Waldack took the first underground photographs in America. He was the pioneer of using magnesium as a light source for cave photography. It explores the who, why, when, where and how of his images in the cave. It covers the recreation of his stereo views in the cave showing the same views taken nearly 150 years apart.

Archaeological Investigations For Proposed Trail Rehabilitation Within Mammoth Cave, Steven R. Ahler, George M. Crothers

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

In 2008, staff from the University of Kentucky Program for Archaeological Research (UK-PAR) and the Illinois State Museum Society (ISMS) conducted archaeological and paleontological investigations at Mammoth Cave National Park in advance of proposed rehabilitation of 40,499 linear feet of selected trail segments within Mammoth Cave. This presentation focuses on the results of archaeological investigations conducted within Mammoth Cave and is confined to discussion of the prehistoric materials. These materials were confined to the upper and lower passages of the Historic Tour, the Lantern Tour, and Gothic Avenue trails

The History And Conservation Of Saltpeter Works In Mammoth Cave, Kentucky, George M. Crothers, Christina A. Pappas, Christian D. Mittendorf

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

Remains of the saltpeter mining operation in Mammoth Cave are a significant feature of several cave tours and figure prominently in the history of cave use. We undertook a comprehensive review of existing historical descriptions and recent archaeological investigations to construct the most reasonable account of how the saltpeter operation worked and assess its current conditions. At least three types of saltpeter vats were constructed in the cave reflecting an increase in the size of the operation and efficiency of processing sediments over time. Remains of three pump towers are also found in the cave in various states of preservation. …

The Mammoth Cave Mushroom Company: A Brief History Of A Short-Lived Venture, Katie Algeo

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

The Mammoth Cave Mushroom Company was formed in August 1881 during a particularly contentious period of family struggle for control of the cave, its resources, and tourism operations. This paper documents the history of the company from original company records and family letters. It places the Mammoth Cave operation within the larger historical context of mushroom production in caves as possibly the first such operation in the United States. It traces developments at the cave during the fall of 1881 as Anthony Muzarelli oversaw preparation of mushroom beds and supporting infrastructure and identifies sources of tension between the new mushroom …

Mammoth Cave National Park's 10th Research Symposium: Celebrating Diversity Of Research In The Mammoth Cave Region, Shannon Trimboli ,Editor

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

No abstract provided.

Managing Gambel Oak In Southwestern Ponderosa Pine Forests: The Status Of Our Knowledge, Scott R. Abella

Public Policy and Leadership Faculty Research

Gambel oak (Quercus gambelii) is a key deciduous species in southwestern ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) forests and is important for wildlife habitat, soil processes, and human values. This report (1) summarizes Gambel oak’s biological characteristics and importance in ponderosa pine forests, (2) synthesizes literature on changes in tree densities and fire frequencies since Euro-American settlement in pine-oak forests, (3) suggests management prescriptions for accomplishing various oak management objectives (for example, increasing diameter growth or acorn production), and (4) provides an appendix containing 203 Gambel oak literature citations organized by subject. Nine studies that reconstructed Gambel oak density changes since settlement …

Kamper Re-Visited Concert (Program), Klaus Kamper, Janet Bass Smith

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

One hundred years ago, a young German engineer named Max Kämper, came as a visitor to Mammoth Cave. He became so enchanted with the cavern he obtained permission to map the vast system. For the next eight months Max, along with assistance from cave guide Ed Bishop, meticulously put together a highly detailed and accurate map revealing more of the cave than ever before. He probably never realized his work would be admired by generations to follow. Some admire its artistic expression of the cave. Others see beauty in its precision. Ultimately, it has become the iconic map for generations …

Slave Guide Legacy At Mammoth Cave, Joy Medley Lyons

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

Serving as guides and explorers at Mammoth Cave partially rescued four men from the obscurity of enslavement. Stephen Bishop, Materson Bransford, Nicholas Bransford and a young man named Alfred all had their very existence documented in the written journals and diaries of various nineteenth century Mammoth Cave visitors. They were physically described, their personalities contemplated, their intelligence gauged, their dialects imitated. At least one abolitionist characterized Stephen Bishop as a charismatic natural leader who could govern the citizenry of freed men in Liberia, should he choose to relocate there.

Max Kämper’S Introduction To The New World, Stanley D. Sides, M.D.

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

Twenty-seven year old engineer Max Eduard Kämper arrived in America at 4:00 pm on May 16, 1907 and was greeted by a thunderstorm. His presumed goals were to study American manufacturing methods, learn English, and enrich himself musically. New York had so many German immigrants at the time that German was the second most common language spoken in the city. He stayed at the Belvedere House at the corner of 4th Avenue and 18th Street, and the next day visited acquaintances in Newark. He visited New York landmarks and May 20 visited the famed Hippodrome theater. He moved on May …

Searching For Max: The Engineer, The War And The World´S Longest Cave (Part 1), Bernd Kliebhan

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

In 1908 the German engineer Max Kämper mapped 35 miles of Mammoth Cave, KY. The “Kämper Map,” forgotten in the archives for half a century, is nowadays considered as a masterpiece of underground cartography. Little was known about Max Kämper despite several attempts of American speleo-historians. Most traces were wiped out in two world wars. Nevertheless the authors could find out details of the biography of Max Kämper in German archives. The text is based based upon the radio story “Suche nach Max,” broadcasted by Hessischer Rundfunk - hr1 December 26, 1999, audio download available on http://www.kliebhan.de/kaemper.htm

Mammoth Cave International Center For Science And Learning, Rick Toomey, Shannon R. Trimboli, Bob Ward, Mike Adams, Blaine Ferrell

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

The Mammoth Cave International Center for Science and Learning (MCICSL) is a cooperative venture of Mammoth Cave National Park and Western Kentucky University. Funding, logistical support, and governance of MCICSL are shared equally by both entities. MCICSL is part of a national network of research learning centers located within the National Park Service.

The goals of MCICSL and the other research learning centers are to:

I. Facilitate the use of parks for scientific inquiry.

II. Support science-informed decision making.

III. Communicate the relevance of and provide access to knowledge gained through scientific research.

IV. Promote science literacy and resource stewardship. …

The Lamps That Lit Their Way, Rick Olson

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

The distinctive lanterns used at Mammoth Cave from the middle 1800s until 1938 appear to be a locally derived design. Early whale oil railroad lanterns share some characteristics of the Mammoth Cave lanterns, but L&N Railroad lanterns do not appear to have influenced the design. At this time, the design pathway appears to lead from simple open-flame tin candle lanterns to the same lantern with a petticoat lamp affixed in place of the candle, and then finally to the font or oil container being soldered onto the lamp base as one unit. This basic Mammoth Cave lantern varied somewhat over …

A Long History Of Linkages And Synergy: Western Kentucky University And The Mammoth Cave System, Deana Groves, Chris Groves, Weldon Hawkins

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

No abstract provided.

The Puzzling Mr. Janin And Mammoth Cave Management, 1900-1910, Katie Algeo

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

Albert Covington Janin was the key architect of tourism development at Mammoth Cave for two decades at the start of the twentieth century, yet little has been written about his tenure. This paper explores his background and accomplishments for the period 1900 to 1910 as an initial attempt to understand his contributions to Mammoth Cave. Material about his activities in relation to Mammoth Cave is synthesized from primary sources in the archival collections of the Huntington Library (HL) of San Marino, California, and the Historical Society of Washington, DC (HSW).

Contributions To Karst Science And Education From The Mammoth Cave Region, Chris Groves, William B. White

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

No abstract provided.

Mammoth Cave: What A Difference A Few Friends Can Make, Lajuana S. Wilcher

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

No abstract provided.