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Here we are going to talk about a vulnerable bird species that is currently endangered in the Great Lakes region, the North American Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus).

An adult Piping Plover with blue and red marking tags. The tags are used to help wildlife conservationists track the migration habits of the bird.¹ Image courtesy of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

What is the Piping Plover?

The species are small shorebirds that reside on the coastal and lakeside beaches of North America. The bird can be distinguished by its distinct sandy brown plumage which allows it to blend perfectly with the sandy beach habitats in which they call home. Adults possess yellow-oranges legs, on their foreheads lies a black band that stretches from eye to eye, and an accompanying black stripe across their chest line.¹ They construct shallow nests that are then lined with pebbles and shells from the surrounding area. Females lay four eggs and both sexes have the responsibility of incubation for a 25-41 day period before the eggs hatch.¹ The young are then able to walk within hours and fledge (gain their feathers) approximately 20-32 days after hatching.² The plovers diet mainly consists of insects, beetles, marine worms, small crustaceans, and fly larvae.

The Piping Plover are named after their unique call, which is reminiscent of a two-noted bell-like whistle.⁴

Typically, plovers breed in the shorelines of the Great Lakes, Northern Great Plains rivers & lakes, and the Atlantic Coast during spring and summer then move to southern areas such as the Gulf of Mexico for the winter months.² The Piping Plover used to have a native presence in Ohio; specifically, nesting and breeding on the beaches of the Great Lake Erie. However, due to anthropogenic disturbances, destruction of habitats, and other environmental stressors, the species has since ceased to be an Ohio breeder as their nesting range continued to decrease. In fact, according to the Ohio Division of Natural Resources’ Division of Wildlife, the last nesting record of Piping Plover in Ohio was in 1942; they have since transitioned into a migratory species only.¹

Why Are They Endangered?

The two primary reasons for the current endangerment status of the Piping Plover are the degradation of their habitats and disturbance of nesting sites.

The habitat loss is primarily caused by the commercial, residential, and recreational developments done by humans on coastal beaches along with global warming which have negatively impacted the surrounding environmental area.² The construction of water control structures such as dams, while useful for generating renewable energy and reservoir creation, creates major issues for the plovers living lakeside and further inland on river banks. If it were to rain too much, the plover’s nests could potentially flood over. If it gets too hot during warmer seasons, vegetation will start to grow, which will discourage plover’s from nesting as they prefer a flat, sandy habitat devoid of any sort of plant growth that could prevent nesting or hide predators.²

Piping Plover eggs can blend into the sand on the beach so you will need to know what to look for in order to avoid harm.⁵ Image courtesy of U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

The disturbance of nesting sites is caused through either the direct or indirect consumption of the beach by humans. Piping plovers are sensitive to the presence of humans and will abandon their nests if there is too much human activity present in the area. Beach goers, either through casually strolling along the beach or some other activity, may end up accidentally crushing eggs in nests or injure young hatchlings.² Not just humans can harm the birds, the domesticated pets they bring with them such as cats and dogs often harass and kill the birds. However, not all the blame can be placed on humans; the plover’s natural predators such as foxes, crows, and seagulls feed on unprotected eggs and young, driving the plovers out as well.²

What Is Currently Being Done To Save Them?

The key reason for the continued threat to the Piping plover population is simply lack of awareness of the problem and measures have been put into place by federal organizations such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to develop recovery plans and regulate human activity in plover-inhabited areas.

Several cooperating research groups are collecting data to determine where plovers breed, estimate population size, and to monitor long-term population fluctuations.²

The regulation of human activity is done thorugh restriction of human access to nesting sites, the monitoring and protection of nesting sites, limiting any human development whether residential or industrial, and managing water flow from dams.

To educate the public in order to increase awareness of the plover’s situation, agencies are running successful public information campaigns that include providing information to coastal beach residents of plover nesting sites about the endangerment status of the bird.²

What Can I Do To Help Save the Piping Plover?

You can do your part to protect the Piping Plover from disappearing from this world by doing these three things:

1) Make yourself better informed about the threats facing the plover’s continuing existence through online research or contacting your local wildlife agencies.^2,3

2) Become part of the conservation effort by joining a local chapter of a wildlife management group or just being a volunteer at nature centers or sanctuaries.³

3) Ensure that plover habitats are protected from human activity by staying on boardwalks or trails. If bringing along your pets make sure that they are properly constrained so that they do not end up attacking vulnerable young birds or harming eggs. If deciding to explore off-trail please exercise extreme caution and see if the beach is known to have plover nesting sites.^2,5

Sources:

1. Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife. (n.d.). “Piping Plover-Charadrius melodus.” Retrieved from http://wildlife.ohiodnr.gov/species-and-habitats/species-guide-index/birds/piping-plover

2. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. (2001, August). “Piping Plover Fact Sheet.” Retrieved from https://www.fws.gov/Midwest/endangered/pipingplover/pipingpl.html

3. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. (2013, October 25) “Piping Plover in the Great Lakes” Retrieved June 12, 2019, from https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PG1wcOckawU

4. American Bird Conservancy. (2015, April 03). “Piping Plover Calls” Retrieved June 12, 2019, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=24&v=I_2un6v_Adw

5. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. (n.d.). “Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) – Great Lakes Population.” Retrieved from https://www.fws.gov/midwest/endangered/pipingplover/pipl_lifehistory.html

Closeup of an adult Emerald Ash Borer. Adults typically have a body with varying shades of green & purple and are half an inch long. ⁵ Image taken by David Cappaert of MSU

If you or someone you know has an Ash Tree (Fraxinus) on their property, then you may have heard about the insect known as the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) beetle, which has become one of the most destructive forest species to have ever invaded the United States.

Background

The larval state are where the beetle is at its most dangerous.⁵ Image courtesy of David Cappaert of MSU

The EAB (Agrilus planipennis) are named as such due to their attraction to the compounds given off by ash trees and subsequent brutal breeding methods. A beetle typically has a one-year life cycle, which begins with an adult finding a host tree using a combination of sight and the scent given off by ash leaves, back, and wood. After feeding on ash leaves for a 2-3 week period, female borers lay approximately 30-200 cream-colored eggs in the crevices that lie between the layers of inner bark.²

The feeding causes “S”-shaped galleries to appear which damage the tree.⁴ Image courtesy of the USDA

Once they hatch after about a week’s time (typically during mid-summer), the larvae live within the phloem & cambium layers of the tree’s inner bark, and feed on them using trails that the larvae.² The larvae continue feeding throughout the rest of summer and into early fall where they then lie dormant during wintertime in pupal chambers, emerging as adults in the spring, with the process continuing the following year. All in all, EAB spend approximately 3-5 weeks of their total life cycle as adults.

A good indicator for knowing if your Ash tree is infected is seeing a D-shaped hole left by the emergence.⁵ Image courtesy of David McKay of the USDA.

Example of bark loss damage done to Ash tree

Now, having a couple of larvae and adult beetles feeding on some branches or the trunk may not harm the tree at first. However, as the density of larvae continues to increase, the stress on the tree increases as well. The larvea’s feeding interrupts the tree’s ability to properly transport nutrients and water throughout its system. The resulting disconnection of nutrients produces stress on the ash tree resulting in their leaves beginning to turn yellow and fall off.² The loss of leaves causes dieback in the tree’s canopy. As if this wasn’t enough, further damage is caused from woodpeckers who feed on the larvae that reside in the tree, pecking away at the bark, resulting in bark loss.² After a length of time having to be subjected to this repeated cycle of being eaten from both the inside and outside, the tree is eventually too weak to support itself and dies.

Emerald Ash Borer in North America

In North America, the EAB have been able to infest all 16 known species of Ash tree. The first sighting of the Emerald Ash Borer in the United States was in southeastern Michigan near Detroit in 2002. Since the initial discovery, the EAB infestation has spread across over half of the American states and five Canadian provinces.¹ Scientists believe that the insect came to the U.S. via contaminated solid ash wood packing material carried on cargo ships or airplanes in the 1990s from EAB-native Asian countries such as China, Japan, Russia, and Korea.² In their native land, the EAB only colonize dying Asian ash trees, acting as a sort of secondary pest/decomposed where they aren’t causing any real harm. However, as a result of their accidental transportation to North America, ash trees who have not yet developed a defense against the insect are unable to resist and are killed, whether sick or healthy.

Map of the areas populated by EAB as of June 1, 2019. Presence of insect in Ohio was first confirmed on February 28, 2003 in Toledo. Image obtained from Emerald Ash Borer Information Network.¹

Impact of EAB both economically & ecologically

Economically: The Emerald Ash Borer has been responsible for the destruction of approximately 150-200 million ash trees in the United States and the number keeps climbing. As of last count, Ohio has over 3.8 billion vulnerable ash trees with all counties being under federal regulation for EAB. The destruction of ash trees costs “municipalities, property owners, nursery operators and forest products industries hundreds of millions of dollars” as they are a valuable resource.¹ According to USDA Forest Service (FS) projections, the response to the EAB infestation between 2009 and 2019 could cost up to $10.7 billion.³ This estimate includes treatment, removal, and replacement of more than 17 million ash trees in order to restore the tree’s place in the national forest ecosystem.

Ecological: The different species of ash trees each play a major role in the succession of forest ecosystems and as such the increase in mortality rates from the EAB could have a major negative impact. For example, the most widely distributed species of ash, Green, grows along rivers and streams which help prevent erosion of the soil in case of flooding. Whit ash often grows along hardwood trees such as oaks and maples in mixed stands during succession, mainly in the mid-stages.² Black ash are typically the only trees present in the areas that they grow in (swamps & bogs of northern U.S.) and are also the most susceptible to death from EAB infestation. Although, the full impact of the increase in ash tree mortality is not known yet, there is no doubt that the loss of ash trees will distrust forest functions such as: wildlife habitats, cycling of nutrients, composition, & water movement.²

Methods of Combating the Infestation

One of the main reasons why invasive species are a problem is due to the fact that they have no natural predators to control population size, so their numbers increase exponentially. As such, scientists from both the Agricultural Research Service & the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) began testing out an aggressive solution to the EAB infestation when first detected, the introduction of predators as biological control.³ During a search for EAB-specific predators in Asia, they found in China three parasitic wasp species that could help reduce the insect’s numbers: the first, Oobius agrili attacks EAB eggs while the other two, Tetrastichus planipennisi & Spathius agrili, parasitize EAB larvae.³

The tiny wasp, T. planipennisi, is one of the predator wasps used in the study.³ Image courtesy of the USDA.

This parasitic wasp species attacks EAB larvae, which will greatly decrease mortality rates of ash trees.³ 

The APHIS approved release off the three parasitic wasps species back in 2007 and they have now been released into 22 states including Ohio. Initial results from a 7-year field study have shown positive results from utilization of this approach as a severe reduction of EAB numbers was observed in the areas where the wasps were released, in some places up to 90%!.³

However as this is still a fairly recent development, studies are still ongoing to determine the true effectiveness of using parasitic wasps. So in the meantime we need to take  measures in ensuring the reduction of the spread of the infestation:

1) First and foremost absolutely do NOT move any firewood procured from infected ash trees, as this will increase the likelihood of the infestation spreading. In fact, since Ohio is under federal regulation, the “movement of hardwood firewood and wood products is under regulated and prohibited in most, but not all, circumstances” in order to limit the spread of the pests.^4,6 This means that if you buy or sell firewood from established infected areas here in Ohio, you are prohibited from transporting it to an uninfested area whether instate or out of state.

2) A secondary method that has proven efficient is to perform a deep trunk injection.⁷ Simply spraying an ash tree with insecticides won’t do much as they will only be able to get the beetles that are on the outside munching on leaves rather than the larvae slowly eating away at the inside. An injection however, will ensure that the insecticide is able to impact the larvae or even prevent EAB larvae from infesting in the first place.

Deep Trunk Injection Explanation [1:30-2:14]⁷

Detecting the Signs

Just recently the Ash Tree in my own front yard had to be cut down due to being too sick and injured from Emerald Ash Borer infestation over a prolonged period of time. In order for the same to not happen to the ash trees in your property or at your local forests, it is important to recognize the signs that come with an EAB infestation.

Here are a couple visual real-world examples of ways to detect if you have an EAB infestation in your ash tree, based off of the one from my home, such as:

The iconic “Bald Spot”. The deprivation of nutrients causes either a delayed growth of leaves during spring time or spots on trees will just have no leaf growth at all.

Notice the outer layer of bark has been stripped away, most likely due to woodpeckers feeding from the EAB larvae inside the tree. The pecking reveals the lighter inner bark underneath.

A branch had to be cut down as it was too badly damaged.

Stressed ash trees tend to create shoots near its base or wherever it can as a form of regeneration.

The Emerald Ash Borer has caused serious damage to trees not just in Ohio but all across the eastern United States. Being able to detect the signs early will ensure proper treatment of the tree and prevent it from having to be cut down as mine had to be. Again, if you or some you know has an ash tree on personal property, make sure that it is not infested with EAB. There are many factors that are impacted by the infestation and it is important to stay vigilante and cautious when dealing with not only the Emerald Ash Borer beetle, but any invasive species.

Sources:

1. Matsoukis. (n.d.). Emerald Ash Borer Information Network. Retrieved June 12, 2019, from http://www.emeraldashborer.info/

2. McCullough, D. (2013, Winter). “Will We Kiss Our Ash Goodbye?” Retrieved from https://www.americanforests.org/magazine/article/will-we-kiss-our-ash-goodbye/

3. United States Department of Agriculture . (2016, May). “Tiny Wasps May Rescue Ash Trees.” Retrieved from https://agresearchmag.ars.usda.gov/2016/may/wasps/#printdiv

4. USDA Forest Service. “The Threat of the Emerald Ash Borer.”. Retrieved from https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/wayne/notices/?cid=FSM9_005967

5. Michigan.gov. “You are hereInvasive Species Species Profiles & Reporting Information Insects.”  Retrieved from https://www.michigan.gov/invasives/0,5664,7-324-68002_71241-368696–,00.html

6. The Nature Conservancy. (2018, February 7). “Ohio Firewood Summary.” Retrieved from https://www.dontmovefirewood.org/map/ohio/

7. Arbor Experts.  (2017, September 01). Retrieved June 12, 2019, from https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xYkAKNBX8bk

https://prezi.com/view/lf4p87Se39isNXJsqn0M/

To View, click link and hit present in the top right corner.

What are algal blooms?

Algal blooms in Lake Erie have been an issue for the past 4 decades, yet they are still a growing concern for communities who rely on the lake for water, food, and other components of their life. Algal blooms are the rapid growth of algae or cyanobacteria that are easily recognized by the colored scum they create on the surface of the water (1). The main cause of algal blooms is excessive nutrient runoff, specifically phosphorus, that can originate from concentrated animal feeding operations, fertilizers, aquacultures, sewage discharge, or any number of other things that actively place more phosphorus into the water (2). Heavy rainstorms provide the largest phosphorus load, about 80-90 percent when fertilizer and other phosphorus sources are quickly washed into rivers and streams that flow into Lake Erie (3). Warm temperatures and light also encourage the growth of algae (4).

This image shows soil and fertilizer runoff from a farm. This runoff is often responsible for algal blooms. Credit: USDA (9)

Are all algal blooms dangerous?

Algal blooms are generally categorized into two groups, nuisance algal blooms (NABs) and harmful algal blooms (HABs). Nuisance blooms are called so because they change the color of the water, leave residue on swimmers skin, and are a nuisance to deal with, but they don’t pose a serious health risk. They are mainly responsible for aesthetic concerns at beaches and economic losses (1). However, they can act as a gateway to harmful blooms, which are called so because they are capable of producing toxins. Harmful algal blooms are concentrated growths of cyanobacteria that can produce toxins that are harmful to fish, aquatic life, humans, and other mammals such as dogs (1). Microcystis aeruginosa is blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) that is responsible for the majority of HABs in Lake Erie. Microcystis blooms produce the liver toxin microcystin that can cause skin rashes, gastrointestinal issues, liver, and nervous system damage, and in some rare cases can even be fatal if the bacteria is ingested (3). Studies are being done to determine if microcystin in fish could be harmful for human consumption. It was predicted that more toxic blooms would cause an increase in microcystin levels in fish, posing a greater risk to public health (5). Although not all cyanobacterial blooms produce toxins, it is best to steer clear of anything that looks like a cyanobacterial algal bloom.

This is an image of the October 9th, 2011 harmful algal bloom on Lake Erie. Credit: National Geographic (8)

How do HABs affect fish?

The toxins produced from HABs are often not directly harmful to fish but they can create other issues within the ecosystem that cause fish to die. The main threat that algal blooms pose to fish is that they often create “dead zones”, or areas with little to no dissolved oxygen in the water. These areas do not have enough oxygen for fish and other marine life to survive. This happens when the algae die and are decomposed by bacteria. The bacteria respire and use up all the oxygen in the water, thus creating a “dead zone” and anything living in the area will no longer be able to survive (6). This poses a threat to fisheries in Lake Erie, as recreational and commercial fishing industries may suffer as more fish are being killed in these dead zones.

This image shows a harmful algae bloom near Pelee Island on Lake Erie. Credit: NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory

What can be done?

The easiest way to reduce these massive algal blooms is to limit the number of nutrient inputs in the watershed. This is easier said than done, as many farms are already at recommended soil test phosphorus levels (7). However, there are many ways that you can help. It is recommended that managers, farmers, and citizens focus on adaptive management because not all farms or gardens are the same and options for reducing nutrient runoff may change over time (7). Also following the 4Rs for nutrient stewardship (applying the right fertilizers at the right rate, right time, and right place) can ensure that the safest measures are being taken. These can include refraining from applying fertilizers and manure to frozen fields, injecting fertilizers beneath the soil, and testing soils to make sure that healthy crops will get only as much fertilizer as they need (7). Lastly, slowing down the water in the watershed and the phosphorus that comes with it is an option that allows us to control the runoff even after the nutrients have been picked up. Many opportunities exist for this, but restoring natural wetlands, implementing controlled drainage structures, and using cover crops and buffer strips to filter the water before it gets to the lake are recommended (7).

References

1. Weston, Claire. “Harmful Algal Blooms: What They Are, How to Spot Them, and What to Do If You Suspect You’ve Encountered a Bloom.” Community Science Institute, 31 July 2017, www.communityscience.org/2017/07/31/harmful-algal-blooms-what-they-are-how-to-spot-them-and-what-to-do-if-you-suspect-youve-encountered-a-bloom/.
2. “Causes, Effects and Solutions to Eutrophication.” Conserve Energy Future, 15 Jan. 2017, www.conserve-energy-future.com/causes-effects-and-solutions-to-eutrophication.php.
3. “Harmful Algal Blooms.” Ohio Sea Grant College Program, ohioseagrant.osu.edu/research/issues/habs.
4. “Great Lakes Region.” Great Lakes Region RSS, www.regions.noaa.gov/great-lakes/index.php/project/harmful-algal-blooms/.
5. Wituszynski, David M., et al. “Microcystin in Lake Erie Fish: Risk to Human Health and Relationship to Cyanobacterial Blooms.” Journal of Great Lakes Research, vol. 43, no. 6, Dec. 2017, pp. 1084–1090., doi:10.1016/j.jglr.2017.08.006.
6. “The Effects: Dead Zones and Harmful Algal Blooms.” EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, 10 Mar. 2017, www.epa.gov/nutrientpollution/effects-dead-zones-and-harmful-algal-blooms.
7. “Lake Erie Algae.” Lake Erie Algae, lakeeriealgae.com/.
8. Borre, Lisa. “Harmful Algae Blooms Plague Lake Erie Again.” National Geographic Society Newsroom, 14 Dec. 2017, blog.nationalgeographic.org/2013/04/24/harmful-algae-blooms-plague-lake-erie-again/.
9. “National Science Foundation – Where Discoveries Begin.” NSF, www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_images.jsp?cntn_id=298181&org=NSF.