2022 was a year of returning to normal, continued growth, and milestones for Archbold. After a pause due to Covid, Archbold returned to sponsoring visiting early-career scientists through the Archbold Visiting Scholar program. Archbold also had a vibrant cohort of post-baccalaureate research interns who were eager to explore the natural laboratory that is the Florida Scrub and the unique ecosystems on Archbold’s Buck Island Ranch. In-person seminars from distinguished scientists and research interns were once again hosted in The Frances Archbold Hufty Learning Center. The Education Program returned to hosting Scrub Ecology Camp in person at the Station and welcomed visiting elementary school classes for field trips to learn about the unique ecosystems of Florida.

As the lead science organization in the statewide campaign to protect the Florida Wildlife Corridor, Archbold continued to grow its Conservation Program and turn science into conservation action. With partners from the Center for Landscape Conservation Planning at the University of Florida, Florida Natural Areas Inventory, and the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation, Archbold hosted three online Corridor Science Exchanges to promote exchange of scientific needs and information among attendees. Dr. Hilary Swain, Archbold Executive Director, presented a keynote address at the first annual Florida Wildlife Corridor Summit about lessons learned from the history of conservation land acquisition in Florida. More than 36,000 acres of land were approved for protection within the Florida Wildlife Corridor in 2022 by the State of Florida, including a conservation easement of 1,883 acres within Buck Island Ranch. Dr. Hilary Swain said, “The easement will contribute towards Archbold’s ability to sustain Buck Island Ranch as a protected working landscape and a vital long-term research center. We are proud that Buck Island Ranch is a critical part of the Florida Wildlife Corridor, embracing the natural and working lands that make Florida unique, valuable, and the state the world loves to visit.”

Archbold science programs continued to grow last year, protecting the rarest of the rare and sustaining natural and working grasslands. Buck Island Ranch has become increasingly well known as a center for agroecology in the Southeast and an important partner in the USDA Long Term Agroecosystem Research (LTAR) program. The Agroecology Program launched several new studies with the help from Ranch Operations, including a grazing study with rainout shelters. The Predator-Prey Program expanded its Corridor Observatory network of cameras to increase the understanding of how large mammals move through different ecosystems and working lands. The Plant Ecology, Avian Ecology, and Herpetology programs continued their long-term studies of rare species including the Lake Placid Scrub Mint, Florida Scrub-Jay, and Gopher Tortoise. Archbold launched a new buoy in Lake Annie bristling with high-tech sensors to collect data on the weather and the lake. The yellow data buoy was funded by the National Science Foundation and custom-built by Flydog Marine. The GIS and Data program continued using drones to collect data to help answer interesting ecological questions. Archbold’s newest program, Conservation Science of Military Lands, was awarded a four-year grant, along with collaborators at the University of Central Florida and Conservation Science, Inc., from the Department of Defense to study the impacts of habitat burning and Fire Ants on endangered wildlife populations as part of the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program.

The year was also full of milestones and awards. Former Archbold Executive Director, and current Board Member, Dr. John Fitzpatrick and Archbold Emeritus Librarian Fred Lohrer both celebrated their 50^th anniversaries at Archbold. Dr. Mark Deyrup, Emeritus Entomologist, and his wife Nancy Deyrup, retired Archbold Environmental Education Director, celebrated their 40^th anniversaries at Archbold. Director of Education Dustin Angell won second place in the Faces of Biology photo contest sponsored by the American Institute of Biological Sciences and the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. Angeline Meeks, Archbold Conservation Cartographer, and Joe Guthrie, Predator-Prey Program Director, won 2^nd place in the Education Map Category for their story map ‘Bear Necessities’ based on the journey of Florida Black Bear m34, at the Esri User Conference, the largest GIS (geographic information system) mapping conference in the world.

Archbold would not have been able to accomplish so much without loyal supporters, donors, Board members, and dedicated staff. Archbold looks forward to continuing their mission, to build and share the scientific knowledge needed to protect the life, lands, and waters of the heart of Florida and beyond, in 2023. Archbold staff and Board wish all readers, “A safe, happy, and healthy New Year!”

Author: Tiffany Doan, Ph.D.

Straddling the line between Highlands and Polk counties lies Avon Park Air Force Range (APAFR).  Although most people would assume that the bombing and gunnery range would be a scarred landscape thanks to its primary mission, in fact APAFR is home to many beautiful Florida habitats and it serves as an oasis for endangered wildlife.  Part of the military mission at APAFR and all other U. S. military bases is to conserve endangered species on their lands.  The Department of Defense’s Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program provides funding to scientists every year to do that.

A team of biologists from Archbold Biological Station, the University of Central Florida, and Conservation Science, Inc. recently received a four-year grant from the Department of Defense with the goal of testing how the frequency of habitat burning and Fire Ants combine to affect endangered wildlife populations. Charismatic animals such as Gopher Tortoises, Florida Scrub-Jays, and Eastern Indigo Snakes will be surveyed, as well as lesser-known species such as Mole Skinks, Gopher Frogs, and Homosassa Shrews. Dr. Tiffany Doan, Archbold Research Biologist, is the lead reptile and amphibian biologist on the project.  She stated, “starting in early 2023, we will survey for seven species of threatened reptiles and amphibians. Teams of biologists and students will observe lizards, snakes, frogs, and tortoises to estimate population numbers in each of the habitats.” 

Fire Ants are a pest probably known to all Floridians.  They were introduced from South America in the 1930s and, in addition to stinging people, they have been known to kill young animals, especially those that lay eggs.  According to Dr. Joshua King, University of Central Florida Fire Ant expert and lead investigator on the new project, “Fire Ants have devastated populations of lizards, turtles, and ground-nesting birds.  Starting in the second year of the project, we will eliminate Fire Ants from half of the survey areas and examine what effects that has on the animal populations.”  The team will perform these methods for reptiles, amphibians, small mammals, and birds, to gain an overall picture of the effects of Fire Ants on the wildlife.

Although the words savanna and prairie evoke thoughts of Africa or the upper Midwest United States, we have both of these habitats here in Highlands county.  Pine savannas, pine flatwoods, Florida scrub, and dry prairies are the four habitats being targeted in this project.  Dr. Doan stated, “in addition to studying the effects of Fire Ant removal, we also want to know how burning of the habitats effects the threatened wildlife populations.  All four of the habitats in our study have evolved to burn naturally.  In fact, many plants and animals in these habitats cannot complete their life cycles without fire.  Nowadays, the habitats need help from people to burn.  Thankfully, the Air Force regularly ignites the lands on the range through controlled burning, which helps maintain our native Florida habitats and allows the animals to thrive.” 

What is not currently known, however, is how the effects of the frequency of habitat burning and Fire Ants combine.  Dr. Doan explained, “although we know burning is beneficial to most of the wildlife species we are studying, we also suspect that fires make it easier for Fire Ants to establish new colonies.  We would like to determine the optimal amount of burning and Fire Ant removal to safeguard the populations of endangered species.  Our project will provide management solutions to the military for their installations, but this knowledge will also be useful for land managers outside of the military.  Our hope is to widely distribute best practices to help conserve our native species.”

With the combined efforts of scientists who specialize on reptiles, amphibians, birds, mammals, and fire ants, this new project hopes to make a difference in the conservation of endangered Florida animals in Highlands county.

If you wander around any of the many wonderful wild places in Florida this time of year, you may be surprised to see so much wildlife wandering around. Just as humans enjoy the mild temperatures in Florida during the winter months, wildlife also takes advantage of the warmer climate. As many animals in cooler climates reduce their activity, or even hibernate, when the temperature drops, wildlife in Florida continues to be active throughout winter.

Black Bears in northern populations are not active this time of year, denning for several months while it is cold, and food is not available. However, male and non-pregnant female Florida Black Bears may only den for a few weeks when temperatures become too cold. Food is typically available year-round here due to Florida’s mild winters and Florida Black Bears wander around during winter months in search of their next snack. Joe Guthrie, Archbold’s Predator Prey Program Director, explained, “bears this time of year are showing a behavior known as ‘hyperphagia’, which is the extreme unsatisfied drive to consume food.” Florida is home to a wide range of excellent bear food, including acorns, Scrub Hickory nuts, and Saw Palmetto berries. Most of this increased activity is during daylight hours, from dawn up to late morning, with another peak from mid-afternoon to dusk. This increase in activity also increases the chances of humans encountering a bear while exploring Florida’s wild places.  If you are out wandering in a wild place, be mindful of signs of bears, including tracks and large piles of fresh bear scat.

Reptiles and amphibians are also quite active in Florida during the winter months. Reptiles and amphibians are considered ‘cold blooded’ because they can’t regulate their body temperature internally, so they move to warm, sunny, spots when it is cooler. Snakes are often seen basking on paved roads to warm themselves after a chilly morning. Some snake species are venomous, and others may bite when they feel threatened. As such, Archbold does not advise picking up snakes; instead, if you see a snake on the road while driving, simply brake and give the snake time and space to finish crossing the road. Similarly, you may see alligators crossing roads, particularly during the dry season as they seek out new water sources or males seeking mates in the mating season. Never approach an alligator, rather give it room to cross the road by itself.

Tortoises and turtles are also frequently seen wandering along or crossing roads. If you see a turtle or tortoise one on a road while driving and can safely stop, pick it up with two hands on either side of the shell, towards the back, and place it well off the road in the direction it was headed. Never lift a turtle by the tail or a leg and be sure to sanitize your hands after touching any wild animal. While tortoises and most of the turtles you will encounter are gentle, be extra careful around softshell and snapping turtles, as they may bite if they feel threatened. If in doubt, simply remain in your vehicle and give the turtle space to cross on its own.

If you come across a living animal that has been struck by a car, you can contact your local wildlife rehabilitation center. Archbold Biological Station is not a wildlife rehabilitation center and does not have the staff, facilities, or permits to care for injured animals. Instead, you should call a licensed wildlife rehabilitator such as the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey or visit the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission website to find a contact. If you cannot reach a licensed wildlife rehabilitator who can treat the type of animal you found, you can contact FWC’s Southwest Regional Office for assistance at (863) 648-3200.

Archbold is home to a wide range of wonderful wildlife during the winter months and will be re-opening to the public in January. Please check our website or Facebook page in the new year for updates on open hours to see when you can come to wander around the Archbold nature trail and view the wonderful wildlife.

Authors: Tori Bakley & Kelly Roberts

Archbold’s Avian Ecology Program staff made their way to Plymouth, Massachusetts this October to attend the annual meeting of the Association of Field Ornithologists, marking the organization’s centennial conference. The organization was founded in Massachusetts in 1922 as the New England Bird Banding Association, and has since expanded to include ornithological research from the entirety of the United States and Latin America.

Dr. Reed Bowman, Director of Archbold’s Avian Ecology Program, served as the President of the Association of Field Ornithologists from 2014-2016 and continues to serve on the council as co-Editor-in-Chief of their Journal of Field Ornithology. Dr. Bowman has been taking students and members of his lab to ornithological conferences for more than 30 years. Bowman said, “nearly half of the attendees at this meeting were students or early career professionals. There is no better place to network and discuss your research than professional meetings. Since I am retiring this winter, this will be the last flock of lab mates I will get to mentor at such meetings. I will miss that more than anything but this was a great group to end on!”

Dr. Angela Tringali, Director of Archbold’s Conservation Science of Military Landscapes Program, also attended the conference and serves on the Association of Field Ornithologists council, along with a dozen other dedicated researchers. Tringali commented, “the society recognizes that a better understanding of birds native to the Northern and Southern Hemispheres is critical for conservation, especially for migratory and broadly distributed species. AFO is committed to engaging ornithologists across the Western hemisphere and beyond, and it is an honor to serve on AFO’s council and have the opportunity to help make those programs happen.”

This was the first in-person meeting of the Association of Field Ornithologists since 2019. Avian Ecology Lab Manager Meredith Heather said, “it was nice attending an in-person conference again after two years of virtual events. Being face-to-face allowed for better opportunities to network, meet new friends, and have conversations about current research in ornithology.”

Heather is also a graduate student at Florida Gulf Coast University, and this fall she will defend her Master’s thesis on Florida Scrub-Jay habitat use and preference. Conferences are essential to students and early career professionals, as Heather explains, “I had the opportunity to share my current thesis research with professionals for the first time and receive helpful feedback on my work. I am coming away from the conference motivated and more confident in my presentation skills.” Heather received an honorable mention for her exemplary presentation on the use of drones for data collection.

Archbold’s Avian Ecology Program also sent two research assistants, Kelly Roberts and Tori Bakley, to the conference. For Roberts, “the opportunity to discuss our project with professionals was invaluable, as was the experience of learning more about graduate school opportunities.” This was the first avian-centered conference Bakley has attended. Bakley noted, “the opportunity to be exposed to more than ten research projects a day is as exciting as it is overwhelming. I appreciated that the conference was not limited to North America because I have a special interest in tropical species and I was able to learn from and connect with researchers working outside of the U.S.” Roberts and Bakley co-presented their study of extra-pair paternity in Archbold’s Florida Scrub-Jays.

Conference attendees were able to balance out their hard work with some fun, which, unsurprisingly, involved birding. Roberts and Bakley, who attended daily birding field trips organized by the Association, spotted some ‘lifers’. Lifers are birds that a birder is seeing for the first time, and for this duo they included a Red-throated Loon, many White-winged Scoters, and even a Cory’s Shearwater. Between spotting birds, networking with attendees, meeting Archbold alumni, and taking in the beautiful fall weather of the Northeast, this conference was an invigorating event that encouraged our staff to flex their knowledge and feel more connected to others in the field of ornithology.