here is a simple list of proposals approved for 2014 (this list does not include several exploratory visits by researchers considering future research).
Biodiversity Inventory Projects:
James Bess, independent researcher, “Surveys for leafhoppers and macromoths associated with barrens on Huron Mts.” New project.
Patrick Gorring and Brian Farrell. Harvard University, “Pine sawyer beetles of the Huron Mountain Club: a pilot in trapping and ecological sampling. New project; follow-up to a 2012 project.
David Houghton, Hillsdale College, “Biological diversity of Michigan caddisflies (Insecta: Trichoptera): use of the Huron Mountains as reference sites”. New Project
Dana Richter, Michigan Tech. Univ. “Long-term red pine mycorrhizal fungus survey”. Continuing study – 19th year
Thomas Werner, Michigan Technological University, “The Lepidoptera and Drosophilidae of the Huron Mountains. New project
Mark Wetzel, Illinois Natural History Survey, “A continuing inventory of earthworms (Annelida, clitellatous oligochaetes) of the Huron Mountain Club area, Marquette County, Michigan” Continuing project: 2nd year
Population/Genetics Studies:
Patrick Brown and Laurel Hill, Northern Michigan University, “Population and Habitat Use of Spruce Grouse (Falcipennis canadensis) in the Central Upper Peninsula of Michigan” Continuing research – 2nd year
Oliver Gailing and Alexis Sullivan , Michigan Technological University, “Genetic structure of pre-European settlement Quercus rubra forests.” Continuing research – 2nd year
Jalene LaMontagne, DePaul University, “Mast-seeding dynamics in the southern range of a boreal forest species”. Continuing research: 3rd year
Evelyn Williams, Chicago Botanic Garden, “Botrychium S.S. ferns demography, morphology, and population genetics continuing study, seventh year
Forest Community/Dynamics Studies:
Walter Carson and Rose-Marie Muzika, Univ. of Pittsburgh and Univ of Missouri, “Can geologic refugia serve as source pools to help restore biodiversity: Battling the ghost of herbivory past.” Continuing project, 3rd year
Gregory Corace, Dawn Marsh, Charles Goebel, Daniel Kashian, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ohio State Univ., Wayne State Univ. “Bird communities of fire-dependent, mixed-pine forests in upper Michigan: quantifying geographic variability in the contexts of conservation and restoration.” 2nd year of continuing project
Robert Fahey, The Morton Arboretum, “Assessing drivers and implications of canopy structural complexity in late-successional hemlock-northern hardwood forests” continuing project; 2nd year
Alexander Fotis and Peter Curtis, The Ohio State University, “Canopy structure and function in old-growth forests using LiDAR” continuing project, 2nd year
Jonathan Martin, Erik Olson, Sarah Johnson. Northland College, “Canopy ecology studies in old-growth super-canopy white pines” New project
Dennis Riege, Univ. of Maryland University College, “Establishment of seedlings of white pine and hemlock in late-successional white pine- hemlock- hardwood forests of the Upper Midwest.” continuing study: 6th year
Dennis Riege, Univ. of Maryland University College, “Effects of beaver cutting on vegetation in Fisher Creek permanent plot.” continuing study: 3rd (and 9th) year
Donald Waller and Dennis Riege, UW-Madison and Univ. Maryland. “Monitoring impacts of white-tailed deer on forest communities” continuing project, 5th yr
John Willis and Michael Walters, Michigan State Univ., “Coarse wood and tree seedling establishment: generalizing patterns and identifying mechanisms.” continuing study, 2nd year
Kerry Woods, Bennington College, “Long-term studies of old-growth forest dynamics: maintaining and expanding mapped permanent plots.” ongoing research; sporadic since 1989.
Aquatic Systems Studies:
Faith Fitzpatrick, USGS; “Regional comparative studies of stream geomorphological processs. New project.
Casey Huckins, Amy Marcarelli, Michigan Technological University: “Regional comparative survey of stream fish and ecosystem processes of the Huron Mountains Region” Springing from long-term studies of fish communities and populations of the Salmon Trout River, this study adds both ecosystem function studies and comparisons with other streams.
Scott Tiegs and Donna Kashian, Oakland University, Wayne State Univ. “Influence of Landscape-Scale Variables on Functional and Structural Integrity of Northern Michigan Streams” continuing work: 5th year
Earth Science/Climatology Studies:
James Bockheim, Univ. of Wisconsin – Madison, “Glacial-geomorphology and soil maps of the Huron Mountains“. Continuing research, sixth year (one more planned)
Andy Breckenridge and Nigel Wattrus, Univ. Wisconsin-Superior and Univ. Minn.-Duluth, “Testing the potential to constrain Lake Superior lake levels before and after the Nipissing highstand from the study of sediments from former embayments of Lake Superior.” New project
Harry Jol and Walter Loope, Univ. Wisconsin-Eau Claire and USGS-Great Lakes Science Center, “Mapping coastal change along a dynamic shoreline: Imaging and dating coastal sedimentary deposits along the Lake Superior coastline of the Huron Mountains.” continuing project, 2nd year
Henry Loope, Todd Thompson, John Johnston, Indiana Geological Survey and Wilfrid Laurier Univ., “Investigation of lake-level change during the Nipissing phase of ancestral Lake Superior (ca. 6000 to 4500 years ago), Huron Mountains, Upper Michigan.“. New project
Frederick Nelson, Kenneth Hinkel, Northern Michigan Univ and Univ. Cincinnati. “Continuing Research: The Huron Mountain Climate Observation Network.” continuing research – 10th year