Effect of seed covering on germination of containerized Atlantic white cedar.
Author: Eric Hinesley, Professor, NC State University.

AWC seed were sown in Hiko HV265 trays containing a standard North Carolina Forest Service mix of 3 peat: 2 coarse vermiculite: 1.5 perlite (v/v/v). Ten seed coverings consisted of combinations of fine vermiculite and coarse vermiculite. Some treatments used a single layer of vermiculite (about 2 mm thick); others used a double layer about 5 mm thick); others used a combination of fine and coarse. In some treatments, the seed were underneath the mulch; in others, they were sown between layers. Half the trays were misted immediately after sowing, resulting in 20 total treatments. A control treatment used no seed covering. Each treatment was replicated 10 times. Trays were placed under 45% shade, and briefly watered every 2 hours during the day. In early June, after a 5-week germination period, cell occupancy was greatest (87%) with no seed covering. A double layer of vermiculite - fine or coarse -- reduced cell occupancy to about 60%, whereas sowing seed between two thin layers of vermiculite had no adverse effect. Average cell occupancy, excluding the double vermiculite treatments, was 83. It appears that no seed covering is needed if the substrate is kept moist by frequent watering.

Restoring Atlantic White-cedar, an Embedded Ecological Community within the Longleaf Pine Sandhills,at Aiken Gopher Tortoise Heritage Preserve: Aiken County, SC.
Authors: Johnny Stowe and Brett Moule, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources; Eric Hinesley, NC State University Horticulture Department.

In 2002, Atlantic white-cedar (Chamaecyparis thyoides) seedlings, grown by North Carolina State University and the North Carolina Division of Forest Resources as part of a US Fish and Wildlife Service grant, were planted on Spring Branch at the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources’ Aiken Gopher Tortoise Heritage Preserve and Wildlife Management Area in Aiken County. Most of the seedlings were planted on areas previously inundated by man-made ponds. These ponds were expeditiously and crudely drained to facilitate planting when free seedlings unexpectedly became available. Ideally, natural streamflow would have been restored before planting. In 2007, the natural topography and hydrology were restored by entirely removing the earthen dams. We provide background details on this restoration project, as well as an update on seedling survival and growth, and restoration of the sites’ hydrology.

Toxic and Medicinal Potential in Atlantic White Cedar Wetland Forests.
Author: Aimlee Laderman, Ph.D., Marine Biological Laboratory.

Toxic and Medicinal Potential in Atlantic White Cedar Wetland Forests Abstract: Plants and animals surviving in extreme environments, such as cedar swamps, have developed adaptations to particular stringent conditions. Poisonous components, such as alkaloids and resins, are among the adaptations found in extremophiles. Many effective drugs are derived from chemical components that are poisonous at higher doses, or in modified forms. This study aims to determine which plants associated with Atlantic white cedar (AWC) (Chamaecyparis thyoides, L.BSP) are in families with known medicinal or toxic properties, for species within a family share a significant number of genes and characteristics. Four of the families in cedar swamps are known to have poisonous or pharmaceutical components.1) Ericaceae (heaths): Some parts of all Ericaceae may cause severe problems to man and animals when ingested, although many of their fruits are edible (e.g., blueberries, cranberries), and some are ancient herbal remedies. Forty-four spp. in 16 genera co-occur with A! WC, distributed in all the 15 states where cedar swamps are found. Ericaceae are often the most diverse and abundant family in an AWC wetland forest. 2) Araceae (aroids, calla): Six spp. and 2 subspp. in 5 genera are found in 11 states, e.g., Jack-in-the-pulpit, Arrow-arum. All 8 spp. cause problems when ingested e.g., allergic anaphylaxis, itching. 3) Liliaceae (lilies): Nineteen spp in 16 genera are found in 12 states. One genus, Zigadenus, in Western FL,is extremely toxic. 4)Solanaceae (potato): The sole species, Solanum dulcamara (False Bittersweet), in NJ, is highly poisonous. Liliaceae and Solanaceae may contain both toxins and teratogens. Seventy-three species associated with C. thyoides are in families with known toxic or pharmaceutical properties. This medicinal potential is worth exploring.

Pitfall and bee bowl trapping results from the long-term Brendan Byrne State Forest research site in New Jersey.
Author: Stephen Mason, Richard Stockton College of New Jersey; Caroline DiGiovanni, Richard Stockton College of New Jersey; George Zimmermann, Richard Stockton College of New Jersey.

The long-term research site in the Brendan Byrne State Forest, New Jersey was one of four sites fully re-measured in the summer of 2008 – 18 years since the experiments began. This site had received four different treatment combinations designed to control deer and competing vegetation: electric fence/herbicide, Hinder/herbicide, no deer control/herbicide, and a control/control. These treatments have been documented to produce significant vegetational structural differences. Pitfall traps and bee bowls were placed at sample points across all treatments (n for each, 40 total). The sampling was done in 2008 and 2009.

The goal of pitfall traps is to see what types of insects are occurring in the ground cover. Bee bowls capture flying insects. The insects that were caught in both traps were separated to taxonomic order and lower when possible. The faunal diversity reflects in some ways the vegetational and ground structure differences produced by the various treatments and show the impacts of deer and competing vegetation on other ecosystem levels.

The pitfall trap results to date show less diversity of insect orders (and diversity within insect order) represented in the control/control treatment versus all other treatments. Furthermore, the Hinder/herbicide and control/herbicide treatments produced the highest number of Diptera. The electric fence/herbicide treatment produced the most Collembola (not an insect but an arthropod). The bee bowl sampling in the control/herbicide treatment collected the most bees, Diptera, Thysanoptera and had the only Collembola out of all treatments. The Hinder/herbicide treatment collected the least amount of bees and Diptera.

Mosquito Sampling Updated: Cedar Swamps of Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
Author: Gabrielle Sakolsky, Cape Cod Mosquito Control; Aimlee Laderman, Swamp Research Center.

Since its inception in 1930, the Cape Cod Mosquito Control Project (CCMCP) has worked to reduce mosquito populations in Barnstable County. This includes running surveillance to measure both efficacy of treatments and levels of arbovirus. Adult mosquito populations were monitored weekly at 5 Atlantic White Cedar (AWC) sites from June through August using Encephalitis Vector Survey light traps (Bioquip, Gardena, CA) baited with CO2. These traps are especially effective for monitoring nuisance mosquito populations. Light traps were run for a 24 hr period. Resting boxes were deployed at each swamp and collected weekly to monitor adult Culiseta melanura populations. Larval surveys were conducted once each month April through October. Field crews, using a standard 350 dipper, sampled water from a minimum of 20 locations in each cedar swamp. Maps of sampled sites are filed in a GIS database. Adult mosquitoes were identified to species, and then placed in vials in a 0*C freezer. Larvae were also identified to species. Collections of potential vector species were pooled by location and trap date then sent on ice overnight to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health State Laboratory for identification of any pathogens being carried by the insects. We have documented 23 freshwater species, 2 saltwater species, and one brackish species in Barnstable County. Of these, 13 species in 5 genera have been found in these cedar swamps. Cs. melanura, which bite birds and are known to be the epizootic vector for Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE), were found at all the sites sampled. To date, only 1 pool of mosquitoes collected in these AWC sites has tested positive for arboviruses. Treatments to control mosquito populations were limited to a liquid larvicide. The active ingredient is Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis, commonly known as Bti.

Bear damage in a small-pole stand of Atlantic white cedar on Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge.
Authors: Wendy Stanton, US Fish and Wildlife Service; Eric Hinesley, NC State University.

A 12-acre stand of Atlantic white cedar was established at Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge by Weyerheauser Company around 1990 to demonstrate the suitability of using rooted cuttings for regeneration. The site -- a mineral soil with high organic content -- was bedded and fertilized with rock phosphate prior to planting. Deer were excluded with a solar-powered Gallagher electric fence during the initial years after planting. Recently, extensive damage of small pole trees was noted, apparently by bears. Entire rows and/or clusters of trees have been killed by having the bark stripped off up to a height of about 5 or 6 feet. The reason for this unusual behavior is likely territorial. The Refuge conducts an annual Pungo Lottery Deer Hunt in September and October. Hunters are encouraged to deposit their deer remains in a pit adjacent to the AWC stand. Prior to the hunts, this 12-ft deep pit is dug with an excavator and continually filled with dirt to cover exposed d! eer carcasses. Depending on the number of deer harvested, the pit can easily contain remains of more than 100 harvested deer by the end of October. Bears have been observed digging remains out of the pit and dragging their cache into the stand. In addition, the stand is very dense and provides good shelter for bears. Based on a black bear study conducted in 2002-2003 by Virgina Tech (Tredick 2005), the population estimate for bears on the Refuge was approximately 3.5 bears per square mile. At that time, this was considered the densest black bear population ever recorded in the literature.

New Vacuum Head for Sowing Containerized Atlantic White-Cedar.
Authors: James West, NC Division of Forest Resources; Drew Hinnant, NC Division of Forest Resources; Eric Hinesley, NC State University.

The North Carolina Forest Service has used a vacuum system for sowing into Ropak 6-45 trays. The vacuum seeder was orginally designed to sow large seed such as longleaf pine and loblolly pine. It has been used to sow Atlantic white-cedar (about 440,000 seeds per pound), but is very inefficient, sometimes dropping as many as 10 seeds into individual cells. This not only wastes seed, but makes it necessary to thin the overstocked trays later, which adds additional cost of labor. The company that made the seed head is no longer in business. Recently, a new vacuum head was machined with smaller holes to accommodate smaller seeds such as Atlantic white-cedar. This promises more efficient utilization of seed and less subsequent labor to reduce stand density in trays. (If possible, the head will be displayed at the conference, making this a dynamic display, not just a poster.)