Prairie Research Institute

blog posts

• INHS Chief Dr. Lorin I. Nevling to Retire

  Nov 5, 1996 11:00 am

• Making history on the mighty Mississippi

  Nov 5, 2006 4:30 pm

• Dr. Hoover's research on "Retaliatory mafia behavior by a parasitic cowbird favors host" featured in PNAS

  Mar 5, 2007 5:00 pm

• Taxonomists stand up and count your species

  Mar 27, 2007 10:15 am

• INHS Scientist Mark J. Wetzel appointed Associate Editor of Megadrilogica

  May 2, 2007 8:00 am

• Illinois Chapter of the Wildlife Society Honors Dr. Stephen P. Havera

  May 18, 2007 12:00 am

• INHS hosts "An Evening of Entomology"

  Aug 9, 2007 8:00 am

• Tari Tweddale to give lecture at GIS Day

  Oct 24, 2007 2:30 pm

  Tari Tweddale, GIS/Remote Sensing Specialist and Illinois Gap Analysis Project Coordinator at the Illinois Natural History Survey, will present a seminar called, "GIS in Conservation Biology: Modeling Vertebrate Species Distribution in the Illinois GAP Analysis Project " at GIS Day at Illinois State University. The full line-up of presenters can be found in this Word document which will download to your computer.

• Dr. John Marlin's Mud to Parks Program tackles Pekin Landfill

  Nov 16, 2007 12:00 am

  The Mud to Parks Program took another step forward last month as dredged earth from the Lower Peoria Lake was used to cap off the Pekin Landfill. Dr. John Marlin, senior scientist at the Illinois Department of Natural Resources' Waste Management and Research Center, oversees the program and discussed the new developments with several news outlets.

• Dr. Richard Sparks recognized by The Nature Conservancy

  Nov 16, 2007 12:00 am

  Dr. Richard Sparks, the Director of Research for the National Great Rivers Research and Education Center, received the Illinois River Valley Conservation Award from the Nature Conservancy on October 2, 2007 in recognition for his work advancing the science and management of large rivers in Illinois and around the world. For more information, visit this website.

• INHS to host 100th Annual Meeting of the Illinois Academy of Science

  Dec 5, 2007 8:00 am

  INHS will host the 100th Annual Meeting of the Illinois State Academy of Science to be held on April 4-5, 2008. Academy members are invited to submit abstract abstracts of papers and posters for presentation in any of the recognized ISAS divisions. For more information on the event and submissions, please visit this website.

• INHS kit makes USDA news

  Jan 4, 2008 8:00 am

  The Emerald Ash Borer Kit offered by INHS was featured in the December 28, 2007 News & Events section of the USDA's National Invasive Species Information Center website.

• Herons persist in Chicago wetlands despite exposure to banned chemicals

  Jan 16, 2008 8:00 am

  Results of a study led by INHS wildlife toxicologist Jeff Levengood were published in the latest issue of the Journal of Great Lakes Research. The study reports that Chicago-area herons are still being exposed to banned pesticides.

• "Life in the Soil" a must-read for naturalists and gardeners

  Feb 7, 2008 12:00 am

  Author James Nardi, adjunct scientist with INHS, discusses his new book "Life in the Soil: A Guide for Naturalists and Gardeners" in a February 7, 2008 article published in the Anchorage Daily News. The well-organized book features information on a wide array of animals living in the soil beneath our feet. Readers will find taxonomic data, information on food web interactions, and species impact for gardeners. A December 20, 2007 Washington Post article discusses the book and its release. His book is available for purchase at Amazon.com.

• Preventing the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease in deer

  Feb 8, 2008 8:00 am

  Nohra Mateus-Pinilla, epidemiologist with INHS, recently spoke with Eilee Heikenen-Weiss for the Eight Forty-Eight program on Chicago Public Radio. The show discusses Chronic Wasting Disease in deer and DNR efforts to sample populations and prevent the spread of the disease. View the transcript or listen the audio* for the January 17, 2008 episode. * Warning: Contains graphic descriptions of animal dissection

• Contaminated sediments affecting wetland mice

  Feb 21, 2008 12:00 am

  Jeff Levengood and Ed Heske recently published an article entitled "Heavy metal exposure, reproductive activity, and demographic patterns in white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus) inhabiting a contaminated floodplain wetland" in Volume 389, Issues 2-3 of Science of the Total Environment.The article discusses the effects of using contaminated sediments from Lake DePue, Illinois to create a wetland that is home to white-footed mice. View the Science of the Total Environment article at ScienceDirect. Accessible through subscription only.

• Illinois Natural History Survey Chief to retire

  Feb 21, 2008 12:00 am

  David Thomas, Natural History Survey Chief since 1997, will retire on February 29, 2008. View the complete press release here.

• Survey scientists researching moist-soil resources for waterfowl

  Feb 21, 2008 12:00 am

  Natural History Survey scientists, Joshua Stafford, Aaron Yetter, Chris Hine, Randy Smith, and Michelle Horath have been continuing the moist-soil research of Frank Bellrose from the Forbes Biological Station and F. C. Bellrose Waterfowl Research Center in Havana since 2005. In an article featured in the March 2008 issue of Outdoor Illinois, the scientists discuss their research, the work of Frank Bellrose, and management issues for moist-soil habitats.

• Natural History Survey part of proposed University of Illinois unit

  Feb 21, 2008 12:30 pm

  During his February 20, 2008 State of the State and Budget Address, Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich proposed a plan to merge the Illinois Natural History Survey, Geologic Survey, Water Survey and Waste Management and Resource Center into a new University of Illinois unit, the Institute for Natural Sciences and Sustainability. The proposed plan would remove the Surveys from the Department of Natural Resources effective July 1, 2008. More information about this proposal is available from the University of Illinois News Bureau, State Journal-Register, Prairie State Outdoor, News-Gazette, and The Pantagraph.

• Bumblebee populations declining

  Feb 22, 2008 8:00 am

  The bumblebee crisis was discussed in a February 21, 2008 post to the North Carolina State University Insect Museum blog. The article discusses what factors are contributing to the bumblebee's decline and mentions research done by Solter labs. Lee Solter is an Associate Scientist and Insect Pathology Research Leader with the Illinois Natural History Survey.

• Winter tips for bird feeders

  Feb 25, 2008 12:00 am

  Christopher Whelan, an avian biologist with the Illinois Natural History Survey, recently offered some tips for keeping overwintering birds in your yard. The tips were featured in the Like an Eagle-Soar blog and were offered through the National Wildlife Association.

• Winter bald eagle count a new record

  Feb 25, 2008 8:00 am

  In an article published February 23, 2008 in The Daily Journal, Survey scientist Randy Nyboer discusses the this year's record bald eagle count. Though the count is unfinished, it has already surpassed previous records. Visit this website to view the complete article.

• New director starts May 1, 2008

  Mar 4, 2008 12:00 am

• Entomologists stifled by Indian bureaucracy

  Mar 20, 2008 12:00 am

  An international collaboration to study insects in the Western Ghats mountains in southern India is stalled due to a hold up by the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA). INHS' Paul Tinerella and Michael Irwin are involved in trying to keep the project moving along. View the complete Nature article
  
  

• First comprehensive treatise on leafhopper genus Zyginama published

  Apr 17, 2008 3:30 am

• Small-mouthed salamander observed in Hancock Co.

  May 20, 2008 10:30 am

• Illinois armadillo sightings becoming more frequent

  May 20, 2008 11:00 am

  Dr. Joyce Hofmann discusses the possible reasons for more frequent armadillo sightings in Illinois in the May 16, 2008 On-line edition of the Journal Gazette Times-Courier. Dr. Hofmann has been keeping track of the sightings since 1999 for a manuscript she is compiling. She says that the animal, which is abundant southern Missouri, began to be sighted Southern Illinois during the late 1970s. To read the Journal Gazette article in its entirety, visit this website.

• IL endangered birds found with DDT byproducts in Chicago marshes

  May 29, 2008 2:15 pm

• Statewide bird survey shows changes in bird diversity and distribution

  Jul 27, 2008 1:00 pm

• INHS mycology herbarium receives Alan D. Parker Collection

  Aug 7, 2008 3:00 pm

• U of I Student Chapter of the Wildlife Society, advised by Dr. Nohra Mateus-Pinilla, receives honor

  Sep 17, 2008 3:30 pm

  The University of Illinois Student Chapter of The Wildlife Society has been selected from over 20 universities as the 2007-2008 North Central Section Student Chapter of the year. The group is advised by INHS researcher Dr. Nohra Mateus-Pinilla, and the membership has several students associated with the Illinois Natural History Survey.

• INHS researching snakes at Allerton Park

  Oct 15, 2008 3:30 pm

  Jon Griesbaum, a student in Dr. Christopher Phillips lab, is studying the movements of Fox Snakes at Allerton Park using radio telemetry. The snakes that are captured and marked are then tracked for a year. Griesbaum hopes that learning more about the snakes range and behavior will enable policy makers to make informed and better choices about wild areas. Articles about Griesbaum's study appeared in the 7 September issue of the News-Gazette, the 4 September issue of Environmental Almanac, and can be found archived.

• INHS Scientists Drs. Joseph Spencer and Rich Lampman quoted in article on minute pirate bugs

  Oct 16, 2008 2:30 pm

  Dr. Joseph Spencer and Dr. Rich Lampman were quoted in the Champaign-Urbana News-Gazette article talking about minute pirate bugs. The article described why the insects bite humans, and describes the insects as, ultimately, beneficial. Illinois Natural History Survey affiliate May Berenbaum was also interviewed for the article. A copy of the article, which was published in the News-Gazette on October 3, 2008, can be found on the NewsBank site.

• Decline in waterfowl documented in Pool 19

  Nov 19, 2008 2:00 pm

  The Evansville Courier & Press (IN) published an article by Phil Potter on 2 November 2008 that discusses the decline in bird numbers in Pool 19 of the Mississippi River. 1958 data collected by the Illinois Natural History Survey recorded 465,200 lesser scaup visiting Pool 19, while 2001 data collected by the Illinois Natural History Survey recorded 55,53 lesser scaup. To learn more, visit the Newsbank article, "Not as many birds as in the past are landing in Pool 19."

• Small mosquitos more likely to carry dengue virus

  Nov 20, 2008 12:00 pm

  Research conducted by Dr. Barry Alto, and others, found that small mosquitos are more likely to carry the dengue virus than larger mosquitos. The study fed mosquitos dengue infected blood, and found that the smaller mosquitos had a higher rate of infection when tested. This research was published in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. An article discussing the work was also picked up by UPI. Dr. Alto is the director of the Medical Entomology Program at the Illinois Natural History Survey, a division of the University of Illinois' Institute of Natural Resource Sustainability. The full text of the UPI article can be viewed on NewsBank: Small mosquitoes are likely virus carriers and the abstract of the paper can be viewed on the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene site: Size Alters Susceptibility of Vectors to Dengue Virus Infection and Dissemination

• Aaron Yetter elected Secretary of the North Central Section of The Wildlife Society for 2009

  Dec 17, 2008 11:30 am

  Aaron Yetter has been elected Secretary of the North Central Section of The Wildlife Society for 2009. The states represented in the North Central Section, one of eight sections in the country, are: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin. More information about the mission of The Wildlife Society, and the purpose of its sections, can be found on the organization's homepage.

• 2009 William H. Luckmann winner announced

  Mar 11, 2009 1:30 pm

  Nicholas A. Tinsley has won the 2009 William H. Luckmann Award for Research in Applied Entomology. His research project, "Effects of Current and Future Soybean Aphid Management Tactics on Soybean Aphids and Their Natural Enemies in Illinois," will help scientists and growers improve methods of Soybean Aphid integrated pest management. The William H. Luckmann Award is given for research that focuses on aspects of applied entomology such as arthropod pest management, use of insects in biological control programs, pollinators, or natural areas health. The research may be carried out for agricultural, horticultural, urban, medical or natural areas systems. Visit the Illinois Natural History Survey webpage to learn more about the William H. Luckmann award.

• Zebra mussels found in DuPage Co.

  May 26, 2009 3:30 pm

  Kristin TePas, Aquatic Nuisance Species Assistant Coordinator with the Illinois Natural History Survey's Lake Michigan Biological Station, is quoted in four articles describing the zebra mussel's appearance in Bartlet, IL at the Deep Quarry Lake. The appearance of the mussels in the lake is concerning to scientists as they are an invasive species, and have not previously been documented there. The articles can be accessed via NewsBank:

  • Zebra mussels appear in DuPage County lake. Sun, The: Wheaton (IL) - Friday, May 8, 2009.
  • Musclin' in The Russians are here: Zebra mussels invade DuPage lake. Beacon News, The (Aurora, IL) - Thursday, May 7, 2009.
  • Zebra mussels muscle way into Bartlett. Courier News (Elgin, IL) - Wednesday, May 6, 2009.
  • Zebra mussels muscle into DuPage County. Naperville Sun, The (IL) - Wednesday, May 6, 2009.

• INHS botanists train volunteers at Midewin

  Jun 1, 2009 9:30 am

  INHS botanists (Rick Phillippe, Paul Marcum, Brenda Molano-Flores, Jason Zylka, Jamie Ellis, and Mary Ann Feist) conducted a one-day vegetation monitoring workshop at the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, Will Co. Illinois May 19, 2009. A total of 16 volunteers attended the training. The ultimate goal of the workshop was to give volunteers real life experience in quantitative vegetation data collection and analysis. During the morning, volunteers were shown how to set up transects and plots and to determine percent cover for species and functional groups. During the afternoon, volunteers learned how to analyze and interpret the data they had collected. Volunteers expressed that knowing the dos and don’ts of collecting field data will be extremely helpful when they assist Midewn staff during vegetation sampling. They also commented that, although somewhat overwhelming, they now know how the data they will collect will be used to make management recommendations at the site. This event was sponsored by the Nature Conservancy and the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie.

• INHS breaks ground on new building

  Jul 14, 2009 3:30 pm

  The Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS), a division in the Institute of Natural Resource Sustainability at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, held a groundbreaking ceremony July 10, 2009 for its new facility, the future home of the plant and fungus collections from the INHS and the University's departments of Plant Biology and Crop Sciences.

• High water may affect migrating wildlife

  Jul 14, 2009 4:15 pm

  An article in the July 10, 2009 edition of the "The Courier" (Lincoln, IL) written by Chris Young talks about the effect that the wet summer could have on Illinois plants and the migratory species that pass through IL in the autumn.
  
  Randy Smith, an INHS scientist at the Forbes Biological Field Station, says that the weeds that migrating species need may not be able to grow if the water levels don't recede. Without food for migrating animals, they might not stop over in Illinois.
  
  The entire article can be read on the NewsBank site with subscription access: High water makes habitat harder to find.

• Champaign Couunty mosquito sample tests positive for West Nile Virus

  Jul 15, 2009 11:00 am

  Mosquito samples taken during the month of June have tested positive for the West Nile Virus (WNV). The samples were collected and processed by the Illinois Natural History Survey's medical entomology program, headed by Dr. Barry Alto. Interestingly, this is the first positive sample for WNV since October 2007. Since surveillance started this year in May, positive samples for WNV has been found in eight other counties throughout Illinois, including: Adams, Bureau, Cook, DuPage, Knox, LaSalle, Madison and St. Clair counties. The News-Gazette ran an article about the WNV sample in the July 8, 2009 edition. The article was titled, "Champaign mosquito sample tests positive for West Nile."

• Chinese researchers visit INHS field station

  Aug 18, 2009 2:00 pm

  Dr. John Chick, Director of INHS' Great Rivers Field Station, spent the first part of August with Yangtze River researchers. Chick first met the researchers while visiting China last year. The Chinese researchers were particularly interested in learning about the methodology and techniques used in the Long Term Resource Monitoring Program on the Upper Mississippi River. A long-term goal of these exchanges is to have comparable monitoring programs set up on large rivers around the globe, which would provide an excellent opportunity to advance both the scientific understanding and management of large rivers.
  
  In addition, both Chinese and American researchers at the National Great Rivers Research and Education Center were interested in learning about Asian carp habitat. The Asian carp is native China, but invasive in the United States. To read more about this exchange, please read the August 7th article in the Belleville News-Democrat entitled, "Chinese Scientists Studying in Area."

• INHS staff attend 5th North American Duck Symposium

  Sep 1, 2009 3:30 pm

  Illinois Natural History Survey staff and students were well represented at the 5th North American Duck Symposium held in Toronto, August 17-21. This prestigious symposium is held every three years and is attended by hundreds of scientists from Europe and North America. Forbes Biological Station director Joshua Stafford was a member of the Scientific and Student Awards committees, co-organizer of a special session on Duck Foods and Foraging Habitats in North America, and co-author of two plenary talks, two student talks, and one student poster. Randy Smith and Aaron Yetter each provided poster presentations based on recent work conducted at the Forbes Lab. University of Illinois Ph.D. candidate (NRES) Ben O'Neal received one of only five travel awards from the Delta Waterfowl Foundation to attend the conference. Ben also garnered the award for "Best Ph.D. Presentation" for his presentation titled Waterfowl on Weather Radar: A New View of Dabbling Duck Migration (co-authored by Stafford and Ron Larkin). The Web site of the symposium, with photos and conference proceedings, may be viewed at: http://www.northamericanducksymposium.org.

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  Over time, an invasive plant loses its toxic edge

  Sep 1, 2009 4:15 pm

  Dr. Richard Lankau and plant ecologist Greg Spyreas, both of the Illinois Natural History Survey, just published an article in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) about the potency of garlic mustard over time. Garlic mustard is an invasive species that injects a toxin into the soil. Research conducted by INHS researchers indicates that over time the toxin becomes less potent.

• Gail Kampmeier helps Darwin Core to get ratified

  Oct 9, 2009 2:15 pm

  Biodiversity Information Standards (TDWG) announced the official ratification of Darwin Core as a TDWG standard. Darwin Core is one of four TDWG standards. Gail Kampmeier, INHS entomological researcher, served as the Review Manager for the Darwin Core project since February 2009. She fostered a peer and public review of the standard, including many discussions and updating of the draft standard. To learn more about the Darwin Core standard, please visit this website. Information on the Biodiversity Information Standards (TDWG) can be found here at this website.

• Native fauna gather at Emiquon

  Oct 26, 2009 2:45 pm

  After stocking native fishes in the restored Emiquon wetland just two years ago, the number of birds stopping there has dramatically increased. Dr. Joshua Stafford, Director of Illinois Natural History Survey's Forbes Biological Field Station, gave a report to the 2009 Governor's Conference on the Management of the Illinois River, where he said that the Coot numbers at the wetland went from 30,000 the first year to almost 60,000 the next. More information about the Emiquon wetland restoration can be found in the October 23, 2009 Peoria Journal Star article called "Experiment wildly successful" or the same article can be read at the NewsBank site.

• Nature Sketches by Gladys and Ruth Dudley on Exhibit

  Dec 8, 2009 12:45 pm

  The Illinois Natural History Survey currently has on display an exhibit entitled, "Nature Sketches by Gladys and Ruth Dudley," in the Forbes Natural History Building on the campus of the University of Illinois. This exhibition, prepared by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, presents sketches and watercolors by Illinois natives Gladys and Ruth Dudley.

• INHS contributes to 70th annual Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference

  Dec 18, 2009 2:45 pm

  The 70th annual Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference was held in Springfield, IL during the first part of December 2009. Several INHS researchers, such as Dr. Steve Havera, Dr. John Epifanio and affiliate Dr. Jeff Brawn. The co-chair of the conference was Dr. Epifano, who said that more than 650 people were in attendance. Of those in attendance, 240 were students who had the option of attending any of the four sessions offered on networking, working in groups or mentoring.

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  Miscanthus, a biofuels crop, can host western corn rootworm

  Jan 19, 2010 1:45 pm

  Dr. Joe Spencer, INHS Insect Behaviorist, and Sathyamurthy Raghu, INHS Affiliate, recently published a paper in PLos ONE. This paper is the first to identify Miscanthus, which is a crop that can be used for biofuels, as a host to corn rootworm. Corn rootworm is estimated to be a billion dollar yearly problem to the United States’ corn industry as the as the corn rootworm damages the plant's roots and leads to a significantly decreased yield.