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Sean R Haughian

New Brunswick Museum, Botany & Mycology, Research Associate

I am an interdisciplinary ecologist with experience ranging from botany, biogeography, taxonomy, disturbance, and climate change impacts to science writing, multivariate analysis and more. I am also an effective leader with experience managing private business and non-profit organizations, and an educator with experience in adult and childhood education. My current research focuses on forest structural enhancement as a biodiversity conservation tool, and on developing ex-situ conservation methods.
Supervisors: Katherine A. Frego

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Papers

Short-term effects of alternative thinning treatments on the richness, abundance and composition of epixylic bryophytes, lichens, and vascular plants in conifer plantations at microhabitat and stand scales

A B S T R A C T Epixylic (log-dwelling) flora contribute much to forest biodiversity, but have be... more A B S T R A C T Epixylic (log-dwelling) flora contribute much to forest biodiversity, but have been shown to decline with intensive management, perhaps through the reduced supply of coarse woody debris, their preferred substrate, and the altered mesoclimate of the understory. Such declines might be ameliorated through modifying the plantation management practices. This study examined the response of epixylic flora to commercial thinning treatments in 6 mid-rotation conifer plantations of northwestern New Brunswick, Canada. Treatments included an unthinned control, and thinning with: moderate debris, moderate debris with added snags, or no-debris. Epixylic flora were surveyed in the first and third year after thinning, on 30 logs in each of the 4 treatments, using both 10 × 20 cm quadrats (%-cover) and a presence-absence census of whole-logs. Treatments were evaluated at log and stand scales, based on the putative disturbance-sensitivity of different epixylic functional groups. Analyses included indicator species analysis, ANOVA of functional group richness and cover, NMS ordination, and PERMANOVA. Thinning with no-debris or moderate-debris reduced species richness at the stand scale, and increased cover at the log-scale. Composition shifted towards chlorolichens, vascular plants, and forest floor or asexually-reproducing bryophytes in thinned treatments, whereas liverworts and bryophytes with desiccation-sensitivity or those lacking asexual reproduction showed slight declines; most bryophyte groups showed no change. Moderate debris with snags and unthinned treatments showed the fewest compositional differences, and maintained many of the same sensitive groups, but all thinned treatments showed similar trajectories of compositional change. Additional monitoring is required to determine whether thinning with moderate debris and snags offers effective conservation of epixylic species, but debris removal (e.g., for biomass harvest) should be discouraged.

Microclimate differences above ground-layer vegetation in lichen- dominated pine forests of north-central British Columbia

A B S T R A C T Lodgepole pine forests of north-central British Columbia have patchy ground-layer... more A B S T R A C T Lodgepole pine forests of north-central British Columbia have patchy ground-layer vegetation, typically dominated by either fruticose lichens, feathermosses, or ericaceous vascular plants; this patchy structure has been shown to correspond with environmental variables that likely moderate the ground-layer microclimate. To investigate the potential role of microclimate on patterns of dominance of ground-layer functional groups, we recorded temperature and relative humidity above the ground-layer vegetation during 25 summer days over patches dominated by mat-forming lichens, feathermosses, or vascular plants. Data were summarized for raw microclimate attributes and daily water potential of the air, and in terms of modelled equilibrium water content of moss or lichen thalli. Analysis of variance revealed significant differences in the water potential of air above the three patch types under sunny conditions, but not under overcast conditions. Differences in vegetation cover were only associated with differences in atmospheric moisture when using data from sunny periods during the daytime. These data confirm that lichens occupy microclimatic niches that are distinctly drier than those of feathermosses or vascular plants, and corroborate the suggested mechanism by which canopy or soil properties influence these types of ground-layer vegetation.

Log moisture capacity does not predict epixylic bryophyte growth under thinned and unthinned forest canopies

by Sean R Haughian and Katherine Frego

1. Coarse woody debris (CWD) serves as habitat for diverse and rare taxa in forest systems. Becau... more 1. Coarse woody debris (CWD) serves as habitat for diverse and rare taxa in forest systems. Because the abundance of mosses appears to be correlated with log size and stage of decay, many have suggested that CWD serves as a moisture reservoir, ensuring a humid microclimate and facilitating moss growth, but no one has tested this connection. Intact forest canopies are also thought to maintain humid conditions that benefit moss growth. If microclimatic regulation is the primary mechanism contributing to high moss abundance on CWD, then epixylic moss growth should increase with the capacity of the log moisture reservoir, and the importance of the reservoir size should increase with canopy opening. 2. Three types of synthetic logs, identical in size and shape but differing in moisture capacity, and two natural substrates, well-decayed birch and cedar logs, were used to test the effects of log moisture capacity on growth of Dicranum flagellare under thinned and intact canopies of a spruce plantation over 20 months. 3. Surface humidity was positively associated with moisture capacity, but did not reach the water compensation point outside of precipitation events. Under a closed forest canopy, moss growth was negligible across all log types. Under an open forest canopy, moss growth was greater on natural substrates than synthetic ones, and negatively related to moisture capacity. Coarse woody debris facilitates a sufficiently humid surface for only a short time after precipitation , presumably when a film of liquid water is maintained near the surface. 4. For D. flagellare, canopy condition is a more accurate predictor of growth than CWD-moisture capacity; any beneficial properties of CWD appear to be lessened by a dense forest canopy (as in silvicultural plantations), probably because it reduces access to liquid water from precipitation. 5. We propose that the surface moisture availability of CWD depends on optimal depth of a 'resisting layer' below the log surface, representing a tradeoff between water retention and loss (via percolation or runoff at extremely deep vs. shallow resisting layer depth). Coarse woody debris may possess microclimate-regulating traits that benefit moss growth, but it does not appear to act as a moisture capacitor.

Does CWD mediate microclimate for epixylic vegetation in boreal forest understories? A test of the moisture-capacitor hypothesis

by Sean R Haughian and Katherine Frego

Coarse woody debris (CWD) is an important microhabitat in forests, particularly for bryophytes an... more Coarse woody debris (CWD) is an important microhabitat in forests, particularly for bryophytes and lichens. Many have suggested that this is because CWD provides a uniquely stable and humid surface microclimate, which facilitates epixylic flora, although few have adequately tested this hypothesis. Consequently, it is uncertain whether the apparent relationship between CWD and epixylic vegetation is because CWD regulates moisture, or because moisture is simply correlated with other important CWD traits. This study tested the moisture-capacitor hypothesis of epixylic flora-CWD association by measuring the surface moisture availability directly on CWD under thinned and unthinned forest canopies , and (1) comparing (a) cumulative moisture levels, and (b) variation in moisture levels with ambient and adjacent forest floor microclimates, (2) testing whether associations with log and canopy properties are stronger through direct or indirect pathways, and (3) testing whether desiccation-sensitive functional groups respond more strongly to surface moisture than other groups. Path models were built using canopy cover and log physical traits (log covering, size, acidity, and hardness) as predictors, surface moisture indices as mediators, and epixylic functional group cover as outcome variables. Forest floor and CWD microclimates were equally stable and humid, regardless of canopy cover. Log and canopy properties were more strongly related to epixylic group cover directly than indirectly (through surface moisture). Synthesis: The CWD moisture-capacitor hypothesis is rejected: CWD traits can influence surface moisture availability, but (1) log surface moisture does not differ from the forest floor, and (2) log and canopy properties are more strongly associated with epixylic taxa directly than as mediated through microclimate.

Short-term effects of woody debris retention and thinning configuration on herbaceous layer biodiversity in plantation forests of northern New Brunswick

by Katherine Frego and Sean R Haughian

Biodiversity conservation is an implicit management goal for protected areas, but in landscapes t... more Biodiversity conservation is an implicit management goal for protected areas, but in landscapes that have few protected areas, it may be necessary to extend this goal to intensively managed forests. We examined the responses of herbaceous vascular plants as part of a collaborative multi-taxon study to assess the impacts of alternative commercial thinning practices on biodiversity conservation in privately owned plantations. We hypothesized that plant diversity and composition would not differ among thinning treatments over the first year, but would exhibit significantly greater diversity than uncut reference stands in the second year, attributable to increased opportunities for invaders through increased light and exposed soil. Each of six, 25-year-old, white spruce plantations was divided into four treatment blocks, one of which was left as an unthinned reference. The other three blocks were thinned (40% of the basal area) and given one additional treatment: (1) no-debris, tree top...

Calypogeia suecica (Arnell & J. Perss.) Müll. Frib., a New Liverwort Record for New Brunswick, Canada

by Katherine Frego and Sean R Haughian

Evansia, 2014

Synthetic Logs for Controlled Culture of Epixylic Bryophytes: Log Physical Properties, Surface Moisture, and Dicranum flagellare Growth

by Katherine Frego and Sean R Haughian

Evansia, 2015

Experimental manipulation of habitat structures in intensively managed spruce plantations to increase their value for biodiversity conservation

by Katherine Frego, Sean R Haughian, Paryse Nadeau, and David Maclean

The Forestry Chronicle, 2015

ABSTRACT doi: 10.5558/tfc2015-027

A Checklist of the Marchantiophyta and Anthocerotophyta of New Brunswick, Canada

by Katherine Frego, Sean R Haughian, Lucy Smith, and Stephen Clayden

Northeastern Naturalist, 2016

Short-term effects of three commercial thinning treatments on diversity of understory vascular plants in white spruce plantations of northern New Brunswick

Forest Ecology and Management, 2016

Synthetic Logs for Controlled Culture of Epixylic Bryophytes: Log Physical Properties, Surface Moisture, and Dicranum flagellare Growth

Evansia, 2015

Forest Management on New Brunswick’s Crown Lands: The Bryophyte Perspective

by Katherine Frego and Sean R Haughian

Microhabitat associations of lichen, feathermoss, and vascular plants in pine woodlands of north-central British Columbia

by Philip Burton and Sean R Haughian

Studies have linked Cladina-lichen (mat-forming Cladonia species) displacement in boreal woodland... more Studies have linked Cladina-lichen (mat-forming Cladonia species) displacement in boreal woodlands to canopy attributes such as stand age and canopy closure; competition from feathermosses or vascular plants is thought to be the direct cause of this displacement. Despite the importance of soil moisture and nutrient regimes in influencing habitat suitability for mosses and vascular plants, only recently have some authors suggested that soils may exert as much or more influence on lichen dominance than the forest canopy. This study explores the underlying relationships between microsite dominance and environmental attributes for three understory functional groups in pine-lichen woodlands. Three 0.25 m2 patches (dominated by either Cladina-lichens, feathermosses, or vascular plants) were sampled in each of 72 plots from 24 lodgepole pine stands in North-central British Columbia. Each patch was assessed for: 1) percent-cover of every species within the functional groups; 2) canopy attri...

Short-term effects of woody debris retention and thinning configuration on herbaceous layer biodiversity in plantation forests of northern New Brunswick

Biodiversity conservation is an implicit management goal for protected areas, but in landscapes t... more Biodiversity conservation is an implicit management goal for protected areas, but in landscapes that have few protected areas, it may be necessary to extend this goal to intensively managed forests. We examined the responses of herbaceous vascular plants as part of a collaborative multi-taxon study to assess the impacts of alternative commercial thinning practices on biodiversity conservation in privately owned plantations. We hypothesized that plant diversity and composition would not differ among thinning treatments over the first year, but would exhibit significantly greater diversity than uncut reference stands in the second year, attributable to increased opportunities for invaders through increased light and exposed soil. Each of six, 25-year-old, white spruce plantations was divided into four treatment blocks, one of which was left as an unthinned reference. The other three blocks were thinned (40% of the basal area) and given one additional treatment: (1) no-debris, tree top...

Replacing the batteries on ibutton Thermochron / Hygrochron data loggers

ibutton Thermochron / Hygrochron data loggers are wonderful for micro-scale ecology, but at $25-... more ibutton Thermochron / Hygrochron data loggers are wonderful for micro-scale ecology, but at $25-$100 each, they can get expensive. When you add to that cost the fact that you only get one use out of them (although the batteries last for a long time, the company will not refurbish them when the batteries wear out), their attractiveness soon starts to wane. Luckily, if you're willing to put in a little time and effort, you can replace the batteries yourself and extend their life. I've tested these refurbished ones in the lab and they seem to work just fine, but have not actually tested them in the field yet. But for the low cost of replacement batteries (~$2.00 each), it's definitely worth a try.

Sorting it all out: taking a scientific approach to sustainable waste management at UNBSJ

This report describes the methods and findings of a waste audit conducted at the University of Ne... more This report describes the methods and findings of a waste audit conducted at the University of New Brunswick during the 2011-2012 academic year. Results showed that much of the currently landfilled waste could be recycled, composted, or otherwise diverted. Recommendations include education/awareness programs to improve cooperation with existing diversion streams, and introduction of new, University-mandated recycling or targeted composting strategies.

Cougar (Puma concolor) re-colonization in the Beaverhills of Alberta: a preliminary report on implications for wildlife, landowners, and wildlife managers

This study assessed a low-impact technique for assessing density and abundance of recently re-col... more This study assessed a low-impact technique for assessing density and abundance of recently re-colonized cougars (Puma concolor) within the Beaverhills of Alberta. The carrying capacity of the area was also estimated based on the density of large prey within Elk Island National Park and Cooking Lake-Blackfoot Provincial Recreation Area. GIS analysis of incidental sighting data was used to determine if cougars may be indicators of landscape connectivity within the region.

Experimental manipulation of habitat structures in intensively managed spruce plantations to increase their value for biodiversity conservation

by Sean R Haughian, Paryse Nadeau, and David Maclean

The Forestry Chronicle, 2015

ABSTRACT doi: 10.5558/tfc2015-027

Calypogeia suecica (Arnell & J. Perss.) Müll. Frib., a New Liverwort Record for New Brunswick, Canada

Evansia, 2014

Microhabitat associations of lichens, feathermosses, and vascular plants in a caribou winter range, and their implications for understory development

by Philip Burton and Sean R Haughian

Botany, 2015

Short-term effects of alternative thinning treatments on the richness, abundance and composition of epixylic bryophytes, lichens, and vascular plants in conifer plantations at microhabitat and stand scales

A B S T R A C T Epixylic (log-dwelling) flora contribute much to forest biodiversity, but have be... more A B S T R A C T Epixylic (log-dwelling) flora contribute much to forest biodiversity, but have been shown to decline with intensive management, perhaps through the reduced supply of coarse woody debris, their preferred substrate, and the altered mesoclimate of the understory. Such declines might be ameliorated through modifying the plantation management practices. This study examined the response of epixylic flora to commercial thinning treatments in 6 mid-rotation conifer plantations of northwestern New Brunswick, Canada. Treatments included an unthinned control, and thinning with: moderate debris, moderate debris with added snags, or no-debris. Epixylic flora were surveyed in the first and third year after thinning, on 30 logs in each of the 4 treatments, using both 10 × 20 cm quadrats (%-cover) and a presence-absence census of whole-logs. Treatments were evaluated at log and stand scales, based on the putative disturbance-sensitivity of different epixylic functional groups. Analyses included indicator species analysis, ANOVA of functional group richness and cover, NMS ordination, and PERMANOVA. Thinning with no-debris or moderate-debris reduced species richness at the stand scale, and increased cover at the log-scale. Composition shifted towards chlorolichens, vascular plants, and forest floor or asexually-reproducing bryophytes in thinned treatments, whereas liverworts and bryophytes with desiccation-sensitivity or those lacking asexual reproduction showed slight declines; most bryophyte groups showed no change. Moderate debris with snags and unthinned treatments showed the fewest compositional differences, and maintained many of the same sensitive groups, but all thinned treatments showed similar trajectories of compositional change. Additional monitoring is required to determine whether thinning with moderate debris and snags offers effective conservation of epixylic species, but debris removal (e.g., for biomass harvest) should be discouraged.

Microclimate differences above ground-layer vegetation in lichen- dominated pine forests of north-central British Columbia

A B S T R A C T Lodgepole pine forests of north-central British Columbia have patchy ground-layer... more A B S T R A C T Lodgepole pine forests of north-central British Columbia have patchy ground-layer vegetation, typically dominated by either fruticose lichens, feathermosses, or ericaceous vascular plants; this patchy structure has been shown to correspond with environmental variables that likely moderate the ground-layer microclimate. To investigate the potential role of microclimate on patterns of dominance of ground-layer functional groups, we recorded temperature and relative humidity above the ground-layer vegetation during 25 summer days over patches dominated by mat-forming lichens, feathermosses, or vascular plants. Data were summarized for raw microclimate attributes and daily water potential of the air, and in terms of modelled equilibrium water content of moss or lichen thalli. Analysis of variance revealed significant differences in the water potential of air above the three patch types under sunny conditions, but not under overcast conditions. Differences in vegetation cover were only associated with differences in atmospheric moisture when using data from sunny periods during the daytime. These data confirm that lichens occupy microclimatic niches that are distinctly drier than those of feathermosses or vascular plants, and corroborate the suggested mechanism by which canopy or soil properties influence these types of ground-layer vegetation.

Log moisture capacity does not predict epixylic bryophyte growth under thinned and unthinned forest canopies

by Sean R Haughian and Katherine Frego

1. Coarse woody debris (CWD) serves as habitat for diverse and rare taxa in forest systems. Becau... more 1. Coarse woody debris (CWD) serves as habitat for diverse and rare taxa in forest systems. Because the abundance of mosses appears to be correlated with log size and stage of decay, many have suggested that CWD serves as a moisture reservoir, ensuring a humid microclimate and facilitating moss growth, but no one has tested this connection. Intact forest canopies are also thought to maintain humid conditions that benefit moss growth. If microclimatic regulation is the primary mechanism contributing to high moss abundance on CWD, then epixylic moss growth should increase with the capacity of the log moisture reservoir, and the importance of the reservoir size should increase with canopy opening. 2. Three types of synthetic logs, identical in size and shape but differing in moisture capacity, and two natural substrates, well-decayed birch and cedar logs, were used to test the effects of log moisture capacity on growth of Dicranum flagellare under thinned and intact canopies of a spruce plantation over 20 months. 3. Surface humidity was positively associated with moisture capacity, but did not reach the water compensation point outside of precipitation events. Under a closed forest canopy, moss growth was negligible across all log types. Under an open forest canopy, moss growth was greater on natural substrates than synthetic ones, and negatively related to moisture capacity. Coarse woody debris facilitates a sufficiently humid surface for only a short time after precipitation , presumably when a film of liquid water is maintained near the surface. 4. For D. flagellare, canopy condition is a more accurate predictor of growth than CWD-moisture capacity; any beneficial properties of CWD appear to be lessened by a dense forest canopy (as in silvicultural plantations), probably because it reduces access to liquid water from precipitation. 5. We propose that the surface moisture availability of CWD depends on optimal depth of a 'resisting layer' below the log surface, representing a tradeoff between water retention and loss (via percolation or runoff at extremely deep vs. shallow resisting layer depth). Coarse woody debris may possess microclimate-regulating traits that benefit moss growth, but it does not appear to act as a moisture capacitor.

Does CWD mediate microclimate for epixylic vegetation in boreal forest understories? A test of the moisture-capacitor hypothesis

by Sean R Haughian and Katherine Frego

Coarse woody debris (CWD) is an important microhabitat in forests, particularly for bryophytes an... more Coarse woody debris (CWD) is an important microhabitat in forests, particularly for bryophytes and lichens. Many have suggested that this is because CWD provides a uniquely stable and humid surface microclimate, which facilitates epixylic flora, although few have adequately tested this hypothesis. Consequently, it is uncertain whether the apparent relationship between CWD and epixylic vegetation is because CWD regulates moisture, or because moisture is simply correlated with other important CWD traits. This study tested the moisture-capacitor hypothesis of epixylic flora-CWD association by measuring the surface moisture availability directly on CWD under thinned and unthinned forest canopies , and (1) comparing (a) cumulative moisture levels, and (b) variation in moisture levels with ambient and adjacent forest floor microclimates, (2) testing whether associations with log and canopy properties are stronger through direct or indirect pathways, and (3) testing whether desiccation-sensitive functional groups respond more strongly to surface moisture than other groups. Path models were built using canopy cover and log physical traits (log covering, size, acidity, and hardness) as predictors, surface moisture indices as mediators, and epixylic functional group cover as outcome variables. Forest floor and CWD microclimates were equally stable and humid, regardless of canopy cover. Log and canopy properties were more strongly related to epixylic group cover directly than indirectly (through surface moisture). Synthesis: The CWD moisture-capacitor hypothesis is rejected: CWD traits can influence surface moisture availability, but (1) log surface moisture does not differ from the forest floor, and (2) log and canopy properties are more strongly associated with epixylic taxa directly than as mediated through microclimate.

Short-term effects of woody debris retention and thinning configuration on herbaceous layer biodiversity in plantation forests of northern New Brunswick

by Katherine Frego and Sean R Haughian

Biodiversity conservation is an implicit management goal for protected areas, but in landscapes t... more Biodiversity conservation is an implicit management goal for protected areas, but in landscapes that have few protected areas, it may be necessary to extend this goal to intensively managed forests. We examined the responses of herbaceous vascular plants as part of a collaborative multi-taxon study to assess the impacts of alternative commercial thinning practices on biodiversity conservation in privately owned plantations. We hypothesized that plant diversity and composition would not differ among thinning treatments over the first year, but would exhibit significantly greater diversity than uncut reference stands in the second year, attributable to increased opportunities for invaders through increased light and exposed soil. Each of six, 25-year-old, white spruce plantations was divided into four treatment blocks, one of which was left as an unthinned reference. The other three blocks were thinned (40% of the basal area) and given one additional treatment: (1) no-debris, tree top...

Calypogeia suecica (Arnell & J. Perss.) Müll. Frib., a New Liverwort Record for New Brunswick, Canada

by Katherine Frego and Sean R Haughian

Evansia, 2014

Synthetic Logs for Controlled Culture of Epixylic Bryophytes: Log Physical Properties, Surface Moisture, and Dicranum flagellare Growth

by Katherine Frego and Sean R Haughian

Evansia, 2015

Experimental manipulation of habitat structures in intensively managed spruce plantations to increase their value for biodiversity conservation

by Katherine Frego, Sean R Haughian, Paryse Nadeau, and David Maclean

The Forestry Chronicle, 2015

ABSTRACT doi: 10.5558/tfc2015-027

A Checklist of the Marchantiophyta and Anthocerotophyta of New Brunswick, Canada

by Katherine Frego, Sean R Haughian, Lucy Smith, and Stephen Clayden

Northeastern Naturalist, 2016

Short-term effects of three commercial thinning treatments on diversity of understory vascular plants in white spruce plantations of northern New Brunswick

Forest Ecology and Management, 2016

Synthetic Logs for Controlled Culture of Epixylic Bryophytes: Log Physical Properties, Surface Moisture, and Dicranum flagellare Growth

Evansia, 2015

Forest Management on New Brunswick’s Crown Lands: The Bryophyte Perspective

by Katherine Frego and Sean R Haughian

Microhabitat associations of lichen, feathermoss, and vascular plants in pine woodlands of north-central British Columbia

by Philip Burton and Sean R Haughian

Studies have linked Cladina-lichen (mat-forming Cladonia species) displacement in boreal woodland... more Studies have linked Cladina-lichen (mat-forming Cladonia species) displacement in boreal woodlands to canopy attributes such as stand age and canopy closure; competition from feathermosses or vascular plants is thought to be the direct cause of this displacement. Despite the importance of soil moisture and nutrient regimes in influencing habitat suitability for mosses and vascular plants, only recently have some authors suggested that soils may exert as much or more influence on lichen dominance than the forest canopy. This study explores the underlying relationships between microsite dominance and environmental attributes for three understory functional groups in pine-lichen woodlands. Three 0.25 m2 patches (dominated by either Cladina-lichens, feathermosses, or vascular plants) were sampled in each of 72 plots from 24 lodgepole pine stands in North-central British Columbia. Each patch was assessed for: 1) percent-cover of every species within the functional groups; 2) canopy attri...

Short-term effects of woody debris retention and thinning configuration on herbaceous layer biodiversity in plantation forests of northern New Brunswick

Biodiversity conservation is an implicit management goal for protected areas, but in landscapes t... more Biodiversity conservation is an implicit management goal for protected areas, but in landscapes that have few protected areas, it may be necessary to extend this goal to intensively managed forests. We examined the responses of herbaceous vascular plants as part of a collaborative multi-taxon study to assess the impacts of alternative commercial thinning practices on biodiversity conservation in privately owned plantations. We hypothesized that plant diversity and composition would not differ among thinning treatments over the first year, but would exhibit significantly greater diversity than uncut reference stands in the second year, attributable to increased opportunities for invaders through increased light and exposed soil. Each of six, 25-year-old, white spruce plantations was divided into four treatment blocks, one of which was left as an unthinned reference. The other three blocks were thinned (40% of the basal area) and given one additional treatment: (1) no-debris, tree top...

Replacing the batteries on ibutton Thermochron / Hygrochron data loggers

ibutton Thermochron / Hygrochron data loggers are wonderful for micro-scale ecology, but at $25-... more ibutton Thermochron / Hygrochron data loggers are wonderful for micro-scale ecology, but at $25-$100 each, they can get expensive. When you add to that cost the fact that you only get one use out of them (although the batteries last for a long time, the company will not refurbish them when the batteries wear out), their attractiveness soon starts to wane. Luckily, if you're willing to put in a little time and effort, you can replace the batteries yourself and extend their life. I've tested these refurbished ones in the lab and they seem to work just fine, but have not actually tested them in the field yet. But for the low cost of replacement batteries (~$2.00 each), it's definitely worth a try.

Sorting it all out: taking a scientific approach to sustainable waste management at UNBSJ

This report describes the methods and findings of a waste audit conducted at the University of Ne... more This report describes the methods and findings of a waste audit conducted at the University of New Brunswick during the 2011-2012 academic year. Results showed that much of the currently landfilled waste could be recycled, composted, or otherwise diverted. Recommendations include education/awareness programs to improve cooperation with existing diversion streams, and introduction of new, University-mandated recycling or targeted composting strategies.

Cougar (Puma concolor) re-colonization in the Beaverhills of Alberta: a preliminary report on implications for wildlife, landowners, and wildlife managers

This study assessed a low-impact technique for assessing density and abundance of recently re-col... more This study assessed a low-impact technique for assessing density and abundance of recently re-colonized cougars (Puma concolor) within the Beaverhills of Alberta. The carrying capacity of the area was also estimated based on the density of large prey within Elk Island National Park and Cooking Lake-Blackfoot Provincial Recreation Area. GIS analysis of incidental sighting data was used to determine if cougars may be indicators of landscape connectivity within the region.

Experimental manipulation of habitat structures in intensively managed spruce plantations to increase their value for biodiversity conservation

by Sean R Haughian, Paryse Nadeau, and David Maclean

The Forestry Chronicle, 2015

ABSTRACT doi: 10.5558/tfc2015-027

Calypogeia suecica (Arnell & J. Perss.) Müll. Frib., a New Liverwort Record for New Brunswick, Canada

Evansia, 2014

Microhabitat associations of lichens, feathermosses, and vascular plants in a caribou winter range, and their implications for understory development

by Philip Burton and Sean R Haughian

Botany, 2015

Microsite determinants of ground cover in lichen woodlands

by Philip Burton and Sean R Haughian

Sampling strategies and vertical zonation of epiphytic macrolichens in lodgepole pine forests after mountain pine beetle infestation in central British Columbia

Are synthetic substrates substitutable for coarse woody debris?

Observational research has repeatedly shown that epixylic (growing on wood) bryophyte growth and ... more Observational research has repeatedly shown that epixylic (growing on wood) bryophyte growth and diversity positively associates with log size and decay stage in boreal and temperate forests, but manipulative experimentation has lagged behind, leaving much room for speculation as to the mechanisms behind this pattern. Microclimate regulation is one potential mechanism; because larger logs hold more water, and more decayed (and therefore more porous) logs likely lose water faster, logs that are both large and well-decayed should be much better at both supplying and maintaining surficial humidity than smaller ones. Our goal was to find experimental substrates that allow us to manipulate moisture levels while controlling for other potentially important mechanisms such as chemistry, biology, and/or shape, as a first step towards testing microclimate regulation as the primary mechanism of influence. Four synthetic substrates (floral foam, mattress foam, and two kinds of upholstery stuffi...

Short-term effects of three commercial thinning treatments on diversity of understory vascular plants in white spruce plantations of northern New Brunswick

by Katherine Frego and Sean R Haughian

Forest Ecology and Management, 2016

Are synthetic substrates substitutable for coarse woody debris?

by Katherine Frego and Sean R Haughian

Observational research has repeatedly shown that epixylic (growing on wood) bryophyte growth and ... more Observational research has repeatedly shown that epixylic (growing on wood) bryophyte growth and diversity positively associates with log size and decay stage in boreal and temperate forests, but manipulative experimentation has lagged behind, leaving much room for speculation as to the mechanisms behind this pattern. Microclimate regulation is one potential mechanism; because larger logs hold more water, and more decayed (and therefore more porous) logs likely lose water faster, logs that are both large and well-decayed should be much better at both supplying and maintaining surficial humidity than smaller ones. Our goal was to find experimental substrates that allow us to manipulate moisture levels while controlling for other potentially important mechanisms such as chemistry, biology, and/or shape, as a first step towards testing microclimate regulation as the primary mechanism of influence. Four synthetic substrates (floral foam, mattress foam, and two kinds of upholstery stuffi...