Publications
A multi-level modeling approach to guide management of female feral hogs in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
A multi-level modeling approach reveals distinct seasonal habitat preferences of female feral hogs (Sus scrofa) in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, offering critical insights for targeted population control. Summer models indicate strong selection for lower slopes near human-dominated areas like roadways, while winter models show a shift toward oak-dominated forests with reduced preference for developed spaces. By integrating Step Selection Function (SSF) and Resource Selection Function (RSF) analyses, researchers created a consensus model to reconcile seasonal differences, providing wildlife managers with actionable data to focus surveillance and management efforts efficiently. This framework can be adapted for similar systems where habitat selection varies by season or level of analysis.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park and its Missing Black Visitors: A Preliminary Analysis on the Hidden Architecture of Landscape
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, often celebrated as 'America's best idea,' has a hidden architectural legacy that excludes Black Americans. A preliminary analysis reveals marginal or absent representation of Black voices in park archives, promotional materials, and exhibits, perpetuating the perception of the park as an unwelcoming 'White' space. This study, using archival reviews and racial composition data, suggests that historical segregation and racism may have deterred Black visitation, contributing to a broader understanding of how landscapes are racialized. The findings underscore the need for narrative-driven deconstruction to dismantle such exclusions.
Seasonality, Distribution, and Diversity of Dung Beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae, Aphodiinae and Geotrupidae: Geotrupinae) in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, USA
Dung beetle communities in Great Smoky Mountains National Park exhibit significant variation in diversity and abundance based on elevation, season, and habitat type. Research revealed that low-elevation areas host more diverse dung beetle populations compared to high-elevation zones, which are dominated by non-native species. Population peaks were observed in late summer across both elevations. The study used pitfall traps baited with cattle dung, deployed biweekly from April to September 2017, to quantify these patterns. This research highlights the ecological differences in dung beetle assemblages along elevational gradients and underscores the impact of non-native species on high-elevation communities.
Fuel and vegetation changes in southwestern, unburned portions of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, USA, 2003–2019
A 16-year study of unburned portions of Great Smoky Mountains National Park revealed that hypothesized increases in total woody fuel loads and ericaceous shrub cover were not present. Researchers found that while the sum of smaller fuel loads (less than 7.6 cm diameter) increased, woody fuel depth decreased over time. Elevation and moisture regime emerged as key factors influencing vegetation and fuel conditions, with O Horizon thickness increasing with elevation and being thicker in xeric compared to mesic sites. Live eastern hemlock basal area declined with elevation, while dead standing hemlock basal area increased, particularly on xeric and intermediate sites. The study assessed overstory basal area, ericaceous shrub cover, and fuel characteristics at 40 plots across three moisture regimes in 2003–2004 and again in 2019.
Soil Collected in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Yielded a Novel Listeria sensu stricto Species, L. swaminathanii
Researchers identified a novel species of Listeria, L. swaminathanii, from soil samples collected in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This discovery represents the first Listeria species without official taxonomic standing, highlighting its unique genetic characteristics. However, formal validation was hindered by restrictive access requirements imposed by the National Park, which complicated efforts to meet the criteria set by the International Committee on Systematics of Prokaryotes. The study underscores both the ecological diversity within protected areas and the challenges of integrating scientific research with conservation policies.
Understanding Hikers’ Behavioral Intent Towards Leave No Trace in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Hikers' behavioral intent to follow Leave No Trace (LNT) principles is significantly influenced by their perception of the effectiveness and difficulty of these practices, according to a study conducted in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The research, involving 285 participants, found that while attitudes toward appropriateness and self-reported knowledge also played roles, perceived effectiveness and difficulty were the most critical predictors. These insights suggest that park staff can reduce recreational impacts by focusing education on demonstrating how easily LNT principles can be implemented and their tangible benefits. Such targeted messaging could enhance hikers' understanding of proper behavior and its positive outcomes.
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal response to fire and urbanization in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Plant species identity is the dominant factor shaping arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal communities, even under disturbances like fire and urbanization. A 2016 wildfire in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, exacerbated by drought and long-term fire suppression, provided a rare opportunity to study the combined effects of fire and urbanization on belowground ecosystems. Researchers found that while burn severity and exurban proximity influenced some AM fungal metrics—such as reduced colonization in burned areas and greater compositional variability in urban-adjacent sites—plant species identity had the strongest effect on AM fungi. No interactive effects between fire and urbanization were detected, suggesting that AM fungal taxa may persist if plant community structure remains stable or undisturbed habitats serve as inoculum sources post-fire. The study underscores the importance of preserving natural, undisturbed areas within wildland-urban interfaces to maintain belowground ecosystem resilience.
Loading of stream wood following the 2016 Chimney Tops 2 Wildfire: Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee, USA
Rare mass-mortality events, such as the 2016 Chimney Tops 2 wildfire, significantly impact wood dynamics in mountain streams within humid forested regions. This study found that the wildfire resulted in a substantial influx of burned wood into streams within Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP), Tennessee, with an average of 47% of individual wood pieces and 72% of jams exhibiting burn marks by frequency, and 48% and 93% respectively by volume. Burned wood pieces were also found to have a larger diameter compared to unburned pieces (p = .065). The research suggests that such mass-mortality events could play a crucial role in the wood dynamics of mountain streams, potentially influencing physical and ecological processes in these ecosystems.
Pyrophilous fungi detected after wildfires in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park expand known species ranges and biodiversity estimates
A study of post-wildfire fungal communities in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park revealed 27 previously unrecorded pyrophilous fungi, expanding biodiversity estimates by nearly 1%. Researchers documented 41 taxa of Ascomycota and Basidiomycota over two years, identifying 22 Pezizales species as early responders to severe burn zones, with only one prior record in the park. Five obligate pyrophilous fungi were confirmed, along with two fire-enhanced species. Fungal fruiting peaked 4–6 months post-fire but persisted up to 2.5 years. The study also detected cryptic endemic lineages and proposed a new fungal combination, Hygrocybe spadicea var. spadicea f. odora.
Short-Term Effects of Recent Fire on the Production and Translocation of Pyrogenic Carbon in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Low-severity fire significantly increases the production and translocation of pyrogenic carbon (PyC) in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, with PyC concentrations rising in both organic and mineral soil layers post-fire. The study, which analyzed soils from areas affected by the 2016 Chimney Tops 2 Fire—including a NEON site—found that higher-severity burns led to greater PyC accumulation in surface horizons (O-horizon) compared to lower-severity fires. Over time, PyC moved deeper into mineral soils, suggesting fire suppression may alter carbon cycling dynamics. This research highlights the role of fire as a mechanism for PyC formation and vertical transport, providing insights into soil carbon stability and ecosystem resilience.
Accelerated construction of a regional DNA-barcode reference library: caddisflies (Trichoptera) in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
A regional DNA-barcode reference library for caddisflies (Trichoptera) in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) was successfully constructed using a combination of global and local sampling, achieving 91% coverage of the GSMNP fauna. The study leveraged nearly 1000 COI sequences from the global Trichoptera Barcode of Life campaign, supplemented by 645 sequences obtained during a 3-day bioblitz in GSMNP. This approach expedited library construction while maintaining high species differentiation accuracy (93%). The findings highlight the importance of integrating global barcoding projects with local surveys to capture rare or endemic species and ensure barcode quality, offering new insights into caddisfly biodiversity patterns and taxonomic revisions.
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