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Ed Heske
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1816 S. Oak Street Champaign, IL 61820 MC–652 Phone: 217-244-2173 Fax: 217-333-4949 Email: eheske@illinois.edu Title: Mammalian Ecologist Office Location: I-BLDG | ||
| Activities | Research on the ecology and conservation of mammals Courses Taught Mammalogy IB462 Vertebrate Natural History IB364 |
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| Research |
Community ecology, population biology, natural history, and conservation of mammals. Selected Research Projects Landscape Effects on Depredation of Songbird Nests Scott Robinson, Ed Heske, Jeff Brawn, and Gerardo Carfagno We have been monitoring nest predation and parasitism by cowbirds in large forested areas in the Shawnee National Forest in southern Illinois. Our 12 study sites differ in landscape context: surrounding areas may be forested or deforested, with open habitats being mainly row-crop agriculture or pasture and grassland. My part of the study has focused on how the abundance of mammalian nest predators, indexed by track stations, differs among sites. I also am examining how landscape composition and configuration affects the distribution of large mammals in the Shawnee based on track stations at 36 other point locations, and spotlight surveys. In 2003, we linked teams in the Cache River area monitoring songbird nest success, live-trapping to assess small mammal abundance, and radiotracking snakes to evaluate habitat use. In general, we are evaluating how landscapes affect avian nest success and the distribution and activity of potential nest predators. Mammalian Hard Mast Consumers and Oak Forest Regeneration Jared Haas and Ed Heske We are using 36 experimental plots in 4 forest patches to compare over-winter survival and subsequent germination of red oak acorns when different subsets of mammals are excluded. We also compare survival and germination of acorns on the soil surface to that of buried acorns (simulated squirrel caches). These experiments are investigating the possible role of seed limitation on oak forest regeneration. Status and Ecology of Franklin's Ground Squirrel in Illinois Jason Martin, Ed Heske, and Joyce Hofmann We conducted a mail survey of biologists and managers in Illinois to assess the current status and distribution of FranklinŐs ground squirrel, a species that seems to be declining in the Midwest. In 2001, we followed the mail survey with live-trapping surveys of selected sites. In 2002, we conducted a radio-tracking study at one site to monitor dispersal by juveniles. I hope to continue studies of this enigmatic species to provide ecological information useful for its conservation. Phylogeography of Eastern Chipmunks and White-footed Mice in the Midwest Kevin Rowe, Ed Heske, and Ken Paige We are using phylogeographic analyses of mtDNA sequence data to uncover how eastern chipmunks recolonized the upper Midwest following the last glacial retreat. Surprisingly, genetic data suggest that this recolonization was not a simple south-to-north migration, but likely occurred from multiple directions, including a northern refugium closer to the glacial ice than previously expected. We also are evaluating the role of river systems on the genetic structure of chipmunk and mouse populations in Illinois, and how urban areas along major rivers may affect gene flow. Responses of Small Mammals to Habitat Restoration Ed Heske I am monitoring the responses of small mammals at Spunky Bottoms Nature Preserve, a site along the Illinois River being restored from row-crop agriculture to prairie, floodplain forest, and wetlands by The Nature Conservancy. I also have conducted studies of small mammals in prairie restorations and other managed habitats at a grassland preserve in central Illinois, and in successional fields in southern Illinois. Town and Country Gray Squirrels Maureen Holowinski, Nohra Mateus-Pinilla, and Ed Heske We are beginning a pilot study to compare the health and parasites of tree squirrels living on the UIUC campus where they have access to trash cans, garbage, and likely have a limited number of possible nest locations, to that of squirrels living in suburban areas and natural areas outside of town. In this and future studies, we will examine how living in close association with humans may affect wildlife health, and how wildlife populations in one habitat (urban or rural) may serve as sources or reservoirs of parasites and diseases for populations in another habitat. |
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| Message to Students |
Please see my letter to prospective students and my CV to be sure we have compatible interests, then send me an email that describes your background, interests, and career goals. Attach a current CV or resume. Generic inquiries will not get a response. |
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| Professional affiliations |
Adjunct Professor, Dept. of Natural Resources & Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Adjunct Asst. Professor, Dept. of Animal Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign |
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| Selected publications |
Wydeven, A. P., T. R. Van Deelen, and E. J. Heske, eds. 2009. Recovery of Gray Wolves in the Great Lakes Region of the United States: An Endangered Species Success Story. Springer, New York. Carfagno, G. L. F., E. J. Heske, and P. J. Weatherhead. 2006. Does mammalian prey abundance explain forest-edge use by snakes? EcoScience 13:293-297. Martin, J. M., and E. J. Heske. 2005. Juvenile dispersal of Franklin’s ground squirrel (Spermophilus franklinii) from a prairie “island.” American Midland Naturalist 153:444-449. Haas, J. P., and E. J. Heske. 2005. Experimental study of the effects of mammalian acorn predators on red oak acorn survival and germination. Journal of Mammalogy 86:1015-1021. Rowe, K. C., E. J. Heske, P. W. Brown, and K. N. Paige. 2004. Surviving the ice: northern refugia and postglacial colonization. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science 101:10355-10359. |
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| Professional society involvement and activities |
American Society of Mammalogists (Life member) Ecological Society of America Society for Conservation Biology The Wildlife Society Southwestern Association of Naturalists |
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| Education | PhD, Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, 1985 BS, Zoology, Oregon State University, 1979 BA, English, Amherst College, 1975 | ||