by Chris Earley

It is S's turn this time. Can you identify any of these "S" Arboretum residents? For a printable version go to: http://www.uoguelph.ca/arboretum/Listservnewsletter/March_2018/printable_quiz_letter_S_March_2018.pdf. The answers are at the bottom of the newsletter.

by Shelley Hunt

Spring is just around the corner, and in the spirit of renewal I’d like to introduce you to The Arboretum’s new newsletter format! The issue you are reading now will be one of four quarterly (or seasonal!) issues that will contain fun and fascinating articles by our horticulture and education staff, as well as news about volunteering and research at The Arboretum. A brand new quiz as well as announcements about workshops and other events will also make its way to your inbox in our quarterly issues, which will be sent out in March, June, September and December, to match the changing seasons. You will still receive a newsletter each month that will be pared down and sleeker, with workshop and event info as well as a quiz and photos of what to see at The Arb (recent wildlife sightings, what’s blooming, etc.!). A big thank you to our Office and Marketing Coordinator, Barb Ash, for overseeing the production of the newsletter, and to all of our staff for their contributions - we enjoy the chance to share with you our enthusiasm for all that we do here at The Arboretum.

If you haven’t been here for a while and the warming weather prompts you to visit in the coming weeks, you’ll notice some changes throughout the grounds. If you’re coming in from College Ave, you’ll notice improvements to the grounds in this area, from last fall’s new plantings in the Ontario Horticultural Association Oak Grove, to other new specimens and an absence of dead conifers near the road leading up to the parking lot. You also may hear the buzz of chainsaws or the rumble of the wood chipper – always a bit startling to hear in an Arboretum! However, we have been forced to remove numerous Ash trees from the grounds due to the Emerald Ash Borer invasion. We have been focusing on those dead and dying trees that pose a safety risk near parking lots and along trails, and this work will continue for months, if not years to come. Though it may be difficult to find a true silver lining in the cloud of dying Ash trees, we will look at this as an opportunity to restore these areas, resources permitting, with new plantings of a diverse range of woody species. This spring we’ll be partnering with the U of G’s student chapter of the Society for Ecological Restoration to carry out some mass plantings of native trees and shrubs where Ash and invasives such as Buckthorn have been removed.

For all of you nature lovers out there who make a beeline for the Wild Goose Woods boardwalk when you visit, you’ll notice another (temporary) change that reflects some short term pain for long term gain – we’ve closed the main section of boardwalk for a limited time while we deal with ‘danger trees’ (dead and dying trees and branches that pose a safety threat to those using the boardwalk) and, excitingly, work on installing a brand new and improved boardwalk! Here is where we are asking for your help: thanks to a few generous donors we have raised a significant portion of the needed funds, but we are not there yet – if you are interested in contributing towards the boardwalk renewal effort, please contact me at [log in to unmask], or 519-824-4120 ext. 52356. If our fundraising efforts are successful, we are hoping to begin construction on the new boardwalk this summer.

And finally, a note about a unique dedication opportunity – you may have wondered about the ‘Case of the Missing Arbours’ in our English Garden…this was not the work of some kind of super-powered garden troll, but the necessary preparations for eight brand new arbours that will be installed as soon as weather permits! We are offering these for dedication purposes, and there are four still available. If you are interested, please contact me and I’ll be happy to provide more details.

Enjoy the signs of spring as they slowly begin to emerge!

           
            Kellen and Tess remioving Ash trees

by Sean Fox

During our nearly 48 years of growth, The University of Guelph Arboretum has become known as a safe haven for many of Ontario’s rare and threatened trees and shrubs. Botanical Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) encourages botanical gardens and arboreta to play a role in promoting and conserving the flora and biodiversity that is indigenous to their respective regions, and, as members, The Arboretum has always been at the forefront of this movement. We have become internationally recognized for our focus on archiving genetic material as part of our Rare Woody Plants of Ontario Program, and have also played a significant role in the stewardship of these special species by highlighting them in our education and interpretive programming. Similarly, plants from many other parts of the world continue to face threats of extinction due to habitat loss and overexploitation. Some of these critically endangered plants can also be found archived in The Arboretum, often right under one’s nose.

The genus, Picea, better known as the spruces, contains nearly 40 species of coniferous, evergreen trees that are spread across the northern hemisphere in cooler, temperate regions. Three of these species are native to Ontario, including white spruce (Picea glauca) black spruce (Picea mariana) and red spruce (Picea rubens), while several other species with global origins are often found in cultivation. The Serbian spruce, or as it’s known botanically, Picea omorika, is but one of those species that has become increasingly available in nurseries and garden centres over the decades due to the desirable characteristics it possesses for landscaping. It would not be odd to stroll through a residential area within southern Ontario and see one gracing a lawn or garden with its evergreen branches. Though these trees might blend into the landscape as we travel through our neighbourhoods, we sometimes forget that every one of them has a story to tell. In the case of Serbian spruce, it happens to be a very interesting one.

In 1875, Dr. Josef Pancic, a Serbian botanist, made a discovery that would be new to the science world. While surveying the slopes of Mount Tara, in western Serbia, he came across a conifer that stood out from the Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris), Norway spruce (Picea abies) and silver fir (Abies alba) that were common to the area. He described this unidentified conifer as a tree that grew up to 30m tall with branches covered in bluish-green needles. The boughs in the lower portion of the tree drooped towards the ground, while those midway up grew horizontal and the uppermost branches reached up towards the sky. The cones grew only at the top of the tree and were an ornamental purple colour. Pancic called this tree the Omorica, and gave it the latin name, Pinus omorica. Due to the rules of botanical nomenclature, this tree was later classified as a spruce, not a pine, and therefore was given its current moniker, Picea omorika (Pancic) Purkyne.

Since Pancic's original discovery on Mt. Tara, a small stand of Serbian spruce has been discovered in the canyon of the river Milesevka, and several other pockets have been located on Mount Zvijezda, Viogor, Radomislja, and Jadovnik. All of these mountains are located in a small area surrounding the river Drina in western Serbia and eastern Bosnia. It is thought that these locations provided the only refuge for Serbian spruce during the late Pleistocene glaciation that ended in the area around 40,000 years ago. The tree is endemic to this region, meaning that this is the only spot in the world where it naturally exists. Despite the uniqueness of Serbian spruce, logging was initiated in the area shortly after its discovery. This practice was halted in the early 20th century to help conserve the tree and other endemic flora to the area. It is reported that fewer than 1000 Serbian spruce are left in the wild on a 60 hectare swath of forest in the Pancic Nature Reserve.

As mentioned earlier, despite its rarity in the wild, Serbian spruce can be witnessed in many parks and gardens across the world. Its narrow, conical form coupled with it ornamental merits have made it a favourite for home gardeners and landscape contractors. Along with being considered one of the most graceful of the spruce, it is also known to be one of the most adaptable. Hardy to zone 3 in Canada, it grows at a reasonably quick rate under a variety of soil conditions. It also seems to be able to withstand urban pollution better than many conifers.

The Arboretum boasts several fine specimens of Serbian spruce within our plant collections. The World of Trees Collection has a grouping of four on the west side of the service road. In the Coniferous Trees Collection you will find three more, as well an individual specimen of the dwarf Serbian spruce, or Picea omorika 'Nana'. One more example of this dwarf cultivar can be found in the Dwarf Conifer Collection. In the spring of 2017, three new specimens of the cultivar Picea omorika ‘Pendula’, or the weeping Serbian spruce, were planted along the entrance road heading into our OAC Centennial Arboretum Centre.

On your next walk, please be sure to take some time to see all the wonders of the botanical world that can be found at The Arboretum. Perhaps it’s catching a glimpse of provincial rarities such as the cucumber tree (Magnolia acuminata) or shining sumac (Rhus copallinum), or maybe a threatened plant from China such as the seven-son tree (Heptacodium miconioides). If it’s the Serbian spruce you find, please pause a little while longer to say hello to this noble tree. If the moment provides you with the fortune of a faint breeze, you may even hear them whisper back the greetings from their kin in the mountains of Serbia and Bosnia.

A printable version of this article is available here: http://www.uoguelph.ca/arboretum/Listservnewsletter/March_2018/SFox_Tree_to_See_Picea-omorika.pdf

                   
                    Picea omorika

        
         Picea Omorika cones

By: Rachel of House Irwin, Queen of dragonflies, Lover of birds, and Hugger of trees

“You know nothing Jon Snow” is a memorable quote from the wildling character, Ygritte, from George R. R. Martin’s very popular Game of Thrones novel and TV show series. And this quote, substituting my name, “you know nothing Rachel Irwin,” is exactly what popped into my head when I was told I was going to be taking over the Project Feederwatch (PFW) duties here at The Arboretum. Let’s just say birds aren’t my forte (and I work for Chris Earley, I know!). But that’s okay, because the great thing about PFW is that anyone can participate no matter what your birding skill level, age, or location is! I mean, I have to start somewhere! Participating in PFW has been a great way for me to practice my bird ID skills and become more familiar with bird sounds. For those who may not know, PFW is a citizen science program in which people from all over the continent record and submit the number and species of birds they see at their feeders. This is a great way for scientists to monitor and map out bird populations more accurately. 

                     
                      Figure 1 The Arboretum Centre Bird Feeders.
                      Catch Rachel watching the feeders on
                      Thursdays and Fridays.

Putting out a limited food resource (birdseed) in the middle of winter when resources are scarce is bound to create a lot of conflict. Most birds want a taste of the “Iron Throne” and will “fight” for their chance to sit at the bird feeder. To do so, birds interact aggressively to create a dominance hierarchy which determines who gets to sit at the feeder. Similar to how Game of Thrones characters violently interact to determine who will be the ruler of the 7 Kingdoms. To maintain access to the resource, individual birds must be physically dominant over others. However, I was amazed at how the birds co-existed at the feeder. It wasn’t the bloodbath so to speak that I was expecting, well that is until a Cooper’s hawk shows up… but that’s a different story. As peaceful as the feeder appears to me, I know there’s much more going on here than what meets the eye. Every bird is constantly mapping the safest way to the feeder and finding the best spot to eat, all while avoiding the more dominant birds. Which leads to my main question… who’s the most dominant bird at the feeder?

Well, thanks to the help of PFW participants (just like me!), Eliot Miller from Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology was able to gather records of interspecific (between different species) behavioural interactions at bird feeders across North America and determined a dominance hierarchy of 136 feeder bird species! They had PFW participants record anytime they saw another bird “successfully displace” another species at the feeder through a behaviour such as flaring/flapping their wings or chasing. Using a computer program, Miller et al. (2017) was able to use this information to apply a dominance score to each bird species which describes its ability to compete with others. Looking at Figure 2 you’ll see that the Blue Jay with a positive score of 2.35 is more dominant than the Tufted Titmouse who has a lower dominance score of -3.05. Turns out that these dominance scores are highly related to the bird’s body size; so the bigger the bird, the badder. However, the dominance hierarchies were not completely linear based on their body size. Not so surprisingly, results showed that Blue Jays live up to their feisty reputation and are more dominant than their size would suggest. Woodpeckers were also found to be small but mighty, maybe because they sure know how to take a hit! Vice versa, Mourning Doves and grosbeaks were scored less dominant than what would be expected based on their size. So which bird was ranked as King/Queen of the bird feeder? The Wild Turkey! I will admit this is not quite what I was expecting, but the data shows that there are no other feeder birds large enough to displace a turkey.

               
                Figure 2 Dominance scores of six species of birds based
                on PFW data. Graphic by Jillian Ditner, Bartels Science
                Illustrator (Haigh, 2018).

This may seem like common sense but it took thousands of citizen scientists to help collect enough data to verify these displacement patterns. This is the first study to ever look at interspecific dominance hierarchies between numerous individuals of different species and it’s just the beginning! These dominance hierarchies can be used to address many more research questions such as, how do closely ranked species avoid each other, what will happen if these species ranges overlap due to climate change, and how does dominance hierarchy apply to nesting cavities and territories? This study goes to show just how important and helpful citizen science programs like PFW are! So, next time you’re at a bird feeder try and take a closer look at species interactions and who overpowers who! The next season of Game of Thrones doesn’t come out until 2019… so grab a front row seat at your feeder and watch the dramatic show that I like to call the Game of Feeders.

If you want to become a citizen scientist, check out the PFW website to learn more and if you’d like to count birds here at The Arboretum feeders go to our PFW page on our website.

Project Feederwatch:
https://feederwatch.org/

The Arboretum Feederwatch: https://www.uoguelph.ca/arboretum/researchandstewardship/project-feederwatch

References:

Haigh, A. (2018). When 136 bird species show up at a feeder, which one wins? Cornell
Unviersity. Retrieved from: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/when-136-bird-species-show-up-at-a-feeder-which-one-wins/

Miller, E.T., Bonter, D. N., Eldermire, C., Freeman, B. G., Greig, E. I., Harmon, L. J., Lisle,
C., and Hochachka, W. M. (2017). Fighting over food unites the birds of North America in a continental dominance hierarchy. Behavioural Ecology. doi:10.1093/beheco/arx108. Retrieved from: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/biorxiv/early/2017/01/30/104133.full.pdf

Project Feederwatch. (2017). Who is the toughest bird? Retrieved from:
https://feederwatch.org/blog/who-is-the-toughest-bird/

A printable version of this article is available here: http://www.uoguelph.ca/arboretum/Listservnewsletter/March_2018/Rachel_March_2018_Article.pdf

The Arboretum grounds are used by many researchers. The following is an article talking about one of the studies that has been taking place. If you would like further information on research at The Arboretum please contact our Research Co-ordinator, Aron Fazekas at [log in to unmask]

Shannon French, a PhD candidate in the department of Pathobiology is currently investigating the ecology of the raccoon roundworm, Baylisascaris procyonis, an intestinal parasite found in raccoons. One area of her research is investigating the role of rodents and other small animals in maintaining this parasite in the environment.

A large number of birds and mammals, including humans, can be infected by the larval stage of the parasite, which is capable of causing neurological disease. These animals, typically referred to as paratenic hosts, become infected by ingesting infective eggs found in raccoon feces. These eggs are resistant to environmental degradation and can persist in the environment for many years. Raccoons become infected either through ingestion of infective eggs, or when they eat an infected bird or rodent.

Raccoons typically use a communal site to defecate, known as a latrine, which serve as the primary source of infection for other animals. Commonly used latrine sites include sheds, attics, fallen logs and other flat elevated surfaces, the base of trees, rocks and tree stumps. Due to the resilience of the parasite eggs, these sites can remain infective even if abandoned and no longer visited by raccoons.

To investigate the transmission of B. procyonis between raccoons and other animals, we are utilizing motion sensing camera traps. In collaboration with the University of Guelph Arboretum, these camera traps are being strategically placed at known raccoon latrines to identify which animals are visiting these sites. This information will help us to determine which animals are at highest risk of exposure to the raccoon roundworm. Preliminary trials have already captured numerous species visiting these sites, including the eastern cottontail, Virginia opossum, eastern chipmunk, and eastern gray squirrel.

A better understanding of the relationship between the raccoon roundworm and its hosts will allow us to better educate the public and make decisions to help prevent exposure to this parasite in the future.

http://blog.healthywildlife.ca/a-study-of-the-raccoon-roundworm-in-ontario-its-a-trap/

           
           Raccoon

           
            Eastern Cottontail 

           
            Opossum

The Arboretum has many volunteers who "Help The Arboretum Grow" as we like to say. Our Arboretum Auxiliary is active throughout the year. The activity is much less during winter months with only a couple of our groups really active. We have groups that help with seed preservation. Our Front Desk staff of course are active year round as are our docents. Docents are trained volunteers who lead tours, assist at tradeshows / booths and at workshops. With Spring coming many of our other will soon become active again. Many of our groups that are active in the warmer months of the year help us with the upkeep of the grounds. If you are interested in finding out more about volunteering at The Arboretum please check out our website at: https://www.uoguelph.ca/arboretum/volunteer/overview or contact Barb Watson - Ash at [log in to unmask] or ext. 52358.

Spring is just around the corner and we can both outfit you for Spring and provide you with tools to get out and enjoy nature.

We have a series of 5 booklets: Feeder Birds, Wildflowers, Mammals, Dragonflies and Summer Garden Birds. Each booklet is full colour and is $8. Details can be found on our website.

We also have a nature journal with a series of colour photos in the centre pages and lots of unique pages with leaf backgrounds for sketching or journaling. Each journal is $10.

Our biodiversity sheets are $5 each or $50 for the set of 12. Each double-sided, laminated placemat features a different topic in nature.

For the first time we have published a desktop calendar featuring an Arboretum grounds photo for each month. We have a small handful of these 2018 calendars left so if you find you find yourself looking for a calendar on your desk but not finding it than come and see us.

Our pin-on buttons for $1 each and our cling window decals of the Arboretum logo are great souvenirs of The Arboretum.

We also have a hat and t-shirt available. The hats are made of a moisture wicking, UV protectant, active wear fabric with an elastic buckle and hidden velcro adjustable size system. They are $28 including tax. The t-shirts are made from organic cotton/bamboo (but don’t feed it to your panda), and feature the leaves of 16 different tree species. They are $33 including tax.

To purchase these booklets, journals, placemats, calendars, buttons or window decals please call ext. 52358 or e-mail us at [log in to unmask]. We would be happy to mail these out to you (a mailing fee will apply). An order form is attached to the image below should you wish to fill it out and scan a copy to us.

Join Rachel Wednesdays at 12:15 for the Wednesday walk as she explores the grounds on a 50 minute hike. It is a wonderful way to explore The Arboretum grounds as nature begins to awaken for spring. The walk is free and you should meet at the kiosk at the end of the promenade closest to campus if you are interested in participating.

The Arboretum is a natural treasure within the city limits. Enjoy the secluded setting with nature surrounding you without driving outside the city. We have 3 meeting / banquet rooms available that seat from 2 to 200 people. All three have windows with views into The Arboretum. The Arboretum is used by many for their wedding ceremony, reception and photos. If you would like more information please contact Dawn Ann Webster at [log in to unmask] or 519-824-4120 ext. 54110 or visit our website. All catering is provided by the University of Guelph Hospitality Services Department catering.uoguelph.ca.

 
West Lawn                                          Auditorium

Would you like to see more of what is happening at The Arboretum or read more nature related information? Check us out on Facebook, Twitter, Instragram, Flickr and YouTube.

Planets, Stars, Galaxies and the Universe, Pruning, Winter Invertebrates and Warbler I and II workshops are approaching. The dates and registration deadlines can be found in our Coming Events listing in the column on the left side of this newsletter. A detailed description of each course is available on our website. Help us promote our programs… please forward this e-mail on to your friends and colleagues who may be interested. The more participants we have, the more programs we can offer.

Registering early is important for us because we need lead time to decide if there are enough people registered to run the workshop or not. To encourage registering before the deadline, we have an Early Bird Fee. You can still register after the deadline, but it will cost an extra $10, so why not register early?

Registration is available on-line, which allows you to register for our programs at anytime, not just during our regular business hours. A secure link is provided on our website for this easy registration process.

If you do not have internet access, registration can still be made by phone or in person at 519-824-4120 ext. 52358 as in the past. Please remember that a decision is made on the registration deadline as to whether the workshop will run or not, based on the minimum number of required registrants. You may still register after the deadline as long as the workshop is running and there is space.

These spurts of warm weather have really brought The Arboretum to life! Many students have crawled away from their laptops and have been spotted playing frisbee and lounging around on the grass. The Red-winged Blackbirds are back in full force and have been creating quite a ruckus at our feeders. It is only a matter of time before our spring migrants return! We also spotted two Bald Eagles soaring above Wild Goose Woods during one of our Wednesday Noon Walks. After our last snowfall, we found blue bunny pee around our feeders. When cottontails eat buckthorn bark/twigs, they will pee the normal yellow or brownish urine, but the urine has a chemical in it that causes it to turn highlighter blue when exposed to sunlight! How neat is that? So you should never eat yellow AND blue snow!

               
                Juvenile Bald Eagle Soaring – Photo by Chris Earley

               
                Red-winged Blackbird – Photo by Chris Earley

                          
                           Blue Bunny Pee – Photo by Rachel Irwin

Be a part of the BetterPlanet Project by donating on-line:

Your donation can be directed to The Arboretum online through the secure University of Guelph donation page: http://uofg.convio.net/arboretum

If you prefer not to make an online donation, there are several other ways to provide your financial support. You can choose to donate by telephone, mail, fax, or in person:

UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH Attention Alumni Affairs 50 Stone Road East Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 2W1 Tel: 1-888-266-3108 ext. 56934 Tel: 519-824-4120 ext. 56934 Fax: 519-822-2670 Email: [log in to unmask]

If you would like information on bequests and planned giving to The Arboretum please contact:

Amy Atkinson
Senior Development Manager, Ontario Agricultural College
at (519) 824-4120 ext. 58652 or by e-mail at [log in to unmask]