Scientists & data use
Who is using Vital Signs data? For what? Find out!
- Maine Department of Environmental Protection
- Maine Forest Service
- Anita Klein, University of New Hampshire
- Robin Hadlock-Seeley, Cornell University
- EDDMapS & IPANE
- Species experts
Maine Department of Environmental Protection
- Historical dataset for variable leaf milfoil dating back to 1970
- Model for lake vulnerability
Species of interest
Maine's 11 most unwanted invasive aquatic plants
How they use VS data
Maine DEP uses Vital Signs species observations as "first-word" data. They get notified when an observation is published. If there is reason for concern, they learn more using the comments, ask for samples or more photos and then follow up in the field if necessary.
Their Field Mission question
Can we keep Maine's most unwanted aquatic plant species out of our lakes?
Vital thoughts
"Like no other program, Vital Signs creates a collaborative foundation for students, scientists and resource managers to respond rapidly to new environmental threats to Maine while providing essential experience to the next generation of its citizen scientists." Paul Gregory, Environmental Specialist, Maine Department of Environmental Protection
VS profiles to check out
PGregory
JMcPhedran
Karen Hahnel
Other vital contributions
Maine Forest Service
- Hemlock woolly adelgid
- Asian longhorned beetle
- Emerald ash borer
- Winter moth
- Where in Maine is the winter moth?
- Where is the hemlock woolly adelgid?
- Is the Asian longhorned beetle in your town?
- Are there signs of the emerald ash borer in your town?
- Biomonitoring with wasps
Species of interest
How they use VS data
Maine has a lot of trees, and Mainers and tourists move firewood (and forest bugs!) all over the place. Allison, Charlene, and others at the Maine Forest Service check out trees and interact with people all over Maine from their Augusta office. They use Field Missions and comments to educate and motivate and hopefully detect new infestations early.
Their Field Mission questions
Vital tweet
“Maine Forest Service partners with thevitalsignsme.org to track HWA - cool online form lets anyone upload survey data" Michael Bohne, USDA Forest Service, 2011
VS profiles to check out
Future contributions
Hemlock woolly adelgid layer for the VS map coming soon!
Anita Klein at University of New Hampshire
- Heterosiphonia japonica
- Jeuvenile green crabs
- Periwinkles
- Rockweed
Species of interest
Codium fragile
How Anita uses VS data
Anita uses DNA-based molecular techniques provide new approaches to understanding evolution and population structures of algae. She is currently tracking the origins and diversity of invasive Codium fragile subspecies fragile (oyster theif, dead man's fingers) in Northern New England and Canadian Maritimes. Vital Signs species observations let her see where codium is found along the Maine coast, and she encourages people to collect and send samples for genetic testing.
Vital contributions
Anita Klein at the University of New Hampshire and her graduate students shared their extensive codium dataset with the Vital Signs database. It's a win-win. Their dataset is in a place where it can be used and built upon by the VS community. The community can now make sense of their own data in context of a much larger dataset.
Codium Missions that use UNH data
Robin Hadlock Seeley at Cornell/ Shoals Marine Lab
Species of interest
How Robin uses VS data
Robin Hadlock-Seeley, senior research associate at Cornell University/ Shoals Marine Laboratory, checks the photos on the green crab observations. She's interested in where and when juveniles are showing up. Not every site has green crab recruitment every year, and she’s trying to learn why. Vital Signs data helps her better target her resources.
New invader found!
In summer 2012, Robin's students at Shoals Marine Laboratory found Asian red algae (Heterosiphonia japonica) along the shoreline of Appledore Island. This find was farther north than the algae has previously been seen. In the UPI.com Science News, Robin explained, "It is currently present in large enough amounts in limited areas of Appledore's shoreline to impact the intertidal zone. Other than reports from lobster fishermen about clogged traps and troublesome piles of the seaweed on swimming beaches, we don't yet know the impacts of this seaweed invasion on the coast. But it's moving fast."
With Robin's guidance, we're building a new Field Mission and species ID card that will mobilize the VS community to look for Heterosiphonia along the coast.
Vital contributions
Robin is instrumental in building VS species ID cards and reviewing species observations.
EDDMapS & IPANE
How they use VS data
The The Early Detection & Distribution Mapping System (EDDMapS) is interested in collecting ALL invasive species observation data into a single, searchable database.
They like our community’s field protocols and review process, and see VS data as a legitimate source of quality data for their bid database. They periodically export all observations where an invasive species has been FOUND and CONFIRMED by a species expert. You can see what a VS observation looks like in the EDDMapS database here.
Vital contributions
EDDMapS’s data export adds VS data to the Invasive Plant Atlas of New England (IPANE) system too. VS data are used in predictive models for Oriental bittersweet, Japanese barberry, and burning bush.
Species experts
Maine Department of Agriculture
Ann Gibbs
Karen Coluzzi
Maine Forest Service
Allison Kanoti
Charlene Donahue
Maine Department of Environmental Protection
Paul Gregory
John McPhedran
Karen Hahnel
University of Southern Maine
Karen Wilson - Watch her video!
Lois Stack
Theresa Theodose
Beth Bisson, Maine Sea Grant
Caleb Slemmons, University of Maine
Cathy Bevier, Colby College
Curtis Bohlen, Casco Bay Estuary Partnership - Watch his video!
Dave Munson, ProjectNOAH
Elizabeth Stephenson - Watch her video!
Frank Archuleta, Acadia National Park
Gary Fish, Pesticide Programs: Maine Board of Pesticides
Greg Averill, Forest Street Elementary School, Mars Hill
Hillary Shultz, Pine Tree State Arboretum
Jeffrey Rubel, Pembroke Hill School
Jenn Dijkstra, Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve - Watch her video!
Jonathan Grabowski, Northeastern University
Kathy Ann Miller, University of California Berkeley & Shoals Marine Laboratory
Larry Harris, University of New Hampshire - Watch his video!
Lisa St Hilaire, Maine Natural Areas Program
Nick Record, Bowdoin College
Rebecca Jones, University of Maine & GMRI
Robin Hadlock-Seeley, Cornell University
Ruthie Hawley, Colby College - Watch her video!
Roberta Hill, Maine Center for Invasive Aquatic Plants
Sarah Treanor-Bois, Invasive Plant Atlas of New England
Zach Whitener
Gulf of Maine Research Institute
Alexa Dayton
Adam Baukus
Caroline Casals
Carrie Byron
Christine Voyer
Curt Brown
Gayle Bodge
Katie Flavin
Kim Little
Marissa McMahan
Rachelle Pinault
Sarah Kirn
Sarah Morrisseau
