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ABSTRACTHere we present the results of taxonomic and systematic study of the rare truffle-forming genera Destuntziaand Kjeldsenia. Truffle-forming fungi are difficult to study due to their reduced morphological features and their cryptic, hypogeous fruiting habits. The rare occurrence of Destuntziaand Kjeldseniafurther compounds these difficulties due to the lack of adequate material for study. Recent forays in North Carolina and Tennessee recovered new specimens of another rarely collected fungus, Octaviania purpurea. Morphological and phylogenetic analysis revealed that Octaviania purpureais a member of the genus Destuntzia, and this led us to reevaluate the taxonomic status and systematic relationships of other Destuntziaspecies. We performed a multilocus phylogenetic analysis of Destuntziaspecimens deposited in public fungaria, including all available type material, and environmental sequences from animal scat and soil. Our analyses indicate that Destuntziais a member of the family Claustulaceae within the order Phallales and is a close relative of Kjeldsenia. Results of our phylogenetic analysis infer that three species originally described in the genus Destuntziaare members of the genus Kjeldsenia. We propose three new combinations in Kjeldseniato accommodate these species as well as a new combination in Destuntziato accommodate Octaviania purpurea. We also describe a new genus in Claustulaceae, Hosakaea, to accommodate a closely affiliated species, Octaviania violascens. Finally, we transfer the genus Destunziainto the family Claustulaceae and emend the description of the family. The newly proposed combinations in Destuntziaand Kjeldseniasignificantly expand the known geographic ranges of both genera. The data from metabarcode analysis of scat and soil also reveal several additional undescribed species that expand these ranges well beyond those suggested by basidiomata collections. Systematic placement of Destuntziain the saprotrophic order Phallales suggests that this genus is not ectomycorrhizal, and the ecological implications of this systematic revision are discussed.

Understanding habitat selection is fundamental to addressing the response of a species to disturbance. Because resources are unevenly distributed across the landscape, habitat selection occurs at multiple scales. We used capture–mark–recapture and radiotelemetry techniques to quantify the macrohabitat and microhabitat associations that define space use of the Southern Red-backed Vole (Myodes gapperi) in northeastern forests. Macrohabitat characteristics were evaluated at the scale of the forest stand by comparing conditions between visited and unvisited trap stations and suggest red-backed voles have an affinity for locations with higher basal area of Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) and more coarse woody material. For microhabitat characteristics we modeled the influence of forest structure, ground cover, and geographic features on home range, specifically core area placement. We found that Southern Red-backed Vole core areas were associated with higher Red Maple (Acer rubrum) basal area, deeper leaf litter, greater density of hemlock stems, and closer proximity to water. The affinity of southern red-backed voles for eastern hemlock raises questions about population persistence and shifts in distribution as eastern hemlock stands are replaced by hardwood stands following infestation by Hemlock Woolly Adelgid.In northern New England, Southern Red-backed Voles have an affinity for forest stands with Eastern Hemlock and microhabitats near water and with an abundance of red maple and deep leaf litter. Loss of Eastern Hemlock following infestation by the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid may trigger population declines of the Southern Red-backed Vole.

Wild mammals are known to survive injuries that result in skeletal abnormalities. Quantifying and comparing skeletal injuries among species can provide insight into the factors that cause skeletal injuries and enable survival following an injury. We documented the prevalence and location of structural bone abnormalities in a community of 7 small mammal species inhabiting the White Mountains of New Hampshire. These species differ in locomotion type and levels of intraspecific aggression. Overall, the majority of injuries were to the ribs or caudal vertebrae. Incidence of skeletal injuries was highest in older animals, indicating that injuries accumulate over a lifetime. Compared to species with ambulatory locomotion, those with more specialized (semi-fossorial, saltatorial, and scansorial) locomotion exhibited fewer skeletal abnormalities in the arms and legs, which we hypothesize is a result of a lesser ability to survive limb injuries. Patterns of skeletal injuries in shrews (Soricidae) were consistent with intraspecific aggression, particularly in males, whereas skeletal injuries in rodents (Rodentia) were more likely accidental or resulting from interactions with predators. Our results demonstrate that both the incidence and pattern of skeletal injuries vary by species and suggest that the ability of an individual to survive a specific skeletal injury depends on its severity and location as well as the locomotor mode of the species involved.

Determining habitat associations of small mammal species and environmental characteristics important for site occupancy are central to understanding species biology and community organization. Most studies of small mammal communities are done at a local scale and in 1 habitat, overlooking patterns manifest over a heterogeneous landscape. During the summers of 2009 and 2010 we trapped small mammals throughout Wisconsin at 180 sites among 13 natural habitats, capturing 3,261 individuals of 23 taxa. We modeled site occupancy using habitat characteristics for 16 taxa while incorporating imperfect detection and compared small mammal community similarity among habitats. Site variation in tree density, soil moisture regimes, and winter temperatures were the most important variables in describing occupancy of species. With the exception of Zapus hudsonius and Sorex hoyi, occupancy rates of species were not the same across habitats. Species-specific responses to habitat characteristics created distinct natural habitat associations leading to unique and predictable small mammal assemblages. This study demonstrates the importance of sampling across a wide range of environmental gradients and habitats when determining the distribution of species and how communities are organized at a landscape level.