The research days consist of a varied array of activities, from constructing rodent traps in the woodshop to hiking seven miles through thicket to survey woodland plots, all with the goal of better understanding our smallest animals.
Pete Guiden
Assistant Professor of Biology
Faculty Profile
The project investigates the presence and diets of small mammals and invertebrates in and around Rogers Glen, including the reforestation plots set up within the last decade. Through camera footage showing which rodents eat which seeds and trapping rodents to collect hair samples, the researchers can estimate the eating habits of different species.
“Rogers Glen is interesting because it is a mosaic of different forest types — native hardwoods, softwoods that were planted for timber harvest, and post-agricultural areas taken over by invasive species,” Guiden said. “The idea of learning about rodent diets and what controls them is really exciting to me, because rodents are generally happy to eat anything, but sometimes they can be surprisingly picky eaters.”
Kitsos added, “Smaller creatures, rodents and invertebrates, are the unsung heroes of most ecosystems. These critters are the primary consumers, and you can’t have trophic levels without them. There’s not always a focus on them.”
“Smaller creatures, rodents and invertebrates, are the unsung heroes of most ecosystems ... There’s not always a focus on them.”
The inclusion of the reforestation plots in the collection area also means the crew can investigate the roles rodents play in reforestation and the overall success of these programs. The camera data can show how far into reforestation rodents show up and how they interact with the reforested environment.
“Reforestation is not just about planting the seeds. You also have to look at the community and the biological aspects as a whole. How would the animals react to it?” Jean-Baptiste said. She expounded on her personal interest in this intersection, saying, “I’m from Haiti. In many places in Haiti, there’s not many trees left due to our history with colonization. So, I want to work with reforestation.”
Polozie emphasized the importance of the project’s applicability to reforestation efforts, adding, “We’re running out of places to conserve — and frankly, we’re selling off the ones we’ve got. In the future, we need to take the Superfund sites, the nasty places that we’ve used for everything they’ve got, and find out how to turn them back into something beautiful and usable for the next generation. And how to do it in a way that’s going to last for 1000 years, not for 10 before it all burns.”
The significance of the local ecosystems and the need to learn more about them and their denizens were underscored by the fondness the students expressed for our wilder sections of campus.
“The project has made me appreciate the campus we’re on so much more,” Cron said. “It’s so beautiful and we have so many different kinds of land. It’s very diverse, with the wetland, the reforestation plots, the meadows, and the mature forests. There’s more to these glens than I originally thought.”
Through better understanding the small animals of our glen, the Guiden lab paints a more complete picture of the complex dynamics of our ecosystems. This knowledge can be used to better serve the needs of our tiny neighbors, from the flying squirrels, chipmunks, and mice of the glen to the infamous Commons squirrel.
Posted August 1, 2025
