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Stacks Journal

@stacksjournal.bsky.social

A scientific journal designed for ease and ethics. Publishing open-access articles, Special Issues, and entire journals. Join Us ⬇️ https://www.stacksjournal.org

699 Followers  |  5 Following  |  134 Posts  |  Joined: 04.10.2023  |  1.8212

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Using temperature loggers to monitor den box use by American martens, fishers, and tree squirrels - Stacks Journal Peer-reviewed research - Using temperature loggers to monitor den box use by American martens, fishers, and tree squirrels

You can read the full article in @StacksJournal.bsky.social at the link below -- it's the latest installment from the Martes Working Group Special Issue.

It’s #OpenAccess and went through our new model of peer review that is streamlined and ethical.

5/5

🔗 doi.org/10.60102/sta...

24.07.2025 14:40 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
Histogram showing the number of uses detected by fishers and martens for each month of the year. Fishers uses are shown in black bars while marten uses are shown in gray bars.

Histogram showing the number of uses detected by fishers and martens for each month of the year. Fishers uses are shown in black bars while marten uses are shown in gray bars.

This new technique could be really helpful for other non-invasive monitoring because it is:
💰 Cost-effective: Only one temperature logger needed
🦊 Efficient: Detects when animals are inside, not just nearby
📈 Scalable: Automatable—ideal for long-term monitoring

4/

24.07.2025 14:40 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0
Graphs of temperature, first derivative of temperature by time, and second derivative of temperature by time for a den box use by an American marten.

Graphs of temperature, first derivative of temperature by time, and second derivative of temperature by time for a den box use by an American marten.

Then they matched how temperature changes inside the den boxes were correlated with animals entering, staying, & leaving the boxes.

And they found...

Every fisher and marten visit triggered a consistent temperature spike. Even better—those spikes were distinct enough to tell the species apart!

3/

24.07.2025 14:40 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0

Researchers had an interesting idea -- what if you could use the rate of temperature change in den boxes to identify the wildlife visiting them?

So to investigate, they installed 86 den boxes with a temperature logger and remote camera in northern Minnesota and monitored them for three years.

2/

24.07.2025 14:40 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0
A fisher standing outside of a fisher den box in a red pine forest during the day in winter.

A fisher standing outside of a fisher den box in a red pine forest during the day in winter.

💡 What if monitoring wildlife was automatic and could even differentiate among species?

New research in @StacksJournal.bsky.social shows a novel idea: using the rate of temperature change in den boxes to track martens, fishers, and even sometimes squirrels. 🌍🧪🦊

A 🧵

#WildlifeConservation

24.07.2025 14:40 — 👍 15    🔁 3    💬 2    📌 0
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Genetic aspects of interspecies hybridization between sable and pine marten based on microsatellite loci data - Stacks Journal Peer-reviewed research - Genetic aspects of interspecies hybridization between sable and pine marten based on microsatellite loci data

You can read the full article and learn more in @stacksjournal.bsky.social at the link below.

It's part of the Special Issue from the Martes Working Group, #OpenAccess, and went through our new model of peer review that is streamlined and ethical.

5/5

🔗 doi.org/10.60102/sta...

17.07.2025 14:16 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Why does this matter?

Because how we define species has real consequences and can lead to:
🧩 Misidentification
📉 Misguided conservation
🧪 Missed ecological complexity

This work deepens our understanding of interspecies gene flow in wild mustelids.

4/

17.07.2025 14:16 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0
Post image Post image

Researchers used 11 microsatellite DNA markers to analyze 246 individuals from Siberia.

The surprise? In 6 out of 11 sable populations, some animals were actually pine marten hybrids.

And – morphology alone couldn’t tell them apart.

3/

17.07.2025 14:16 — 👍 3    🔁 1    💬 1    📌 0
Post image

Sables and pine martens look distinct — with different tail lengths, throat patches, and fur.

But in areas where their ranges overlap, hybrids (called "kidus") may resemble either one.

17.07.2025 14:16 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0
Post image

Do you think you can always tell a sable from a pine marten just by looking at it? 👀

In the Ural forests, it may be harder than you think.

New research reveals how genetic tools can uncover surprising levels of hybridization in the wild.

🧬🦊🌍🧪

A🧵

17.07.2025 14:16 — 👍 6    🔁 4    💬 1    📌 0
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Local and long-distance colonization influence the distribution of a species in a fragmented landscape - Stacks Journal Peer-reviewed research - Local and long-distance colonization influence the distribution of a species in a fragmented landscape

This study shows how a multi-process occupancy model cab reveal the mechanics behind urban wildlife movements.

Very helpful for ecologists, modelers, and wildlife managers—especially in urban landscapes.

6/6

Read the full open-access study:
🔗 doi.org/10.60102/sta...

09.07.2025 15:14 — 👍 4    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

And environmental factors mattered too:

🌊 Streams boost persistence
⛳️ Developed open space increases long‑distance colonization
🌇 Skunks are adapting to city parks, yards

5/

09.07.2025 15:14 — 👍 4    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0
Post image

They found two big patterns:

🟩 Local colonization drives most occupancy
🍂 But in fall — when juvenile skunks disperse — long-distance movements increased

Open lawns and water sources played a key role.

4/

09.07.2025 15:14 — 👍 5    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0

To do this, they separated colonization into two processes:

🐾 Local - from nearby occupied patches within 2.5 km
🐾 Long‑distance - from patches greater than 2.5 km away

And they analyzed how each contributed across seasons and urban gradients.

3/

09.07.2025 15:14 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0
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The team tracked striped skunks using remote cameras in parks, golf courses, and cemeteries across Chicago.

Their goal? To figure out if skunks spread locally from nearby dens — show up from long distances.

2/

09.07.2025 15:14 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0
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🦨 Ever wonder how skunks decide where to live in urban landscapes like Chicago?

New research from @masonfidino.bsky.social, @lizalehrer.bsky.social, & @sbmagle.bsky.social from @lpzoo.org used nearly a decade of data to find out! 🦊🌍🧪

A 🧵

09.07.2025 15:14 — 👍 26    🔁 8    💬 1    📌 1
Special Issue from the Martes Working Group in Stacks Journal This Special Issue advances research and conservation efforts for fishers, martens, sables, tayras, and wolverines.

We are excited to announce the second article from the Martes Working Group Special Issue in @stacksjournal.bsky.social is here!

This new research evaluates the morphological, diet, and age-structure differences between two subspecies of fishers.

Check it out! #OpenAccess #PeerReview

🧪🦊🌍

29.05.2025 20:00 — 👍 3    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
Special Issue from the Martes Working Group in Stacks Journal This Special Issue advances research and conservation efforts for fishers, martens, sables, tayras, and wolverines.

This is the latest article in the Martes Working Group Special Issue in @stacksjournal.bsky.social, advancing our understanding of Pekania evolution, and the conservation and management of Guloninae species.

Read the full paper and see the others from the Special Issue at the link below.

5/5

22.05.2025 20:21 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
Drawing of a female fisher by Andrea Toth.

Drawing of a female fisher by Andrea Toth.

When combined with genetic distinctiveness and a likely period of isolation since the Last Glacial Maximum (~20,000 years ago), these findings strengthen the case for recognizing P. p. columbiana as a valid subspecies of #fisher.

4/

22.05.2025 20:21 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0
Frequency of occurrence of 5 different prey groups in stomachs during winter collected from 208 fisher carcasses in British Columbia, Canada, 1989-1993. Many stomachs had multiple prey items, so total percentages occasionally summed to greater than 1.

Frequency of occurrence of 5 different prey groups in stomachs during winter collected from 208 fisher carcasses in British Columbia, Canada, 1989-1993. Many stomachs had multiple prey items, so total percentages occasionally summed to greater than 1.

Their winter diets were also different:

🟤 Columbian fishers consume more hares, squirrels, and grouse
🟤 Boreal fishers relied more on small mammals and ungulates

These patterns reflect ecological divergence across biogeoclimatic zones.

3/

22.05.2025 20:21 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0
Distribution of the Columbian and Boreal populations of fishers that occur in British Columbia, Canada (adapted from Weir et al. 2024), along with locations of carcass samples collected between 1989 and 1993.

Distribution of the Columbian and Boreal populations of fishers that occur in British Columbia, Canada (adapted from Weir et al. 2024), along with locations of carcass samples collected between 1989 and 1993.

Analyzing >400 specimens from carcasses & live captures, @richweir.bsky.social found that fishers in central BC are significantly smaller, more compact, and exhibit higher foot-loading than those in northern BC—traits consistent with adaptation to structurally complex, snow-covered forests.

2/

22.05.2025 20:21 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0
Differentiation and adaptation among fishers in Western Canada: Evidence for validity of Pekania pennanti columbiana subspecies - Stacks Journal Peer-reviewed research - Differentiation and adaptation among fishers in Western Canada: Evidence for validity of Pekania pennanti columbiana subspecies

New #fisher research in BC reveals there is a distinct population—morphologically, ecologically, & evolutionarily.

Does this mean the long-suspected subspecies is finally confirmed?

New research from @richweir.bsky.social and the Martes Working Group asked this important question. 🌎🧪🦊

A 🧵

22.05.2025 20:21 — 👍 5    🔁 3    💬 1    📌 1

We desperately need innovation in #ScientificPublishing.

That’s why we created our new model of double-blind collaborative #peerreview to be transparent, credible, and fair.

Reviewers are even calling it fun & refreshing — 2 words I don’t think anyone has ever said about peer review.

🧪

15.04.2025 18:24 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Did you know 50-70% of credible science is never published? We're missing out on a lot of information!

One of our goals is to make it easier to peer review & publish datasets, small studies, & negative results.

We all deserve to make an impact with our findings, regardless of how splashy they are.

06.03.2025 19:55 — 👍 3    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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#DefendResearch We call on members of the worldwide scholarly communication community – researchers, policy-makers, scholarly societies, libraries, higher education and research institutions, publishers, funders, and...

Scholarly publishing should be a platform for all credible science to be easily peer-reviewed & added to the public domain without censorship.

That's why we signed the Declaration to Defend Research Against Government Censorship.

Science is too important.

#DefendResearch #ScientificPublishing

04.03.2025 20:32 — 👍 4    🔁 2    💬 0    📌 0

Open and transparent peer review should be the norm in #ScientificPublishing. It increases trust in the peer review process and in the published literature.

Our collaborative peer review is double-blind to focus on the science, but then transparent upon publication.

The best of both worlds!

11.02.2025 22:58 — 👍 3    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0

Glad you appreciate our mission to make scientific publishing more affordable, collaborative, and accessible!

Yes -- we are growing in so many fields right now. Thanks for joining us and helping to spread the word.

05.02.2025 03:21 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Want to learn the story behind why our Founder @ecologistgreen.bsky.social decided to leave his Faculty position and start Stacks Journal?

04.02.2025 00:49 — 👍 4    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0

Want to learn the story behind why our Founder @ecologistgreen.bsky.social decided to leave his Faculty position and start Stacks Journal?

04.02.2025 00:49 — 👍 4    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0

Right now we're funded by our Founder @ecologistgreen.bsky.social, who cashed in his pension from working at a large university to start Stacks Journal.

28.01.2025 22:01 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

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