Comments on: A woods named Fred http://www.vianegativa.us/2007/06/a-woods-named-fred/ How can we live without the unknown before us? —Rene Char Sun, 12 Feb 2012 19:48:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Dave Bonta http://www.vianegativa.us/2007/06/a-woods-named-fred/#comment-4907 Dave Bonta Mon, 01 Nov 2010 02:20:05 +0000 http://www.vianegativa.us/2007/06/04/a-woods-named-fred/#comment-4907 Geez, I have no idea! If you find out, please come back and leave another comment -- I'd like to know, too. Geez, I have no idea! If you find out, please come back and leave another comment — I’d like to know, too.

]]> By: Jeff Berkoben http://www.vianegativa.us/2007/06/a-woods-named-fred/#comment-4906 Jeff Berkoben Mon, 01 Nov 2010 00:46:33 +0000 http://www.vianegativa.us/2007/06/04/a-woods-named-fred/#comment-4906 I hiked this trail with my wife last week and enjoyed it but I want to find out how Fred Woods was killed on duty? I searched the Internet but found nothing. Any help would be appreciated. I hiked this trail with my wife last week and enjoyed it but I want to find out how Fred Woods was killed on duty? I searched the Internet but found nothing. Any help would be appreciated.

]]> By: Via Negativa » Blog Archive » IRFD 2: Halls of the mountain millipede http://www.vianegativa.us/2007/06/a-woods-named-fred/#comment-4905 Via Negativa » Blog Archive » IRFD 2: Halls of the mountain millipede Mon, 03 Sep 2007 01:52:30 +0000 http://www.vianegativa.us/2007/06/04/a-woods-named-fred/#comment-4905 [...] What I found was nothing rare, but beautiful nonetheless. The Narceus millipedes, as I mentioned here a while back, are superabundant composters of forest litter throughout the northeast, where they apparently serve as a significant reservoir of calcium and phosphorus in otherwise acid, well-drained mountaintop soils. Out here on the powerline, where the leaf litter is thin to nonexistent, it makes sense that they would shelter under rocks. [...] [...] What I found was nothing rare, but beautiful nonetheless. The Narceus millipedes, as I mentioned here a while back, are superabundant composters of forest litter throughout the northeast, where they apparently serve as a significant reservoir of calcium and phosphorus in otherwise acid, well-drained mountaintop soils. Out here on the powerline, where the leaf litter is thin to nonexistent, it makes sense that they would shelter under rocks. [...]

]]> By: Burning Silo » Blog Archive » read or seen and enjoyed http://www.vianegativa.us/2007/06/a-woods-named-fred/#comment-4904 Burning Silo » Blog Archive » read or seen and enjoyed Thu, 14 Jun 2007 12:58:11 +0000 http://www.vianegativa.us/2007/06/04/a-woods-named-fred/#comment-4904 [...] * Dave at Via Negativa recently wrote a two-part photo essay on a hike along the Fred Woods Trail in Pennsylvania's Elk State Forest. Here are parts one, and two. [...] [...] * Dave at Via Negativa recently wrote a two-part photo essay on a hike along the Fred Woods Trail in Pennsylvania’s Elk State Forest. Here are parts one, and two. [...]

]]> By: Via Negativa » Blog Archive » Rock city http://www.vianegativa.us/2007/06/a-woods-named-fred/#comment-4903 Via Negativa » Blog Archive » Rock city Tue, 05 Jun 2007 21:06:17 +0000 http://www.vianegativa.us/2007/06/04/a-woods-named-fred/#comment-4903 [...] This is a continuation of yesterday’s post, A woods named Fred. [...] [...] This is a continuation of yesterday’s post, A woods named Fred. [...]

]]> By: Dave http://www.vianegativa.us/2007/06/a-woods-named-fred/#comment-4902 Dave Tue, 05 Jun 2007 17:20:54 +0000 http://www.vianegativa.us/2007/06/04/a-woods-named-fred/#comment-4902 marly - Oh, okay! Your sense of humor is just too sophisticated for me (I slept through Latin class in high school). bev - Thanks for weighing in. At the risk of heresy, I'd suggest that for ecological purposes, it probably doesn't matter terribly much which Narceus we have. But it is somewhat surprising that scientists don't know more about them, and are still arguing about nomenclature. Quoting from your email, if I may: "There doesn't seem to be a great deal of info around on these (or any) millipedes, which is amazing considering how important they are to forest ecology and the composition of earth in general. When I'm messing around looking for these millipedes in the leaf mulch, under pieces of wood, etc.. the amount of frass that they produce is incredible. They're just big 'composting tubes'." Folks should remember that earthworms are not native above roughly the Mason-Dixon line, and that therefore the earthworm composter niche is filled by other invertebrates, such as millipedes, in northern forests. marly – Oh, okay! Your sense of humor is just too sophisticated for me (I slept through Latin class in high school).

bev – Thanks for weighing in. At the risk of heresy, I’d suggest that for ecological purposes, it probably doesn’t matter terribly much which Narceus we have. But it is somewhat surprising that scientists don’t know more about them, and are still arguing about nomenclature. Quoting from your email, if I may: “There doesn’t seem to be a great deal of info around on these (or any) millipedes, which is amazing considering how important they are to forest ecology and the composition of earth in general. When I’m messing around looking for these millipedes in the leaf mulch, under pieces of wood, etc.. the amount of frass that they produce is incredible. They’re just big ‘composting tubes’.”

Folks should remember that earthworms are not native above roughly the Mason-Dixon line, and that therefore the earthworm composter niche is filled by other invertebrates, such as millipedes, in northern forests.

]]> By: bev http://www.vianegativa.us/2007/06/a-woods-named-fred/#comment-4901 bev Tue, 05 Jun 2007 15:10:48 +0000 http://www.vianegativa.us/2007/06/04/a-woods-named-fred/#comment-4901 Beautiful photos. It's the time of year for the millipedes to be out and about. They do seem to move along trails as though they were highways. Unfortunately, a lot of hikers don't notice them, so there are many casualties. I'm not sure which species of Narceus you would have there (see my email) - I'm guessing it could actually be N. americanus in your region. Up here, it's supposed to be N. annularis, but I'm not sure just how far south that would extend. Beautiful photos. It’s the time of year for the millipedes to be out and about. They do seem to move along trails as though they were highways. Unfortunately, a lot of hikers don’t notice them, so there are many casualties. I’m not sure which species of Narceus you would have there (see my email) – I’m guessing it could actually be N. americanus in your region. Up here, it’s supposed to be N. annularis, but I’m not sure just how far south that would extend.

]]> By: marly http://www.vianegativa.us/2007/06/a-woods-named-fred/#comment-4900 marly Tue, 05 Jun 2007 13:29:37 +0000 http://www.vianegativa.us/2007/06/04/a-woods-named-fred/#comment-4900 I didn't mean the millipede! I meant the giant walking-stick in your final photograph! I didn’t mean the millipede! I meant the giant walking-stick in your final photograph!

]]> By: Dave http://www.vianegativa.us/2007/06/a-woods-named-fred/#comment-4899 Dave Tue, 05 Jun 2007 12:36:47 +0000 http://www.vianegativa.us/2007/06/04/a-woods-named-fred/#comment-4899 marly - Actually, I think it might be <em>Narceus americanus</em>, closely related to <em>N. annularis</em>. I think I'll edit the post to reflect that uncertainty - but in the meantime, I'll ask <a href="http://magickcanoe.com/millipede/narceus-millipede1.html" rel="nofollow">Bev</a> (which I probably should've done in the first place). Larry, Lucy - Glad you liked! I'll try and get the second part up today. marly – Actually, I think it might be Narceus americanus, closely related to N. annularis. I think I’ll edit the post to reflect that uncertainty – but in the meantime, I’ll ask Bev (which I probably should’ve done in the first place).

Larry, Lucy – Glad you liked! I’ll try and get the second part up today.

]]> By: Lucy http://www.vianegativa.us/2007/06/a-woods-named-fred/#comment-4898 Lucy Tue, 05 Jun 2007 12:22:22 +0000 http://www.vianegativa.us/2007/06/04/a-woods-named-fred/#comment-4898 Leaf litter and its inhabitants are endlessly fascinating and photegenic. Leaf litter and its inhabitants are endlessly fascinating and photegenic.

]]>