From spider behavior to salamander pheromones, researchers with the Highlands Biological Station are seemingly undaunted by the finer, even obscure points of mountain ecology.

They will present a sampling of their research projects at 7 p.m. July 5 at the Highlands Nature Center as part of the Zahner Conservation Lecture Series, a weekly summer program on various ecology, nature and science topics.

One segment of the program will cover the history of Dulany Bog in Cashiers, which is home to carnivorous plant species. Researchers are evaluating the plant communities in and around this prime example of a Southern Appalachian Bog, with rare habitat that is home to many unusual or endangered species, including pitcher plants and swamp pink. 

Other researchers will discuss the behavior and ecology of sub-social spiders, as well as pheromone activities in salamanders. More species of salamanders exist in the Southern Appalachians than anywhere else in the world.

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