Sapsucker Wells as a Keystone Nutritional Resource: Evaluating Methods for Detection of Secondary Sap Consumers

ABSTRACT North American sapsuckers are considered double keystone species because they (1) excavate nest cavities that are used by other birds, small mammals, and invertebrates, and (2) create and maintain sap wells, a temporary nutritional resource available to a variety of secondary consumers. Most previous reports of secondary sap consumption relied on human observers and were based on either brief or incidental observations. However, modern technology can greatly enhance observational techniques and provide additional insights into the functional, community‐level importance of sap wells. We used visual surveys, camera traps, and environmental DNA (eDNA) to identify secondary consumers of sap from wells created by red‐naped ( Sphyrapicus nuchalis ) and Williamson's ( S. thyroideus ) sapsuckers among three functional groups of shrubs and trees in south‐central Colorado: shrub willows ( Salix spp.), Rocky Mountain maple ( Acer glabrum ), and conifer trees (Pinopsida). Camera traps and eDNA revealed additional sap‐well visitors not identified from direct observations. Camera traps were effective for detecting nocturnal sap‐well visitors such as small rodents as well as occasional diurnal visitors. Environmental DNA analyses corroborated findings from other methods and identified four additional taxa as possible sap consumers. The physiology of sap‐well visitors, such as the ability to taste and assimilate compounds within sap, may aid in determining consumption versus contact when evaluating the results of eDNA analyses. Total vertebrate taxa detected using all 3 methods included 17 bird taxa in 10 families within 3 orders and 8 mammal taxa in 6 families within 4 orders. Shrub‐willow sap wells attracted the most diverse vertebrate taxa (23), followed by Rocky Mountain maple (13) and conifer trees (10). Invertebrates in 13 families within 3 orders were observed feeding from sap wells during visual surveys. Because many secondary sap consumers perform ecological services such as pollination, seed dispersal, and pest control, the methods described here may aid in elucidating the importance of sap‐well creators in supporting biodiversity and ecosystem functioning.