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Amphibians and Forested Wetlands

Amphibians and Forested Wetlands. Washington Department of FISH AND WILDLIFE. Marc P. Hayes. Forested Wetland Amphibians. NO PNW amphibian studies have focused specifically on forested wetlands MAJOR DATA GAP:

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Amphibians and Forested Wetlands

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  1. AmphibiansandForested Wetlands Washington Department of FISH AND WILDLIFE Marc P. Hayes

  2. Forested Wetland Amphibians • NO PNW amphibian studies have focused specifically on forested wetlands MAJOR DATA GAP: Amphibian species richness and relative abundance among forested wetland categories virtually unknown

  3. Why the Data Gap? • Wetland studies exist, BUT • Estuarine and stillwater emphasis • Foci - Open (non-forested) habitats: estuaries saline; most easily sampled habitat in freshwaters • Biases: Amphibians rare in bogs • Ignorance of selected wetland types (e.g., sloping fens)

  4. Truth? Amphibians and Forested Wetlands Diverse in PNW

  5. Flowing water Ian Britton Uplands Alfred University or Stillwater National Park Service Amphibian Diversity Based in part on use of reproductive habitat:

  6. Reproduction ONLY Part of Story Reproductive Habitat Active-Season Habitat Overwintering Habitat

  7. Forested Wetland Amphibians • 19 (76%) amphibian species in Washington have a high likelihood of using forested wetland habitat for at least one of their life stages

  8. Forested Wetland Amphibians • All 7 FFR amphibians in Washington have been documented using forested wetland habitat for at least one of their life stages

  9. FW/FFR Amphibian Species Richness 2/0 11/3 13/3 10/1 1/0 14/4 14/3 2/1

  10. Forest WetlandSystems Forest Management Vegetation Geology Climate Hydrology Light/Heat Organic Matter Nutrients Substrate Physical Habitat Features Nutrient Availability Biological Production Amphibian Abundance and Survival

  11. Potential Changesin Forested Wetlands • Watered area or hydroperiod • Succession • Organic storage or nutrient inputs • Exotic biota • Other possibilities Leads to changes in amphibian abundance or species richness?

  12. Seep Area and Torrentor Seep Salamander Density

  13. Consequence of Watered Area or Hydroperiod Changes • Decreases in watered areas may reduce: available habitat (temporary?) number of habitat units (local extirpation?) • Increases in watered areas may: increase available habitat reduce distinguishable habitat unit • Decreases in hydroperiod may: eliminate longer-hydroperiod requiring species alter refuge habitat quality for some species • Increases in hydroperiod may: add longer-hydroperiod requiring species increase accessibility of fish and exotics

  14. Consequence of Successional Changes • Increased shading of stillwater forested wetlands (i.e., bogs and fens) may reduce diversity of stillwater-breeding amphibians. • Decrease shading may do the reverse assuming all else is equal • Increased shading of flowing water forested wetlands may reduce the relatively abundance of grazing amphibian • Decrease shading of flowing water forested wetlands may do the reverse assuming all else is equal

  15. Consequence of Organic Storage or Nutrient Changes • Increased nutrient loading may accelerate succession in bogs or fens, which could alter the diversity stillwater-breeding amphibians If a bog was pH limited (3.8 or below), such loading may at least initially increase stillwater- breeding amphibians diversity. If a bog was not pH limited, such loading may decrease the stillwater amphibian diversity. • Increased woody debris/slash may favor stillwater- breeding amphibians that use such for reproduction or refuge

  16. Tailed Frogs (Ascaphus) 2 Species in Washington All FFR Species W. P. Leonard H. Welsh Life History: Larvae: grazers in flowing water Juveniles and adults: insectivorous, can use aquatic or terrestrial habitats Adults reproduce in moderate to high flow habitats

  17. Tailed Frogs: Habitat Picture Reproduction: Streams Active-Season: ?????? Overwintering: ??????

  18. Torrent or Seep Salamanders (Rhyacotriton) 3 Species in Washington All FFR Species W. P. Leonard Life History: Larvae, Juveniles and Adults: insectivorous, use wet or saturated habitats Reproduction in low flow habitats

  19. Torrent or Seep Salamanders: Habitat Picture Reproduction: Seeps?? Streams?? Active-Season: Seeps, Springs and Streams Overwintering: ??????

  20. Lungless Salamanders Van Dyke’s Salamander (Plethodon vandykei) FFR Species W. P. Leonard Life History: Juveniles and Adults: insectivorous, use saturated or dripping wet habitats No larval stage (direct development), reproduction in moist terrestrial site; female parental care

  21. Van Dyke’s Salamander: Habitat Picture Reproduction: Moist LWD?? or Talus?? Active-Season: Highly Wetted Sites?? Overwintering: ??????

  22. Lungless Salamanders: Dunn’s Salamander (Plethodon dunni) FFR Species Matthew G. Hunter Life History: Juveniles and Adults: insectivorous, use moist stream margin habitats No larval stage (direct development), reproduction in moist terrestrial site; female parental care

  23. Dunn’s Salamander:Habitat Picture Reproduction: Moist LWD?? or Talus?? Active-Season: Highly Wetted Sites?? Overwintering: ??????

  24. Giant Salamanders (Dicamptodon) Cope’s Giant Salamander 2 Non-FFRSpecies W. P. Leonard Coastal Giant Salamander W. P. Leonard Life History: Larvae, Juveniles and Adults: insectivorous Larvae: streams Juveniles and Adults: moist terrestrial habitats Reproduction: streams; female parental care

  25. Other Lungless Salamanders 3 Non-FFRSpecies Western Red-backed Salamander Ensatina W. P. Leonard W. P. Leonard W. P. Leonard Larch Mt. Salamander Life History: Juveniles and Adults: insectivorous, use moist terrestrial habitats No larval stage (direct development), reproduction in moist terrestrial site; female parental care

  26. Ranid or True Frogs (Rana) 2 Non-FFRSpecies Northern Red-legged Frog W. P. Leonard Cascades Frog  W. P. Leonard Life History: Larvae: pond grazers Juveniles/Adults: insectivorous-carnivorous Larvae: ponds Juveniles and Adults: moist terrestrial or aquatic habitats Reproduction: open stillwater habitats

  27. Other Frogs and Toads 2 Non-FFRSpecies Pacific Treefrog or Chorus Frog Western Toad Life History: Larvae: pond grazers Juveniles/Adults: insectivorous-carnivorous Larvae: ponds Juveniles and Adults: moist terrestrial habitats Reproduction: open stillwater habitats

  28. Other Salamanders 3 Non-FFRSpecies Long-toed Salamander Northwestern Salamander R. B. Forbes Rough-skinned Newt Life History: Larvae/Juveniles/Adults: insectivorous-carnivorous Larvae: ponds Juveniles and Adults: moist terrestrial habitats Reproduction: stillwater habitats

  29. Key Needs • Life-stage specific diversity of amphibians across forested wetlands types needs to be understood. • For FFR amphibian taxa, the biggest gaps in potential significant use of forested wetlands is as active-season or overwintering habitat • Selected potentially high sensitivity forested wetlands categories (e.g., sloping fens) need study to address their importance to selected FFR species (e.g., Van Dyke’s salamander).

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