Woodland Salamanders and Timber Harvests

Woodland Salamanders and Timber HarvestsJami MacNeilMS Graduate StudentPurdue University

Northern slimy salamander from Illinois: http://ilherps.tripod.com/id281.html1What are salamanders?Herpetofauna

crawling or creeping animals

HerpsWhat are salamanders?AmphibiansReptilesSmooth skinNo claws

Scaly skinClaws

Ectotherms

All salamanders are amphibians: smooth skin (no scales) and no clawsReptiles have scales and clawsBoth amphibians and reptiles are ectotherms, or cold-bloodeduse environment and behavior to regulate temperature

American toad, wood frog, and eastern box turtle pics: J. MacNeilFive-lined skink, northern ring-necked snake, and southern two-lined salamander pics: K. Ramey

3What are woodland salamanders?Family: Plethodontidae

No lungs!

Nasolabial grooves

(Live in the woods!)

Largest salamander family in the world; lots of variationThese salamanders are generally small-bodied

Northern slimy salamander pic: J. MacNeil

4WETLANDforestPond-breedingAquatic larval stageTerrestrial breedersDirect development

What are woodland salamanders?

Photo credits: Egg mass pic: K. RameyLarval spotted salamander pic: http://www.virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com/amphibians/salamanders/spotted-salamander/spotted_salamander.htmAdult red-backed salamander with eggs: Plethodon cinereus wikipedia site, which cites http://www.geocities.com/plethodon.cinereus/Juvenile zigzag salamander in hand, N. slimy salamander, n. zigzag salamander, eastern red-backed salamander pics: J. MacNeilBlue-spotted salamander pic: unknown webpageSmall-mouthed salamander pic: unknown webpageSpotted salamander pic:http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/amphibians/spotted-salamander/5Life History FactsHabitatSoil, leaves, rocks, logs

ActivityAfter dusk in spring and fallAfter rainfallDietInvertebratesMatingLate fall to early springLive in soil, leaf litter, and under rocks and logs on forest floorStay hidden in moist areas during hot, dry, or cold periodsActive at dusk and dawn, especially after rainfallForage for: ants, termites, spiders, other invertebratesMate from late fall to early spring

n. slimy salamander on leaf litter pic: J. MacNeil6Role in Forest EcosystemsNutrient cycling

Regulate invertebrates

Regulate decomposers

Abundant

If you care about forests, you should care about salamanders! Reasons to care about forests: Paper products Logging industry (jobs)Oxygen productionCO2 productionWildlifeRecreation

Salamanders eat small invertebrates in soil, then become prey to larger animals (sm. mammals, birds, snakes), passing nutrients up food chain

Red-backed salamander pic: J. MacNeil

7Bio-indicatorsEasier to monitor one species than ALL

Important to forest ecosystems

Sensitive Need moistureSmall home rangeTerritorial

n. zigzag salamander pic: J. MacNeil8Hardwood Ecosystem Experiment (HEE)How does timber management affect forest ecosystems in Indiana?

100 year study

Joint effort of IDNR, division of forestry, and multiple universities in the state, including PurdueStarted in 2006 (pre-harvest sampling)First round of experimental harvests were conducted 2008

9Hardwood Ecosystem Experiment (HEE)Morgan-Monroe and Yellowwood State Forests

3 TreatmentsControlEven-agedUneven-aged

3 Replicates

MorganMonroeBrown 123456789Control: no cutEven-aged: 2 10acre clearcuts, 2 10 acre shelterwoodsUneven-aged: 8 1-5acre group cuts, single tree selection throughout

10HEE: SalamandersGoals: Determine how harvests affect relative abundanceDetermine how harvests affect species richness

HEE clearcut in unit 9 (off Crooked Creek Rd.; harvest 1901, conducted in 2008, pic taken June 2010): J. MacNeil11Sampling Methods for HerpsVisual encounter

Drift fences

Natural cover objects

Nighttime surveys

Auditory surveys

Radio telemetry

Visual (snakes, turtles)hand capturesDrift fences (many herps)-pitfall traps-funnel trapsNatural cover objects -area-constrained-time-constrainedNighttime surveys (headlamps)Auditory (for vocal species only)Radio telemetry (high cost, labor intensive, stress to animals)(Minnow traps, hoop net traps, etc for aquatic or semi-aquatic species only)

Drift fence and pitfall trap pic: http://www.bio.davidson.edu/people/midorcas/research/StResearch/driftfence.htm12HEE: SalamandersArtificial Cover Objects (ACOs)Wood boards (12x12)Grids (30 boards each)

Cover boards are non-destructive, relatively cheap and long-lasting, effective for plethodontids

Pics: J. MacNeil

13

HEE clearcut in back of unit 9 (off Crooked Creek Rd.; harvest 1904, conducted in 2008, pic taken fall 2009): J. MacNeil14HEE: Salamanders84 cover board grids

30 boards per grid

2520 boards!

HEE: SalamandersChecked bi-weekly, spring and fall

Checked every other week during the spring and fall.

Record species and age class of each salamander.

Left: coverboard pic, J. MacNeilRight: Heather Holzhauer, Purdue undergrad; pic by J. MacNeil16

Encounters under a single board range from zero to 14 (in these extreme cases most individuals are immature).

Above: one strip; red red-back, two unstriped (either REBA or ZIZA) and one striped zigzag; pics by J. MacNeil17REBA61%All others