Marc P. Hayes Washington Department of FISH AND WILDLIFE Amphibians and Forested Wetlands.

Marc P. Hayes

WashingtonWashingtonDepartment Department

ofofFISH ANDFISH ANDWILDLIFEWILDLIFE

AmphibiansAmphibiansandand

Forested WetlandsForested Wetlands

Forested Wetland AmphibiansForested Wetland Amphibians

• NO PNW amphibian studies have focused specifically on forested wetlands

MAJOR DATA GAP:MAJOR DATA GAP:Amphibian species richness and relative

abundance among forested wetland categories virtually unknown

Why the Data Gap?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)

Truth?Truth?

Amphibiansand

Forested WetlandsDiverse in PNW

Amphibian DiversityAmphibian DiversityBased in part on use of reproductive habitat:

Flowing water

Ian Britton

Uplands

Alfred University

or Stillwater

National Park Service

Reproduction ONLYReproduction ONLY Part of Story Part of Story

ReproductiveHabitat

Active-SeasonHabitatOverwintering

Habitat

Forested Wetland Forested Wetland Amphibians Amphibians

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

Forested Wetland Forested Wetland AmphibiansAmphibians

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

FWFW/FFRFFR Amphibian Species Richness Amphibian Species Richness

13/3

14/4 14/3

11/3

10/1 1/0

2/0

2/1

Amphibian Abundance and Survival

Hydrology

Geology

Light/Heat NutrientsOrganicMatter

Vegetation Climate

Substrate

Forest Management

PhysicalHabitat Features

Nutrient AvailabilityBiological Production

Forest WetlandSystems

Potential ChangesPotential Changesin Forested Wetlandsin 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?

Seep Area and TorrentSeep Area and Torrentor Seep Salamander Densityor Seep Salamander Density

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

0.0001 0.001 0.01 0.1 1

Consequence of Watered Area Consequence of Watered Area or Hydroperiod Changesor 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

Consequence of Successional Consequence of Successional ChangesChanges

• 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

Consequence of Organic Consequence of Organic Storage or Nutrient ChangesStorage 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

W. P. Leonard

H. Welsh

Life History:

Larvae: grazersin flowing water

Juveniles and adults:insectivorous, can useaquatic or terrestrialhabitats

Adults reproducein moderate to highflow habitats

Tailed Frogs (Tailed Frogs (AscaphusAscaphus))2 Species in Washington2 Species in Washington

All FFR Species

Tailed Frogs: Habitat PictureTailed Frogs: Habitat Picture

Reproduction:Streams

Active-Season:??????Overwintering:

??????

W. P. Leonard

Torrent or Seep SalamandersTorrent or Seep Salamanders((RhyacotritonRhyacotriton))

3 Species in Washington3 Species in WashingtonAll FFR SpeciesAll FFR SpeciesLife History:

Larvae, Juveniles andAdults: insectivorous,use wet or saturatedhabitats

Reproduction in lowflow habitats

Torrent or Seep Torrent or Seep Salamanders: Habitat PictureSalamanders: Habitat Picture

Reproduction:Seeps??

Streams??

Active-Season:Seeps, Springsand Streams

Overwintering:??????

W. P. Leonard

Lungless SalamandersLungless SalamandersVan Dyke’s SalamanderVan Dyke’s Salamander ((Plethodon vandykeiPlethodon vandykei))

FFR Species

Life History:

Juveniles andAdults: insectivorous,use saturated ordripping wet habitats

No larval stage(direct development),reproduction in moistterrestrial site; femaleparental care

Van Dyke’s Salamander: Van Dyke’s Salamander: Habitat PictureHabitat Picture

Reproduction:Moist LWD??

or Talus??

Active-Season:Highly Wetted

Sites??Overwintering:??????

Matthew G. Hunter

Life History:

Juveniles andAdults: insectivorous,use moist streammargin habitats

No larval stage(direct development),reproduction in moistterrestrial site; femaleparental care

Lungless Salamanders:Lungless Salamanders:Dunn’s SalamanderDunn’s Salamander ((Plethodon dunniPlethodon dunni))

FFR Species

Dunn’s Salamander:Dunn’s Salamander:Habitat PictureHabitat Picture

Reproduction:Moist LWD??

or Talus??

Active-Season:Highly Wetted

Sites??Overwintering:??????

Life History:

Larvae, Juveniles andAdults: insectivorous

Larvae: streamsJuveniles and Adults:moist terrestrialhabitats

Reproduction: streams;female parental care

Giant SalamandersGiant Salamanders ((DicamptodonDicamptodon))

2 Non-FFR Species

W. P. Leonard

W. P. Leonard

Cope’s Giant Salamander

Coastal Giant Salamander

Other Lungless SalamandersOther Lungless Salamanders3 Non-FFR Species

Life History:

Juveniles andAdults: insectivorous,use moist terrestrialhabitats

No larval stage(direct development),reproduction in moistterrestrial site; femaleparental care

W. P. Leonard

W. P. Leonard

W. P. Leonard

Western Red-backed Salamander

Ensatina

Larch Mt. Salamander

Ranid or True Frogs (Ranid or True Frogs (RanaRana))2 Non-FFR Species

Life History:

Larvae: pond grazersJuveniles/Adults:insectivorous-carnivorous

Larvae: pondsJuveniles and Adults:moist terrestrial oraquatic habitats

Reproduction: openstillwater habitats

W. P. Leonard

W. P. Leonard

Northern Red-legged Frog

Cascades Frog

Life History:

Larvae: pond grazersJuveniles/Adults:insectivorous-carnivorous

Larvae: pondsJuveniles and Adults:moist terrestrial habitats

Reproduction: openstillwater habitats

Other Frogs and ToadsOther Frogs and Toads2 Non-FFR SpeciesPacific Treefrog or Chorus Frog

Western Toad

Life History:

Larvae/Juveniles/Adults:insectivorous-carnivorous

Larvae: pondsJuveniles and Adults:moist terrestrial habitats

Reproduction: stillwaterhabitats

3 Non-FFR Species

Other SalamandersOther Salamanders

R. B. Forbes

Long-toed Salamander

Northwestern Salamander

Rough-skinned Newt

Key NeedsKey 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).