Predicting Amphibian Occurrence Based on Wetland and Landscape Level Factors in Montana

Predicting Amphibian Occurrence Based on Wetland and Landscape Level Factors in Montana
Author: Catherine Anne McIntyre
Publisher:
Total Pages: 154
Release: 2011
Genre: Amphibians
ISBN:

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Amphibians have a complex life history that requires a mosaic of habitats, including breeding, foraging, and over-wintering areas. Historically, regulators have focused on wetland breeding habitat quality to explain amphibian presence. Recently, other habitat requirements including landscape level factors have been examined. Data collected from amphibian surveys in Montana were used to determine if wetland quality factors or landscape level factors were better determinants of amphibian occurrence at breeding sites. Twenty-six habitat models were constructed a priori for eight species of amphibians in Montana. This included five models containing parameters associated with wetland quality, ten landscape level models, and ten models that combined both local and landscape covariates. Logistic regression analysis with an information theoretic approach was used to select the best approximating model. Results indicate that habitat models including only wetland variables were not good predictors of presence for most amphibians. The landscape scale at which habitat models were best supported varied among species and was consistent with differing life history traits. The presence of Ambystoma macrodactylum, the western population of Ambystoma tigrinum, Bufo boreas, and Rana luteiventris was best predicted by landscape covariates. Models with a combination of local and landscape covariates were best supported for Rana pipiens, Bufo woodhousii, Pseudacris maculata, and Pseudacris regilla. The probability of Ambystoma macrodactylum presence is highest at breeding sites that are surrounded by forested areas. The western population of Ambystoma tigrinum was positively associated with an increased distance to forest and a higher density of wetlands around a breeding site. The eastern population of Ambystoma tigrinum was negatively associated with higher elevations. Bufo boreas and Rana luteiventris were positively associated with increased forest within 1,000 m, and negatively associated with increased distance to forest and aquatic sites in an agricultural landscape. Bufo woodhousii and Pseudacris maculata were positively associated with open landscapes dominated by natural grasses. The presence of Rana pipiens was positively associated with open landscapes dominated by natural grasses. This project highlights the importance of maintaining intact landscapes around amphibian breeding ponds in order to meet the habitat requirements of amphibians during all stages of their life cycle.

State-wide Assessment of Status, Predicted Distribution, and Landscape-level Habitat Suitability of Amphibians and Reptiles in Montana

State-wide Assessment of Status, Predicted Distribution, and Landscape-level Habitat Suitability of Amphibians and Reptiles in Montana
Author: Bryce Alan Maxell
Publisher:
Total Pages: 294
Release: 2009
Genre: Amphibians
ISBN:

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State-wide assessment of status, predicted distribution, and landscape-level habitat suitability of amphibians and reptiles in Montana.

Ecological Memory in Farmed Landscapes

Ecological Memory in Farmed Landscapes
Author: Erim Gomez
Publisher:
Total Pages: 44
Release: 2011
Genre: Palouse River Watershed (Idaho and Wash.)
ISBN:

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Climate Change and Ecological Models of Amphibian Communities in Palouse Prairie Wetlands

Climate Change and Ecological Models of Amphibian Communities in Palouse Prairie Wetlands
Author: Erim Gomez
Publisher:
Total Pages: 104
Release: 2020
Genre: Amphibians
ISBN:

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Most wetlands in Palouse Prairie have been lost due to intensive agricultural development and amphibians now occupy a transformed landscape dominated by human use. I used machine learning statistical techniques to evaluate the performance of 30 environmental variables to predict the occurrence of 7 species of amphibians in 99 wetlands in Palouse Prairie and the Columbia River Basin of central Washington. Algorithmic models generally used about 3-5 ecological, landscape, or spatial variables to correctly predict amphibian occupancy in wetlands with high accuracy. These models demonstrate the adverse effects of non-native fish on pond-breeding amphibians and the importance of different wetland hydroperiods and ecological settings to influence amphibian breeding and conservation in novel human-dominated ecosystems.Ephemeral wetlands are productive for many breeding amphibian species partly because they dry up seasonally and are devoid of predatory fish. However, increasing temperatures and altered precipitation patterns that accompany global climate change may threaten these ecosystems if wetlands dry before amphibians can undergo metamorphosis. I studied growth dynamics of long-toed salamanders in Palouse Prairie wetlands to evaluate the hypothesis that growth was influenced by wetland periodicity and that salamander larva would be forced to emerge at a smaller body size in seasonally-flooded wetlands. I used machine learning modeling techniques to compare sizes of salamander larvae among different wetlands across time, elevation, and spatial landscapes in Palouse Prairie and found that size distributions were smaller in ephemeral ponds that dried more quickly and larger in more permanent wetlands. Salamanders originating from ephemeral wetlands were smaller as adults than were those coming from permanent wetlands suggesting a developmental penalty or genetic differences. If climate change alters the seasonal flooding dynamics of wetlands, it may influence population dynamics and survival of amphibians in Palouse Prairie wetlands.

Evaluating Amphibian Occurrence Models and the Importance of Small, Isolated Wetlands in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreational Area

Evaluating Amphibian Occurrence Models and the Importance of Small, Isolated Wetlands in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreational Area
Author: James T. Julian
Publisher:
Total Pages:
Release: 2009
Genre: Amphibians
ISBN:

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Isolated wetlands lack permanent stream connections to adjacent bodies of water, and are ecologically important because they can be the most abundant type of wetland in a region, and can harbor unique biological communities. Despite this, isolated wetlands are rarely protected by federal and state legislation, and federal agencies do not assess their abundance when reporting national trends in wetland losses. In this dissertation, I present the results from a field study that illustrates how the presence of small and isolated wetlands is important in maintaining populations of pond-breeding amphibians across the Delaware Water Gap National Recreational Area located in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. I found that stream connections at wetlands strongly influenced the occurrence patterns of five out of nine amphibian species studied, and species that bred earlier in the year were the most likely to occur at small and isolated wetlands. I used occurrence patterns at surveyed wetlands to predict the presence of amphibian species across the entire study area, and estimated that two-thirds of all species would lose at least half of their breeding sites if either isolated wetlands or small wetlands (

Montana Amphibian and Reptile Status Assessment, Literature Review, and Conservation Plan

Montana Amphibian and Reptile Status Assessment, Literature Review, and Conservation Plan
Author: Bryce Alan Maxell
Publisher:
Total Pages: 642
Release: 2009
Genre: Amphibians
ISBN:

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This document summarizes a great deal of information on the distribution, status, and biology of amphibians and reptiles known or thought to potentially inhabit Montana and is intended to become a dynamic living document that can be updated on a regular basis from research conducted in Montana or elsewhere. The document will be posted on the Montana Natural Heritage Programs website at http://nhp.nris.state.mt.us/reports.asp as well as Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Comprehensive Fish and Wildlife Conservation Strategy website at http://fwp.mt.gov/wildthings/cfwcs/swg/planning.html The document begins with taxonomic checklists for amphibians and reptiles that: (1) have been documented as native species; (2) are potentially present as native species; (3) have been documented as exotic species successfully reproducing in the state; (4) have been documented as successfully reproducing in the state but for which there is uncertainty about their status as native or exotic species; and (5) have been documented in the state but for which there is no evidence of successful reproduction. Presence and status ranks for amphibians and reptiles are then summarized for various land management regions in Montana and background information is provided as to why species were assigned these ranks and what the associated management implications are for each state, federal, or tribal agency. Status ranks are described for Global Ranks (G ranks) assigned to species by NatureServe and State Ranks (S ranks) assigned to species by the Montana Natural Heritage Program because they are often used by federal and state agencies when they are developing their own special status ranks for species they will give special protections or considerations in land use planning. Status ranks and summaries of distribution and/or site occupancy rates from recent amphibian inventory surveys are provided for: (1) Region 1 National Forests; (2) Bureau of Land Management Field Offices; (3) tribal reservations; (4) Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Regions; and (5) National Wildlife Refuges or refuge complexes. General habitat associations are then summarized in tables listing major habitat types and all of the amphibian and reptile species that are typically found in these habitats. Laws and regulations applicable to Montanas amphibians and reptiles are then summarized, including federal laws and regulations, tribal regulations, portions of Montana Code Annotated relevant to nongame and endangered species, and portions of Montana Code Annotated relevant to importation, introduction, and translocation of wildlife. A review of literature relevant to conservation of amphibians and reptiles includes sections on (1) ecological function and importance of amphibians and reptiles, (2) amphibian and reptile biology and disturbance regimes relevant to management, (3) risk factors relevant to the viability of amphibian and reptile populations including: (a) global amphibian declines; (b) timber harvest; (c) grazing; (d) fire and fire management activities; (e) nonindigenous species and their management; (f) road and trail development and on- and off-road vehicle use; (g) development and management of recreational facilities and water impoundments; (h) harvest and commerce; and (i) habitat fragmentation and metapopulation impacts. This review is currently somewhat biased toward amphibians, both because of the much higher recent concern over the status of amphibians and because this literature review drew from previous efforts focused on amphibians. Accounts for individual species then summarize what is known about the species distributition, taxonomy, maximum documented elevation, habitat use and natural history, and conservation status. Sections on identification of various life history stages and priority research and management issues are also included. Finally, an attempt was made to compile a complete bibliography of published and gray literature for each species in order to provide everyone easy access to this information. These accounts are intended to be updated on a regular basis in order to provide everyone access to the latest information. A contact list for members of the Montana Amphibian and Reptile Working Group is included in order to promote communication between agency biologists, resource managers, students, researchers, and anyone interested in the conservation of amphibians and reptiles in Montana. An overview of the statewide inventory and monitoring program for amphibians and reptiles provides background information on the sampling schemes used, methods used for surveys, and the survey forms used for a variety of amphibian inventory work. Watershed summaries for the lentic breeding amphibian and aquatic reptile surveys complete the current version of this report in order to provide resource managers easy access to this information. Georeferenced site photos associated with this inventory work have been posted on the Montana Natural Heritage Programs TRACKER website which can be accessed at: http://mtnhp.org It is recommended that users of this document first use the tables at the beginning of the document to identify management status, likelihood of a species presence in the area of interest, and the complement of species that are typically found in each general habitat type. Users should then examine individual species accounts in order gain a more thorough understanding of a species distribution, status, resource needs, factors that may pose a threat to population viability, and management actions that may mitigate these threats. Finally, users can review results of field surveys contained in individual watershed reports or see up-to-date distribution information for each species on the Montana Natural Heritage TRACKER website at: http://mtnhp.org

Predicting Breeding Habitat for Amphibians: a Spatiotemporal Analysis Across Yellowstone National Park

Predicting Breeding Habitat for Amphibians: a Spatiotemporal Analysis Across Yellowstone National Park
Author: Paul E. Bartelt
Publisher:
Total Pages: 18
Release: 2011
Genre: Amphibians
ISBN:

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The ability to predict amphibian breeding across landscapes is important for informing land management decisions and helping biologists better understand and remediate factors contributing to declines in amphibian populations. We built geospatial models of likely breeding habitats for each of four amphibian species that breed in Yellowstone National Park (YNP). We used field data collected in 2000?2002 from 497 sites among 16 basins and predictor variables from geospatial models produced from remotely sensed data (e.g., digital elevation model, complex topographic index, landform data, wetland probability, and vegetative cover). Except for 31 sites in one basin that were surveyed in both 2000 and 2002, all sites were surveyed once. We used polytomous regression to build statistical models for each species of amphibian from (1) field survey site data only, (2) field data combined with data from geospatial models, and (3) data from geospatial models only. Based on measures of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) scores, models of the second type best explained likely breeding habitat because they contained the most information (ROC values ranged from 0.70 to 0.88). However, models of the third type could be applied to the entire YNP landscape and produced maps that could be verified with reserve field data. Accuracy rates for models built for single years were highly variable, ranging from 0.30 to 0.78. Accuracy rates for models built with data combined from multiple years were higher and less variable, ranging from 0.60 to 0.80. Combining results from the geospatial multiyear models yielded maps of ?core? breeding areas (areas with high probability values for all three years) surrounded by areas that scored high for only one or two years, providing an estimate of variability among years. Such information can highlight landscape options for amphibian conservation. For example, our models identify alternative areas that could be protected for each species, including 6828?10 764 ha for tiger salamanders, 971?3017 ha for western toads, 4732?16 696 ha for boreal chorus frogs, and 4940?19 690 ha for Columbia spotted frogs.

Remote Sensing of Wetlands in Yellowstone National Park

Remote Sensing of Wetlands in Yellowstone National Park
Author: Christopher Kevin Wright
Publisher:
Total Pages: 173
Release: 2004
Genre: Amphibians
ISBN:

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As part of the Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative, satellite remote sensing was used to identify potential wetland amphibian habitat in Yellowstone National Park. Landsat Thematic Mapper imagery was combined with ancillary predictors of wetland occurrence including habitat type, cover type, landform type, bedrock geology, soil attributes, terrain measures, and climate data. Classification trees were used to predict the likelihood of palustrine wetland occurrence across the Yellowstone landscape. Wetland maps generated by this study are intended to address shortcomings of the National Wetland Inventory in Yellowstone; namely, errors-of-omission and the temporally invariant nature of the inventory. Relative importance of Thematic Mapper imagery, image texture information, terrain measures, and thematic spatial data were assessed by comparing the accuracy of classification trees trained with different subsets of predictors. In general, classification trees using all available predictors exhibited the greatest accuracy. Classification tree structure was similar in models generated with satellite imagery from different years. Also, similar accuracy rates were found across years. The results indicate that the method could be applied to annual wetland monitoring. Average producer's accuracy for the palustrine wetland class was approximately 0.92. Five palustrine wetland classes were discriminated with an average overall accuracy of approximately 0.83. A wetland map derived from a 1 August, 2003 Thematic Mapper image was field-verified in late-summer and early-autumn of 2003. The classification tree methodology appears to be sensitive to within-season wetland condition and yearly wetland variability. Satellite remote sensing located wetlands not mapped by the National Wetland Inventory and also identified upland sites erroneously classified as wetland. Methods developed by this study are general enough to be applied in other physiographic settings and should prove to be useful to amphibian conservation efforts over large geographic extents.