Geauga Park District

Transcription

1 Distribution, occurrence and diversity of salamander species in hemlock ravine habitats on Geauga Park District Lands Geauga Park District Final Report November, 2009

2 Geauga Park District 2009 Distribution, occurrence and diversity of salamander species in hemlock ravine habitat on Geauga Park District lands Jonathan White Abstract The focus of this study was to document evidence of the reproduction of bioindicator species necessary to qualify the surveyed locations as Class II or III Primary Headwater Habitat Streams (PHWH) as described by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) below*. Class III PHWH Stream (cool water adapted native fauna) Perennial streams Coldwater conditions Ground water fed Contain species of animals that have adapted to year around presence of cool water, such as certain salamander or fish species and insect larvae such as mayflies, stoneflies and caddisflies Demanding habitat requirements Salamander indicator species include: Northern two-lined salamander (Eurycea bislineata) Red salamander (Pseudotriton ruber) Class II - PHWH Stream (warm water adapted native fauna) Perennial or intermittent streams Warm water conditions Contain species of animals that are adapted to the warm water conditions found in these streams, such as certain amphibian or pioneering fish species and insect larvae such as dragonflies and damselflies Salamander indicator species include: Four-toed salamander (Hemidactylium scutatum) Mountain dusky salamander (Desmognathus ochrophaeus) Northern dusky salamander (Desmognathus f. fuscus) Northern longtail salamander (Eurycea longicauda) * Adapted from: Field Evaluation Manual for Ohio s Primary Headwater Streams, Ohio EPA, Division of Surface Water September 2002

3 FIELD SURVEYS: Field surveys were conducted during the 2009 field season. Surveys were conducted by hand, primarily in target streams and their immediate vicinity. Methodology consisted of documenting the GPS coordinates of the streams covered, with intermediate coordinate logging to verify the exact stretches of the stream that were surveyed. As individual salamanders or larvae were sighted and/or captured, they were noted on field data sheets that correspond to a given stretch of habitat. No trapping was performed in the surveys, all were performed manually; lifting logs, rocks and leaf litter as required. SPECIES INFORMATION AND MAP DESCRIPTION NOTES: Documented species were hand identified, some were visual only (no photo voucher), and others were photographed and later identified with the assistance of Dr. Timothy Matson, Curator of Vertebrate Zoology at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Maps were generated by downloading field data points into Google Earth directly from a Garmin etrex Vista HGX hand-held GPS unit. The coordinates on the data sheets are the start and end points of the particular stream surveyed. Photographs are of actual specimens taken in the field at the locations noted. Although the diversity of salamanders was not great, the presence of the Northern two-lined and Mountain dusky salamander will qualify all of the streams surveyed as at least Class II, and most as Class III. The Leech property should be noted as having a high proportion of erythristic morph Eastern redbacked salamanders, Plethodon cinereus. Also of note, at Big Creek, in the stream that flows from the pond near the Aspen Grove picnic area north to Big Creek, are the sheer numbers of Mountain dusky salamanders, Desmognathus ochrophaeus that were present. It was difficult to turn a rock without finding a Mountain dusky underneath it. Whitlam Woods was a prime area for the West Virginia White butterfly, Pieris virginiensis, a species in decline throughout its range.

4 The West Woods, West

5 Date:03/07/09 Site Name: The West Woods (West) Time:11.00 AM Township: Russell Weather: Temperature: 48 F. Last Rain: 12hrs. Sunny Pt. Cloudy Cloudy Water Characteristics: Temperature: 47 F; ph: 5.5 Water Type: Stream, Complete Surface Flow Fish present? No Location: 41 27'8.79"N 81 18'20.02"W 41 27'5.85"N 81 18'15.72"W Species Observed: Adult Juvenile Larvae Voucher Photo Mountain Dusky x x Northern Two-lined x x x Mayfly larvae, Ephemeroptera. Northern two-lined salamander larvae, Eurycea bislineata. Northern two-lined salamander larvae, Eurycea bislineata. Northern two-lined salamander larvae, Eurycea bislineata.

6 The West Woods, East

7 Date:05/31/09 Site Name: The West Woods (East) Time:11.30 AM Township: Newbury/Russell Weather: Temperature: 70 F. Last Rain: 24 hrs. Sunny Pt. Cloudy Cloudy Water Characteristics: Temperature: 54 F; ph: 5.0 Water Type: Stream, Complete Surface Flow Fish present? No Location: 41 27'37.16"N 81 17'41.99"W 41 27'38.74"N 81 17'47.72"W Species Observed: Adult Juvenile Larvae Voucher Photo Mountain Dusky x x Northern Two-lined x x Eastern red-backed x x Eastern red-backed salamander Plethodon cinereus. Northern two-lined salamander Eurycea bislineata. Mountain dusky salamander Desmognathus ochrophaeus.

8 Whitlam Woods

9 Date: 04/18/09 Site Name: Whitlam Woods Township: Chardon Time: 10:30 AM Weather: Temperature: 65 F. Last Rain: 48 hrs. Sunny Pt. Cloudy Cloudy Water Characteristics: Temperature: 53 F; ph: 5.5 Water Type: Stream, Complete Surface Flow Fish present? No Location: 41 37'55.40"N 81 11'22.89"W 41 38'5.16"N 81 11'31.24"W Species Observed: Adult Juvenile Larvae Voucher Photo Mountain Dusky x Northern Two-lined x x Red-backed x Northern two-lined salamander larvae, Eurycea bislineata. Northern two-lined salamander larvae, Eurycea bislineata. Northern two-lined salamander, Eurycea bislineata. Water Penny beetle, Coleoptera psephenidae.

10 Whitlam Woods, continued Northern two-lined salamander, Eurycea bislineata. West Virginia White butterfly, Pieris virginiensis Dragonfly nymph, Darner or Clubtail Sp. Odonata. Northern two-lined salamander larvae, Eurycea bislineata. Stonefly larvae, Plecoptera. Crane fly larvae, Tipulidae.

11 Date: 05/02/09 Site Name: Whitlam Woods Township: Chardon Time: 9:30 AM Weather: Temperature: 47 F. Last Rain: 12 hrs. Sunny Pt. Cloudy Cloudy Water Characteristics: Temperature: 53 F; ph: 5.5 Soil Characteristics: Saturated, Moist Water Type: Stream, Complete Surface Flow Fish present? No Location: 41 38'03.60"N 81 11'18.20"W 41 38'17.2"N 81 11'31.50"W Species Observed: Adult Juvenile Larvae Voucher Photo Mountain Dusky x x Northern Two-lined x x Red-backed x x Mountain dusky salamander Desmognathus ochrophaeus. Northern two-lined salamander, Eurycea bislineata, top; Mountain dusky salamander, Desmognathus ochrophaeus, bottom.

12 Whitlam Woods, continued Northern two-lined salamander, Eurycea bislineata.

13 Big Creek

14 Date: 05/30/09 Site Name: Big Creek Township: Chardon Time: 3:30 PM Weather: Temperature: 70 F. Last Rain: 18 hrs. Sunny Pt. Cloudy Cloudy Water Characteristics: Temperature: 58 F; ph: 6.0 Soil Characteristics: Moist Water Type: Stream, Spring Seep Fish present? No Location: 41 37'26.50"N 81 12'25.30"W 41 37'22.1"N 81 12'20.60"W Species Observed: Adult Juvenile Larvae Voucher Photo Mountain Dusky x x Northern Two-lined x x Red-backed x x Northern two-lined salamander, Eurycea bislineata. Northern two-lined salamander, Eurycea bislineata.

15 Big Creek, continued Gravid female, with partial albinism. Gravid female, with partial albinism. Date: 06/20/09 Time: 1:30 PM Site Name: Big Creek Township: Chardon Weather: Temperature: 73 F. Last Rain: 24 hrs. Sunny Pt. Cloudy Cloudy Water Characteristics: Temperature: 65 F; ph: unk Soil Characteristics: Moist Water Type: Stream, Complete surface flow. Fish present? No Location: 41 37'14.13"N 81 12'23.18"W 41 37'8.00"N 81 12'12.44"W Species Observed: Adult Juvenile Larvae Voucher Photo Mountain Dusky x x Northern Two-lined x x x Red-backed x x

16 Big Creek, continued Eastern red-backed salamander Plethodon cinereus Mountain dusky salamander Desmognathus ochrophaeus Mountain dusky salamander Desmognathus ochrophaeus Northern two-lined salamander Eurycea bislineata

17 The Rookery

18 Date: 05/17/09 Time: 3:30 PM Site Name: The Rookery Township: Munson Weather: Temperature: 62 F. Last Rain: 10 hrs. Sunny Pt. Cloudy Cloudy Water Characteristics: Temperature: 48 F; ph: 5.0 Soil Characteristics: Moist Water Type: Stream, complete surface flow; Spring Seep Fish present? No Location: 41 29'58.29"N 81 16'48.05"W 41 29'54.35"N 81 17'6.69"W Species Observed: Adult Juvenile Larvae Voucher Photo Mountain Dusky x x Northern Two-lined x x Red-backed x x Northern two-lined salamander larvae, Eurycea bislineata. Eastern red-backed salamander, Plethodon cinereus. Northern longtail salamander, Eurycea longicauda.

19 The Rookery, continued Northern two-lined salamander larvae, Eurycea bislineata. Eastern red-backed salamander, Plethodon cinereus, erythristic morph. Eastern red-backed salamander, Plethodon cinereus, erythristic morph. Eastern red-backed salamander, Plethodon cinereus. Eastern red-backed salamander, Plethodon cinereus, erythristic morph.

20 A note about the The Rookery. The Rookery and adjoining Leech tract have been the subject of prior studies* that have revealed an uncommon diversity of salamander species on these properties, and the following photographic vouchers are presented here to compile a comprehensive set of species data that pertains to this area in this document. These images are presented only as a matter of convenience, and are historical records, and were not part of this study. * White, J. F., and Semroc, J. M., 2007, Preferred Habitats of Marbled Salamander (Ambystoma opacum) Populations on Geauga Park District Lands The Rookery, historical salamander records. Marbled Salamander larvae, Ambystoma opacum Marbled Salamander larvae, Ambystoma opacum Eastern Newt, Notophthalmus viridescens. Marbled Salamander larvae, Ambystoma opacum

21 The Rookery, continued Northern Red Salamander larvae, Pseudotriton ruber ruber. Northern Red Salamander, Pseudotriton ruber ruber. Marbled Salamander, Ambystoma opacum. Four-toed Salamander, Hemidactylium scutatum Four-toed Salamander, Hemidactylium scutatum Northern Slimy Salamander, Plethodon glutinosus glutinosus.