Conserving pool-breeding amphibians in human-dominated landscapes through local implementation of Best Development Practices

Abstract

Seasonal forest pools in the northeastern USA are unique ecosystems whose functions are intimately associated with adjacent upland habitats. This connection, coupled with their small size and ephemeral surface water, has made conservation of pool resources challenging. Seasonal pools provide optimal breeding habitat for animals adapted to temporary waters including ambystomatid salamanders (Ambystoma spp.), wood frogs (Rana sylvatica LeConte), and some invertebrates and plants. To date, wetland conservation efforts have been primarily limited to 2 pathways: land use regulation and preservation. Although both of these pathways have the potential to conserve some pool resources, they are often insufficient to maintain an array of pools in the landscape that support local population dynamics of amphibians. We propose a third pathway -local land-use planning -that can complement regulatory and preservation efforts. This suite of strategies, embodied in our Best Development Practices (BDPs), recognizes that not all pools will be conserved; local governances will need to develop priorities for conservation. The BDPs encourage local governances to (1) proactively identify their pool resources, (2) rank those pools according to their relative ecological value, and (3) establish management procedures and apply recommended guidelines in accordance with the relative rankings. We recommend that pools be ranked using biological criteria (e.g., presence of listed species, presence of breeding species, and egg mass abundance) and on the availability and quality of adjacent terrestrial habitat. We recommend 3 management zones: the pool depression, the pool envelope (i.e., land within 30 m of the pool), and the critical terrestrial habitat (i.e., 30-230 m from the pool). Residential, industrial, and commercial development, which may compromise pool habitat (e.g., through building and road construction, site clearing, stormwater management, and lighting), should follow the recommended guidelines presented in Appendix 1 of this paper. Planning at the watershed level, using such tools as overlay zones, wetland ordinances, and easements, should lead to more effective, long-term management of, at a minimum, the most ecologically important seasonal forest pool resources and will provide developers with clear development guidelines. This process is already being successfully implemented in a number of New England towns.

Terrestrial distribution of pond‐breeding salamanders around an isolated wetland

“…However, for the ambystomatid salamander group, conservation of only specific habitat elements within a larger core area is unlikely to achieve population protection due to the widespread dispersion of individuals throughout available terrestrial habitat (but see Windmiller 1996). The use of best development practices, as proposed by Calhoun et al (2005), offers promise, but with the caveat that for many Ambystoma species the core conservation zone at some wetlands may need to extend to 500 m or beyond, especially considering the longer distances traveled by females (Faccio 2003, Regosin et al 2005, McDonough and Paton 2007. Because frogs are generally distributed farther from breeding sites than salamanders, a protected area that is sufficient to protect many salamander species may be insufficient to maintain viable frog populations (Rittenhouse and Semlitsch 2007).…”

An Effective Method for Detecting Potential Woodland Vernal Pools Using High-Resolution LiDAR Data and Aerial Imagery

“…However, wetlands are also typically small and shallow systems that are easily overlooked and frequently unprotected by local, state, and federal regulations [57]; thus, they are often disturbed and destroyed [58,59]. Understanding the location of these systems is frequently the first step towards better understanding of their functions, connections to other waters and systems [60], and potential impacts of human alterations on the maintenance of system integrity.…”

Sustainable Approaches to Managing Small-Scale Ecosystems: A Case Study of Vernal Pool Protection in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States of America

“…The alternative policy would be to presume the ecological value of the vernal pool resource, and then require an affirmative showing the pool lacks the ecological value as a condition of altering the vernal pool. The science certainly seems to suggest most, if not all, vernal pools are likely to contain important ecological functions, and therefore the presumption in favor of ecological value is likely justified (Leibowitz, 2003;Calhoun, Miller, & Klemens, 2005;Gibbs, 1993).…”