Potential use of artificial cover objects to facilitate movement of Cheat Mountain salamanders (Plethodon netdngi) across an old logging road in the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge

Research Project Summary

Lester 0. Dillard

College ofNatural Resources

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

Submitted to Canaan Valley NWR Resource Management Staff

21 August 2006 BACKGROUND

The Cheat Mountain salamander (CMS; Plethodon nettingi) is endemic to high-elevation forests of the Allegheny Mountains in Tucker, Randolph, Pocahontas, Grant, and Pendleton counties of eastern West Virginia (Green and Pauley 1987). The species consists of approximately 70 known, isolated populations (Pauley and Pauley 1997, Petranka 1998), and the majority (75%) of these populations appear to consist of ~ 0 individuals (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1991 ). The CMS was listed as a threatened species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1989 (Federal Register,

Vol. 53, No. 188:37814-37818). The historic range of CMS likely was more extensive than the current restricted distribution, and logging of high-elevation red spruce forests during the early 1900s has been suggested as the most likely cause of CMS population declines (U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service 1991 ). It is thought that many CMS populations were extirpated during this period.

Remaining populations are geographically isolated and small in size (Kramer et al. 1993, UWFWS

1991), and thus are subject to detrimental effects of genetic drift, inbreeding depression, and environmental stochasticity. Anthropogenic pressures on these populations include habitat modifications, especially those that remove the forest canopy, and habitat fragmentation. Timber harvesting, mining activities, wildfires, and further development of roads, trails, and ski slopes are seen as major threats (UWFWS 1991).

Existing roads and trails are believed to act as barriers to CMS movement and may be responsible for preventing dispersal which is necessary for exchange of genetic material. Studying a similar species, P. cinereus, Marsh et al. (2005) found the return rate of salamanders displaced across roads was significantly less than those displaced into forested areas. Pauley and Watson (2003) reported that CMS abundance increased with distance from habitat disturbances, including clearcuts, ski trails, and roads. Pauley (1998) suggested that CMS were less likely to cross heavily-used ski and

- 1 - foot trails when compared to lightly used trails, providing a potential barrier to population exchange.

Thus, management guidelines in the CMS Recovery Plan (USFWS 1991) include the "establishment of a buffer zone of at least 300 feet around known P. nettingi populations within which trees and other vegetation should not be removed," and/or ''re-routing of trails or other barriers to go around rather than through known populations."

Roads near known CMS locations in the Monongahela National Forest and Canaan Valley

National Wildlife Refuge (CVNWR) range from heavily-traveled gravel roads to long-abandoned log­ skidder trails which are barely discernable. Presumably the microclimatic, vegetation, and structural characteristics that occur in and around these roads create unsuitable conditions for CMS. Canopy removal increases light penetration resulting in higher soil temperatures and greater evaporative water loss from the soil and understory. Cover, in the form ofleaflitter, CWD, rocks, and understory vegetation, is reduced in and around roads. Furthermore, the road bed is subject to greater fluctuations in temperature and humidity (Ken Sturm, CVNWR, personal communication), and to increased surface disturbance from foot and/or vehicular traffic. Edge effects produced by roads and small clearcuts may degrade microclimates of nearby salamander habitats in adjacent mature stands (Ash

1997, Harper and Guynn 1999, Ford et al. 2002a, b; Morneault et al. 2004).

The effects of roads remain a concern for managers responsible for protecting CMS populations and their habitats. Because road surfaces may be ''unsuitable habitat" that prevent or limit movement of CMS from one side of the road to the other, this research project attempts to mitigate negative road effects by placement of artificial cover objects (rocks) in the road. It is hypothesized that these rocks will create small "islands" of moist, cool microhabitats that will promote the movement of CMS from one side of the road to the other.

-2- STUDY AREA

Areas in the CVNWR where CMS are known to exist (Bald Knob, Cabin Knob) are crisscrossed with old logging roads (Fig. 1). These roads, although closed to vehicular and foot traffic during the summer, are used as cross-country ski trails during the winter. In the area of interest (Fig.

2), known-occupied sites are located on either side of one of these roads, at distances ~ Om. Elevation in this area is approx. 1195m. The overstory is dominated by Yellow Birch (Betula al/eghaniensis) and Black Cherry (Prunus serotina), although scattered Beech (Fagus grandifolia) are present. The mid/understory is dominated by Red Spruce (Picea rubens), with scattered Striped Maple (Acer pensy/vanicum), Beech, and Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) present. Moderate amounts of coarse and fine woody debris are found on the forest floor and small patches of moss are also present.

Along the 35m stretch ofroad that constitutes the study area, the road width averages 5.Qm and is devoid of cover objects (rocks, logs) ;;e.2m in any dimension. The road itselfis cleared of overstory and midstory canopy although adjacent trees allow canopy cover (measured from the center of the road using a spherical densiometer) to average 94%. The road surface is covered by a variety of ferns, grasses, and other herbaceous material as well as deciduous leaf litter (Fig 3.).

METHODS

On 17 August 2006, rock transects were installed in the study area between

4319083.25010801m N, 637479.36468162m E and 4319083.25010801m N, 637455.8626923 lm E

(NAD83, UTMl 7N). The rocks used to create these transects were relatively flat and had a surface

2 area of at least 0.15 m • Flat rocks were selected because they are easily lifted during monitoring and so that they will not pose a problem to use of the road as a cross-country ski trail. When installing each rock, leaf litter and any emergent vegetation (i.e. fern) were removed so that the entire rock surface was in direct contact with the earth. Three rock transects were placed perpendicular to the

- 3 - road centerline; having a maximum width of 5m, continuing 1Om into the forest from the edge of each road, and with 10m between each configuration (Fig. 4). The distances between rocks in each transect were 5m, 3m, and lm going from west to east along the road (Fig. 5).

MONITORING

The use of these rocks by CMS for cover will be investigated beginning in spring 2007. In order to monitor the use of rocks by CMS, each rock in each configuration will be checked and data recorded on an appropriate data sheet (see attached for recommended format). Rocks should be checked at least 3 times during the spring with a minimum of 5 days between checks. If possible, rocks should be checked 3 times during the fall and may be checked at any other time between April­

October. When a CMS is found under a rock, it should be captured and released as soon as possible

after identification and measurement next to the object so that it can crawl back under without being crushed. Because the focus ofthis project is on P. nettingi, only these salamanders need to be

measured. Other species need only be identified and counted. Furthermore, to encourage movement

across the road and use of rocks by CMS, it is suggested that when other salamander species are found

under rocks, they should be relocated at least 50m away from the study area This is because

competition with sympatric P. cinereus and Desmognathus ocrophaeus are hypothesized to out­ compete CMS and may limit their current distribution (Highton 1971, Pauley 1980, Pauley and

Pauley 1990, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1991).

EXPECTED RESULTS • The primary result of this project will determine if Cheat Mountain salamanders will cross the

''unsuitable habitat" of a logging road which has been modified by placing artificial cover objects. It is expected that within 2 years of monitoring, at least one CMS will be found under one of the rocks

-4- placed in the middle of the road. Furthermore, it is expected that more CMS will be found under rocks in the 1-m spacing transect than in the other two transects.

MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS

If at least one CMS is found using a rock in the road for cover, it will be assumed that the salamander was able to cross at least some length of inhospitable road habitat. Furthermore, finding at least one CMS under a rock in the road will lend support to the continued use of artificial cover objects to mitigate negative road effects and promote dispersal by CMS. Ifthis study is successful, it may lead managers and researchers to investigate the efficacy of other road-effect mitigation efforts

such as building a boardwalk, placing a matrix of boards or logs across the road, etc. Furthermore, finding that a CMS will cross at least some distance of road habitat may lead researchers to investigate the possibility that CMS readily cross roads where no artificial cover objects have been placed. This may be studied using night surveys of road surfaces in known CMS areas, as CMS are most active at

night and are presumably moving and dispersing then. A better understanding of CMS movement

across forest roads will begin to fill in gaps in knowledge about the degree to which they fragment

CMS populations. Also, this study is a first step in learning if and how negative road effects can be mitigated using artificial cover objects. Overall, the information gained from this study will increase the capacity of managers to plan for the continued persistence and recovery of the Cheat Mountain salamander.

- 5 - LITERATURE CITED

Ash, A. N. 1997. Disappearance and return of Plethodontid salamanders to clearcut plots in the

southern Blue Ridge mountains. Conservation Biology 11 :983-989.

Ford, W. M., B. R. Chapman, M. A. Menzel, and R. H. Odom. 2002a. Stand age and habitat

influences on salamanders in Appalachian cove hardwood forests. Forest Ecology and

Management 155:131-141.

_, M. A. Menzel, and R.H. Odom. 2002b. Elevation, aspect and cove size effects on southern

Appalachian salamanders. Southeastern Naturalist 1:315-324.

Green, N. and T. K. Pauley. 1987. Amphibians and reptiles in West Virginia. University of Pittsburgh

Press, Pennsylvania, USA.

Harper, C. A., and D. C. Guynn, Jr. 1999. Factors affecting salamander density and distribution within

four forest types in the southern Appalachian mountains. Forest Ecology and Management

114:245-252.

Highton, R. 1971. Distributional interactions among eastern North American salamanders of the

genus Plethodon. Pages 139-188 in P. C. Holt, editor. The distributional history of the biota of

the Southern Appalachians. Part III: Vertebrates. Research Division Monograph 4. Virginia

Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, USA.

Kramer, P. N., N. Reichenbach, M. Hayslett, and P. Sattler. 1993. Population dynamics and

conservation of the peaks of otter salamander, Plethodon hubrichti. Journal of Herpetology

27:431-135.

Marsh, D. M., G. S. Milam, N. P. Gorham, and N. G. Beclanan. 2005. Forest roads as partial barriers

to terrestrial salamander movement. Conservation Biology 19:2004-2008.

-6- Morneault, A. E; B. J. Naylor, L. S. Schaeffer, and D. C. Othmer. 2004. The effect of shelterwood

harvesting and site preparation on eastern red-backed salamanders in white pine stands. Forest

Ecology and Management 199: 1-10.

Pauley, B. A. 1998. The use of emergent rocks as refugia for the Cheat Mountain salamander,

Plethodon nettingi Green. Thesis, Marshall University, Huntington, West Virginia, USA.

___, and T. K. Pauley. 1990. Competitive interactions between two sympatric Plethodon species.

Proceedings of the West Virginia Academy of Science 62:19.

_ _, and __. 1997. Range and distribution of the Cheat Mountain salamander, Plethodon

nettingi: an update. Proceedings of the West Virginia Academy of Science 69:3.

Pauley, T. K 1980. Field notes on the distribution of terrestrial amphibians and reptiles of the West

Virginia mountains above 975 meters. Proceedings of the West Virginia Academy of Science

52:84-92.

-~ and M. B. Watson. 2003. Determination of the size of buffer zones to prevent detrimental

effects on the Cheat Mountain Salamander (Plethodon nettingi). Unpublished report to the

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Elkins, West Virginia, USA.

Petranka, J. W. 1998. Salamanders of the United States and Canada. Smithsonian Institution Press,

Washington, D.C., USA.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1991. Cheat Mountain salamander recovery plan. Newton Comer,

Massachusetts, USA.

-7- 0 5 0 0.5 1 Kilometers . /\ ·~~~~~~iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii • Known CMS Locations W /' Ski Trails N

Figure 1. Known Cheat Mountain salamander (Plethodon nettingi) locations and nearby old logging roads (used as ski trails in the winter) within the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge.

- 8 - 50 0 50 100 150 Meters • Known CMS Locations /' Ski Trails

Figure 2. Detailed view of study area, located within the Canaan Valley National Wildlife

Refuge.

- 9 - Figure 3. Study area before rock placement.

- 10 - 0 0 Oo

1111 .. 5m 0 Oo 0 0 I Pd 10m 0 I o: I I I :0I I 0 I0 I I'O I I I d oq 0 IO' 0 I bl 0 bq 0 I0 I :oo I I 0 I :oI

10m 0 0 80 A B C

Figure 4. Design of 3 rock configurations placed across an old logging with rocks being spaced at

5m (A), 3m (B), and lm (C).

- 11 - Figure 5. Rocks placed across old logging road with 1-m distance between them ( C in Figure 4 ).

- 12 - •

CMS: Rocks in Trail - Data sheet Date:____ Start/End times:______Surveyor(s): ______Air temp: __°C Cloud Cover: Clear <50%Cloudy >50%Cloudy Rain Wind: Calm Light Strong Days since last rain: __

Rocks Sm a art Species Code Tally Under Rock? (YIN) Location (R,E,F) Relocated? (Y/N) Total#

Rocks 3m apart Species Code Tally Under Rock? (YIN) Location (R,E,F) Relocated? (YIN) Total#

Species Code Tally Under Rock? (YIN) Location (R,E,F) Relocated? (Y/N) Total#

Location codes: R = in road, E = on edge of road, F = in forest I Am.le Ambl/Stt'>ma iefferscnianum Jefferson salamander AmMa Ambvmrvna macu/atum Sootted salamander Measurements/comments on CMS or other interesting finds: AnAe Aneides aeneus Green Salamanders Species SVL(mm) TL(mm) wt (g) comments DeFu ,r . _thus fuscus Northern DusJ