WESTERN SPOTTED FROG (Rana Pretiosa) DISTRIBUTION in the BONNEVILLE BASIN of WESTERN UTAH

WESTERN SPOTTED FROG (Rana pretiosa) DISTRIBUTION IN THE BONNEVILLE BASIN OF WESTERN UTAH AND AQUATIC RESOURCE DESCRIPTION OF TULE VALLEY (WHITE VALLEY) OF WESTERN UTAH Research in Progress Peter Hovingh Department of Biochemistry, University of Utah February 1984 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION I METHODS AND MATERIALS 2 GENERAL OBSERVATIONS IN TULE VALLEY 3 Aquatic Resources in Tule Valley 3 Plants in the greasewood faciation 4 Animals in the greasewood community 5 Geological notes 7 TULE VALLEY WETLANDS: DETAILED OBSERVATIONS 8 Coyote Springs Complex 8 North-central Springs Complex 9 Saline Ponds complex 9 South-central Springs Complex 9 North Tule springs complex 10 South Tule springs complex 12 South Spring complex 12 WESTERN SPOTTED FROG BIOLO&Y IN TULE VALLEY 14 Breeding behavior in Tule Valley 14 Embryonic and tadpole observations 14 Immature frog observations 15 Adult breeding sizes 15 Population numbers 15 Aquatic parameters of the Western Spotted Frog in Tule Valley 16 CURRENT STATUS AND BIOGEOGRAPHICAL CONSIDERATIONS OF THE WESTERN SPOTTED FROG IN THE GREAT BASIN 18 Mobility and isolation of the western spatted frog in Tule Valley 18 Biogeographic distribution in the Bonneville Basin 19 Current distribution of the western spotted frog 20 Subspeciation in the western spotted frog 23 MANAGEMENT PLAN PROPOSAL FOR THE WESTERN SPOTTED FROG 24 MANAGEMENT PLAN PROPOSAL FOR TULE VALLEY WETLANDS 25 REFERENCES TABLES AND FIGURES INTRODUCTION The Western Spotted Frog (Rana pretiosa) is widely distributed in many isolated populations throughout Utah, Nevada, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Alberta, British Columbia, and Alaska. These isolated populations could probably be explained by events which occurred during the last glaciation some 20,000 years ago. In Utah the distribution has been identified as Deep Creek in western Utah and along the Wasatch Front. With the location of the ·Western Spotted Frog in Tule Valley, a close examination of the locations in Utah and Nevada shows that one can postulate that the Western Spotted Frog was widely distributed in the Bonneville Basin at the time of Lake Bonneville. Subsequent desiccation of Lake Bonneville some 11,000 years ago left many isolated populations. Some of these populations may be now extinct (Thousand Springs and Salt Lake Valley). It would be of great scientific interest to study all the isolated populations of the Western Spotted Frog by biochemical means to determine if the Western Spotted Frog has been evolving into distinct populations since the glacial and pluvial times. The Tule Valley population of the Western Spotted Frog may consists of at least four separate and isolated populations. Tule Valley contains numerous springs and wetlands in the bottom of the valley. Since the springs are slightly alkaline and saline and since much of the valley consists of saline playas, conductivity, temperature, and pH values were taken throughout the year. It was determine that the terminus of the springs (where the Western Spotted Frog bred) was not accumulating salts. Since many of the springs were warm water springs {temperature 27-29 C), these springs and wetlands provide great opportunity to study the biological adaptations to saline, alkaline, and temperature variations and gradients. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS IN TULE VALLEY AQUATIC RESOURCES IN TULE VALLEY. Tule Valley is located in western Utah between 38° 45 1 and 39° 45 1 latitude north and between 113° 15' and 113° 45 1 longitude west. Tule Valley drainage basin consists of about 243 square kilometers (940 square miles) (Stephens, 1977) with a subsurface inflow of 29.6 hm 3 (24,000 acre-feet) and precipitation of 9.4 hm 3 (7,600 acre-feet) (Gates and Kruer, 1981). Evapotranspiration results in 39.5 hm 3 (32,000 acre-feet) of water leaving the valley (Stephens, 1977 and Gates and Kruer, 1981). Minor contributions of ground water discharge come from the House Range (Painter, Wildhorse and Sinbad Springs) and the Confusion Range (Skunk and Willow Springs) and will not be discussed further. The central wetlands and springs account for most of the discharge of water from the subsurface flows and the greasewood faciation of the northern desert shrub biome surround these springs and account for most of the evapotranspiration. The wetlands in this report are all located between 1347 and 1350 m (4419 and 4428 feet) elevation and the lowest adjacent lands are 1340 and 1344 m (4395 and 4409 feet) elevation. Figure 1 shows the map of central Tule Valley and the locations of the wetlands. Figure 2 shows a cross-section of Tule Valley and the location of the springs. Figure 3 shows the detailed location of the central springs and wetlands. Table 1 shows that the mean temperature of the springs varied between 15 and 31 C and that conductivity varied between 1530 and 2730 umhos/cm. As the water flowed from the source of these springs, the seasonal temperature ranged from frozen in winter to 34 C in summer and the conductivity could double in some portions distal from the source in the summer. Figure 4 shows the temperature ranges a~ two springs and Figure 5 shows the conductivity ranges at four springs. Some locations of the wetlands seem to have their own temperate variations as the open pond in Coyote Springs (as Site U, shown in Figure 4). The pH of the spring periphery was always higher than the spring source with as much as 2.0 pH units difference (Figure 6 shows pH variations at two springs). Temperature transects (measurements taken every two feet from the shore to the interior or from the shore to shore across the stream flow) indicated that only minor fluctuations of temperature ( 2 to 3 C) occurred at a given location throughout the day where the current was flowing. In the peripheral -5- spring source. Willows (Salix exigu~) were identified by Fautin (1946) but these no longer occur in the central valley wetlands, although there are stumps remaining in South-Central Spring #8 and possibly in a desiccated portion of North Tule #1. Adjacent to the wetlands a zone consisting of numerous grasses occurs. In this zone is the marsh grass Distichlis spicata, White Pepper Plant (Lepidium), Juncus, Eleocharis, salt wort (Glaux maritima), Blue-eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium), fox-tail grass, buttercups (Ranunculus), Cinquefoil (Portilla anserina), aster, dandelions, and cutleaf water parsnip (Berula) . Beyond the grass perimeter of the wetlands the greasewood {Sarcobatus vermiculatus) becomes the dominant vegetation. Tamarix and Phragmites also occur in limited areas. Other plants in the Greasewood faciation include Distichlis stricta, Distichlis spicata, Allenrolfea occidentalis Salicornia utahens, Suaeda fruiticosa (salt blits), Atriplex nuttallii, Atriplex falcata, Sporobolus, Bassia and rabbitbrush. The expression of the numerous plants depends upon the availability of water, the concentration of salt and the alkaline nature of the soils. A~'I~:·/\LS OF TI-'E GRE.~SEHCOO CDM~Ii\Ut-'ITY. Fautin (1946) 1 isted l<t:n0aroo Rats {Dipodomys microps, Dipodomys ordii), Kangaroo mouse (Microdipodops megacephalus), grasshopper mouse (Onychonmys leucogaster), harvest mouse (Reithrodontomys megalotis), deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus), ground squirrels (Citellus townsendi and Citellus leucurus), pocket gopher (Thomomys bottae), jack rabbit (Lepus californicus), cottontail (Sylivlagus nuttalii), badger (Taxidea taxus), coyote (Canis latrans), kit fox (Vulpers macrolis) and antelope (Antilocarpa americana). Bats were seen at midday at South Tule Spring on June 13. Wildhorses seem to cross the valley between Confusion RAnge and the House Range and pass by Coyote Spring. Table 2 lists the birds and the season in which they were seen. Mallards, Marsh Hawks, Horned Larks, Ravens, Long-billed Marsh Wrens, and possibly Savannah Sparrows can be found most of the year in Tule Valley. Cinnamon Teal, Coot, Mourning Dove, Burrowing Owl, Sage Thrasher, Yellow-headed Blackbird, Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Sage Sparrow, and -7- regurgitated (by Coyote ?) and appeared in sequential state of undigested and living (stunned) to partially digested on September 25. One lizard was observed walking in the water- perhaps brought there by a predator. Predators may include Coyotes, Marsh Hawks, Prairie Falcons, and badgers. GEOLOGICAL NOTES. For about 10,000 years Tule Valley was a bay of Lake Bonneville. This lake desiccated some 11,000 years ago. Once the bay was isolated from the main Lake Bonneville at Sand Pass, one can calculate that at an assumed rate of evaporation of 114 em (45 inches) per year, the 183m (600 foot) deep lake dried up in about 160 years. This of course assumes that water from Snake Valley, the Sevier drainage and remnant Lake Bonneville were not sources of ground water recharge into Tule Valley at that time. The present water in the central wetlands and springs of Tule Valley may arise from the Snake Valley, Wah Wah Valley and Pine Valley through flows in consolidated rocks (Gates and Kruer, 1981). The water arising at Fish Springs to the north of Tule Valley have been dated with radiocarbon to be 9000 to 14000 years old (Gates and Kruer, 1981). The water arising in Tule Vally could likewise be this old. The water arising in the Tule Valley springs (South Tule, North Tule #1, North Tule #25, North Tule #3, and North Tule #5) may have flowed at much greater rates of discharge in the past as evident from the extensive eroded valleys that extend beyond the present wetlands. There is an abundant amount of mollusc remnants in the spring sources and in the water current. Attempts to find living mollusc in the Tule Valley springs and wetlands have not been fruitful. Fish Springs to the north and numerous springs in Snake Valley do contain abundant numbers of mollusc and many diverse species. -9- NORTH-CENTRAL COMPLEX consists of diverse wetlands pattern. The largest wetlands is Spring #12 with 48,000 m2 surface area and the smallest is 2 about 500m (Springs #11, 24, and 13).

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