Entrapment of the California Tiger Salamander in Technogenic Structures As a Confounding Stressor for a Threatened Species
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
274 ARTICLES of the mole salamander (Ambystoma talpoideum). Can. J. Zool. tilmAn, d., j. KnoPS, d. wEdin, P. rEiCH, m. ritCHiE, And E. SiEmAnn. 1997. 59:315–322. The influence of functional diversity and composition on ecosys- ———. 1983. Burrowing ability and behavior of salamanders of the tem processes. Science 277:1300–1302. genus Ambystoma. Can. J. Zool. 61:616–620. uriAn, K., A. GorGonE, A. rEAd, b. bAlmEr, r. wEllS, Et Al. 2014. Rec- ———. 1998. Biological delineation of terrestrial buffer zones for ommendations for photo-identification methods used in capture- pond-breeding salamanders. Conserv. Biol. 12:1113–1119. recapture models with cetaceans. Mar. Mamm. Sci. 31:298–321. Simon, t. P., r. jAnKowSKi, And C. morriS. 2000. Modification of an index VAN HORNE, B. 1983. Density as a misleading indicator of habitat qual- of biotic integrity for assessing vernal ponds and small palustrine ity. J. Wildl. Manag. 47:893–901. wetlands using fish, crayfish, and amphibian assemblages along VAnni, m. j. 2002. Nutrient cycling by animals in freshwater ecosys- southern Lake Michigan. Aquat. Ecosyst. Health Manag. 3:407– tems. Ann. Rev. Ecol. Syst. 33:341–370. 418. WAKE, D. B. 1991. Declining amphibian populations. Science 253:860. SmitH, C. K., And j. w. PEtrAnKA. 2000. Monitoring terrestrial salaman- wAlKEr, b. H. 1992. Biodiversity and ecological redundancy. Conserv. ders: Repeatability and validity of area-constrained cover object Biol. 6:18–23. searches. J. Herpetol. 34:547–557. wAnG, y., And d. K. moSKoVitS. 2001. Tracking fragmentation of natural SpeybroECK, j., And K. StEEnHoudt. 2017. A pattern-based tool for long- communities and changes in land cover: Applications of Landsat term, large-sample capture-mark-recapture studies of fire sala- data for conservation in an urban landscape (Chicago Wilder- manders Salamandra species (Amphibia: Urodela: Salamandri- ness). Conserv. Biol. 15:835–843. dae). Acta Herpetol.12:55–63. WARREN, R. J., A. LABATORE, AND M. CANDEIAS. 2017. Allelopathic invasive SPyrEAS, G. 2016. Scale and sampling effects on floristic quality. PLoS tree (Rhamnus cathartica) alters native plant communities. Plant ONE 11:e0160693. Ecol. 218:1233–1241. Sullivan, j. 2003. An Atlas of Biodiversity. Chicago Wilderness, Chi- wErnEr, P. A., i. K. brAdbury, And r. S. GroSS. 1980. The biology of Cana- cago, Illinois. 66 pp. dian weeds. 45. Solidago canadensis L. Can. J. Plant Sci. 60:1393– SWINK, F., AND G. WILHELM. 1994. Plants of the Chicago Region. 4th ed. 1409. Indiana Academy of Science, Indianapolis. 936 pp. wHitloCK. m. C., And d. SCHlutEr. 2009. The Analysis of Biological tAFt, j., G. wilHElm, d. lAdd, And l. mAStErS. 1997. Floristic quality as- Data. Roberts and Company Publishers, Greenwood Village, Colo- sessment for vegetation in Illinois: A method for assessing vegeta- rado. 704 pp. tion integrity. Erigenia 1977:3–95. tAllAmy, d. w. 2004. Do alien plants reduce insect biomass? Conserv. Biol. 18:1689–1692. Herpetological Review, 2021, 52(2), 274–278. © 2021 by Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles An Unanticipated Ecological Trap: Entrapment of the California Tiger Salamander in Technogenic Structures as a Confounding Stressor for a Threatened Species Numerous wildlife species have been captured or collected JEFF A. ALVAREZ in natural and manmade ecological traps throughout the The Wildlife Project, PO Box 188888 Sacramento, California 95818, USA world (Hawken 1951; Brattstrom 1953; Delibes et al. 2001; JAYMEE T. MARTY Villa et al. 2018). The Rancho La Brea tar pits in Los Angeles Marty Environmental Consulting, Inc., 8925 Lanier Way, County, California, provide a prime example of a natural trap, Sacramento, California 95826, USA where millions of specimens and approximately 600 species KIRSTEN CHRISTOPHERSON were trapped in naturally occurring tar pits and have been United States Air Force, Travis Installation Support Section, preserved (Brattstrom 1953). Sites like Rancho La Brea collect 550 Hickam Drive, Building 248, indiscriminately, and mortality to individuals is nearly certain Travis Air Force Base, California 94535, USA (Brattstrom 1953). These sites appear to represent natural PENN CRAIG Natural Resource Manager, United States Air Force, 411 Airman Drive, habitats (i.e., aquatic features, retreat sites, etc.) to which B-570, Travis Air Force Base, Fairfield, California 94535, USA species would normally be attracted (Lemon and Churcher DEANNE WEBER 1971; Churcher 1966; Campbell 1979). Delibes et al. (2001) Center for Environmental Management of Military Lands, characterized these natural sites as attractive sinks and believed Colorado State University, 110 University Ave., that this maladaptive selection of habitat or microhabitat is Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, USA likely rare or goes unreported for most species. A more recent CHRISTOPHER VANG suite of potential population sinks is the ecological trap, whereby 8480 Orchard Creek Way, Elk Grove, California 95624, USA an individual or species mistakenly selects suboptimal habitat for its preferred habitat (Hale and Swearer 2010; Sih 2013). They Herpetological Review 52(2), 2021 ARTICLES 275 FIG. 1. A) Typical two-piece lid for communication vaults at Travis Air Force Base. Note the gap (up to 22 mm) between the two concrete lid structures. To open, lids slide to left and right. B) Open communication vault. Note that the vault has fiberglass interior that is straight sided, and approximately 1.5 m deep. C) Vault lid after the poly foam caulk saver was inserted into the gap and the patch and seal tape is applied. A small sign covered by clear patch and seal tape was added to remind maintenance staff that the vault should be resealed after opening. further include a subset of these traps as human-induced rapid at the surface may ultimately result in temporary or permanent environmental changes (Robertson et al. 2013; Sih 2013; Wong sequestration of individuals who find technogenic traps and Candolin 2015), herein referred to as technogenic traps. unintentionally (Delibes et al 2001). Ultimately, this may cause Since the beginning of the Holocene, artificial structures direct mortality, or a localized reduction in recruitment or built by humans have created technogenic traps for wildlife. Villa reproduction for species or individuals that choose maladaptive et al. (2018) reported that a 2,000-year-old Roman well collected microhabitat. reptiles and amphibians, acting more or less like a large pitfall In California there are myriad ground-level structures trap. At least 11 taxa have been identified from excavations that migrating amphibians may be required to navigate over within this well. Modern technogenic structures are also known or around, including temporary excavations, storm drains, to collect and trap wildlife. Doody et al. (2003) conducted daily roadside curbs, erosion control waddles, and numerous other inspections of 800 km of open pipeline trenches in Australia objects and obstructions. Herein we report on the observations over a two-year period and recorded 7,438 individuals from of a threatened amphibian—California Tiger Salamander 103 vertebrate species that were trapped in the trenches. (Ambystoma californiense)—as well as numerous sympatric Many technogenic traps have been reported for herpetofauna, species that were observed entrapped in technogenic structures including wells, storm drains, railroad lines, construction on an Air Force Base in central California. trenches, and other structures (Enge et al. 1996; Stuart et al. 2001; Kornilev et al. 2006; Manning 2007; Garcia-Caretenete et al. 2014; MATERIALS AND METHODS Villa et al. 2018). Unlike the single well site reported by Villa et al. (2018) and temporary excavation reported by Enge et al. (1996), Travis Air Force Base (Base) is an active military installation McInroy and Rose (2015) reported that roadside street drains, where cargo planes are stationed. The Base is located south of which are extremely numerous and distributed widely around Fairfield, California on flat terrain, with approximately 30 percent their site in the United Kingdom, were a long-term and common of the land on the Base covered by industrial, commercial, and technogenic traps for amphibians. residential structures. The remaining land is covered by non- In their daily or seasonal search for dark and thermally stable native annual grassland, seasonal and perennial wetlands microhabitat, reptiles and amphibians may find themselves and woodland habitat, with the southern portion of the Base entrapped (Lovich et al. 2011). This may become more common occupied by an airfield (i.e., two 4-km-long paved runways) among species that make mass migrations, like bi-phasic and associated infrastructure. Surrounding the runways is an amphibians, in that their seasonally abundant movements may expansive annual grassland with numerous vernal pools and offer more opportunity to encounter a technogenic trap. Frogs, other wetland features that extend well beyond the boundaries toads, and salamanders often make seasonal movements from of the Base. At least 14 special-status species utilize the Base for upland refuge habitat to reproductive sites (e.g., ponds and part or all of their natural history, including, but not limited to creeks), and then return to upland refugia (i.e., burrows, rock the State and federally threatened California Tiger Salamander, cracks, beneath logs, etc.) for the majority of the year (Stebbins federally threatened Vernal Pool Fairy Shrimp (Brachinecta 1951). This above ground movement