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Amphibian Surveys in the Dawson Creek TSA, 2009

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Amphibian Surveys in the Dawson Creek TSA, 2009 Amphibian Surveys In the Dawson Creek TSA, 2009 For Louisiana-Pacific Canada Ltd. Dawson Creek, BC By Sandra Kinsey, B.Sc. Alpine Environmental Services 9860 Alpine Drive Prince George, BC V2N 5W7 December 15, 2009 2 Amphibian Surveys in the Dawson Creek TSA, 2009 ABSTRACT Amphibian surveys were conducted for Louisiana-Pacific Canada Ltd. in the Dawson Creek Timber Supply Area in the following Landscape Units: Kiskatinaw, Dawson Creek, One Island, Septimus, Lower Moberly and Upper Moberly. Using approved Resources Information Standards Committee inventory methods (road surveys, auditory (calling) surveys and pond searches) the relative abundance of local amphibians is estimated from the survey results. Each of the eight transects was surveyed three times between May 2 and May 31, 2009. Pond searches were conducted between May 3 and June 16, 2009, with most done in May. This was the third year of a three-year project. An estimated 1,024,742 individuals of four amphibian species were detected on the project this year: Western Toad (Anaxyrus boreas formerly Bufo boreas), Boreal Chorus Frog (Pseudacris maculata), Wood Frog (Lithobates sylvatica formerly Rana sylvaticus) and Long-toed Salamander (Ambystoma macrodactylum). 2080 Wood Frogs, 2060 Boreal Chorus Frogs and 6 Western Toads were heard on the Auditory Surveys for a total of 4146 calling frogs and toads. Relative abundance on the transects ranged from 5.4 to 43.4 individuals per calling station with an average of 8.0 individuals per calling station for the first round, 5.7 for the second round and 3.4 for the third round. When using only active calling stations, the ranked order of transects was generally similar, with the exception of Moberly Lake, which was ranked higher (fourth), likely due to larger average pond size. On the Road Surveys, 59 Western Toads and 1 Wood Frog were detected. An estimated 1,020,536 individuals, larvae or eggs of all four amphibian species were found during 112 pond searches of 61 different ponds. Most of the egg masses were deposited by Wood Frogs. Comparisons with results from 2007 and 2008 were made for all survey results. Numbers recorded in the calling surveys increased 332% in 2008 from 2007, then declined slightly in 2009 to 200% of the 2007 total. The road surveys followed a similar pattern. The pond searches showed variation between ponds and between years. Nonetheless, total numbers increased each year. Significant findings this year were the resilience of the amphibians this year to the two snowstorms, one during the second week of May and the other less than a week later. The Western Toads laid their eggs later than the previous two years as a result, and the peak of Chorus Frogs breeding activity was delayed. Species distributions remained consistent with previous years. 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................... 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................................ 3 LIST OF TABLES .......................................................................................................................... 4 LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................................ 4 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 5 PROJECT AND STUDY AREAS.................................................................................................. 5 SUMMARY OF EXISTING INFORMATION ............................................................................. 6 METHODS ..................................................................................................................................... 6 RESULTS ....................................................................................................................................... 9 Auditory Surveys ...................................................................................................................... 10 Road Surveys ............................................................................................................................ 11 Pond Searches ........................................................................................................................... 12 Comparisons with 2007 and 2008............................................................................................. 13 DISCUSSION ............................................................................................................................... 17 Variation in Surveys ................................................................................................................. 17 Amphibian Detection ................................................................................................................ 18 Issues with Survey Routes ........................................................................................................ 19 CRITIQUE OF INVENTORY PROTOCOLS ............................................................................. 20 APPENDICES .............................................................................................................................. 21 Appendix I. Coordinates for transects, Dawson Creek amphibian surveys, 2007-2009. ......... 21 Appendix II. Sample of Pond Survey results, using estimates of adult equivalents, 2007-2009. ................................................................................................................................................... 22 LITERATURE CITED ................................................................................................................. 25 4 LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Survey Dates and Transect Information from west to east, 2009. .................................... 8 Table 2. Species Occurrence List, 2009. ......................................................................................... 9 Table 3. Amphibian abundance on auditory surveys for all stations and active stations only, by transect, 2009. ....................................................................................................................... 11 Table 4. Relative abundance of amphibians (toads) on the Road Surveys, 2009. ........................ 12 Table 5. Change in amphibian numbers and Coefficient of Variation for auditory and road surveys, 2007-2009.. ............................................................................................................. 16 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Timing of the auditory, road and pond surveys, 2007 - 2009. ...................................... 14 Figure 2. Number of Frogs and Toads detected on Auditory and Road Surveys, by round, 2007 - 2009....................................................................................................................................... 15 5 INTRODUCTION The intent of this project was to gather baseline information on the relative abundance of selected amphibian species within forested landscapes in the Dawson Creek Timber Supply Area (TSA) in northeastern British Columbia (BC). Using data from approved Resources Information Standards Committee (RISC) inventory methods (auditory surveys, road surveys and pond searches), the relative abundance of local amphibian species are estimated. To increase efficiency, established roads in forested landscapes were surveyed. This report covers Year 3. Some comparisons are made with Years 1 and 2 of the project (2007 and 2008). Results will be useful in themselves as baseline data, but will also be tied in with other ongoing work investigating amphibian use of wetlands in the TSA before and after adjacent timber harvesting. The information can be used in existing national and international programs set up to monitor amphibian populations, e.g. FrogWatch BC and the North American Amphibian Monitoring Program. These other programs show amphibian populations declining in many areas. Data obtained during this project have been forwarded to academia (Julie Lee-Yaw, University of British Columbia; Mark Thompson University of Northern British Columbia) and consultants (Elke Wind for the Western Toad Monitoring Program, and Brian Slough for an amphibian management plan for the Yukon). Five possible species of amphibians were anticipated for this project. They were Western Toad (Anaxyrus boreas formerly Bufo boreas), Boreal Chorus Frog (Pseudacris maculata), Wood Frog (Lithobates sylvaticus formerly Rana sylvatica), Long-toed Salamander (Ambystoma macrodactylum) and Columbia Spotted Frog (Rana luteiventris). The old Latin names will continue to be used in this report. All five species are Yellow-listed in British Columbia. Western Toad is ranked ‘Special Concern, Schedule 1’ by The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) and the federal Species at Risk Act (COSEWIC, 2002). Project Coordinator for this project is Mark Phinney, District Biologist for Louisiana-Pacific Canada Ltd. in Dawson Creek, BC. Field surveys were conducted by Sandra J. Kinsey and Laird E. Law. The project was funded by the Forest Investment Account (FIA), Project Number 2690001. PROJECT AND STUDY AREAS The project area is in the south Peace region of northeastern British Columbia. Dawson Creek and Chetwynd are the major urban centres. The biogeoclimatic zone is Boreal White and Black Spruce, Peace moist
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