MOVEMENT AND HABITAT ECOLOGY OF PROTECTED SPECIES IN NORTH CAROLINA A thesis presented to the faculty of the Graduate School of Western Carolina University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Biology. By Samuel T.S. McCoy Director: Dr. Joseph H.K. Pechmann Associate Professor of Biology Biology Department Committee Members: Dr. Jeremy Hyman, Biology Lori Williams, North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission October 2016 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This thesis is dedicated in memory of my father, William McCoy, who encouraged me to take my first field biology course as an undergraduate student, which made me fall in love with field ecology work. Likewise, I would like to thank Dr. Kristin Stanford, an early mentor who helped me discover my love of herps. Without their initial nudging and guidance, I would not have gone down this path, and this thesis would cease to exist. I would like to thank my advisor, Dr. Joe Pechmann, for the countless hours you spent discussing ideas with me, the many emails answered in the wee hours of the night, and for pushing me to attend meetings, present my research, and network. Thanks to your efforts I am confident I can succeed in this profession. I would like to thank my committee, including Dr. Jeremy Hyman and Lori Williams, for all of your guidance planning, conducting, and finishing this research. Thank you to Dr. Tom Martin for help with statistical analysis. Thank you to Dr. Beverly Collins for help with the plant aspects of my research. Thank you to Dr. J.P. Gannon and Dr. Dave Kinner for help with the soil aspects of my research. Thank you to Dr. Ron Davis and Dr. Bill Sutton for help with home range calculations. Thank you to Gabrielle Graeter with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission for assisting with my bog turtle work. I would like to thank the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, Highlands Biological Station, and the Western Carolina University Graduate School for providing me funding for equipment, gas, and my time. I would like to thank Robin Taylor with the USDA Forest Service Beech Creek Seed Orchard for allowing me to work on their land. ii Last but certainly not least, I need to thank all of the amazing people who helped me chase frogs and turtle for months, especially those who braved the bog. Not only did you help me accomplish my field work, but you helped me keep my sanity while doing so. Thank you to Courtney Anderson, Emily Ashe, Sean Binninger, Cameron Duke, Jessica Duke, Thom Green, Michael Frazier, Alyssa Fuller, Joey Kennedy, Ashley LaVere, Charles Lawson, Nicel Macias, Rob McKinnon, Collin McRae, Naaman McRae, Ashley Murray, Kendra Person, Kyle Pursel, Sarah Pursel, Eli White, and the WCU undergraduate and graduate Methods in Ecology classes. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Tables ............................................................................................................................ vi List of Figures .......................................................................................................................... vii Abstract .................................................................................................................................... ix Introduction ................................................................................................................................1 Chapter One: Movement and Post-breeding Habitat Selection of the Mountain Chorus Frog (Pseudacris brachyphona)...........................................................................................................4 Introduction .............................................................................................................................4 Methods ..................................................................................................................................6 Study Site ............................................................................................................................6 Movement ............................................................................................................................7 Reproduction .......................................................................................................................8 Habitat .................................................................................................................................9 Vegetation. ......................................................................................................................9 Soil. ............................................................................................................................... 10 Analysis ............................................................................................................................. 11 Results ................................................................................................................................... 12 Movement .......................................................................................................................... 12 Reproduction ..................................................................................................................... 13 Habitat ............................................................................................................................... 14 Vegetation. .................................................................................................................... 14 Soil. ............................................................................................................................... 20 Discussion ............................................................................................................................. 30 Movement .......................................................................................................................... 30 Reproduction ..................................................................................................................... 32 Habitat ............................................................................................................................... 32 Chapter Two: Movements and Habitat Use of Bog Turtles (Glyptemys muhlenbergii) in Atypical Wetland Habitat ........................................................................................................................ 39 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 39 Methods ................................................................................................................................ 42 Population Structure and Sex Ratio .................................................................................... 42 Movement and Activity Patterns ........................................................................................ 44 Habitat ............................................................................................................................... 45 Analysis ............................................................................................................................. 46 Results ................................................................................................................................... 48 Population Structure and Sex Ratio .................................................................................... 48 Movement and Activity Patterns ........................................................................................ 48 Habitat ............................................................................................................................... 51 Discussion ............................................................................................................................. 57 Movement and Activity Patterns ........................................................................................ 57 Habitat ............................................................................................................................... 60 Literature Cited ......................................................................................................................... 64 Appendix A............................................................................................................................... 78 Appendix B ............................................................................................................................... 79 iv Appendix C ............................................................................................................................... 80 Appendix D............................................................................................................................... 81 Appendix E ............................................................................................................................... 82 Appendix F ............................................................................................................................... 83 v LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Number of frogs whose final location was in each habitat. .......................................... 14 Table 2: Water depths, substrate depths, and turtle depths by location type. .............................. 52 Table 3: Rank-Preference Index of the water component of microhabitat. ................................ 55 Table 4: Rank-Preference Index of the soil component of microhabitat.