Evaluation of created wetlands as amphibian habitat on a reforested surface mine

Michaela Lambert; Andrea N. Drayer; Wendy Leuenberger; Steven J. Price; Christopher Barton

doi:10.1016/j.ecoleng.2021.106386

Evaluation of created wetlands as amphibian habitat on a reforested surface mine

Michaela Lambert, Andrea N. Drayer, Wendy Leuenberger, Steven J. Price, Christopher Barton

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

Wetlands created within disturbed landscapes may be an important key to restoring lost ecosystem functions. Reclaimed mines provide an opportunity to create wetlands and restore natural features within a disturbed landscape while benefiting amphibians, a taxa affected by habitat loss. A large-scale restoration effort within the Monongahela National Forest, West Virginia, USA has resulted in the creation of over 1400 small wetlands. We sampled 39 of these wetlands among four ages (2, 4, 6, and 8 years) to: 1) characterize differences in wetland habitat, 2) estimate amphibian occupancy and abundance, 3) identify wetland characteristics most important for amphibian utilization of wetlands. Mean wetland size, percent canopy cover, percent vegetation cover, distance to the nearest stream, and distance to the nearest forest varied significantly among wetland age classes. Water quality was within normal parameters for natural and created wetlands within our study region. Amphibian occupancy and abundance varied by species, with occupancy predicted by wetland age (Green Frog, Lithobates clamitans) and lower percent vegetation cover (Spotted Salamander, Ambystoma maculatum, L. clamitans) while abundance was predicted by wetland age (A. maculatum), higher percent vegetation cover (Eastern Newt, Notophthalmus viridescens), larger wetland surface area (A. maculatum, N. viridescens), and shorter distance to forest (N. viridescens). Our results indicate, with adequate site preparation, created wetlands on reforested surface mines provide suitable breeding habitat for pond breeding amphibians.

Original language	English
Article number	106386
Journal	Ecological Engineering
Volume	171
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2021.106386
State	Published - Nov 2021

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This work was supported by the University of Kentucky (UK) Graduate School , UK Department of Forestry and Natural Resources , UK Appalachian Center (Eller and Billings Research Award) , UK College of Agriculture, Food, and Environment (Karri Casner Environmental Science Fellowship) , the Chicago Herpetological Society , and the United States Department of Agriculture McIntire Stennis Cooperative Forestry Research Program (accession number 1001968). This research was approved under UK Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee protocol (2013-1073). Funding providers played no role in the formation of study design, data collection, data analysis and interpretation, writing of the report, and the decision to submit the article for publication.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Elsevier B.V.

Keywords

Abundance
Amphibian
Created wetland
Occupancy
Pond breeding amphibian
Reforestation

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Environmental Engineering
Nature and Landscape Conservation
Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law

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10.1016/j.ecoleng.2021.106386

Cite this

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title = "Evaluation of created wetlands as amphibian habitat on a reforested surface mine",

abstract = "Wetlands created within disturbed landscapes may be an important key to restoring lost ecosystem functions. Reclaimed mines provide an opportunity to create wetlands and restore natural features within a disturbed landscape while benefiting amphibians, a taxa affected by habitat loss. A large-scale restoration effort within the Monongahela National Forest, West Virginia, USA has resulted in the creation of over 1400 small wetlands. We sampled 39 of these wetlands among four ages (2, 4, 6, and 8 years) to: 1) characterize differences in wetland habitat, 2) estimate amphibian occupancy and abundance, 3) identify wetland characteristics most important for amphibian utilization of wetlands. Mean wetland size, percent canopy cover, percent vegetation cover, distance to the nearest stream, and distance to the nearest forest varied significantly among wetland age classes. Water quality was within normal parameters for natural and created wetlands within our study region. Amphibian occupancy and abundance varied by species, with occupancy predicted by wetland age (Green Frog, Lithobates clamitans) and lower percent vegetation cover (Spotted Salamander, Ambystoma maculatum, L. clamitans) while abundance was predicted by wetland age (A. maculatum), higher percent vegetation cover (Eastern Newt, Notophthalmus viridescens), larger wetland surface area (A. maculatum, N. viridescens), and shorter distance to forest (N. viridescens). Our results indicate, with adequate site preparation, created wetlands on reforested surface mines provide suitable breeding habitat for pond breeding amphibians.",

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author = "Michaela Lambert and Drayer, {Andrea N.} and Wendy Leuenberger and Price, {Steven J.} and Christopher Barton",

note = "Funding Information: This work was supported by the University of Kentucky (UK) Graduate School , UK Department of Forestry and Natural Resources , UK Appalachian Center (Eller and Billings Research Award) , UK College of Agriculture, Food, and Environment (Karri Casner Environmental Science Fellowship) , the Chicago Herpetological Society , and the United States Department of Agriculture McIntire Stennis Cooperative Forestry Research Program (accession number 1001968). This research was approved under UK Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee protocol (2013-1073). Funding providers played no role in the formation of study design, data collection, data analysis and interpretation, writing of the report, and the decision to submit the article for publication. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 Elsevier B.V.",

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N2 - Wetlands created within disturbed landscapes may be an important key to restoring lost ecosystem functions. Reclaimed mines provide an opportunity to create wetlands and restore natural features within a disturbed landscape while benefiting amphibians, a taxa affected by habitat loss. A large-scale restoration effort within the Monongahela National Forest, West Virginia, USA has resulted in the creation of over 1400 small wetlands. We sampled 39 of these wetlands among four ages (2, 4, 6, and 8 years) to: 1) characterize differences in wetland habitat, 2) estimate amphibian occupancy and abundance, 3) identify wetland characteristics most important for amphibian utilization of wetlands. Mean wetland size, percent canopy cover, percent vegetation cover, distance to the nearest stream, and distance to the nearest forest varied significantly among wetland age classes. Water quality was within normal parameters for natural and created wetlands within our study region. Amphibian occupancy and abundance varied by species, with occupancy predicted by wetland age (Green Frog, Lithobates clamitans) and lower percent vegetation cover (Spotted Salamander, Ambystoma maculatum, L. clamitans) while abundance was predicted by wetland age (A. maculatum), higher percent vegetation cover (Eastern Newt, Notophthalmus viridescens), larger wetland surface area (A. maculatum, N. viridescens), and shorter distance to forest (N. viridescens). Our results indicate, with adequate site preparation, created wetlands on reforested surface mines provide suitable breeding habitat for pond breeding amphibians.

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Evaluation of created wetlands as amphibian habitat on a reforested surface mine

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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