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Ecology, management and conservation in natural and modified habitats
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Amphibian reproductive success as a gauge of functional equivalency of created wetlands in the Central Appalachians

Gabriel F. Strain A E , Philip J. Turk B , Jordan Helmick C and James T. Anderson D
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Division of Forestry and Natural Resources, West Virginia University, PO Box 6125, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA.

B Department of Statistics, 200 Statistics Building, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.

C Department of Statistics, West Virginia University, PO Box 6330, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA.

D Division of Forestry and Natural Resources, West Virginia University, PO Box 6125, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA.

E Corresponding author. Email: gstrain54@yahoo.com

Wildlife Research 44(4) 354-364 https://doi.org/10.1071/WR15177
Submitted: 20 September 2015  Accepted: 26 May 2017   Published: 29 August 2017

Abstract

Context: Evaluating the adequacy of created wetlands to replace the functions of lost natural wetlands is important because wetland mitigation is a major tool used to offset wetland losses. However, measurements such as vegetative cover and presence of wildlife may not provide sufficient evidence that created wetlands are functioning properly. Thus, examining the ecology of wetland biota such as that of amphibians may be a more useful surrogate for function.

Aims: The objectives of this study were to compare the abundance of amphibian metamorphs and survival and growth of larval amphibians in created wetlands, relative to natural wetlands.

Methods: Amphibian metamorphs were trapped in created and natural wetlands during the spring (April–May) and summer (June–August) of 2009 and 2010, and 165 green frog (Lithobates clamitans) larvae were raised during the spring of 2010 in laboratory aquaria containing water from created or natural wetlands.

Key results: Abundance of spring peeper (Pseudacris crucifer) metamorphs decreased significantly from 2009 to 2010 and abundance of green frog metamorphs increased with habitat complexity, but both were unaffected by wetland type. Detection probability of metamorphs of both species was low, increased with water temperature and declined with month of observation. Survival, growth curves and mass were similar among green frog larvae raised in created and natural wetland aquaria.

Conclusions: Our results suggest that the created and natural wetlands we examined function similarly with respect to providing adequate breeding habitat for green frogs and spring peepers.

Implications: Wetlands created to offset the loss of natural wetlands, although generally not designed for the purpose of wildlife habitat, can function as adequate breeding habitat for generalist amphibians such as green frogs and spring peepers.

Additional keywords: anurans, Central Appalachians, created wetlands, functional equivalency, green frog, Lithobates clamitans, mitigation, Pseudacris crucifer, reproduction, spring peeper.


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